CPL Gang
Encyclopedia
The CPL Gang was a group of comic book
enthusiasts who published a number of fanzines in the mid-1970s, including Contemporary Pictorial Literature (CPL) and Charlton Bullseye
. Founded by Roger Stern
and Bob Layton
, the CPL Gang eventually included Roger Slifer
, Duffy Vohland, Tony Isabella
, Don Maitz
, Michael Uslan
, Steven Grant
, and John Byrne, all of whom later became comics professionals.
out of Layton's Indianapolis
apartment. Stern recalls that, "CPL started out as Bob's sale catalog. Bob was drawing the covers and including little reviews written by some of his customers."
By issue #5, CPL "... turned into a small 'zine with a catalog insert, and [Stern] started writing short articles for it. [He] eventually became an editor of sorts." CPL featured a mix of articles, interviews, columns, art, and comics strips. In addition to CPL Gang members, contributors included established industry professionals like Gil Kane
, Alex Toth
, Paul Gulacy
, Mike Vosburg
, Dan Adkins
, P. Craig Russell
, and Joe Sinnott
. Rog-2000
, the John Byrne-created CPL "mascot," went on to become a character in the Charlton Comics
universe.
CPL rapidly became a popular fan publication, and led to Layton and Stern forming an alliance with Charlton Comics
to produce and publish a one-shot called Charlton Portfolio (actually CPL #9/10) in 1974, which included the unpublished sixth issue of Blue Beetle
vol. 5 (1967 series).
Twelve issues of CPL were published. An issue #13 was promised, but was never published.
Charlton gave Layton and Stern "access to unpublished material from their vaults by the likes of Steve Ditko
, Jeff Jones
and a host of others" for use in Charlton Bullseye
, which published five issues from 1975–1976.
, with whom he apprenticed. This apprenticeship led to work for Charlton (on anthology titles, but not working from the Charlton offices), Marvel Comics
and DC Comics
, while still publishing fanzines.
By 1976, Layton, Stern, and most of the other members were full-fledged comics professionals, and the CPL Gang faded into obscurity.
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
enthusiasts who published a number of fanzines in the mid-1970s, including Contemporary Pictorial Literature (CPL) and Charlton Bullseye
Charlton Bullseye (fanzine)
Charton Bullseye was a fanzine published from 1975-76 by the CPL Gang highlighting Charlton Comics. It was a large format publication, with color covers on card stock and black & white interiors...
. Founded by Roger Stern
Roger Stern
Roger Stern is an American comic book author and novelist.-Early career:In the early 1970s, Stern and Bob Layton published the fanzine CPL , one of the first platforms for the work of John Byrne...
and Bob Layton
Bob Layton
Bob Layton is an American comic book artist, writer, and editor, who has worked for Marvel Comics, Valiant Comics, DC Comics, Future Comics, and other publishers.-Early life:...
, the CPL Gang eventually included Roger Slifer
Roger Slifer
Roger Slifer is a writer of comic books, animation, and video games, well-known for a run on Omega Men in the 1980s.-Biography:Slifer started out in comics as an editor at Marvel Comics where he also wrote a number of comic books....
, Duffy Vohland, Tony Isabella
Tony Isabella
Tony Isabella is an American comic book writer, editor, artist and critic, known as the creator and writer of Marvel Comics' Black Goliath, DC Comics' first major African American superhero, Black Lightning, and as a columnist and critic for the Comics Buyer's Guide.-Marvel Comics:Before he joined...
, Don Maitz
Don Maitz
Don Maitz is an American science fiction, fantasy, and commercial artist. His most widely-known creation is the "Captain" character of the Captain Morgan brand of rum, although he is perhaps most notable for twice winning the Hugo Award for Best Professional Artist, science fiction's highest honor...
, Michael Uslan
Michael Uslan
Michael E. Uslan is the originator of the Batman movies and was the first instructor to teach "Comic Book Folklore" at an accredited university...
, Steven Grant
Steven Grant
Steven Grant is an American comic-book writer best known for his 1985-1986 Marvel Comics mini-series Punisher, with artist Mike Zeck and for his creator-owned character Whisper.-Biography:...
, and John Byrne, all of whom later became comics professionals.
CPL
Layton and Stern began publishing the CPL fanzineFanzine
A fanzine is a nonprofessional and nonofficial publication produced by fans of a particular cultural phenomenon for the pleasure of others who share their interest...
out of Layton's Indianapolis
Indianapolis
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
apartment. Stern recalls that, "CPL started out as Bob's sale catalog. Bob was drawing the covers and including little reviews written by some of his customers."
By issue #5, CPL "... turned into a small 'zine with a catalog insert, and [Stern] started writing short articles for it. [He] eventually became an editor of sorts." CPL featured a mix of articles, interviews, columns, art, and comics strips. In addition to CPL Gang members, contributors included established industry professionals like Gil Kane
Gil Kane
Eli Katz who worked under the name Gil Kane and in one instance Scott Edward, was a comic book artist whose career spanned the 1940s to 1990s and every major comics company and character.Kane co-created the modern-day versions of the superheroes Green Lantern and the Atom for DC Comics, and...
