Welcome to BillSchelly.com!

JUNE 29, 2008
From the News Desk at Hamster Press . . . .

Man of Rock: A Biography of Joe Kubert is my new book, and was the “great mystery project” revealed in earlier updates on this site. It’s being published by the good folks at Fantagraphics Books, and just went to the printer several days ago. It should be out in a very short time. I’m also selling a limited number of signed copies right here; see the “Books” section if you’re interested.

This project began in 2004 with a suggestion by my friend Bud Plant, and now, four years later, is finally complete. It is, without a doubt, the most challenging project I’ve ever attempted. How so? Consider that I was wrangling the multitude of facts involved in the career of a man that has, so far, stretched over seventy years. That’s a lot of years, and consequently, a lot of facts. I consider myself a fairly well-organized individual, but this one just about busted my filing system(s).

However, I’m satisfied that I did the best I could, and now all that remains is wait to see how others feel about it. I certainly hope you like it, and consider it a welcome addition to your library of books about the history of comics. Let me know what you think, okay?

In my spare time, I wrote another book recently…. Those of you who may be familiar with my resumé know that my first book was a biography of the great silent movie comedian Harry Langdon. Recently, all of his extant silent film classics—two-reelers and feature length movies—have been released on DVD, so I decided it would be a good idea to update and revised my old book. Voila: Harry Langdon: His Life and Films (McFarland Pubs), now completed and available at Amazon.com. It’s 50% longer than the original, and a better book in just about every respect. After all, I’ve learned a little about writing over the ensuing 26 years…. It was really very much like writing a whole new book, though there are portions that were carried over, in much revised form.

Of course I realize most of you are comic book fans. But if you are a fan of old-time cinema, or if you happen to be one of those nutty folks who collect all my books, then this one is for you. And now you can actually see the movies that are discussed in the text, which was next to impossible back in 1982.

Incidentally, I did something I swore I’d never do: appear as a “talking head” in a documentary! It’s in the documentary Harry Langdon, Lost and Found in the DVD set by the same name from Allday Entertainment, which also includes all of Langdon’s short comedies from Mack Sennett Studios. This DVD set is superb, though certainly not because of my small contribution. You can read all about it on the Amazon.com listing. It has been garnering praise from all quarters, and it is all richly deserved. I’ll just add that it’s an incredible value when you consider the number of films you get, nearly all with commentary, for the price.

SEPTEMBER 9, 2006
From the News Desk at Hamster Press . . . .

More Hamster Press books are discounted in our 2006 Warehouse Clearance Sale. The revised Golden Age of Comic Fandom, Sense of Wonder: A Life in Comic Fandom, and Alter-Ego: The Graphic Novel are the latest books available at discounts from this web site. Now is the time to snap up a copy of any that you missed. They also make great gifts for your fannish friends, now at extremely affordable prices. See the Books and Ordering sections, and keep in mind that I’ll be happy to sign them if you so desire.

September 2006 marks the FIFTEENTH ANNIVERSARY of Yours Truly’s return to comic fandom after eighteen years away. Those of you who are familiar with my books know I left fandom in 1973 after about a decade of fanzine publishing and active fan activity. The first ten or so years of that eighteen year hiatus included forsaking the reading and collecting of comic books entirely. But even after I got interested in comics again (around 1983) I didn’t re-connect with fandom; it wasn’t until 1991 that my interest was piqued when I found out a co-worker named Glen Moss was a collector and apa-member. He provided contact info for CAPA-alpha, and from there I plunged back into fan activity with a vengeance and never looked back. Can it really have been fifteen years since then? Yowzah!!

Jeff Gelb visits the House of Hamster. Jeff was the first of my old-time fandom buddies who I got in touch with from the CAPA-alpha roster in 1991, and the last fifteen years have served to cement our friendship. When I couldn’t make it to San Diego this July, Jeff visited me in Seattle. Since we’re both James Bond fans, Jeff brought the 007 board game with him, as seen in the adjacent photos.

The Great Mystery Project soon to be revealed! I’ve been asked what I’ve been “up to” since the publication of my last book, The Best of Star-Studded Comics, in 2005. Well, the most I can say right now is that I’ve finished the first draft of a brand new comics-related book, and am doing my best to get it revised and in publishable shape by early 2007. I don’t mean to be coy, but I just think it’s best for the time being to play my cards “close to the vest.” What I can say that it’s the longest, most ambitious creative project that I’ve tackled thus far. Keep checking this site, and the pages of Alter Ego magazine, for the eventual announcement. (Of course, all during this process I’ve also been contributing features to A/E.)

Bill’s Kirby sketch becomes an Alter Ego cover. Back in 1965, Jack Kirby generously sent me a very nice Captain America sketch; recently, it was adapted by Pete Von Sholly into a painted cover for Roy Thomas’ Alter Ego magazine. I think Pete did a great job, and was really tickled to see Jack’s sketch, now over 40 years old, used as the basis for a new piece of Cap art. A/E #57 and most other issues are available at www.twomorrows.com.

NOVEMBER 5, 2005
From the News Desk at Hamster Press . . . .

2005 is the TENTH ANNIVERSARY of The Golden Age of Comic Fandom!

Somehow, the tenth anniversary of Hamster Press, which came in 2002, didn't mean as much to me as this one. Maybe it's because this is the book I've become best known for, and the one which remains my biggest seller. (It's now in its third printing.) It earned my first nomination for an Eisner award, and generally put me on the map.

