A very early 'The Comic Reader' issue.
Paul Levitz had a long career at DC Comics, starting out as a freelancer when he was still in high school, rising through the ranks to President from 2002 to 2009, and retiring in 2010.  During that time he had an active hand in shaping the Direct Market as well as the comics sold there.  Part 1 of this interview, below, focuses on Levitz’s early years, starting when he launched a fanzine at the age of 14 that brought him into contact with creators, retailers, and Direct Market pioneer Phil Seuling.  In Part 2, he talks about the rise of the Direct Market in the 1980s and how DC tailored its content for this new audience, leading to the creation of the Vertigo imprint.  In Part 3, he discusses how Image changed contracts with creators, how Marvel’s purchase of Heroes World changed distribution for DC, and how he thinks comic shops will evolve in the future.

We are also making available lightly edited transcripts of the interview, in three parts:
ICv2 Interview Transcript: Paul Levitz, Part 1
ICv2 Interview Transcript: Paul Levitz, Part 2
ICv2 Interview Transcript: Paul Levitz, Part 3

This interview and article are part of ICv2’s Comics Direct Market 50th Anniversary celebration; for more, see "Comics Direct Market 50th Anniversary."