The Comics Journal#The Journal's Top 100 Comics list

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 4 weekend in 1975 in Washington, D.C.{{citation needed|date=February 2012}}

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").Maheras, Russ. [http://www.tcj.com/messboard/viewtopic.php?t=1340&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=20 The Comics Journal Message Board :: View topic – The Comics Journal #32, Jan. 1977] (July 2, 2007): "... transforming it from an adzine into a magazine of news and criticism that just happened to carry advertisements". Issue No. 37 (December 1977) adopted a magazine format.{{citation needed|date=February 2012}} With issue #45 (March 1979), the magazine moved to a monthly schedule; at that point it had a circulation of 10,000.Groth, Gary and Kim Thompson. "Movin' Up and Movin' Out", The Comics Journal #45 (March 1979), p. 7.

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.[http://archives.tcj.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=section&id=9&Itemid=48 The 300th and final magazine-sized issue of the Comics Journal] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120430083410/http://archives.tcj.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=section&id=9&Itemid=48 |date=April 30, 2012}} The Comics Journal No. 300 free and online TCJ shifted from an eight-times a year publishing schedule to a larger, more elaborate, semi-annual format supported by a new website.Phegley, Kiel. [http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=23532 "Rethinking 'The Comics Journal'"], Comic Book Resources, October 30, 2009Spurgeon, Tom. [http://www.comicsreporter.com/index.php/subscriber_letter_tcj_moves_more_dramatically_on_line_semi_annual_in_print/ "TCJ Moves More Dramatically On-Line; Print Version To Come Out Two Times A Year"], The Comics Reporter, October 27, 2009 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.

Over the years The Journal has been involved in a handful of lawsuits. 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."Plagiarism: Rich Buckler Signs his Name to Jack Kirby's Work", The Comics Journal #83 (Aug. 1983), pp. 33–35."Rich Buckler Answers His Critics", The Comics Journal #86 (November 1983), pp. 28–31."Rich Buckler Sues Comics Journal and two of its Writers for Libel", The Comics Journal #88 (Jan. 1984), p. 13."Buckler Drops Comics Journal Libel Suit", The Comics Journal #93 (Sept. 1984), pp. 11–12. 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."Newswatch: Notice From The Editors", The Comics Journal #59 (October 1980), p. 19. Co-defendants Groth and Ellison won the case, but emerged from the suit estranged."Harlan Ellison Out of Comics Journal Libel Case", The Comics Journal #69 (December 1981), p. 29."Newswatch: Comics Journal wins Fleisher libel suit". The Comics Journal #113 (December 1986), p. 11.The Comics Journal #115 (April 1987), pp. 51–142: Special section on the Fleisher lawsuit, including the testimony of Ellison, Groth, and Jim Shooter; 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".Deppey, Dirk. [http://archives.tcj.com/journalista/?p=182 "EXTRA: Harlan Ellison sues Fantagraphics"] Journalista! blog post (2006). Retrieved 2006-11-12. 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".Rahner, Mark (August 16, 2007). [http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/entertainment/2003840209_webfantagraphics17.html "Ellison vs. Fantagraphics: comics publisher to remove author's name from books"]. Seattle Times.

The Journal has on occasion published, as cover features, lengthy court transcripts of comics-related civil suits. Notable instances include the Fleisher suitThe Comics Journal No. 115, April 1987 and Marv Wolfman's failed suit against Marvel Comics over ownership of the character Blade.The Comics Journal No. 236, August 2001[http://archives.tcj.com/236/index.html The Comics Journal #236] at The Comic Journal. August 17, 2001 {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110811184811/http://archives.tcj.com/236/index.html |date=August 11, 2011}}

The Journal features critical essays, articles on comics history and lengthy interviews, conducted by Gary Groth and others. Noteworthy interviews include Gil Kane in No. 38, Steve Gerber in No. 41, Harlan Ellison in No. 53, Dennis O'Neil in No. 64, Robert Crumb in No. 113, and Charles M. Schulz in #200.{{citation needed|date=February 2012}}

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 and (later) Wizard. In 1995, publisher Gary Groth joked that his magazine occupied "a niche that nobody wants".Cusick, Rick. Gauntlet magazine. Issue 9, Vol. 2, 1995

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, Bhob Stewart, Arn Saba, Ted White, Bob Levin, Carter Scholz, and Noah Berlatsky. Guest contributors have included Dave Sim and Trina Robbins.

