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Bullets and Bracelets #1 cover
Cover: Gary Frank & Cam Smith

Bullets and Bracelets #1

Apr 1996 · Marvel · 1.95 USD; 2.75 CAD
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“Final Thrust”
★ 1st appearance — Diana Prince
About this Issue

Bullets and Bracelets #1 stands as one of the twelve founding one-shots of the Amalgam Comics imprint — a joint publishing venture between Marvel and DC that briefly fused both companies' rosters into entirely new hybrid characters. The issue marks the first published appearances of Diana Prince (an amalgamation of Wonder Woman and Elektra), Trevor Castle (the Punisher merged with Steve Trevor), and Thanoseid (Darkseid fused with Thanos), giving those characters their sole dedicated showcase in the Amalgam Universe. It occupies a singular place in comics history as the only story to pair the two publishers' most prominent female warrior and most relentless street-level vigilante as a romantic and heroic team — a narrative conceit that would have been impossible inside either publisher's regular continuity. Decades later, the issue's continued relevance was confirmed when it was selected for inclusion in the 2024 DC/Marvel: The Amalgam Age Omnibus, the first major collected edition of the crossover material.

writer John Ostrander · artist Gary Frank · inker Cam Smith · colorist John Kalisz · letterer Richard Starkings · letterer Comicraft · cover Gary Frank, Cam Smith

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History

The issue was written by John Ostrander — best known for creating Suicide Squad and Grimjack — and penciled by Gary Frank, with inks by Cam Smith, colors by John Kalisz, and lettering by Richard Starkings and Comicraft, under the editorial oversight of Marvel's Bob Harras and editor Bobbie Chase. It was published by Marvel Comics in April 1996 as one of the first twelve Amalgam titles, all of which were released in a single week to temporarily replace both publishers' regular output. A distinctive creative conceit of the entire Amalgam initiative was that each one-shot was presented as though it were an issue from a long-running title with established continuity; Bullets and Bracelets #1 was specifically styled as the conclusion to two parallel fictional storylines, simulating issues #90–99 of 'Punisher' and 'Diana Prince, Freelance,' and even featured fictitious letters columns to deepen the illusion of a real publishing history. The issue was reprinted across multiple international markets in 1996–1997, including German (Dino Verlag), Spanish (Planeta DeAgostini), French (Semic S.A.), and Brazilian (Editora Abril) editions.

Trivia · 7 facts

  • First appearance of Diana Prince (Amalgam Universe) — a fusion of DC's Wonder Woman (Diana Prince) and Marvel's Elektra — in her own solo/team-up title.
  • First appearance of Trevor Castle (Amalgam Universe) — a fusion of Marvel's Punisher (Frank Castle) and DC's Steve Trevor — as the issue's co-lead.
  • First appearance of Thanoseid — a fusion of DC's Darkseid and Marvel's Thanos — the issue's primary antagonist.
  • First appearance of Kanto (Ryan Castiglione) — the Amalgam Universe's assassin, revealed to be the time-displaced infant son of Diana and Trevor, sent to Apokolips by Thanoseid's Omega Beams.
  • First appearance of Big Titania — a fusion of DC's Big Barda and Marvel's Titania — who begins as an antagonist and switches sides during the conflict.
  • Written by John Ostrander (Suicide Squad, Grimjack); art by Gary Frank (pencils) and Cam Smith (inks), with colors by John Kalisz.
  • Collected in the DC/Marvel: The Amalgam Age Omnibus (2024), the first major hardcover collection of the 1996 crossover material, alongside all other original Amalgam one-shots.

Full credits

artist Gary Frank
inker Cam Smith
colorist John Kalisz
letterer Comicraft
cover pencils Gary Frank
cover inks Cam Smith

Reprints

Reprinted in DC gegen Marvel Sonderband #1 (1996), DC versus Marvel #6 (1997), Amalgam/Balas y brazaletes #1 (1997), Amálgama #4 (1997), DC versus Marvel #6 (1997), DC versus Marvel: The Amalgam Age Omnibus #[nn] (2025)

Variants (2)

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