''The Comics Journal'', often abbreviated ''TCJ'', is an American magazine of news and criticism pertaining to
comic book
A comic book, comic-magazine, or simply comic is a publication that consists of comics art in the form of sequential juxtaposed panel (comics), panels that represent individual scenes. Panels are often accompanied by descriptive prose and wri ...
s,
comic strip
A comic strip is a Comics, sequence of cartoons, arranged in interrelated panels to display brief humor or form a narrative, often Serial (literature), serialized, with text in Speech balloon, balloons and Glossary of comics terminology#Captio ...
s and
graphic novel
A graphic novel is a self-contained, book-length form of sequential art. The term ''graphic novel'' is often applied broadly, including fiction, non-fiction, and Anthology, anthologized work, though this practice is highly contested by comics sc ...
s. Known for its lengthy interviews with comic creators, pointed editorials and scathing reviews of the products of the mainstream comics industry, the magazine promotes the view that comics are a
fine art
In European academic traditions, fine art (or, fine arts) is made primarily for aesthetics or creative expression, distinguishing it from popular art, decorative art or applied art, which also either serve some practical function (such as ...
, meriting broader cultural respect, and thus should be evaluated with higher critical standards.
History
In 1976,
Gary Groth
Gary Groth (born September 18, 1954) is an American comic book editor, publisher and critic. He is editor-in-chief of ''The Comics Journal'', a co-founder of Fantagraphics Books, and founder of the Harvey Awards.
Early life
Groth is the son ...
and
Michael Catron acquired ''The Nostalgia Journal'', a small competitor of the newspaper adzine ''
The Buyer's Guide for Comics Fandom''. At the time, Groth and Catron were already publishing ''Sounds Fine'', a similarly formatted
adzine for record collectors that they had started after producing Rock 'N Roll Expo '75, held during the July 4 weekend in 1975 in Washington, D.C.
The publication was relaunched as ''The New Nostalgia Journal'' with issue No. 27 (July 1976), and with issue No. 32 (January 1977), it became ''The Comics Journal'' ("a quality publication for the serious comics fan"). Issue No. 37 (December 1977) adopted a magazine format. With issue #45 (March 1979), the magazine moved to a monthly schedule; at that point it had a circulation of 10,000.
In addition to lengthy interviews with comics industry figures, the ''Journal'' has always published criticism—and received it in turn.
Starting in the early 2000s, the ''Journal'' published a series of annual specials combining its usual critical format with extended samples of comics from specially selected contributors.
With issue No. 300 (November 2009), ''The Comics Journal'' ceased its semi-monthly print publication. ''TCJ'' shifted from an eight-times a year publishing schedule to a larger, more elaborate, semi-annual format supported by a new website. This format lasted until 2013 with issue #302. The print magazine then went on hiatus, returning to a magazine format in 2019 with issue #303.
Lawsuits
Over the years ''The Journal'' has been involved in a handful of
lawsuit
A lawsuit is a proceeding by one or more parties (the plaintiff or claimant) against one or more parties (the defendant) in a civil court of law. The archaic term "suit in law" is found in only a small number of laws still in effect today ...
s.
Artist
Rich Buckler
Rich Buckler (February 6, 1949 – May 19, 2017) was an Americans, American comics artist and penciller, best known for his work on Marvel Comics' ''Fantastic Four (comic book), Fantastic Four'' in the mid-1970s and for creating the character Deat ...
attempted legal action for a review that called him a
plagiarist while printing his panels next to earlier and quite similar
Jack Kirby
Jack Kirby (; born Jacob Kurtzberg; August 28, 1917 – February 6, 1994) was an American comics artist, comic book artist, widely regarded as one of the medium's major innovators and one of its most prolific and influential creators. He grew ...
art. A Groth interview with science fiction writer
Harlan Ellison
Harlan Jay Ellison (May 27, 1934 – June 28, 2018) was an American writer, known for his prolific and influential work in New Wave science fiction, New Wave speculative fiction and for his outspoken, combative personality. His published wo ...
sparked a lawsuit by writer
Michael Fleisher over an informal discussion of Fleisher's work and temperament. Co-defendants Groth and Ellison won the case, but emerged from the suit estranged.
