Comics Bulletin was a daily

website A website (also written as a web site) is a collection of web pages and related content that is identified by a common domain name and published on at least one web server. Examples of notable websites are Google Search, Google, Facebook, Amaz ...

covering the American

comic-book A comic book, also called comicbook, comic magazine or (in the United Kingdom and Ireland) simply comic, is a publication that consists of comics art in the form of sequential juxtaposed panels that represent individual scenes. Panels are oft ...

industry.

History

Silver Bullet Comicbooks

The site was founded in January 2000 as Silver Bullet Comicbooks by its

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...

-based publisher/editor Jason Brice. During this period, the site made efforts to support retired comics professionals. In a Silver Bullet column called ''Past Masters'', contributor Clifford Meth wrote about his efforts to support ailing comic book artist Dave Cockrum. As a result of his advocacy,

Marvel Comics Marvel Comics is an American comic book publishing, publisher and the flagship property of Marvel Entertainment, a divsion of The Walt Disney Company since September 1, 2009. Evolving from Timely Comics in 1939, ''Magazine Management/Atlas Co ...

announced it would compensate Cockrum for his work in co-creating the

X-Men The X-Men are a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, first appearing in Uncanny X-Men, ''The X-Men'' #1 by artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby and writer/editor Stan Lee in 1963. Although initially cancelled in ...

. In 2005, Silver Bullet partnered with Aardwolf Publishing to publish a benefit book in support of ailing comics writer/artist

William Messner-Loebs William Francis Messner-Loebs (; born William Francis Loebs, Jr., February 19, 1949) is an American comics artist and writer from Michigan, also known as Bill Loebs and Bill Messner-Loebs. His hyphenated surname is a combination of his and his wif ...

. Silver Bullet provided free advertising and promotion of the project on their site. Silver Bullet Comicbooks published the last issue of Phil Hall's Borderline Magazine online for free. Interviewer Rik Offenberger took his unpublished interviews from Borderline Magazine to Silver Bullet Comicbooks when after Borderline closed down and eventually served as the Senior Feature Editor. Former Managing Editor Craig R. Johnson became associated with Dave Sim's controversial views on

feminism Feminism is a range of socio-political movements and ideologies that aim to define and establish the political, economic, personal, and social equality of the sexes. Feminism incorporates the position that society prioritizes the male po ...

when he stepped into a debate between Sim and the

Friends of Lulu Friends of Lulu was a non-profit, national charitable organization in the United States, which operated from 1994–2011 to promote readership of comic books by women and the participation of women in the comic book industry. Membership was o ...

Board of Directors to defend freedom of expression in the comic book industry.

Comics Bulletin

On January 14, 2008, the site was relaunched as Comics Bulletin, in order to avoid confusion with the comics retailer Silver Bullet Comics. Comics blogger

Johanna Draper Carlson Johanna is a feminine name, a variant form of Joanna that originated in Latin in the Middle Ages, including an -h- by analogy with the Latin masculine name Johannes. The original Greek form ''Iōanna'' lacks a medial /h/ because in Greek /h/ cou ...

suggested the name-change as a result of pressure from the unrelated but same-named retailer, "...since SBC had a US trademark registration". By the time Jason Brice relaunched the site as Comics Bulletin, the Silver Bullet Comics retailer had gone out of business, leaving a large number of subscription customers with unfilled orders. In the same year, Jason Sacks took over from Keith Dallas as

editor-in-chief An editor-in-chief (EIC), also known as lead editor or chief editor, is a publication's editorial leader who has final responsibility for its operations and policies. The highest-ranking editor of a publication may also be titled editor, managing ...

for the site, and revamped the design and attitude. He eventually bought the site outright in 2011. The site debuted a podcast in 2011, called "Comics You Can Dance To", alongside a number of new columns. Writers for the site in 2015 included Kate Leth and

Don McGregor Donald Francis McGregor (born June 15, 1945) is an American comic book writer best known for his work for Marvel Comics; he is the author of one of the first graphic novels. Early life Don McGregor was born in Providence, Rhode Island, where he w ...

