James Van Hise

James Van Hise, born in 1949, is an American popular culture historian and comic book author. He is best known for his deep connection to the fanzine world, particularly as editor and publisher of *Rocket's Blast Comicollector* (RBCC) from 1974 to 1983. Van Hise also maintained a long creative partnership with Hal Schuster, the founder of New Media Publishing and Pioneer Books, for whom he wrote more than ten books.

In comics, Van Hise was active as a writer from 1973 to 1994, credited on 55 issues. His most frequent assignments were on *The Real Ghostbusters*, *Tales of the Green Hornet*, and *Fright Night*, as well as the *Green Hornet: Solitary Sentinel* miniseries. He also contributed to the very fanzine he edited, *The Rocket's Blast-Comicollector*.

Van Hise’s work often explored licensed properties and pulp-inspired heroes, and his long tenure in fandom gave him a uniquely grounded perspective on popular culture. He never received major industry awards, but his legacy endures through his extensive bibliography and his role in bridging fan publishing and professional comics. He remains a notable figure in the history of comics fandom and licensed storytelling.