American Comic Book Chronicles: The 1950s by TwoMorrows Publishing

THE

b y B I L L S C H E L LY

1950-1959

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TwoMorrows.Celebrating The Art & History Of Comics. (& LEGO! ) TwoMorrows • 10407 Bedfordtown Drive • Raleigh, NC 27614 USA • 919-449-0344 • FAX: 919-449-0327 • E-mail: twomorrow@aol.com • www.twomorrows.com

COMIC BOOK H

THE

1950S 1950-1959

b y B I L L S C H E L LY

Dedication To Alan Hutchinson and Jeff Gelb

Writer: Editor: Logo Design: Layout: Cover Design: Proofreader: Publisher:

Bill Schelly Keith Dallas Bill Walko David Paul Greenawalt Jon B. Cooke Rob Smentek John Morrow

TwoMorrows Publishing 10407 Bedfordtown Drive Raleigh, North Carolina 27614 www.twomorrows.com • 919-449-0344 e-mail: store@twomorrows.com Second Printing • December 2020 • Printed in China ISBN 978-1-60549-054-0

American Comic Book Chronicles: The 1950s is © 2020 TwoMorrows Publishing, a division of TwoMorrows Inc. All rights reserved under international and Pan-American copyright conventions. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical. Photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the copyright owner. All reproductions in this historical overview of comic books are copyright by the respective copyright holders, and are used here strictly for historical purposes. Attempts have been made to properly attribute copyrights for use in this book; if you are a valid copyright-holder and have not been properly credited, please contact TwoMorrows so that this can be corrected in any future printings. The viewpoints expressed in the text are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of TwoMorrows Publishing. Mutt and Jeff TM and © AEdita S. de Beaumont. Archie, Betty, Little Archie, The Fly, The Shield, Veronica TM and © Archie Comic Publications, Inc. Boys’ Life TM and © Boy Scouts of America. Mighty Mouse TM and © CBS Consumer Products. Baby Huey, Casper, Hot Stuff, Little Lotta, Little Lulu, Lone Ranger, Spooky, Stumbo, Richie Rich, Tubby, Wendy TM and © Classic Media, LLC. Adam Strange, Alfred E. Neuman, Aquaman, Batman, Batwoman, Bat-hound, Bizarro, Blackhawk, Blue Beetle, Brainiac, Captain Marvel, Captain Marvel Jr., Catwoman, Challengers of the Unknown, Doll Man, The Flash, Green Arrow, Green Lantern, Ibis, Jimmy Olsen, Johnny Thunder, The Joker, Justice League of America, Justice Society of America, Kid Flash, Krypto, Legion of Super-Heroes, Lex Luthor, Lois Lane, Mad, Martian Manhunter, Phantom Lady, Phantom Stranger, Plastic Man, Robin, Sgt. Rock, Space Ranger, Sugar and Spike, Superboy, Supergirl, Superman, Tomahawk, Tommy Tomorrow, Two Face, Viking Prince, Wonder Girl, Wonder Woman, TM and © DC Comics. Beagle Boys, Donald Duck, Mickey Mouse, Uncle Scrooge, Walt Disney’s Comics & Stories TM © Disney Enterprises, Inc. Classics Illustrated TM and © the Frawley Corporation and its exclusive licensee First Classics, Inc. Tarzan is TM and © ERB, Inc. Green Hornet TM and © The Green Hornet, Inc. Witches Tales, Black Cat, Chamber of Chills, Tomb of Terror TM and © Harvey Comics or successors of interest. G.I. Joe TM and © Hasbro. Black Magic, Bulls Eye, Captain 3-D, Fighting American, Foxhole, Kid Cowboys of Boys’ Ranch, Police Trap TM and © the Estate of Joe Simon and Jack Kirby. Tor TM and © the Estate of Joe Kubert. Beetle Bailey, Dennis the Menace, Flash Gordon, The Phantom TM and © King Features Syndicate, Inc. Raiders of the Lost Ark TM and © Lucasfilm Ltd. Black Knight, Captain America, Combat Kelly, Ghost Rider, The Human Torch, Marvel Boy, Millie the Model, Outlaw Kid, Patsy Walker, The Sub-Mariner TM and © Marvel Characters, Inc. Barbie TM Mattel. Blackboard Jungle, The Wizard of Oz TM and © MGM Studios Inc. Pogo TM and © Okefenokee Glee & Perloo Inc. Peanuts is TM and © Peanuts Worldwide LLC. Famous Monsters of Filmland TM and © Philip Kim. Turok TM and © Random House, Inc. The Day the Earth Stood Still TM and © Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. Nancy and Sluggo TM and © United Features Syndicate, Inc. The Black Shield of Falworth, It Came From Outer Space TM and © Universal International Pictures, Inc. Andy Panda, Woody Woodpecker TM and © Walter Lantz Productions, Inc. The Adventures of Superman, Bugs Bunny, Porky Pig, Rebel Without A Cause, Supermen and the Mole Men, Sylvester, The Thing From Another World, Tweety TM and © Warner Bros. Crime Patrol, Crime SuspenStories, Crypt of Terror, Crypt-Keeper, Extra!, Frontline Combat, Gunfighter, Haunt of Fear, Impact, Incredible Science Fiction, Panic, Shock Illustrated. Shock SuspenStories, Tales from the Crypt, The Old Witch, Two-Fisted Tales, Valor, Vault of Horror, Vault-Keeper, War Against Crime, Weird Fantasy, Weird Science, Weird Science-Fantasy TM and © William M. Gaines Agent, Inc. Zorro TM and © Zorro Productions, Inc. Adventures into the Unknown, Adventures of Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis, The Avenger, Big Town, Black Cat, Blue Bolt, Captain Flash, Catcher in the Rye, Crime Does Not Pay, Eerie, Forbidden Worlds, Katy Keene, Lassie, Mr. Muscles, Nature Boy, Seduction of the Innocent, Sky Masters of the Space Force, Strong Man, Unknown Worlds TM and © respective copyright holders.

Table of Contents Introductory Note about the Chronological Structure of American Comic Book Chronicles.................. 4 Note on Comic Book Sales and Circulation Data.......................................... 5 Introduction & Acknowledgements . ........... 6 Chapter One: 1950 Variety on the Newsstand............................... 10 Chapter Two: 1951 Before the Storm................................................. 36 Chapter Three: 1952 Expansion............................................................. 54 Chapter Four: 1953 EC Soars, Fawcett Crashes................................ 72 Chapter Five: 1954 Comics in Crisis................................................... 90

Chapter Six: 1955 Censored!............................................................ 116 Chapter Seven: 1956 Birth of the Silver Age..................................... 142 Chapter Eight: 1957 Turbulence and Transition........................... 164 Chapter Nine: 1958 National Takes the Lead................................. 180 Chapter Ten: 1959 The Silver Age Gains Traction...................... 198 Appendix........................................................... 226 Works Cited....................................................... 230 Index................................................................... 234

Notes Introductory Note about the Chronological Structure of American Comic Book Chronicles By Keith Dallas, with the assistance of Ray Bottorff, Jr.

TM and © The Estates of Joe Simon and Jack Kirby.

as most Direct Market-exclusive publishers chose not to put cover dates on their comic books while some put cover dates that matched the issue’s release date.

The monthly date that appears on a comic book cover doesn’t usually indicate the exact month the comic book arrived at the newsstand or at the comic book store. Since their inception, American periodical publishers—including but not limited to comic book publishers—postdated their issues in order to let vendors know when they should remove unsold copies from their stores. In the 1930s, the discrepancy between a comic book’s cover date and the actual month it reached the newsstand was typically one month. For instance, Detective Comics #1 is cover-dated March 1937, but actually went on sale one month earlier in February. Starting in 1940, comic book publishers hoped to increase each issue’s shelf life by widening the discrepancy between cover date and release date to two months. In 1973, the discrepancy was widened again to three months. The expansion of the Direct Market in the 1980s though turned the cover date system on its head

This all creates a perplexing challenge for comic book historians as they consider whether to chronologize comic book history via cover date or release date. The predominant comic book history tradition has been to chronologize via cover date, and American Comic Book Chronicles is following that tradition. This means though that some comic books that were released in the final months of one year won’t be dealt with until the chapter about the following year. Each chapter, however, will include a yearly timeline that uses a comic book’s release date to position it appropriately among other significant historical, cultural, and political events of that year.

Notes Note on Comic Book Sales and Circulation Data Throughout the 1950s, comic book sales data was printed in distributor newsletters like Box Score of Magazine Sales and resources for advertisers like the N.W. Ayer and Sons guides. Occasionally, though, sales figures would end up in media kits and publisher press statements. And then there was the U. S. Senate Subcommittee, which published a report in 1950 that focused on juvenile delinquency. It included sales figures of individual comic book titles from 1949 (and sometimes from several prior years) that were provided by the comic book publishers themselves. The comic book sales figures presented in Chapter 1 (“Variety on the Newsstand”) were obtained from this 1950 Senate report. The problem is that since the publishers self-reported this data, its reliability can certainly be questioned.

Determining the exact number of copies a comic book title sold on the newsstand is problematic. The best that one can hope to learn is a close approximation of a comic book’s total sales. This is because the methods used to report sales figures were (and still are) fundamentally flawed. Beginning in 1960, periodical publishers that sold through the mail—which included comic book companies—were required to print circulation data (which eventually included a comic book title’s average print run, average paid circulation, and average returns from the newsstand) in their annual statements of “Ownership, Management and Circulation” in one issue of each of their titles. Prior to 1960, however, circulation data was information conveyed privately from the distributors to the publishers and subsequently reported by some publishers to the Audit Bureau of Circulations for advertisers’ use. Advertisers wanted to know the potential reach one of their ads would have in a comic book, but often the Audit Bureau didn’t break down sales data by individual title, only by individual publisher.

American Comic Book Chronicles then recognizes the flawed nature of newsstand circulation data but is resigned to the fact that it is also the only data available and will consider it a close approximation of a comic book’s total sales numbers.

Batman and Robin TM and © DC Comics.

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom,

INTRODUCTION & ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity,

The ’50s:

it was the season of Light,

Best of Times, the Worst of Times

it was the season of Darkness ....

The

–Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities

For some fans of American comic books, the 1950s was the most exciting era in the medium’s history. For others, it was the mediocre, confused period between the comics of the 1940s (the Golden Age) and the second rise of the super heroes in the 1960s. Count me among those who believe comics of the ’50s are among the most exciting ever published. They’re singularly fascinating for they not only encompass a proliferating variety of genres and titles, but showcase work by many writers and artists—the second generation of comic book creators, if you will—whose work was often more sophisticated than that of their predecessors. In addition, it’s the only period when comic books were brought before a U. S. Senate Subcommittee, which led to massive changes in the medium that echoed through the Silver Age and beyond. How can the era that produced the classic comics of EC (Tales from the Crypt, Weird Science, et al.) and the start of the Silver Age of comics with the publication of the new Flash in DC’s Showcase #4 not be considered among the “best of times”? The same would be asserted, I’m certain, by the fans of Carl Barks’ masterful work on Donald Duck and Uncle Scrooge, and those of John Stanley’s brilliant stories of Little Lulu and Tubby. Harvey Kurtzman’s Mad can hardly be considered mediocre. Indeed, it’s one of the great publishing success stories of the twentieth century, in both creative and financial terms. Those who are only interested in super hero comics will naturally gravitate toward the 1940s and the 1960s (and beyond), but those who appreciate other kinds of comics find much of what they’re looking for in the 1950s. Beyond the costumed hero fare still being published, there were also horror, crime and detective, Western, science fiction, jungle, teen humor, war, newspaper reprints, romance, funny animal, sports hero, educational, adventure, adaptations from other media (movies, radio, TV) and more. The 1950s was the era when extra-thick 25-cent comics became common, and the innovative 3-D comic books were

TM and © William M. Gaines, Agent, Inc.

invented. The tremendous variety of titles and genres of comics of the 1950s is one of the era’s greatest virtues. On the other hand, it’s important to remember that the colorful costumed heroes didn’t disappear entirely in the 1950s. Indeed, over 60 of them, both old and new, fought crime in the pages of the 52-page and 36-page comics of the era, including Martin Goodman’s first attempt to revive his great triumvirate of Captain America, the Human Torch, and the Sub-Mariner. DC brought new costumed heroes to life in the ’50s, such as the Martian Manhunter, Adam Strange, the Legion of Super-Heroes and Supergirl. Even the Flash and Green Lantern—nominally “revivals”—were new characters only loosely based on their Golden Age counterparts. Others invented new heroes too, characters who continue to fascinate, including Captain 3-D, Fighting American, and the Fly from that amazingly talented creative team, Joe Simon and Jack Kirby. Comic books in the form we know them had been in existence just sixteen years as the year 1950 arrived. The super hero boom during World War II, which had largely been responsible for establishing the industry, had faded, but comic book sales had stabilized after a post-war lull. New genres came along, several of them catering partially to older readers, both male and female. The industry itself seemed poised for a successful decade. What came in the 1950s, instead, was the most turbulent decade in the history of comics, and, as a result,

TM and © The Estates of Joe Simon and Jack Kirby.

one of the most interesting. It was a time when comic books gained national attention, and not in a good way. With the establishment of the self-censoring Comics Code Authority in late 1954, comics were forever changed, and over half of the publishers were forced to close up shop in the next two years. Dozens of talented writers and artists were compelled to look for work elsewhere. Tragedies piled up when some of the greatest in the field died young, among them Jack Cole (creator of Plastic Man), Joe Maneely (the star artist of the Atlas comics line), and Matt Baker (master of depicting the female form). Even television’s Superman, George Reeves, was felled by a speeding bullet in the decade’s last year. “Worst of times”? Yes, the dark side of the 1950s is an aspect that also can’t be denied. Ultimately, with the birth of the Silver Age beginning in 1956, the industry rose phoenix-like to push ahead with comics designed to appeal to the rising tide of baby boomers. They provided a burgeoning readership hungry for more colorful and fantastic entertainment than what they found on blackand-white TV or in the movies of the day. Before computer graphics had come to cinema, only comic books could really satisfy that need. And so, the baby boom inspired a comic book boom, and suddenly comics found their own New Frontiers just as the nation did with the arrival of 1960 and a new, young President. The 1950s ... the best of times, the worst of times.... Does the saga of the American comic book get any more fascinating than this?

–Bill Schelly

Acknowledgements The study of comic books and those who create them is the business of their fans. They come in many varieties: those who love comics out of nostalgia, those who appreciate them as an art form, and those who collect them for both fun and investment value. A certain number of fans are historians by nature. They collect data about the comics themselves, they research and interview the writers and artists who created comics of the past, and they find ways to make the results of their efforts available to others. I’m grateful to be able to stand on the shoulders of the histoThe Flash TM and © DC Comics.

by Gene Kehoe on the Charlton giant comics in his It’s a Fanzine provided information on those books. Special thanks also go to Little Lulu experts Ed Buchman (editor of the Hollywood Eclecturn) and Jeff Gelb; Disney and Carl Barks gurus Michael Barrier, Jim Korkis, and Dana Gabbard; and DC Big Five war comics specialist Steven Fears. Also I’d like to posthumously thank Joe Kubert for his insights into those classic war comics, so many of them written by his longtime partner, Robert Kanigher. I also acknowledge the help of William B. Jones, Jr. and former Gilberton writereditor Eleanor Lidofsky on matters involving Classics Illustrated and its related publications.

rians who came before me, and also wish to acknowledge those who contributed specially to this book. One of the most helpful references was The Comic Book in America by Mike Benton, as well as the others in his series of books on the history of comics. Another was the Who’s Who in American Comic Books, the lifelong effort of the late Jerry Bails. The Grand Comics Database (www.comics.org) was an invaluable source of information. Tales of Terror! (2000) by Grant Geissman was an indispensable reference on EC comics. I’m also beholden to the members of EC fandom of the 1950s who came to my aid, particularly John Benson, but also Larry Stark and Ron Parker.

Fred von Bernewitz and

For assistance in ways both large and small, thanks go to Ger Apeldoorn, Matt Baker, Bob Beerbohm, Al Bradford, Jamie Colville, Jon B. Cooke, Leonardo De Sa, Mark Evanier, Carl Gafford, Don Glut, Bart Lidofsky, Terry Martell, Dale Nash, Amy Kiste Nyberg, Steve O’Day, Bob Overstreet, Don Phelps, Ken Quattro, Steven Rowe, Scott Shaw, Jim Simon, Robin Snyder, Dan Stevenson, Dick Swan, John Teegarden, Jeff Trexler, Jim Vadeboncoeur, Bill Wormstedt and Mark Zaid. Special thanks to Todd Hignite; several of the pages of original artwork in this book are courtesy of Heritage Auctions.

Any book on comics of the 1950s must necessarily contain many cover reproductions of Dell Comics, and a great deal of information about the books produced by Western Printing. For his help in this regard, I’m grateful to the indefatigable Alan Hutchinson, who I affectionately call “the Dell man.” Alan provided nearly all of the Dellrelated artwork, as well as many images from EC comics, and the covers of the I.W. reprint comics.