, Alex Toth
Alex Toth
Alexander Toth was an American professional cartoonist active from the 1940s through the 1980s. Toth's work began in the American comic book industry, but is known for his animation designs for Hanna-Barbera throughout the 1960s and 1970s. His work included Super Friends, Space Ghost, The...
, Paul Gulacy
Paul Gulacy
Paul Gulacy is an American comic book illustrator best known for his work for DC Comics and Marvel Comics, and for drawing one of the first graphic novels, Eclipse Enterprises' 1978 Sabre: Slow Fade of an Endangered Species, with writer Don McGregor.-Early life and career:Paul Gulacy began...
, Mike Vosburg
Mike Vosburg
Mike Vosburg is an American comic book artist primarily known for his work on the Tales from the Crypt TV series.-Biography:...
, Dan Adkins
Dan Adkins
Dan Adkins is an American illustrator who worked mainly for comic books and science-fiction magazines.-Early life and career:...
, P. Craig Russell
P. Craig Russell
Philip Craig Russell , also known as P. Craig Russell, is an American comic book writer, artist, and illustrator. His work has won multiple Harvey and Eisner Awards...
, and Joe Sinnott
Joe Sinnott
Joe Sinnott is an American comic book artist. Working primarily as an inker, Sinnott is best-known for his long stint on Marvel Comics' Fantastic Four, from 1965 to 1981 , initially over the pencils of industry legend Jack Kirby...
. Rog-2000
Rog-2000
Rog-2000 is a fictional robot that was the first professional creation of comic book artist-writer John Byrne. Rog-2000 serves as the mascot of Byrne Robotics.-Publication history:...
, the John Byrne-created CPL "mascot," went on to become a character in the Charlton Comics
Charlton Comics
Charlton Comics was an American comic book publishing company that existed from 1946 to 1985, having begun under a different name in 1944. It was based in Derby, Connecticut...
universe.
CPL rapidly became a popular fan publication, and led to Layton and Stern forming an alliance with Charlton Comics
Charlton Comics
Charlton Comics was an American comic book publishing company that existed from 1946 to 1985, having begun under a different name in 1944. It was based in Derby, Connecticut...
to produce and publish a one-shot called Charlton Portfolio (actually CPL #9/10) in 1974, which included the unpublished sixth issue of Blue Beetle
Blue Beetle (Ted Kord)
Blue Beetle is the second Blue Beetle, a superhero who was originally published by Charlton Comics and later picked up by DC Comics...
vol. 5 (1967 series).
Twelve issues of CPL were published. An issue #13 was promised, but was never published.
Charlton Bullseye
The success of Charlton Portfolio convinced Charlton of the merits of a "fan" publication. During the mid-1970s, both Marvel and DC were publishing in-house fan publications (F.O.O.M. and The Amazing World of DC Comics respectively), and Charlton wished to make inroads into the superhero market, as well as "establish a fan presence."Charlton gave Layton and Stern "access to unpublished material from their vaults by the likes of Steve Ditko
Steve Ditko
Stephen J. "Steve" Ditko is an American comic book artist and writer best known as the artist co-creator, with Stan Lee, of the Marvel Comics heroes Spider-Man and Doctor Strange....
, Jeff Jones
Jeff Jones (artist)
Jeffrey Catherine Jones was an American artist whose work is best known from the late 1960s through 2000s. Jones provided over 150 covers for many different types of books through 1976, as well as venturing into fine art during and after this time...
and a host of others" for use in Charlton Bullseye
Charlton Bullseye (fanzine)
Charton Bullseye was a fanzine published from 1975-76 by the CPL Gang highlighting Charlton Comics. It was a large format publication, with color covers on card stock and black & white interiors...
, which published five issues from 1975–1976.
Professional springboard
Layton's association with Charlton (and the company's production manager Bill Pearson) in turn led to him becoming acquainted with the legendary Wally WoodWally Wood
Wallace Allan Wood was an American comic book writer, artist and independent publisher, best known for his work in EC Comics and Mad. He was one of Mads founding cartoonists in 1952. Although much of his early professional artwork is signed Wallace Wood, he became known as Wally Wood, a name he...
, with whom he apprenticed. This apprenticeship led to work for Charlton (on anthology titles, but not working from the Charlton offices), Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
and DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
, while still publishing fanzines.
By 1976, Layton, Stern, and most of the other members were full-fledged comics professionals, and the CPL Gang faded into obscurity.
Titles published
- Contemporary Pictorial Literature (CPL) #1–12 (c. 1973–1975)
- Charlton Bullseye #1–5 (1975–1976)
- Heroes, Inc. Presents CannonHeroes, Inc. Presents CannonHeroes, Inc. Presents Cannon is a two-issue comic book series that represents one of the earliest independent comics. The first issue was self-published by prominent writer-artist Wally Wood in 1969, with a second issue published by CPL Gang Publications in 1976.This comic-book series is unrelated...
#2 (Wally Wood, 1976)