• 1987–1988: Thom PowersSpurgeon, Tom and Michael Dean. [http://www.tcj.com/fantagraphics-vs-everyone-part-one/ "FEATURES: Fantagraphics vs. Everyone (Part One)"], The Comics Journal (DEC 15, 2016): "Powers: 'I was managing editor of The Comics Journal was that it did mark a particularly nasty streak for the magazine. It was issues #117 to maybe #124{{'"}}.
• 1988–1989: Greg S. Baisden
• 1989–1990: Robert Boyd
• 1990–September 1991: Helena HarviliczSpurgeon, Tom and Michael Dean. [http://www.tcj.com/fantagraphics-vs-everyone-part-one/ "FEATURES: Fantagraphics vs. Everyone (Part One)"], The Comics Journal (DEC 15, 2016): "Frank Young: 'Helena quit on Labor Day of 1991. We had just finished issue #144 and something happened over the weekend and she just exploded for the last time. She left a resignation letter that just said, "I have quit. Sincerely, Helena Harvilicz'"".
• September 1991–1993: Frank M. YoungYoung, Frank M. "Note from the Managing Editor" The Comics Journal #146 (Nov 1991), p. 7.
• 1993 – September 1993: Carole SobocinskiJMC. "Newswatch: Fantagraphics Sues Ex-Comics Journal Editor: New Job at KSP Takes Sobocinski Across Country, with Lawsuit Pending", The Comics Journal #161 (Aug. 1993).
• September 1993 – September 1994: Scott Nybakken
• September 1994–1999: Tom Spurgeon"Comics Reporter Blog Reaches Anniversary". Editor & Publisher. October 10, 2007. (also executive editor 1998–1999)
• 1999–2001: Eric Evans and Darren Hick
• 2001–2002: Anne Elizabeth Moore
• 2002–2004: Milo George
• 2004–2006: Dirk DeppeyDeppey, Dirk. [http://deppey.com/writings/ "Writings"], Official Dirk Deppey website. Accessed Feb. 10, 2017.
• 2006–2011: Michael Dean
• 2019–2021: RJ Casey and Kristy Valenti
• 2021: Rachel Miller and Kristy Valenti
• 2022: Kristy Valenti and Austin English

• Kristy Valenti, 2010–2011
• Dan Nadel and Tim Hodler, 2011–2017
• Tim Hodler and Tucker Stone, 2017–2019{{Cite web|url=http://www.tcj.com/the-end-2/|title=The End?! {{!}}|date=June 28, 2019 |language=en-US|access-date=2020-01-04}}
• Tucker Stone, 2017–2021
• Tucker Stone and Joe McCulloch, 2021–2024 (through April){{Cite web|url=https://www.tcj.com/author/joe-mcculloch/ |title=Joe McCulloch, Author at the Comics Journal }}
• Chris Mautner and Sally Madden, May 2024-ongoing{{Cite web |last=Editors |first=The |date=2024-05-01 |title=A letter from the building's new superintendents |url=https://www.tcj.com/a-letter-from-the-buildings-new-superintendents/ |access-date=2024-05-01 |website=The Comics Journal |language=en-US}}

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. Krazy Kat topped the list, followed by Peanuts, Pogo, and Art Spiegelman's Maus. Harvey Kurtzman 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 cited the survey's ad hoc criteria:

{{cquote|Putting Bernard Krigstein and Al Feldstein's eight-page story "Master Race", Hal Foster's 34 years of work on Prince Valiant, Al Hirschfeld's theatrical caricatures, all the horror comics EC published in the first half of the '50s and Robert Crumb's sketchbooks in the same category suggests that they've cast their net a bit wide.Wolk, Douglas, Village Voice Literary Supplement (VLS), April–May 1999}}

Among the controversial omissions to the Top 100 was Dave Sim's Cerebus series. Sim and the Journal had periodically found themselves at odds in the years preceding the list's formulation.[https://www.baltimoresun.com/1999/05/22/top-comics-make-fans-pick-sides-controversy-magazine-editors-say-if-you-dont-like-their-choices-make-your-own-list/ "Top comics make fans pick sides"]. The Baltimore Sun. 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 [and] put Cerebus and two other things in the vacant spots".Comics Journal No. 213, June 1999, Fantagraphics Publishing, pgs. 2–9 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). [http://www.tcj.com/tcj-301-excerpt-from-irredeemable-dave-sims-cerebus-by-tim-kreider/ "TCJ #301: Excerpt from 'Irredeemable: Dave Sim’s Cerebus'"]. The Comics Journal.

Regarding the inclusion of superhero comics 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. 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.

{{Portal|Comics|United States}}

• List of Comics Journal interview subjects—provides issue numbers with interview subjects
• Comic Art
• Sequart Organization

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{{reflist

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The Comics Journal No. 210, pages 34–108

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• Groth, Gary (editor), Spurgeon, Tom (executive editor). The Comics Journal #210. Fantagraphics Books, February 1999. {{ISSN|0194-7869}}
• Dean, Mike; Moore, Elizabeth Anne. "Timeline". The Comics Journal No. 235 (July 2001), p. 82.
• Dean, Mike. [http://www.fantagraphics.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=273&Itemid=137 "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. {{ISBN|0-425-11366-3}}.
• Complete collection of The Comics Journal and The Nostalgia Journal held by the Michigan State University Comic Art Collection.

• {{Official website}}
• [http://www.comicsreporter.com/index.php/resources/out_and_about/10726/ TCJ Covers, Contents and Mastheads] at The Comics Reporter
• [http://www.freewebs.com/tnjournal/ History of The Nostalgia Journal]

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