Also, the process of publishing The Golden Age of Comic Fandom brought me into contact with a lot of folks who I am still collaborating with today, one way or another. One is Roy Thomas, who offered his input early on, and eventually wrote the book's introduction; the other is Nils Osmar, who came up with the cover almost overnight for the first edition of GAOCF when the original had to be discarded. He has since colored most of the other Hamster Press books, and has become a close friend.

I wrote the book because I wanted to read a history of the origins of comic fandom and an account of comicdom's progression through the 1960s. In the process, I was really lucky to develop contacts with hundreds of fans from the early days of the movement. My greatest pleasure was to have the opportunity to tell Ronn Foss and Biljo White and Howard Keltner and G. B. Love how much their work in the old fanzines meant to me as a junior high school student in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It's therefore especially sad that those four, and many of their collecting kindred, have passed away during the past decade. (The list includes Landon Chesney, Don Thompson, Bill Thailing, Grass Green, Harry Habblitz and Barry Baumann.)

But, at least I was fortunate enough to come along with my project when they were still with us, and was able to “de-brief” them about the old days of fandom. At first some of them thought I was crazy to be dredging up all that stuff, but soon I think even the saltiest of them came around to the value of having a written history of those halcyon days. I'll always feel privileged that I was the one who got the chance to write it!

The 2005 Comic-Con International in San Diego was a huge (to the tune of 100,000 attendees) success ….
For me, though, the real highlight was being able to get together with my best buddy Jeff Gelb. We coerced a passerby into taking a pic of us waiting for a table at our favorite Mexican restaurant in Old Town, and I think Jeff was truly shocked when I downed two large margaritas during the course of our repast. (I'm usually a tee-totaler.) Hey, if I'm not gonna “go wild” when I see Jaunty Jeff-who is like a brother to me-then…. when, I ask you?

The Best of Star-Studded Comics is now for sale through Bud Plant Comic Art, Diamond Comics and FM International . . . . As you know (and if you don't, you can't find out my scrolling down to prior updates), the original plan was to sell this book directly, without going through distributors. It might have worked if I'd spent more time publicizing it, but finally it became a financial necessity to offer it through the good people at Diamond, FM and Bud Plant Comic Art.

The resulting sales allowed us to pay off our printing bill for the book, which is a great relief.

The response to The Best of Star-Studded Comics from readers was fantastic, and when all is said and done, the project must be considered a success. Copies do remain available, through this web site and via comic shops and Bud Plant's fine mail order company. (In fact, Bud seems to be the only source who still has multiple copies of Words of Wonder: The Life and Times of Otto Binder, which is out of print from Hamster. Get 'em while they last.)

Where do we recommend you look for the various books that are sold-out from Hamster Press?
We suggest you check out www.ebay.com first. Other web sites to check (which are sometimes a little more expensive) are www.abebooks.com and www.bookfinder.com. The bottom line is that “out of print” doesn't mean you can't get your hands on a copy of a sold out book. But, in some cases at least, you may have to pay a premium to get it. (Other times, they can be had for bargain prices.)

For the record, the sold-out books from Hamster are Fandom's Finest Comics Vol. 2, Words of Wonder, Comic Fandom Reader, Alter Ego: The Best of the Legendary Comics Fanzine, and the first edition of The Golden Age of Comic Fandom.

Don't forget The 2006 Emerald City Comicon in sunny Seattle is coming up on April 1 and 2. . . .
Many of you are serviced by other regional comic book conventions. Finally, the Pacific Northwest has a top-flight comicon. Last year some 6,000 fans showed up for the two-day affair, which boasted an impressive guest list. So far this year, the list includes Brian Michael Bendis, Michael Lark, Tony Harris, Tim Sale and Adam Hughes, just to name a few. Check out emeraldcitycomicon.com for complete info. If you're reading this in “near-ish” states like Montana, Nevada, Utah, even Northern California, consider making the trek. Seattle is a beautiful city, and the Comicon facility is in the brand new Seattle Seahawks Exhibition Hall, so this is a worthy vacation destination!! Needless to say, I'll be there-either at a table or as a guest, not sure yet-and I'd love to have the chance to meet you.

No blogger, I--but I've gotta give a tip of the Hamster Hat to Marvel Comics and editor Mark Beazley for getting Roy Thomas and Dick Giordano to complete their graphic story adaptation of Bram Stoker's novel Dracula, which had been left hanging half-way done in the mid-1970s. The new hardcover volume of Stoker's Dracula is a thing of beauty, and the work inside certainly proves that Roy and Dick have lost nothing of their story-telling abilities. Despite all their many achievements in the comic book field over the years, I can't help but think that Stoker's Dracula will stand as one of their finest, and most memorable.

All for now! Comic Fandom Forever! - Bill

APRIL 23, 2005
From the News Desk at Hamster Press . . . .

Alter Ego: The Graphic Novel is now available from Hamster Press!
In stock and ready to mail: the new collection of the four-issue mini-series from First Comics by Roy Thomas and Ron Harris—in a dazzling trade paperback. Published by Heroic Publishing, we are proud to offer this fine tribute to the Golden Age of Comics written by Rascally Roy Thomas, one of our favorite comics scribes. On sale for $17.95, postage paid!

Great reader response and sluggish sales greet the publication of The Best of Star-Studded Comics in January 2005!
As you know, we tried an experiment with this anthology collection of the best amateur comic strips to grace the pages of Star-Studded Comics, the legendary fanzine of the 1960s and early 1970s. We knew that it catered to a “niche market”—but who are we to deny those 500 or so folks the opportunity to bask in the glory of Fandom Past?

