Lev Gleason Title List

[Gleasonfan-migration]

I am new to this post, but have been working on a collection of Lev Gleason/Charles Biro comics and publications for the last 5 years or so. I have one other title to add to your list: "Johnny Law..Sky Ranger". To the best of my knowledge Johnny Law had a 4 issue run in 1955. As mentioned in earlier threads, Gleason had other publications, "romance" paperbacks such as "Hotel Wife" (1946) and was editor of a Reader's Digest type publication titled "Readers Scope" (I own a Feb 1946 copy).

[dgillock]

Very cool and let me be the first to welcome you to the boards! Nice to see another LG collector come out of the woodwork.

You wouldn't have a scan of a Johnny Law: Sky Ranger issue, would you?

[dgillock]

Actually, I found one myself:

 

 

Not sure what connection to LG this title has (aside from the notation in OS), though I did find a mention online stating that the title contains reprints of Lev Gleason material...

[Gleasonfan-migration]

I am travelling and won't be able to put my hands on my copy of Johnny Law Sky Ranger for another week or so, but I am pretty sure that the inside cover indicates that it is a Lev Gleason publication. I have other comics in my collection such as Poppo of the Popcorn Theater and Shorty Shiner that aren't Gleason but are related through the Charles Biro connection. You may be interested in checking out a yahoo group that I belong to called "alevgleasonpublication." There is a good message board there and lots of scans and other info. Happy Hunting!!

[dgillock]

Thought I'd up-date my list:

 

Lev Gleason and direct numerical precursors:

Adventures in Wonderland 1955 1-5 (5 iss.)

Black Diamond Western 1949 9-60 (52 iss.)

Boy Comics 1942 3-119 (117 iss.)

Boy Loves Girl 1952 26-57 (32 iss.)

Boy Meets Girl 1950 1-25 (25 iss., becomes Boy Loves Girl)

Buster Crabbe 1953 1-4 (4 iss.)

Captain Battle Comics 1941 1,2 (2 iss, becomes Boy Comics #3)

Captain Battle Junior 1943 1,2 (2 iss.)

Crime and Punishment 1948 1-74 (74 iss.)

Crime Does Not Pay 1942 22-147 (126 iss.)

Crime Does Not Pay (Best of) 1944-1953 (10 iss.?/variants?)

Cutie Pie 1955 1-5 (5 iss.)

Daredevil Comics 1941 1-134 (134 iss.)

Desperado 1948 1-8 (8 iss., becomes B.D.Western #9)

Dilly 1953 1-3 (3 iss.)

Giant Boy Book of Comics 1945 1 shot (1 iss., 240p hc, new material?)

Lover’s Lane 1949 1-41 (41 iss.)

Rusty Boy Detective 1955 1-5 (5 iss.)

Silver Streak 1939 1-21 (21 iss., becomes CDNP #22)

Slugger 1956 1 shot (1 iss.)

Squeeks 1953 1-5 (5 iss.)

Tops (Adult Magazine) 1949 1,2 (2 iss.)

Uncle Charlie’s Fables 1952 1-5 (5 iss.)

 

Related & Possible:

Candy (Wise ; Lev Gleason?) 1944 1-3 (3 iss.)

Captain Battle Comics (2nd) 1942 3,5 (2 iss.)

Cmp Book of True Crime Comics 40's 1 shot (1 iss., re-bound CDNP)

Crime Does Not Pay (Golfing) 1945 1 shot (1 iss., not sure what this is?!)

Dime Comics (Newsbook) 1945/51 1,1 (2 iss., Silver Streak reprints?)

Foxhole on Your Lawn (Biro) nd 1 shot (1 iss., promotional)

Jim Dandy (Dandy; Biro) 1956 1-3 (3 iss.)

Johnny Law (Good) 1955 1-4 (4 iss., contains LG reprints?)

Poppo of the Popcorn...(Fuller) 1955 1-13 (13 iss, Biro, promotional?)

Ringmaster’s Guide (Promotional)1956 1 shot (1 iss.)

