Continuing a look at fanzines from yesteryear, scans of photocopies of fandom’s first ‘zines by founding fan-fathers Dr. Jerry Bails and Roy Thomas. Today, Alter-Ego #1 (Spring 1961), “a new comic fanzine devoted to the revival of costumed heroes” and published months before the Fantastic Four and the future Marvel Universe was even a twinkle in Stan’s eye (FF #1 on-sale date, according to GCD was August 8, 1961). The cost to order the next issue of AE was “24¢ in postage stamps.”
Combining comic book news and historical essays on DC characters the Wizard, the Specter, and Wonder Woman, AE also featured the first chapter of a Roy Thomas written and drawn parody, “One for All and All for Wonderous Woman” starring the Bestest League of America. (The seeds for Not Brand Ecch! were planted early and deep in this one…!)
I especially love that the issue features a look at the first issue of DC’s 80-Page Giant Secret Origins , one of my all-time favorite single comic books. It should be noted that in order to repro that cover, it had to be laboriously traced by hand onto a mimeograph stencil, the work I assume of Roy, who provided most of the art for the issue.
Next: Alter-Ego #2!
Tags: Alter-Ego, comic book fandom, comics, comics fandom, DC Comics, Dr. Jerry Bails, fans, Fantastic Four, fanzines, Justice League of America, Roy Thomas, Secret Origins, The Spectre, The Wizard, Wonder Woman