The Single Most Important Magazine In My Entire Collection.

This 1972 issue of GRAPHIC STORY WORLD was--


1st Fanzine I ever saw, my introduction to organized fandom.


First info I ever had on EC, a company I'd never heard of before.


Introduction to Gilbert Shelton, one of my all-time favorite cartoonists.


Introduction to the work of Dan Spiegle, another favorite artist.


First time I ever saw uninked Kirby pencils.


First time I ever heard of Shel Dorf.


Intro to the mag's publisher, Richard Kyle, later credited with coining the term "graphic novel."


 Introduced me to foreign comics including LUC ORIENT, BERNARD PRINCE and BRUNO BRAZIL, all of which later became favorites even though I can't read a word of them!


And most importantly, I ordered the "free lifetime subscription" to TBG from an ad here, starting my sub with issue 17 and continuing it for another 25 years long past the point where they started charging and went weekly!