Silver Streak (Atomic) 1946 23 (1 iss., reprints)

Silver Streak (Newsbook) 1946 nn (1 iss., reprints)

Shorty Shiner (Biro) 1956 1-3 (3 iss.)

Spooky Mysteries (Your Guide) 1946 1 shot (1 iss.)

 

A couple of notes:

I've included the direct numerical precursors to LG titles in the top list (Silver Streak, Captain Battle, etc.). I've also included Cap. Battle Jr, because though it was released by Comic House, both issues have Lev Gleasons name across the top of the cover. I've also included Giant Book of Boy Comics because I believe that at least the cover (by Biro) was new and not reprinted material. When I finally manage to but a copy of this book in my hands, I will try to determine if there is any new material inside. I've dropped stuff that is strictly reprints, re-bounds, or currently indeterminate into the bottom section. At this point, I've removed the "Tops" and "Tops in Humor" issues entirely because I believe they've been misidentified. From my research, they are more closely related to Cheslers then Gleasons. Hope people find this helpful. I'll continue to update it as I gather more info.

 

Also:

Gleasonfan- Cool group! Thanks for posting it.

[Gleasonfan-migration]

According to my trusty OS #9 (1979), both Rusty Boy Detective and Johnny Law Sky Ranger were published by Good/Lev Gleason. If Rusty is considered a Gleason pub then Johnny Law should get the same treatment. I do not own a copy of Rusty Boy Detective, but I do have issue #2 of Johnny Law. The inside cover identifies Good Comics, Inc. (Edmond Good) as the publisher and page 9 has an ad for Rusty, Boy Detective. I do not know why OS ties Gleason with these two publications. The only possible link I can find in my research is the fact that Bell Features (a Canadian publishing company and Edmond Good's former employer) published Canadian editions of some of Gleason's comics. Good left Bell Features in the late forties and ultimately published a few titles on his own. Am I missing the mark here or does that make sense? Is there some other link between Good and Gleason?

[dgillock]

It's a "Good" question...

 

Edmond Good is best known for his work on "Scorchy Smith" and as being one of the creators of Tomahawk for DC. He is also considered one of the most important GA Canadian comic artists (hence the Bell connection that you point out). As I said in an earlier post, I found a listing online at one point that said that Johnny Law contained Lev Gleason reprints- but, beyond that, I've yet to find any direct connection between this title and the rest of the Lev Gleason line. I have never actually seen a copy of any issue of Rusty Boy Detective, so I can't really say much beyond the notation in OS. It is curious to hear that Rusty was advertised in Johnny Law.

 

What stories does your Jonhny Law #2 contain? Is there anything that looks like it might have originated in Crime Does Not Pay, Crime and Punishment, Boy, or DD? I've only ever seen cover scans from this title, so I reallly know very little about the content. If Mike Feldman is still around maybe he could help. He is obviously very knoweledgeable about the early history of Lev Gleason, and I would assume that he has a good deal of knowledge about the 1955/56 period as well. If you haven't read it, check out his article in Comic Book Marketplace (iss # ?, I'll post it when I remember)- it's really informative.

[Gleasonfan-migration]

Johnny Law #2 does not contain anything that looks like reprints from Gleason to me. The cover is signed Edmond Good. Story #1, 7 pages, is Johnny Law -Phantom Detour (Good Signature). Page 9 contains the Rusty ad. Story #2, 7 pages, is Johnny Law - Trouble on the Timberline (Good Signature). There is a single page (no attribution), "Capt Dan's Aircraft Album." Story #3, 4 pages, is Buzy Bean and His Flying Saucer (Story by Good - Drawn by Martinott). There is a 2 page text story "Beyond Duty," (B. Geiling signature) , and story #4 is Johnny Law - Valley of the Doomed (Good signature). I don't know if that helps, but maybe someone has seen one of these stories somewhere else.

 

One comment on your question mark by the Poppo of the Popcorn Theater comics. I have 3 issues of this title, and only one contains a particular store promotion. Vol 1, #3 has the "IGA" logo (a grocery store chain) on the back cover. My copies of Vol 1 #11 and Vol 1 # 12 both have blank back covers. All three issues have an ad for Poppo the Clown's TV show on the inside back cover.

