Fantagraphics has announced the return of The Comics Journal, the award-winning magazine founded in 1976 by Gary Groth that saw its last print edition in 2013. The magazine will return next year in a twice-yearly format, with new editors RJ Casey and Kristy Valenti.
“The Comics Journal had been a near-monolithic force in my life and I think its absence has been felt by more people than just me,” Casey said. “I’m beyond excited to bring new voices, new ideas, and a new enthusiasm to the Journal.”
For almost four decades The Comics Journal published in-depth interviews, editorials, features and critiques of the comic book art form and industry. It evolved in 2009 from a bi-monthly magazine to a semi-annual format, with the print edition eventually going away
“With the knowledge and skills I’ve gained over the last 15 years co-editing nearly 50 issues of the print edition of The Comics Journal, I am excited to help push the Journal forward and continue its evolution,” Valenti said. “My goal is to usher in a new era of comics criticism to further explore where the comics medium is going.”
The return of the print edition will have no effect on TCJ.com, which will continue under editors Tucker Stone and Dan Nadler. Completists will be happy to hear the magazine will keep its legacy numbering, with issue #303 due out in January. It will feature contributions from Groth, Ben Passmore, Dr. Sheena C. Howard, Chris Mautner and more.
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