706:
Although all previous
Comicons sponsored by the Academy of Comic Art Fans and Collectors have been traditionally held during the summer months, this year's function has been scheduled to coincide with the Thanksgiving Holiday. The 1968 Academy Con will commence on November 29th and continue thru the
158:
would be an effective way "to emphasize the seriousness of comics fans about their hobby". Bails further liked "the idea of a fandom organization that would not only perpetuate the concept of comics as an art form, but would also act as a sort of umbrella for all his ideas and projects, and those of
393:
By 1968, comics fandom — including annual conventions being held in New York, Detroit, St. Louis, and the
Southwest — had become well established, and the academy's mission had been essentially fulfilled. In early 1968, due to a number of factors, Executive Secretary Kaler left, and Academy member
402:" may have helped revive interest temporarily — it noted that the group "holds an annual poll to determine the most popular mags, writers and artists of the preceding year" (referring to the
668:
Schelly, Bill. "The Kaler Con: Two Views: Bigger And Better Than The Benson Con Just Three Weeks Before?? (Part VIII of '1966: The Year Of (Nearly) Three New York Comics
Conventions')",
295:
notes that the Alley Tally and "even larger fan meetings in
Chicago . . . helped build momentum" for these earliest conventions. Bails himself was "on the organizing committee" for the
129:, the "father of comics fandom". A vital player in the development of comics fandom, the ACBFC brought fans of the medium together, administered the first industry awards (the
275:, with the purpose of counting "the Alley Award ballots for 1963". This became notable in retrospect as the first major gathering of comics fans, predating the earliest
198:" by Thomas "because surely a caveman had to be the earliest superhero chronologically". The first Alley Awards, given for the calendar year 1961, were reported in
738:
Marvel "Bullpen
Bulletins" page, "Fabulous Facts and Frivolous Fables from Frantic Fans, Faithful Friends, and Fiendish Foes!" in Marvel Comics
430:, meanwhile, became "a mainstay of fandom", continuing as a (generally) monthly magazine under a succession of editors (including Hanerfeld and
155:
414:). Nonetheless, the academy waned, "and it was disbanded for lack of interest by the decade's end". 1970 was also the final year of the
176:, which traced their origin to "a letter to Jerry dated October 25, 1961", by Thomas, in which he suggested to Bails that his fanzine
163:
was established. Bails served as the academy's first executive secretary, which had an initial roster of about twenty members.
764:
577:
318:
and the academy had a membership of 2,000. Under Kaler's leadership, the academy produced three successful "Academy Con"
182:
create its own awards to reward fandom's "favorite comic books in a number of categories" in a manner similar to the
385:(a.k.a. the "International Convention of Comic Book Art"), which took place in New York City in the summer of 1968.
722:
564:"The Alley Awards for 1961: A Report from Roy Thomas, Secretary of the Academy of Comic Book Arts and Sciences".
607:
271:
On March 21–22, 1964, the first annual "Alley Tally" by ACBFC members was organized by Bails at his house in
490:
Profiles of 90 Publishers, Dealers, Collectors, Writers, Artists and Other
Luminaries of the 1950s and 1960s
406:) and directed fans to obtain a ballot from then ACBFC executive secretary (and future comics professional)
374:
17:
447:
343:
296:
319:
276:
259:
was name of the ACBFC journal, the first issue of which was published in
October 1964 out of
525:
382:
377:
weekend, but it never came to pass, possibly because of the successful first iteration of
178:
8:
260:
435:
411:
186:. Initially suggested as "The Alter-Ego Award", the resulting idea was soon named "The
573:
399:
363:
249:
426:
233:
302:
At the end of 1964, Bails passed on his role as executive secretary to fellow fan
125:
enthusiasts and historians. Active during the 1960s, the ACBFC was established by
718:
611:
395:
367:
303:
280:
80:
419:
407:
339:
134:
90:
210:
In 1963 Bails renamed the organization (which now had a membership of 90) the
758:
323:
279:, which were held later in the year. Attendees included Ronn Foss, Don Glut,
27:
First official organization of
American comic book enthusiasts and historians
568:(4). October 1962. Reprinted in Thomas, Roy; Schelly, Bill, editors (2008).
