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The History Of DC

Started by Ian_Levine,

70 posts in this topic

Ian_Levine

Ian_Levine

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Posted

I can't remember where this came from, but I've had it for years. There are a few innacuracies, but it makes for fascinating reading

 

1925

Oct Major Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson is cashiered from the US Army and takes to writing adventure pulp stories.  In October he opens the Wheeler-Nicholson newspaper syndicate and attempts to peddle features and comics to newspapers accross the country, including adaptions of Treasure Island and the Three Musketeers.

 

1926

Jul Wheeler-Nicholson's syndicate goes bust and he vanishes temporarily, resurfacing as a pulp writer for Adventure and Argosy.

 

1929

Aug Aug 10, 1929- Harry Donenfeld and Jack Liebowitz form Merwil Publishing which publishes a long string of semi-successful "art" magazines including Spicy, La Paree and Pep.  Merle Williams Hersey was the editor and "front" for the company.  Harry also owned Donny Press which printed covers for  magazines.

 

1931

Aug Street and Smith launches The Shadow pulp magazine based loosely on their hit radio program.

.   

1932

  Paul Sampliner and Harry Donenfeld form Independent News, a magazine distribution company, financed by Sampliner's mother, Gisella Frank..

Jan  Julius Schwartz and Mort Weisinger publish the first national science fiction fanzine, Time Traveller, becoming the focal point of the burgeoning young science fiction field.

Sep Time Traveller is replaced by Science Fiction Digest after eight issues..

Oct Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster publish their own fanzine Science Fiction.

   

1933

Jan Jerry Siegel publishes :"The Reign of the Superman" in Science Fiction 3.  Following which, he and Joe Shuster develop Superman into a comic strip.

Win Humor Publishing puts out Detective Ace King, Bob Scully- Two Fisted Hick Detective, and Detective Dan, Secret Operative 48, the first all-new comic books.  (91/2x12 tabloid size).  They agree to publish Siegel's Superman but suddenly drop the whole line, leaving Siegel and Shuster with a completed issue and no publisher.  More details about Jerry and Joe's early efforts.

Mar Lester Dent's Doc Savage first appears as a pulp magazine from Street and Smith.

Apr Eastern Color printing produces a tabloid size comic newspaper to be distributed free at Gulf Gas Stations. Gulf Comic Weekly.

 Spr Harry Wildenberg of Eastern Color Printing determines folding the tabloid size used in Gulf Comic Weekly in half produces a useful easy to carry page size on which a full color Sunday funnies page can fit proportionally.  Charlie Gaines begins selling these custom comic books to companies like Proctor and Gamble to use as premiums.  P&G ordered a million copies of Funnies on Parade!

Oct Detective Dan resurfaces as comic strip Dan Dunn.

   

1934 

Win Charlie Gaines puts $.10 stickers on Famous Funnies a Carnival of Comics (originally a Wheetena promotional comic) and sells them out at New York newstands.

  Spr Eastern and George Delacourte (Dell) put out Famous Funnies Series One and sell out 40,000 copies in 30 days, but Delacourte pulls out because he can't sell any advertising.

Apr Donenfeld and Frank Armer launch Spicy Detective.

For more about Donenfeld's other magazines and comics, click DC's "Other" Comics.

Jul Eastern launches Famous Funnies as a series by themselves.  200,000 copies are distributed by American News.

Fal Gaines moves to McClure and puts out Skippy, a premium for Phillips Dental Magnesia.

Nov Sally the Sleuth by Adolphe Barreaux is the first comic strip published in Spicy Detective.  Most of Donenfeld's pulps carry a comic strip after this point.

   

1935

  Julie Schwartz and Mort Weisinger form the Solar Sales Agency and become the first literary agents in the science fiction magazine world.  Although Mort leaves early on, Julie's client list soon includes Alfred Bester, H. P. Lovecraft and Ray Bradbury.

Feb Pulp writer Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson starts National Allied Magazines and puts out Fun Comics #1 (New Fun with #2).  An oversized mostly black and white collection of mostly original comic strips.  Edited by Lloyd Jacquet.  Issues 1-6 are tab sized- 10X15.  All issues are 36 pages except 6 which is 44, but has no glossy cover. Each  feature is one page or less, so there are 20 features in the first issue. including Sandra of the Secret Service, Don Drake on the Planet Saro, and Barry O'Neil.

Aug By New Fun 5 Jacquet has left the company and Wheeler-Nicholson  is listed as editor.

Oct New Fun 6 contains 1st Siegel and Shuster work-Henri Duvall & Dr.  Occult.

Dec New Comics begins, published by National Allied (1-5), later Nicholson Publishing (6-26).  This book was done in the new, smaller Famous Funnies size (7 1/2 X 10 1/2), which was becoming the standard for all comic books.  The early issues (1-5) were  80 pages long, but still sold  for $.10 because no glossy cover stock was used.  Issues 1-4 feature Mr. Weed and J Worthington Blimp by Sheldon Mayer before he leaves because he doesn't get paid. Edited by William Cook and John Mahon; Vin Sullivan Asst ed.  Although some stories are up to 4 pages long, the first issue still features 23 separate strips.

   

1936

Jan New Fun becomes More Fun Comics with #7 and acquires a new publisher, More Fun Inc. (actually still Nicholson). (7-8 still tab sized-10X12 44 pages, paper covers) .

New Comics #2 Siegel & Shuster start Federal Men.

Feb More Fun #8 Cook and Mahon have left the company and Wheeler-Nicholson is listed as editor, with Vin Sullivan and Whitney Ellsworth as assistants.

Gaines packages Popular Comics for Dell. Sheldon Mayer is his editor.  Popular Comics was followed by The Funnies and The Comics.  Newspaper reprints included Skippy, Mutt and Jeff, Believe It or Not, Reg'lar Fellers and others.

Mar Big Book of Fun Comics (1st annual-48pgs reprints from New Fun 1-4). Distributed only through F. W. Woolworths.

Apr More Fun #9- now 7 1/2 x10 1/2 and 68 pages, still with paper covers.

May Former National editors William Cook and John Mahon strike out on their own and publish Comics Magazine containing purloined National strips including Dr. Occult and Federal Men, Spy under new names.  Dr  Occult becomes Dr Mystic, Bart Regan, Spy becomes Federal Agent.

