The Comic and Fantasy Art Amateur Press Association (CFA-APA) was founded in 1985 by Roger Hill.The Comic Art Price Guide by Jerry Weist (Ivy Press, 2011) 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.
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, film posters or advertising artwork, and related illustrations or sketches.
Founder Roger Hill was one of the most active comic art collectors, researchers and comic art historians in the United States. 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 WoodAgainst the Grain: Mad Artist Wallace Wood (TwoMorrows Publishing 2003) and a writer and editor for the book Frank R. Paul: The Dean of Science Fiction Illustration.Frank R. Paul: The Dean of Science Fiction Illustration (IDW Publishing 2012) 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 2011 The Comic Art Price Guide.The Comic Art Price Guide by Jerry Weist (Ivy Press, 2011)
Roger Hill served as editor of the CFA-APA, initially from Mailing #1 (June 30, 1985) to #15. The original membership 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 #35-49, Bill Leach #50-52, and Benno Rothschild #61-89. Wallace Harrington resumed editorial duties again with Mailing #91, followed by David Applegate from Mailing #101 onwards.
Included among the group members who have written articles or books to add to the history of comics are Tom Roberts (Alex Raymond: His Life and Art),Tom Roberts (Alex Raymond: His Life and Art Adventure House, 2008) Jim Amash (Matt Baker: The Art of Glamour, Carmine Infantino: Penciler, Publisher, Provocateur),Carmine Infantino: Penciler, Publisher, Provocateur, TwoMorrows Publishing, 2010 with Eric Nolen-Weathington Dewey Cassell (The Art of George Tuska,Cassell, Dewey, with Aaron Sultan and Mike Gartland (2005). The Art of George Tuska. TwoMorrows Publishing, 2005. Marie Severin: The Mirthful Mistress of Comics),Marie Severin: The Mirthful Mistress of Comics, TwoMorrows Publishing, 2012 Wallace Harrington (Neville Colvin: A Modest Man),Neville Colvin: A Modest Man an essay in Modesty Blaise: The Double Agent Gary Land (Edwin Austin Abbey: Master of Detail Illustration Magazine #40),Gary Land (Edwin Austin Abbey: Master of Detail Illustration Magazine #40), Bill Leach (editor and publisher of Horror From The Crypt of Fear, the only EC HorrorZine approved by the William M. Gaines Estate) Benno Rothschild (Rough Stuff interview with Brian Stelfreeze in Rough Stuff #6),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),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;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,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),An Interview with Hello Betty! Artist, Terry Twigg, Up'n Coming!, Nov. 1992 and 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); Robert L. Reiner, curator of the Society of Illustrators Museum of Illustration exhibition, "What, Me PANIC? Celebrating Angelo Torres", and the writer of the adaptation of Otto Binder's previously unpublished 1953 story, The Unwanted, illustrated by Angelo Torres and Stefan Koidl, publisher Fantagraphics. Other members such as John Stuart and Steve Nam have included comic and fantasy art in their works of fiction (the novel Cryptic Inks and short story "Streets like Gray Wolves" in Tulane Review, respectively).
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, typically giving away a free piece of artwork to a member rendered by the featured artist, or related to the feature artist.
Membership Annual dues are used to cover the costs of binding, packaging and mailing the CFA-APA. Membership is limited to 40 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.
