Fantasy Advertiser

Fantasy Advertiser, later abbreviated to FA, was a British fanzine focused on comic books, founded in 1965[1] by Frank Dobson, the "Godfather of British Fandom."[2] Starting out as an adzine focused on the sale of primarily second-hand comics, it eventually transitioned into a true comics fanzine. FA now operates as a comics webzine.

Fantasy Advertiser
Cover of Fantasy Advertiser #115 (1989), the magazine's final print issue, with art by Dave Sim.
EditorMartin Skidmore (1984–1991, 2010–present)
Former editorsFrank Dobson
Dez Skinn
Colin Campbell
Martin Lock
Categoriescomics, criticism, interviews
Frequencymonthly
PublisherTrident Comics (1988–1991)
First issue1965 (1965)
Final issue
Number		1991
115
CountryUnited Kingdom
Based inLondon
LanguageEnglish
Websitecomiczine-fa.com

Publication history

1965–1979: Dobson/Skinn/McCartney era

Frank Dobson established Fantasy Advertiser as an adzine — essentially an advertising service for comic collectors. Dobson published 31 issues of Fantasy Advertiser, but when he emigrated to Australia in 1970 he handed the zine on to two contributors, Dez Skinn and Paul McCartney, to continue. (Dodson, meanwhile, returned from Australia and opened a comics retailing location, Weird Fantasy Bookshop, on Lewisham Way in New Cross.)[3]

Skinn and McCartney expanded the magazine to include more articles and artwork. Regular contributors included Dave Gibbons, Steve Parkhouse, Paul Neary, Jim Baikie, and Kevin O'Neill. Skinn left in 1976,[4] at which point it was taken over by retailer/distributor Colin Campbell, who edited FA until 1978. Dobson returned to publish five more issues in 1978–1979, when the fanzine went dormant.

1981–1988: Lock/Skidmore era

After two years of dormancy, Fantasy Advertiser was revived in late 1981 by Martin Lock, fresh off publishing his long-running fanzine BEM. Lock incorporated the "BEM News Service" comic industry news feature into Fantasy Advertiser, as well as two other fanzines: Mike Taylor's Masters of Infinity and Colin Gould's Ogre.[5]

In 1985,[6] after four years overseeing FA, Lock handed over the editorial reins to Martin Skidmore[7] so Lock could focus on his next venture, the publishing company Harrier Comics.

Skidmore shortened the name to FA — he didn't want it to "sound like a sexual contacts mag," and wanted to move away from the equation of comics with fantasy, expanding coverage of different genres.[8] Skidmore made the magazine more provocative and political.[7]

Fantasy Advertiser won the 1985 Eagle Award for Favourite Specialist Comics Publication/Trade Publication—UK.

1988–1991: Neptune era

Although still edited by Skidmore, with issue #100 (March 1988), the magazine's publication was taken over by Neptune Distribution; with issue #108 (Nov. 1988), FA began to be published by Neptune's comics division, Trident Comics. The final monthly issue of FA was #114, dated October 1989; its final published issue was #115, released in 1991.[1] Trident Comics went under in 1992 when Neptune Distribution was acquired by Diamond Comics Distributors.[9]

2010: Online relaunch

In October 2010 Skidmore relaunched FA as an online zine, including reviews, articles, interviews and original comics.[10] FA is now published by Tony Keen, Andrew Moreton, and Will Morgan.

Editors
  • Frank Dobson — issues #1–31 (1965–1970)
  • Dez Skinn (with Paul McCartney) — issues #32–58 (1970–1976)
  • Colin Campbell — issues #59–64 (1976–1977)
  • Frank Dobson — issue #65–69 (1978–June 1979)
  • Martin Lock — issues #70–89 (Nov. 1981–1984)
  • Martin Skidmore — issues #90-115 (1985–1991)

Awards
  • 1977 Eagle Award nomination for Favourite British Fan Publication[11]
  • 1978 Eagle Award nomination for Favourite Fan Publication[12]
  • 1985 Eagle Award for Favourite Speciality Comics Publication[13]
  • 1986 Eagle Award nomination for Favourite Specialist Comics Publication[14]

See also

References
  1. "Fantasy Advertiser (International FA the comiczine)". Classic UK Comics Zines. Retrieved 23 February 2017.
  2. Skinn, Dez. "Early days of UK comics conventions and marts," Archived 2012-02-01 at the Wayback Machine DezSkinn.com. Accessed 3 Mar. 2013.
  3. Sallis, Ed. "Fan-Things," Bemusing Magazine #10 (Aug. 1976), p. 7.
  4. Dez Skinn, "Fantasy Advertiser: the Big One!"
  5. Lock, Martin (November 1981). "Editorial". Fantasy Advertiser. No. 70.
  6. Burrows, Gavin (8 November 2010). "Bookmark this, comic fans! The return of sweet 'FA'"". Lucid Frenzy Junior.
  7. Burrows, Gavin (July 1996). "Comics & My Life part 2". Vicious. BugPowder. Archived from the original on 7 June 2011.
  8. About Comiczine FA
  9. "Newswatch: Geppi Buys Baltimore". The Comics Journal. No. 174. February 1995. p. 29.
  10. John Freeman (8 November 2010). "Sweet! FA returns after 20 years in onine [sic] form". downthetubes Comics News. Retrieved 23 February 2017.
  11. Previous Winners: 1977, at the official Eagle Awards website, archived at the Wayback Machine. (Retrieved 9 September 2018.)
  12. Previous Winners: 1978, at the official Eagle Awards website, archived at the Wayback Machine. (Retrieved 9 September 2018.)
  13. TH. "1984 Eagle Awards announced," The Comics Journal #101 (Aug. 1985).
  14. Previous Winners: 1986 at the official Eagle Awards website, archived at The Wayback Machine. (Retrieved 22 September 2018.)

Official website

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