Electricmastro

From Best Comics #2 (December 1939, Nedor Comics). Art by George West.

Artist highlights from All-American Comics (1939-1942): Stan Asch (All-American Comics #5): Jon L. Blummer (All-American Comics #13): Irwin Hasen (All-American Comics #40):

Artist highlights from Action Comics (1939-1941): Fred Guardineer (Action Comics #18): Jack Burnley (Action Comics #30): Sheldon Moldoff (Action Comics #42):

And that’s interesting, because Novelty Press got letters at the time saying to tone down the fantastical/horror aspect of Spacehawk. From Target Comics #21 (November, 1941):

1941-1945: Bob Kane (Detective Comics #56): Jack Lehti (Detective Comics #68): Jack Kirby (Detective Comics #70): George Roussos (Detective Comics #91): DickSprang (Detective Comics #95):

Artist highlights from New Comics (1936-1946): Serene Summerfield (New Comics #5): DickRyan (New Comics #8): Joe Shuster (New Comics #10): Sven Elven (New Adventure Comics #13): Munson Paddock (New Adventure Comics #24): Tom Hickey (New Adventure Comics #30): Creig Flessel (Adventure Comics #70): Mort Meskin (Adventure Comics #81): Gil Kane (Adventure Comics #102):

Artist highlights from More Fun Comics (1936-1941): Leo O'Mealia (More Fun Comics #15): Joe Shuster (More Fun Comics #17): Will Ely (More Fun Comics #26): Howard Sherman (More Fun Comics #61): Bernard Baily (More Fun Comics #67): Ed Moore (More Fun Comics #73):

Before Bill Everett worked at Marvel, he previously worked at Centaur, and drew several covers for them actually. Well-done ones too:

DickBriefer (Mystery Men Comics #5): Bert Whitman (Science Comics #2): Jack Kirby (Science Comics #4):

An appreciation thread for Columbia Comics, who started off with Big Shot Comics in 1940 and went defunct in 1949, their longest-running series having been Big Shot, Dixie Dugan, and Mickey Finn. Their comics include: Big Shot Comics/Big Shot (1940) Dixie Dugan (1942) Mickey Finn (1943) Sparky Watts (1942) Joe Palooka (1942) Skyman (1941) The Face/Tony Trent (1941) Columbia Comics (1943) Ken Stuart (1948) Other appreciation threads: https://www.cgccomics.com/boards/topic/470215-publisher-appreciation-threads/

Artist highlights from Super-Mystery Comics (1940-1945): Jim Mooney (Super-Mystery Comics v1 #5): Harry Anderson (Super-Mystery Comics v2 #2): L. B. Cole (Super-Mystery Comics v3 #6): Rudy Palais (Super-Mystery Comics v4 #6):

Artist highlights from Target Comics (1940-1945): Jack Warren (Target Comics #3): Basil Wolverton (Target Comics #9): John Jordan (Target Comics #30): Fred Bell (Target Comics #44): Nina Albright (Target Comics #63):

Anyways, without a doubt, I think the greatest Golden Age covers would definitely have to be the ones L. B. Cole did for various publishers: Star Publications: Novelty Press: Tem Publishing: Aviation Press: Rural Home Publications: Narrative: Four Star Publications:

Artist highlights from Whiz Comics (1940-1944): C. C. Beck (Whiz Comics #2): Pete Costanza (Whiz Comics #15): Harry Anderson (Whiz Comics #31): Bob Hebberd (Whiz Comics #49): Harry Parkhurst (Whiz Comics #52):

It’s also the earliest photo I’ve seen which features comics published by DC, because issues of More Fun Comics and New Comics are present.

1943-1944: Bob Oksner (Thrilling Comics #37): Ken Battefield (Thrilling Comics #40): Everett Raymond Kinstler (Thrilling Comics #45):

Great artist who worked on Archie's Black Hood Comics (1944-1946).

Star Publications: Novelty Press: Tem Publishing: Aviation Press: Rural Home Publications: Narrative: Four Star Publications:

Ah, Gold Medal Comics, which features that great Al Stahl art from Whitey and the Magic Crown.

Artist highlights from Thrilling Comics (1940-1942): Alexander Kostuk (Thrilling Comics #3): August Froelich (Thrilling Comics #19): Max Plaisted (Thrilling Comics #20): Jack Binder (Thrilling Comics #25): George Mandel (Thrilling Comics #31):

Lou Fine's run on the Ray from Smash Comics is definitely worth highlighting.

He and Jack Cole did some of the more creative and expressive comic book art of the 1940s as far as I’ve observed. Basil Wolverton too, who although might not be as “extreme” as Paddock, could still get rather weird. Wolverton’s drawings he did for Centaur Comics’ Amazing Mystery Funnies #24 (September, 1940) stick out to me in particular.

He only did one cover to my knowledge, and also did The Blood Pearls and The Monastery of the Blue God stories for DC's New Comics/New Adventure Comics in 1936-1938. My favorite work of his would have to be his Mars Mason stories. From Speed Comics #9 (June 1940, Harvey Comics).

Ghost Woman from Star Studded Comics (1945, Cambridge House Publishers). Art by Bernard Baily studio.

L.B. Cole not only did good covers, but also good interior art, such as with Toytown Comics #1 (February 1945, Baily Publishing Company).