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Art Show fantasy art fanzines from 1970s NoVA

Over the weekend, I found a couple of fanzines from B. Singer, published in late 1977 and early 1978 in Springfield, VA.

The publisher described them as "ART SHOW is a monthly publication dedicated to fantasy art in all its forms. We hope to provide a monthly marketplace for collectors of fantasy art, as well as information of interest to all fantasy art lovers." However, they're mostly catalogues of art that was for sale. Artists included are Stephen Hickman, Jeffrey Jones, Bernie Wrightson, Joel Pollack, Michael Kaluta, Neal Adams, Vaughn Bode, Phil Trumbo, Charles Vess, Michael Kaluta, Boris Vallejo - and yes that Joel Pollack is the founder of Big Planet Comics.

Art Show Vol 1 No 1 (December 1977)

https://archive.org/details/art-show-1-1977

cover by Steve Hickman

Art Show Vol 1 No 2 (1978)

https://archive.org/details/art-show-2-1978

cover by Jeffrey Jones

also, I picked up a giveaway comic -

The Littlest Giant: Transistors... Mighty Mites of Electronics!

https://archive.org/details/littlest-giant-transistors...-mighty-mites-of-electronics-ge-1950/

Free 1950 comic book from General Electric about using transistors in place of vacuum tubes especially in radios. 

 

 

Fanzine and fine artist John Fantucchio has died

Fantucchio's art, possibly for Gary Groth's first Metro Con

It's being reported on Facebook that Arlington's John Fantucchio passed away yesterday, August 4th, at age 78. He was at Virginia Hospital Center after suffering a stroke.

Big Planet Comics founder Joel Pollack writes, "John Fantucchio was my mentor when I was 16. He taught me about the great strip artists Alex Raymond and Hal Foster, as well as illustrators such as Maxfield Parrish, N.C. Wyeth, and Howard Pyle. I'm happy that we rekindled our friendship in the last five years."

Joel noted that Fantucchio's influence wasn't limited to him. "John's nephew, Rick Lowell, owns Casablanca Comics, Maine's coolest comics stores!, in Portland, ME, and counts John as a mentor, as well." Fantucchio eventually left the fan community and made a name for himself as a fine artist.

Joel took me to meet John, who coincidentally lived right around the corner from Richard Thompson, and we had a great time looking at his paintings and his collectibles. John had a fondness for the Shadow just like me. He wasn't all that interested in revisiting his fanzine days, so we never did an interview, but he does have several mentions on ComicsDC, mostly about his later career.

John is survived by his wife Mary.