Description
Collector's Note – Why This Issue Matters
The September 1985 issue of Karate Illustrated Magazine, identified as Volume 16, Number 9, is centered on a cover appearance by In Suk Suh. The listing also refers to him as Suk Suh, but the title identifies the cover subject as In Suk Suh, making that the more precise form to preserve for collector reference. His appearance gives the issue a clear place within mid-1980s martial arts publishing, when karate and related Asian martial arts were highly visible in American training culture, specialty magazines, film, and self-defense discussion. A named cover subject from this period helps anchor the issue to a specific practitioner and a specific moment in martial arts print history. For collectors, that type of identification is especially useful because martial arts magazines are often researched by instructor, cover figure, date, volume number, and title.
The September 1985 date matters because the 1980s were a major growth period for martial arts in the United States. Karate schools, tournaments, action films, and martial arts magazines all helped expand public awareness of the discipline. The listing describes the issue as reflecting techniques, training regimens, martial arts movements, philosophies, and the broader cultural impact of karate during the decade. Those themes fit the role that magazines like Karate Illustrated played for readers: they connected local students and instructors with a wider national conversation about skill, discipline, tradition, and evolving practice. In that sense, the issue represents not only one cover subject, but also the larger print culture that helped define martial arts for American readers in the mid-1980s.
As part of the broader field of vintage magazines from 1985, this issue preserves a focused martial arts perspective from the middle of the decade. The cover subject, exact date, volume number, no-label presentation, and strong condition notes make it useful for collectors who organize magazines by practitioner, title, year, or martial arts discipline. Because the listing does not confirm exact article titles, the issue is best understood through its documented cover subject and stated general themes rather than through unverified interior details. It remains a meaningful period artifact because it reflects how martial arts skill, personality, and instruction were packaged for serious enthusiasts before online training libraries and digital archives existed.
About the Publication
Karate Illustrated Magazine was a specialty martial arts publication focused on karate, training methods, practitioner profiles, martial arts philosophy, competition culture, photographs, and the wider development of martial arts in America. Its audience included students, instructors, competitors, collectors, and readers interested in the technical and cultural side of martial arts. During the 1980s, publications of this kind were especially important because they helped readers follow notable figures, discover training ideas, compare methods, and understand how karate was being practiced and discussed beyond their local schools. The magazine’s format reflected the needs of serious martial arts readers, blending visual action, technique-oriented material, personality coverage, and broader commentary on martial arts culture. For collectors, back issues preserve how martial arts culture was documented in print before digital archives, online video, and social media became the main sources of training information.
Key Highlights Inside
- September 1985 issue of Karate Illustrated Magazine, Volume 16, Number 9, from a highly active period in American martial arts publishing.
- Features In Suk Suh on the cover, the primary confirmed collector detail from the listing.
- Represents mid-1980s karate publishing, when martial arts were gaining wider visibility in American popular and training culture.
- The listing describes general coverage connected to techniques, training regimens, martial arts philosophies, and the cultural impact of karate during the 1980s.
- Newsstand edition without a label, an important visual detail for collectors who prefer uninterrupted cover presentation and cleaner display quality.
- Interior article titles and exact page contents beyond the In Suk Suh cover subject and general karate themes are not fully confirmed from the listing, so no specific inside features are asserted here.
Condition & Rarity
The listing describes the issue as Very Good/Excellent, with light wear typical for a vintage magazine, minimal wear and tear, no label, and a plastic protective covering. For a 1985 martial arts magazine, these are favorable collector-grade attributes because specialty magazines were often read repeatedly, handled during training study, and stored in homes, schools, or gyms rather than preserved untouched. A no-label newsstand issue generally offers stronger visual presentation, especially when the cover features a named martial artist such as In Suk Suh. The protective covering helps reduce additional handling wear, but evaluation should still focus on the magazine itself: cover clarity, spine stability, edge condition, page completeness, and whether the cover and interior remain clean and readable. In collector terms, a strong surviving example should retain secure binding, clear photography, complete pages, and only light age-related wear. Because martial arts magazines were frequently treated as practical references rather than archival objects, examples with clean presentation and minimal wear are especially useful for collectors building title runs or practitioner-focused archives.
Looking for More Issues Like This?
Exact-dated karate magazines from the 1980s with named cover practitioners can be difficult to research once collectors begin searching by volume number, cover subject, condition, and label status. Readers interested in similar martial arts coverage can browse the broader Karate Illustrated Magazine collection for related issues documenting karate figures, training culture, and martial arts publishing history. That collection is especially helpful for comparing how different instructors, systems, and martial arts themes were presented across the magazine’s run.
For a wider view of the same year, the 1985 magazine collection helps place this September issue alongside other publications from a decade when martial arts, sports culture, action entertainment, and specialty print media were strongly connected. Browsing by year can also help collectors understand how karate magazines fit within the broader visual and cultural language of mid-1980s publishing.