Charlton Comics Giveaway

The Comic Book Guide For The Artist Writer Letterer was published by Charlton Publications Inc. in USA. The digest sized softcover publications was a free giveaway when subscribing to any one of the various Charlton Comics comic book series. 2 different versions were released.

The publication is designed to inform creators (artists, writers and letterers) on how to construct a comic book, and how is should look to the reader. Below we see the table of contents, plus who contributed in the making of the publication.

1st Version – 1973

The Comic Book Guide For The Artist Writer Letterer was first released in 1973, containing 32 black and white pages, with a color cover, measuring 5” x 7”. The front and back of this first version can be seen below.

The Comic Book Guide For The Artist Writer Letterer was advertised in a variety of Charlton Comics comic book series. Below we see an advertisement appearing in Phantom comic number 65, published in USA in 1975.

2nd Version – 1976

The Comic Book Guide For The Artist Writer Letterer was released in 1976, containing 32 black and white pages, including the cover, measuring 5” x 7”. The front cover can be seen below, with the wording ‘Revised Edition’ printed on the lower part of the front cover.

The Revised Edition of The Comic Book Guide For The Artist Writer Letterer was advertised in a variety of Charlton Comics comic book series. Below we see an advertisement appearing in Phantom comic number 72, published in USA in 1976.

We see the Phantom appearing in the Revised Edition of The Comic Book Guide For The Artist Writer Letterer, however not present in the first version from 1973. On the inside front and back cover of the publication, we find Phantom images illustrated by Don Newton.

The images are the same as those published in Phantom comic number 71, published in USA in 1976.

The illustration seen above in the center by Don Newton would later be used for cover art on Monster Hunters edition number 12, published by Charlton Publications Inc. in 1978, except with the Phantom omitted.