gifflefunk

All of my Ducks at a glance: .

Based on the fact that Voodoo #1 is cover dated May 1952, I'm guessing this was Farrell promoting his line-up of new releases for May/June. The Lone Rider was his established title, but Voodoo, Rocketman and Captain Jet were all new titles for 1952. I'm guessing Spaceman and Captain Flight (which was the name of Farrell's first title back in 1944 under his Four Star imprint) were changed because rockets and jets had more appeal.

Ok, near as I can figure here is the organizational layout of the "Universal Comics Group": Es-Et-Go Magazines was the art shop where L.B. Cole was employed. Holyoke Printing, Holyoke, Mass. was the print shop Publishers Distributing Company [PDC symbol on the covers] did the distribution. All three companies were owned by Frank Z. Temerson and Irving W. Ullman. Aside from their own publications (those commonly refered to as Holyoke or Continental) they would also crank out a lot of dreck for anyone with the cash (and Cole would often toss a cool cover on an otherwise smelly pile of cr*p). Here is the list of "member companies" for this group (as near as I can puzzle out): Universal Comics Group ----------------------------- B. Antin Magazines D.S. Publishing Co. E.R. Ross Publishing L.L. Baird Almanac Publishing Co. Bailey Enterprises Bernard Bailey Enterprises Bailey Publ. Co. Carlton Cima Publications Circus Comics Continental Magazines Continental Publ. Croyden Publishers Croyden Publications Enwil Associates Et-Es-Go Magazines, Inc. Farm Women's Publishing (Gail Hillson) Gerona Publications Helnit Publ. Co. Holyoke Publishing Co. Jay Burtis Publ. Jay-Jay Corp. Narrative Magazines Narrative Publ. Orbit Publications (owned by Rae Herman, Frank Temerson's secretary) Our Publishing Co. Patches Publ. Public Recreations Rewl Publications Rural Home Special Action Swapper Quarterly Swappers Quarterly Tem Publishing Co. Toytown Publications Temerson and Ullman were a shifty pair and it appears they helped Victor Fox protect his cash cow title, Blue Beetle, when Fox was hounded by creditors in 1942. It looks like Fox moved Blue Beetle over to Holyoke (while still maintaining ownership) and then declared bankruptcy. He probably continued to generate an income from this title and used it to help fund his company's rebirth in 1944 (at which point the Blue Beetle transfered back to Fox directly).

One more tidbit... here is the CGC newsletter column by Michelle Nolan entitled Rural Home/Enwil Comics.

I've always looked upon that group of publishers as the Universal Comics Group and Rural Home Publishing as just one of the companies affiliated with that group. More research into this area is definitely required IMO.

RURAL HOME PUBLISHING Rural Home Publishing was a group of small publishers in a fluid partnership, using pre-packaged material and operating under the banner of Rural Home with the leading partner apparently being Enwil Associates. This loose group of publishers consisted of: Almanac (q.v.); Rewl Publications Carlton *; Circus Comics E.R. Ross Publishing (q.v.); Enwil Associates Farm Women's Publishing; Gail Hillson Jay Burtis; L.L. Baird ; Narrative Magazines Public Recreations; Rewl Publications Universal Comics Group Orbit Publications Croydon Publications First let’s take a look at the "umbrella" company Rural Home and its titles. Blazing Comics Blue Circle Comics Red Band Comics Variety Comics Red Circle Comics Cannonball Comics Mask Comics Power Comics Meteor Comics Zoom Comics Circus Comics Eagle Comics Laffy Daffy Comics Merry Comics Patches Comics Taffy Comics This ends the "formal" RURAL HOME Publishing books. Here is a look at the co-op of "associated" publishers that made up the Rural Home partnerships for the years 1944-1946 with a brief look at some of the titles published individually by these companies. Atomic Bomb Comics Funland Comics #1 Life's Like That Comics Merry-Go-Round Comics Miss Cairo Jones Nebbs # 1 World Famous Stories Comics El Bombo Comics # 1 Snappy Comics # 1 Sparkman Comics # 1 Judo Joe Navy Heroes Medal of Honor Top Spot Comics K.O. Comics Triple Threat Comics Hi-Lite Comics # 1 Tailspin Comics # 1 Gem Comics # 1 Love Diary Comics 1949-1955 Love Journal Comics 1951-1954 Patches (issue # 2 on) 1945-1947 Taffy (issue # 2 on) 1945-1948 Toy Town Comics 1945-1947 Wanted Comics 1947-1953 Westerner Comics 1948-1951 This ends the co-op of "associated" publishers of the Rural Home Group. source: The now defunct PR PUBLICATIONS website.

Radar was often seen reading comic books (usually ones published after the Korean war!)

Well, I'd call it a Timely as it is a pre-Nov 1951 book, but I'd agree that it is a damn hard book to find in any grade (if anyone has a copy for sale let me know... I'd definitely pay above guide for a copy to finish my run). Also, Gunhawk #17 Oct 1951 took forever to verify. The toughest Atlas (Nov 1951-Jul 1961) book would appear to be Mille the Model #42 (if it exists). I've been able to document the existence every regular* Timely/Atlas book except for that issue... I have no idea why it is so hard to find (unless it doesn't exist which would then explain things). * Note: I'm also still trying to nail down the first 12 issues of the Adventures of Big Boy promo comic produced by Atlas.