The question was, “Can the costs of production and printing be covered by the sales of only 500 copies?” We discovered that we could cover the costs nicely if we were able to collect the full cover price, rather than less than half of it which would be our due if we went through our usual distributors. No offense meant to them, of course…. Diamond Comics has been unfailingly supportive of my books, and Bud Plant is a friend of mine. (Check out the interview I did with him in Alter Ego #47 and 48.)

It came down to simple economics, but the kicker was that Hamster could only afford to publicize it through full page ads in Alter Ego magazine, augmented by press releases, book reviews, and publicity through the Internet. No paid ads were feasible.

A couple of months have passed, and the news is not too good. Many long-time supporters of Hamster Press books did indeed send in checks or buy it through Paypal.com… but, as of this date, only half of the actual printing costs (not including the production expenses) have been covered—and this only because lots of folks added another book or two to their Star-Studded order. Paid orders for the new book total around 90 copies. So much for the experiment!

The cover to Star Studded Comics #13

There’s still hope, however. Orders do continue to trickle in, and the full page advertisements are set to appear in upcoming issues in Alter Ego. But we are concerned. Where the rest of the Hamster supporters are hiding? To those folks: your support for this kind of niche product is very important!!

It comes down to this: the way things look right now, The Best of Star-Studded Comics will almost certainly be our last fandom-oriented book, the way things look right now. There are a couple of other really cool projects that we’d considered—not just collections of reprinted material, either—but they won’t happen if we don’t feel fairly confident there are enough readers who will shout their support by openig their wallets.

Beyond that, we’ve gotta say…. This is a really nifty book! Of course we’re not impartial, but the response from those who have received it has been excellent. Some have even said it’s their favorite of all of our books. It’s thick—256 pages—and the $25 cover price includes postage and handling. Compare to other books. One series of reprints (admittedly by popular pros) averages around 160 pages but sells for the same $25—which doesn’t include postage. Plus, The Best of Star-Studded is much more than mere reprints. There is about sixty pages of all-new material: facts and commentary on every strip in the book, interviews with the creators, checklists, you name it. It hasn’t been indiscriminately thrown together.

So there you have it, fellow fans: our unvarnished plea to those of you who haven’t as yet bought the book. Please show your support by ordering TODAY! And if you can help us publicize it, we would be most grateful!

‘Nuff said.

(At right, the cover to Gardner Fox’s Warrior of Llarn by Frank Frazetta. The comic strip adaptation is reprinted in the Hamster book.)

Seattle “Emerald City Comicon” a big success in 2005!
Finally it’s happened: Seattle has an honest-to-God, full-blooded comicon to call its own! With attendance topping 6,000, the 3rd annual ECC truly arrived this year, with a dazzling guest list (including Russ Health, Andy Kubert, Roy Thomas, Kurt Busiek and many more) and a beautiful state-of-the-art venue: the Seattle Seahawks Event Center. Photos? Well, we’ve got a couple to share from the TwoMorrows booth. You’ll find them in the “Photo” section of this website.

2005 was the first year that the Seattle con expanded to two full days, and despite Sunday unfortunately coinciding with the Super Bowl, it was a rousing success. I really encourage everyone within traveling distance to consider attending next year. The date has just been set: April 1 & 2, 2006. Jim Demonakos and his team really do it up right.

You can go to www.emeraldcitycomicon.com to get email updates and reminders.

Remember: some of our best books are now deeply DISCOUNTED! They are Fandom’s Finest Comics Vol. 1 and 2, The Eye Collection, and just added: Xal-Kor the Human Cat [graphic novella] is now just $7.00 postpaid. And, as usual, we offer an additional 10% discount on orders totaling $50.00 and over.

That’s all for now, gang!

January 2005

“Snowfall in the Emerald City” Dept.
Just to prove that, despite global warming, Seattle still gets the occasional snowfall … here’s a photo taken by Bill from the front porch of the House of Hamster. When we do get snow, it usually doesn’t come until February or March.

December 7, 2004
BIG NEWS:
New book The Best of Star-Studded Comics is now on sale!
Now completed and at the printer, this 256-page trade paperback book collects 21 of the best comic strips (complete) published in Star-Studded Comics, the classic fan magazine of the 1960s and 1970s. A small press pioneer, Star-Studded was the first publication entirely dedicated to offering alternative comics to fans of the medium—mostly super hero strips, at first, and then branching out into other genres in their later issues.

Only 3 of the 21 strips have been reprinted in other Hamster Press books (Fandom’s Finest Comics Vol. 1 & 2, Labors of Love and the Comic Fandom Reader), so these are works by the likes of soon-to-be-pros Roy Thomas, Alan Weiss, Jim Starlin, Rich Buckler, Sam Grainger and Mike Vosburg, as well as demi-god artists of fandom such as Grass Green, Ronn Foss, Biljo White, Landon Chesney and Alan Hanley which have not seen the light of day for 35 years or more. To see some of the pages from this book, click here.

Astral Man by Sam Grainger

Available ONLY directly from Hamster Press. For more information, and to place your order, look at the “Books” page. At $25.00, this is a real bargain, and I hope that you won’t hesitate to snag a copy quickly. With a print run of only 500 copies, we expect these to go fast.

