 The cover of the final issue ofThe Comic Reader, featuringEvangeline. | |
| Editors | Jerry Bails (issues #1–25) Glen Johnson (issues #26–40) Derrill Rothermich (issues 42–48) Bob Schoenfeld (issues #49–64) Mark Hanerfeld (issues #65–77) Paul Levitz (issues #78–100) Mike Tiefenbacher (issues #101–219) |
|---|---|
| Categories | Comics criticism and news |
| Frequency | Generally monthly[a] |
| Publisher | Jerry Bails (1961–1963) |
| Total circulation (c. 1972) | 3,500[1] |
| First issue | Oct. 1961 |
| Final issue Number | Sept. 1984 219 |
| Company | Academy of Comic-Book Fans and Collectors (1963–1969) TCR Publications (1971–1973) Street Enterprises (1973–1982) |
| Country | United States |
| Based in | Brooklyn, New York (1971–1973) Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin (1973–1984) |
| Language | English |
The Comic Reader (TCR) was acomics news-fanzine published from 1961 to 1984. Debuting in the pre-direct market era (before the proliferation of comics retailers),TCR was the first regularly published comics industry news fanzine, and was able to secure many contacts from within the ranks of the larger publishers. AsTCR increased in popularity and influence, it was able to attract professional artist to illustrate the covers.TCR also proved to be a launching pad for aspiring comic book creators, many of whom published work in the fanzine as amateurs. Contributors from the world of fandom included founding editorJerry Bails, key editorPaul Levitz,Paul Kupperberg,Tony Isabella,Byron Preiss,Neal Pozner,Don Rosa,Carl Gafford, andDoug Hazlewood.
The fanzine was founded in 1961 asOn the Drawing Board byJerry Bails, the "Father of Comics Fandom", changing its name toThe Comic Reader in 1962 and being named the official bulletin of theAcademy of Comic-Book Fans and Collectors (ACBFC). During its run,TCR won a number of industry awards, including theAlley Award and theGoethe Award/Comic Fan Art Award. In its last incarnation, published byStreet Enterprises, it was more professional magazine than fanzine, and was known colloquially as "theTV Guide of the comics industry".[1]
Jerry Bails founded and publishedOn the Drawing Board in October 1961, to showcase the latest comic news.[2] Spinning-off from Bails' other zine,Alter Ego (after appearing for three issues as a column within that publication),On the Drawing Board "was devoted to blurbs and news items pertaining to upcoming events in pro comics".[3]
Released in stand-alone form as "a single-page news-sheet",On the Drawing Board #4 (#1-3 being applied to the columns appearing in those issues ofA/E) debuted on October 7, 1961.[3] Comics fandom historianBill Schelly described its impact:
Suddenly, fans had a way to see what was coming up on the newsstands. In some cases, they also found out the names of the writers and artists of certain features, in an era before such credits were routinely given. While there was considerable interest in developments at DC (especially the revival ofHawkman), fans also closely followed the entrance of other companies into the costumed hero sweepstakes:Archie Comics,Gold Key,Charlton, andMarvel.[3]
In March 1962, issue #8 ofOn the Drawing Board was retitledThe Comic Reader. The "On the Drawing Board" name was retained for the periodical's news section. The (generally) monthly title became "a mainstay of fandom", winning a 1963Alley Award.
In January 1964, Bails announced the merger ofThe Comic Reader with another of his fanzines,The Comicollector, under the editorship of Bill White.[4] However, a death in White's family prevented the merger from happening, at which point Florida-based publishedG. B. Love mergedThe Comicollector into his own fanzineRocket's Blast, as well as offering to absorbThe Comic Reader.[5] The ACBFC board, however, voted to maintainTCR as a standalone publication, and in mid-1964 New Mexico-based comics enthusiast Glen Johnson stepped forward to take over editorial duties.[6]
Johnson was followed by a succession of editors, including Derrill Rothermich, who switched the fanzine tooffset printing in late 1965.Mark Hanerfeld took overTCR in 1968[7] with issue #65, but by mid-1969 was having trouble maintaining a consistent publication schedule. Hanerfeld was doing double-duty as executive secretary of the ACBFC, and apparently this workload was too much for him. The ACBFC went defunct in mid-1969;[8] and despite winning a 1969 Alley Award, by early 1970TCR was no longer being published.
In early 1971, New York teenagerPaul Levitz bought the property and revivedThe Comic Reader[1] with issue #78, merging it withEtcetera, a zine he had previously co-published withPaul Kupperberg. From issues #78–#89, the merged zine was calledEtcetera & The Comic Reader; after issue #90 the zines split up again.
Under Levitz's editorship,TCR increased circulation (going monthly after a previous schedule of eight issues per year) and changed format, usually featuring an illustrated cover and typically 16 pages in length. As the zine gained in popularity and influence, it was able to attract industry professionals, such asJack Kirby,[9]Rich Buckler,[10]Walt Simonson,[11] andHoward Chaykin,[12] to illustrate the covers. During this period,TCR won two Best FanzineComic Fan Art Awards.[13] Due to his work on the zine, Levitz became well known at the offices ofDC Comics, where he eventually ended up working for the company for over 35 years in a wide variety of roles.
TCR published ballots for the 1973Goethe Awards (for comics published in 1972);[14]TCR staff also produced the program booklet for the 1973Comic Art Convention.[15]
Issue #99 (July 1973) featuredTCR's first color cover.
In November 1973, with issue #101, Wisconsin-based publisherStreet Enterprises took overTCR,[1] and Mike Tiefenbacher took over as editor. Under Street Enterprises' oversight,TCR changed format todigest size, giving it even more the impression of being "theTV Guide of the comics industry".[1] The magazine also began licensing its U.S. comics news material to the British fan press, particularlyRichard Burton'sComic Media News andMartin Lock'sBEM.[16]
In early 1979, due to the cancellation of another Street Enterprises title,The Menomonee Falls Gazette, the publisher moved many of the strips featured inThe Gazette over toThe Comic Reader.[17]
The emergence ofAmazing Heroes in 1981, published byFantagraphics Books, ate intoTCR's readership. As long-time Fantagraphics co-publisherKim Thompson put it: "If you want to look at it cynically, we set out to stealThe Comic Reader's cheese. Which we did".[18]
The Comic Reader published its final issue, #219, in September 1984.
In addition to news about creators, publishers, conventions, and the like,TCR ran recurringcomic strips and features such as: