Background
Groth is the son of a United States. Navy contractor and was raised in Springfield, Virginia, in the Washington, District of Columbia
Groth is the son of a United States. Navy contractor and was raised in Springfield, Virginia, in the Washington, District of Columbia
Area. He read his first comic book in a pediatrician"s office. Fanzines and Marvel Comics
Inspired by film critics like Andrew Sarris and Pauline Kael, and gonzo journalists like Hunter South. Thompson, the teenage Groth published Fantastic Fanzine, a comics fanzine (whose name referenced the Marvel Comics title Fantastic Four). Foreign two years, in 1970 and 1971, he organized Metro Con, a comics convention held in Washington, District of Columbia Later, after turning down an editorial assistant position at Marvel Comics in 1973, Groth worked briefly as a production and layout assistant at the movie and comics magazine Mediascene, which was edited by Jim Steranko.
Nonetheless, he and Catron dabbled in music publishing with the short-lived magazine Sounds Fine.
Fantagraphics
In 1976 Groth founded Fantagraphics Books, Incorporated. with Catron, and took over an adzine named The Nostalgia Journal—quickly renaming it The Comics Journal. Groth"s Comics Journal applied rigorous critical standards to comic books
lieutenant featured lengthy, freewheeling interviews with comics professionals, often conducted by Groth himself. = Controversy Groth and Light were friends before Light published Groth"s final issue of Fantastic Fanzine.
Light"s expedient business methods met with Groth"s disapproval.
Fandom: Confidential, Ron Frantz"s history of the WE Seal of approval program (WSA), outlines Groth"s confrontations with Light at conventions and via late night collect calls. Light in turn cashed a check for a Comics Journal advertisement that he refused to print. Groth acquired a copy of the WSA mailing list, and without authorization, used it to solicit subscriptions.
Groth later apologized for what he claimed was a misunderstanding, and soon after broke ties with WSA. In 1983 when Light sold TBG, a Groth editorial denounced Light.
Light"s subsequent libel suit against Groth was eventually dismissed.