The Eye Collection book discounted to $8.00 per copy!
This 144-page trade paperback just isn't moving as quickly as we thought it would, so it's time to price it down to the point where Hamster completists and cash-strapped Eye fans can more easily pick it up. Check out the description in the "Books" section, and keep in mind that every one of our books is produced with loving care, attention to detail and an eye (oooh) to quality. At $8.00 including postage, this really is a great buy.

See you in San Diego in 2005!
Yup! After inexplicably missing Comic-Con: International for two years in a row, I’m definitely committed to attending in the big July bash. Not in any official or business capacity, but as a fan. I hope that I get a chance to meet some of you there. That’s been one of the coolest things about past cons for me: meeting Hamster readers, getting some “up close and personal” feedback, and generally putting a face to the names that I often recognize. So don’t be shy, fellow fanatics! If you spot me ambling around, just come right up and introduce yourself.

Alter Ego marches on…
It’s hard to believe that Alter Ego is approaching its 50th issue, and has been around in its new “incarnation” as long as it has. The credit, of course, belongs to Roy Thomas and Jim Amash primarily, for their tireless efforts to chronicle the history of comics from the Golden Age through the Silver Age. I’m proud to have been a part of it from the start, even in a small way…. And to have had the opportunity to write about so many fanzines, fans, comicons and such. I never dreamed I’d have the opportunity to do so.

Some of you may have noticed that I skip an issue here or there. That’s my choice, not Roy’s … because the monthly schedule is just a bit more than I can keep up with, considering my other projects. Then too, some of my contributions are “behind the scenes,” with suggestions, research, art & photos, and anything else I can do for the mag.

If you haven’t picked up on Alter Ego yet… go to www.twomorrows.com and see a bit of what you’re missing.

So… how was “the year of my hiatus” … 2004?
Let’s just say that my resolution to take a year off (except for A/E) has been a mixed success. I was able to lose 35 pounds and keep it off, but I’m afraid my exercise program has suffered as I got down to brass tacks on the Star-Studded book—and found myself swept up in a new, major, very surprising project that will likely keep me busy for the next couple of years. Yes, it’s another book—something considerably more ambitious than what I’ve done thus far. I can’t reveal anything about it yet, but probably will before the end of 2005. Meanwhile, I hope you will double check the list of books available on this web site. My sympathies go to those unfortunate folks who missed Words of Wonder: The Life and Times of Otto Binder. The copies seemed to fly out the door, and there are no immediate plans to go back to press. If/when I do, it will be in slightly expanded form, since so much new material has surfaced (naturally) after the book came out.

What else is on the Hamster agenda?
Folks have been asking for a Second Printing of the Comic Fandom Reader. I guess I underestimated the sales potential of the book, printing a smaller quantity than usual for Hamster Press. All our books are obviously of the “special interest” niche variety, but some certainly sell more than others. The Golden Age of Fandom, now in its third printing, is our biggest seller. Labors of Love, the collection of ditto strip reprints, has been our smallest. Fortunately we’ve been able to gauge the demand pretty well, and haven’t yet been stuck with too many extra copies. But I’m never sure if a second printing is warranted.

Will there be more books involving the history of comics fanzines and fandom?

Will there be a sequel to Sense of Wonder: A Life in Comic Fandom as some of you have suggested (since that book only goes up to 1973)? Hm, an interesting idea, that. It could happen.

What about The Silver Age of Comic Fandom?
Well… as Dr. Heywood Floyd said in 2001: A Space Odyssey, “Gee, I dunno.” But in my case, I really don’t know. It seems to me that I have covered the history of fandom fairly well, especially if you include my columns in Alter Ego. Books are huge, extremely time-consuming projects that can’t be taken on lightly. It has to be something that I’m really enthused about, otherwise I couldn’t get motivated to do all that work.

What I can say is that I really enjoy historical and biographical writing, and will probably be doing it in one form or another for as long as I’m privileged to be on this crazy planet. And I’m determined to improve my writing too. The quest for excellence is ever present. I guess I hope that my readers and fans have stuck with me because they recognize that “something extra” I try to put into everything I do. After all, what would be the fun of just doing a mediocre job?

All for now!
Bill

PREVIOUS UPDATES:
April 25, 2004

Finally another update!
Okay, I’ll admit it: I have been lax in providing updates to this site. I’ve basically only done them when there was something to announce, like a new book or a special feature in Alter Ego. But I never claimed to be a ‘blogger’ – I’ve never been any good at keeping a journal, and there are a zillion places on the web if that’s what you’re looking for. I'm just a writer, artist and publisher who set up this site as a way for my readers (including a large contingent of folks on other continents) to easily keep up with Hamster and Hamster-related projects, without spending a small fortune on postage.

Anyway, here’s the latest news from Rain Town, and I’ll warn you it may be another multi-month wait until my next update, since it’s…

Otto Binder to be inducted into the comic book Hall of Fame!
When I began working on Words of Wonder: The Life and Times of Otto Binder, I discovered that despite Otto’s enormous contributions to two of the greatest comic book characters of all time (Captain Marvel and Superman, of course), he had yet to be selected for the Hall of Fame, which is administered as part of the Will Eisner Comics Industry Awards. Imagine how pleased I was when I found out that he will be inducted (as a “judges’ choice”) for the very year my biography appeared. I don’t know if Words of Wonder influenced that decision—all that matters is that Otto Binder is finally going to be lionized alongside the greatest talents in the history of comics. And if there’s anyone out there who doesn’t understand why Mr. Binder richly deserves that honor, copies of my book are still available through this web site.

