The first Tomb Raider comic published by Top Cow appeared in 1999.
Top Cow Productions launched its Tomb Raider comic series during the period when Lara Croft was becoming a major multimedia character. The comics extended Lara's adventures beyond the video games and presented her in stories created specifically for the comic-book format.
The series began with Tomb Raider, issue number one, in 1999. Michael Turner was among the prominent artists associated with the early comics, and Lara's comic appearances became an important part of the character's wider identity.
This date is sometimes confused with the 1996 release of the first video game or with the 2001 film. Those are separate milestones: Core Design's game introduced Lara, Top Cow expanded her into comics, and Angelina Jolie's film later brought her to live action.