[''The Comics Journal'' #115 (April 1987), pp. 51–142: Special section on the Fleisher lawsuit, including the testimony of Ellison, Groth, and ]Jim Shooter
James Shooter (born September 27, 1951) is an American writer, editor, and publisher in the comics industry. Beginning his career writing for DC Comics at the age of 14, he had a successful but controversial run as editor-in-chief at Marvel Comic ...
; the disposition of Dean Mullaney, closing arguments; and jurors' recollections.
Ellison later became a plaintiff against ''The Comics Journal'', filing suit in part to enjoin ''The Comics Journal Library: The Writers'', a 2006 Fantagraphics book that reprinted the Ellison interview, and which used a cover blurb calling Ellison a "Famous Comics Dilettante". That case was ultimately settled, with Fantagraphics agreeing to omit both the blurb and the interview from any future printings of the book, Ellison agreeing to post a Groth rebuttal statement on Ellison's webpage, and both sides agreeing to avoid future "ad hominem attacks".
The ''Journal'' has on occasion published, as cover features, lengthy court transcripts of comics-related civil suits. Notable instances include the Fleisher suit
and
Marv Wolfman
Marvin Arthur Wolfman (born May 13, 1946) is an American comic book and novelization writer. He worked on Marvel Comics's ''The Tomb of Dracula'', for which he and artist Gene Colan created the vampire-slayer Blade (character), Blade, and DC Comi ...
's failed suit against
Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics is a New York City–based comic book publishing, publisher, a property of the Walt Disney Company since December 31, 2009, and a subsidiary of Disney Publishing Worldwide since March 2023. Marvel was founded in 1939 by Martin G ...
over ownership of the character
Blade
A blade is the Sharpness (cutting), sharp, cutting portion of a tool, weapon, or machine, specifically designed to puncture, chop, slice, or scrape surfaces or materials. Blades are typically made from materials that are harder than those they a ...
.
Content
''The Journal'' features critical essays, articles on comics history and lengthy interviews, conducted by Gary Groth and others. Noteworthy interviews include
Gil Kane
Gil Kane (; born Eli Katz , ; April 6, 1926 – January 31, 2000) was a Latvian-born American comics artist whose career spanned the 1940s to the 1990s and virtually every major comics company and character.
Kane co-created the modern-day vers ...
in No. 38,
Steve Gerber
Stephen Ross Gerber (; September 20, 1947 – February 10, 2008) was an American comic book writer and creator of the satiric Marvel Comics character Howard the Duck. Other works include '' Man-Thing'', ''Omega the Unknown,'' ''Marvel Spotlight ...
in No. 41,
Harlan Ellison
Harlan Jay Ellison (May 27, 1934 – June 28, 2018) was an American writer, known for his prolific and influential work in New Wave science fiction, New Wave speculative fiction and for his outspoken, combative personality. His published wo ...
in No. 53,
Dennis O'Neil in No. 64,
Robert Crumb
Robert Dennis Crumb (; born August 30, 1943) is an American artist who often signs his work R. Crumb. His work displays a nostalgia for American folk culture of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and satire of contemporary American c ...
in No. 113, and
Charles M. Schulz in #200.
According to Rick Cusick, writing in ''Gauntlet'' magazine, the ''Journal''s combination of forthright news coverage and critical analysis – although the norm for traditional journalistic enterprises – was in sharp contrast to the affectionate and promotional methods of publications like ''
Comics Buyer's Guide
''Comics Buyer's Guide'' (''CBG''; ), established in 1971, was the longest-running English-language periodical reporting on the American comic book industry. It awarded its annual Comics Buyer's Guide Fan Awards from 1983 to circa 2010. The publ ...
'' and (later) ''
Wizard''. In 1995, publisher Gary Groth joked that his magazine occupied "a niche that nobody wants".
Staff members and regular contributors
Gary Groth
Gary Groth (born September 18, 1954) is an American comic book editor, publisher and critic. He is editor-in-chief of ''The Comics Journal'', a co-founder of Fantagraphics Books, and founder of the Harvey Awards.