Jun

July New Comics #6 is 68 pages. 

Siegel and Shuster's Calling All Cars, later known as Radio Squad, begins a long run More Fun 11.

Sheldon Mayer's Scribbly debuts in Popular Comics #6 from Dell. 

Aug Jack Schiff, editor at Standard Publications hires Mort Weisinger.  Standard is a pulp magazine company which publishes Thrilling Wonder Stories, Captain Future and the Phantom Detective.

Nov More Fun 15-31 published by Nicholson Publishing Company.

Sheldon Mayer's Scribbly moves to The Funnies #2 from Dell after three appearances in Popular Comics.

   

1937

Jan New Comics renamed New Adventure Comics (#12)

Mar Nicholson's printer Harry Donenfeld finances a new title for him.  Detective Comics is published by Detective Comics Inc.  and edited by Nicholson, Vin Sullivan and Whitney Ellsworth.  Siegel and Shuster have two features in the book, Slam Bradley and Bart Regan, Spy.

They are joined by Speed Saunders and Cosmo, Phantom of Disguise.

June New Book Of Comics begins- all reprints

   

1938

Mar New Adventure 25 and 26 and More Fun 30 and 31 are published by A. I. Menin as bankruptcy trustee.

Whitney Ellsworth leaves to pursue new opportunities in Hollywood (like actually getting paid).

May Bob Kane's Rusty and His Pals debuts in New Adventure.  His Ginger Snap debuts in More Fun 31.

Jun Jack Liebowitz acquires More Fun (32) and New Adventure Comics (27) for Harry Donenfeld at a bankruptcy auction. 

Sheldon Mayer and Charlie Gaines bring Superman to Vin Sullivan as a new feature for Action Comics.  All four titles are now published by Detective Comics Inc.  Donenfeld eventually buys out Wheeler-NIcholson's share of the company in return for ten year's royalties on the sales of More Fun.

Nov New Adventure Comics renamed Adventure Comics (#32)

   

1939

Jan Superman newspaper strip begins.  First complete origin of Superman  showing Jor-El and Lara.

Apr Charlie Gaines goes into partnership with Donenfeld and Liebowitz to produce new comic book titles. All-American Comics and Movie Comics begin, edited by Sheldon Mayer. All-American is mostly strip reprints, but does feature Mayer's Scribbly and Jon Blummer's Hop Harrigan.  Many of the strips were formerly featured in The Funnies and other Dell titles that Gaines and Mayer had produced, including Ben Webster, Reg'lar Fellers, Believe It or Not, Skippy and Mutt and Jeff.

Movie Comics features short movie adaptations with photo heads pasted over cartoon bodies.  Yuchh!  It fails after 6 issues.

  New York World's Fair Comics is published exclusively at the Fair Grounds for $.25.  Later issued at newsstands for $.15.  The first issue features many of Detective Comics' top character including Superman and the new Sandman.

May Bob Kane is asked to create a new super-hero to capitalize on success of Superman.  With help of Bill Finger he comes up with Batman who first appears in Detective Comics #27.

Fox Comics publishes the only adventure of Wonder Man in Wonder Comics #1.  Donenfeld and Liebowitz immediately secure an  injunction  preventing Fox from using Wonderman again as an infringement on Detective Comics' Superman.

Jul Bert Christman's Sandman begins in Adventure 40.

The Black Bat appears in Black Book Detective, a pulp magazine published by Standard and edited by Mort Weisinger.  Whitney Ellsworth is one of the early ghosts who signs to the name G. Wayman Jones.  The Black Bat is a caped and cowled avenger of the night.  After fevered negotiations between Ellsworth and Sullivan, the two companies agree not to sue each other.

Sum Gaines decides to put out a Mutt and Jeff collection.  Purportedly Mutt and Jeff becomes his best selling title.

  Superman one shot album published reprinting the first four Action stories. It goes back to press twice and sells so well a regular book is scheduled.

Nov Superman Sunday strip added.  First appearance of the Daily Planet. Gardner Fox writes the origin of Batman  in Detective 33. 

   

1940

Jan Vin Sullivan leaves Detective Comics in a dispute over royalties for New York World's Fair.  Whitney Ellsworth returns and becomes Editor.

Gaines and Liebowitz replace Movie Comics with Flash Comics  (AA).  Gardner Fox creates the Flash and Hawkman, John Wentworth creates Johnny Thunder and the Whip.

Feb The Adventures of Superman radio show begins, produced by Former Spicy pulp writer Robert Maxwell and Alan Ducovny.  First appearance of Perry White. 

Jerry Siegel's Spectre debuts in More  Fun 52, with art by Bernard Baily.

Fawcett puts out first Captain Marvel in Whiz 2.

Mar Ken Fitch's Hourman begins in Adventure 48 with art by Bernard Baily.

c. Whitney Ellsworth hires Murray Boltinoff to be associate editor of National Comics.

Apr Robin debuts in Detective 38.   The addition of a young boy to the strip, allows greater reader identification from the young audience, and propels the strip to new heights of popularity.

Luthor first appears in Action 23 and  Superman 4. 

Jimmy Olsen 1st appears on Superman radio show.

May Gardner Fox's Dr. Fate begins in More Fun 55, with art by Howard Sherman.

Jun Batman starts own title.  The Joker and Catwoman introduced.  One  story is a pre-Robin leftover from Detective (DC).

Jul All-American Comics #16 features the first  app of Martin Nodell and  Bill Finger's Green Lantern.

All-Star Comics begins (1st issue co-published by DC and AA, after that just AA).  Features two strips each from Adventure, More Fun, Flash and All-American.  Based on the success of New York World's Fair.

Aug

Sep Roy the Superboy first appears in MLJ's Top-Notch #8, a name which must have incensed Superman Inc..

Oct The Atom by Bill O'Connor and Ben  Flinton.begins in All-American Comics #19 .

Nov Ma Hunkle becomes the Red Tornado in Sheldon Mayer's Scribbly strip  in All-American 20.

   

1941 

  Adventures of Captain Marvel movie serial from Republic Pictures.

Ted Udall becomes assistant editor at All-American Comics.

Jan All-Star Comics #3 First app of the Justice Society of America.  At the behest of the President, Atom, Dr. Fate, Flash, Green Lantern, Hawkman, Hourman, Sandman and the Spectre gather to fight the enemies of America.  Johnny Thunder and Red Tornado guest star.