My sincere thanks to Jim Amash for allowing me to quote from I am particularly indebtCarl Barks’ cover to the first issue of Dell’s Four Color series that starred his creation Scrooge interviews he did for McDuck, whose adventures generally co-starred Donald Duck and his nephews Huey, ed to Michelle Nolan, exAlter Ego, and to Roy Dewey and Louie. Writer-Artist Barks produced some of the finest, most beloved and avidlypert on 1950s comic books, collected comic books of the 1950s. Four Color #386 (March 1952). Characters TM and © Disney Thomas for review- Enterprises Inc. for her help checking my ing parts of the manufacts, proofing the manuscript. I am indebted to Dr. Michael J. Vassallo for writing script, and making suggestions. Thanks to John Wells the Peanuts sidebar in Chapter Eight and providing visual for performing a similar function, adding additional material for the chapters dealing with the Atlas costumed data, particularly about National/DC. I would be remiss hero revivals. if I didn’t also acknowledge the excellent design work of David Greenawalt. For their help on the history of Harvey Comics, I wish to thank former Harvey editor Sid Jacobson for his input, Finally, I thank my editor Keith Dallas and publisher John and Mark Arnold whose expertise on the firm is extensive. Morrow, who selected me for this project. It’s been chalCharlton expert Michael Ambrose, publisher of the Charllenging, and it’s been fun. ton Spotlite, answered some key questions, and the article 9

1950

Variety on the Newsstand

The debut of Siegel and Shuster’s Superman in mid-1938

was the shot in the arm that set the fledgling comic book industry on its feet. The Man of Tomorrow was a distinctly different kind of hero, uniquely suited to the brash fourcolor booklets that had so recently become a recognizable presence on American newsstands. When the word got out that National Allied Publications’ Action Comics was a sales skyrocket, imitators followed, and an industry took hold. In 1950, the types of comic books on the racks demonstrated how far the industry had come from its roots, as it adapted to changing public tastes after the end of World War II. While costumed heroes dominated the field during the war—partly out of a need for optimistic, powerful heroes, and partly because other forms simply hadn’t been developed yet—the post-war era registered a significant drop-off in the public’s interest in such fare. Comic books as a medium lost some overall sales for a while, with demobilization and the reduction of readers in the armed services—virtually a captive audience during the war—but by then, the comic book as a mode of entertainment had gained acceptance. The readers were out there, and it remained for publishers to provide them with the kind of material that they found attractive and interesting. Publishers experimented with other kinds of subject matter, and by the decade’s end, newsstands offered a great diversity of genres: Westerns, romance comics, teenage humor, funny animal antics, crime comics, and newspaper reprints, each type, in turn, having sub-genres.

National Comics in 1950 As 1950 began, National Comics Publications Inc., now DC Comics (called National throughout this book), remained a sales leader for three principal reasons: employment of many of the most talented artists and writers in comics, conservative stewardship, and a program of prudent diversification.

CHAPTER ONE

Unlike many of its competitors, National’s core super heroes hadn’t succumbed. Superman was still going strong in his solo title as well as in Action Comics and World’s Finest Comics. Superboy seemed to be gaining momentum, appearing regularly in Adventure Comics and his own selftitled book. (Lana Lang made her debut in Superboy #10, cover dated Sept.-Oct. 1950.) Batman and Robin, too, held firm in their own title plus Detective Comics and World’s Finest. Robin was still appearing in solo adventures in Star Spangled Comics, though not for much longer. Wonder Woman would soon drop out of Sensation Comics, but the Amazon princess continued to dominate the world of men in her own book. And the Justice Society of America—the only remaining vehicle for the Flash, Green Lantern, Hawk10

man, and the other All-American heroes—hung on in All-Star Comics. Second tier hero Aquaman continued in his slot in Adventure Comics, and Green Arrow was in both World’s Finest and Adventure. All these National heroes would run unabated through the decade except for the JSA, whose All-Star Comics dropped them to usher in a format change to All-Star Western in 1951. The creative direction of National was being steered by the urbane, hard-drinking Whitney Ellsworth, whose career with the firm began as an assistant editor with Major Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson’s National Allied Publications in 1934. As such, he pre-dated Harry Donenfeld and Jack Liebowitz with National, staying aboard when their machinations squeezed Wheeler-Nicholson out in 1938. That same year, Ellsworth rose to Associate Editor, producing cover roughs for several years (he was a cartoonist of some ability), and soon he was promoted to Editorial Director, the position he held in 1950. While Ellsworth provided general guidance, after consulting sales figures produced by the co-owned Independent News distribution company, he delegated most of the creative decisions to a staff of able editors, each handling a slate of titles. As Ellsworth became more involved in the development of the firm’s properties in movies and television in the late 1940s and early 1950s, these nominal “assistant editors” gained considerable autonomy. Mort Weisinger was per-

haps first among equals, entrusted with the stewardship of the flagship Superman titles. Jack Schiff steered the Batman books. Julius Schwartz (known as “Julie” by his friends) handled All-Star and a variety of genres. Robert Kanigher edited Wonder Woman and romance comics. Bernie Breslauer served in an editorial capacity on the humor titles; when he suffered a heart attack, he was replaced by Larry Nadle. George Kashdan was a story editor who rose to edit a number of titles in the new decade. One of the key differences between comic books of the early-to-mid 1940s and those of the 1950s was the page count. The traditional 10-cent book during World War II contained 68 pages including covers, at least until 1943 when paper rationing forced reductions (to counts ranging from 36 to 60 pages). After the war, the maximum page count to be found for 10 cents was, with few exceptions, 52 pages. By 1950, many more had dropped down to 36 pages. National held firm for the time being at 52, though it was clear that they would soon have to slim down. (The dimensions of a typical comic book at this time were 7” wide by 10¼” high.) Most 52-page comics had five or six stories, which was generally reduced to three or four stories in books that fell back to 36 pages. If National’s output of super hero comics filled pages in only 11 titles by 1950, what made up the rest of its lineup?

Lana Lang met the Boy of Steel for the first time in Superboy #10 (September-October 1950). Even though super heroes had lost a great deal of their popular appeal by the beginning of the decade, National’s top heroes remained relatively healthy. Right: Action Comics #141 (February 1950), Wonder Woman #40 (March-April 1950), and Detective Comics #156 (February 1950). Superman, Superboy, Wonder Woman, Batman, and Robin TM and © DC Comics

TIMELINE: 1950 A compilation of the year’s notable comic book history events alongside some of the year’s most significant popular culture and historical events. (On sale dates are approximations.)

June 25: North Korean forces cross the 38th parallel and invade South Korea, marking the start of the Korean War. The conflict would end over three years later when an armistice is signed on July 27, 1953.

March: Haunt of Fear #15, Weird Science #12, Weird Fantasy #13 appear on newsstands, completing the horror and SF “New Trend” roster at EC.

February: Vault of Horror #12 & Crypt of Terror #17, the first EC “New Trend” horror comic books, hit newsstands. They would spawn one of the two genres that especially distinguished comic book history from 1950 through 1954.

JANUARY

February 9: In a speech in West Virginia, Senator Joseph McCarthy claims to have a list of 205 people working in the U.S. State Department who are members of the Communist Party. While never proving his claims, the speech nonetheless thrusts McCarthy into the national spotlight as the foremost voice expressing fear that Communist spies have infiltrated the government.

FEBRUARY

MARCH

February 25: The comedyvariety program Your Show of Shows, starring Sid Caesar, Imogene Coca, and Carl Reiner, debuts on the NBC television network.

APRIL

M AY

JUNE

June 30: National publishes Strange Adventures #1 with an adaptation of Destination Moon, the film based on Robert A. Heinlein’s book that would reach theaters in August. March 19: Edgar Rice Burroughs, sci-fi author and the creator of Tarzan, dies at the age of 74 of a heart attack.

Haunt of Fear, Crime SuspenStories TM and © William M. Gaines, Agent, Inc. Strange Adventures, Superman, Big Town, Tomahawk, All-Star Comics TM and © DC Comics.

While Superman and Batman reigned supreme in the opening story in Action and Detective respectively, the backup features reflected the times. Action Comics #140 (January 1950) followed the Man of Steel with Tommy Tomorrow, Tales of the Texas Rangers, Congo Bill, and Vigilante. Detective Comics #155 (January 1950) backed the Dynamic Duo with PowWow Smith and Roy Raymond, TV Detective (first billed as “Impossible – but True”). World’s Finest Comics #43 (January 1950) did offer Green Arrow and Zatara, but also the Wyoming Kid and Full Steam Foley. Much of National’s line was made up of humorous comics of various types, in titles such as Comic Cavalcade (with the Fox and the Crow), Sheldon Mayer’s Scribbly (which would soon be retired), Funny Folks, Leading Comics, and Animal Antics. For teenage Archie-like humor, National published Buzzy, Leave it to Binky and A Date with Judy. It also produced

the romance books Secret Hearts and Girls’ Love Stories, which were joined in 1950 by Girls’ Romances. All American Comics had been converted to All American Western, replacing Green Lantern with the cowboy Johnny Thunder, and Western Comics, Jimmy Wakely, and Dale Evans filled out National’s Western roster. In summary, the thirty-nine titles published by National in mid-1950 broke down as follows: eleven super hero titles (often with non-super backups), seven funny animal/juvenile, six Westerns, four teen-age, four romances, three adventure, two crime, and two straight humor. Sales in 1950 averaged 7,791,402 copies per month, or about 93 million total copies for the year. That meant the average sales per book, most of them bimonthly, was about 400,000-450,000 copies (Tolworthy). With owner Harry Donenfeld having moved into the background, Jack Liebowitz ruled the offices at 480 Lex12

ington Avenue. Given his background in accounting and finance, Liebowitz was not surprisingly a conservative man, and his personality was apparent in National’s publishing output. Yet if new titles were needed, Liebowitz’s answer wasn’t simply to publish four or five more romance and Western books; he wanted Ellsworth to try new things, albeit with all due caution. Thus, he was receptive when Ellsworth had proposed licensing a Dale Evans book starting in 1948, a result of the editor-in-chief’s role as National’s contact in Hollywood. After supervising Atom Man vs. Superman, the second Superman serial, which was released in July 1950, Whitney Ellsworth continued by overseeing Superman and the Mole Men. For this Lippert Films project, a new actor was hired to play the Man of Steel, a handsome B-movie actor named George Reeves. While in California, Ellsworth lined up more licensed properties for comic book

July 12: Bill Finger’s Lana Lang makes her first appearance in Superboy #10 (“The Girl in Superboy’s Life”).

August: The first issue of EC’s Crime SuspenStories arrives at newsstands.

July 26: National’s Tomahawk #1, featuring the work of Bruno Premiani, Fred Ray, and Leonard Starr, arrives at newsstands.

J U LY

September: Two-Fisted Tales #18 features the work of Harvey Kurtzman, Johnny Craig, Al Feldstein, and Wally Wood. With its next issue, the title would become EC’s first war comic book.

AUGUST

SEPTEMBER

October 2: As a precursor to Peanuts, Charles Schulz’s Li’l Folks is syndicated to seven newspapers. It stars four characters: Charlie Brown, Peppermint Patty, Shermy, and a beagle named Snoopy.

OCTOBER

August 24: Marvel Boy #1, written by Stan Lee and drawn by Russ Heath is Martin Goodman’s attempt to publish a new super hero. The series lasts only two issues.

July 20: Columbia releases the second Superman serial, Atom Man vs Superman, a precursor to the Adventures of Superman TV show.

The Hollywood connection was conjured up even when titles had no genuine connection to the movie capitol. Animal Antics became Movie Town’s Animal Antics; Leading Comics became Leading Screen Comics. National launched Miss Melody Lane of Broadway and Feature Films. Despite sales that were down from prior peaks, the Superman stories offered top artwork in 1950 and throughout the decade. The chief art-

NOVEMBER

DECEMBER

November 1: Harvey Comics jumps on the horror bandwagon with Witches Tales #1.

August 5: Led by Estes Kefauver, a U.S. Senate Committee investigates the effect of crime comics on juvenile delinquency rates from 1945 to 1950. Surveys are sent to all the top comic book companies asking for circulation figures, demographics, revenues, opinions about juvenile delinquency, and whether or not their books have been approved by psychiatrists.

publication. The Adventures of Alan Ladd and The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet debuted in issues cover-dated at the end of 1949, and Adventures of Bob Hope began in an issue dated February-March 1950. This tactic successfully capitalized on these performers’ widespread popularity. When the comedy team of Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis became a whitehot media sensation in the following year, National was quick to sign them up and get a book featuring the duo onto the stands.

November 15: National’s licensed Big Town begins, soon to be followed by more radio and TV adaptations.

October 1: Martin Goodman publishes War Comics #1, the first of the “modern” war comics. Goodman would go on to launch eleven more war titles through the end of 1952.

October: The Edvard Moritz-drawn cover to ACG’s Adventures into the Unknown #14 annonuces, “In this issue: The Haunted Morgue, Land of the Zombies, The Werewolf Strikes… and other strange features.” The title would become ACG’s leading series.

ist for the Man of Steel was Wayne Boring, who had learned the business assisting Joe Shuster on Superman, beginning in 1938. After Siegel and Shuster left National in 1947, Mort Weisinger made Boring and inker Stan Kaye the main art team for Superman and Action Comics. Boring’s style had already evolved into something original by 1950, a combination of both the primitive and the exotic. He would refine and polish his style until it reached its zenith at the decade’s end. Al Plastino and Winslow Mortimer also illustrated the Man of Steel, and ably so, but not with anything like the panache and style of Wayne Boring. Unfortunately, the stories had hit the doldrums, despite being written by able scripters such as Alvin Schwartz and William Woolfolk. Superman’s encounters with villains Luthor, the Toyman, and the playful Mr. Mxyztplk from another dimension had become repetitious and lackluster. 13

December 20: All-Star Comics #57 presents the last appearance of the Justice Society of America—and its members the Flash, Green Lantern, Dr. Mid-Nite, Hawkman, Atom, and Black Canary—in the 1950s. With its next issue, All-Star Comics is re-titled All-Star Western, featuring the Trigger Twins, the Roving Ranger, and Strong Bow.

Jack Schiff, editor of the Batman titles, also had his star artist at this time: Dick Sprang. Sprang’s artwork achieved a level of sophistication and excitement that few other comic book artists could match. When Schiff was trying to inject new life and a sense of modernism into to the feature, he had Sprang draw two key stories: “The Batmobile of 1950” in Detective #156 (February 1950), written by Joe Samachson, and “The Origin of the Batplane II” in Batman #61 (OctoberNovember 1950), probably penned by David V. Reed. The other main “Bob Kane” in the early 1950s was Lew Sayre Schwartz. The art of Dan Barry made a major impact at National in 1950 and into 1951. Barry had a literal, slick style that the conservative editors of the firm loved. Some of the books Barry was most associated with (sometimes inked by his brother Sy Barry) were Gang Busters, Big Town, and Mr. District Attorney, as well as Vigilante

Schwartz’s writing workhorses, and his stable of artists included Carmine Infantino, Gil Kane, Murphy Anderson, Sid Greene, Frank Giacoia, Mike Sekowsky, and Bernard Sachs.

Other Super/Costumed Heroes

Strange Adventures #1 (August-September 1950). TM and © DC Comics.

in Action Comics and “Impossible – But True” in Detective Comics. After he left in 1951 to revive the Flash Gordon daily newspaper strip, Dan Barry’s work was held up to other artists as an exemplar of the ideal National style. Jack Schiff found two he liked: John Prentice and Leonard Starr. Both did a great deal of work in Gang Busters and many other non-super-hero titles in the early and mid-1950s. National entered another genre in mid-year: science fiction. Julie Schwartz had been a science fiction fan since his teenage years, and later became a literary agent for writers submitting to the genre’s pulps. Doubtless at his urging, an adaptation of the film Destination Moon was licensed. It appeared in Strange Adventures #1 (August-September 1950), timed to appear on newsstands at the end of June, just as the movie hit screens in New York. (It went into general release in August.) The rather brief (eight page) story was written by Gardner F. Fox, adapted from the screenplay by Robert A. Heinlein. This was the beginning of a long-running title for the publisher, lasting 244 issues into 1973. John Broome and Gardner Fox were

The ranks of super heroes from other publishers had thinned dramatically. Fawcett’s Marvel Family titles (Captain Marvel Adventures, Whiz Comics, Captain Marvel Jr., Master Comics, The Marvel Family) were there, mostly written by the prolific scribe Otto Binder (rhymes with “tinder”) and mainly illustrated by either C. C. Beck or Kurt Schaffenberger. While the sales of Captain Marvel Adventures had declined from its peak in 1944, it was still selling about 500,000 copies per issue in the first six months of 1950, a respectable and profitable number. (It sold about 586,000 per issue in 1949.) Fawcett’s Captain Marvel looked as if he would continue battling the evil Dr. Sivana and his ilk right through the ’50s except for a super fly in the ointment: the continuing lawsuit from National’s owners, who felt the World’s Mightiest Mortal too closely resembled Superman. The suit had by this time reached the appeal stage. True, Mary Marvel had lost her own magazine and her berth in Wow Comics, but looked fresher than ever as drawn

by Kurt Schaffenberger in The Marvel Family. Captain Marvel Jr. and Whiz Comics were looking marginal with sales of only 240,000 copies per issue. Spy Smasher and Bulletman were gone, though Ibis the Invincible still clung to his slot in the back pages of Whiz Comics. The rest of the Fawcett line consisted mostly of a slew of Western and romance titles, including romances with a Western theme. Joining the line’s top seller, Hopalong Cassidy (with 608,000 copies per issue in early 1950), were Rocky Lane, Gabby Hayes Western, Six Gun Heroes, along with (among others) Cowboy Love and Romantic Western. Plastic Man from Quality Comics was also a mainstay, though creator and chief artist Jack Cole would soon move on. His “ghosts” did their best to keep the Cole playfulness intact, but the feature became pedestrian without the brilliant cartoonist. Plas lost his slot in Police Comics in 1950, replaced in issue #103 (December 1950) by detective Ken Shannon, as the book changed format into a straight-ahead crime comic. Still, his solo book coasted on the character’s popularity for several more years. Like Plastic Man, Doll Man had a solo title, Doll Man, that continued into the ’50s though he lost his regular slot in Feature Comics in 1949. Doll Man lasted into 1953, introducing a new female sidekick,

Otto Binder, ca. 1950, chief scribe of the Marvel Family characters. The Marvel Family #54 (December 1950) with Pete Costanza art, and Whiz Comics #119 (March 1950) with a Kurt Schaffenberger cover. The Marvel Family characters TM and © by DC Comics.

Doll Girl, with issue #37 in 1951. (She was Darrel Dane’s girlfriend, Martha.) Blackhawk had a similar fate. His solo title continued until Quality’s demise later in the decade, but the other book featuring Blackhawk—Modern Comics, formerly Military Comics— was dropped with issue #102 (October 1950). However, the Hawks were still looking good, for the great Reed Crandall often drew them, especially the covers, but also some interior stories. The rest of the Quality line was made up of humor books and numerous romance titles such as Heart Throbs, as well as relatively mediocre entries in other genres. The best days of E. M. “Busy” Arnold’s once mighty line of comic books were clearly behind them. Lev Gleason’s Boy Comics continued to star the costumed hero Crimebuster, but the feature was increasingly dominated by supporting characters. It was eventually re-titled “Chuck Chandler,” after shifting focus to his adventures as a prep school athletic star. Gleason’s Daredevil still appeared in Daredevil Comics, though subordinate to the humorous “Little Wise Guys.” Soon the boomerang-wielding lawman vanished entirely from his own book. Daredevil’s final regular series appearance came in Daredevil Comics #69 (December 1950).

Harvey Comics Harvey Comics’ “glamorous detective” Black Cat made her debut in the first true Harvey comic book, Pocket Comics #1 (August 1941). By the time the 1950s arrived, the company was doing well but still searching for its real identity, the aspect that made it unique. The Blackhawks were going strong in 1950, with their co-creator Chuck Cuidera still on the book as inker. The company hierarchy looked like Blackhawk #33 (Octrober 1950). Blackhawks TM and © DC Comics. this: Alfred Harvey (President), Leon Harvey (Editor-in-Chief), Robert B. Harvey (Business Manand Advice, Teen-Age Brides, True Bride Experiences, and ager), and editors Perry Antoshak, Louise Hill and Matt several more. Murphy. Harvey historian Mark Arnold wrote, “Alfred A bright spot at Harvey beginning in the 1950 issues was [Harvey] was the guiding light and led the direction of the the work of Joe Simon and Jack Kirby (S & K) in their The company. Somewhat similar to Martin Goodman, Harvey Kid Cowboys of Boys’ Ranch. The Simon and Kirby writwasn’t an innovator, but chose to follow trends rather than ing and drawing team had been a creative leader in comic invent them” (Arnold). books from their first collaboration in 1940 (Blue Bolt). Black Cat rode her motorcycle into the new decade, but the Boys’ Ranch showed them adapting their popular “kid publisher turned to licensed comic strip properties to keep gang” formula to the Western genre. The first issue, dated Harvey going. They had just introduced their first Sad Sack October 1950, started with “The Man Who Hated Boys,” inbook in 1949. In 1950 Harvey picked up Dick Tracy from troducing Indian scout and mentor Clay Duncan, and the Dell and Blondie from David McKay. Both were successful boys Wabash, Angel and Dandy. In The Best of Simon and and long-running. The publisher also added several roKirby, Kirby said, “We weren’t doing real cowboys. No one mance comics, fielding Hi-School Romance, Love Problems wanted to see that or read that. I had a book in my library 15

The Kid Cowboys of Boys’ Ranch #1 (October 1950) starred a group of kids with a grown-up mentor, a specialty of the Simon and Kirby team. Despite excellent stories and art, the book lasted only six issues. Boys’ Ranch TM and © The Estates of Joe Simon and Jack Kirby.

ers (National, Fox, Quality, St. John, Harvey, Ace, etc.) all contributed to this oversaturation. Many of them, like the Westerns featuring film stars, had photo covers. By year’s end, two-thirds of romance titles had been jettisoned. It seems Fox Publications was so severely hurt by this development that it closed its doors shortly thereafter. Some of the others held back publication of romance books to let the market clear out, and then resumed in 1951. Indeed, they added more new titles as the 1950s progressed. Very few boys bought romance comics, but girls loved them and kept the genre alive for many years. Romance comics had an audience and filled a need.

of Old West history, absolutely authentic. I opened it to look at the pictures, but I never read it. The movies were a better source of pictures, anyway” (Simon 179). Sales may not have been stellar, but Boys’ Ranch was a highlight of 1950-51, proving the S & K team was still creatively vital. As it turned out, they put their stamp on comics of the beginning, middle, and end of the decade.

Years later, some comics fans discovered that one company, at least, published romance comics of high enough quality to repay continuing interest: the romance comics of St. John Publishing. St. John’s art director, Matt Baker, was the chief artist of the company’s romance roster, a perfect choice for the job. Baker is a legend in the comics history not only because he was the first prominent African American in the industry, but because he was one of the best artists to ever put pencil and pen to Bristol board.

Glutted on Romance Joe Simon and Jack Kirby were also the pioneers who introduced the romance genre back in 1947 with their Young Romance book, and 1950 was the year when virtually every publisher jumped on the romance bandwagon. This resulted in what has been termed the “The Love Glut” of the first half of 1950. Nearly all the major publishers put out several romance titles. Fawcett published the most issues, but Martin Goodman was right up there, and the oth-

Despite their historic importance, it isn’t known if the St. John books outsold their rivals. However, St. John titles in 1949-1950 were selling between 250,000 and 400,000 copies per issue, and Teen-Age Romances was its top seller. 16

Photo covers were used on many of the romance comics that proliferated in 1950. Depicted are Romance Trail #6 (May-June 1950), the last issue, Young Marriage #1 (June 1950), Girls’ Romances #5 (October-November 1950) and Heart Throbs #8 (October 1950). TM and © by respective copyright holders.

The Golden Age of Western Comics Research showed that a large number of teenagers and adults continued to read comics in the post-war era, many of them “voting with their dimes” for heroic action of a nominally more realistic type. Overall, readers were rejecting the fanciful, fantastic protagonists for those that were a bit more down to earth. The Western comic books provided the types of heroes who could be idolized by young readers but also be enjoyed by the older teenagers and adults. As a result, Westerns entered a kind of Golden Age at this time. Western comic books had been around since the late 1930s, but it was Red Ryder Comics (September

1940) that became the first successful ongoing series in the genre. Gene Autry, Hopalong Cassidy, Roy Rogers, and Lone Ranger received series during the 1940s, but it was in 1948 that publishers plunged into the Western form full force. Fawcett licensed such “B” movie stars as Tom Mix, Rocky Lane, and Lash LaRue. Martin Goodman launched his two most successful, long-running Western titles, Kid Colt Outlaw (August 1948) and Two-Gun Kid (March 1948), as well as many other Western-themed books. All the major publishers had them. The Western genre became the dominant genre on the newsstands as the ’40s gave way to the ’50s and were a major component of the field throughout the Eisenhower years.

One of the better Western books was Prize Comics Western. It featured the art of John Severin, a top-notch storyteller who arguably did his best work on stories set in the Old West. His regular collaborator was Bill (or Will, or Willy) Elder, who inked much of Severin’s Western work, as well as a great deal of his non-Western material, in the next few years. (On his own, Severin would later draw many Western strips for Atlas.) Severin’s Westerns were meticulously researched and showed an attention to detail that was astonishing. “The interest [in the old West] started early — probably with the first cowboy movie I ever saw,” Severin told John Benson in an interview published in 1971. “What followed was to find out more about

Western comics often featured stars and characters from other media. Shown: Gene Autry Comics #40 (June 1950), Hopalong Cassidy #40 (February 1950) and The Lone Ranger #23 (May 1950). TM and © by respective copyright holders. Lone Ranger TM and © Classic Media, LLC.

the accouterments of Western life — and then came the scenery and all. I try to be accurate about almost anything. You just pick up photographs, Western artwork, and that’s it. So if it’s authentic about the West, it’s just because that’s the way I work. Naturally there are certain limitations, such as your deadline and so forth. If I’m given enough time to look up my research, everything is fine” (Benson 45).

Martin Goodman: “Follow That Trend” One of the biggest producers of romance and Western titles was Martin Goodman’s comics line, edited and often written by Stan Lee. Goodman’s line, referred to in the 1940s as Timely and in the 1960s as Marvel, had no single name during the 1950s. Presumably for tax purposes, his comics were published by numerous small companies. For the sake of clarity, this book refers to comics that Goodman published in the years before and after he carried the Atlas globe on his covers—late 1951 through most of 1957—as “Martin Goodman’s comics.” The comic books whose covers display the Atlas globe are referred to as Atlas Comics, as is traditional. Martin Goodman’s company, one of the original firms of the industry, reflected the publisher’s personal philosophy: once a new trend was apparent, flood the newsstands with similar titles. Then, when/if sales reports showed those books faltering, indicating perhaps the end of a trend, summarily drop them. Goodman pursued this “binge and purge” philosophy all through the 1940s and 1950s. One would think that Captain America, Sub-Mariner, and the Human Torch were important enough properties to warrant continued publication even when sales lagged a bit (like Superman at National and Captain Marvel at Fawcett), but Goodman considered those characters, once the linchpins of his comic book empire, expendable. If super hero comics were at low ebb, why bother with them at all?

Marvel Boy was one of the first new super heroes introduced in the 1950s, and proved to be short-lived. Marvel Boy #1 (December 1950). Marvel Boy TM and © Marvel Characters, Inc.

of laying off the staff, something he had tried to avoid and found distasteful. This change in the Goodman business model caused a drop in the number of issues published in 1950. The drop was short-lived; the following year Goodman produced even more issues than before. (Most of the former staff artists and writers eventually received regular assignments from Lee as freelancers.)

The heroes were replaced by interchangeable romance comics (Love Tales, My Own Romance, Best Love, True Secrets, Love Adventures, among others), numerous Western titles (see above) and an assortment of crime comics (Crime Exposed, All-True Crime Cases) and, added in 1950, Crime Must Lose and Crime Can’t Win. Goodman’s line included numerous teen and humor comics as well. By flooding the stands, and putting out comics that were competent and sometimes a little better than that, he was selling an average of 5.8 million copies a month, a solid showing next to National’s 7.8 million average during 1950. However, Goodman’s sales average per title was lower since he usually published considerably more titles than National (Tolworthy).

Stan Lee tried a new costumed hero title, Marvel Boy, cover dated December 1950. This project had topflight art by Russ Heath, one of the rising stars of this era who would do a great deal of work for Goodman’s comics throughout the decade. Marvel Boy #1 was a good-looking book, and Bill Everett’s work in subsequent issues was also excellent, but it apparently failed to attract enough readers. It was re-titled Astonishing with the third issue, and Marvel Boy was gradually de-emphasized, vanishing into comic book limbo after issue #6.

Behind the scenes, the first year of the decade saw a change in the way Goodman produced his comics. Through the end of the 1940s, Stan Lee had presided over a large in-house bullpen of salaried artists. Rather than lay anyone off, Lee kept unoccupied staff writers and artists working on stories that were put into an inventory for future use. Sometime in late 1949, Martin Goodman discovered the closet full of unpublished work. The idea of stockpiling work to keep the staff busy horrified Goodman. He decided it was time to go “all freelance.” Stan was given the onerous task

Along with the dissolution of the in-house Goodman bullpen in late 1949, the most important event that occurred for the company at this time was the arrival of Joe Maneely. Artist Joe Maneely was to Goodman’s comics of the 1950s what Jack Kirby was to the Marvel in the 1960s. Joe Maneely was born in Philadelphia, and like a lot of men 18

leaving the military after World War II, he used the G. I. Bill to attend school. In his case, given his already obvious art talent, he went to the Hussian School of Art. A year later, Maneely was drawing comics for Street & Smith (then Avon, Hillman, and Ziff-Davis). In late 1949, he showed up at Stan Lee’s door… just before Goodman’s company went all freelance. Lee was immediately enamored with Maneely’s work, which told the stories well while being beautifully designed and sporting a degree of detail that put the young artist ahead of most of his colleagues. Another of Maneely’s virtues was that, like Kirby, he was a fast worker. Unlike Kirby, however, Maneely always inked his own pencils.

rendered details layered onto clothing and all the Western accouterments. You could easily believe Joe had witnessed the events he was rendered in his stories” (Vassallo 4). In the coming months and years, Maneely contributed a vast amount of artwork to virtually every genre offered by Goodman.

Archie Rules the Roost Beginning just a year after the introduction of Superman in Action Comics #1, MLJ Comics initially did quite well with a series of comic books featuring costumed heroes. MLJ was named after its founders Maurice Coyne, Louis Silberkleit, and John Goldwater. The Shield was the first patriotic hero, appearing a year before Captain America in Pep Comics #1 (January 1940). Black Hood, Hangman, the Comet, the Wizard, and Mr. Justice joined The Shield in costumed hero exploits. Nevertheless, it was the introduction of a comical teenager named Archie Andrews in Pep #22 (December 1941) that proved pivotal to the company. By 1950, the publisher, then known as Archie Comics Publications, was focusing more and more on Archie-related fare.

Joe Maneely hit the ground running, drawing stories for numerous Goodman Western comics in 1950 and 1951 such as Whip Wilson, Kid Colt Outlaw, Black Rider, The Gunhawk, Apache Kid, and the Texas Kid. Comics historian Dr. Michael J. Vassallo wrote, “Taken as an early body of work, these stories are some of the most visually appealing and exciting Western comics of all time. Every panel is a riveting moment caught frozen in time with baroquely

The public’s appetite for tales of Archie’s comical entanglements with Betty and Veronica seemed nearly insatiable. In addition to Pep Comics and Laugh Comics (starring Archie), and Archie Comics itself, the publisher offered Archie’s Pal Jughead (1949) and Archie’s Girls Betty and Veronica (1950). Other titles starred another comical teenager Wilbur, and there was also Katy Keene, Ginger, and Suzie. Katy Keene, drawn by Bill Woggon, was quite popular, perhaps partly because of pages printing fashion designs sent in by readers. Serious adventure comics fell by the wayside when none of the firm’s attempts matched the sales of more lighthearted books. Archie Annual #1, a 116-page comic priced at 25 cents, came out in 1950. Other extra-long comics followed, such as the Archie’s Christmas Stocking annual specials. The number of Archie-centric titles, as well as 25-cent specials, increased as the decade progressed. New series introduced in the 1950s were Archie’s Girls Betty and Veronica (1950), the annual Archie’s Pals ‘N’ Gals (1952) and Archie’s Joke Book (1953).

Other Publishers Besides National, Fawcett, Quality, Harvey, St. John, Goodman, and Archie, there were many other publishers active in 1950. Some had been around for a while but were suffering from poor sales, like Fiction House (whose titles Jungle Comics, Planet Comics, and others had seen better days, but were still chugging along), and others, like Charlton, who were in the early stages of becoming a major presence on newsstands.

Archie Annual #1 (1950). Extra thick “giant” comic books had been around for over a decade, but they flourished as never before in the ’50s. TM and © Archie Comic Publications, Inc.

One of the best smaller companies was Magazine Enterprises, because the man who ran it was Vincent Sullivan, and Sullivan knew how to run a business. A cartoonist himself, he was the editor at National Comics who picked Superman to be the headliner in Action Comics #1 (1938). In 1940, Sullivan left Na-

tional because he felt uncomfortable with some of its business dealings, specifically once Harry Donenfeld assumed control (Schelly). His second port-of-call in comics was with Columbia, the publisher of two popular and distinctive heroes, Skyman and The Face. Toward the end of World War II, he decided to form his own publishing enterprise. He called it Magazine Enterprises (or, as he joked, ME). Its first title was A-1 (1944). ME published dozens of comic book

series over its decade-long lifespan, many of them Westerns. One of its most popular titles, one that has held enduring interest among comic book fans and collectors, is the Western character Ghost Rider, who made his debut in Tim Holt #11 (1949). The hero clad all in white was a creation of writer Ray Krank and a young artist named Dick Ayers. After studying under Burne Hogarth in New York City in the Cartoonists and Illustrators School in 1947, Ayers penciled some of Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster’s

Funnyman book the following year. Jerry Siegel sent Dick Ayers to Vincent Sullivan. Ghost Rider became one of the most popular characters at ME, appearing in Tim Holt, A-1 Comics, Red Mask, Bobby Benson’s B-Bar-B Riders, and in fourteen issues of his solo title, The Ghost Rider, beginning in 1950. Though a Western, Ghost Rider was arguably a costumed hero. His glowing white, phosphorescent costume was both original and striking, and found acceptance among fans of both Westerns and costumed adventurers. Ghost Rider crusaded until 1954, when his brand of justice ran afoul of the Comics Code. The list of small 1950s-era comic book publishers is a mixed bag, with some of them producing very good comic books, some of them producing educational titles, and others putting out imitative material, often junk. It includes Catechetical Guild (Treasure Chest of Fun and Fact), Famous Funnies, Cross Publishing, Farrell Comic Group, comics from Stanley P. Morse (Aragon, Gilmor, Key, and Stanmor), Nation-Wide Publishing, Stanhall, Star Publications, Superior Comics (a Canadian publisher), Toby Press (L’il Abner), and United Features Syndicate (Tip Top Comics). All through the 1940s and the first half of the 1950s, a certain number of the comic books appearing on newsstands were published by “hole in the wall” publishers. These were one or two person operations with a small office in New York—sometimes just one room—who often contracted with comic book production shops (such as the S. M. Iger shop) to come up with the editorial material.

