Wizard (magazine)

Wizard: The Comics Magazine is a magazine about comic books, published monthly in the United States. It includes a price guide to current and valuable comics, as well as the latest comic book, movie, anime, and collector's news, interviews, previews, and other features. It is also known for its "fanboy" sense of humour, shared by all the magazines published by Wizard Entertainment, and somewhat similar to the style of Maxim and Stuff.

Related Topics:
Magazine - Comic book - United States - Price guide - Movie - Anime - Fanboy - Wizard Entertainment - Maxim - Stuff

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Wizard was founded in 1991 by then college student Gareb Shamus. It started as a newsletter estimating the values of "hot" comic books, that is, comics that had high demand in the back issue market. Shamus' interest in the comics market stems from his friendship to comic artist Todd McFarlane and from working in his parents' specialty store.

Related Topics:
1991 - Todd McFarlane

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In issue #7, Wizard became closer to the magazine it is today, with glossy paper and color printing. Unlike some publications such as Hero Illustrated or The Comics Journal, Wizard has historically focused not only on journalism but also on the economic side of comic collecting. Wizard was strongly supportive of new publishers Valiant Comics and Image Comics, heavily promoting their new releases. A regular (though controversial) feature of the magazine is a "Top 10 Writers and Artists" list, charting the "hottest" (i.e. most popular) creators of the month in each category.

Related Topics:
Hero Illustrated - The Comics Journal - Journalism - Valiant Comics - Image Comics

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Wizard skillfully exploited the speculation boom that hit the comic-book market following the Death of Superman event, quickly rising to the leading position among comic magazines.

Related Topics:
Speculation - Death of Superman

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For many, Wizard is the most visible face of the American comics industry, which means it encounters a fair amount of controversy. Generally, critics charge that Wizard discusses mainstream American comics of the superhero genre to the exclusion of almost every other kind of comics. On the other hand, American superheroes are the dominant interest of the mainstream American comic-book fan, insofar as the under-500,000 consumers of America's direct market comic shops can be considered "mainstream." However, critics sometimes characterize Wizard as simply an organ to generate hype and publicity for the largest publishers, DC and Marvel, and sometimes others like Image. Certainly, Wizard has arranged mutually-lucrative deals with the leading publishers (preferential advertising and coverage, for example, in exhange for promises to announce new projects at WizardWorld conventions), and may be reluctant to upset the status quo. Furthermore, the degree to which Wizard actually perpetuates the subculture that it targets is unknown.

Related Topics:
Controversy - Superhero - Direct market - Hype - Publicity - DC - Marvel - Image - WizardWorld - Status quo

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Comic creator Frank Miller had a well-publicized feud with Wizard, initiated by his keynote speech at the 2001 Harvey Awards, during which he ripped a copy of the magazine in half and threw it in a trash can, calling it a "bible written by Satan" and a "monthly vulgarity." The two parties have since repaired their relationship (notably, after Miller's successful Sin City film), and Miller will be a "Guest of Honor" at WizardWorld Chicago 2005.

Related Topics:
Frank Miller - Harvey Awards - Sin City - WizardWorld - Chicago

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