Alter Ego: The Best of the Legendary Comics Fanzine is now officially and finally sold out. At the time it was published, I printed quite a few extra copies to forestall this day, but now they are all gone. If you missed it, I can only suggest eBay or a used book service (like Abebooks.com).

The Argosy Price Guide “historic edition” is available once again from Hamster Press.
This is the special reprinted edition from Bruce Edwards’ Quasar Comics with an introduction by Yours Truly. The Argosy Price Guide was the first comic book price guide, published in 1965, a full five years before Bob Overstreet’s first guide appeared. Though undeniably historic, it was a no-frills affair that has been augmented with an article by the two fans who put it together Way Back When. Copies of the original are truly scarce, and have been known to go for hundreds of dollars at auction.

Do you have them all?
For those who might not go too far down the list of books available from Hamster Press, let me point out that three of them are drastically marked down. They are Fandom’s Finest Comics Vol. 1 and 2, and The Eye Collection. Take away the built-in postage and these books are being offered for about half-price! So if you enjoyed Words of Wonder or The Golden Age of Comic Fandom, you’ll like these three too. They’re all 100% genuine “Schelly quality” publications, and you know what that means: a great value just got greater.

My Publishing Sabbatical
Some of you might be surprised as 2004 unfurls without any sort of new book from Hamster Press. There’s a reason for that: I’m on a publishing sabbatical. After about twelve years of intensive research, frantic writing and seat-of-the-pants book production, it was time for me to Take a Break. Those who know me are well aware of the near-obsessive way I’ve worked on the books available through this site, and it was a ball; but at the same time, all work and no play makes Bill a pasty-faced (and dull) boy. Time to get outside more, to enjoy family and friends more, and do more on weekends than hunker down in my Sanctum staring at a computer monitor.

Never fear, I do have some ideas for future endeavors. The first of them to appear, some time in early 2005, will be The Best of Star-Studded Comics which will include never-before-published interviews with Alan Weiss, Roy Thomas and Grass Green, among other special features. At least, that’s the plan.

Alter Ego keeps rolling on!
Meanwhile, those of you who read Alter Ego magazine regularly know that I haven’t stopped contributing to Roy Thomas’ monthy juggernaut. In fact, I’ll have had something in all but a couple of the issues published in 2004. I still can’t get over my good fortune of serving as Associate Editor under the Rascally One on this great magazine devoted to the Golden and Silver Ages of comics, and I’m thrilled that A/E is nominated this year for a Will Eisner Comics Industry Award as “Best Comics-Related Publication-Periodical.” It’s a team effort all the way, with wonderful interviews, features by Jim Amash, Michael T. Gilbert and P. C. Hamerlinck all contributing to the high quality. If you haven’t gotten on the bandwagon yet, go to www.twomorrows.com and order a sample copy. You’ll be glad you did.

No San Diego Comic-Con for Bill this year
I’m unable to attend this incredible pop-culture event again this year, and it’s not because I didn’t plan to go. It just turned out that I have family obligations for the same weekend as the Comic-Con, and family comes first. But you know what this means: I’ve got to get my butt down there next year, no matter what! See you in 2005!

Jan. 1, 2004
Happy New Year!

Words of Wonder is out!

It certainly was a wonderful holiday season for Yours Truly, who not only enjoyed the company of family and friends, but a raft of reviews from readers and reviewers for my new book. Words of Wonder: The Life and Times of Otto Binder shipped from the printer around November 15th; in just six weeks, it’s garnered some really gratifying feedback. Here’s a sampling:

“A triumph of careful research, hard work, and good writing … about one of the most important writers in the history of comics.” – Roy Thomas

“By far your best book yet, and a touching portrait.” – Paul Levitz

“I am impressed! Words of Wonder is your finest work to date. I read it over the last four days and was thoroughly captivated by it. It’s a page turner from beginning to end. You’ve done a great service to Otto Binder’s family and to the history of comics in putting this together, with sensitivity, but also making it entertaining. I’m giving it my highest recommendation. This is a must-read for any comics fan!” – Bud Plant

You have done an amazing job of capturing Otto and his family and friends, and explaining in an interesting way why his work was so important and precedent setting.” – Michael Uslan

From Mark Evanier’s web site: “Bill did the kind of diligent research job that can only be driven by passion for a subject, and he got to darn near everyone who's still around and had any info at all on the late Otto Binder. The result is a complete portrait, not only of the man but of the industries in which he worked when he worked in them.”

“Your masterpiece!” – Ed Lahmann

More reader and reviewer reaction to Words of Wonder: click here!

Dec. 1, 2003
Words of Wonder is out!
Once again Hamster Press delivers a book on schedule, in this case our first hardback book. When I began planning this biography of SF and comics writer Otto Binder, I assumed that the finished book would be printed in trade paperback format. But when I was discussing things with my printer, I discovered that a picture-hardcover (no dust jacket) would cost less than a dollar per copy! So I decided to go for it, and now that I’m able to hold the book in my hands, I’m really glad I did. The hardback binding adds a really “solid” feeling to the package, and the picture cover looks fantastic. It’s just a much more impressive presentation. And Words of Wonder (which runs 264 pages, counting the eight page color insert) is still very affordable at $18.95.

It’s too early for much feedback—yet—but I do hope to get a lot of reader responses…. What they liked and didn’t like … and, whether they would recommend it to a friend.

Some people have asked why the book is sized 6” x 9” rather than 8 1/2 x 11”. Here’s the answer: the larger size would have meant going to a dual-column lay-out, and I didn’t want to do that. I didn’t want this book’s layouts to look like a magazine; I wanted it to read and look something like a novel. Maybe the difference is subtle, but I’m convinced single columns offer a more concentrated reading experience.

