Michael Catron (born October 9, 1954) is an American comic book editor and publisher. He is former publisher of Apple Comics and co-founder of Fantagraphics.
Biography Catron met Gary Groth while they were both enrolled at the University of Maryland. In 1974, Catron and Groth put on a Washington, DC-area rock and roll convention that ended in financial failure. Nonetheless, he and Groth dabbled in music publishing with the short-lived magazine Sounds Fine, which they co-published until 1979. During this period, Catron also worked as a public relations assistant for Mike Gold, at the time employed by DC Comics.
In 1976, Catron and Groth co-founded Fantagraphics Books, at that point located in College Park, Maryland. They took over an adzine named The Nostalgia Journal, quickly renaming it The Comics Journal.Maheras, Russ. The Comics Journal Message Board :: View topic – The Comics Journal #32, Jan. 1977 (July 2, 2007): "... transforming it from an adzine into a magazine of news and criticism that just happened to carry advertisements." Catron acted as Fantagraphics' co-publisher until 1985, also handling advertising and circulation for The Comics Journal from 1982 to 1985, when he left the company.Who's Who of American Comic Books, 1928–1999.
In 1986, Catron established Apple Comics, which began as a packager for Wendy & Richard Pini's WaRP Graphics but with its own financing structure.WaRP Titles Now Under Apple Aegis," The Comics Journal #110 (August 1986), p. 17.
From 2000 to 2008, Catron served as a board member for the Grand Comics Database.GCD Documentation: The Board
Catron has been the agent for the estate of Superman co-creator Joe Shuster.Kaye, Edward. Hypergeek (June 18, 2011).
In early 2012, Catron relocated to Seattle and returned to Fantagraphics as editor with the publishing company he co-founded 36 years earlier.Spurgeon, Tom. "CR Newsmaker Interview: Mike Catron" The Comics Reporter (Fefruary 5, 2012).Baehr, Mike. "Welcome back Mike Catron & Preston White!" The Comics Journal Blog (February 6, 2012).
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