The Comics Journal #235

Resisting Arrested Development Since the Ford Administration. In this Special 25th Anniversary 'Ego Issue': Testimonials and essays on how the Journal changed the world for the better, an adorable and scandalous picture album, a timeline of everything that has ever happened that matters, contributions from Dave Sim and Scott McCloud, and more. The comics industry comes to a grinding halt, the wheels of commerce stop turning, and creative work is abandoned as professionals and fans alike get in line to pay a month-long tribute to the 25th Anniversary of the magazine you love to hate and hate to love: The Comics Journal. Pictorial tributes in Wizard, letters of congratulations from the presidents of Marvel, DC, Image, Aardvark-Vanaheim, the Kilimanjaro Corporation, et al., conventions organized around a single theme, a special Gemmy Award created for this singular occasion and personally delivered by one S. Geppi -- yes, it's hard to imagine, but The Comics Journal has been around for 25 agonizing years and this issue will celebrate each and every glorious year. Featuring testimonials and denunciations from appreciative and vengeful professionals, interviews with some of the major players in The Journal's history, a year-by-year recapitulation of the high points of comics history as witnessed by The Journal, Gary Groth's list of Favorite Enemies (as well as Enemies I Wish I Made But Didn't), and all the news and criticism that's made The Journal what it is today. Trust us. This one you won't want to miss. Mature Readers.Editorials Anne Elizabeth Moore, "Interim Editorial" (p. 3) "Rousing Tempers and Raising Whirlwinds: A Concise History of all that is right with the world" (p. 82) News Born of Bile: Newswatch Examines Its Own Navel by Michael Dean (p. 11) Letters Testimonials (p. 24) Essays Kim Thompson, "The Goofy Career" (p. 33) Matthew Surridge, "When Extravagant Fantasies Become Drab Exercises" (p. 36) David Berona, "TCJ: Resource to the World" (p. 38) Kent Worcester, "Tilting at Windmills" (p. 39) Bruce Chrislip, ""That Was The Comics Journal That Was" (p. 40) Robert Edison Sandiford, " Still Long and Hard After all These years" (p. 41) David Lasky, "A Note from the Former Librarian" (p. 41) Gene Kannenberg, Jr., "13 Ways of Looking at The Comics Journal" (p. 42) James Kochalka, "A Brief History of My Career in Comics" (p. 44) Dirk Deppey, "Five-way Tie For Last: The Alternative Comics Cadaver Derby Revisited" (p. 46) David Miller, "Fanboys at Fantagraphics: Working for TCJ and Eros Comix" (p. 48) Gregory Cwiklik, "Viva La journal: A Personal View" (p. 50) Bob Levin, "The Dr. Filth No One Knows" (p.52) Austin English, "The Journal and The Unknown Cartoonist" (p. 53) Kenneth Smith, "A Broom Against The Tides" (p. 54) Dave Sim, "Dave Sim Responds to a Call for Submissions" (p. 68) Scott McCloud, "McCloud in Stable Condition Following Review, Groth Still At Large" (p. 70) Interviews Short Interviews: "Our enemies Revisited" (p. 66) Columns History of Comics Fandom (p. 135) Comicopia: "Getting Straight with history: Little Known Facts and Reminiscences about the Journal" (p. 138) Meet The Comics Press: "The Comics Journal: The DIY Version" (p. 144) Euro Comics For Beginners: "Jacques Tardi: Important New Voice of the 1970s" (p. 146) Illustrations Eric Reynolds, Sergio Argones, Donna Barr and Devon Delapp (Front Cover)