In the 1950s and 1960s the ongoing series Showcase was designed as a vehicle of DC Comics to test the waters for characters who could be considered as possible leads for ongoing monthly series. The series had a long line of successful introduction or re-introductions including Adam Strange, the Challengers of the Unknown, Barry Allen, Rip Hunter and Ray Palmer. While some characters enjoyed ongoing series and even a strong following others disappeared completely. An example of these was Jason. Originally the title was designed as potentially being one in which the character could be used as an ongoing attempt to find the girl he fell in love with at first sight (sort of a combination of the “Fugitive” with romance comics) but it was eventually decided that the character would be unlikely to be able to hold his own series. At the time comics romance comics were mostly anthologies (that is to say that each issue contained between one and three full and complete stories) and so the decision for an ongoing romance storyline did not appeal to the fan base. As such Jason represents the less successful side of Showcase, as while many characters succeeded, some inevitably failed.
