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When the letters pages became a thing?
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Started by Coverdeath ,

22 posts in this topic

Coverdeath

Coverdeath

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Posted (edited)

Since decades we got few pages at the end of our comics featuring the opinion of the readers, i consider it as an essential part of the comics. 

So now the question is...

When is it started? What is the first exemple of it in a comic book?

When the big two started to use it in every of their publishings?

What is your personal oldest exemple of it in your collection?

Edited by Coverdeath
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bronze_rules

bronze_rules

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Not an expert by any means, but I did find this...

The first recorded comic book letter column appeared in Target Comics #6, published by Novelty Press in 1940.[5] (The page in question also has an early mention of comic book collecting.)[5] The first DC Comics comic to include a letters column was Real Fact Comics #3 (July-August 1946).[6] The first DC title with a letters column as a regular feature was Superman beginning with issue #124 (September 1958).[7]

Makes me want to get a Target comics 6.

 

Comic book letter column - Wikipedia

 

Edited by bronze_rules
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ADAMANTIUM

ADAMANTIUM

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On 8/7/2024 at 4:40 PM, bronze_rules said:

Not an expert by any means, but I did find this...

The first recorded comic book letter column appeared in Target Comics #6, published by Novelty Press in 1940.[5] (The page in question also has an early mention of comic book collecting.)[5] The first DC Comics comic to include a letters column was Real Fact Comics #3 (July-August 1946).[6] The first DC title with a letters column as a regular feature was Superman beginning with issue #124 (September 1958).[7]

Makes me want to get a Target comics 6.

 

Comic book letter column - Wikipedia

 

So the one right after this one? Was it hate mail? Or I wonder what jump-started it!? lol

Not sure if the ate word will pass the boards word finder ...

6086646_Full_Obv.jpg

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ADAMANTIUM

ADAMANTIUM

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Ah you can... But I wonder if there was an ad in #123 to send in letters, or it just surprised people who had already sent in just to send in... ???

 

Edited by ADAMANTIUM
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sacentaur

sacentaur

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On 8/7/2024 at 2:40 PM, bronze_rules said:

Not an expert by any means, but I did find this...

The first recorded comic book letter column appeared in Target Comics #6, published by Novelty Press in 1940.[5] (The page in question also has an early mention of comic book collecting.)[5] The first DC Comics comic to include a letters column was Real Fact Comics #3 (July-August 1946).[6] The first DC title with a letters column as a regular feature was Superman beginning with issue #124 (September 1958).[7]

Makes me want to get a Target comics 6.

 

Comic book letter column - Wikipedia

 

As great a book Target Comics #6 (July 1940) is, there is no letters column in the comic. I have a raw copy of the book, and also verified via the Comic Book Plus database.
 

It could be an Overstreet red herring (for copyright purposes), but I suspect it’s an error and the letters page actually occurs in a different volume of Target Comics (issue 6 of that volume), since it’s not in volume 1#6.

Edited by sacentaur
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Telegan

Telegan

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On 8/7/2024 at 5:23 PM, sacentaur said:

As great a book Target Comics #6 (July 1940) is, there is no letters column in the comic. I have a raw copy of the book, and also verified via the Comic Book Plus database.
 

It could be an Overstreet red herring (for copyright purposes), but I suspect it’s an error and the letters page actually occurs in a different volume of Target Comics (issue 6 of that volume), since it’s not in volume 1#6.

 

Vol. 1 #11 actually has a letters page - I don't know if it's where it all started, though.  Pic courtesy of CB+ :

 

image.thumb.jpeg.be3d97b4b1a72ffcc5e93e5aa674bdc8.jpeg

Edited by Telegan
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The humble Watcher lurking

The humble Watcher lurking

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If you want to go farther I collect Look magazines from the early 1940s right around Pearl Harbor and there are letter pages. I found this is  fascinating with people are arguing how their jobs brought in $5 dollars a week . The world has changed. 

Edited by The humble Watcher lurking
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Telegan

Telegan

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On 8/7/2024 at 6:37 PM, The humble Watcher lurking said:

What interests me is Stan Lee acts like he created letter pages, but EC Comics under Bill Gaines was like a decade ahead of Stan Lee. 

I don't know about Stan Lee acting like he created letter pages, but they've existed since at least the 1920s.  I think back then Amazing Stories magazine was putting letters in their issues.

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Darwination

Darwination

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Various periodicals had been using letter pages for a long time, at least since the 20s but probably well before.  They usually took the format of letters to the editor (which had been in newspapers previously) or as some sort of "club" you're in as the magazine fan.  The idea is that you engage your readership to become invested in whatever magazine they're writing to.  It's also a nice way to get feedback and see if your fans like the current story line or whatnot.

I happen to have a scan I'm editing of a Harry Donenfeld girlie pulp (Bedtime Stories August 1936) right here in front of me as an example:

Unedited cover here by H.J. Ward, the same painter that did the Superman that would hang above Donenfeld's desk for years later on.  Previous to his life as a publisher of funny books for kids (with the success of Superman), Donenfeld published magazines like Pep Stories, Bedtime Stories, Snappy, Spicy Detective, etc. that weren't exactly for children :D

BedtimeStoriesv04n10(1936-08.Detineur)coverH.J_Ward.thumb.jpg.b2567516857089d40e397fc569ad713f.jpg

HJ Ward Superman - Superman - Cleveland Public Library

In Donenfeld's girlie pulps, some letter pages were more about feedback on stories and the magazine, but most took this approach - a place to find pen pals among the opposite sex

BedtimeStories1936-08LetsWrite.thumb.jpg.18b10e8aa6117e94d50542a880ee51e9.jpg

Anyways, just some context for letter columns in the comics.  The same publishers that made the comics had been publishing different types of pulps and magazines long before the comics became popular, and the letter page was a well-entrenched idea before any particular comic publisher put one in their books.

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jimjum12

jimjum12

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On 8/7/2024 at 7:39 PM, The humble Watcher lurking said:

If you want to go farther I collect Look magazines from the early 1940s right around Pearl Harbor and there are letter pages. I found this is  fascinating with people are arguing how their jobs brought in $5 dollars a week . The world has changed. 

HP Lovecraft mentioned his full expenses for a flat in the City, I may have the details wrong, but I believe he mentioned 18 bucks for either the week or month. This would be in the 30's. GOD BLESS ...

-jimbo(a friend of jesus)(thumbsu

Edited by jimjum12
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