And yes, I did write this book like a novel, with a beginning, middle and end. Some people, I know, like to delve into books, jumping around looking for the “good parts.” I do that sometimes, too. But in this case I hope readers will start at the beginning and go right through to the end. That’s because the later chapters will be more engrossing because of the cumulative effect of what came before.

One more thing: I deliberately didn’t print a lot of extra copies, because I don’t have the room right now in the Hamster warehouse. I have about 300 left to sell, after shipping copies to my distributors, those who ordered directly, and to contributors. 300 could last a while, or it could be snapped up by a single re-order from Diamond. When I sell out, I will probably go back to press but it may not be right away. Events could prevent me from reprinting it for a long time. Just a word to the wise: grab a copy now!

Aug. 10, 2003
Coming in November:
Words of Wonder, The Life and Times of Otto Binder
For the past few months, I’ve been finishing up work on a “top secret” project: an in-depth biography of Otto Binder, one of the most important writers in the history of comic books. Just his scripts for Captain Marvel and Superman family characters would be enough to warrant him a place in the Comic Book Hall of Fame … but he did so much more. If you want to find out more about my motivations for writing about Binder, click here, or on the "Books" link above. Words of Wonder will ship in early November 2003. I am now accepting advance orders.

Alter Ego News:
At right is the cover to A/E #25, my second for that mag. I couldn’t tell you what it was because it was a surprise to Jerry Bails, in celebration of his 70th birthday. This was Roy’s idea, and I enthusiastically joined in with the portrait of Jerry, and by writing an article to lead off the issue, “Jerry Bails’ Ten Building Blocks of Fandom.” The issue has come and gone now, but you can still order a copy at: www.twomorrows.com.

June 9, 2003
It’s the Golden Age again:
The Golden Age of Comic Fandom – Revised Edition is now at the printer, and will ship to the Hamster Warehouse about June 20th. This is basically the same book that was published in 1998 with a few small errors corrected. The only substantial change is the Epilogue, which talks about what prominent members of 1960s comics fandom are up to today. So many of our kinsmen have passed away since 1998 that I felt it was necessary to re-write much of it. If you would like a free copy of that four-page chapter, just send a self-addressed stamped envelope and I’ll mail it to you. And of course, if you don’t have this book, now is your chance to pick up a copy! It’s probably the most "essential" of all Hamster publications.

Sense of Wonder now available only from Hamster Press:
That’s right, folks…. Sense of Wonder: A Life in Comic Fandom is no longer available from TwoMorrows Publishing. Well, Jaunty John Morrow might have a copy or three left, but at this point, the place to go for copies is Hamster Press. Same price, same book, same printing—just a bunch of copies I squirreled away for just this occasion. This is the one where I talk about my "close encounters" in the 1960s with folks like Steve Ditko, Freddy Wertham, Bob Kane, Jim Shooter and some other fascinating folks, as well as relating my own personal experience of fandom during its (ahem) Golden Age. For more information, check out the "Books" section of this site. No true-blue Hamster reader would be caught without it.

Change of the Hamster Press Zip Code!
Not the most fascinating of announcements, but please note that the Post Office has seen fit (in its wisdom) to change the zip code where Hamster’s P. O. Box is located as of July 1, 2003. Now 98125, it will soon be 98165.

Mailing List, No More:
Up until now, I’ve maintained a mailing list of anyone who had purchased a Hamster Press book or product, and you could relax knowing that you’d get a flier or brochure our latest book was about to be published. No more! Why? Because doing mailings is just too darn expensive, and labor-intensive, considering the number of orders they generate. I have to assume that most of you are eagle-eyed readers of the monthly Diamond Previews catalog, and are ordering through your local comics specialty store, where you probably get a discount. Or, you see the ads in Alter Ego magazine. The mailing list just isn’t needed anymore. Therefore, if you aren’t tied into Previews or A/E, then I suggest you check back here every once in a while and look over the available items. You wouldn’t want to miss any Hamster books, would you??

Two More Sell-outs!
All of the extra "warehouse find" copies of the first (1995) edition of The Golden Age of Comic Fandom are now gone. Also sold out is the Argosy Price Guide-Historical Edition.

Alter Ego news:
In a prior update (see below), I got a little moist in the eyes over being asked to do my very first cover for Alter Ego magazine, which had been my personal favorite Way Back When. Well, lo and behold, A/E editor Roy Thomas phoned with a second cover invite, this time to celebrate an event that must remain a secret for the nonce. But it’s on A/E #25 in July, and once again, I had a blast working on it. By the way, for those who follow my "Comic Fandom Archive" features in Alter Ego, you’ll be pleased to know that upcoming is the first interview ever with the editor and publisher of Squa Tront magazine, EC fanatic and Mad-fan John Benson! We chatted about EC fandom of the 1950s, post-EC fandom in the years before Jerry Bails’ launched the fanzine A/E, the background details of John’s classic interviews with Harvey Kurtzman, Gil Kane, Will Eisner and Bernard Krigstein, and lots, lots more. So much, in fact, that we had to divide the thing into three parts. Look for them in #27, 28 and 29. I may be prejudiced, but I think it’s one of the most fascinating interviews I’ve conducted yet—mainly because John Benson is a very interesting fellow, and we have some great visual material accompanying it. Check it out at www.twomorrows.com.