Feb "A DC Publication" bullet appears for the first time.

Mar Joe Simon and Jack Kirby create Captain America for Martin Goodman's Timely Comics, becoming two of comics early super-stars by plastering their names on every story.

Apr World's Best Comics begins (DC) 100 pages for $.15 featuring Superman, Batman, Sandman and many others.  On sale Feb 10.

Chuck Reizenstein's Dr. Mid-Nite begins in All-American 25 with art by Stan Aschmeir.  Jack Burnley's Starman begins in Adventure 61.

May John Wentworth's Sargon the Sorceror begins in All-American 26, with art by Howard Purcell.

Jun Detective Comics, Inc. sends Fawcett a cease and desist letter over Captain  Marvel.

Whit Ellsworth hires Mort Weisinger to be associate editor of Detective Comics Inc. and puts him in charge of Batman and More Fun.  Murray Boltinoff is in charge of Adventure.  Ellsworth handles Superman himself.

Jul World's Best Comics renamed World's Finest Comics with #2. On sale May 16. 

All-Flash Comics begins (AA).  First AA character to win his own title.

Sum Sprang begins drawing Batman stories which are stockpiled in case  Bob Kane is drafted.

Quality Comics debuts Chuck Cuidera's Blackhawk in Military Comics #1 and Jack Cole's Plastic Man in Police Comics #1.

Sep Detective Comics, Inc. files legal action against Fawcett for copyright  infringement.

Sep 26, 1941 Fleisher Studios Superman cartoons begin.

Mort Weisinger's Johnny Quick begins in More Fun 71.  Jerry Siegel's Star Spangled Kid is previewed in Action 40.

Oct Star Spangled Comics begins (DC) featuring Jerry Siegel's Star Spangled Kid, Tarantula, Captain X and Armstrong of the Army.  Two to three Star Spangled Kid stories in the early issues.

Nov Green Lantern gets his own title (AA).

Bullet changed to "A Superman-DC Publication".

Mort Weisinger's Aquaman (art by Paul Norris) and Green Arrow (art by George Papp) begin in More Fun 73. His Vigilante begins in Action Comics 42 with art by Mort Meskin.

Dec Jerry Siegel's Percival Popp the Super Cop joins the Spectre in More Fun 74. Sandy the Golden Boy joins Sandman in Adventure 69. New yellow and purple costume with cape by Chad Grothkopf?

All-Star Comics #8 features an extra 8 pages to preview  Wonder  Woman.  Starman and Sandman join the JSA.

   

1942

  Fawcett's Spy Smasher gets his own movie serial from Republic Pictures.

Sol Harrison, formerly of Strauss Photoengraving, become art director of All-American Comics.

Jan Leading Comics begins (DC) featuring the 7 Soldiers of Victory,  heroes from Action, Adventure, Detective and Star Spangled featured in one story.

Sensation Comics begins (AA).  Psychologist William Moulton Marston creates Wonder Woman, whose first appearance was actually in All-Star 8.  Harry G. Peter draws.  Other features include Bill Finger's Wildcat (art by Irwin Hasen) and Little Boy Blue (art by Jon Blummer), and Chuck Reizenstein's Mr. Terrific (art by Hal Sharpe).

Feb Mort Weisinger's Airwave debuts in Detective 60 with art by Lee Harris.

Mar Green Arrow takes over the cover of More Fun.with 77.

Apr In a contract disupute with Goodman, Simon and Kirby leave and sign with Detective Comics. They take over Sandman and create Manhunter in Adventure 73. NewsboyLegion begins in Star-Spangled 7.

Jerry Siegel's Robotman begins in the same issue, with art by the Shuster shop (Nowak and Cassidy).  These are the last new super-hero strips published by DC/All-American in the Golden Age.

Jun Simon and Kirby's Boy Commandos begins in Detective 64. Their first cover appearance is on Detective 65, a Kirby/Robinson collaboration.

Aug Al Bester and Stan Kaye's Genius Jones, the Answer Man begins in  Adventure 77.

8/31 Hop Harrigan, America's Ace of the Airwaves begins on the Blue Network.  Runs through 2/6/48.  

Sep Wonder Woman is awarded her own title in record time (AA).

Oct Picture Stories from the Bible (AA) begins.  Bible stories illustrated by  Don Cameron (not the Superman/ Batman writer).  First four issues  feature the Old Testament.  Bullet says "A DC publication" rather than "A  Superman DC publication".  The issues are copyrighted by M.C. Gaines, personally, rather than one of the corporations belonging to the All-American group.

Dec Boy Commandos graduate to their own title (DC).

Comic Cavalcade begins (AA).  A 100 page title in the World's Finest format, dedicated to the AA characters and featuring Wonder Woman, Flash and Green Lantern on each cover.  Other features vary widely from issue to issue.

   

1943 

Jan Superman 20 contains an announcement that Mort Weisinger and Murray Boltinoff are now in the military.  Jack Schiff, with Bernie Breslauer, edits all the Superman/Detective Comics titles for the duration of the war.

Jack Schiff's first story appears in Worlds Finest 8

c. Dorothy Roubichek is a story editor at All-American Comics.  She leaves for Timely in 1944.  She would return to National as a full editor in the late sixties/early seventies under the name Dorothy Woolfolk.  Larry Nadle also becomes a story editor at All-American at this time.

Feb Hourman ends Adventure 83, replaced by Mike Gibbs, Guerrilla

Apr  Alfred first appears in Batman 16.  The character was created for the movie serial.

All books cut to 60 pages due to wartime paper restrictions.  With issue All-Star 20, two JSAers lose their solo chapters due to the page cuts.  First, Sandman and Dr. Fate axed.  Then, Atom and Spectre left out of 21.  After that Sandman and Dr. Fate are gone altogether.  

Jun Adventure becomes bi-monthly with 86. More Fun with 92. Many books cut back to bimonthly or quarterly. All-American becomes 8 times a year.

Kryptonite first appears on the Adventures of Superman radio show.  The concept is based on an unpublished Superman story by Jerry Siegel.

The King dropped from Flash Comics 42 due to page cuts.

World's Finest cut to 92 pages with issue 10.

Comic Cavalcade cut to 92 pages with issue 3.

Jul July 16, 1943 Batman movie serial appears.