[mmiichael]

Just checking in - hard to find threads on these boards.

 

Thanks for the new info. I'm pretty sure those Good Comic titles plus POPPO and two 1956 titles JIM DANDY and SHORTY SHINER are latter day solo efforts from Charles Biro.

 

Note Edmund Good's SKY RANGER character appeared in the late 40s from D.S. Comics. No company relationship that I know of.

 

Gleason on their last legs by 1955 - just poor sales endemic to the industry then.

 

It would be helpful if when posting data from a comic if any relevant info in the idicia was included - publisher's name, address, any personnel, etc.

 

Again some grey area in 1944-6 when Gleason was letting his associates at Your Guide (and many other names) use his older material for quick reprints. Both companies were at the same address and had some kind of co-operative arrangement.

 

 

Mike Feldman

[mmiichael]

Forgot to mention - there is a Humor title that has a single issue in 1945 that continues for about 3 issues as Gleason in 1948. Sorry, can't recall the odd title - don't have access to files right now.

 

The first issue of it is part of those sporadic group of comics like CANDY and CRYIN' LION, which isn't noted, which are wartime fodder from the Your Guide people, I think.

 

Note, printers, distributors and even wholesalers often put out comics when some paper came down the pike. They might have a comic publisher put them together for them. So some ambiguity in classifying these.

 

Mike Feldman

[whomerjay]

I was going to start a new topic but saw this one was populated by Lev Gleason experts. I recently bought some issues of Crime Does not Pay and noticed when bagging and boarding them a great size difference between the #49 (which is big) and the #s 58, 62, and 92

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=6524908672&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWN%3AIT&rd=1

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=6524908700&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWN%3AIT&rd=1

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=6524908712&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWN%3AIT&rd=1

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=6524908722&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWN%3AIT&rd=1

 

I also have a #53 which is as big as the #49. Now I'm pretty sure the last 3 are trimmed but perhaps someone knows if the book size became smaller after a certain issue.

[dgillock]

Well, I can't say if any of your issues are trimmed for sure. Very hard to tell without closely examining the book in person. I will say that none of the three you point out have any obvious signs of trimming from the scans. The interior pages poking beyond the cover would suggest that if you suspect trimming, it would be only to the cover and not to the whole book. I don't have copies of CDNP #49 or #58, but I can offer my copies of #62 and #92 for comparison:

 

 

 

Somewhere around issue #55, the width of CDNP did reduce a little. The earlier issues have a "Golden Age" feel to their width and thickness, later issues feel and look distinctly Atomic Age. Keep in mind that productions standards in the 40's and 50's (and beyond) were quite loose and there can be a noticeable difference in width, height, etc. on individual copies of the same issue. Hope this helps.

 

-Douglas

[whomerjay]

The copies in question are a good one-half inch or more less wide than my "full size" issues. And the cover right edges, and page edges are sharp. Your two issues definitely have more of the right FC edge. They're trimmed. Now I just need to decide whether I'm going to hassle the dealer over these books that I won for ~$15 each. thanks.

[Gleasonfan-migration]

I don't have a long enough run of CDNP issues to pinpoint a change in size, but the question piqued my curiosity and I searched through my issues of Boy and Daredevil to see when the change occured. These measurement are of the issues in my collection....I realize that faulty trimming, etc. would affect these sizes on issues of the same number.

 

Daredevil #43 (July 1947) cover width measures around 7 1/8 inches. The next issue #44 (Sept 1947) measures about 6 3/4 inches.

 

Boy #35 (August 1947) cover width measures around 7 3/8 inches (not a real good trim job on this issue). Issue #36 (Oct 1947) measures around 6 3/4.

 

It appears that the book size change, at least for Boy and Daredevil, came in the fall of 1947.

 

My scanner is on the fritz, but I hope to get some pics here soon.

 

Happy Hunting!

