Baal Vintage Avon ad promoting the release of Baal August 8, 2020 goathunter In the May 8, 1978, issue of Publishers Weekly, Avon took out a 2-page spread to promote the upcoming release of Baal, the debut novel by Robert McCammon. Baal (pronounced like “bale” and not “ball”) was released 42 years this month (August 1978).