Superman 23 contains the first Superman story not written by Jerry Siegel, who has been drafted.  Although Siegel continues to send in scripts throughout the war, most stories are written by other writers, primarily Don Cameron and Bill Finger.

Sargon dropped from All-American with 51 due to page cuts.

Aug Spy dropped from Detective78 and TNT dropped from Star Spangled 24 due to page cuts.

Oct October 25, 1943- Batman daily comic strip begins.  Bob Kane contributes almost no art to the comic books after this point, which are primarily handled by Sprang and Jerry Robinson.

Al Bester creates the classic "In brightest day, In blackest nIght" oath in Green Lantern #9.

Nov Whitney Ellsworth and Henry Boltinoff's Dover and Clover begins in  More Fun 94.

Dec Picture Stories from the Bible-Complete Old Testament (AA) 50  cents, 232 pages.  Reprints all 4 earlier issues.

   

1944 

Jan  All Funny Comics begins (DC- but no DC bullet on cover. Tilsam is listed as the publisher.  Tilsam formerly published a cheesecake magazine called Real Screen Fun that was apparently shut down by the postal authorities.  Possibly this publisher was used because they still had a paper allocation.)  Edited by Whitney Ellsworth and Bernie Breslauer.  Hayfoot Henry and Buzzy begin.  Genius Jones, Dover and Clover, and Penniless Palmer move in from Adventure, More Fun and Star Spangled.

Feb Science fiction agent Julie Schwartz interviews with Sheldon Mayer for a job as an editor at All-American (replacing Dorothy Roubichek).

Apr World's Finest cut to 84 pages.

Comic  Cavalcade cut to 84 pages with issue 6.

Roy the Superboy makes his final appearance in Shield-Wizard #13. 

May May 8, 1944 Wonder Woman comic strip begins. Runs until August  1945.

Jun Gil Kane takes over Sandman as ghost for Jack Kirby in Adventure 92.

Jul  Sheldon Mayer's Funny Stuff begins (AA), introducing the Three Mouseketeers, McSnurtle the Turtle, The Terrific Whatsit, Bulldog Drumhead and many others.

Aug  With issue 99 More Fun drops to 52 pages, as do all the other DC titles. Dr. Fate ends.  Other features that get the ax due to the page cut are Manhunter in Adventure 93, Crimson Avenger in Detective 90, Scribbly in All-American 60 (and Atom in 62), Americommando in Action 75,  and The Whip in Flash 56.

Dec Alvin Schwartz and George Storm's Buzzy begins (DC) from All Funny.  A teen age strip ostensibly set in the present, it looks suspiciously like the Jazz Age, but that doesn't stop the book for lasting over 10 years.

   

1945

Jan  Superboy begins in More Fun Comics 101, hidden in the back, with nary so much as a cover mention.  The first adventure is written by Jerry Siegel and drawn by Joe Shuster, but the publisher does not include the Siegel and Shuster by-line that graces their other work.  Although Don Cameron takes over as writer with the second story, Shuster continues to provide the artwork.  When Siegel returns from military service, he files suit against Detective Comics, claiming they used his story without credit or remuneration.

Feb All-American Comics splits away and begins using AA symbol on covers, beginning with All-Flash 17, Sensation 38, Comic Cavalcade 9, Flash 62, Green Lantern 14, Funny Stuff 3, and Mutt and Jeff 16.

Superman meets Batman on the radio show for the first time (though they met in All-Star #8). 

Joe Kubert draws Hawkman for the first time in Flash 62.

Apr Starman and Spectre dropped from the JSA in All-Star 24.  From now,  on only AA heroes appear in the book.

May  Whitney Ellsworth goes to Hollywood and comes back with the rights to the Columbia cartoons. Real Screen Comics begins (DC), produced by the Sangor Comic Shop. Fox and Crow, DC's longest running and most successful humor strip begins.

Bob Kanigher begins at AA, writing Wonder Woman stories for  Sensation Comics.  

Jun  Comic Cavalcade cut to 76 pages with issue 11.

Aug Leading Comics 15 converts to a funny animal comic. Edited by Bernie Breslauer, it's DC's first in-house animal book.   Features Nero Fox (Ed Dunn?), Spylot Bones (Otto Feuer) and King Oscar's Court (Rube Grossman)

Sep World's Finest cut to 76 pages with 19.

Fall With the end of the war, drafted cartoonists begin returning to look for their old jobs back.  Many are not successful.  Mort Weisinger and Murray Boltinoff return to editorial positions at DC, but find themselves now working for Jack Schiff.  Simon and Kirby sign a new contract with Harvey and do not return to DC, but Kirby continues to produce new art sporadically for the Boy Commandos on a free lance basis.

Nov The All-American titles issued this month have blank spaces in the indicia where M. C. Gaines' name is supposed to be.  Gaines has sold his half of the company to Detective Comics, Inc sometime prior to  September 25, 1945.  There was just barely time to scrape his name off the books but not to replace the AA symbol on the cover.

Dec The All-American titles once again bear the DC symbol, starting with  Sensation 48, and Flash 68. 

Superman vs. the Atom Man is a spectacular serial running well over a month on the Superman radio show.  Atom Man is a kryptonite powered Nazi who battles Superman to a collossal airborne climax, in what some have called the "Greatest Superman story ever, in any medium."

 

1946

Hop Harrigan movie serial from Columbia.

Robert Kanigher becomes an assistant editor at All-American, replacing Ted Udall.

Mar  War Time paper quotas end, beginning a newsstand explosion as new comic titles and companies flood the market.   More Fun and All-American become monthlies, while All Funny, Wonder Woman, World's Finest, Buzzy and Boy Commandos are all promoted to bi-monthly.

Jack Schiff brings out Real Fact Comics. 

More Fun becomes a humor title, starring Dover and Clover and Genius Jones.

DC adds another funny animal title to its stable, Animal Antics, starring the Raccoon Kids and Eager Beaver, both by Otto Feuer and Tortoise and the Hare by Rube Grossman, edited by Bernie Breslauer. 

Statements Of Ownership printed in this month;s titles, but dated September 25, 1945 indicate that Donenfeld and Sampliner have bought out Gaines' share of All-American Comics.  Gaines goes on to set up Educational Comics, taking the Picture Stories line with him.  Sheldon Mayer continues to edit the All-American titles separately from Whitney Ellsworth's Detective Comics titles.  Picture Stories from American History is Gaines' first book under the Educational Comics banner.

