Graphic Story Monthly #1 - First Appearance of Nestor Burma, Printings and Contents

Identification plate

Series: Graphic Story Monthly (Fantagraphics, 1990 series)
Issue: #1
Publication date: January 1990
Key date: January 1990
Indicia publisher: Fantagraphics Books Inc.
Price: $2.95; 3.50 CAD
Pages: 52
Rating: Recommended for Mature Readers

Match the book in your hand against this plate before paying an edition-specific price.

Why this issue matters

First appearance of Nestor Burma - the earliest non-flashback appearance on record for this character.

First appearance (cover) of Belita Morales - the earliest appearance on record is a cover, not an interior story.

The evidence

Claims here come from the story records for this issue, listed under Sources at the bottom of the file. Character hubs with full evidence tables are coming to this site.

Seq	Story	Type	Pages	Credits	Characters
0	Fog Over Tolbiac Bridge	cover	1	pencils: Jacques Tardi; inks: Jacques Tardi	Nestor Burma First, Belita Morales First
1	-	promo (ad from the publisher)	1	letters: typeset
2	-	credits, title page	1	pencils: Jacques Tardi, Ward Kimball, Paul Ollswang, Scott Nickel, Douglas Michael, Craig Maynard; inks: Jacques Tardi, Ward Kimball, Paul Ollswang, Scott Nickel, Douglas Michael, Craig Maynard
3	Jacques Tardi	foreword, introduction, preface, afterword	3	script: Kim Thompson; pencils: Jacques Tardi; inks: Jacques Tardi	Jacques Tardi; Leo Malet
4	-	comic story	16	script: Léo Malet, Jacques Tardi, Kim Thompson; pencils: Jacques Tardi; inks: Jacques Tardi; letters: Stan Sakai	Nestor Burma First, Belita Morales First
5	Letters from the Rim	comic story	1	script: Keith Mann; pencils: Keith Mann; inks: Keith Mann; letters: Keith Mann
6	Ward Kimball's Asinine Alley	foreword, introduction, preface, afterword	1	script: R. Fiore; pencils: Ward Kimball; inks: Ward Kimball
7	1937 -1987 50th HCCA Anniversary	illustration	1	pencils: Ward Kimball; inks: Ward Kimball
8	Now and Then...	illustration	1	pencils: Ward Kimball; inks: Ward Kimball
9	Invention of the Spark Plug	illustration	1	script: Ward Kimball; pencils: Ward Kimball; inks: Ward Kimball
10	Invention of the Radiator!	illustration	1	script: Ward Kimball; pencils: Ward Kimball; inks: Ward Kimball
11	Classified Advertising	illustration	1	script: Ward Kimball; pencils: Ward Kimball; inks: Ward Kimball
12	-	illustration	1	script: Ward Kimball; pencils: Ward Kimball; inks: Ward Kimball; letters: Ward Kimball
13	Bar-Talk-Duets	comic story	0.3	script: Paul Ollswang; pencils: Paul Ollswang, Jim Carpenter; inks: Paul Ollswang, Jim Carpenter; letters: Paul Ollswang	Mr. Slocni; Rube
14	Slocni and Rube	comic story	0.7	script: Paul Ollswang; pencils: Paul Ollswang, Jim Carpenter; inks: Paul Ollswang, Jim Carpenter; letters: Paul Ollswang	Mr. Slocni; Rube
15	Bar-Talk-Duets	comic story	0.6	script: Paul Ollswang; pencils: Paul Ollswang, Jim Carpenter; inks: Paul Ollswang, Jim Carpenter; letters: Paul Ollswang	Mr. Slocni; Rube
16	Bar-Talk-Duets	comic story	0.4	script: Paul Ollswang; pencils: Paul Ollswang, Jim Carpenter; inks: Paul Ollswang, Jim Carpenter; letters: Paul Ollswang	Mr. Slocni; Rube
17	Bar-Talk-Duets	comic story	1	script: Paul Ollswang; pencils: Paul Ollswang, Jim Carpenter; inks: Paul Ollswang, Jim Carpenter; letters: Paul Ollswang	Mr. Slocni; Rube
18	I've Got a Secret	comic story	2	script: Scott Nickel; pencils: Scott Nickel; inks: Scott Nickel; letters: Scott Nickel
19	Chapter One: The Settlers	comic story	1	script: Douglas Michael; pencils: Douglas Michael; inks: Douglas Michael; letters: Douglas Michael
20	Chapter Two: The Great Debaters	comic story	6	script: Douglas Michael; pencils: Douglas Michael; inks: Douglas Michael; letters: Douglas Michael	Pastor Frick; Father Frack [Claire]; Deever McGleese; Pulton Fuller; Maude Shanker; Peiter Vendleiver; Heckler; President Lincoln
21	Minor Memories and the Art of Adolescence	comic story	6	script: Craig Maynard; pencils: Craig Maynard; inks: Craig Maynard; letters: Craig Maynard	Craig Maynard; Cheryl Maynard; Mom; Father
22	-	comic story	1	script: Franquin, Dwight R. Decker; pencils: Franquin; inks: Franquin; letters: Bill Spicer	Gomer Goof [Gaston Lagaffe]; Mr. Groff
23	-	text story	1	script: Gustave Flaubert; pencils: Rick Geary; inks: Rick Geary
24	-	promo (ad from the publisher)	2	letters: typeset

Where to read it

Collection	Year
Fog over Tolbiac Bridge: A Nestor Burma Mystery #[nn] ISBN 978-1-60699-705-5	2017	On eBay ›

Reading the story costs a fraction of owning the issue. Both routes are on every file.

Before you buy

Confirm the UPC box: a publisher mark instead of a barcode means direct edition, a barcode means newsstand.
Glossy covers of this era show edge chipping easily. Check black edges closely in the photos.
Check the staples and centerfold; heavily read anniversary and key issues loosen there first.

Series context

1 of 7#2 ›

Sources

Grand Comics Database, issue record (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Found an error in this file? corrections@comicrecord.com