Past dedications CFA-APA #1 no dedication - Roger Hill, editor - 56 pages (Bernie Wrightson front & back covers), 50 copies, 1985 (erroneously 1987 on the cover)
CFA-APA #2 Wally Wood - Wood cover - Roger Hill, editor - 113 pages (Wally Wood front cover; Vaughn Bodē, back cover), 50 copies, 1985
CFA-APA #3 Bill Everett - Roger Hill, editor - 138 pages (Bill Everett front cover; Neal Adams back cover), only 40 copies, 1985
CFA-APA #4 Michael Kaluta - Roger Hill, editor - 168 pages (Michael Kaluta front cover; Mike Ploog, back cover), 50 copies, 1986
CFA-APA #5 Berni Wrightson - Roger Hill, editor - 150 pages + APA supplement Alfred Andriola by Bart Bush of 41 pages (Berni Wrightson front & back covers), 50 copies, 1986
CFA-APA #6 Frank Frazetta - Roger Hill, editor - 158 pages (Frank Frazetta front & back covers), 50 copies, 1986
CFA-APA #7 J. Allen St. John - Roger Hill, editor - 149 pages (J. Allen St. John front & back covers), 50 copies, 1986
CFA-APA #8 Lou Fine - Roger Hill, editor - 209 pages + APA supplement Lou Fine Checklist of 30 pages (Lou Fine front & back covers), 50 copies, 1987
CFA-APA #9 Roy Krenkel - Roger Hill, editor - 177 pages + APA supplement Chicago Con 1987 (Roy Krenkel front & back covers), 60 copies, 1987
CFA-APA #10 Russ Heath - Roger Hill, editor - 234 pages + APA supplement Russ Heath Checklist (Russ Heath front & back covers), 60 copies, 1987
CFA-APA #11 Pulp Artists - Roger Hill, editor - 228 pages (Norman Saunders, front cover; Hannes Bok, back cover), 60 copies, 1988
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), 60 copies, 1988
CFA-APA #13 Dick Sprang - Roger Hill, editor - 186 pages (Dick Sprang, front & back covers), 60 copies, 1988
CFA-APA #14 Syndicated Newspaper Strip Artists v1 - Roger Hill, editor - 214 pages (Hal Foster front cover; Winsor McCay back cover), 60 copies, 1989
CFA-APA #15 Al Williamson - Roger Hill, editor - 186 pages (Al Williamson front & back covers), 60 copies, 1989
CFA-APA #16 Jack Kirby v1 - Wallace Harrington, editor - 253 pages (Jack Kirby front & back covers), 60 copies, 1989
CFA-APA #17 Will Eisner v1 - Wallace Harrington, editor - 165 pages + APA supplement New York Times Article by Will Eisner (Will Eisner front & back covers), 60 copies, 1990
CFA-APA #18 Harvey Kurtzman - Wallace Harrington, editor - 180 pages + APA supplement by David L Applegate 'Heart And Soul Of The Big Red Cheese: Captain Marvel' (Harvey Kurtzman front & back covers), 60 copies, 1990
CFA-APA #19 Hal Foster & Alex Raymond - Wallace Harrington, editor - 226 pages (Hal Foster front cover; Alex Raymond back cover), 60 copies, 1990
CFA-APA #20 Graham Ingels - Wallace Harrington, editor - 253 pages (Graham Ingels front & back covers), 60 copies, 1990
CFA-APA #21 Good Girl Artists v1 - Wallace Harrington, editor - 329 pages (Adam Hughes front cover; Mark Schultz back cover), 60 copies, 1991
CFA-APA #22 Joe Kubert - Wallace Harrington, editor - 253 pages (Joe Kubert front & back covers), 60 copies, 1991
CFA-APA #23 Alex Toth v1 - Wallace Harrington, editor - 287 pages (Alex Toth front & back covers), 60 copies, 1991
CFA-APA #24 The New Breed - Wallace Harrington, editor - 188 pages (word art front cover; Kent Williams back cover), 60 copies, 1991
CFA-APA #25 John Severin - Wallace Harrington, editor - 162 pages (John Severin front & back covers), 60 copies, 1992
CFA-APA #26 Artists of The Studio: Michael Kaluta, Jeffrey Catherine Jones, Barry Windsor-Smith, Berni Wrightson - Wallace Harrington, editor - 264 pages (Michael Kaluta, Jeffrey Jones, Barry Windsor-Smith, Berni Wrightson, front cover; Jeffrey Jones, back cover), 60 copies, 1992
CFA-APA #27 Steve Ditko - Wallace Harrington, editor - 302 pages (Steve Ditko front & back covers), 60 copies, 1992
CFA-APA #28 Reed Crandall - Wallace Harrington, editor - 212 pages (Reed Crandall front & back covers), 60 copies, 1992
CFA-APA #29 Golden Age Artists: Hero & Horror - Wallace Harrington, editor - 244 pages (Norman Saunders front cover; Creig Flessel, back cover), 60 copies, 1993
CFA-APA #30 Syndicated Newspaper Strip Artists v2 - Wallace Harrington, editor - 156 pages (Berkley Breathed front cover; Bill Watterson, back cover), 60 copies, 1993
CFA-APA #31 Milton Caniff - Roger Hill, editor - 178 pages (Milton Caniff front & back covers), 60 copies, 1993
CFA-APA #32 Warren Artists - Roger Hill, editor - 136 pages (Neal Adams front cover; Berni Wrightson, back cover), 1993
CFA-APA #33 Science Fiction Artists - Wallace Harrington, editor - 186 pages (Virgil Finlay front & back covers), 60 copies, 1994