. Jason Sacks stepped away from Comics Bulletin in 2016; it was subsequently owned by Daniel Gehen. In August 2021, Comics Bulletin was placed on hiatus.

Regular features

*"Leading Questions" by Mark Stack and Chase Magnett *"ICYMI - Small Press Comics Criticism and Whatnot" by Daniel Elkin *"Singles Going Steady", a weekly review roundup by Daniel Gehen and the site's contributors *"What Looks Good" by Matt Spatola and Kyle Garret *"Comics Grind and Rewind" by

Zack Davisson Zack Davisson is a writer, editor, lecturer, scholar and translator, especially known for translating Shigeru Mizuki's and Matsumoto Leiji's manga. He is also well known for his works on Japanese folklore and ghosts. In 2015, Davisson wrote h ...

*"Comics You Can Dance To", the site's

podcast A podcast is a program made available in digital format for download over the Internet. For example, an episodic series of digital audio or video files that a user can download to a personal device to listen to at a time of their choosing ...

, hosted by Nathaniel MacDonald and Danny Djeljosevic *"The Squeaky Wheel" by the pseudonymous kyrax2 *"Kate Or Die" by Kate Leth *"Riding Shotgun" by

*"Killing Jokes" by Steve Morris, which explores the use of humor in comics *"Comicbook Biography" by Rik Offenberger *"Fool Britannia" by Regie Rigby *"Manifesto" by Jason Sacks, an editorial column *"Cool Art, Bro" by Michelle Six, which looks at the role of art in bringing comics to life *"Busted Knuckles" by

Beau Smith Beau Smith (born December 17, 1954 in Huntington, West Virginia) is an American comic book writer and columnist, best known for his work for DC Comics, Image Comics, IDW Publishing and as vice president of marketing for Eclipse Comics. Career ...

*"Kryptonite Got You Down?" by Alison Stevenson, a faux dating advice column for superheroes

Columnists

Donna Barr Donna Barr (born August 13, 1952) is an American comic book author and cartoonist. She is best known for ''The Desert Peach'' and '' Stinz''. She was born in Everett, Washington, the second child in a family of six siblings. Life and educatio ...

: "Submission Engine" * Tom Brevoort: "Brevoort's History of Comics" * Rich Johnston: "All The Rage" * Tony Lee: "He’s Only a Writer… and It’s More than Just a Comic" *

Bill Messner-Loebs William Francis Messner-Loebs (; born William Francis Loebs, Jr., February 19, 1949) is an American comics artist and writer from Michigan, also known as Bill Loebs and Bill Messner-Loebs. His hyphenated surname is a combination of his and his wif ...

: "Storytelling" * Clifford Meth: "Meth Addict" * Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray: "Two In The Chamber" * Bob Rozakis: "The Answer Man" *Buddy Scalera: "Hey, Buddy!" *Brandon Thomas: "Ambidextrous" * Marv Wolfman: "What Th--?" *

Darren Schroeder Darren Phillip Schroeder (born 27 August 1967 in Christchurch, New Zealand) is a Small Press editor, critic, stand-up comedian, and comics creator. He is best known for founding the Register of New Zealand Comics', editing the Small press sect ...

: "Small Press Printed Matter"

Awards

As Silver Bullet Comic Books, the site has been the recipient of a number of awards and award nominations, including: * 2004 Eagle Award nomination for "Favourite Comics E-Zine" * 2005 Eagle Award winner for "Favourite Comics-Related Website" * 2006 Eagle Award nomination for "Favourite Comics-Related Website" * 2006 Gibson Comic Awards nominated for "Favourite Web Related Material"

References

External links

Comics Bulletin official website
{{Comics information sources Websites about comics American entertainment news websites Publications established in 2000