Jay Lynch self-portrait for The Comics Journal #114 (February 1987) |
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| Editor-in-chief | Michael Dean (since 2006) |
|---|---|
| Categories | comic books news and criticism |
| Frequency | monthly |
| Publisher | Fantagraphics Books |
| First issue | 1977 |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Website | TCJ.com |
| ISSN | 0194-7869 |
The Comics Journal, often abbreviated TCJ, is an American magazine of news and criticism pertaining to comic books, comic strips and graphic novels.[1] 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 meriting broader cultural respect, and thus should be evaluated with higher critical standards.[2][3][4]
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In 1976, Gary Groth 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 4th weekend in 1975 in Washington, D.C.
The publication was relaunched as The New Nostalgia Journal with issue #27 (July 1976), and with issue #32 (January 1977), it became The Comics Journal ("a quality publication for the serious comics fan"). Issue #37 (December 1977) adopted a magazine format.
In addition to lengthy interviews with comics industry figures, the Journal has always published criticism—and received it in turn.[2] 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 #300 (November 2009), The Comics Journal ceased its semi-monthly print publication.[5] As part of this transition, TCJ shifted from an eight-times a year publishing schedule to a larger, more elaborate, semi-annual format supported by a new website.[6][7]
Over the years The Journal has been involved in a handful of lawsuits.[2] Artist Rich Buckler attempted legal action for a review that called him a plagiarist while printing his panels next to earlier and quite similar Jack Kirby art.[8][9][10][11] A Groth interview with science fiction writer Harlan Ellison sparked a lawsuit by writer Michael Fleisher, over an informal discussion of Fleisher's work and temperament.[12] Co-defendants Groth and Ellison won the case, but emerged from the suit estranged.[13][14][15]
The Comics Journal Library: The Writers (2006) reprinted the Ellison interview with the cover blurb "Harlan Ellison: Famous Comics Dilettante", for which in part, Ellison shortly thereafter filed suit against the Journal, Groth and Thompson.[16]
The Journal has on occasion published, as cover features, lengthy court transcripts of comics-related civil suits. Notable instances include the Fleisher suit[15][17] and Marv Wolfman's failed suit against Marvel Comics over ownership of the character Blade.[18][19]
The Journal features book-length interviews, conducted by Gary Groth and others. Noteworthy interviews include Gil Kane in #38, Steve Gerber in #41, Harlan Ellison in #53, Dennis O'Neil in #64, Robert Crumb in #113, and Charles M. Schulz in #200.
In 2006, the immediacy of online news coverage led the Journal to largely abandon "Newswatch" in favor of "Journalista", a topical daily blog, edited by Dirk Deppey, that covers the same area.[20]
Gary Groth 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, Heidi MacDonald, Lee Wochner, Arn Saba, Ted White, Bob Levin, Carter Scholz, and Noah Berlatsky. Guest contributors have included Dave Sim and Trina Robbins.
The Journal published a 20th-century comics canon 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.[21]
| Year | Organisation | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | Harvey Award | Best Biographical, Historical, or Journalistic Presentation | Won[22] |
| 1991 | Won[23] | ||
| 1992 | Won[24] | ||
| 1993 | Won[25] | ||
| 1995 | Won[26] | ||
| 1996 | Eisner Award | Best Comics-Related Periodical/Publication | Won[27] |
| 1997 | Best Comics-Related Periodical/Publication | Won[27] | |
| Harvey Award | Best Biographical, Historical, or Journalistic Presentation | Won[28] | |
| 1998 | Eisner Award | Best Comics-Related Periodical/Publication | Won[27] |
| Harvey Award | Best Biographical, Historical, or Journalistic Presentation | Won[29] | |
| 1999 | Eisner Award | Best Comics-Related Periodical/Publication | Won[27] |
| Harvey Award | Best Biographical, Historical, or Journalistic Presentation | Won[30] | |
| 2000 | Won[31] | ||
| 2001 | Won[32] | ||
| 2003 | Best Anthology Comics Journal Summer Special 2002 |
Won[33] | |
| 2005 | Eagle Award | Favourite Magazine About Comics | Won[34] |
| 2006 | Harvey Award | Best Biographical, Historical, or Journalistic Presentation | Won[35] |
| 2009 | Eisner Award | Best Comics-Related Periodical/Journalism | Nominated[36] |
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