Peerless Power of Comics!

When Publisher Mark Hanerfeld found work at DC, The Comic Reader vanished for 22 months. Taking up the slack was another fanzine. Etcetera was published by Paul Levitz and Paul Kupperberg, and later solely by Levitz. Kupperberg would go on to write and edit for DC. You can read some great stories at his blog, including a few about his time working on Etc and meeting Carmine Infantino: http://kupps.malibulist.com/page/7/ Paul Levitz became a writer, editor and publisher at DC. Etcetera followed TCR by concentrating on news about DC and Marvel, listing coming comics and featuring reviews and columns. Etcetera # 3, May 1971 Along with Marvel and DC news, there was info on Skywald. Sol Brodsky (who left Marvel for a while to attempt this venture) and Israel Waldman teamed to produce horror mags such as Nightmare and Psycho , a few 25 cent color comics and Hell-Rider, which did not turn out to "shake up the industry as we know it" (it lasted two issues). Skywald employed many tal

A fter numerous alterations in title, numbering and publishers, On The Drawing Board reverted back to The Comic Reader with issue # 69, July 1968, as publisher Mark Hanerfeld explains: "There's been some changes made. To begin with, since Bob Schoenfeld is no longer publishing a fanzine using the TCR title, this zine will revert to its old title."                                     And it will remain stable...at least for THIS post!    The news section of TCR notes that Charlton will publish the titles and material left over from the defunct King Comics, including some Wally Wood drawn Jungle Jim's. DC news included reports on Steve Ditko continuing to have health issues (as noted in the previous issue -and blog post - Ditko had recently been hospitalized, but was expected to recuperate soon). Gil Kane substituted for him on Hawk and Dove and while Ditko was able to pencil the Creeper story in issue 5, an inker might be needed to complete the work.  Mike Peppe steppe

                    The Third part of my examination of The Comic Reader continues...                                   An announcement sure to rock comics fans appears unobtrusively in type on the cover of the Comic Reader # 44, Dec 1965. Art by fan Gary Polin. Derrill Rothermich continued as publisher/editor of The Comic Reader in late 1965/early 1966, with Dave Kaler listed as associate and news editor.While On The Drawing Board was the primary attraction, TCR also featured fanzine reviews, articles, letters and artwork. Steve Ditko quitting Marvel was a shock to fans, and further information appeared inside:       According to the article, Ditko turned in his last stories for Marvel in November 1965. There was some trepidation that Ditko might leave the industry, but those fears were unfounded, and Ditko went on to create and drawn countless characters and stories in the 45 years since that ominous headline.  A nice Paul Reinman drawing of Fly-Man and Fly-Girl, two characters he wa