Dick Ayers drew the cover to The Ghost Rider #1 (1950) published by Vin Sullivan’s Magazine Enterprises (ME). The character combined the Western and costumed hero genres. Ghost Rider TM and © Marvel Characters, Inc.

One such small publisher was Nation-Wide Publishing, who came into being experimenting with miniature-size comics—5” wide by 7¼” inches tall—for the miniature price of a mere five cents. Nation-Wide had glossy covers and newsprint interiors. Its first publication was Captain Atom #1 (1950), debuting one of the first new super heroes of the 1950s (along with Goodman’s Marvel Boy). The book appeared for seven monthly issues. Other Nation-Wide comics from 1950 to 1952 included Do-Do, Lucky Stars and Mazie, some of them fullsized. (Nation-Wide’s Captain Atom

bore no relation to the character of the same name published by Charlton Comics ten years hence.) One publisher that ranks as “small” might superficially belie that term: Star Publications, owned and edited by L. B. Cole and Larry Kramer. In late 1949 and 1950, they published a fairly large number of books, such as Blue Bolt Comics, Dick Cole, Four-Most Boys Comics, Gasoline Alley, Crime Fighting Detective, Thrilling Crime Cases, Flaming Western Romances, Target Western Romances, True-to-Life Romance, School Day Romances, Film Stars Romances, Frisky Fables, Popular Teen-Agers, White Rider and Super Horse, and Sport Thrills. Cole, prone to exaggeration, later claimed they were producing a book every calendar day. That wasn’t the case, but with all these titles, why wouldn’t they be put in the second tier? The answer is that many of their titles were filled with reprints of material from the 1940s that had first been published by Novelty Publications. Cole and Kramer bought the rights and inventory to Novelty’s entire line in 1949 for very little money, which allowed them to continue some of their titles such as Blue Bolt Comics and Dick Cole. The Star comics had L. B. Cole’s marvelous, eye-catching “poster covers” over lackluster interiors, either reprints or mediocre new stories (often drawn by Norman Nodell or Jay Disbrow). Sometimes, to make reprints look new, or to make them seem more appropriate for the type of stories promised by the covers, the story titles were changed. Star also reprinted some low-grade material from the defunct Fox Publications. Their books had great newsstand appeal but must have disappointed many a reader when he or she got them home. Then there was noble Gilberton Publications, who produced only Classics Illustrated (originally Classic Comics). Formed in 1941 by Russian-born publisher Albert Lewis Kanter, each issue provided an adaptation of various works of literature in sequential art form. Gilberton differed from others because they regularly re-issued back numbers of Classics Illustrated for new readers. Though any number of top artists drew these adaptations (such as Jack Kirby and Reed Crandall in the late '50s), the rates Kanter paid were so low, the artists often rushed the work. Most fans of other comics seem to have only a passing interest in these comic books, perhaps a fleeting nostalgia, but they sold well so they were definitely filling a need. Kanter’s dream was to introduce the world of books, often very literate ones, to young readers. A lot of them were undoubtedly purchased not for their entertainment value but by desperate students who needed to quickly write a book report.

Blue Bolt #105 (April-May 1950). Cover by L. B. Cole. Blue Bolt TM and © by respective copyright holder.

appearance, and possibly because CI’s educational nature set it apart from other comic books. No other publisher was able to gain such acceptance when they test marketed their titles at 15 cents, as they did later in the decade. In the 1940s, George A. Pflaum started publishing comic books from his base in Dayton, Ohio, for Catholic youth. His Catechetical Guild company published Treasure Chest of Fun and Fact, beginning in 1946. Its first issue of the decade, dated January 1950, was #76 (vol. 5, #10). The title was unusual, in that it appeared on a bi-weekly schedule during the school year and was sold and distributed exclusively to parochial schools. Treasure Chest was an innocuous mix of stories with religious themes, often stories of young people facing moral dilemmas. It also dramatized the life of saints and other Bible stories. Its best known continuing series was about the character Chuck White, a sports hero. The book also offered more general fare, such as pirate adventures and funny animal stories. Treasure Chest continued all through the 1950s and 1960s for over 300 issues. Many popular artists helped fill its pages, including such familiar names as Graham Ingels, Joe Orlando, Reed Crandall, Murphy Anderson, and Jim Mooney. It was for sale only by subscription and delivered to Catholic schools in bulk.

The early 1950s ushered in changes to Classics Illustrated. Gilberton raised its literary sights and published its first adaptation of a Shakespearean work, Julius Caesar (#68, February-March 1950). The issue featuring an adaptation of Homer’s The Odyssey (#81, March 1951) heralded the series’ first painted cover (by Alex Blum) and a price increase to 15 cents. This was done, according to Gilberton expert William B. Jones, Jr., on the advice of the distributor, Curtis Circulation Company (Jones 112). It was accepted, perhaps because the painted covers gave Classics Illustrated a richer 21

The S. M. Iger Shop From their beginning, modern comic book publishers relied on four main suppliers of writing and art: newspaper reprints, in-house staff of creative personnel (called “bullpens”), individual freelancers, and comic book production shops. One of the largest and most long-lived shops was the S. M. Iger Studio, commonly referred to simply as the “Iger shop.” It began in 1940, after the break-up of the Eisner-Iger shop (which had begun four years earlier). Will Eisner chose to go his own way, and S. M. “Jerry” Iger continued the operation on his own. Many of the great comic book artists began with Iger, then became individual freelancers. By the time the 1950s arrived, his staff included Robert Hayward Webb, David Heames, Ed Waldman, Jay Disbrow, Ruth Harris, Chet Martin, and Harry Belil. They supplied completed pages to Fiction House, Superior, Farrell, Stanmor, and Gilberton, among others. Jerry Iger also started the small Phoenix Features newspaper syndicate, which, in the early 1950s, distributed a comic strip starring Mickey Spillane’s Mike Hammer. Jerry Iger and his editor (and partner) Ruth Roche kept the studio going through much of the decade in one form or other. Robert Hayward Webb was still doing some work for Iger into the ’60s.

Dell and EC: Giants of a Different Kind Two other comic book publishers operating in 1950 remain to be discussed, two giants in almost diametrically opposed ways. Dell Comics was competing with National and would soon overtake them in terms of circulation. EC comics, on the other hand, was the little company that could—and did—set an example of high quality material and had a giant influence on the industry, much greater than its share of marketplace sales would indicate. This is not to say that Dell lacked for quality, or that EC comics didn’t sell, only that they make an interesting study in opposites. Dell Comics was, in fact, not a comic book producer in 1950. The firm founded by George Delacorte purchased completed comic book stories from Western Printing and Lithography Company, a company founded in Racine, Wisconsin in 1910. Each year, Western made a presentation to Dell Comics’ Vice President Helen Meyer, and Meyer selected the books that Dell wished to finance. Dell’s distribution deal with American News Corporation (ANC), the biggest distributor of periodicals in the United States, gave it unsurpassed newsstand clout. Western produced the selected books in its offices in Poughkeepsie, New York (where the comics were printed), and later out of Dell’s office in New York City. Western Printing also had a West Coast editorial office in Beverly Hills, California. In 1940, Western Printing negotiated with Walt Disney Studios to license the Disney characters for comic book publication. The immediate result was Walt Disney’s Comics and Stories, which began in October of that year. It was Above left: Gilberton’s art editor Alex Blum painted the cover of Classics Illustrated #81 (March 1951) featuring an adaptation of Homer’s “The Odyssey.” In the 1950s, the publisher embarked on a program to replace the covers of their existing titles with new painted covers. Classics Illustrated TM and © the Frawley Corporation & licensee First Classics, Inc.

Dell’s flagship title, starring Donald Duck, Mickey Mouse, and other Disney characters in every issue. Many of Dell’s comics appeared in its ongoing Four Color Series, which allowed the company to publish a variety of features from issue-to-issue as part of one continuous series. Those that sold well in Four Color were awarded their own, stand-alone titles. Some were never intended to be anything but one-shots. There were 25 issues in the Four Color First Series, and eventually over 1,300 issues in its Second Series by its demise in 1962. In The Four-Color Four Color Index (2011), comics historian Gary Brown wrote: In the Four Color Series, you get a good sense of what America was like in the 1950s. Admittedly, it might be a white, middle-class vision of the country, but the series hit on every fad, every icon ,and every popular piece of culture that America embraced during this time span. Dell Comics released anywhere from one to a half dozen Four Color titles a month, touching on topics such as the Old West, animation characters, newspaper comic strips, radio programs, TV programs, movies, and even pop music. For the most part, the series reflected what entertained America in the 1950s—and not just kids, but adults, as well. Some believe the 1950s in the U.S. was all fluff and smiles, with injustice and serious social problems boiling just under the surface. The Dell Four Color Series certainly delivered fluff and smiles, but it made life all [the] more bearable when the serious side [arose]. And there’s a lot to be said for that. (Brown 4)

Donald Duck by the “good duck artist” Carl Barks. Dell Four Color #263 (May 1950). Donald Duck TM and © Disney Enterprises Inc.

Carl Barks, an Oregon native of Dutch and Scottish ancestry, was 41 years old when he drew his first comic book story. It was “Donald Duck Finds Pirate Gold,” in collaboration with Jack Hannah, from a story by comic strip writer Bob Karp. It appeared in Dell’s Four Color #9 (October 1942). He had worked for the past six years as an animator at Disney, but quit due to work conditions. When his plan to start a chicken farm proved unworkable, Barks applied to Western Publishing for more comic book work. Writing and drawing comic books turned out to be his métier, and Donald Duck proved the ideal vehicle. Whereas Mickey Mouse was stuck in his “nice guy” persona, Donald was a fully dimensional character who was easily excitable and could exhibit anger, thus a sort of “everyman,” which allowed for his involve-

ment in all kinds of stories and situations. Barks’ 10-page Donald Duck stories, the lead story in Walt Disney’s Comics and Stories, are classics of the form. Soon, discriminating readers recognized his work and nicknamed him “the good duck artist,” since he worked in anonymity all through the 40s and 50s. (In general, Dell didn’t permit artists to sign their work.) Barks also wrote and drew long adventure stories (24 to 32 pages) in the Four Color Series starring Donald and his nephews Huey, Dewey, and Louie. His stories demonstrate a writing acuity, wit and visual sharpness that make them worthy of study by adults, even as children love reading them for simple enjoyment. By 1950, Barks had reached full maturity as a creator in the field. 23

The 52 pages of Walt Disney’s Comics and Stories #112 (January 1950) had a Donald Duck cover by Walt Kelly, a ten-page Donald story (later known as “Rip Van Donald”) by Carl Barks, an eleven-page Mickey Mouse story (“The Mystery at Hidden River”) by Merrill De Maris and Bill Wright, an eight-page Li’l Bad Wolf tale (known as “Christmas Eve”), as well as Bucky Bug and reprints of various Mickey and Donald syndicated strips. (The Mickey Mouse syndicated strip reprints were drawn by the great Floyd Gottfredson.)

But Dell didn’t just publish stories featuring Disney icons. Western Printing also licensed the characters of Warner Brothers Studios and Dell published them in Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies, beginning in the autumn of 1941. Bugs Bunny, Porky Pig, Daffy Duck, and the other Warner characters made up an important “wing” of the Dell mansion. Walter Lantz Studios was approached for comics starring Woody Woodpecker and his other characters shortly thereafter, and New Funnies debuted in the fall of 1941. Western licensed many other properties for comic book publication. In 1948, Dell awarded solo books to The Lone Ranger, Popeye, Little Lulu, and Tarzan. All were successful through the 1950s and beyond. Marge’s Little Lulu proved to be one of the best-written and drawn comics creations of all time. The writer from Little Lulu’s first appearance in Four Color #74 (1945) to her own series from 1948 to 1959 was John Stanley, a gifted and prolific writer and cartoonist. In the East Coast office of Western Publishing, editor Oscar LeBeck gave him the assignment of adapting Marjorie Henderson Buell’s character from the “Little Lulu” single panel cartoons she had done in The Saturday Evening Post from 1935 to 1944. John Stanley would seem to have been an inspired choice to turn the one panel gag strip into comic book form, though Don Phelps quoted Stanley (in the 1976 New Con Program Book) as saying, “Oscar handed me the assignment, but I’m sure it was due to no special form of brilliance that he thought I’d lend to it. It could have been handed to Dan Noonan, [Walt] Kelly, or anyone else. I just happened to be available at the time” (Phelps). A native New Yorker, Stanley attended the New York School of Design and went to work for Western Publishing in 1943 doing such features as Bugs Bunny, Raggedy Ann and Andy, Woody Woodpecker, and some of his own creations. He scripted by drawing rough layouts of the pages in pencil, filling in the word balloons right on the page. He did the finished art on the 10 one-shots in Four Color. When Lulu received her own title in 1948, Stanley’s layouts were finished and inked by Irving Tripp, though Stanley continued to complete the art on the covers. By 1950, Marge’s Little Lulu had gained great newsstand popularity, becoming one of Dell’s best-selling titles, which accounts for its monthly publication schedule. The early

Top: Mel Crawford, Dan Noonan, John Stanley, and Dan Gormley looking over the shoulder of Western Publishing comics editor Oscar Lebeck. Photo courtesy of Don Phelps. Marge’s Little Lulu #19 (January 1950), Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies Comics #102 (April 1950), and Walter Lantz New Funnies #161 (July 1950). Lulu TM and © Classic Media, LLC. Bugs Bunny TM and © Warner Bros. Woody Woodpecker TM and © Walter Lantz Productions, Inc.

years saw the gradual introduction of what became a large supporting cast for Lulu Moppett’s comical adventures. Most notable was her best friend Thomas “Tubby” Tompkins. Tubby’s closest friends were the members of the all-boys Fellers Club: Eddie, Willy, and Iggy. Their clubhouse became a touchstone in the strip. Unlike Charles Schulz’s “Peanuts,” Lulu and Tubby’s parents were depicted and figured into many of the stories. Other important characters were Annie (Lulu’s best friend), Wilbur Van Snobbe (the rich boy), Gloria (a rich girl), and Alvin Jones, a neighborhood boy who was younger than Lulu and something of a brat. To placate Alvin, Lulu told him stories. In this story-within-a-story form, Stanley was able to explore Lulu’s fantasy life. One of her chief fantasy characters was a witch named Witch Hazel, introduced in “That Awful Witch Hazel” in Marge’s Little Lulu #39 (September 1951). The appeal of Little Lulu was the way Stanley accurately captured the point of view, behavior and slang of kids. Stanley’s stories were expertly plotted and cleverly humorous. Many of them centered around battles of the sexes be- Tarzan by Gaylord DuBois and Jesse Marsh. Tarzan #15 (May-June 1950). Tarzan TM and © ERB Inc. tween the girls, led by Lulu, and the “fellof creative wordplay that endeared it to millions of readers,” led by Tubby. Some consider Lulu’s adventures to be ers. Kelly won a coveted Reuben Award for his 1951 syndia feminist statement of sorts, showing that girls were just cated strips. The 16 issues of Pogo Possum published from as capable as boys, and often smarter. Another important late 1949 to early 1954 are just as good in their own way. aspect of John Stanley’s writing on Lulu and elsewhere was (It should be noted that Kelly’s assistants on the newspaa tendency to express his darker side by exploring nightper strip—George Ward and Henry Shikuma—probably mares, phobias, strange fairy tales, and other disturbing helped with the Pogo comic books.) subject matter. (In 1962, he was responsible for Dell’s Tales from the Tomb and the first issue of Ghost Stories.) Edgar Rice Burroughs’ Tarzan had appeared in just about every form of popular media before being licensed to Dell. Dell had another star attraction in 1950: Walt Kelly’s Pogo His first comic book appearances consisted of reprints of Possum. Kelly, though, had to split his duties for the charthe newspaper strips, in Tip Top Comics, Sparkler, and Sinacter between the comic book and the newspaper comic gle Series. Dell chose to commission Western Printing to strip. After creating the creatures of Okefenokee Swamp produce all-new, made-for-comic-books Tarzan stories, and in Dell’s Animal Comics, Kelly converted the feature into Jesse Marsh was hired to draw them. Gaylord DuBois took a syndicated comic strip in 1949. However, he continued over the writing from Robert P. Thompson in the second isto produce new material for the Dell comic book Pogo Possue of the ape man’s own title, and the DuBois-Marsh team sum, which debuted with an issue cover-dated Octoberhandled the Tarzan comics all through the 1950s, when December of that same year. Dell published Pogo Possum Marsh was at his artistic peak. The continuation of the quarterly, with the first four issues running 52 pages long. Tarzan movie series with Lex Barker in the lead (Tarzan’s Like Carl Barks and John Stanley, Walt Kelly is one of the Magic Fountain, 1949) added wind to the sails of this book, most important and revered writer-artists in the history which ran many photo-covers (starting with issue #13, datof the comics; though he worked mainly in the syndicated January-February 1950) featuring the handsome young ed comic strip arena, his years in the comic book industry performer. (When the movie series temporarily ended, the make him an important figure in that medium as well. comics switched to painted covers starting in 1954.) He worked exclusively on the Pogo newspaper strips after The DuBois-Marsh Tarzan series has been a source of cona dispute with Dell in late 1953. (Against Kelly’s wishes, troversy from its beginning, at least among ERB fans. From Dell reprinted his early Pogo stories from Animal Comics a story standpoint, there are no Dell adaptations of the in an 110-page comic book titled Pogo Parade, cover-dated Burroughs’ novels, because Western and Dell didn’t have September 1953.) Although he was a superb cartoonist, the rights to those works. That meant there was no oriKelly’s writing was what put him in a category all his own. gin issue. Some feel the jungle lord of the Dell comics bore Pogo offered political humor, clever puns, and other types little relation to the one in the novels. 25

more interested in giving a good value than collecting the extra revenue.

