The Comic and Fantasy Art Amateur Press Association (CFA-APA) was founded in 1985 by Roger Hill. Its membership consists of knowledgeable fans, creators, and collectors of comic and fantasy art who write about various subjects related to those genres. The group self-publishes approximately three times a year and each issue has a theme relating to a specific creator or subject. Currently, membership is limited to 40 persons at any one time and circulation is limited to 55 issues, making the publication itself highly collectible.
Contents
The CFA-APA began as an informal forum for original comic art collectors to exchange ideas, experiences and information. It provides serious fans and collectors of comic and fantasy art with a forum/publication for discussion of topics, ideas or opinions relative to the original art marketplace. It is designed for those people who have a genuine interest and love for all types of art collecting: comic book art, illustrations of science fiction, fantasy, horror or adventure stories, pin-up/good-girl art, cover art from paperbacks, hardcover books, magazines or pulps, newspaper strips or cartoon art, animation art, movie posters or advertising artwork, and related illustrations or sketches.
Roger Hill is one of the most active comic art collectors, researchers and comic art historians in the USA. He was a comic art consultant to the Sothebys Comic Book and Art auctions held in New York City during the 1990s. He was a contributing writer and Art Editor for the book, Against the Grain: Mad Artist Wallace Wood and a writer and editor for the book Frank R. Paul: The Dean of Science Fiction Illustration. Both of these publications were monographs regarding the life and artwork of each of these two artists. Roger was one of the founding contributors to the Squa Tront EC fanzine along with Jerry Weist. Roger's interest in original art lead to the formation of the CFA-APA, after being inspired by the Edgar Rice Burroughs Amateur Press Association (ERBapa). The ERBapa had previously been founded by John Guidry.
History
A history of the CFA-APA was a chapter in The Comic Art Price Guide by Jerry Weist. It was written by CFA-APA Founder, Roger Hill and is found on pages 29–33 of that book. Roger was a contributing advisor to all three editions of The Comic Art Price Guide by Jerry Weist.
Roger Hill served as editor of the CFA-APA, initially from Mailing #1 (June 30, 1985) to mailing #15. The membership initially included 17 members, four of whom were delinquent in sending in contributions to the first mailing. Wallace Harrington was the editor for Mailings #16-30, 33-34. Roger Hill edited Mailings #31, #32 and #53-60. Bob Koppany et al (see individual listings) edited from Mailings #35-49. Bill Leach edited from Mailings #50-52. Benno Rothschild et al (see individual listings) edited Mailings #61-89. Wallace Harrington is scheduled to resume editorial duties again with Mailing #91.
Included among the other members of the group who have written articles or books to add to the history of comics are Tom Roberts (Alex Raymond: His Life and Art), Jim Amash (Matt Baker: The Art of Glamour, Carmine Infantino: Penciler, Publisher, Provocateur, ), Dewey Cassell (The Art of George Tuska, Marie Severin: The Mirthful Mistress of Comics), Wallace Harrington (Neville Colvin: A Modest Man), Gary Land (Edwin Austin Abbey: Master of Detail Illustration Magazine #40), Benno Rothschild (Rough Stuff Interview with Brian Stelfreeze in Rough Stuff #6), David L. Applegate ("Coming out in the comic strips," from Hogan's Alley no. 1, 1994, Bullmoose Publishing, Atlanta), Raymond A. Cuthbert (The Two-Gun Kid: The Silver Age Western Super-Hero, Comic Book Marketplace #98, January 2003; Alex Raymond's Flash Gordon: The Comic Strip as Epic Fantasy, Comic Book Marketplace #93, August 2002, An Interview with Hello Betty! Artist, Terry Twigg Bill Leach (editor and publisher of HORROR FROM THE CRYPT OF FEAR,#8-14, the only EC HorrorZine approved by the William M. Gaines Estate).
Magazine contents
The magazine consists of articles written, laid out, and duplicated by its members that are sent to an editor/collator for distribution. Each issue is dedicated to specific articles or general themes. Each issue is dedicated to a specific artist or general theme.
Some of the featured artists themselves write guest contributions. Occasionally, the CFA-APA has a give-away in an issue, giving away a free piece of artwork to a member rendered by the featured artist, or related to the feature artist.
Membership
The annual dues are $30.00 for one year (3 issues) to members in the USA, $35.00 to members in Canada, and $45.00 outside the USA or Canada. These fees are used to cover the costs of binding, packaging and mailing the CFA-APA. All issues are sent through first class mail. Membership is limited to 35 people at any one time. Vacancies in the membership roll are filled from a waiting list on a first-come, first-served basis.
