It is very scary to think that Black Tower started over 40 years ago as a Small Press publisher. It is interesting how many people went on to write or draw comics professionally (mainly through the effort of Previews Comic which a former Fleetway editor told people he kept in a side drawer and often flicked through).
At one time as an Artists and Writers Agent I was receiving between 60-80 packages a week and at one point 100-120. Out of all of those people I think perhaps six went on to draw or write comics.
There was some gratitude along the way but I learnt pretty early on that once you had gotten an artist paying comic work you were nothing any more. One actually walked straight past me at a comic event even though I said hello -he later denied to someone knowing me and yet I had the comic with his work and an interview with him and as one editor put it "You got him the job with us, though!"
Meh.
Anyway, to celebrate the humble beginnings of the UKs largest Independent publisher I thought it would be nice to post a few of those early contributors -who I hope are all alive, well and drawing still if only for fun!
So, here is to the next 40 (see -I'm a fantasist!)
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