Dell Giant Comics Giant comic books—that is, comics that had more pages than the standard length for a comic book at any given time—have been around since almost the beginning of the modern American comic book. Bob Overstreet’s Comic Book Price Guide considers the Big Book of Fun Comics, published by National in 1936, to be the first comic book annual. Subsequently, the publisher issued such thick comics as the New York World’s Fair Comics in 1939 and 1940, which had 100 pages and sold for 25 cents. Initially, National’s ongoing World’s Finest Comics book had 100 pages and sold for 15 cents. The Big All-American Comic Book (1944) offered a whopping 132 pages for 25 cents. Other publishers followed suit. Fawcett had their mammoth Gift Comics, which repackaged five remaindered comics into one 324page book for 50 cents. Dell also published an early giant. It was 100 Pages of Comics #101, and it sold for 10 cents. Despite the numbering, there was only one issue. However, jumping ahead, it was Dell who kicked off the giant/annual comic book in 1949 and subsequently sustained the format in the 1950s. It began with Walt Disney’s Christmas Parade #1 (November 1949), a 132-page square-bound issue that carried a 25 cent price tag. It sported a cover by Walt Kelly and a 24-page story by Carl Barks, “Letter to Santa,” among a multitude of four color features. Certainly the higher price tag gave pause to some potential customers. Michael Barrier, comics historian and Disney authority, wrote:

Walt Disney’s Vacation Parade #1 (1950). Donald Duck TM and © Disney Enterprises Inc.

I remember being with my grandfather in a drug store near Central High ... in Little Rock, when he offered, in a rare moment of generosity, to buy a comic book for me. I picked out Christmas Parade #1 — which was, of course, much more expensive than the ten-cent books that otherwise filled the rack. He hesitated, obviously a little irked, but he kept his word. That comic book has always been very special to me, as have the other two early Disney giants with Barks lead stories. But all of the giants give off lots of good vibes. (Hutchinson 4)

The artwork was also a point of contention. Tarzan, as drawn by Jesse Marsh, looked different from the interpretations of Harold Foster and Burne Hogarth, the two revered artists who had done the jungle lord in the newspaper strips. Unlike Hogarth, Marsh portrayed Tarzan without undue focus on his body, exposed though he was. The way Marsh drew people was less attractive than the environments behind and around them. Marsh excelled at creating an Africa that looked real. That was where his mastery of page design, texture, and other rendering techniques shone. The long 24-page stories in each issue also distinguished the book. Marsh’s bosses at Western liked his interpretation, and Tarzan enjoyed robust sales throughout the ’50s. Initially published bi-monthly, it went monthly with issue #22 (July 1951). Artist Russ Manning did his first notable comics work on the backup strip “Brothers of the Spear” created for Tarzan by DuBois. (Manning’s work first appeared in Tarzan #39, December 1952.)

In 1950, there were such Dell giants as Walt Disney’s Vacation Parade #1 (July) with Donald Duck and his three nephews on the cover, Bugs Bunny’s Christmas Funnies #1 (November), and Walt Disney’s Christmas Parade #2 (November). More came the following year, and soon most of Dell’s biggest stars had them. The success of the giant comic book was duly noted by other publishers, and the 25-cent format became increasingly common in the ensuing years.

Western Publishing produced some of the greatest, most artistically satisfying, and most beloved comic books of their time. As more and more baby boomers began reading comics, Dell’s sales figures swelled to staggering proportions. This was Dell’s great era. Its comics boasted “52 pages – all comics!” Other publishers’ comic books also had 52 total pages including covers, but they devoted as much as one fourth of their pages to advertising. Dell was

Entertaining Comics (EC) EC (originally standing for Educational Comics, later changed to Entertaining Comics) initially produced books just as squeaky clean as Dell. Industry pioneer Maxwell Charles (Charlie) Gaines had assembled the first modern comic books in 1933 and 1934. Then he published the 26

successful line of All-American comic books such as Flash Comics, Green Lantern, and All-Star Comics. After selling his interest in All-American to his partner Jack Liebowitz in 1945 for $500,000.00 after taxes (the equivalent of $6.5 million in 2012), Gaines decided to try publishing a line of educational comics. Charlie Gaines had been dabbling in such fare on the side, beginning in 1942 when he published the first Picture Stories from the Bible. Bolstered by sales to schools, churches, and libraries, it sold well. But when Educational Comics began expanding in 1945 with Picture Stories from American History, and then comics for younger children such as Animal Fables and Tiny Tot Comics, sales were poor. While still trying to figure out how to turn the situation around, Max Gaines was killed in a boating accident on Lake Placid in 1947. His son, William M. (Bill) Gaines, reluctantly assumed the role of publisher. Bill Gaines was studying to become a chemistry teacher at New York University at the time, and had no interest whatsoever in the comic book field. When his mother asked Bill to step in, Gaines recalled asking her, “If [Dad] was losing money, what do you expect me to do?” (Decker 56). At her insistence, Bill agreed to see what could be done.

William M. Gaines, in photo courtesy of Wendi Gaines Bucci. Below: Crime Does Not Pay #92 (October 1950). The title had painted covers from #87 (May 1950) to #103 (October 1951). Gaines photo TM and © William M. Gaines, Agent, Inc. Comic book cover is © by respective copyright holder.

At first, Bill Gaines was merely a caretaker, but when an energetic, young writer-artist named Al Feldstein showed up at the EC office, the two quickly formed a rapport, and Gaines decided to take action to stem the flow of red ink. He dropped all the educational comics and put out books in the popular trends of the day. In late 1947 and 1948, EC launched Westerns, romances, and crime comics: Gunfighter, Saddle Justice (which became Saddle Romances), International Comics (soon changed to Crime Patrol), War against Crime, and Moon Girl and the Prince (just Moon Girl from issue #2 on). From the beginning, Bill Gaines showed that he was a good judge of talent. Johnny Craig, Graham Ingels, Harry Harrison, and Wally Wood all worked on his comics, which collectors refer to as EC’s “PreTrend” books. As EC began producing comics with a modicum of commercial appeal, sales improved somewhat. The covers on these “Pre-Trend” books by Johnny Craig are exceptionally well designed and eye-catching. However, these comics are chiefly of interest today because of what came next from Gaines’ small publishing company.

Crime Comics One of the hottest genres in the post-World War II era was crime comics. It began with Lev Gleason’s Crime Does Not Pay back in 1942, but crime comics didn’t become popular until the soldiers were returning home. In that era of national uncertainty, when Cold War paranoia was in its earliest stages and the American economy was having a hard time absorbing all the returning G.I.s into the job market, crime films—many of them with the fatalistic, downbeat quality later deemed film noir—became widely popular. Comic book publishers took heed, and in the last few years of the 1940s, they flooded 27

Above: Al Feldstein’s “Artist of the Issue” photo. Below: Johnny Craig’s photo for his EC profile. Gunfighter #14 (March-April 1950). Cover by Johnny Craig. Last issue before title and format change to Haunt of Fear. TM and © William M. Gaines, Agent, Inc.

the stands with increasingly violent crime comics. The peak came in 1948, when one eighth of all comics were crime titles. Many of them were sold as “true crime stories,” recounting the bloody demise of famous criminals or well-known crime sprees. Others made no pretense of offering realism and were simply an excuse for violence and bloodshed. Fox Features Syndicate, owned by Victor Fox, published a slew of titles such as Murder, Inc., Crime Incorporated, and Crimes by Women that were the most violent, salacious, and badly drawn comics of the genre.

Parents and educators raised their voices in protest. They often attempted to link the content of these comics with the rising “juvenile delinquency” problem, such as Judith Crist in an article titled “Horror in the Nursery” that appeared in the March 1948 issue of Collier’s magazine. A psychiatrist named Dr. Fredric Wertham gave a veneer of credibility to the idea that comics caused delinquency in youth, and he put himself forward as an “expert” on the subject. Born Frederic Wertheimer in Munich, Germany, in 1895, Dr. Fredric Wertham attended Kings College in 28

London, at the Universities of Munich and Erlangen, finally graduating from the University of Wurzburg in 1921. He emigrated to the United States the following year to work as a psychiatrist in various New York psychiatric hospitals. In 1927, he became a U. S. citizen and changed his name to Wertham. (He changed his first name from Frederic to Fredric in 1948.) His first book, The Brain as an Organ (1934), became a standard medical textbook. Wertham specialized in forensic psychiatry, testifying as an expert in several trials and wrote Dark Legend (1941), a book about a boy who killed his mother. He linked the causes partly to comic books, a theme that would grow into a personal obsession, part of his larger fascination with the effects of mass media on youth. He was the driving force to set up the first psychiatric clinic in Harlem which was named the Lafargue Clinic. With his impeccable credentials, he was able to command attention in a series of anti-comics articles published in the late 1940s. In 1948-49, parents’ committees and watchdog groups became increasingly vociferous in calling for a ban on such violence in comic books, a form of publication so easily obtain-

Moldoff could not have been imitating Goodman’s comics’ tilt toward horror in 1949, though those titles appeared before Feldstein and Gaines tried their hand at the genre. Goodman’s first foray into horror was Amazing Mysteries #32 (May 1949) followed by the conversion of Marvel Mystery Comics (a super hero title) to Marvel Tales (which was all-horror). Then came the renaming of Captain America to Captain America’s Weird Tales with issue #74, though that title died for good after just one more issue.

able by children. The outcry was such that a Senate committee chaired by Estes Kefauver launched an investigation of the effect of crime comics on juvenile delinquency rates from 1945 to 1950. Kefauver sent letters on August 5 and 8, 1950, to public officials and authorities on juvenile delinquency and crime prevention all over the United States. He also contacted comic book publishers, asking American Comic Group’s Adventures into the for relevant informaUnknown was the first continuously published tion. He wanted to horror comic book. Shown: AITU #11 (June-July know circulation fig1950). TM and © by respective copyright holder. ures, demographics, opinions about juvenile delinquency, and what steps, if any, were being taken by the publishers to make sure their comics were suitable for children. Against this ominous background, EC entered another genre that also held potential for such objections: horror.

This is how Al Feldstein recounted the introduction of a horror story in EC’s Crime Patrol #15 (February 1950): “[Gaines and I] used to talk about The Inner Sanctum, The Witches’ Tale, Arch Oboler’s Lights Out, and those old radio shows. When I was a kid I used to climb down the stairs and listen to these shows. So I said, ‘What about horror? There’s been some stuff, but nothing really horrible, really scary. Let’s do that.’ And I kept pushing that. So finally he says, ‘Okay, we’ll try it’” (Geissman 77). Part of the reason Gaines was willing was that sales of crime comics were softening, evidence that the trend was losing popularity. Once Gaines and Feldstein committed to publishing horror stories, they immediately demonstrated an affinity for it. Feldstein’s “Buried Alive!” in War against Crime! #10 and “Return from the Grave!” in Crime Patrol #15 (both cover dated December 1949-January 1950) established the unique EC style and approach to horror that led to vast suc-

Horror in Four Colors EC didn’t invent horror comics. Avon’s Eerie #1 (1947) is traditionally considered the first all-horror comic book, but it was effectively a one-shot and wasn’t influential. American Comic Group’s Adventures into the Unknown was the first continuously published horror comic. Its first issue was dated Fall 1948 and was entirely written by well-known pulp writer Frank Belknap Long. Behind an effective haunted house cover by Edvard Moritz were stories titled “The Werewolf Strikes,” “The Living Ghost,” “It Walked by Night,” “The Castle of Otranto,” and “Haunted House.” It has been said that ACG editor Richard E. Hughes may have been inspired by “shudder pulps” of the past, such as Thrilling Mystery. In any case, the new comic book must have sold well, because it became the leading title of the line and lasted until ACG ceased operations 19 years later. In 1951, a companion book was introduced: Forbidden Worlds, also edited by Hughes (as were all ACG comics). While Adventures into the Unknown #1 pre-dated the first Vault-Keeper story in War Against Crime #10 (December 1949-January 1950), it didn’t predate the initial impetus for EC’s horror comics. Artist Sheldon Moldoff, best known at the time for having penciled Hawkman at National, put together a prototype horror comic for Gaines with the title Tales of the Supernatural sometime in early 1948. While no EC comic book used that title, the Moldoff-produced stories appeared in Moon Girl #4, #5, and #7, and Crime Patrol #11 and 12. Moon Girl #4 appeared some three months before Adventures into the Unknown #1 hit the stands. AITU #3 included a story illustrated by Feldstein himself (“The Creekmore Curse”).

EC’s Vault Keeper debuted in the experimental story “Buried Alive!” in War Against Crime #10 (November 1949-January 1950). TM and © William M. Gaines, Agent, Inc.

cess. These experimental stories, under the headings “The Vault of Horror” and “The Crypt of Terror,” introduced the horror hosts The Vault-Keeper and The Crypt-Keeper, whose introductions to the stories set the tone for the unique (often tongue-in-cheek) approach Gaines and Feldstein would employ. “Return from the Grave!” couldn’t have a more prophetic title, since many forthcoming EC stories would spin variations on the theme. These initial experimental stories also established the twist ending that had each story conclude with a sort of crescendo of horror. “The Spectre in the Castle!” followed in CP #16. Feeling he was on to something, Gaines changed the book’s title to The Crypt of Terror with issue #17 (April-May 1950), while simultaneously converting War against Crime to The Vault of Horror with issue #12 (also April-May). Each issue had four complete horror stories from six to eight pages in length. By year’s end, Crypt of Terror became Tales from the Crypt for a specific reason as Bill Gaines explained at the 1972 EC convention: “We had immediately run into wholesaler problems, and we saw that if we took ‘terror’ out of the title, it would alleviate the situation. We were in the process of changing The Vault of Horror to something when all of a sudden The Crypt of Terror, the last one, started selling” (Benson 24). The Vault of Horror was to have reverted to the crime genre as Crime SuspenStories until being given its eleventh hour reprieve. Crime SuspenStories instead launched with a first issue cover dated October-November 1950. Its covers were provided by Johnny Craig. When EC published the Vault of Horror and Crypt of Terror, officially beginning EC’s “New Trend,” Gaines added letter columns to both titles. “The Vault-Keeper’s Corner” (VoH #12) began with this opening address from the Vault-Keeper: “Drag over a marble slab and ease your tired body down next to the cadaver occupying it! This is the Vault-Keeper spooking, er … speaking! I’d like to talk with you a bit about our magazine, which so many of you creeps have clamored for! For several months, those fiends … the Editors of War Against Crime … have unselfishly permitted me to narrate for you a few of the hair-raising, blood-chilling tales from my vast collection. Your letters of approval have flooded the offices of the publisher … literally choking him! Gasping for breath, he reluctantly agreed to give me a whole magazine in which to display my warped sense of fine literature. Here are a few of the letters that tortured him into making this momentous decision.” The Crypt-Keeper offered similar sentiments in Crypt of Terror, establishing the conceit that it was the horror hosts, not the editors, who were responding to the letters. The early letters are brief and sound as if they were penned by Al Feldstein himself. If true, this was a mere “priming the pump” tactic. Once readers realized that their letters might see print, or even simply that the editors of these comic books would read them at all, a steady stream of incoming letters began. These letter columns became an important way for EC to relate to its fans, address various issues of concern and plug its other titles. The Vault of Horror #12 and The Crypt of Terror #17 continued the numbering from their crime comic book predecessors, but mark the beginning of EC’s “New Trend.” Both covers had April-May 1950 cover dates, and both were drawn by Johnny Craig. TM and © William M. Gaines, Agent, Inc.

Science Fiction Comics In issues dated May-June 1950, EC launched two science fiction comics—Weird Science and Weird Fantasy—by continuing the numbering of Saddle Romances and A Moon … A Girl … Romance, respectively. According to Harry Harrison, Wally Wood’s then partner, “Somewhere along the line we talked Bill into trying to start a science-fiction comic…. I gave Gaines a lot of it to read. He was always open to suggestions, so Wally and I just kept pushing and pushing” (Spicer).

EC ran house ads for their other titles such as this one for Weird Science #14. Right: Feldstein covers for Weird Science #12 (May-June 1950) and Weird Fantasy #16 (#4, NovemberDecember 1950). TM and © William M.

Bill Gaines had been a fan of SF pulps as a teenager. He read the magazines supplied by Harrison and Wood, such as back numbers of Astounding Science Fiction edited by John W. Campbell, and enlisted Feldstein’s aid in producing the two EC science fiction titles. Weird Science and Weird Fantasy became the pride of the EC line, because, while they were never the great sellers that the horror titles became, they had arguably the most intelligent stories and most gorgeous artwork in comics.

Other publishers got into science fiction in 1950. EC’s former business manager, Sol Cohen, was editing such comics for Avon. Wally Wood drew 21 pages of the one-shot Flying Saucers, published under Avon’s Realistic imprint, as well as An Earthman on Venus with the help of the less-experienced Joe Orlando. Avon launched Strange Worlds with a November cover date. The first issue presented the Gardner Fox written/Joe Kubert drawn story “Corsairs from Coalsack!” featuring Kenton of the Star Patrol. Ziff-Davis also published science fiction work by Wally Wood in 1950 in Amazing Adventures, which showcased art by Murphy Anderson and Frank Giacoia.

Gaines, Agent, Inc.

The reanimated dead was a recurring theme in EC horror comic books. Haunt of Fear #4 (November-December 1950). Cover by Al Feldstein. TM and © William M. Gaines, Agent, Inc.