Each member must contribute at least two pages or original typed text material for each mailing. They can talk about comments from the prior issue, the artist being featured, comic art auctions or anything related to original art in general. It turns out to be only two pages submitted every four months to remain a CFA-APA member (most members typically contribute more). Should a member miss an issue, they must contribute four pages of text to the following issue. If they fail to do so, they forfeit their active membership and go to the end of the waiting list for new members if they like.
If a member is suspected of fraudulent art dealings, they are asked to temporarily relinquish their membership until they are cleared of the charges or until restitution to the parties has been made.
Each of the members must submit 50 copies (double sided pages) of their contribution to the editor, who assembles the issues, provides a color cover (whenever possible), cerlox binds the issues, and sends them to the members. Although there are potentially 35 members, the non-member copies go to potential new members, and to interested parties on a first-come first-served basis.
Past Dedications
CFA-APA #1 no dedication - Roger Hill, editor - 56 pages (Berni Wrightson front & back covers)
CFA-APA #2 no dedication - Wood cover - Roger Hill, editor - 113 pages (Wally Wood front cover; Vaughn Bode, back cover)
CFA-APA #3 no dedication - Roger Hill, editor - 138 pages (Bill Everett front cover; Neal Adams back cover)
CFA-APA #4 Michael Wm. Kaluta - Roger Hill, editor - 168 pages (Michael Wm. Kaluta front cover; Mike Ploog, back cover)
CFA-APA #5 Berni Wrightson - Roger Hill, editor - 150 pages + an APA Supplement - Alfred Andriola by Bart Bush of 41 pages (Berni Wrightson front & back covers)
CFA-APA #6 Frank Frazetta - Roger Hill, editor - 158 pages (Frank Frazetta front & back covers)
CFA-APA #7 J. Allen St. John - Roger Hill, editor - 149 pages (J. Allen St. John front & back covers)
CFA-APA #8 Lou Fine - Roger Hill, editor - 209 pages including an APA supplement - Lou Fine by Bart Bush of 30 pages. (Lou Fine front & back covers)
CFA-APA #9 Roy Krenkel - Roger Hill, editor - 177 pages (Roy Krenkel front & back covers)
CFA-APA #10 Russ Heath - Roger Hill, editor - 234 pages plus an APA Supplement - Russ Heath Checklist of 13 pages. (Russ Heath front & back covers)
CFA-APA #11 Pulp Artists - Roger Hill, editor - 228 pages (Norman Saunders, front cover; Hannes Bok, back cover)
CFA-APA #12 Murphy Anderson - Roger Hill, editor - 155 pages APA Supplement - EC Checklist by Bill Leach of 64 pages. (Murphy Anderson front & back covers)
CFA-APA #13 Dick Sprang - Roger Hill, editor - 186 pages (Dick Sprang, front & back covers)
CFA-APA #14 The Newspaper Syndicated Strip Artists - Roger Hill, editor - 214 pages (Hal Foster front cover; Winsor McCay back cover)
CFA-APA #15 Al Williamson - Roger Hill, editor - 186 pages (Al Williamson front & back covers)
CFA-APA #16 Jack Kirby - Wallace Harrington, editor - 253 pages (Jack Kirby front & back covers)
CFA-APA #17 Will Eisner - Wallace Harrington, editor - 165 pages APA Supplement New York Times Article by Will Eisner. (Will Eisner front & back covers)
CFA-APA #18 Harvey Kurtzman - Wallace Harrington, editor - 180 pages (Harvey Kurtzman front & back covers)
CFA-APA #19 Hal Foster & Alex Raymond - Wallace Harrington, editor - 226 pages (Hal Foster front cover; Alex Raymond back cover)
CFA-APA #20 Graham Ingels - Wallace Harrington, editor - 253 pages (Graham Ingels front & back covers)
CFA-APA #21 Good Girl Artists - Wallace Harrington, editor - 329 pages (Adam Hughes front cover; Mark Schultz back cover)
CFA-APA #22 Joe Kubert - Wallace Harrington, editor - 253 pages (Joe Kubert front & back covers)
