Morris Levy. He didn't like you either. The history of Charlton Comics is well known to most, especially the beginnings.  Charlton was formed in 1940 by John Santangelo, Sr. and Ed Levy, who met while incarcerated.   Jail is often the meeting place for strange bedfellows and this was no exception. Santangelo, a bricklayer, was serving time for copyright violation, Ed Levy, a lawyer, was in for a billing fraud conviction.   Formulating an idea they decided to team up and upon release e stablished a printing plant.  From there the duo branched out into publishing, first with music magazines and eventually comics. It's worth mentioning that most paper printing plants in America in the 1950s and beyond were generally used by various mobsters to print and distribute pornography and counterfeit, and generally illegal, items.  The allure of such publishing was twofold – it could be done cheaply and the end result sold for a massive profit.  Added to the attraction was that su

For the past few weeks I've agonised over what to do with my non-existent writing career.  I've been pounding words out of keyboards on a semi-professional and professional basis since 1993 - that's 21 years - and have made nothing.  In that time I've seen many a person lift my work, my writing, my research and more, and cash in.  Good on them - they can live with it.  I've been accused of many things, being a hack, being no good, being a plagiarist.  I've been accused to actually killing an artist I never met - the list is endless.  Then something happened. When I started the Keith Chatto book I wondered if anyone would read it.  They did.  I wondered if anyone enjoyed it.  I have no idea as the feedback has also been non-existent.  But, and this stunned me, I made more money out of the Chatto book, which was given away free under the proviso that a donation would be nice, than I have all the other books I've had published to date.  Mind you, the amount f

Today's 'Let's Do A Swap' book: Ghastly Terror! By Stephen Sennitt.  Paperback, 1st edition. Brand new. A fairly good read.  Studies the 1950s pre-code horror comics through to the black and white horror mags of the 1970s.  It has it’s moments, but if you like Skywald material then this is for you. If like Charlton material, probably best to let this one go. One only - once it’s gone, then it’s gone.  Tomorrow, another book. Let people know if you think they might want it. Here's the deal. I'm going through my stuff and will be getting rid of a lot of doubles and the like. Some people will find books just turning up on their doorstep from time to time. In the meantime, other books I've decided to see it a trade can be worked up. Here's how I'll do it. I like oddball stuff. Such as ephemera (that's paper type stuff for the less edumacated amongst us) relating to comics and movies (not videos or DVDs), sketches, signed letters, autographed items -

Today's 'Let's Do A Swap' book: Andru & Esposito: Partners For Life by Mike Esposito and, well, yours truly. Brand new. Paperback. Ross and Mike in all their glory. Five copies up on offer.  And, if it will sweeten the deal, I'm happy to sign the book, or not, depending on how you feel about my scrawl and, to be honest, I've signed about three of these in the past, but will sign them now if people want me to.   These are the last of my comp copies - getting them out of the publisher was like pulling teeth. Take one or take all - once they're gone, then they're gone.  Tomorrow, another book. Let people know if you think they might want it. Here's the deal. I'm going through my stuff and will be getting rid of a lot of doubles and the like. Some people will find books just turning up on their doorstep from time to time. In the meantime, other books I've decided to see it a trade can be worked up. Here's how I'll do it. I like oddbal

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Bill Sienkiewicz is Guest of Honor at the 2014 Inkwell Awards Heroes Con Awards Ceremony   (New Bedford, MA/USA—June 2, 2014) Voting for the 7th annual Inkwell Awards (the “Inkwells”) has ended and the comic book  inking  advocacy group  will present its live awards ceremony during this summer’s Heroes Con, held June 20-22 in FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Charlotte, NC, to reveal the highly-anticipated results.   Rather than just “Favorite Inker”, the Inkwells have five categories, including the “Props” award for under-recognized professionals, and the S.P.A.M.I., for favorite Small Press And Mainstream-Independent work. Thousands of voters came to the group’s  web site  to vote online from May 15-30.    “After another productive year spreading the word about the art form and its vital contribution to the industry, the Inkwell family is thrilled to celebrate with fans the culmination of that time, effort and passion by recognizing the industry’s best ink artists,” said

Utterly irreplaceable.  Nobody could, nobody can, ever sing like Doc did. Rest easy Doc, you've more than earned it.  A lot more people loved you than you probably knew.