Wally Wood and Harry Harrison teamed up to produce the art for “The Mad Magician” in Haunt of Fear #15 (May-June 1950). TM and © William M. Gaines, Agent, Inc.

the young cartoonist to “Conquest” in the debut issue was his uncle David Gaines, accompanied by stories both written who gave Kurtzman an and illustrated by Al Feldstein, Wally assignment to draw Wood and Johnny Craig. However, in a serious educational the next issue Kurtzman scripted all story (on the dangers but one story, and after that, when of syphilis, no less). the comic went “all-war” with issue The finished story #20, Kurtzman wrote virtually every proved Harvey could Two-Fisted tale through 1953. His war handle “straight” comics would be as highly regarded comics work, leading as EC’s science fiction titles. Gaines to give Kurtzman a script written It Was a Very Good Year ... for their upcoming The strategy of genre diversification horror comics. The proved to be highly effective. A corresult—“House of rection had been called for in terms Horror” in Haunt of of the number of romance comics Fear #15 (May-June that had been unleashed, but overall 1950)—was altogethcomic book sales continued to grow in er outstanding, and 1950. Some fifty million comic books Kurtzman was “in” were published each month. That at EC. Gaines had no equated to over half a billion copies way of knowing that, for the entire year, generating nearly within a few years, forty-one million dollars for the inKurtzman’s humor dustry (Benton 48). work would save his In 1948, National had commissioned company. Such are the firm of Stewart, Dougall & Assothe vagaries of the ciates, Inc. to conduct a survey of the comic book business. “House of Horror” (in Haunt of Fear #15) was Harvey Kurtzman’s try-out for EC, extent of comic book readership of None of it could have though his first work published was “Horror in the Night” (in Vault of Horror all comics, and of their own firm, in #12). TM and © William M. Gaines, Agent, Inc. happened, of course, a typical American community. The except that Kurtzman Kurtzman at EC was a tremendous, oneHarvey Kurtzman was one of the most of-a-kind talent, and important figures in comic books of Bill Gaines had the good the 1950s. This son of Russian Jewsense to recognize that ish immigrants was born in Brooklyn talent and find a place in 1924 and spent his teenage years for it at EC. in the Tremont neighborhood in the After the first group of Bronx. He attended the High School scripts, Harvey Kurtzof Music and Art in Manhattan, then man began writing on took night classes at Cooper Union his own. His work in college. Kurtzman got started in the the horror and science comic book business in 1942 drawing fiction genres was exsuch characters as Magno the Magtraordinary, yet he didn’t netic Man, Mr. Risk, and Paul Revere, care for horror and was Jr., which appeared in the pages of only moderately enthuAce’s Super-Mystery Comics. siastic about SF. One When Harvey Kurtzman entered the day he told Bill Gaines EC offices at 225 Lafayette in New that he wanted to do an York City and showed Bill Gaines the adventure book. Gaines “Hey Look!” single-page humor fillgave him the go-ahead, ers he had been doing after the war and Two-Fisted Tales for Timely Comics, Gaines might hit the stands with ishave said, “We don’t publish humor sue #18 (continuing the features,” and sent him on his way. numbering of Haunt of But Gaines wasn’t like other publishFear which was being reers. He and his editor Al Feldstein numbered itself), cover took the time to look at Kurtzman’s dated November-Decemsamples, and both quickly realized ber 1950. Kurtzman’s Two-Fisted Tales #18 had Kurtzman’s first cover for EC. TM and © William M. that this 24-year-old writer-artist was self-written and drawn Gaines, Agent, Inc. extremely talented. Gaines referred 34

survey was conducted in Dayton, Ohio (population 260,000), and the results were duly reported to National, for their own edification and to help them provide statistical information for their advertisers. Two years later, the same firm dispatched a team to Dayton for a follow-up survey conducted in the same manner as the first one.

large number of adults were reading them, and reading them regularly. Despite jitters about the effect television would have on comic book reading habits as it became more widespread, publishers could be reasonably confident that their medium would be around for the foreseeable future.

The Korean War The impact of World War II on the comic book industry was seismic in just about every respect: sales, pool of talent, access to paper, subject matter. Everyone agreed that the Axis powers were clear-cut enemies and threats to the free world; even before war was declared, comic book heroes were fighting Nazis. Patriotic fervor abounded, so the more Nazis who were defeated in the four-color pages of American comic books, the better. PX’s were full of lonely, bored soldiers who bought millions upon millions of comics. Publishers knew that once their products were displayed where soldiers could get at them, nearly all would sell out.

The 1950 study reported that “Among all individuals Harvey Kurtzman’s “Artist of the Issue” in Dayton 8 years of age and portrait. TM and © William M. Gaines, Agent, Inc. over, 39 percent were found in 1950 to have read comics magazines in the last 4 months and 34.6 percent were found to have read [them] in the last 30 days. Comics readership among those 8 to 14 and those 15 to 20 remains very high, with 92.7 percent and 72.1 percent of these groups having read [comic books] in the past 4 months” (O’Brien 172-3).

At the end of World War II, the Americans and Soviets partitioned Korea. As the new decade began, tensions had built between the Communist North and Democratic South. When North Korean forces crossed the 38th parallel into South Korea on June 25th, 1950, President Harry Truman felt he had no choice but to “stand up to the Communists” by sending U. S. troops to Korea. While it was technically a United Nations effort, the United States supplied the vast majority of the soldiers and shouldered most of the expense. Since there was no formal declaration of war, the endeavor was euphemistically referred to as a “police action.” However, it was soon clear that America was sending large numbers of soldiers over there, still having the authorization to draft young men for such a purpose, and that the war would have a major impact on the home front. That included the comics industry.

The survey also found, “Reading of comics magazines by adults has dropped quite sharply from 35.9 percent of adults reading in 1948 to 27.3 percent reading in 1950. The average number of comics magazines read by adults has increased from 9.7 to 10.9 [per month], however” (O’Brien 173). The average number of comics read per month by those aged eight to twenty was about 18.5. National found that 53.7 percent of their readers were adults, divided about equally among men and women. The report indicated that, while there had been virtually no television sets in Dayton in 1948, and by 1950 there were some 67,000 sets in the Dayton area, the new medium had not, as yet, made much impact on its residents’ comic book reading habits. The survey confirmed that a high percentage of American youth read comic books—and those who were reading comics purchased a lot of them—but interestingly found that a

One of the earliest reactions was the publication of War Comics #1 (December 1950) from Martin Goodman’s firm. The imitative Mr. Goodman didn’t need other comic books to inspire this one. He could read the headlines, and to him they spelled opportunity. War Comics #1 (December 1950). TM and © Marvel Characters, Inc.

1951

Before the Storm

In 1951, the new United Nations building in New York City officially opened, even as the testing of nuclear explosions occurred with greater frequency, both in the Nevada desert and on an atoll in the Marshall Islands. J. D. Salinger’s novel The Catcher in the Rye saw print, and I Love Lucy made its television debut on CBS. Transcontinental television began.

The public’s interest in science fiction was even more pronounced than in 1950, evident in the release of a number of popular films with SF themes, chief among them Man from Planet X, The Thing from Another World, When Worlds Collide, The Day the Earth Stood Still, and Flight to Mars. It was only natural that comic books followed suit with science fiction comics. Bill Gaines contributed creatively to EC comics by virtue of plotting many of the stories with his right hand man, Al Feldstein. He also hired the artists and, again in concert with Feldstein, decided who would draw each particular script. Nevertheless, he focused much of his time on business management, such as analyzing sales information as it came in from his distributor, Leader News. “Bill used to have this system for charting sales which I always watched in wonder, but I never quite understood,” Harvey Kurtzman recalled. “He’d keep little piles of thumb-nail papers that would fit into the palm of your hand, and he would sit there with a slide rule and he’d make little marks on the papers, and he’d look at his slide rule and make more little marks on his papers. At any given moment he knew what was selling” (Benson 83). Monitoring sales and keeping on top of popular trends was de rigueur. Three genres had come to the fore as sales softened for romance and crime books: war, science fiction, and horror. As the year began, it seemed clear that of the three, horror comics were selling best, with sales continuing to climb even as the objections to violence and sex in comics grew louder. One could see dark clouds on the horizon, but Bill Gaines wasn’t worried. Complaints from a minority of cranks and do-gooders (as he saw them) weren’t going to stop him from publishing comics that were flying off the newsstands and generating a growing number of fan letters.

CHAPTER TWO

Horror was hot, but EC’s science fiction comics engendered their own special excitement, offering imaginative scripts and art by the best young artists in the business. As Gaines’ comics would soon trumpet, “We’re proudest of our science fiction titles!” SF was busting out on the racks, and EC comics led the pack from a creative and, very likely, sales standpoint. 36

ing when he would receive royalty payments for EC’s adaptations, Gaines quickly sent him a check, and they hammered out an arrangement for further adaptations. Henceforth, these adaptations appeared under Bradbury’s name and original story titles. (Gaines subsequently curtailed unauthorized adaptations of other writers’ works.) Wally Wood was already developing into the star artist of EC’s science fiction titles. Born in Menahga, Minnesota, in 1927, Wood was a slender, diffident young man who came alive at the drawing board. His chief influences were Alex Raymond’s Flash Gordon and Roy Crane’s Wash Tubbs. He loved drawing rocket ships and alien planets, and had a style that was highly detailed and attractive. The only thing Wood liked better than drawing rocket ships was drawing sexy women; his were some of the sexiest to appear in any comic book. He produced a story in all twelve of EC’s 1951 SF comics, such as the aforementioned “Deadlock!,” often involving menaces from other planets (“The Aliens!”in Weird Science #7, MayJune 1951). Each was a gem, and each showed incremental improvement. His work kept getting better and better. Wood’s artistic

The Thing from Another World was released on April 29th, 1951. It was loosely adapted from John W. Campbell Jr.’s story “Who Goes There?” The Thing From Another World TM and © Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc.

In 1951, EC published six issues each of Weird Science (#5-10) and Weird Fantasy (#17, then #6-10 when the title changed its numbering system). Al Feldstein drew all the Weird Science covers except for the last two of that year’s run, which were handled by Wally Wood. Feldstein scripted the interior stories this year, other than those written and drawn by Kurtzman. (Wally Wood did some plotting and possible scripting on “Deadlock!” in WF #17, JanuaryFebruary 1951.) The artwork was mainly by Feldstein, Wally Wood, Harvey Kurtzman, and Jack Kamen. For script ideas, Gaines and Feldstein looked to previously published prose stories from the SF pulps and magazines, but they never credited their sources. In 1950 and 1951, Weird Science and Weird Fantasy based stories to one degree or another on works by Henry Hasse, Edmond Hamilton, Roald Dahl, Donald Wandrei, Anthony Boucher, Murray Leinster, and Fritz Lieber, among others. The same was true of the horror comics. Because he was trying to lose weight, Bill Gaines was taking Dexedrine, a drug that had an amphetamine-like effect (i.e. “speed”). As a result, he had trouble getting to sleep. So he read SF and horror stories late into the night (and early morning). As he did this, he jotted down ideas for what he and Feldstein called “springboards,” story gimmicks that served as the basis for Feldstein’s finished scripts. A single story often suggested several springboards, and a certain number of the EC science fiction strips came directly from the original prose stories. The first Ray Bradbury tale to be “adapted” in this fashion was “The Handler,” which was re-done in Haunt of Fear #6 (March-April 1951) with the title “A Strange Undertaking…,” drawn by Graham Ingels. The first of these unauthorized Bradbury adaptations to appear in an SF title was “Home to Stay!” in Weird Fantasy #13 (May-June 1952), a combination of the author’s “Kaleidoscope” and “The Rocket Man.” When Gaines received a letter from Bradbury ask-

Weird Science #7 (May-June 1951) with cover by Al Feldstein. Above: images by Wally Wood from the splash panel of “The Maidens Cried” in Weird Science #10. TM and © William M. Gaines, Agent, Inc.

TIMELINE: 1951

April 27: Created by Julius Schwartz, John Broome, and Carmine Infantino, the super heroic Captain Comet debuts in National’s Strange Adventures #9.

A compilation of the year’s notable comic book history events alongside some of the year’s most significant popular culture and historical events. (On sale dates are approximations.) February 9: The first issue of National’s Mystery in Space—a sister SF title to National’s Strange Adventures—arrives at newsstands. It is edited by Julius Schwartz with stories written by John Broome, Gardner Fox, and Robert Kanigher, and drawn by Frank Frazetta, Carmine Infantino, and Alex Toth.

JANUARY

FEBRUARY

January 1: The 100th issue of Marvel Tales hits newsstands. The horror-SF title evolved from Marvel Comics, the first comic book published by Martin Goodman (and the comic book which introduced the Human Torch, Sub-Mariner, and others). From issue #2 through #93, the series was titled Marvel Mystery Comics.

March 1: Goodman’s publishes the first issue of Strange Tales. It would become his longest running horror title.

June: Famous Crimes #20 is one of the last comics published by Fox Comics. Victor Fox’s firm goes out of business in 1951, following a hiatus of several months. No one would miss his sleazy line of comic books.

April 1: Harvey Comics’ second horror title, Chamber of Chills, comes with horror hosts and EC-like plots.

MARCH

June 25: CBS transmits the first commercial color television broadcast in the form of a one-hour special from New York to four other cities.

APRIL

M AY

JUNE

March 29: A jury finds Julius and Ethel Rosenberg guilty of conspiracy to commit espionage in their selling of classified information to the Soviet Union that helped the communist nation build an atomic bomb. A week later, a judge sentences the Rosenbergs to death, which is carried out on June 19, 1953. March 12: Hank Ketchum’s Dennis the Menace comic strip appears in newspapers across the U. S. for the first time.

May: Avon’s Space Detective #1—written by Walter Gibson and drawn by Joe Orlando and Wally Wood—arrives at newsstands.

May 9: ACG publishes the 52-page Forbidden Worlds #1, edited by John Hughes.

Marvel Tales, Strange Tales, Combat Kelly and Atlas globe are TM and © Marvel Characters Inc. Strange Adventures and Capt. Comet TM and © DC Comics. Shock SuspenStories TM and © TM and © William M. Gaines, Agent, Inc.

growth was partly the natural evolution of a young artist’s style as he worked out the kinks and partly a result of the friendly competition between the EC artists, especially in the SF books. How was Gaines able to attract so many who turned out to be industry leaders and future Hall of Fame artists? A new, young cadre of artists had emerged after World War II, many of them using the G. I. Bill to attend art schools (such as Burne Hogarth’s Cartoonists and Illustrators school in New York City) while looking for work. EC was known for always having a check ready when the artist turned in a story, and for paying very good rates. This attracted artists like flies to honey. Gaines was able to spot artistic potential and respected the artists’ individuality. EC not only didn’t impose a “house style,” it published artwork that went well beyond the bounds of mainstream conformity, welcoming the grotesque horror

work of Graham Ingels and, later, the high brow explorations of Bernard Krigstein. Amid all this freedom, though, there was restriction. The artists were required to work within the panels and in the space pre-determined by Al Feldstein. Feldstein proved to be such a fast and facile writer that he could rule panels on a page of art board and write the text directly on the boards with little or no planning. Then Feldstein had the pages lettered. (Bill Gaines continued his father’s use of Leroy lettering. This was a method of lettering using a mechanical device that made all the letters completely uniform.) Only then were the pages given to the artist, with a degree of his artistic choices determined because the captions and word balloons were already in place. Also, Feldstein’s wordy panels occasionally encroached upon the space available for the images. Still, the EC artists flowered, producing art that has con38

tinued to impress succeeding generations of comics enthusiasts. National’s science fiction comics were typical of that publisher: competently written and drawn but rather conservative in terms of the material presented. In other words, National’s SF stories were plot-driven and geared toward a somewhat younger reader. Editor Julius Schwartz prominently showcased work by top writers in the SF pulps and magazines of the day. Schwartz later recalled, “When I did Strange Adventures, I gave credits, especially because I used big-time science fiction writers. I used Edmond Hamilton; H. L. Gold, who was later the editor and founder of Galaxy Science Fiction; Manly Wade Wellman, who was a grand master of science fiction and fantasy. I thought it would have name value” (Benton 60). Hamilton created a continuing character named Chris KL-99 who made eight appearances in Strange Adventures’ first 15 issues. The majority of the

August 1: With his cover dated November comics, Martin Goodman affixes the Atlas globe on the covers. Thus begins the Atlas Comics era.

December 1951: Shock SuspenStories #1 hits newsstands as EC’s final horror-related “New Trend” title.

September 28: The science fiction film The Day the Earth Stood Still is released in theaters, making the words “Klaatu barada nikto” that autumn’s popular catch phrase.

July 16: Catcher in the Rye is published. Written by J.D. Salinger, the controversial novel stars the antiheroic teenager, Holden Caufield. The work would eventually be considered one of the most important novels in the history of American literature.

October 15: Starring Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, the situation comedy I Love Lucy premieres on the CBS television network. The show would run until 1961, becoming one of the most pioneering and popular programs in the history of television.

J U LY

AUGUST August 1: Combat Kelly #1 goes on sale. The series would last 44 issues but ultimately became a victim of the Atlas Implosion.

July 1: The first issue of Harvey’s flagship war title Warfront arrives at newsstands. The series would run until 1958.

SEPTEMBER

OCTOBER

NOVEMBER

December 30: The Roy Rogers Show debuts on NBC television, quickly becoming television’s most popular Western program.

DECEMBER December 1: Charlton publishes The Thing #1, seven months after Howard Hawks’ The Thing From Another World was released in theaters on April 21, 1951.

