TwoMorrows Publishing is my favorite comics publisher, even though the company rarely publishes actual comics. What they do publish, in greater numbers than any other publisher working their corner of the industry and with quality equaling or exceeding those others, are books and magazines of comics history, fun books and magazines about popular culture, books about some of the best comics artists of the past and present, a magazine about LEGO blocks and even the occasional collection of comics, such as their recent Jack Kirby’s Dingbat Love: Unpublished ‘70s Stories by the King of Comics! And is one exclamation point enough for that title? I think not.
Like many publishers, John and Pam Morrow are feeling the effects of our global situations. It started before the widespread spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus. The current administration’s tariffs made printing in other countries more difficult and expensive. This created delays for publishers, lower profits on their products and even cost-cutting on some of those products. Alter Ego, my favorite of the TwoMorrows magazines, lost twenty pages in this.
Sidebar. While this blog isn’t about politics per se, it strikes me that our government could have created various incentives for books and such to be printed in the United States. Creating jobs for our home-based companies. Making publishing more affordable. I happen to think knowing more about pretty much anything is a good thing.Such incentives would help Americans know more. Sigh. If only the rich didn’t so desperately need their tax breaks.
Like many publishers, John and Pam Morrow are feeling the effects of our global situations. It started before the widespread spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus. The current administration’s tariffs made printing in other countries more difficult and expensive. This created delays for publishers, lower profits on their products and even cost-cutting on some of those products. Alter Ego, my favorite of the TwoMorrows magazines, lost twenty pages in this.
Sidebar. While this blog isn’t about politics per se, it strikes me that our government could have created various incentives for books and such to be printed in the United States. Creating jobs for our home-based companies. Making publishing more affordable. I happen to think knowing more about pretty much anything is a good thing.Such incentives would help Americans know more. Sigh. If only the rich didn’t so desperately need their tax breaks.
Getting back on track, TwoMorrows is hurting. The virtual closing of the direct sales market for two months added to all their other challenges. Now is the time to go to their website. Order some of their great books. Subscribe to some of their incredible magazines. Help them continue to educate and entertain us.
I don’t want to picture a world without Alter Ego. Edited by the legendary Roy Thomas, no magazine of comics history has ever taught me as much about the first four decades of the comics history as Roy’s publication.
I don’t want to picture a world without Retro Fan. It’s a terrific way to experience once again the cartoons, toys, TV shows and more that I grew up with. I even love reading about stuff that wasn’t on my youthful radar. I never thought much about the musical group The Cowsills, but Rod Labbe’s recent article on and interviews with the surviving members of the group was riveting reading.
The same is true for Back Issue, Draw and The Jack Kirby Collector. In the case of Draw, I’m not remotely an artist. But what I learn from reading about their work and how they do it makes me a better comic-book writer. And then there’s the TwoMorrows books...
Comics history. Companion books on favorite comics series. Volumes on classic comics artists and modern masters of the form. Books on Jack Kirby, horror and popular cultures.
TwoMorrows is currently running a clearance sale where you can buy great stuff at reduced prices. But, even at full price, their books and magazines are bargains. Buying them today will help make being able to buy new books possible. Tomorrow.
I’m going to squeeze my social security check to allow me to buy a couple books a month from TwoMorrows. What books don’t remain in my home library will be used for gifts.
I hope you’ll check out the TwoMorrows website. You’ll find books and magazines that will delight you!
I’ll be back soon with more stuff.
© 2020 Tony Isabella
I don’t want to picture a world without Alter Ego. Edited by the legendary Roy Thomas, no magazine of comics history has ever taught me as much about the first four decades of the comics history as Roy’s publication.
I don’t want to picture a world without Retro Fan. It’s a terrific way to experience once again the cartoons, toys, TV shows and more that I grew up with. I even love reading about stuff that wasn’t on my youthful radar. I never thought much about the musical group The Cowsills, but Rod Labbe’s recent article on and interviews with the surviving members of the group was riveting reading.
The same is true for Back Issue, Draw and The Jack Kirby Collector. In the case of Draw, I’m not remotely an artist. But what I learn from reading about their work and how they do it makes me a better comic-book writer. And then there’s the TwoMorrows books...
Comics history. Companion books on favorite comics series. Volumes on classic comics artists and modern masters of the form. Books on Jack Kirby, horror and popular cultures.
TwoMorrows is currently running a clearance sale where you can buy great stuff at reduced prices. But, even at full price, their books and magazines are bargains. Buying them today will help make being able to buy new books possible. Tomorrow.
I’m going to squeeze my social security check to allow me to buy a couple books a month from TwoMorrows. What books don’t remain in my home library will be used for gifts.
I hope you’ll check out the TwoMorrows website. You’ll find books and magazines that will delight you!
I’ll be back soon with more stuff.
© 2020 Tony Isabella
Tony, have you ever considered or talked to Mike Eury from Back Issue or someone at twomorrows about writing a monthly column in one of their magazines? I think with your history as a writer and editor and creator for the Big 2 during the Bronze Age especially, your stories and your recent Legion pitch story would be a welcome fit to one of the magazines.
ReplyDeleteIf they want to reprint something from my blog, I would likely give them permission. But they have to play nice with DC Comics and Marvel Comics...and I don't. That's not to stay I can't or wouldn't. I've written introductions to collections for both of those companies. I just prefer to be my own judge of what is or isn't appropriate. But, again, I try not to say never. If an editor asked me to write something interesting, I might well say yes.
ReplyDeleteI like that idea too if I understand the poster's suggestion he means you are writing specifically about Tony Isabella-related things in comics, like memoirs from your career... that would be awesome for Bronze Age fans!!!
ReplyDeleteIf an editor of BACK ISSUE asks me to write something, and the conditions for this are acceptable, I would certainly consider it.
ReplyDeleteCouldn't agree more, Tony. I've been writing for RetroFan, Alter Ego and Back Issue, something that's helped me enjoy my retirement from journalism immensely.
ReplyDeleteTony, thanks so much for the nice shout-out about my interview with The Cowsills. The actual interview is about double in size--I had to cut it down considerably for RetroFan. I love writing for them. I'll have the cover story for their Halloween issue--an interview with David Selby, who played Quentin Collins on Dark Shadows!
ReplyDelete