CFA-APA #23 Alex Toth - Wallace Harrington, editor - 287 pages (Alex Toth front & back covers)
CFA-APA #24 The New Breed - Wallace Harrington, editor - 188 pages (word art front cover; Kent Williams back cover)
CFA-APA #25 John Severin - Wallace Harrington, editor - 162 pages (John Severin front & back covers)
CFA-APA #26 Artists of The Studio - Wallace Harrington, editor - 264 pages (Michael Wm. Kaluta, Jeffrey Jones, Barry Windsor-Smith, Berni Wrightson, front cover; Jeffrey Jones, back cover)
CFA-APA #27 Steve Ditko - Wallace Harrington, editor - 302 pages (Steve Ditko front & back covers)
CFA-APA #28 Reed Crandall - Wallace Harrington, editor - 212 pages (Reed Crandall front & back covers)
CFA-APA #29 Golden Age Artists: Hero & Horror - Wallace Harrington, editor - 244 pages (Norman Saunders front cover; Creig Flessel, back cover)
CFA-APA #30 Comic Strip Artists 2 - Wallace Harrington, editor - 156 pages (Berkley Breathed front cover; Bill Watterson, back cover)
CFA-APA #31 Milton Caniff - Roger Hill, editor - 178 pages (Milton Caniff front & back covers)
CFA-APA #32 Warren Artists - Roger Hill, editor - 136 pages (Neal Adams front cover; Berni Wrightson, back cover)
CFA-APA #33 Science Fiction Artists - Wallace Harrington, editor - 186 pages (Virgil Finlay front & back covers)
CFA-APA #34 Dedicated to the ERB Artists - Wallace Harrington, editor - 236 pages (J. Allen St. John front cover; Reed Crandall, back cover)
CFA-APA #35 Artists of the Underground Comix - Bob Koppany & John Province, editors, Bill Leach cover designer - 287 pages (Robert Crumb front cover; Montage of various underground cartoonists, back cover)
CFA-APA #36 Artists of the EC Comics - Bob Koppany & John Province, editors, Bill Leach cover designer - 335 pages (Johnny Craig front cover; Graham Ingels, back cover)
CFA-APA #37 Neal Adams - Bob Koppany & John Province, editors, Bill Leach cover designer - 243 pages (Neal Adams front & back covers)
CFA-APA #38 Mac Raboy & the Fawcett Artists - Bob Koppany & John Province, editors, Bill Leach cover designer - 287 pages (Mac Raboy front & back covers)
CFA-APA #39 Carmine Infantino - Bob Koppany & John Province, editors, Bill Leach cover designer - 370 pages (Carmine Infantino front & back covers)
CFA-APA #40 Good Girl Artists 2 - Bob Koppany, editor, Bill Leach cover designer - 271 pages (Bill Ward front & back covers)
CFA-APA #41 Why We Collect - Bob Koppany, editor, Bill Leach cover designer - 271 pages (Joe Kubert, front cover; Basil Wolverton, back cover)
CFA-APA #42 Jim Steranko - Bob Koppany, editor, Bill Leach cover designer - 217 pages (Jim Steranko front & back covers)
CFA-APA #43 The Superman Artists (Boring, Shuster & Swan) - Bob Koppany, editor, Bill Leach cover designer - 237 pages (Joe Shuster front cover; Kurt Schaffenberger, back cover)
CFA-APA #44 Winsor McCay - Bob Koppany, editor, Bill Leach cover designer - 294 pages (Winsor McCay front cover; photo of Winsor McCay, back cover)
CFA-APA #45 Walt Kelly - Bob Koppany, editor, Bill Leach cover designer - 248 pages (Walt Kelly front & back covers)
CFA-APA #46 The Art of Moebius - Bob Koppany, editor, Bill Leach cover designer - 195 pages (Moebius front & back covers)
CFA-APA #47 Quality Comics Artists - Bob Koppany, editor, Bill Leach cover designer - 237 pages (Lou Fine front & back covers)
CFA-APA #48 The Art of Wally Wood 2 - Bob Koppany, editor, Bill Leach cover designer - 237 pages (Wally Wood front & back covers)
CFA-APA #49 Personal Under-rated Favorites - Bob Koppany, editor, Bill Leach cover designer - 268 pages (Frank Rhodes, front cover; Frank Cho, back cover)
CFA-APA #50 Monsters Past & Present - Bill Leach, editor and cover designer - 343 pages (Johnny Craig, front cover; Xno, back cover)
CFA-APA #51 Russ Manning, Dell & Gold Key Artists - Bill Leach, editor and cover designer - 300+ pages [total not given on contents page] (Russ Manning, front & back covers)
