Point Five Posted June 17, 2021 Share Posted June 17, 2021 53 minutes ago, Sarg said: Amazing! I never knew that "Foul Play" was ripped off by another publisher. And Fight Against Crime #17 redoes EC's "Carrion Death" story, one of my favorites by Reed Crandall. I can post that one too if there's interest. I make fun of these guys but I honestly think these stories are pretty cool. It shows in a very tangible way how EC's writers and artists were setting the gold standard for everyone else, in real time. I'll keep an eye out for more swipe stories as I fill in my missing FAC issues. buttock, Larryw7 and Paul © ® ⚽️💙™ 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fifties Posted June 18, 2021 Share Posted June 18, 2021 On 6/16/2021 at 9:52 AM, Mr.Fantastic said: Dark Mysteries is a Story Pub? I thought it was a Master Publications book? I did a little research on this, after you brought it up. Story is listed as the publisher for both Fight Against Crime, and Mysterious Adventures, while Master is listed for Dark Mysteries, on the bottom of the inside FC of each issue. Using the "Terrorology" section of "Tales Too Terrible To Tell" #5 for reference, he explains that the corporate ownership of the three titles is the same, Master Publications, as listed in the annual ownership statements. This includes the names Story, Master, and Merit, which was listed as the publisher for issues 22, 23, and 24, of DM. Therefore, it's concluded that Story is considered the publisher for all three. Larryw7 and Point Five 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fifties Posted June 18, 2021 Share Posted June 18, 2021 2 hours ago, Point Five said: And Fight Against Crime #17 redoes EC's "Carrion Death" story, one of my favorites by Reed Crandall. I can post that one too if there's interest. I make fun of these guys but I honestly think these stories are pretty cool. It shows in a very tangible way how EC's writers and artists were setting the gold standard for everyone else, in real time. I'll keep an eye out for more swipe stories as I fill in my missing FAC issues. I found that "Hear No Evil" from the October 1952 issue of CSS #13 has a very similar storyline and ending as "Deaf But Not Dumb" in Fight Against Crime #14 from July of 1953. Point Five 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larryw7 Posted June 18, 2021 Share Posted June 18, 2021 13 hours ago, Point Five said: I'm always fascinated by art swipes in the GA era... and as if to confirm their low-rent status in the publishing hierarchy, the Fight Against Crime gang were lifting **entire stories** out of fairly current EC mags. From issue #16 above, here's their not-even-thinly-disguised swipe of Jack Davis's classic "Foul Play!" story ("Foul Ball" really has a B-lister, low-energy ring to it). This goes immediately on my want list! Point Five 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Point Five Posted June 18, 2021 Share Posted June 18, 2021 5 hours ago, Larryw7 said: This goes immediately on my want list! Yay! The good news is it’s one of the easiest issues to find in the run. A number of copies seem to be out there. Larryw7 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr.Fantastic Posted June 18, 2021 Share Posted June 18, 2021 (edited) 11 hours ago, fifties said: I did a little research on this, after you brought it up. Story is listed as the publisher for both Fight Against Crime, and Mysterious Adventures, while Master is listed for Dark Mysteries, on the bottom of the inside FC of each issue. Using the "Terrorology" section of "Tales Too Terrible To Tell" #5 for reference, he explains that the corporate ownership of the three titles is the same, Master Publications, as listed in the annual ownership statements. This includes the names Story, Master, and Merit, which was listed as the publisher for issues 22, 23, and 24, of DM. Therefore, it's concluded that Story is considered the publisher for all three. Interesting. Thanks for the research, but I'm sticking with Master as the Pubs for DM. Edited June 18, 2021 by Mr.Fantastic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fifties Posted June 19, 2021 Share Posted June 19, 2021 11 hours ago, Mr.Fantastic said: Interesting. Thanks for the research, but I'm sticking with Master as the Pubs for DM. Just to play Devil's Advocate here, then how would you justify the last three issues of this title, with the indicia stating Merit as the publisher? Jayman 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr.Fantastic Posted June 19, 2021 Share Posted June 19, 2021 (edited) 2 hours ago, fifties said: Just to play Devil's Advocate here, then how would you justify the last three issues of this title, with the indicia stating Merit as the publisher? What do the other 21 issues Indica's state?? Edited June 19, 2021 by Mr.Fantastic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr.Fantastic Posted June 19, 2021 Share Posted June 19, 2021 And why does CGC recognize master as the Publisher? