THE FUTURIANS (vol 1) #1 (October, 1985).
Dave Cockrum's original team of heroes first saw print the previous year in Marvel Graphic Novels #9. Despite not being tied-in to the Marvel Universe, the graphic novel was very successful and Marvel decided a comic book series was the logical next step.
Cockrum, however, was disillusioned with Marvel at the time, and was seduced away by promises of big money by an independent publisher. He produced four issues of The Futurians, continuing the story from the graphic novel, but only three issues saw print before the publisher went out of business. Needless to say, Cockrum never saw the riches he was promised.
Years later he did manage to self publish the fourth issue, which finished out the story arc. All four issues were also reprinted as a limited edition graphic novel in 1987.
