Creating Comics: A Classic Interview with Jack Kirby and Carmine Infantino

By John Freeman on February 6, 2019

Continuing his much appreciated digital archiving of British comics fandom, David Hathaway-Price has added Fantasy Advertiser #48 to his invaluable ClassicUKComicsZines site, which includes an interview with with legendary American artists Jack Kirby and Carmine Infantino.

First published in 1965, Fantasy Advertiser is one of British comic fandom’s best-known zines, continued online today at comiczine-fa.com.

Edited by Dez Skinn and published back in 1973, Fantasy Advertiser #48 features a cover credited to Jack Kirby and Dan Adkins, although, as noted by Ron Kasman over on the Facebook Fanzine Appreciation and History Group, it might be better attributed to “Dan Adkins after Jack Kirby”.

The main draw is the issue’s interview with Jack Kirby and Carmine Infantino, conducted by Emanuel Maris, John Shyke, and Marc Bilgrey on 31st January, 1971, and was originally printed in the zine Comic and Crypt #5.

Both creators discuss how they broke into the comics word and their approach to their work and drawing the comics page and there’s a particular emphasis on Jack’s work for DC Comics New Gods title.

(Again, Ron Kasman offers some interesting background to the origins of the interview, over on Facebook).

Aside from the interview, unless you’re intrigued to see how comics used to be sold by mail order, or read a fan letter from SF author Ken Bulmer, the Kirby and Infantino interview is the highlight of this 56- page zine, although flipping through ads for old and long gone comic shops might make some of you feel rather nostalgic!

Rob Hansen provided the initial scans of the Issue from a copy of the original zine held in the Steve Moore collection.

• You can read this vintage fanzine here via this direct link

• ClassicUKComicsZines main archive and Fanscene #1 & 2 | Fantasy Advertiser page

• There’s much more information about Fantasy Advertiser (as well as some invaluable information on the history of UK Fandom) on Dez Skinn’s official website

About the Author
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John Freeman

John is the founder of downthetubes, launched in 1998. He is a comics and magazine editor, writer, and Press Officer for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He also runs Crucible Comic Press.

Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine and Overkill for Marvel UK, Babylon 5 Magazine, Star Trek Magazine, and its successor, Star Trek Explorer, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics; and has edited several comic collections and graphic novels, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”, and Hancock: The Lad Himself, by Stephen Walsh and Keith Page.

He’s the writer of comics such as Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs”, with Dave Hailwood.