Early life
Groth is the son ...
has been the ''Journal''s publisher and nominal editor for almost all of its existence. Staff members and regular contributors have included
Kim Thompson, Greg Stump,
Eric Millikin, Eric Reynolds, Ng Suat Tong, R. Fiore,
R.C. Harvey, Kenneth Smith,
Don Phelps, Robert Boyd, Tom Heintjes, Michael Dean,
Tom Spurgeon,
Robert Rodi, Gene Phillips, Marilyn Bethke,
Cat Yronwode
Catherine Anna Yronwode (née Manfredi; May 12, 1947) is an American writer, editor, graphic designer, typesetter, and publisher with an extensive career in the comic book industry. She is also a practitioner of folk magic.
Early life
Catherine ...
,
Heidi MacDonald,
Lee Wochner,
Bhob Stewart,
Arn Saba,
Ted White, Bob Levin,
Carter Scholz, and Noah Berlatsky. Guest contributors have included
Dave Sim
Dave Sim (born 17 May 1956) is a Canadian cartoonist and publisher, known for his comic book ''Cerebus the Aardvark, Cerebus'', his artistic experimentation, his advocacy of self-publishing and creators' rights, and his controversial political an ...
and
Trina Robbins.
Managing editors
* 1987–1988: Thom Powers
* 1988–1989: Greg S. Baisden
* 1989–1990: Robert Boyd
* 1990–September 1991: Helena Harvilicz
* September 1991–1993: Frank M. Young
* 1993 – September 1993: Carole Sobocinski
* September 1993 – September 1994: Scott Nybakken
* September 1994–1999:
Tom Spurgeon (also executive editor 1998–1999)
* 1999–2001: Eric Evans and Darren Hick
* 2001–2002:
Anne Elizabeth Moore
* 2002–2004: Milo George
* 2004–2006:
Dirk Deppey
* 2006–2011: Michael Dean
* 2019–2021: RJ Casey and Kristy Valenti
* 2021: Rachel Miller and Kristy Valenti
* 2022: Kristy Valenti and
Austin English
Online editors
* Kristy Valenti, 2010–2011
* Dan Nadel and Tim Hodler, 2011–2017
* Tim Hodler and Tucker Stone, 2017–2019
* Tucker Stone, 2017–2021
* Tucker Stone and Joe McCulloch, 2021–2024 (through April)
* Chris Mautner and Sally Madden, May 2024-ongoing
The ''Journal''s Top 100 Comics list
The ''Journal'' published a 20th-century comics
canon
Canon or Canons may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* Canon (fiction), the material accepted as officially written by an author or an ascribed author
* Literary canon, an accepted body of works considered as high culture
** Western canon, th ...
in its 210th issue (February 1999). To compile the list, eight contributors and editors made eight separate top 100 (or fewer than 100 for some) lists of American works. These eight lists were then informally combined and tweaked into an ordered list. ''
Krazy Kat
''Krazy Kat'' (also known as ''Krazy & Ignatz'' in some reprints and compilations) is an US, American newspaper comic strip, created by cartoonist George Herriman, which ran from 1913 to 1944. It first appeared in the ''New York Journal-America ...
'' topped the list, followed by ''
Peanuts
''Peanuts'' (briefly subtitled ''featuring Good ol' Charlie Brown'') is a print syndication, syndicated daily strip, daily and Sunday strip, Sunday American comic strip written and illustrated by Charles M. Schulz. The strip's original run ext ...
'', ''
Pogo'', and
Art Spiegelman
Itzhak Avraham ben Zeev Spiegelman ( ; born February 15, 1948), professionally known as Art Spiegelman, is an American cartoonist, editor, and comics advocate best known for his graphic novel ''Maus''. His work as co-editor on the comics magazin ...
's ''
Maus''.
Harvey Kurtzman
Harvey Kurtzman (; October 3, 1924 – February 21, 1993) was an American cartoonist and editor. His best-known work includes writing and editing the parodic comic book ''Mad (magazine), Mad'' from 1952 until 1956, and writing the ...
had the most entries of any creator, five:
his original run on ''Mad'' (#8), his "New Trend"
EC war comics (#12), the
1959 ''Jungle Book'' graphic novel (#26), his ''
Hey Look!'' gag cartoons (#63), and the ''
Goodman Beaver'' stories (#64).