CFA-APA #52 Best Artists from 80's & 90's - Bill Leach, editor and cover designer - 200+ pages [total not given on contents page] (Ken Hooper, front & back covers)
CFA-APA #53 Wacky Cartoonists - Roger Hill, editor - 241 pages (Basil Wolverton, front cover; Jack Davis, back cover)
CFA-APA #54 History in Comics - Roger Hill, editor - 216 pages (Warren Tufts, front cover; Joe Kubert, back cover)
CFA-APA #55 Unpublished Masterpieces, Preliminaries and Sketches - Roger Hill, editor - 300 pages (Roy Krenkel, front cover; Jim Steranko, back cover)
CFA-APA #56 Obscure Artists - Roger Hill, editor - 262 pages (H.J. Ward, front cover; H.L. Parkhurst, back cover)
CFA-APA #57 Alex Raymond - Roger Hill, editor - 274 pages (Alex Raymond, front & back covers)
CFA-APA #58 Gil Kane - Roger Hill, editor - 237 pages (Gil Kane front & back covers)
CFA-APA #59 The Charlton Artists - informally aka Ditko 2 - Roger Hill, editor - 179 pages (Steve Ditko, front cover; Charlton cover collage back cover)
CFA-APA #60 The War Artists - Roger Hill, editor - 351 pages (Wally Wood, front cover; Jerry Grandinetti, back cover)
CFA-APA #61 The Fleagle Gang - Benno Rothschild, Troy Pierce, Dave Newton, editors - 223 pages (Roy Krenkel, Al Williamson, Frank Frazetta, montage front cover; Frank Frazetta, back cover)
CFA-APA #62 The Chase - Benno Rothschild, Troy Pierce, Dave Newton, editors - 229 pages (Hal Foster, front & back covers)
CFA-APA #63 Artists of the Humor Magazines - Benno Rothschild, Troy Pierce, Dave Newton, editors - 250 pages (Don Martin & Jack Bender, front cover; Jack Davis, back cover)
CFA-APA #64 Comic Masters Still Going Strong - Benno Rothschild, Troy Pierce, Dave Newton, editors - 223 pages (Bill Stout, front & back covers)
CFA-APA #65 In Memory WILL EISNER - Benno Rothschild, Troy Pierce, Dave Newton, editors - 330 pages (Will Eisner front & back covers)
CFA-APA #66 The Artists of the Fantastic Four - Benno Rothschild & Dave Newton, editors - 251 pages (Jack Kirby, front cover; John Byrne, back cover)
CFA-APA #67 Recreations - Threat or Menace? - Benno Rothschild & Dave Newton, editors - 335 pages (Fred Hembeck, front cover; Fred Ray, back cover)
CFA-APA #68 Gene Colan - Benno Rothschild & Dave Newton, editors - 388 pages (Gene Colan, front & back covers)
CFA-APA #69 Frank Miller - Benno Rothschild & Dave Newton, editors - 288 pages (Frank Miller, front & back covers)
CFA-APA #70 Alex Toth 2 - Benno Rothschild & Dave Newton, editors - 360 pages (Alex Toth, front & back covers)
CFA-APA #71 Comic Art Around the World - Benno Rothschild & Dave Newton, editors - 397 pages (Saverio Tenuta, front cover; Goseki Kojima, back cover)
CFA-APA #72 Modern Good Girl Art - Benno Rothschild & Dave Newton, editors - 374 pages (Travios Charest, front cover; Butch Guice & Mike Perkins, back cover)
CFA-APA #73 Best Deals, Worst Deals & Holy Grails - Benno Rothschild & Dave Newton, editors - 349 pages (Cully Hamner, front cover; Frank Frazetta, back cover)
CFA-APA #74 Living Legends - Benno Rothschild & Dave Newton, editors - 330 pages (Jack Davis, front cover; Dan Spiegle, back cover)
CFA-APA #75 Western Art - Benno Rothschild & Dave Newton, editors - 401 pages (Dick Ayers, front & back covers)
CFA-APA #76 Commissions - Benno Rothschild & Dave Newton, editors - 298 pages (Sanjulian, front cover; Michael Wm. Kaluta, back cover)
CFA-APA #77 The Art of Robert E. Howard - Benno Rothschild & Dave Newton, editors - 396 pages (Mark Schultz, front cover; Ken Kelly, back cover)
CFA-APA #78 The Art of Inking - Benno Rothschild & Dave Newton, editors - 395 pages (Milton Caniff, front cover; Steve McNiven & Dexter Vines, back cover)