150:
The idea of the academy was inspired by Bails' friend and fellow enthusiast
520:
415:
403:
378:
359:
326:
during the summers of 1965–1967, attracting industry professionals such as
292:
284:
242:
publish "a directory of comic fans" in the hopes of building local chapters
239:
endorse a "code of fair practice in the selling and trading of comic books"
223:
191:
187:
173:
130:
101:
739:
696:
623:
Graves, Philip. "Early comics fandom (Part 2) - After the Alley Awards",
431:
335:
331:
327:
288:
167:
126:
105:
75:
347:
315:
151:
122:
85:
701:
195:
551:
Graves, Philip. "Early comics fandom (Part 1) - The Alley Awards",
355:
351:
603:
272:
229:
215:
183:
314:
By 1965, the title of ACBFC Executive
Secretary had passed to
572:. Raleigh, North Carolina: TwoMorrows Publishing. pp. 48–49.
540:
Of Comics and Men: A Cultural
History of American Comic Books
133:), and assisted in the establishment of the first comic book
172:
The academy's first order of business was to administer the
744:
477:
Demanding Respect: The Evolution of the American Comic Book
398:
declared the ACBFC "moribund". A 1969 mention in "Marvel
252:, and encourage industry professionals to participate
438:, which published the magazine until the mid-1980s.
570:
Alter Ego: The Best of the Legendary Comics Fanzine
756:
542:(University of Mississippi Press, 2010), p. 265.
523:. "Jerry Bails' Ten Building Blocks of Fandom",
604:"Early days of UK comics conventions and marts"
373:Kaler planned another Academy Con for the 1968
145:
159:others". In short order — 1961 or 1962 — the
664:
662:
154:, who felt a comics-industry version of the
648:
646:
156:Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
659:
636:"With a Little Help From His Friends...",
212:Academy of Comic-Book Fans and Collectors
121:) was the first official organization of
115:Academy of Comic-Book Fans and Collectors
31:Academy of Comic-Book Fans and Collectors
694:"Who Ever Heard of Jay Scott Pike!?! ".
643:
630:
516:
514:
512:
510:
508:
506:
504:
502:
500:
498:
479:(Temple University Press, 2009), p. 94.
471:
469:
467:
465:
463:
161:Academy of Comic-Book Arts and Sciences
14:
757:
434:), before being taken over in 1973 by
617:
388:
614:DezSkinn.com. Accessed Mar. 3, 2013.
495:
460:
640:vol. 3, #25 (June 2003), pp. 14-19.
24:
25:
776:
682:RBCC Rocket's Blast Comicollector
529:vol. 3, #25 (June 2003), pp. 5-8.
306:(who termed himself "ExecSec2").
248:assist in establishing a yearly
732:
712:
687:
675:
652:Schelly, Bill. "Introduction",
266:
245:endorse other fan organizations
205:
596:
583:
558:
545:
532:
482:
309:
13:
1:
453:
765:Comics-related organizations
700:. Vol. 1, no. 19.
146:Origins and the Alley Awards
7:
441:
418:(awarded for calendar year
222:conduct and administer the
10:
781:
492:(McFarland, 2010), p. 181.
448:Academy of Comic Book Arts
165:
140:
704:. January–February 1969.
214:upon ratification of its
97:
69:
59:
51:
43:
35:
656:(McFarland, 2010), p. 8.
228:publish the comics news
297:Detroit Triple Fan Fair
281:Don and Maggie Thompson
742:April 1969, including
538:Gabilliet, Jean-Paul.
320:comic book conventions
277:comic book conventions
383:Comic Art Convention
218:, with these goals:
745:The Incredible Hulk
291:. Comics historian
261:South Bend, Indiana
71:Executive Secretary
55:Comics organization
32:
723:"Academy Moribund"
707:first of December.
610:2012-02-01 at the
436:Street Enterprises
412:Flushing, New York
389:Decline and demise
30:
627:(Sept. 11, 2009).
578:978-1-893905-88-7
400:Bullpen Bulletins
364:Carmine Infantino
250:comics convention
111:
110:
16:(Redirected from
772:
749:
736:
730:
719:Thompson, Maggie
716:
710:
709:
691:
685:
679:
673:
672:#64 (Jan. 2007).
666:
657:
650:
641:
634:
628:
621:
615:
600:
594:
587:
581:
562:
556:
555:(Sept. 3, 2009).
549:
543:
536:
530:
518:
493:
486:
480:
473:
427:The Comic Reader
410:(who resided in
299:, held in 1965.
234:The Comic Reader
202:#4 (Oct. 1962).
190:", "named after
33:
29:
21:
780:
779:
775:
774:
773:
771:
770:
769:
755:
754:
753:
752:
737:
733:
729:#7 (Feb. 1968).
717:
713:
693:
692:
688:
680:
676:
667:
660:
651:
644:
635:
631:
622:
618:
612:Wayback Machine
601:
597:
589:Schelly, Bill.
588:
584:
563:
559:
550:
546:
537:
533:
519:
496:
488:Schelly, Bill.