March 26, 2003:
Back to press: Hey Gang, guess what? I do get to "eat my words" about going back to press with The Golden Age of Comic Fandom – 2nd Edition …but it doesn’t bother me in the least! The new printing solicits in the April Diamond Previews for shipping in early June. Although it will contain some factual corrections, it’s still essentially the same Revised Edition, including the eight page Fanzine Cover Gallery in full color. This is the book that introduced Hamster Press to comic fandom in general, and is certainly an essential part of any true-blue comic book collector’s library. Of course, we would think so … but pick up a copy and see if you don’t agree!

The Best of Star-Studded Comics: Work is well along on this, our next fandom-oriented tome. It’ll feature reprints of the coolest complete comic strips from Star-Studded, truly one of the classic fanzines of the 1960s. Included will be work by Jim Starlin, Alan Weiss, Roy Thomas, Landon Chesney, Grass Green, Biljo White, Bill DuBay, Ronn Foss, Gardner Fox, Sam Grainger, Stanley Pitt, Alan Hutchinson, Larry Herndon, Howard Keltner and many others, plus a new interview with the sole surviving member of the Texas Trio (publishers of SSC), Buddy Saunders! In addition, I’m cooking up some other bonus text features, and plan on reprinting at least one of the fascinating Southwestern Con reports. The only thing that’s holding us up is the work involved in reprinting The Golden Age of Comic Fandom and producing another Top Secret Book Project that will be shipping in November 2003. Realistically, the Best of Star-Studded will make the scene in early 2004.

About that Top Secret Book Project: Look for the momentous announcement in Alter Ego #26 (July) … and on this web-site about the same time… for this project which is different than anything I’ve written thus far. Hint: It’s an all-new biography of a major comic book creator of the Golden and Silver Age who has long deserved to have the story of his life and career told in-depth. I’ve had a ball doing the research, writing the manuscript and assembling the art and photos in my "spare time" over the past year, and I’m really getting excited as its publication in November gets closer. It’ll be the same format as Sense of Wonder: A Life in Comic Fandom except thicker, and with a full-color section to boot! This is a very special project for me, and you’d better believe I’m going all-out to make it one of my best. ‘Nuff Said!

2003 Comic-Con International - San Diego: Now that this con has gotten so huge, it’s almost more work than play getting around in the convention exhibit hall, which is so huge that you can’t see the end because of the curvature of the earth! I’ve decided to pass on it this year. (Part of the reason is simply that I only get so much vacation time from my "regular" job, and need to spend a bit more of it with my family.) Never fear, I will be back in San Diego next year…. Unless I decide to go to WonderCon for a change.

Miscellaneous: What else is going on? Well, in addition to the introduction I wrote for the Dark Knight Archives Vol. 4, I also penned an intro for the upcoming Plastic Man Archives Vol. 5 from venerable DC Comics. And of course, there’s the ongoing "Comic Fandom Archive" columns for Alter Ego, and even another cover for that self-same mag. Rest assured that I haven’t been twiddling my thumbs here at Hamster Central, and that there are still more cool items on the agenda for 2004 and beyond.

January 19, 2003: Happy New Year!

Okay, I’m a little late with that particular exhortation; there’s been quite a bit going on at Hamster Central. Busy, busy. Some things can’t be revealed as yet, but here are some items and other random musings that you might find interesting.

A Dream Come True: When I was a teenaged subscriber to the fanzine Alter Ego in the 1960s, I dreamed that one day I would be able to do an A/E cover. I knew I wasn’t a good enough artist at the time, and by the time I had improved, the fanzine was on hiatus. Imagine how I felt when I picked up the phone a few months ago and it was Rascally Roy Thomas asking me to do just that: draw a cover for the new Alter Ego magazine from TwoMorrows Publishing. He explained that we needed a cover to go with our ridiculously detailed coverage of the 1965 New York Comicon. Roy suggested that I do a little portrait of each of the participants on the first panel discussion held at that con, since we were leading off with a transcript of that very panel. (It turned out Jerry Bails had been sitting on the tape all these years.) Though in the middle of umpteen projects, I immediately, enthusiastically accepted the assignment. Unbelievable—I was finally going to have that particular dream fulfilled.

Alter Ego #20 has just hit the stands, so look for this cover. (But be warned that the vastly inferior cover by Al Milgrom, featuring Timely characters a la the J.S.A., is the flip cover.) I had a blast doing the head shots of Otto Binder, Gardner Fox, Bill Finger and Mort Weisinger, and love being surrounded by some of my favorite artist’s work: C. C. Beck, Wayne Boring, Joe Kubert and Martin Nodell. If you can’t find this gem at your local store, you can always find it at www.twomorrows.com.

Hamster Press sells out: Yep, it’s true, another of our books has gone out of print. This time, it’s our keystone publication, The Golden Age of Comic Fandom, Revised Edition. I always greet a sell-out with mixed feelings: it’s wonderful that it was successful, but sad not to be able to share it with more readers. While there’s no doubt we’ll go back to press with this book some day, it probably won’t be for at least a year. (I wouldn’t mind eating those words, if it shows up sooner.)

The Hamster-Batman connection: I just completed writing the introduction to The Dark Knight Archives, Vol. IV, at the invitation of DC’s own Dale Crain. While no one is going to buy this book just to read my intro, I do hope it provides a useful context for readers new and old. As a Batman fan of long-standing, I really got a kick out of poring over the issues in the book, Batman #13 through 16. This is the period of time when the great Jack Burnley began doing interior stories in the comic book, and Jerry Robinson had really developed as an artist in his own right. There are appearances by the Joker, Catwoman and the Penguin, and the debut of Bruce Wayne’s loyal butler Alfred. You can’t go wrong when you get four issues of Batman from 1942 and 1943 for a mere fraction of what they would cost to own otherwise. Wonderful issues all, from what truly was the Golden Age of comics.

