Bill Spicer (born October 1, 1937) is an American editor and publisher who spearheaded the 1960s movement away from commercial comics, opening the gateway to underground, alternative, and independent comics, notably with his publication Graphic Story Magazine.
Born in Los Angeles, California, Spicer began reading science fiction fanzines in the early 1950s. He learned professional lettering techniques while working at an ad agency from 1955 to 1967, and became a letterer with Western Publishing in 1967. In 1964, he launched Fantasy Illustrated #1, a 500-copy offset print run that included an adaptation of Eando Binder's "Adam Link's Vengeance," which won the Best Fan Comic Strip award in the 1964 Alley Awards.
With the introduction of the column "Graphic Story Review" by Richard Kyle, the publication shifted focus to articles, reviews, and interviews, and was retitled Graphic Story Magazine with issue #8 (Fall 1967). Issues #12 and #14 were devoted entirely to the work of Basil Wolverton. After the run ended with issue #16, Spicer launched Fanfare, a magazine devoted to all aspects of popular culture.
In 1971, Spicer partnered with Michael Moore and Fred Walker to form the Los Angeles Comic Book Company, which published Mickey Rat, L.A. Comics, Mutants of the Metropolis, and the full-color Weird Fantasies.
Spicer continued as a Western Publishing letterer from 1967 to 1982. He also lettered for Dark Horse, Another Rainbow, and Fantagraphics. From 1988 to 2005, he lettered manga for Viz. He lettered two comic strips in the 1980s: Rick O'Shay and Conan the Barbarian.
Awards: Spicer won the 1964 Alley Award, a 1979 Inkpot Award, and in 2000, the American Association of Comicbook Collectors Fandom Service Award for his significant contribution to the hobby of comic book collecting and his pioneering work with EC fanzines.
Note: The name "Bill Spicer" also refers to other individuals, including a host of the television series The New Fly Fisher (a fly fishing instructor and IFFF Certified Master Fly Casting Instructor in eastern Canada), a video production company owner (SpicerPro), and a football coach at SUNY Cortland. These individuals are distinct from the comics publisher described above.
