Volume 1, Number 7

Vol. 1, No. 7
August 27, 1990
whole number 7
1990 pages 000-xxx

"Ethics is a Four-Letter Word in Comics" by Robert Kanigher opens up the issue.

Under the Gun: Michael Gilbert, Al Dellinges, Kanigher, Rich Morrissey

To Set the Record Straight; re credits, by-lines

Controversy: Who Wrote and Drew Batman in the First Two Years? The continuing problem of missing by-lines

Controversy: The Jack Kirby Hall of fame

Controversy: Property Rights

And, an ad for The Ditko Public Service Package #2 

To Who It May Concern: An ongoing problem: Who has the right to use and publish copyrighted material? 

Errata: A paragraph is missing from Ditko’s essay in the may edition of the newsletter and published here. 

-- Indexer: Robin Snyder

Volume 1, Number 6

Vol. 1, No. 6
August 1990
whole number 6
1990 pages 041-044 (4 pages)

Bibliography of writer Phil Evans by Robin Snyder and Steve Sibra 

Promo for Ditko's upcoming Public Service Package (back page)

Under the Gun: Letters from Murray Boltinoff and Joe Gill (back page)

-- Indexed by: Nick Caputo

Volume 1, Number 5

Vol. 1, No. 5
May 1990
whole number 5
1990 pages 033-040

"An Insider’s Part of Comics History: Jack Kirby’s Spider-Man", by Steve Ditko analyzes the claim that Kirby created Spider-Man, with details about his recollections of the events around the creation of the character. He includes a pictorial guide to the costumes of three heroes: Simon and Kirby’s Captain America, Kirby’s Spider-Man (from memory) and his own Spider-Man.  This was later reprinted in AVENGING WORLD [2002].

Under the Gun contains comments by Robert Kanigher and Joe Simon, who adds his remarks to the Spider-Man creation matter and includes a two-panel sequence by C.C. Beck from Simon’s Comic Book Makers.

I Remember Romance part 2: The DC Bibliography, Robin Snyder's  early attempt to produce a bibliography of the DC love comics, with a list of the many titles and editors.

A cartoon by Creig Flessel featuring the Sandman and a self-portrait.

King of the Comics Writers, first update, by Robin Snyder, with some quick numbers for some of the most prolific writers of American comics.

Toth/FF, A look back into the 1940s by and with Alex Toth on his early years in comics, specifically Famous Funnies / Eastern Comics from 1943 to 1947, leading up to his stint at DC from 1947 to 1952.  

Alex Toth—A Bibliography by Robin Snyder looks at his work from  1945-47

Volume 1, Number 4

Vol. 1, No. 4
April 1990
whole number 4
1990 pages 029-032 (4 pages)

Detour!...Danger Trail: essay by Robert Kanigher on the origins of King Faraday

Scrap by Alex Toth: a short paragraph on photo-swipes Toth used to illustrate "Appointment in Paris"

Who Created Kanigher? by Bob Haney: Haney disputes Kanigher's account of the genesis of Sgt. Rock. (back page)

In The Works: upcoming pieces for The Comics (back page)

-- Indexer: Nick Caputo

Volume 1, Number 3

Vol. 1, No. 3
March 1990
whole number 3
1990 pages 017-028 (12 pages)

“No Spinach for Socrates”, Robert Kanigher responds to Steve Ditko’s opening in the first issue: “At Some Point”

Imagine That, a brief look at Maurice Sendak working on the Mutt and Jeff feature as published by All-American Comics. 

Who is the King of the Comics? The search for the most prolific writer in the comics begins in this issue. 

“Why Bother?” Why waste time looking in the past? Answer: To lay the proper foundation. To set the record straight. For justice. 

Peter Cannon, Thunderbolt. An illustrated memoir all about the creation and history of this original character by Pete Morisi. 

In the Works. A look into the future.

Under the Gun features commentary by Jack Schiff, Joe Simon and Jim Steranko. 

"Tools of the Trade",  an analysis by Steve Ditko of the writer and the artist and how he works in the comics.

“Comic? Books, a reader’s survey re the name used to describe the comics.

-- Indexer: Robin Snyder

Volume 1, Number 2

Vol. 1, No. 2
February 1990
whole number 2
1990 pages 007-016 (10 pages)

Cover: Irwin Hasen Wonder Woman cover art

I Remember Romance: Article by Robin Snyder on DC's Romance titles.

The Romance Chronology by Robert Kanigher 

In the Works: News on future Snyder/Ditko publications and future issues of History of Comics.

A short piece on Katy Keene's 45th anniversary includes a photo and bio of Bill Woggon

Creators Rights and Wrongs by Steve Ditko: a five page essay on creator rights.

Bill Woggon illustration on back page

-- Indexer: Nick Caputo

Volume 1, Number 1

Vol. 1, No. 1
January 1990
whole number 1
1990 pages 001-006 (6 pages)

Robin Snyder opens up the issue with "In the Matter of Honoring the Pioneers of Comics", on his intentions for his new publication:

"Going to the source for the background and origins of the titles, strips, characters, companies and trends which have shaped today's comic books." -- R. Snyder

The next feature asks "Who created Rock?", about the origin of the DC character Sgt. Rock, with some recent comments in print from Will Murray and Mike Gold (who weren't there) quoted, followed by statements from Joe Kubert and Robert Kanigher (who were).

Joe Gill writes an editorial about the working life at Charlton comics in the early days:

"For me, that meant $2 a page. I had to write 150 pages a week to pay the rent." -- J. Gill

For the first bibliography there's a look at Robert Kanigher's 1955 output for DC, ahead of the more comprehensive bibliography of Kanigher that has been a regular staple of the newsletter.

Steve Ditko looks at the nature of the terms "create, creator, creation" in his essay "At Some Point":

"What is missing or needed in comics are standards to measure any effort to see if it is a valid, true creation and at what level." -- S. Ditko

(essay later reprinted in Avenging World [2002], The Comics v26 #1 [2015])