gifflefunk

All of my Ducks at a glance:

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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!)

Here's my nominee for the toughest Atlas of them all!

 

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.