The Buyer’s Guide For Comic Fandom

The Buyer’s Guide For Comic Fandom is a fanzine published by DynaPubs Enterprises in East Moline, Illinois, USA from 1971. Originally published on a monthly basis in a tabloid/newspaper format, the fanzine focused on comic themed advertisements, sometimes referred to as an ‘adzine’.

DynaPubs Enterprises was established in 1969 by Alan Light. It mainly published Fanzines and reprints of comic strips from the Golden Age era. DynaPubs Enterprises ceased in 1983 after American publisher of hobby magazines and books, Krause Publications purchased them due to the quality of publications produced.

Over time, The Buyer’s Guide For Comic Fandom evolved to include comic strips, blog columns and general interest articles about artists or publishers, all within the comic scene. Early editions were mailed free of charge to comic book collectors, before moving to a paid subscription format.

The Buyer’s Guide For Comic Fandom fanzine series ran for 481 editions, before being sold to Krause Publications in 1983 who continued the publication, however shortening the name to ‘Comics Buyer’s Guide’. The final edition was published in 2013, with a total of 1699 edition released overall.

The Phantom is found on the cover of edition number 148, published on the 17th of September, 1976, commemorating the Phantoms 40th anniversary since going to print in the US in 1936.

The fanzine contains 72 black print newspaper style pages, measuring 11.5” x 17.5”. The illustration on the cover is by Bob Murphy, with no further Phantom content published within the fanzine. The front and back covers can be seen below.

A variety of advertisements have appeared in The Buyer’s Guide For Comic Fandom fanzine series over time featuring the Phantom. An example can be seen below on the back cover of edition number 158 published in November, 1976.

The Phantom makes another appearance on the cover of The Buyer’s Guide For Comic Fandom fanzine of edition number 400, published on the 17th of July, 1981.

Krause Publications feature the Phantom on the cover of edition number 1119 under the new fanzine title of Comics Buyer’s Guide, published on the 28th of April, 1995.