Sol Harrison, formerly an All-American employee, becomes production manager of National Comics. 

Apr  Comic Cavalcade, All Star Comics, Green Lantern, All-Flash, Leading Comics, and Real Screen become bi-monthlies. Flash Comics, Adventure Comics, and Funny Stuff become monthlies. 

Sheldon Mayer begins Funny Folks, a new funny animal title.  Woody Gelman's Nutsy Squirrel begins.

Superboy, Green Arrow, and Aquaman move from More Fun Comics to Adventure Comics with 103.

The Atom strip ends in All-American 72, replaced by the Black Pirate, moving over from Sensation, where he's replaced by Sargon the Sorceror, back from a three year hiatus. 

May Gene Autry gets his own comic book from Dell.

Jul  Curt Swan first draws Boy Commandos in World’s Finest 23(?).

Sum  Hopalong Cassidy begins from Fawcett- soon becomes their 2nd most popular title, after Captain Marvel Adventures.  Publishers begin to seize on westerns as the latest comics fad.

Sep Sept 30, 1946-All-American and Detective merged into National Comics.

Oct Action 101 features Superman photographing an Atomic Bomb test. First DC atomic bomb cover.  Beginning of Atom Age of Comics?

Nov  Nov 2, 1946- Batman comic strip ends.  Bob Kane returns to drawing  comic book stories.

   

1947

Vigilante movie serial from Columbia.

Most National titles now printed by the Bridgport Herald company in Bridgeport CT.

Feb Robin solo series begins in Star Spangled Comics. 

Peter Porkchops introduced in  Leading 23.  Earlier line-up completely replaced. 

Atom revived in Flash 80

Mar  Dodo and the Frog introduced in Funny Stuff 19

Apr Jimminy and the Magic Book by Jack Mendelsohn and Howie Post debuts in More Fun 121.

 May Robert Kanigher introduces Wonder Girl in Wonder Woman 23.

Namora first appears in Marvel Mystery 82, followed by Sun Girl and Golden Girl and the Blonde Phantom as an attempt to recapture older readers by adding females to existing comic features begins.. 

Jun  Joe Samachson's Tomahawk begins in Star Spangled 69.

Jul Last Siegel and Shuster bylines appear on Superman and Superboy, as the two leave National to create Funnyman and institute a lawsuit over the ownership of Superman.

Aug  Superman and Batman appear with the JSA in All Star 36. 

DC begins to emphasize females in some of its books,  primarily instigated by Robert Kanigher.  Black Canary begins in the Johnny Thunder feature in Flash  86 (art by Carmine Infantino).

Charlie Gaines dies  in a boating accident.  His son, William becomes head of EC Comics and changes the company name from Educational Comics to Entertaining Comics.

Ruth Roche and Matt Baker's Phantom Lady begins from Fox, pushing the concept of "good girl art" over the top, as it were.

Sep Robert Kanigher introduces the Harlequin in All-American 89.

Simon and Kirby create romance comics, with Young Romance from  Prize/Crestwood.

Oct  A Date With Judy begins- licensed radio show comic book drawn by Graham Place.  The company believes an already established property is  the easiest way to get a toehold into the "Archie"  teen market.

Nov  More Fun Comics cancelled (#147).  According to Jack Schiff, the book  was actually losing money.  Oft rumored to have been kept alive due to  a 10 year agreement with Wheeler-Nicholson that expired at this point.

Change in contents with All Funny 20.  New series Doc and Fatty, about two inept time travelers becomes the cover feature. (art by Howard Sherman).

Robert Kanigher's Rose and the Thorn appear in Flash 89 (art by Joe Kubert).

Dec  All-Flash Comics cancelled (#32). First appearance of Robert Kanigher's Star Sapphire.  First Carmine Infantino art on Flash. ("Crime, Incorporated")

First Alex Toth art on Green Lantern in All-American 92 ("The Icicle Goes South").  Toth, Kubert and Infantino are in the thick of an art revolution going on at National, as the florid pre-war Alex Raymond style, and the wartime cartoony style are both rejected in a favor of a Caniff based version of "realism".

All Star 38 features the first JSA story without solo chapters for each ream member.  Black Canary guest stars. She continues to appear in each issue although she doesn't join the team until #41.

DC looks for a respectable way to get into the crime comics market and finds it by licensing one of the most popular radio shows in America, Gang Busters.  Jack Schiff edits. 

   

1948 continues in the next post......

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Ian_Levine

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1948

Adventures of Superman serial released. 

Congo Bill movie serial, both Columbia. 

Jan 1948 is the year of the Western, as every publisher launches two or three new titles in this genre.  National starts with Jack Schiff's Western Comics, initially starring Action standby the Vigilante, it quickly becomes the home of the Wyoming Kid, Cowboy Marshall, and Rodeo Rick.

Mr. District Attorney, DC's 2nd Crime title begins. (Another  licensed radio show).

Feb  Leave It To Binky begins.  Last title edited by Sheldon Mayer.  Art by Bob Oksner.  Mayer contributes Little Allergy.  Hal Seegar writes. 

Robert Kanigher introduces Streak the Wonder Dog in Green Lantern 30.  Before Alan Scott knew it, the dog had kicked him off the cover!

Black Canary kicks Johnny Thunder out of Flash 92.

Mar Mar 19 1948- Dr. Frederic Wertham hosts a symposium on "The Psycopathology of Comic Books." Results published in the March 27 issue of Colliers.

May All Funny Comics cancelled (#23).

Jun 

Jul  Whitney Ellsworth becomes Editor In Chief of both the National (All-American) and Superman (Detective) groups, as Sheldon Mayer leaves his position to concentrate on cartooning.  Robert Kanigher becomes editor of Wonder Woman and Sensation. Julius Schwartz becomes editor of Flash, Green Lantern, and All Star. 

Otto Binder's Merry the Gimmick Girl begins in Star Spangled 82,  replacing her brother, the Star-Spangled Kid in #87.

Aug  Scribbly begins, as Sheldon Mayer returns to drawing.  Scribbly is now older and taller and the Red Tornado is long gone, but the humor remains the same.

