Charlton Bullseye

Charlton Bullseye was a specialist comics fanzine produced by the CPL Gang, a group of enthusiasts associated with the earlier publication Contemporary Pictorial Literature, or CPL. Published during 1975 and 1976, it focused on Charlton Comics at a time when the company was seeking a stronger presence in the superhero field and wanted to cultivate a relationship with comics readers and fans. The fanzine was not a conventional corporate magazine or a mass-market periodical. It was a fan-driven publication that combined editorial coverage of Charlton properties with original and previously unpublished comic-book material made available through an unusual arrangement between the CPL Gang and Charlton Comics. The project grew out of the CPL Gang's earlier work. Roger Stern and Bob Layton founded the group, which also included Roger Slifer, Duffy Vohland, and the young John Byrne. The group's CPL publication developed a readership in the mid-1970s and helped establish its credibility within the comics community. In 1974, Charlton permitted the group to produce a one-shot known as Charlton Portfolio, which was formally connected to CPL as issue 9/10 and included the previously unpublished sixth issue of the 1967 Blue Beetle series. The response to that publication encouraged Charlton to authorize a more substantial Charlton-focused fanzine. Charlton Bullseye adopted a large-format design, with color covers printed on card stock and black-and-white interior pages. Its editorial mix included articles about Charlton Comics, news, reviews, pinups, and other fan-oriented features. Its most distinctive content, however, was the publication of stories that had not previously appeared in regular Charlton comics. Through Charlton's cooperation, the CPL Gang received access to material held in the company's archives, including work associated with creators such as Steve Ditko and Jeff Jones. The publication therefore served both as a fan magazine and as an important outlet for archival and newly produced comics material. The known contents included a two-part presentation of an unpublished Captain Atom story, with John Byrne completing the first half; an unpublished Sanho Kim story intended for the Kung Fu-related Yang title; a new E-Man story; a new The Question story by Alex Toth; and the concluding portion of an unpublished Doomsday+1 story. The material reflected the breadth of Charlton's catalog, spanning superheroes, adventure, martial-arts-related comics, and science fiction. It also provided an early professional platform for members of the CPL circle, several of whom went on to significant careers in the comics industry. Charlton Bullseye appeared for only five issues and ended after its 1976 run. Although brief, it occupies a notable place in comics publishing history because it documented Charlton's characters and preserved stories that might otherwise have remained unpublished. It also illustrates the close relationship between organized fandom and professional comics publishing during the 1970s. The fanzine's legacy is tied less to commercial scale than to its archival value, its creator participation, and the later careers of the CPL Gang members.

Charlton Bullseye emerged from the mid-1970s activities of the CPL Gang, a collective of comics enthusiasts organized around Contemporary Pictorial Literature. Roger Stern and Bob Layton founded the group, which included Roger Slifer, Duffy Vohland, and John Byrne. CPL's popularity helped the group establish a relationship with Charlton Comics, a publisher that was attempting to build a stronger connection with superhero readers while Marvel Comics and DC Comics were producing their own publisher-backed fan publications. The first important step in the relationship was Charlton Portfolio, a one-shot associated with CPL issue 9/10 and published with Charlton's permission in 1974. It included an otherwise unpublished sixth issue of the 1967 Blue Beetle series. The favorable response to that experiment led Charlton to approve a dedicated fanzine centered on its properties. The resulting Charlton Bullseye was published by the CPL Gang in 1975 and 1976. The publication used a large format, color card-stock covers, and black-and-white interiors. Its editorial content included Charlton-related articles, news, reviews, pinups, and other material aimed at dedicated comics readers. Its distinctive feature was access to unpublished material from Charlton's vaults. The arrangement allowed the fanzine to print work connected with creators including Steve Ditko and Jeff Jones, while also presenting new stories by members of the contemporary comics community. Across five issues, the fanzine featured portions of an unpublished Captain Atom story, with John Byrne completing the first half; an unpublished Sanho Kim story intended for Yang; a new E-Man story; a new The Question story by Alex Toth; and the remaining portion of an unpublished final Doomsday+1 story. The mixture of archival and new material gave the publication value beyond ordinary fan commentary and helped preserve stories that had not reached the regular Charlton Comics line. Charlton Bullseye concluded after its 1976 run. Its direct commercial life was short, but it became a noteworthy artifact of 1970s comics fandom and of Charlton's attempt to engage readers through an independent fan publication. The project also documented an important stage in the development of several CPL Gang members, many of whom became professional comics creators by the end of the decade.

1. 1976Final issues appear

   The five-issue publication run concluded in 1976, including a new E-Man story, a new Alex Toth The Question story, and the second half of the unpublished final Doomsday+1 story.

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2. 1975Charlton Bullseye launches

   The CPL Gang began publishing Charlton Bullseye, a large-format fanzine covering Charlton Comics and presenting both editorial features and unpublished comic-book stories.

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3. 1974Charlton Portfolio is authorized

   Charlton gave the CPL Gang permission to publish Charlton Portfolio, associated with CPL issue 9/10. The publication included an unpublished sixth issue of the 1967 Blue Beetle series and helped establish the basis for a larger Charlton-focused fanzine.

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A specialist, fan-produced comics publication positioned between a fanzine, a publisher-supported promotional magazine, and an archival showcase for Charlton Comics characters and unpublished stories.

• Charlton BullseyeComics fanzine1975

  A five-issue, large-format fanzine devoted to Charlton Comics. It combined color card-stock covers with black-and-white interiors and included publisher news, articles, reviews, pinups, and comics stories. Its distinguishing editorial feature was access to unpublished Charlton material and new stories associated with the company's characters.

• Charlton PortfolioComics one-shot1974

  A permissioned predecessor to Charlton Bullseye, published by the CPL Gang in association with CPL issue 9/10. It included an unpublished sixth issue of the 1967 Blue Beetle series and demonstrated the potential of a fan publication working with Charlton's material.

• 1974Charlton authorizes a fan-produced publicationStrategy

  Charlton Comics wanted to establish a stronger fan presence and develop its position in the superhero market while other major publishers were issuing their own fan publications.

  What changed. The company allowed the CPL Gang to publish Charlton Portfolio and later approved the Charlton Bullseye project, including access to selected unpublished material from its archives.

  Aftermath. The arrangement produced a five-issue fanzine run and brought unpublished Charlton stories to readers, but the publication ended in 1976.

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1. Charlton Bullseye (fanzine)
2. Charlton Bullseye, CPL/GANG Publications, 1975 Series