''
The Village Voice
''The Village Voice'' is an American news and culture publication based in Greenwich Village, New York City, known for being the country's first Alternative newspaper, alternative newsweekly. Founded in 1955 by Dan Wolf (publisher), Dan Wolf, ...
'' cited the survey's ad hoc criteria:
Among the controversial omissions to the Top 100 was
Dave Sim
Dave Sim (born 17 May 1956) is a Canadian cartoonist and publisher, known for his comic book ''Cerebus the Aardvark, Cerebus'', his artistic experimentation, his advocacy of self-publishing and creators' rights, and his controversial political an ...
's ''
Cerebus'' series. Sim and the ''Journal'' had periodically found themselves at odds in the years preceding the list's formulation.
["Top comics make fans pick sides"]
''The Baltimore Sun
''The Baltimore Sun'' is the largest general-circulation daily newspaper based in the U.S. state of Maryland and provides coverage of local, regional, national, and international news.
Founded in 1837, the newspaper was owned by Tribune Publi ...
''. May 2, 1999. Issue #213 included eight pages of responses to, and defenses of the list; ''Journal'' columnist R. Fiore wrote "Dave Sim must now think you have a personal vendetta against him", and co-publisher Kim Thompson conceded: "If I had to do it over again, I'd squash together the
Hernandez material into two entries
ndput ''Cerebus'' and two other things in the vacant spots". Twelve years later, the omission was still being acknowledged by the ''Journal'', which noted that Dave Sim's ''Cerebus'' "was conspicuously excluded".
[Kreider, Tim (June 21, 2011)]
"TCJ #301: Excerpt from 'Irredeemable: Dave Sim’s Cerebus'"
''The Comics Journal''.
Regarding the inclusion of
superhero comics
Superhero comics is one of the most common genres of American comic books. The genre rose to prominence in the 1930s and became extremely popular in the 1940s and has remained the dominant form of comic book in North America since the 1960s. Supe ...
on the list, editor and survey participant Tom Spurgeon wrote: "I voted for most of the men-in-spandex titles that made the list – ''Spider-Man, Fantastic Four, Plastic Man'' – despite the sheer lousiness of some of those works' contributing elements".
[''The Comics Journal'' No. 213, June 1999, Fantagraphics Publishing, pgs. 9] Ultimately, the Top 100 included six superhero works, including the deconstructionist ''
Watchmen
''Watchmen'' is a comic book Limited series (comics), limited series by the British creative team of writer Alan Moore, artist Dave Gibbons, and colorist John Higgins (comics), John Higgins. It was published monthly by DC Comics in 1986 and 19 ...
''.
Frank Miller's ''
The Dark Knight Returns'' was one well-regarded mainstream superhero project that was considered but ultimately not chosen, according to co-publisher Kim Thompson.
Awards
See also
*
List of ''Comics Journal'' interview subjects—provides issue numbers with interview subjects
* ''
Comic Art''
*
Sequart Organization
Notes
References
*
Groth, Gary (editor),
Spurgeon, Tom (executive editor). ''The Comics Journal'' #210.
Fantagraphics Books
Fantagraphics (previously Fantagraphics Books) is an American publisher of alternative comics, classic comic strip anthologies, manga, magazines, graphic novels, and (formerly) the Erotic comics, erotic Eros Comix imprint. They have managed sev ...
, February 1999.
* Dean, Mike; Moore, Elizabeth Anne. "Timeline". ''The Comics Journal'' No. 235 (July 2001), p. 82.
* Dean, Mike
"''The Comics Journal'' Examines Its Own Navel,"''The Comics Journal'' No. 235 (July 2001).
* Groth, Gary, and Robert Fiore, eds. ''The New Comics: Interviews from the Pages of'' The Comics Journal. New York : Berkley, 1988. .
* Complete collection of ''The Comics Journal'' and ''The Nostalgia Journal'' held by the
Michigan State University Comic Art Collection.
External links
*
TCJ Covers, Contents and Mastheadsat
The Comics Reporter
History of ''The Nostalgia Journal''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Comics Journal, The
Biannual magazines published in the United States
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English-language magazines
Eisner Award winners for Best Comics-Related Periodical/Journalism
Fantagraphics titles
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Magazines established in 1977
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