[whomerjay]

Well, I can't say if any of your issues are trimmed for sure. Very hard to tell without closely examining the book in person. I will say that none of the three you point out have any obvious signs of trimming from the scans. The interior pages poking beyond the cover would suggest that if you suspect trimming, it would be only to the cover and not to the whole book. I don't have copies of CDNP #49 or #58, but I can offer my copies of #62 and #92 for comparison:

 

 

 

Somewhere around issue #55, the width of CDNP did reduce a little. The earlier issues have a "Golden Age" feel to their width and thickness, later issues feel and look distinctly Atomic Age. Keep in mind that productions standards in the 40's and 50's (and beyond) were quite loose and there can be a noticeable difference in width, height, etc. on individual copies of the same issue. Hope this helps.

 

-Douglas

 

The #49 and #53 in my collection that I do not question are both 7 1/2 inches wide. The 3 books I suspect are trimmed are 6 7/8 to 7 inches wide. Plu it seems that in non-trimmed books there tends to be a significant overhang. I was thinking there was probably some production variability, as you mention, but prob not that much.

[dgillock]

Simply for comparison sake:

 

 

There were actually two reductions in size in a short period of time. #47 is a full-on GA book at approx 7 7/15" wide. #50 is approx 7 1/4". #59 is just under 7" at 6 15/16". So, in one year, the width reduced by 1/2". These copies are all from my collection and I can pretty much guarentee they are not trimmed. The size of the issues that follow #59 is consistent at 6 7/8" to 7" wide throughout all of my set. Again, I can't say for sure whether your copies are trimmed or not (without actually inspecting the edges of the books), but the widths you are describing are within the expected range.

 

And yes, as pointed out by Gleasonfan, the reduction in width on Lev Gleasons seems consistent on all titles in 1947/1948.

[whomerjay]

Simply for comparison sake:

 

 

There were actually two reductions in size in a short period of time. #47 is a full-on GA book at approx 7 7/15" wide. #50 is approx 7 1/4". #59 is just under 7" at 6 15/16". So, in one year, the width reduced by 1/2". These copies are all from my collection and I can pretty much guarentee they are not trimmed. The size of the issues that follow #59 is consistent at 6 7/8" to 7" wide throughout all of my set. Again, I can't say for sure whether your copies are trimmed or not (without actually inspecting the edges of the books), but the widths you are describing are within the expected range.

 

And yes, as pointed out by Gleasonfan, the reduction in width on Lev Gleasons seems consistent on all titles in 1947/1948.

 

Nice analysis! I'm actually happy this is the case. Now if I can just get past the fact the right edge is razor sharp.

 

I really need a course in resto detection.

[Shadow_cpg]

Recent acquisition... :

 

Ringmaster's Guide...

 

Too fragile to scan interior...and staples were placed 1/4" off center on front...but the indicia states:

 

Ringmaster's Guide is published by Fred S. McCarthy & Co. 541 Lexington Ave., New York 22 N.Y.

Produced by Charles Biro, 113 West 57th St., N.Y. 19, N. Y. Cover and contents copyrighted 1956

 

References in bold are exactly as printed.

 

 

 

Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays!

[dgillock]

Interesting pick up, especially since it's not listed in OS. Same period that Biro was producing Poppo of the Popcorn Theatre and the style is very similar. Biro's W57th Street address is the same as well. I don't know much about Fred S. McCarthy & Co., however.

 

Nice to see this one. I remember it was mentioned a while back, but without a picture. Another interesting one to file in the "Post Lev Gleason Biro" period. Now if I could only find a copy of "Foxhole on Your Lawn"...

[dgillock]

Just picked up a small lot of Canadian (Superior Publishers) Desperados. Thought they'd make an interesting addition the my collection:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Interesting thing I noticed about these.-Generally, the LG Canadian versions are simply the same issue, chopped down to 36 pages. So, they would take out the interior ads and one text story and leave the reader with three stories and one text piece. Simple enough. However, in this case some interesting happened. The Canadian #6 I have contains stories from the regular #7 and the Canadian #7 contains stories from #6. Weird. Being an issue behind would make sense, but an issue ahead? Knowing that there might be other strange cover/content variations out there makes me more interested in tracking these down.