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr.Fantastic Posted June 19, 2021 Share Posted June 19, 2021 2 hours ago, fifties said: Just to play Devil's Advocate here, then how would you justify the last three issues of this title, with the indicia stating Merit as the publisher? BTW. I don't disagree that Merit and Master comics were both publishers of the series. In all likelihood Master Comics, Merit Comics, and Story Comics were all divisions of Master Publications, but you stated that Story Comics was the publisher of DM, MA, and FAC, which isn't necessarily the case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fifties Posted June 19, 2021 Share Posted June 19, 2021 (edited) 4 hours ago, Mr.Fantastic said: BTW. I don't disagree that Merit and Master comics were both publishers of the series. In all likelihood Master Comics, Merit Comics, and Story Comics were all divisions of Master Publications, but you stated that Story Comics was the publisher of DM, MA, and FAC, which isn't necessarily the case. "What do the other 21 issues Indica's state??" Master, as I had posted. "And why does CGC recognize master as the Publisher?" Most likely because the first 21 issues have the Master name in the indicia. If issue 24, as I posted the first page above, was to be slabbed, CGC could hardly assign Master Pubs as the publisher, when the indicia states Merit, now could they? Other sources look at it differently, as for example TTTTT, where he seemed to do an extensive probe into the publishers. Another would be Comic Book + DM and Mysterious Adventures were described as sisters in TTTTT, plus the latter and Fight Against Crime each had Story Comics in their respective indicia. So a logical conclusion might consider Story as the publisher. Having read all precode issues of the three, they are as alike as TFTC, Vault, and Crime SS, are from EC, or Chamber of Chills, Black Cat Mystery, and Tomb of Terror are from Harvey. Or Adventures Into Darkness, Out Of The Shadows, and The Unseen are from Standard. Or Adventures Into The Unknown, Forbidden Worlds, Out Of The Night, and Skeleton Hand are from ACG. I could go on, but do you get the drift here? You can consider them any way you want. My take is that they are all Story Comics. Edited June 19, 2021 by fifties Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr.Fantastic Posted June 19, 2021 Share Posted June 19, 2021 6 hours ago, fifties said: "And why does CGC recognize master as the Publisher?" Most likely because the first 21 issues have the Master name in the indicia. If issue 24, as I posted the first page above, was to be slabbed, CGC could hardly assign Master Pubs as the publisher, when the indicia states Merit, now could they? Actually, on issues 22 & 23 of Dark Mysteries CGC assigns Master Publications as the publisher with Merit listed on the Indicia. So, I would presume issue 24 wouldn't be any different. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fifties Posted June 20, 2021 Share Posted June 20, 2021 On 6/19/2021 at 6:54 AM, Mr.Fantastic said: Actually, on issues 22 & 23 of Dark Mysteries CGC assigns Master Publications as the publisher with Merit listed on the Indicia. So, I would presume issue 24 wouldn't be any different. So then one has to wonder why they don't assign Master Publications as the publisher, with Story listed on the Indicia, in the Mysterious Adventures and FAC issues... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr.Fantastic Posted June 20, 2021 Share Posted June 20, 2021 36 minutes ago, fifties said: So then one has to wonder why they don't assign Master Publications as the publisher, with Story listed on the Indicia, in the Mysterious Adventures and FAC issues... I have no idea. There's a lot of research that could be poured into the smaller Golden Age publisher's, and it would still probably be unsettled. I did find some information that the Estrow family(formerly of Ribage and Trojan Publisher's) were involved with the Master/Story/Merit Publications which was interesting, but the corporate structure during this time leaves me to question several things. It appears all three publisher's were located within the same building in NYC during the time and any books coming from any could be "related" as sister books as you mentioned. I just have to wonder why they chose to list different publisher's they way they have? Who knows, Tax benefits, corporate structure, skirting USPS regulations? Whatever the case, I'm going to enjoy my Father's Day with a long nap on the couch, and enjoy seeing the ongoing awesomeness of PCH books listed in this thread. Have a happy Father's Day! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Mr.Fantastic Posted June 21, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted June 21, 2021 Mail Call ! Received this one in the mail today. Dark Mysteries 19.............Classic Bondage in a red dress by skeletons.....Oh My! Ivan Ivanstein, vaultkeeper, Chief1332 and 15 others 17 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fifties Posted June 22, 2021 Share Posted June 22, 2021 20 hours ago, Mr.Fantastic said: Mail Call ! Received this one in the mail today. Dark Mysteries 19.............Classic Bondage in a red dress by skeletons.....Oh My! Great pickup, but how ya gonna pay the rent next month? Mr.Fantastic 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Mr. Lady Luck Posted June 23, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted June 23, 2021 New arrival... No skulls, but I still think it's an awesome cover. Larryw7, fifties, Paul © ® ⚽️💙™ and 5 others 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jayman Posted June 23, 2021 Share Posted June 23, 2021 7 minutes ago, Mr. Lady Luck said: New arrival... No skulls, but I still think it's an awesome cover. Awesome colors! I love haunted house covers too. Mr. Lady Luck 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Jayman Posted June 23, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted June 23, 2021 Here’s another St. John haunted house cover I like… Mr.Fantastic, fifties, Mr. Lady Luck and 3 others 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr.Fantastic Posted June 23, 2021 Share Posted June 23, 2021 49 minutes ago, Mr. Lady Luck said: New arrival... No skulls, but I still think it's an awesome cover. Love the way the rain is portrayed on the cover. Really makes you feel like you are there in the storm. Plus the multitude of great colors used by the artist makes it an eye-catcher. Mr. Lady Luck and Point Five 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
