Jack Staff

Jack Staff
Cover to Jack Staff #3, artist Paul Grist
Publication information
Publisher	Image Comics, was Dancing Elephant Press
First appearance	Jack Staff (vol. 1) #1 (2000)
Created by	Paul Grist
In-story information
Alter ego	John Smith
Team affiliations	Q Unit D Freedom Fighters
Abilities	longevity (maybe immortality), energy manipulation

Jack Staff is a British superhero created by comic book writer/artist Paul Grist. Billed as "Britain's Greatest Hero", it is known for being in the style of an anthology title and for its multi-linear plotlines.

He first saw print in comics published by Paul Grist's Dancing Elephant Press, and is now published by Image Comics. Comics International began exclusive publication of a monthly four-page strip featuring the supporting character Ben Kulmer (the Claw); this started in #185 of the magazine and was set to run for twelve episodes. These strips have since been reprinted by Image Comics in a special.

Grist created Jack Staff based on a story he had written to make use of Marvel's Union Jack character, only to be rejected. He reworked the story to make it more of an original, self-contained comic which Grist then published through his own imprint, Dancing Elephant Press. After twelve issues in black and white, Grist restarted the title with Image Comics, now with colour provided by Phil Elliot. Jack Staff comes out roughly three times a year.

What has made the character very popular is Grist's use of many popular characters from British comics, some taken wholesale, others inspired by them. (See Supporting cast in Jack Staff)

A crossover is planned between this title and Invincible, with Grist drawing and Robert Kirkman writing, but their schedules have not yet allowed it. Jack Staff himself has already appeared in a cameo in an earlier issue of the title, at the memorial service for the slain Guardians of the Globe, and later appeared helping to defend the Earth from an army of other-dimensional Invincible doubles during the globe-spanning Invincible #60. A crossover with Savage Dragon was also planned, in which Dragon would have visited Castletown as part of a storyline in which he searched the world for his missing wife.