Robert Kanigher and Alex Toth create the new western Johnny Thunder  in All-American 100. Hawkman and Atom get new costumes in Flash 98.

 

Mort Weisinger revamps Superman, dumping all the old artists and replacing them with Wayne Boring, Al Plastino and Win Mortimer (on the comic strip).  New direction emphasizes science fiction, alternating with humor.  Almost every issue features a Lois Lane story.

Oct  Roy Rogers got his own comic from Dell in January, now Dale Evans Comics begins from National (Schiff). Can Trigger be far behind ?  (Nope, Dell- 1951).  The Roy Rogers TV show doesn't begin until December 1951.

 

Adventures into the Unknown from ACG- first horror comic.

Nov  Dr. Mid-Nite and the Black Pirate end as All-American Comics is renamed All-American Western (#103).  Johnny Thunder is joined by Overland Coach, Minstrel Maverick and Foley of the Fighting Fifth.  Green Lantern still has his own title, but not for long.

Dec Lady Danger begins in Sensation 84, replaces Little Boy Blue.

 

Kryptonite makes its first comic book appearance in Superman 61.

 

Comic Cavalcade switches to all funny animal contents, combining Fox  and Crow, Nutsy Squirrel, Dodo and the Frog, the Raccoon Kids and others into one title.

 

William Woolfolk becomes the only person to write Superman and Captain Marvel simultaneously, (Superman 55) by submitting Superman scripts under his wife's name (Dorothy Roubichek Woolfolk).

   

1949

 

Batman and Robin serial released.

 

New York State Joint Legislative Committee to study the Publication of Comics holds first annual hearings.

Feb  Flash Comics cancelled (#104) last solo Flash, Black Canary and  Hawkman stories.

Mar  Miss Beverly Hills Of Hollywood begins. Lasts 9 issues.  Semi-licensed titles as the book features lots of Hollywood guest stars.

 

Superboy gets his own comic book.  Only new successful super-hero title since the early forties, though it's really more of a teen book.

Apr Leading Screen, Animal Antics, and Real Screen join the other funny animal titles under Larry Nadle, due to the death of editor Bernie Breslauer.

 

May  Green Lantern cancelled (#38).  End of the Golden Age. And the damn dog's got the cover all to himself!

Jun Wildcat ends in Sensation Comics 90, replaced by Streak the Wonder  Dog.

Jul  Julie Schwartz heads down that Romance Trail. (6 issues).

 

Real Fact Comics cancelled.

 

Bob Kane makes his last significant contribution to Batman art in World's Finest 41, as he turns over the bulk of the work to his assistants, starting with Lew Sayre Schwartz.

Aug  Robert Kanigher launches Girls' Love Stories.  Only issue 1 sports a  DC bullet (after that the bullet says Girls' Love Stories).  Photo cover.  Issue 9 on published by Signal.

 

Public Service pages written by Jack Schiff  and done in conjunction with the National Social Welfare Assembly begin to appear in each title.  They lasted until Schiff's retirement in 1967 and featured many of DC's characters in short tales devoted to good citizenship.

Sep  Jimmy Wakely begins (18 issues)  Wakely was a movie "star". Many  issues have Alex Toth artwork.  Edited by Julius Schwartz.

 

Robert Kanigher's second romance comic, Secret Hearts begins, sporting a photo cover.  Only the first issue has a DC bullet.  After that, no bullet at all.

 

Oct  Adventures Of Alan Ladd begins (9 issues- edited by Jack Schiff?)

 

Ozzie And Harriet begins (licensed from radio program) (5 issues- edited by Larry Nadle).

Nov  DC bullet changed to say "Superman-DC-National Comics" rather than "A Superman-DC Publication".

 

Irwin Hasen replaces Harry Peter as Sensation cover artist with 94. The book is cut to bi-monthly.  Dr. Pat and Romance Inc. replace Streak the Wonder Dog and Lady Danger.  New covers emphasize Sensation as a romance comic.

 

Peter Porkchops is spun off from Leading Comics into his own title.

 

Boy Commandos cancelled (#36).

 

Roy Raymond replaces Slam Bradley in Detective 153.

 

First Supergirl story in Superboy 5.

 

Tomahawk takes over the cover spot on Star-Spangled 98.

 

   

1950

 

Atom Man vs. Superman movie serial released (Columbia).  First appearance of the Phantom Zone concept- called "The Empty Doom."

Jan In an attempt to make it seem that all of DC's funny animals have their own cartoon series, the anthology books are retitled to claim non-existent Hollywood connections.  Animal Antics renamed Movie Town's Animal Antics (#24)

 

Graham Place replaces George Storm on Buzzy (#29), converting a whimsical oddity into a more standard teen comedy.

 

 

Feb  Adventures Of Bob Hope begins written by Cal Howard with art by Owen Fitzgerald. (Larry Nadle editor)

 

Girls' Romances begins- no DC bullet on the cover. (Robert Kanigher, editor).  (7 on published by Signal)

 

Miss Melody Lane Of Broadway begins (3 issues)- same premise as  Miss Beverly Hills, but with Broadway stars. Art by Bob Oksner.

 

Mar  Feature Films begins adapts Captain China starring John Payne in the first issue (4 issues total). Art by Jack Sparling.

Apr  Trial judge issues decision in Captain Marvel vs. Superman- actual copying occurred but Superman's copyright is defective due to improper notices on the Superman newspaper strip leading to the copyright being "abandoned".  The decision was reversed on appeal a year later.

 

Crypt of Terror- first EC horror comic.

 

Leading Comics renamed Leading Screen Comics (#42)

 

May  May 2, 1950 Estes Kefauver appointed chairman of the Special Senate Committee to Investigate Organized Crime in Interstate Commerce.  This branches into a study of juvenile delinquency and comic books.  Frederic Wertham appointed psychiatric consultant.

 

First Superbaby story in Superboy 8.  It was Bill Finger and Curt Swan's  fault.

 

Weird Science and Weird Fantasy begin from EC comics.

 

Jul  The romance boom of 1949 turns into the romance bust of 1950. Romance Trail is replaced by Danger Trail (5 issues).  Secret Hearts goes on hiatus for a year (#6). 

Aug Aug 5 1950 The Kefauver Committee surveys all the top comic book companies asking for circulation figures, demographics, income, opinions about juvenile delinquency and whether or not their books have been approved by psychiatrists.