October 3: In one of the most celebrated games in the history of baseball, Bobby Thompson hits a game-ending home run in the bottom of the ninth inning as the New York Giants beat the Brooklyn Dodgers to win the National League baseball pennant. The home run would soon be termed “The Shot Heard Round the World.”

November 23: Superman and The Mole Men—a 58minute film starring George Reeves as Superman and Phyllis Coates as Lois Lane—is released in theaters. Jack Larson as Jimmy Olsen and John Hamilton as Perry White do not appear. Superman and the Mole Men TM and © Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc. The Day the Earth Stood Still TM and © Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. Dennis the Menace TM and © King Features Syndicate, Inc. Other images © respective copyright holders.

stories, however, were written by Schwartz stalwarts John Broome and Gardner Fox. Julie Schwartz recalled, Following Strange Adventures’ success, Whit Ellsworth, who was editorial director, called me in and said that he wanted me to put out another science fiction comic, and I said that it would be impossible because there were no titles left—at the time there were so many pulp magazines out there that all of the good titles had been already taken. “No problem,” he snapped back. “I already have the title: Mystery in Space.” “Oh,” I replied, acknowledging that it was a good title and adding, “these will be mystery stories that take place in

interplanetary settings—sort of adventure stories.” “No,” he quickly corrected me, “just use the same type of stories you’ve been using in Strange Adventures and put them in Mystery in Space, too.” “Then why are we using that title?” I asked. “Space I can see because the stories take place there, and space means science fiction ... but mystery?” Whit explained ... “Mystery in Space is a good commercial title, a good selling title: It has a hook for both mystery readers and science fiction readers.” (Schwartz 80) Ads for Mystery in Space #1 (AprilMay 1951) billed it as “The magazine that unlocks the secrets of the future!” From the beginning, it was clear that this was to be an equal to 39

Strange Adventures in every way. That first issue alone presented artwork by three young artists who were every bit as talented as those at EC, and who would go on to become comic book legends in much the same way: Carmine Infantino, Alexander Toth, and Frank Frazetta. Carmine Infantino drew the cover and opening “Knights of the Galaxy” story, inked by his friend and frequent collaborator, Frank Giacoia. Honing his work and improving rapidly at the start of the 1950s, Infantino had emerged as the leading artist in the Schwartz-edited comic books. The Brooklyn-born artist, a graduate of the School of Industrial Art (later the High School of Art and Design), worked for various publishers until being hired by National in 1947 to pencil the first Black Canary story. Infantino was a student of the Caniff school, as were many in the late 1940s, and had developed a distinctive individual style by the time

National launched Mystery in Space in 1951, a companion to its science fiction hit, Strange Adventures. TM and © DC Comics.

his work in the 1950s SF comics appeared. He would later hone his work to an even higher level, but in 1951 he was already doing excellent work in Strange Adventures and several other National titles.

for National, and assisted his friend Al Williamson on art jobs for EC science fiction, before becoming a ghost on Al Capp’s L’il Abner through the end of the decade. It wasn’t until the early 1960s that he specialized in painting book covers, becoming the premier fantasy painter of his time.

Alex Toth illustrated “The Men Who Lived Forever,” a 10-pager scripted by John Broome. Toth was a wunderkind who sold his first freelance art at the age of 15. Like Infantino, he attended the School of Industrial Art and began working for National in 1947 when he was 19. He proved himself one of the most brilliant panel and page designers in the business, and also one of its most serious-minded. In the late 1940s and early 1950s, he drew Green Lantern, the Flash, The Atom, and others, as well as Western features such as Sierra Smith. He could be moody and had an explosive temper, but his talent was undeniable. Already one of the finest graphic storytellers in comics by this time, Toth only got better in the coming years.

Any discussion of new costumed heroes of the 1950s must include Captain Comet. Created by Schwartz himself (supposedly based on Edmond Hamilton’s Captain Future) along with writer John Broome and artist Carmine Infantino, Adam Blake was a mutant born to a farming couple from the American Midwest. As he grew up, he discovered he had super powers (most of them based on mental abilities such as mind-reading, telekinesis, etc.), and was helped in pursuing a full-time career as a hero at large by Professor Emery Zackro. He thwarted alien invasions on earth and flew into space in his Cometeer to battle other menaces from outer space. As Captain Comet, he wore a distinctive red and white costume, and appeared on most of the covers from his debut in Strange Adventures #9 through his final appearance in issue #49 (October 1954). Murphy Anderson took over from Infantino to become the regular Captain Comet artist with issue #12 (September 1951, “The Girl from the Diamond Planet”). Gil Kane handled the cover art.

Despite making his name as a superstar painter of fantasy art, Frank Frazetta did exciting comic book work in the late 1940s and early 1950s. As a teenager, he worked in comics beginning in 1944 in Tally-Ho Comics (a one-shot) and bounced around small-to-medium sized publishers drawing funny animals, Westerns, fantasy, historical drama, and more. He drew Gardner Fox’s “Spores From Space” script in Mystery in Space #1. Frazetta did a bit more work 40

Many of the small publishers jumped into science fiction, following the lead of EC, National, and Atlas. Avon was a significant purveyor of SF comics in 1951. The company put out the one shot Attack on Planet Mars and continued its Strange Worlds, an ongoing title that included artwork by many who also worked for EC, such as Wally Wood, Al Williamson, Roy Krenkel, Joe Orlando, and Frank Frazetta. Avon added Space Detective, its first issue with a July 1951 cover date. Ziff-Davis, publishers of the pulp magazine Amazing Stories, hired Superman co-creator Jerry Siegel to edit and write a line of SF comic books that included Amazing Adventures and Lars of Mars. Science fiction in four-color form was also produced by P. L Publishing (Captain Rocket), Youthful (Captain Science), and Harvey (Flash Gordon, reprinting comic strips by Alex Raymond).

Oddly enough, a completely different Captain Comet appeared as a one-shot character in Danger Is Our Business #1 (December 1953) from Toby Press. The 6-page strip titled “The Vicious Space Pirates!” is of historical interest only because it was penciled by Al Williamson and inked by Frank Frazetta. Martin Goodman also published science fiction in 1951, though his SF books tended to be hybrids. Journey into Unknown Worlds began at the end of 1950, and featured about half science fiction and half horror, sometimes blending them in the same story. Goodman introduced Mystic, Strange Tales, and Space Squadron this year, and published Astonishing, now billed as “Astonishing Tales of Science Fiction!” above the title. There was also Venus, and some of the stories in Marvel Tales (“The Strangest Stories Ever Told!”) also qualified as SF. They carried artwork by Bill Everett, Gene Colan, Joe Maneely, Mike Sekowsky, Werner Roth, and Russ Heath, working from scripts by Stan Lee, Hank Chapman and others. Anyone in publishing knows that nothing is more important than distribution because it not only determines how easily customers can find your product, it determines the degree of profitability since distributors take a percentage of the revenues. Martin Goodman had seen how National benefited from their ownership connection to Independent News. In 1951, Goodman decided to start his own distribution company, naming it Atlas Distributing. As a result, an Atlas globe insignia began appearing on the covers of Goodman’s comic books as of issues cover-dated November 1951. (Despite the appearance of selfdistribution, Goodman’s books continued to be distributed by Kable News through its August 1952 issues.) For the approximately six years when the Atlas globe appeared on his covers, Goodman’s books are referred to as Atlas Comics.

No doubt science fiction comics would have expanded further had sales been better. While Bill Gaines has stated that his SF comics sold adequately for the first couple of years (with print runs in the 300,000 to 350,000 range), they never sold as well as his horror books (with print runs in the 400,000 to 450,000 range). The public’s appetite for science fiction in comics just wasn’t as great as it was for horror.

The Horror Comics Craze

Avon’s Strange Worlds #4 (September 1951) and Space Detective #1 (July 1951) both feature covers by Wally Wood. Soon Wood would restrict his SF work to EC comics. TM and © DC respective copyright holder.

Unlike the science fiction comic books, the horror comics of 1951 couldn’t be tied to national trends, television shows, or popular books (though the radio shows Suspense and Inner Sanctum were still on the air). The continued rise in the popularity of EC’s “New Trend” is the comic book industry’s most significant development during 1951, and it was unquestionably led by EC’s horror titles Tales from the Crypt, The Vault of Horror, and The Haunt of Fear. The horror books were the principal income generators; one could say

that “blood” wiped out the “red ink” that had threatened to spell the end of EC when Bill Gaines took the helm. EC’s scary stories were fresh and expertly crafted. It’s hard to imagine today the illicit thrill kids must have felt as they purchased and read these books. They were like nothing else available in an era of social conformity and traditional values. It was one thing to listen to “spooky stories” on the radio, and quite another to see them fully illustrated, overflowing with rotting corpses, violent murder, and bloodcurdling revenge. The fact that many parents forbade their children from reading such fare made them even more irresistible. The EC stories’ trick “O. Henry” endings made them different, too, as did the tongue-in-cheek quality imparted by the humorous horror hosts. As good as the EC scripts were, the artwork was even better. Artist Jack Davis was a major addition to the horror bullpen. Born in 1924 in Atlanta, Georgia, he moved to New York City to find work as a cartoonist. His first comic book assignment at EC appeared in The Vault of Horror. Davis’s recognizable style wasn’t fully formed in “The Beast of the Full Moon!” (VoH #17, February-March 1951), but his thick-and-thin ink lines, his ability to use solid blacks extremely effectively, and the elastic, semi-cartoony quality of his faces and figures was evident. Soon he was doing the lead-off feature in Tales from the Crypt, which meant he was considered by Gaines to be one of the publisher’s top artists.

Graham Ingels drew “A Strange Undertaking...,” an unauthorized adaptation of a Ray Bradbury story that appeared Haunt of Fear #6 (March-April 1951). Jack Davis did the art for “Well-Cooked Hams!” in Tales from the Crypt #27 (December 1951-January 1952). Johnny Craig handled the wolfman cover of Vault of Horror (February-March 1951). TM and © William M. Gaines, Agent, Inc.

In The Vault of Horror, Johnny Craig both wrote and drew the Vault-Keeper’s lead-off stories. His work had matured from the “pre-Trend” days, with him inking in thicker, more emphatic lines, and employing better storytelling techniques than before. Gaines had such high regard for Johnny Craig that he made him editor of VoH. His wolfman cover on issue #17 was one of his best. (Since it’s one of the few EC covers to feature a “classic monster,” it’s an especially sought after collectors’ item.) In the coming years, Craig’s opening pages (splash panels) would show the influence of Will Eisner’s work on The Spirit syndicated comic strip, and often match them in terms of their conceptualization and execution. Because Craig’s career in comic books trailed off after EC, and his later work—good as it sometimes was— never came up to EC quality, he is sometimes underappreciated, but Johnny Craig was one of the firm’s top-tier artists, along with Wally Wood, Jack Davis, John Severin, Harvey Kurtzman, and Al Williamson.

The Vault of Horror and The Crypt of Terror. Chamber of Chills #21 (June 1951) became Harvey’s second horror book, continuing the numbering of Blondie Comics. That same month, Black Cat became Black Cat Mystery. Alfred Harvey would introduce a fourth title in 1952 when he decided to make a big horror push, upping the frequency of some titles. That was Tomb of Terror, Harvey’s fourth and last entry. The Harvey books were initially edited by Matt Murphy and Perry Antoshak. Lee Elias and Al Avision drew the covers, mainly, along with Warren Kremer. Many stories were drawn by S. Robert (Bob) Powell, working in his Long Island studio, where he used a team of assistants to up his output. His inker, Howard Nostrand, later broke out and made his own outstanding additions to Harvey horror. One of the Powell shop’s best efforts this year was “Servants of the Tomb!” in Witches Tales #6 (November 1951). The wellarticulated features, detailed backgrounds and clear storytelling in this seven-pager were typical of Powell’s product. He would draw “Colorama,” probably the best known Harvey horror strip (due both to its quality and its numerous reprintings), but this—indeed, Harvey’s best horror stories—wouldn’t show up until 1953, after a smart, new editor named Sid Jacobson took over.

All the EC artists were advancing their craft in 1951. Graham Ingels (who signed his work simply as “Ghastly”), Joe Orlando, Jack Kamen, and Al Feldstein all did better work this year than the year before. Similarly, EC’s horror artists’ work rose to greater heights this year. In Haunt of Fear #10 (November-December 1951), EC began running one-page biographies (with photographs) of each of the artists. Ingels was the first to be profiled. Eventually, EC printed fourteen profiles, most reprinted at least twice. That’s counting the parody biography of Gaines that ran in Mad #5, and the one of Ray Bradbury, not a true member of the EC crew. Considering most publishers wouldn’t even allow their artists (or writers) to sign their work, this support for the creators of the EC stories was quite remarkable.

Black Magic #3 (February-March 1951) © the Estates of Joe Simon and Jack Kirby.

Why were horror comics so popular at this particular time? One might speculate that “being afraid” was the signature emotion of the day, with the Cold War ramping up, and the populace suddenly realizing that nuclear annihilation was a real possibility. Communist spies were said to be among us, so who knew when a friendly neighbor could suddenly become a monster? Yes, EC produced some of the best comics ever published, but there were only a relatively few EC books on the newsstand. Many other high quality comics have failed because they weren’t what the public was looking for at a particular time. Clearly the time had come for horror comics.

Joe Simon and Jack Kirby’s Black Magic, a book the team packaged for Prize Comics, was one of the earliest, and oddest, of the horror comics to come along. Prize had been around since 1940, making its biggest mark with the publication of Young Romance in 1947. Black Magic, which actually began at the end of 1950, wasn’t a skyrocketing success, but it sold well. It even survived without S & K until 1961 for a total of fifty issues, although publication was interrupted twice.

Black Magic was like no other horror comic book. It was bloodless and seldom dealt with classic creatures like werewolves and vampires. Instead, its horror came out of nightmarish situations and the grotesque images created by Jack Kirby. While the official line was that S & K respectively wrote and drew the stories, Black Magic seems largely a product of Kirby’s mind. The wording of the scripts (they were often text-heavy) suggests something of the disjointed, slightly “off” quality of Kirby’s later writing on New Gods, et al., and the emphasis on freaks and physical deformities reminds one of the wretched creatures that inhabited other, often unearthly, realms that Kirby explored at various junctures of his career.

Harvey Comics was the second most notable player in the horror comics craze. Harvey horror began with Witches Tales #1 (January 1951), nine months after EC launched 43

Women in ’50s Comic Books Ramona Fradon and Marie Severin During World War II, women had proven how capable they were on the homefront, yet in the conservative 1950s they were under pressure (by the images shown in the media, among other ways) to move back in the shadow of their men. A woman’s place was supposedly in the home as a housewife, and not in men’s domain in the workforce. Of course, many women had no choice but to work; others weren’t happy giving up the earning power and satisfaction of having their own careers. Ramona Fradon and Marie Severin were two important female artists who got their start in comics of the 1950s, both of them going on to lifelong careers in the comics field and being inducted into the Comic Book Hall of Fame.

Ramona Fradon

out and bought some comic books and studied them for a couple of weeks before attempting to draw samples. Maybe I was supposed to be an illustrator, but I just never knew it. I somehow instinctively knew how to illustrate comics and how to dramatize things. I guess I had it in me.” Fradon continued, “When I began working for DC Comics, I was the only woman there, but everyone would always ask me if I knew Marie Severin. As far as I know, she was the only other woman working in the industry at the time. I was treated like everyone else. I didn’t experience any sort of prejudice. Truthfully, there were just very few women who wanted to do that sort of work.” (Vasquez)

Ramona Fradon, a woman working in a “man’s world” in the early ’50s. Murray Boltinoff is sitting next to the window. Others are unidentified. Thanks to Ramona Fradon

Fradon’s first job came from editor Murray Boltinoff doing the Shining Knight for National. The six-page “Gadget Boom in Camelot!” appeared in Adventure Comics #165 (June 1951) as a backup behind Superboy, who was the lead feature on the title. Then with “Treasures of the Sea” in Adventure #167 (August 1951), she began illustrating Aquaman, the character (along with Metamorpho and Brenda Starr) who Fradon would be most associated with over the years. Though Aquaman was created by Paul Norris and Mort Weisinger in More Fun #73 (September 1941), Fradon’s consistent, skillful handling of the art on the character all through the 1950s made her what many consider the feature’s top artist. With Robert Bernstein, she co-created Aqualad in Adventure #269 (February 1960).

and Jon Cooke.

When interviewer Tina Vasquez asked Ramona Fradon to recount how she got into comics, the artist responded: My whole career was sort of an accident. After art school, I married a cartoonist and we were living off of $75 a month. My husband suggested I draw a couple of samples to try to get some work, but I didn’t read comic books and I didn’t know anything about them. I was an ardent reader of comic strips, especially Terry and the Pirates. So I went

Marie Severin While Marie Severin was always a talented cartoonist and caricature artist, she didn’t draw comic books until the mid1960s, when she was asked by Stan Lee to try penciling a feature for Marvel. However, as the colorist of virtually all of the EC comic books from 1951 onward, she was a major comics artist of the 1950s by any measure. Harvey Kurtzman, editor of Two-Fisted Tales, was dissatisfied with the coloring done by Chemical Color Engraving in Bridgeport, Connecticut. John Severin, a key EC artist

Aquaman TM and © by DC Comics.

