The Crow is a comic book series about a supernatural superhero named Eric Draven who is resurrected from the dead to avenge the murder of his fiancée. Created by James O'Barr as a way to cope with his fiancée's death, the series debuted in 1989 and gained underground fame. Its success led to a 1994 film adaptation, followed by three sequels, a TV show, and many other spin-offs. The Crow's dark and vengeful narrative has resonated with audiences, solidifying its place in popular culture.
November 1988: First Glimpse of The Crow
The Crow character made its first appearance, albeit on the back cover of Deadworld #10, in November 1988.
January 1989: The Crow's First Story
In January 1989, "Inertia", a prelude to the main series, marked The Crow's first in-story appearance in Caliber Presents #1.
February 1989: The Crow in Caliber Presents
An advertisement in Deadworld #10 announced the upcoming appearance of The Crow in Caliber Presents #1, slated for February 1989.
May 1989: The Crow's First Limited Series Concludes
The initial four-issue limited series of "The Crow", titled "Pain", "Fear", "Irony", and "Despair", concluded in May 1989, depicting a series of revenge tales.
December 1989: "Atmosphere" Story in A Caliber Christmas
December 1989 saw the release of "Atmosphere" in A Caliber Christmas, a story reflecting on Eric and Shelly's happier times, later placed between issues #2 and #3 in the graphic novel.
1989: The Crow Comic Debut
"The Crow" comic book series, created by James O'Barr, was first published by Caliber Comics in 1989.
September 1990: Preview of The Crow #5
Caliber Presents #15, released in September 1990, featured a preview of "Death", the intended concluding story for the original arc of The Crow #5, which remained unpublished.
1993: The Crow Graphic Novel Released
Kitchen Sink Press compiled "The Crow" comics into a graphic novel in 1993. A limited hardcover edition was also published by Graphitti Designs.
1994: The Crow Film Adaptation
The first film adaptation of "The Crow", directed by Alex Proyas, was released in 1994.
1994: The Crow Film Release and Success
Miramax Films released "The Crow" in 1994, achieving both critical and commercial success with a gross total of over $50 million.
March 1995: Initial Release Date for The Crow CCG
March 1995 was the initial planned release date for "The Crow" collectible card game.
November 1995: The Crow Collectible Card Game Release
In November 1995, "The Crow" collectible card game was released by Heartbreaker Press and Target Games. It featured images from the comics and film adaptation.
October 1996: Planned Release Date for "Crow: City of Angels" Expansion
The "Crow: City of Angels" expansion was announced and planned for an October 1996 release. However, it never materialized.
1996: The Crow: City of Angels Released
"The Crow: City of Angels", the first sequel to "The Crow", was released in 1996 starring Vincent Perez as the titular character.
1996: The Crow Novels Begin Publication
A series of novels inspired by "The Crow" began publication in 1996, mostly published by Harper and penned by various authors including Chet Williamson and Poppy Z. Brite.
1996: Kitchen Sink Publishes Crow Mini-Series
Starting in 1996, Kitchen Sink Press published five mini-series and a one-shot based on The Crow concept, each featuring a new avatar.
1997: The Crow Video Game Released
"The Crow: City of Angels", a video game loosely based on the film of the same name, was released in 1997 for various platforms.
1998: The Crow: Stairway to Heaven Premieres
"The Crow: Stairway to Heaven", a television series based on the first film, premiered in 1998, starring Mark Dacascos as Eric Draven.
1998: The Crow: Shattered Lives and Broken Dreams Released
"The Crow: Shattered Lives and Broken Dreams", a collection of interpretations of "The Crow" by various writers and artists, was released on Halloween 1998 by Random House.
1998: The Crow/Razor: Kill the Pain Released
London Night Studios published "The Crow/Razor: Kill the Pain" in 1998, pairing Eric Draven with Razor in a five-issue series.
February 1999: The Crow/Razor Expanded Issues
"The Crow/Razor: Kill the Pain" saw the release of "Finale" and "The Lost Chapter" in February 1999.
1999: Image Comics Releases New Crow Series
Image Comics released a new Crow comic series in 1999, offering another take on Eric Draven's story, which ran for ten issues concluding in November.
2000: The Crow: Salvation Released
The third film in The Crow franchise, "The Crow: Salvation", starring Eric Mabius, was released in 2000.
2001: The Crow Novels Publication Ends
The series of novels based on "The Crow" concluded its publication in 2001.
2002: The Crow Graphic Novel Re-Released
Pocket Books re-released the original Crow graphic novel in 2002 after it had been out of print for a while.
2004: Author's Edition Announced
In 2004, O'Barr announced an upcoming Author's Edition of The Crow, featuring new material, including additional romance flashback scenes and visual enhancements.
2005: The Crow: Wicked Prayer Released
The fourth installment in The Crow film franchise, "The Crow: Wicked Prayer", starring Edward Furlong, was released in 2005.
July 28, 2011: The Crow: Special Edition Released
"The Crow: Special Edition", the Author's Edition announced in 2004, was released on July 28, 2011, published by Gallery Books.
July 2012: IDW Publishing's New Crow Series
IDW Publishing released a new five-issue Crow series, "The Crow: Death and Rebirth", in July 2012, written by John Shirley and illustrated by Kevin Colden.
2013: IDW Publishes Two Crow Series
IDW Publishing released "The Crow: Skinning the Wolves" and "The Crow: Curare" in 2013, continuing their series of Crow comics.
2014: IDW Publishes The Crow: Pestilence and a Crossover
In 2014, IDW Publishing released "The Crow: Pestilence", a new Crow series, and "The X-Files/The Crow: Conspiracy", a crossover one-shot.
2018: The Crow: Memento Mori Released
IDW Publishing continued its Crow series with the release of "The Crow: Memento Mori" in 2018.
2019: Two More IDW Crow Releases
IDW Publishing published two more Crow comics in 2019: "The Crow: Hack/Slash", a new series, and "The Crow: Hark the Herald", a one-shot issue.
2020: The Crow: Lethe Released
IDW Publishing released "The Crow: Lethe", another addition to its Crow comic series, in 2020.
August 23, 2024: The Crow Remake Scheduled Release
A remake of the original "The Crow" film, starring Bill Skarsgård and FKA Twigs, directed by Rupert Sanders, is scheduled for release on August 23, 2024, by Lionsgate Films.
2037: The Crow: 2037 Cancelled
A sequel/reboot of "The Crow", titled "The Crow: 2037", was planned and written by Rob Zombie, set in the future, but ultimately got cancelled.