 

Julie Schwartz inaugurates Strange Adventures, DC's first science fiction  title with an adaptation of the film, Destination Moon.

 

Funny Folks renamed Hollywood Funny Folks (#27)

 

Sep  Tomahawk gets his own book.

 

Bill Finger's  Lana Lang first appears in Superboy 10.

 

Astra, Girl of the Future begins in Sensation 99 by Robert Kanigher and Irwin Hasen. Sensation covers switch to emphasizing action, adventure and science fiction from romance.

Oct  Scribbly goes on hiatus with issue 13.  Sheldon Mayer spends his time drawing back-up series in the various funny animal titles beginning with Bo Bunny in Funny Folks 28(?) and  Dizzy Dog  in Comic Cavalcade 41(?).

Dec EC’s Two-Fisted Tales begins

 

DC licenses Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer from the May Company.  An annual comic book tradition that lasts until 1962 is begun.  Sy Reit and Rube Grossman are the writer and artist.

   

1951

 

Jan  Big Town begins, based on the radio and TV show about a crime fighting newspaper reporter.

Apr  All Star Comics renamed All Star Western (#58). The Trigger Twins and Strong Bow begin.  JSA ends.

 

Julie Schwartz inaugurates Mystery In Space.

May Strange Adventures #8 features a gorilla on the cover.  High sales prompt National to go on a gorilla cover binge that lasts over a decade.

Jun  Captain Comet by John Broome and Carmine Infantino begins in Strange Adventures 9. 

Oct Adventure cut to 44 pages with 169, The Shining Knight is dropped from the book (last in 166).

Nov  Detective cut to 44 pages with 177, Action cut to 44 pages with 162.  Many of the less popular titles cut directly to 36 pages, like Sensation with 106.

 

Julius Schwartz takes over Big Town from Jack Schiff.  John Broome becomes the writer and Manny Stallman the artist.

 

Terry Thirteen, the Ghost Breaker debuts in Star Spangled 122.

 

Sheldon Mayer takes over Doodles Duck from Howie Post in Movie Town’s Animal Antics 35(?).

 

Scribbly returns for a two issue run (14-15)

 

Dec Superman and The Mole Men released.  First film featuring George Reeves as Superman.

 

Jack Schiff’s House Of Mystery is DC’s first "horror" title.  Not really, because every supernatural thing that happens turns out to be a hoax.

 

Secret Hearts revived (#7).  Now published by Beverly.

 

World's Finest cut to 68 pages.

 

Superboy faces Kryptonite for the first time, but why is it purple? Adventure 171.

 

Columbia cartoon characters Fox and the Crow and Flippity & Flop graduate to their own titles  from Real Screen.

 

   

1952

 

  Blackhawk movie serial from Columbia.

Jan Here's Howie begins.  Teen book drawn by Irwin Hasen. (18 issues- Howie joins the army in issue 5)

 

Sensation Comics converted to DC’s 2nd horror title, Wonder Woman dropped. Julie Schwartz takes over as editor.

 

Adventures Of Rex The Wonder Dog begins by Robert Kanigher and Alex Toth.  Julie Schwartz edits.

 

Feb Adventures Of Dean Martin And Jerry Lewis begins, written by Cal Howard and drawn by Owen Fitzgerald.  Larry Nadle edits.

Mar

Apr Last Alex Toth art for National for 10 years.  Mystery in Space 7. 

Jul  Sensation Comics renamed Sensation Mystery (#110).

 

Dale Evans Comics cancelled (#24) and Jimmy Wakely cancelled (#18) as DC leaves the licensed western field.

 

Aug  National creates a line of war comics, starting with Our Army At War (Kanigher). Julie Schwartz and John Broome create The Phantom Stranger, DC’s third horror title.

 

Zena Brody becomes editor of  Secret Hearts, Girls' Romances and Girls' Love Stories. 

 

Sep  Sheldon Mayer's Lemuel begins in Doodles Duck in Movie Town's Animal Antics 40.

Dec  All-American Western renamed All-American Men At War (#127) (Kanigher).  Johnny Thunder moves to All Star Western. Star Spangled Comics renamed Star-Spangled War Stories (#131) (Boltinoff)

 

Dell greatly expands their funny animal line by spinning off a number of Four Color features into their own titles including: Donald Duck, Mickey Mouse, Uncle Scrooge, Woody Woodpecker, Bugs Bunny; Porky Pig and Andy Panda.

   

1953

 

Feb  Feb 9, 1953- Adventures of Superman TV series begins although the episodes were all filmed in 1951.  Originally produced by Bob Maxwell, the same person who did the radio program. The sponsor, Kellog's, worries the program is too dark and violent.

May Whitney Ellsworth takes over as producer of the Adventures of Superman TV series.  Although he continues to be listed as Editor in all National comic books, he essentially turns over all duties to Irwin Donenfeld and moves to California. 

Jun DC gets out of the horror business. The Phantom Stranger cancelled (#6).  Sensation Mystery cancelled (#116).  Only House of Mystery, the tamest of the three, survives.

Aug Sy Reit and Rube Grossman’s Peter Panda is aimed at even younger readers than the other funny animal titles.

Sep  Everything Happens To Harvey begins (7 issues).  Another teen book drawn by Bob Oksner and edited by Larry Nadle.

Nov  Excerpts from Frederic Wertham’s Seduction of the Innocent published in Ladies’ Home Journal.

Dec Robotman replaced by Captain Compass in Detective 203.

 

EC’s Panic #1 with a story lampooning Santa Claus is banned in Massachusetts.  EC’s Lyle Stuart arrested in NYC for a "disgusting" parody of Mickey Spillaine’s I, the Jury in the same issue.

   

1954

 

Jan  Fawcett settles its court case with National and gets out of the comic book business.  National acquires the rights to Hopalong Cassidy with issue 86. Julie Schwartz edits, Gene Colan draws.  Other Fawcett titles end up at Charlton.

Feb Julius Schwartz takes over Western from Jack Schiff.  Pow Wow Smith, formerly in Detective,  replaces Cowboy Marshall.  Gil Kane and Carmine Infantino replace Ruben Moreira and Ramona Fradon. 

Spr  Frederic Wertham’s Seduction of the Innocent published.

 

Senate Select Committee on Juvenile Delinquency holds hearings on comic books in NYC.  Gaines testifies that severed heads are in good taste as long as no blood is shown.

