Product Code Database
Wizard or Wizard: The Magazine of Comics, Entertainment and Pop Culture (previously titled Wizard: The Guide to Comics and Wizard: The Comics Magazine) was a magazine about , published monthly in the United States by Wizard Entertainment from July 1991 to January 2011. It included a price guide, as well as comic book, Film, anime, and collector news, interviews, and previews.
With its high-end production values and embodiment of the comic speculator boom, Wizard was an instant hit, with a monthly circulation of more than 100,000 copies.
The magazine's success led Wizard Entertainment to launch several ongoing magazines dedicated to similar interests — such as InQuest Gamer for collectible game cards (published 1995–2007), ToyFare for toys and action figures (1997–2011), Anime Insider for anime and manga (2001–2009), and Toy Wishes for mainstream toy enthusiasts ( 1999– 2008).
In 2006, Wizard was revamped with a bigger look and more pages, switching from the "perfect bound" staple-free look to that of a more traditional magazine. In November 2006, Wizard magazine editor-in-chief and co-founder Pat McCallum was fired, after more than a decade with the company. Wizard declined to say why he was removed. On February 21, 2007, Scott Gramling was announced as the new editor-in-chief.
After issue #200 (June 2008), Wizard made several changes to the magazine, shifting focus from reviews and humor to information about upcoming comics and the industry as a whole. The three-page "Magic Words" section, which consisted of reader questions, was dropped and replaced by "Fan Mail", a half-page section allowing three short (and often humorous) letters. Soon after, in August 2008, longtime Wizard Editor Brian Cunningham was removed. The final editor was a former staff writer and managing editor Mike Cotton. On February 27, 2009, Wizard laid off 10% of its workforce, including its three staff writers, in order to make room for freelance writers.
Wizard was relaunched with issue #228 (August 2010), which featured Mark Millar as a guest editor. The magazine returned to its strictly comic book roots. The issue featured a Green Hornet film cover and a round table discussion with creators in the comic book film industry.
Despite all these changes, however, the magazine was losing subscribers at an unsustainable rate; by December 2010, its circulation was just 17,000 copies. On January 24, 2011, Rich Johnston of the website Bleeding Cool confirmed that the magazine would cease print publication, that almost all of its magazine staff had been laid off, and all freelance engagements were canceled.Johnston, Rich. "SCOOP: Wizard Magazine To Close Immediately" , Bleeding Cool, January 24, 2011, accessed January 24, 2011. This was confirmed later that day by Wizard, who also revealed that its sister magazine, ToyFare, was also canceled. According to the publication's representatives, Wizard would be relaunched in February 2011 as an online magazine called Wizard World. The first issue of Wizard World was made available online and through major digital distribution channels on March 2, 2011.West, Josh. Negative Zone (2 Mar 2011).
Retired features include
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