CFA-APA #79 The Art of Romance - Benno Rothschild & Dave Newton, editors - 369 pages (Jay Scott Pike, front cover; Dick Giordano & Vince Colletta, back cover)
CFA-APA #80 Science Fiction Art - Benno Rothschild & Dave Newton, editors - 389 pages (Frank R. Paul, front cover; Mark Schultz, back cover)
CFA-APA #81 Frank Frazetta/Al Williamson Memorial - Benno Rothschild & Dave Newton, editors - 434 pages (Frank Frazetta, front cover; Al Williamson, back cover)
CFA-APA #82 The Art of Covers - Benno Rothschild & Dave Newton, editors - 400 pages (Alex Schomburg, front cover; Curt Swan & George Klein, back cover)
CFA-APA #83 Jeffrey Jones - Benno Rothschild & Dave Newton, editors - 408 pages (Jeffrey Jones, front & back covers)
CFA-APA #84 Gray Morrow - Benno Rothschild & Dave Newton, editors - 299 pages (Gray Morrow, front & back covers)
CFA-APA #85 The Collectors - Benno Rothschild & Dave Newton, editors - 401 pages (Pete Alvarado, front cover; Mike DeCarlo, back cover)
CFA-APA #86 Short-Run Heroes - Benno Rothschild & Dave Newton, editors - 275 pages (Kurt Schaffenberger, front & back covers)
CFA-APA #87 The Art of Illustration - Benno Rothschild & Dave Newton, editors - 500 pages (Barye Phillips, front cover; Gary Gianni, back cover)
CFA-APA #88 Jack Davis - Benno Rothschild & Dave Newton, editors - 340 pages (Jack Davis, front & back covers)
CFA-APA #89 The Artists of Spider-man - Benno Rothschild & Dave Newton, editors - 341 pages (John Romita, front cover; Steve Ditko, back cover)
CFA-APA #90 Gone But Not Forgotten - Wally Harrington, editor - 315 pages, July 2013
CFA-APA #91 Richard Corben - Wally Harrington, editor - 312 page, December 2013
CFA-APA #92 Al Feldstein - Wally Harrington, editor - 402 pages, March 2014
CFA-APA #93 The Art of Harvey Comics - Wally Harrington, editor, July 2014
CFA-APA #94 The Art of Horror Comics - Wally Harrington, editor, November 2014
CFA-APA #95 Guilty Pleasures, artist/characters that collectors ignore - Wally Harrington, editor, March 2015
CFA-APA #96 John and Sal Buscema - Wally Harrington, editor, July 2015
CFA-APA #97 Bob Powell - Wally Harrington, editor, November 2015
CFA-APA #98 The Artists of Superman and Batman - Wally Harrington, editor, March 2016
CFA-APA #99 Russ Manning - Wally Harrington, editor, July 2016
CFA-APA #100 Personal Favorites - Wally Harrington, editor, November 2016
The Best of the CFA-APA
As of October 2013, three reprint collections designed to showcase the best articles in the magazines have been published by R. Gary Land, under the umbrella title Giant-Size Fan-Thing. Volume 1 printed selected articles from the first 20 mailings (issues, if you will), under the wrap-around cover displaying the artwork on the covers of those same mailings. Volume 2 printed selected articles from the mailings #21-30 with a front cover by comic artist Doug Wildey. Volume 3 printed selected articles from mailings #31-40 with a front cover by noted comic artist Michael Wm. Kaluta. The Giant-Size Fan-Thing books have been limited to 200 copies each.
Special Publications
There have also been occasional special publications of the CFA-APA. Three of these have been entitled CFA-APA Party Special Edition (July 1987), CFA-APA Party Special Edition 2 (August 1989), and CFA-APA Party Special Edition 3. These three publications were created by the CFA-APA Founder, Roger Hill. There has also been a CFA-APA Exclusive EC Check List from Bill Leach Collectibles (1988), CFA-APA Hembeck Special created by R. Gary Land; a Lou Fine Index; a 1997 CFA-APA Original Comic Art Directory; a CFA-APA - 20th Anniversary Index of the CFA-APA Booklet created by Ray Cuthbert; a Virgil Finlay Companion Book to CFA-APA of a 100 copy print run.
A Look to the Future
The CFA-APA serves as a forum for documenting the history of the ever-growing field of comic and fantasy art collecting, for future generations.