One-shot Golden-Age Publishers

[Metarog]

Hello all, I have been lurking around for a few weeks now and believe that the members of this forum are among the most knowledgeable comic book fans around. Really! Well, I collect comics based on somewhat obscure criteria and I think your guys (and gals) can help me out.

 

I have recently been researching one-shot Golden-Age publishers and now I would like to compile a list of all one-shot comics from these companies. So far the only ones I know for sure are Atomic Thunderbolt #1 (Regor) and Hi-Lite Comics #1 (E.R. Ross). If anyone has any in-depth information (scans, history, etc.) on these comics or knows of any others please help out.

 

I am only interested in publishers that published exactly one comic from 1938 to 1955 or so. I am not counting giveaways, product tie-in comics or other promotional type comics. I am excluding Green Giant Comics #1 (Pelican) because I read an article some time ago that stated that this comic was never distributed to the general public. Thanks for any help you can give to my quirky and obscure collecting habits.

 

[tod09]

I have a Meteor comics #1 (cgc 8.0) and I also have a raw Top Spot #1 (with Duke of Darkness) in raw vf/nm. These were both 1 shots from no-name publishers and I think both are from 1945. I also have an All your comics #1 (another one shot though I'm not certain if this if from a no-name publisher. Might be Fox). I'm at work so I don't have my Overstreet to confirm these.

 

Tod

[Metarog]

I believe that Meteor Comics #1 (L.L. Baird) was affiliated with Enwil Publishing-which also published Red Band Comics, Red Circle Comics and Blue Circle Comics (Capt. Wizard appears in Red Band).

 

Top Spot Comics #1 (Top Comics) was affiliated with Gerona Publishing-which also published K O Comics, TNT comics and Triple Threat Comics ( I think one of these had an appearence by the Duke of Darkness).

 

Thanks anyway, these are still great old comics to have!

[Metarog]

Well I am revisting my first ever post here to show my now complete set of one-shot publishers. It took me a whole year just to figure out which were the true one-shot publishers with no ties to any other comic book publishers but I finally did it and finished acquiring them all.

 

First up is probably the best known Atomic Thunderbolt #1 by Regor from Feb 1946.

Pretty nice copy of this comic except for a spine split which knocks it down to a Good. The stories are pretty disappointing and Atomic Thunderbolt only appears in a few panels.

 

 

Next is Conqueror comics #1 by Albrecht from Winter 1945. This is a solid copy in the VG/F range. This is a strange comic which tries to combine sci-fi, war, history and fantasy elements for a sort of Twilight Zone effect.

 

 

Speaking of odd-next up is Jack the Giant Killer #1 by Bimfort & Co. from Aug 1953. This is in the worst condition of all with chipping on the right edge and missing chunks along the spine, a Good- at best. This comic fused fairy tales with horror and fantasy elements and is suprisingly entertaining.

 

 

The next comic was a tough one to find-Mysterious Traveler #1 by Trans-World from Nov 1948. There was apparently a radio show of the same name back then which spawned this comic. This copy is G/VG with a spine roll and a severely miscur cover. Standard Mystery/Suspense stories with some horror elements... the stories are just okay not as shocking or unexpected as planned.

 

 

Lastly is Swat Malone #1 by Swat Malone Enterprises from Sept 1955 and the only post code comic here. This copy if about vg- with lots of spine stress around the staples but otherwise solid. Comic is about the exploits of the fictional home-run king and his bat. He kind of reminds me of the character in The Natural as he comes from nowhere and is conspired against so that he can't play but ultimately prevails.

 

 

Well there you have the five comics that make up all the one-shot publishers in U.S. comic book history. There is a one-shot comic call Atomic Comics by Daniels Publications from Jan 1946 but this is a Canadian published comic-although I still want to track one down someday. There are also two 3D comics that I believe are from one-shot publishers but I consider 3D a different format.

[rjpb]

Now that is an esoteric collection! Love the Jack the Giant killer cover.