Action Comics Weekly #603

Action Comics Weekly #603, released in the summer of 1988, represents a unique experiment in the history of the medium. Following the successful relaunch of Superman by John Byrne, DC Comics transitioned their flagship anthology title into a weekly format, dropping the 'Superman' headlining requirement to feature serialized stories for various characters like Green Lantern, Blackhawk, and Deadman. This specific issue served as part of the broader effort to revitalize DC’s anthology offerings, moving away from traditional single-story monthly formats to keep readers engaged with a recurring, serialized cadence.

The interior content was a collaborative effort involving various creators, most notably featuring the Green Lantern serial by writer James Owsley and artist M.D. Bright. The design and editorial direction were spearheaded by editor Mike Carlin, who aimed to provide a faster-paced reading experience that echoed the serial newspaper strips of the past. While the experiment demonstrated the company's willingness to innovate during a period of high creative output, the weekly format eventually proved difficult to sustain, and the title reverted to its traditional monthly Superman-centric format a year later.