Axel Pressbutton

Axel Pressbutton is a fictional character appearing in comic books. A violent cyborg with the face of Ernest Borgnine, a button on his chest which delivers orgasmic pleasure when pressed, and a phobia about vegetation, he was created by Steve Moore (under the pseudonym "Pedro Henry") and Alan Moore (no relation, under the pseudonym "Curt Vile").

Axel Pressbutton
Axel Pressbutton #6 (Eclipse Comics, July 1985), cover art by Mick Austin
Publication information
PublisherDark Star
Spotlight Publications
Quality Communications
Eclipse Comics
Atomeka Press
John Brown Publishing
Marvel Epic
First appearanceDark Star #22 (1979)
Created byPedro Henry (Steve Moore)
Curt Vile (Alan Moore)
In-story information
SpeciesCyborg
PartnershipsMysta Mistralis (Laser Eraser)
Axel Pressbutton
Series publication information
PublisherEclipse Comics
FormatLimited series
GenreScience fiction
Publication dateAxel Pressbutton:
November 1984 – July 1985
Laser Eraser and Pressbutton:
November 1985 – July 1986
Number of issues6 (Axel Pressbutton)
6 (Laser Eraser and Pressbutton)
Creative team
Writer(s)Pedro Henry
Artist(s)Mike Collins

Publication history

Axel first appeared in the strip "Three-Eyes McGurk and his Death Planet Commandos," serialized in four issues of the British rock music magazine Dark Star in 1979–1980. Further Axel stories appeared in Sounds in the period 1980–1983; these were mostly written and drawn by "Curt Vile.".[1] From that period onward, all Axel stories were written by "Pedro Henry" (Steve Moore).

Warrior magazine, launched in 1982, featured Laser Eraser and Pressbutton stories in most issues, mostly drawn by Steve Dillon, in which Pressbutton was partnered with Mysta Mistralis, the "Laser Eraser" (a futuristic hit woman). A few other stories featured the bizarre supporting character Zirk, drawn by such artists as Garry Leach and Brian Bolland. (Zirk won the 1983 Eagle Award for Favourite Supporting Character.)[2]

Axel got his own six-issue title in 1984 from Eclipse Comics, which contained reprints of the Axel stories and other back-up material from Warrior. This was followed by a further six issues of Laser Eraser and Pressbutton and a 3-D Special in 1985. This series contained new material written by "Henry" and drawn by Mike Collins.

Axel and Mysta appeared in backup stories in Miracleman issues #9–12 (also published by Eclipse, 1986–1987); later one-off stories appeared in anthology publications, always written by "Henry."

In 2006, British comics artist Jon Haward announced he was drawing a new story featuring Laser Eraser and Pressbutton. Written by Steve Moore (aka Pedro Henry) and with his approval, the story would go online on Haward's website[3] in October 2006. However, Steve Moore died in 2014 and the story remains unpublished.

Character biography

Pressbutton's origin was given in a stand-alone story in the Warrior Summer Special (Quality Communications, 1983), drawn by Steve Jackson. Originally a mild-mannered and plant-loving florist, he took delivery of plant matter which included a sentient, telepathic, anesthetic, carnivorous fungus which attacked his body from the feet upwards. All the time it was consuming him, it was empathising with him, apologising for eating him and preventing him from feeling the pain. By the time he was rescued, the only remaining parts of his body were his head, right arm and part of his chest. As a result of this damage, he became extremely embittered, especially against vegetation. When rebuilt as Pressbutton, he was fitted with a cleaver as a left arm and, because of his lack of genital equipment, an orgasm-inducing button on his chest clearly marked "Press". Unfortunately, this was sometimes used by later adversaries to disable him (in rapture) while he was attacking them.

Bibliography
  • "Three-Eyes McGurk and his Death Planet Commandos," serialized in Dark Star #22–25 (1979–1980) – by Pedro Henry and Curt Vile; later reprinted in Rip Off Comix #8 (April 1981)
  • "The Stars My Degradation" (a reference to The Stars My Destination), serialized in Sounds (July 12, 1980 – March 19, 1983) – Vile wrote and drew the strip from July 12, 1980,[4] to December 1981,[5] and then again from February 5, 1983, to March 19, 1983;[6] Henry wrote the strip from February 6, 1982,[7] to January 15, 1983;[6] all art by Vile
  • "Christmas on Depravity," Sounds (8-page story, December 26, 1981) – story by Pedro Henry and Curt Vile, art by Curt Vile; later reprinted in Warrior #16 (Dec. 1983).
  • "The Bride of Pressbutton," Sounds (8-page story, December 25, 1982) – by Pedro Henry and Curt Vile
  • Laser Eraser and Pressbutton, in Warrior issues #1–12, 14 (text piece only), 15, 16 (reprint from Sounds), 21, 24–25 (Quality Communications, March 1982–August 1984) – stories by Pedro Henry, art by Steve Dillon (issues #1–3, 6–11), David Jackson (issues #4 and 5), Mick Austin (issue #12), and Alan Davis (issues #21, 24–25)
  • Axel Pressbutton (Eclipse Comics, Nov. 1984–July 1985) – by Pedro Henry and Steve Dillon, David Jackson, and Alan Davis; reprints from Warrior
  • Laser Eraser and Pressbutton (Eclipse Comics, November 1985 –July 1986) – by Pedro Henry and Mike Collins
  • 3-D Laser Eraser and Pressbutton (Eclipse Comics, August 1986)) – by Pedro Henry and Mike Collins
  • "Corsairs of Illunium," in Miracleman #9 (Eclipse Comics, July 1986) – by Pedro Henry and Mike Collins
  • "Corsairs of Illunium part 2," in Miracleman #10 (Eclipse, Comics, December 1986) – by Pedro Henry and Mike Collins
  • "Time after Time," in Miracleman #11 (Eclipse Comics, May 1987) – by Pedro Henry and Mike Collins
  • "Time after Time," in Miracleman #12 (Eclipse Comics, September 1987) – by Pedro Henry and Mike Collins
  • "A Long Time Dead," in A1 Volume 1 Book #2 (Atomeka Press, 1989) – six-page text story by Pedro Henry, art by Glenn Fabry
  • "Famous for Fifteen Minutes," in Blast! #1 (John Brown Publishing, June 1991) – six-page story by Pedro Henry, art by Steve Dillon
  • "Axel Pressbutton – The Movie," in A1 Volume 2 Book #3 (Marvel Epic, 1992) – seven pages & cover, story by Pedro Henry, art by Martin Emond & poster page/cover by Simon Bisley
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References
  1. Yang, Sam (October 1991). "A Loaf of Bread, A Jug of Wine and Eddie Campbell". The Comics Journal. 1 (145): 68.
  2. "The Eagle Awards - Results: 1983," Eagle Awards website. Archived at the Wayback Machine. Accessed Jan. 27, 2020.
  3. "Jon Haward Art". Archived from the original on 14 November 2019. Retrieved 6 February 2020.
  4. "Sounds 1980," 4 Color Heroes. Retrieved Feb. 6, 2020.
  5. "Sounds 1981," 4 Color Heroes. Retrieved Feb. 6, 2020.
  6. "Sounds 1983," 4 Color Heroes. Retrieved Feb. 6, 2020.
  7. "Sounds 1982," 4 Color Heroes. Retrieved Feb. 6, 2020.
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