Can’t Leave Well Enough Alone Dept.: I can now state with some certainty that I will be publishing at least one, and perhaps more, books on the history of fandom. The first one in the pipeline will be The Best of Star-Studded Comics, that venerable fanzine that published the best amateur comic strips in fandom. I’ve already interviewed Buddy Saunders for the text portion of the book, and selected the strips. All that remains is finding time to put it all together. I expect to be able to do that before the year’s end.

As far as other books, I have a companion to the Comic Fandom Reader to be called Comic Fandom Rarities. This will be a collection of all kinds of great material from the files of the Comic Fandom Archive that hasn’t fit into one of the earlier books, for one reason or another. Fantastic artwork, lots of articles, maybe a couple fanzine reprints. Okay, maybe it sounds kinda crazy, but you know I’ll make it into something special by the time all is said and done. I’ve proved that to you before, haven’t I? (Sure hope so!)

All for now: I don’t have anything else I can announce quite yet, but suffice it to say there are some rather surprising books coming from Hamster Press in late 2003. One is by me, and another is by …. Nope, I can’t let the cat out of the bag yet. But look for an announcement by no later than April 1st—no joke!

October 15, 2002:
Here’s the first of the updates that will be posted here from time to time.

Many thanks to everyone who’s emailed congrats about this web site. Much of the credit for the site can be traced to the visual acuity of my web designer Gary Sassaman.

Good news-bad news: The Comic Fandom Reader just sold out! A September re-list of the book in Diamond’s catalog wiped out all the remaining copies. This is nice, it means the book is a success… but, it also means that the demand exceeded my estimate, and those who delayed picking up a copy are out of luck. If the book is reprinted, it won’t be real soon. (I believe Bud Plant Comic Art still has a few copies.)

Hey, remember some of the ads for Comic Fandom Reader that hailed it as my "last, ultimate fandom book"? I guess I was under-estimating the appetite of you ravenous readers for stuff on fandom’s Golden Age (the 60’s) … so, you can expect more along the lines of CFR and Fandom’s Finest Comics when I can find the time to produce them.

Contest winners: Three lucky book-buyers each won a page of original art by Ron Frenz and Joe Rubinstein from "The Untold Origin of The Eye!" in The Eye Collection. They are Dean Webb, Russ Maheras and Edwin L. Murray. Hey, can anyone forward Murray’s address to me? I was sure I had it in the Hamster files, but I don’t (for some reason) and want to get his page mailed.

What am I up to these days? I’m writing another book—like that’s a surprise? Actually it is … or will be, when it’s time to unveil it, because it’s very different from most of my previous Hamster Press tomes. Keep checking back here for the announcement.

Another upcoming Hamster book was somewhat prematurely announced by Bud Plant in one of his catalog updates, but that’s okay. It’s tentative title is American Romance, a book on romance comics from the 40’s to the 70’s by comics history authority Michelle Nolan. This is a work-in-progress which we hope to publish in mid-2003.

Meanwhile, you can get megadoses of fandom history in uncoming issues of Alter Ego magazine. Next ish, #18, devotes just about half the issue to Dick and Pat Lupoff’s influential fanzine Xero, and #20 features in in-depth look at an early New York Comicon, the likes of which has never been done before. Although I advised Roy a few months ago that I couldn’t guarantee to contribute to every issue of A/E, he’s got enough Schelly material for the next four issues. And by then, maybe I’ll be able to come up for air and whip out some new columns for my favorite fan mag.

Shifting gears to a sad note, I suppose many of you know that Richard "Grass" Green, legendary fan writer-artist and a dear friend, passed away on August 5th, 2002. Look for my tribute to Grass in an upcoming issue of A/E. On the heels of the passing of Ronn Foss and Landon Chesney, the loss of Grass has hit me very hard. However, at Grass’s request, the adventures of his greatest character, Xal-Kor the Human Cat, will be continued by Yours Truly. This was his idea, not mine—but I consider it a real honor (and responsibility) to become the caretaker henceforth of the Xal-Kor legacy. He specifically asked me to assume ownership of the character, and to create new adventures should fans want the saga to continue. So… while I don’t know exactly when, there will be more Xal-Kor tales continuing from the Xal-Kor the Human Cat book now available only from Hamster Press. (And I have a great unpublished Cat story by Grass slated for that occasion.)

October 1, 2002:
www.billschelly.com launches.

August 1, 2002:
2002 is the 10th anniversary of Hamster Press. To celebrate, a special full-color 11" x 17" poster is available for $8.95 postpaid. Depicted are all 16 of the HP magazine and books produced over the past decade! Suitable for framing!

Audio book of Sense of Wonder: A Life in Comic Fandom is available for $8.95 postpaid. It's a two-hour reading of the book (abridged) by Bill Schelly.

Xal-Kor the Human Cat (the graphic novella by Grass Green) is no longer for sale from TwoMorrows Publishing. Retailers and readers will need to obtain additional copies through Hamster Press, co-producer of the book. Retail price is $9.95.

July 1, 2002:
The Eye Collection trade paperback book is published.

March 1, 2002:
Comic Fandom Reader trade paperback book is published.