Jun  Comics Cavalcade cancelled (#63).

Jul World's Finest cut to 36 pages with 71. Superman/Batman team-ups  begin

.

Aug  Whitney Ellsworth’s Congo Bill gets his own title after 15 years, probably as the result of the success of Jungle Jim on television.  Nevertheless, it only runs 6 issues.

Sep   Due to the blockbuster success of the TV show,  Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen, who has been almost a non-character in the comic books, gets his own title. Otto Binder and Curt Swan begin a 30 issue run.

 

Sep 16, 1954- Comics Code Authority established.

 

Realignment of the funny animal titles, as the anthologies are replaced with solo stars.  Funny Stuff renamed Dodo & The Frog (#80),   Movie Town’s Animal Antics renamed The Raccoon Kids (#52) and  Hollywood Funny Folks renamed Nutsy Squirrel (#61)

 

Oct  Our Fighting Forces begins. Robert Kanigher edits DC’s fourth war title. 

 

Adventure is cut to 36 pages with 205. Johnny Quick is dropped (last in 207).  Detective cut to 36 pages with 212.  Mysto dropped.  Action cut with 197. Vigilante dropped (last in 198).

 

Nov  National adopts Comics Code Authority symbol in Nov/Dec.

 

Here's Howie cancelled (#18)

 

 

   

1955

 

 

Jan  My Greatest Adventure begins.  Originally a realistic adventure title, it quickly mutated into just another occult/ suspense title, albeit narrated in the first person.  Schiff and Weisinger edit.

Feb EC cancels its last horror titles, Shock Suspense Stories, Vault of Horror and Tales From the Crypt. 

Mar Krypto first appears in Adventure 210 by Otto Binder and Curt Swan

May Secret Hearts moves from Beverly to Arleigh Publishing.

Apr National moves printing of all comic books to World Color Press in Sparta, Ill.  Previously most titles were printed in Bridgeport, CT,  while some were printed in St Louis, MO.

Jun  Ace the Bat-Hound first appears in Batman 92, by Bill Finger and Sheldon Moldoff.

Jul Mad becomes a magazine

Aug  The Brave And The Bold begins.  Ostensibly edited by Julie Schwartz, it’s really an all-Kanigher production.  Viking Prince, Silent Knight and Golden Gladiator fill this swashbuckling anthology title.

 

Leading Screen Comics cancelled (#77).

 

Sep  It's Gametime begins (4 issues) An entire book devoted to those horrible puzzle pages that nobody ever looked at!

 

Falling In Love begins (Arleigh- no DC bullet on cover)

 

Frontier Fighters begins (8 issues) Following the success of Davy Crockett on Walt Disney, every publisher jumps on the chuckwagon. Davy Crockett, Buffalo Bill and Kit Carson star.  Jack Schiff edits?

 

EC's Pictofiction line begins, failed attempt to continue the horrror titles outside the reach of the Comics Code, by making them text-heavy magazines.

Oct  Legends Of Daniel Boone begins (8 issues) art by Nick Cardy.  Another "historical" western.

 

DC’s first two part story in years begins in Adventure 217 as Jor-El and Lara "return" and take Superboy away from Smallville.

Nov  Jack Miller’s John Jones, Manhunter from Mars replaces Captain Compass in Detective Comics #225.  For the first four years, the Manhunter keeps his existence a secret and only uses his powers when invisible.  Mostly he walks through walls.  Although often criticised as an imitation of Superman, the character bears a closer resemblance to Jerry Siegel’s Spectre.   Earliest possible start for the Silver Age of Comics.

 

 

 

 

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Illiterati-migration

Illiterati-migration

Posted
Posted
....Oh GOD!!!,...if this thread ends with "2004,..Ian Levine the first person to aquire a complete set of DC's" I'm going to hurl....... crazy.gif

 

Me too! But just imagine THIS ending:

 

"2047: MajorKhaos the first person to acquire a complete set of DC's 'Crisis On Infinite Earths"..."

 

Makes my pants tight, it does. cloud9.gif

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greggy

greggy

Posted
Posted
....Oh GOD!!!,...if this thread ends with "2004,..Ian Levine the first person to aquire a complete set of DC's" I'm going to hurl....... crazy.gif

 

Me too! But just imagine THIS ending:

 

"2047: MajorKhaos the first person to acquire a complete set of DC's 'Crisis On Infinite Earths"..."

 

Makes my pants tight, it does. cloud9.gif

screwy.gif
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Ian_Levine

Ian_Levine

Posted
  • Author
Posted
That was really interesting! Thank you for posting that. It's fascinating to see how it all began -- almost haphazardly, and with lots of bumps along the way.

 

-- Joanna

 

How fabulous to hear from Joanna, someone who ACTUALLY cares more about comics than using these boards to slag off others just to ludicrously attempt to make themselves look clever.

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Zonker

Zonker

Posted
Posted

 

How fabulous to hear from Joanna, someone who ACTUALLY cares more about comics than using these boards to slag off others just to ludicrously attempt to make themselves look clever.

 

 

Yeah, we're gonna have to do something about that Joanna one of these days. mad.gif

 

I mean, did she even bother to read the user agreement before she started posting here? rolleyes.gif

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FFB

FFB

Posted
Posted
If you're interested in this sort of thing, I'll recommend (once again) the book "Men of Tomorrow: Geeks, Gangsters, and the Birth of the Comic Book" by Gerard Jones.

 

Link-a-doo-lah

 

Ian was talking about YOU, lackwit! foreheadslap.gif How dare you post in this thread. 893naughty-thumb.gif

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Illiterati-migration

Illiterati-migration

Posted
Posted
If you're interested in this sort of thing, I'll recommend (once again) the book "Men of Tomorrow: Geeks, Gangsters, and the Birth of the Comic Book" by Gerard Jones.

 

Link-a-doo-lah

 

Ian was talking about YOU, lackwit! foreheadslap.gif How dare you post in this thread. 893naughty-thumb.gif

 

 

"How fabulous to hear from Joanna, someone who ACTUALLY cares more about comics than using these boards to slag off others just to ludicrously attempt to make themselves look clever."

 

You... you mean... THAT was directed... at ME?!?!?!? And here I thought all this time that Ian simply ignored my posts.

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