487:
483:
474:
461:
456:
444:
396:Maggie Thompson
391:
368:Julius Schwartz
312:
304:Paul Gambaccini
269:
208:
170:
148:
143:
135:fan conventions
104:
89:
84:
81:Paul Gambaccini
79:
72:
62:
28:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
778:
768:
767:
751:
750:
731:
711:
686:
674:
658:
642:
629:
616:
595:
582:
557:
544:
531:
494:
481:
458:
457:
455:
452:
451:
450:
443:
440:
408:Mark Hanerfeld
390:
387:
340:Mort Weisinger
311:
308:
268:
265:
254:
253:
246:
243:
240:
237:
226:
207:
204:
166:Main article:
147:
144:
142:
139:
109:
108:
99:
95:
94:
91:Mark Hanerfeld
78:(c. 1961–1964)
73:
70:
67:
66:
63:
60:
57:
56:
53:
49:
48:
45:
41:
40:
37:
26:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
777:
766:
763:
762:
760:
748:vol. 2, #114.
747:
746:
741:
735:
728:
724:
720:
715:
708:
703:
699:
698:
690:
683:
678:
671:
665:
663:
655:
649:
647:
639:
633:
626:
620:
613:
609:
605:
599:
592:
586:
579:
575:
571:
567:
561:
554:
548:
541:
535:
528:
527:
522:
521:Schelly, Bill
517:
515:
513:
511:
509:
507:
505:
503:
501:
499:
491:
485:
478:
475:Lopes, Paul.
472:
470:
468:
466:
464:
459:
449:
446:
445:
439:
437:
433:
429:
428:
423:
421:
417:
413:
409:
405:
401:
397:
386:
384:
380:
376:
371:
369:
365:
361:
357:
353:
349:
345:
341:
337:
333:
329:
325:
324:New York City
321:
317:
307:
305:
300:
298:
294:
290:
286:
282:
278:
274:
264:
262:
258:
251:
247:
244:
241:
238:
236:
235:
231:
227:
225:
221:
220:
219:
217:
213:
203:
201:
197:
193:
189:
185:
181:
180:
175:
169:
164:
162:
157:
153:
138:
136:
132:
128:
124:
120:
116:
107:
103:
100:
96:
92:
87:
82:
77:
74:
68:
64:
58:
54:
50:
46:
42:
38:
34:
19:
743:
734:
726:
714:
705:
695:
689:
681:
677:
669:
653:
637:
632:
625:Examiner.com
624:
619:
602:Skinn, Dez.
598:
590:
585:
569:
565:
560:
553:Examiner.com
552:
547:
539:
534:
524:
489:
484:
476:
425:
424:
416:Alley Awards
404:Alley Awards
392:
379:Phil Seuling
375:Thanksgiving
372:
360:Bill Everett
344:James Warren
313:
301:
293:Bill Schelly
285:Mike Vosburg
270:
267:Alley Talley
256:
255:
232:
224:Alley Awards
211:
209:
206:Ratification
199:
192:V. T. Hamlin
177:
174:Alley Awards
171:
160:
149:
131:Alley Awards
118:
114:
112:
102:Alley Awards
98:Affiliations
65:2,000 (1965)
61:Membership
740:cover-dated
697:Teen Titans
684:#52 (1967).
432:Paul Levitz
336:Gardner Fox
332:Bill Finger
328:Otto Binder
310:Academy Con
289:Grass Green
188:Alley Award
168:Alley Award
127:Jerry Bails
106:Academy Con
93:(1968–1970)
88:(1965–1968)
83:(1964–1965)
76:Jerry Bails
18:Academy Con
727:Newfangles
454:References
348:Roy Thomas
316:Dave Kaler
152:Roy Thomas
123:comic book
86:Dave Kaler
702:DC Comics
670:Alter-Ego
638:Alter Ego
566:Alter Ego
526:Alter Ego
200:Alter Ego
196:Alley Oop
179:Alter-Ego
44:Dissolved
39:1961/1962
36:Formation
759:Category
654:Founders
608:Archived
593:, p. 23.
591:Founders
442:See also
356:Stan Lee
352:Gil Kane
273:Detroit
230:fanzine
216:charter
141:History
576:
366:, and
287:, and
184:Oscars
257:Forum
119:ACBFC
574:ISBN
420:1969
113:The
52:Type
47:1970
422:).
381:'s
322:in
194:'s
761::
725:,
721:.
661:^
645:^
606:,
497:^
462:^
370:.
362:,
358:,
354:,
350:,
346:,
342:,
338:,
334:,
330:,
283:,
263:.
137:.
580:.
117:(
20:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.