Rae Hermann was the editor and publisher of Orbit Publications, a small comic book company begun in 1947 after she served as editor for William Temerson’s Continental Comics. In the early 1950s, her company published Wanted (a crime book), The Westerner Comics, Love Diary, and Love Journal. Artists for Orbit were Mort Leav, Syd Shores, Bernard Krigstein, and John Buscema. Dorothy Woolfolk, credited as being the first woman editor for a comics publisher (National), wrote for Orbit in 1950 and 1951, then dropped out of comics to raise her children. Orbit folded in 1955, another victim of industry turbulence. Hermann continued in other areas of print and publishing.

who had been associated with Kurtzman since 1948, suggested giving his sister Marie a try. Marie intuitively knew that coloring could enhance the storytelling, and her work was immediately met with approval. “I would take a story and read it, and try to color it [according to] the mood they are trying to project in the story line and in the art,” she explained. “Sometimes you would try to add to it as if it was a painting” (Severin).

Ruth Roche was a writer, editor, and eventual co-owner of the S. M. Iger studio. She wrote many of the stories that came out of the studio, as well as the Flamingo syndicated strip drawn by Matt Baker. Trina Robbins and Catherine Yronwode dedicated their 1985 book, Women in the Comics, to Roche.

Soon Marie was coloring the entire EC line. She performed the job with great talent and dedication. Her contribution to the success and overall impression of the classic EC “New Trend” titles was immediately noticeable. She customized the coloring for each artist—whether Jack Davis or “Ghastly” Graham Ingels—to best enhance their work. (She often said that she sometimes minimized the gore by coloring such shots with darker hues.) Marie’s work was so integral that she was hired in subsequent years to color various EC reprints and art pieces in order to preserve their authenticity and match the original effects. Also, her caricatures of the various EC staff members were spot on and much enjoyed by all concerned.

Other Women in Comics Violet (later Valerie) Barclay was a staff inker at Timely through much of the 1940s, working on all kinds of comics. After the Timely bullpen was dissolved, she found her services mainly in demand in romance comics. She inked such comics for Ace Periodicals, ACG, Better Publications, St. John, and probably others. By 1955, she retired from comics. Ruth Atkinson drew early issues of Millie the Model and Patsy Walker after World War II, two of Timely’s most popular and long-lived characters. Like Barclay, Atkinson drew romance comics in the early 1950s, then left comics when the jobs dried up and most low-rung firms gave up with the onset of the Comics Code Authority.

Ann Brewster drew romance comics for Martin Goodman’s comics in the 1950s, but showed she could also handle other genres, such as crime, in “Gun Moll” (Crime Must Lose #7, June 1951). © respective copyright holder.

Zena Brody was hired by Irwin Donenfeld in the mid– 1950s to edit National’s four romance titles: Girls’ Romances, Secret Hearts, Girls’ Love Stories, and a new book in 1955 called Falling in Love. She also handled Heart Throbs when it was purchased from Quality Comics in late 1956. Brody was succeeded as editor of National’s romance line in 1957 by Ruth Brant and, shortly thereafter, by Phyllis Reed. In an interview with Irwin Donenfeld by Jon B. Cooke in Comic Book Artist, Donenfeld recalled, “[Zena Brody] was young and a really beautiful woman ... and she died. It was a horrible thing. She had a brain hemorrhage and died.” (Cooke 68).

Alice Kirkpatrick worked in comics as an artist from about 1949 to 1955, her career following a similar trajectory as Barclay’s. Her roster of clients included Ace, Better, Hillman, Atlas, St. John, Toby Press, and Ziff-Davis. Ann Brewster drew her share of romance comics but broke the mold by also drawing crime comics. Stan Lee gave her “Gun Moll” to draw for Crime Must Lose #7 (June 1951) and “Manhunt” for All True Crime #45 (July 1951). Brewster found work for Martin Goodman’s comics from 1950 to 1958, though she, too, finally ended up drawing the romance comics that were a major part of the publisher’s slate. (One notable credit was inking the pencils of Robert Hayward Webb in the Classics Illustrated version of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein (#26), first printed in 1945. The adaptation was written by Ruth Roche.)

Although a small minority in the industry, women contributed to comics from top to bottom in the 1950s, often in the romance comics of the era but also in virtually all the other genres.

Stan Lee relaxing at home some time in the 1950s. He was the editor-in-chief of the Goodman/Atlas comics throughout the decade. Photo used with permission. Suspense and Strange Tales TM and © Marvel Com

Two key writers for Black Magic (and other S & K titles) were Walter Geier and Kim Aamodt, looking to pick up some “easy money” while pursuing careers as serious writers. According to Aamodt in an interview conducted by Jim Amash, Simon and Kirby wrote the plots and conveyed them orally to the two writers who jotted them down, went home, and wrote the scripts. “Jack did more of the plotting than Joe,” Aamodt recalled. “Joe was on the ground, and Jack was on cloud nine. Jack’s face looked so energized when he was plotting that it seemed as if sparks were flying from him” (Amash 29, 31). After the stories of freaks and deformities, the other main type of story in Black Magic was the “true story” with a Twilight Zone twist ending. Other artists on the S & K staff were Mort Meskin, Leonard Starr, Bill Draut, and Bruno Premiani. The stories were effectively creepy, though it seems they seldom had anything to do with magic, black or otherwise. S & K also created a sister book, The Strange World of Your Dreams (introduced in August 1952), that focused even more on the world of nightmares. Often the purportedly “true dreams” were analyzed by an “expert” in the course of the story. The qualifications of Joe Simon and Jack Kirby to analyze dreams authoritatively were, of course, nil. But the stories were interesting and fun to read, and that’s what mattered. Alas, the series lasted only four issues.

Other Horror Comics As word got out about the strong sales of horror books in 1951, many more from other publishers joined those of ACG, EC, Harvey, and Prize on the newsstands. In addition to adding Mystic and Strange Tales (which became Martin Goodman’s longest running horror/weird title), Atlas published Adventures into Terror, Marvel Tales, and Suspense. Adventures into Terror #7 (December 1951), the first with the Atlas globe on its cover, was a typical issue. Under a cover by George Tuska for the story “Where Monsters Dwell,” there were five stories: “The Thing That Grew!” (five pages), “Going Down!” 46

lished Superman didn’t want to taint its cash cow by associating with anything approaching Grand Guignol, and National wasn’t temperamentally suited to produce that kind of material, anyway. In House of Mystery, everything supernatural is a hoax or has a scientific explanation. Winslow Mortimer drew a number of these tepid tales, along with Curt Swan, Bob Brown, Jim Mooney, and Mort Meskin. Professionals all, but none were suited for hardcore horrific fare, with the possible exception of Meskin.

(a three-pager drawn by Joe Maneely), “The Two Were Alone!” (another three-pager), “Joe” (six pages), and the cover-featured tale. All but the first of six pages of “Where Monsters Dwell” were drawn by Basil Wolverton (who one fan described as “Virgil Finlay on LSD”). Stan Lee rejected Wolverton’s splash panel for reasons unknown, having it redrawn by another artist. None of the stories featured blood or gore; the Atlas horror comics were generally restrained in that respect. Friendly Fawcett added darker titles to its line this year, as well. This Magazine is Haunted #1 (October 1951) had its own horror host, at least on the covers: Doctor Death. Fawcett launched Worlds Beyond at the end of the year. But the publisher mainly continued producing issues of its familiar titles such as Nyoka the Jungle Girl, Monte Hale Western, Hopalong Cassidy, Lash LaRue Western, Fawcett’s Funny Animals, Don Winslow of the Navy, and of course the Marvel Family books. Incongruously, Captain Marvel’s titles showed the influence of SF and horror. For instance, Captain Marvel Adventures #116 (January 1951) featured “The Mystery of the Flying Saucer,” #125 (October 1951) had the beast-man King Kull in “Return of the Ancient Villain,” and #126 (November 1951) headlined “Captain Marvel Battles the Creeping Horror.” Whiz Comics #133 (May 1951) had “Captain Marvel Becomes a Witch” and #135 (July 1951) carried “Captain Marvel Battles the Ruthless Amoeba Men from Space.” King Kull embedded himself in the Marvel Family rogues gallery very quickly and appeared thirteen times over the next two years.

L. B. Cole was a master at creating striking covers, such as this one for Blue Bolt Weird Tales of Terror #111 (November 1951). Below: Wally Wood cover for Eerie #3 (October-November 1951). © respective copyright holders.

L. B. Cole’s Star Comics entered the horror field, making a vivid impression largely on the strength of Cole’s striking covers. Cole was a masterful designer who had been a cover specialist from the moment he entered comics; when he applied himself to this new genre, the results were stunning. The first Star horror book—its only one until its horror expansion in 1952—was Blue Bolt Weird Tales of Terror, changing the format of the super hero title formerly known as Blue Bolt Comics. The cover of Blue Bolt Weird Tales of Terror #111 (November 1951) sports elements that L. B. Cole used to great effect on many of his horror covers: bleached skulls, snakes, bats, gargoyles, and werewolves. All these are set against a black background, a Cole trademark. Numerous other companies jumped into horror comics this year: Ace (Baffling Mysteries, The Beyond, Hand of Fate, Web of Mystery), Avon (Eerie), PL Publishing (Weird Adventures), Fiction House (Ghost Comics), Master (Dark Mysteries), Stanley Morse (Mister Mystery), Story (Mysterious Adventures), Superior (Journey into Fear), and ZiffDavis (Weird Thrillers). Obviously, the word was out that horror was selling. Most of these publishers’ books appeared in the second half of 1951. Many more horror titles would appear on the display racks in 1952.

What about National horror? There was actually none. Editor Jack Schiff’s House of Mystery #1 (December-January 1951) was National’s first such title in the “mystery” genre, the closest the firm came to a horror comic book. The company that pub47

In terms of their writing and art, the Kurtzman war comics are widely held to be the best (or among the best) ever published in the genre. They brought a high level of intelligence and artistry to the war genre. The tremendous potential of the sequential art medium had rarely been plumbed in the 1940s, especially in terms of the artistic heights that might be possible. Kurtzman aspired to create stories that were both entertaining and had artistic value, and more often than not, he succeeded. What distinguished them most is how Kurtzman directed every story, principally by providing pre-established layouts to his artists. Before handing a page over to an artist, Kurtzman would pre-letter it and ink in the panel borders. There was also a tracing paper overlay attached over each page with rough layouts by Kurtzman. The penciler was expected to follow these layouts, which mainly established the placement of figures within the panels. In this way, Kurtzman was both writer and artist, with those who drew and inked the stories working to realize his vision, almost as actors in a movie work to realize the director’s vision. This in no way denigrates the fine Jack Davis’ splash panel for “Ambush!” in Two-Fisted Tales #21. Below, Harvey Kurtzman’s cover for finished artwork of Davis, Wood, Severin and Frontline Combat #1. TM and © William M. Gaines, Agent, Inc. Elder, or other artists who came along. Some War Comics in 1951 chafed at this work method, but the quality of the results is undeniable. Like horror comics, war comics really took off this year. The Korean War, then in full swing, heightened interest in war Many of these well-researched tales sported single word stories. As with the horror, EC was the leader in this field. titles: “Ambush!”, “Chicken!,” and “Massacred!” This was emblematic of the minimalist word counts used by Kurtzman, in contrast to the wordy Feldstein scripts for the horror and suspense books.

Editor Harvey Kurtzman changed Two-Fisted Tales from an adventure anthology into a straight war comic. The 1951 cover dated issues, #19 through #24, all feature fabulous Kurtzman covers and interior stories scripted and laid out by Kurtzman as well. This was the year that John Severin and Bill Elder entered the EC fold, usually working as a penciler-inker team. Severin’s attention to detail went beyond even that of Kurtzman (who was a stickler for accuracy) in his knowledge of vintage weaponry, uniforms, and equipment. Another artist contributing to Two-Fisted Tales was Jack Davis, already a star artist in EC’s horror titles.

With regards to “Ambush!” from Two-Fisted #21 (May-June 1951), comics historian John Benson wrote, [It] was the first of a series of powerful gutsy stories about the Korean conflict written by Kurtzman and illustrated by Davis. Emphasizing small incidents involving just a few soldiers, skirmishes too small to be reported in the papers or history books, these stories were told with great skill and economy. These [stories] don’t show Kurtzman’s passion for historical detail. The ‘moral’ is often only a tag line; for the most part any comment Kurtzman might be making is only implicitly stated. But these are the stories that originally drew readers to Kurtzman’s war comics, and many still consider

With the success of Two-Fisted Tales in the war format, Harvey Kurtzman undertook a second war title in mid-year: Frontline Combat. Its first issue debuted cover date July-August 1951, and all three cover date 1951 Frontline Combat issues boasted eyecatching covers drawn by Kurtzman. 48

Other companies began churning out war comics. Atlas’ Stan Lee launched a slew of titles such as Battle, Battle Action, Combat Kelly, and others. Harvey published Warfront (the first issue dated September), which would run intermittently to 1958. St. John inaugurated Fightin’ Marines, Wartime Romances, and others. Ziff-Davis had G. I. Joe, with glorious painted covers by Norman Saunders. G. I. Joe #10, the first issue, had appeared in 1950, but the run really got going in 1951, with art by Irwin Hasen and Bernard Sachs. The book was a hit and went monthly with a new numbering system in 1952.

TV produced properties that, like radio shows, could be adapted into comic book form. One television sensation of 1951 was Captain Video and His Video Rangers, the first adventure hero designed especially for early live television, and a science fiction show to boot. Created in 1949 by Larry Menkin of DuMont Broadcasting, Captain Video was set in the future, attracting an adult following as well as its natural juvenile audience. Picking up on this, Fawcett licensed the show for a comic book, and published all six issues of Captain Video during 1951. Other popular

As it turned out, the comic book medium proved to be well-suited to the war comics genre. Just about every major publisher, and many minor ones, published such books. At first, many of the stories were set in Korea, but as time went on, their focus shifted almost exclusively to tales of World War II combat. War comics as a genre lasted well into the 1980s.

Television’s Effect on Comic Books With transcontinental television a reality, sales of television sets skyrocketed. And the small screen was getting bigger. Ads tremulously announced, “our 1951 models have giant 20 inch screens!” TV became a firmly entrenched mode of entertainment, one that both competed with comics and helped them. The numbering was confusing, but the Norman Saunders covers were superb, on G. I. Joe #6 (December 1951) and G. I. Joe #10 (February-March 1951). G.I. Joe TM and © Hasbro.

them the finest part of TwoFisted Tales. (Benson) These comics must have been especially sobering reading for young soldiers on their way to the war zone, or those with family members in harm’s way.

Comic book publishers feared the rising popularity of television because it provided free entertainment to America’s youth. What effect would it have on their sales? It proved hard to quantify, but most popular culture historians agree that television had a net negative effect on comic book consumption. When kids were sitting in front of a television, they weren’t reading comics. On the other hand, 49

Dell’s comic books starring movie cowboy Roy Rogers were among its top sellers, especially after his TV show debuted at the end of 1951. TM and © respective copyright holder.

into the stratosphere with the weekly advertisement that the TV show provided.

The West is Best National published the licensed Western titles Dale Evans and Jimmy Wakely, but its main title in the genre was the appropriately-named Western Comics, introduced in 1948 and lasting to 1961. In 1951, it starred the Wyoming Kid drawn by Howard Sherman, and featured the lesser characters Rodeo Rick, Nighthawk and Cowboy Marshall. Its fourth book set in the Old West was All-American Western, headlined by Johnny Thunder drawn by Alex Toth, backed up by Foley of the Fighting Fifth, Minstrel Maverick, and Epics of the Texas Rangers. The big news from National this year was the format change to its venerable All-Star Comics. With its 58th issue, dated April-May 1951, the title was re-named All-Star Western. The vaunted Justice Society of America was unceremoniously shuffled into comic book limbo to make way for the brave new Western world of the Trigger Twins, Strong Bow, the Roving Ranger, and Don Caballero. The sudden disappearance of the first and greatest super hero team of the 1940s must have shocked many a reader, but in its place All-Star Western offered above average Western fare drawn by top talents Carmine Infantino, Gil Kane, and Alex Toth from scripts by Bob Kanigher, Dave Wood, and others. One of the finest Western strips was American Eagle, a Native American protagonist introduced in Prize Comics Western #85 (January-February 1951). John Severin was the feature’s regular artist, and he brought in his friend Colin Dawkins as writer. A full-blooded Native American hero was unusual at the time, but the feature was popular with readers, partly due to the relative All-Star Western #58 introduced a title and format change to All-Star Comics, which had formerly authenticity in terms of the clothing, weapons, featured the Justice Society of America. TM and © DC Comics. customs, and people in that milieu. Over the next few years, Severin and Dawkins created a body of work on American Eagle that was among the best shows like Tom Corbett and Space Patrol also had their own in any Western comic book. titles, from Dell and Ziff-Davis, respectively. Avon’s Jesse James also ranked as a top Western book in 1951. A key artist on the feature was Joe Kubert, who had spent the 1940s as a young journeyman artist. Brought as a babe in arms to America from his birthplace in Southern Poland, Kubert grew up in the 1930s in Brooklyn. Reading Hal Foster’s Tarzan, Joe dreamed of becoming a comic strip artist. As a 12-year-old, he began working in the comics production shop of Harry “A” Chesler and had his first solo work published in 1942. By 1944, he had progressed enough to be given a try-out by All-American Comics’ editor Sheldon Mayer, and at 18 years old, he became the regular artist on Hawkman in Flash Comics. Kubert developed a distinctive, emphatic style that gave his work a dynamism that others lacked. Just when he was hitting his artistic stride, he received his draft notice. Kubert was ordered to report for duty in September of 1950 at Fort Dix, New Jersey. While working in the sign shop at Fort Dix, Joe was able to continue drawing comics in his off-hours. His most frequent

The Roy Rogers Show was the most popular Western television program of its time. It debuted on NBC on December 30th, 1951. The 30-minute program ran for almost six years and was repeated for many years after that. In its modern day ranch setting, kids across America spent time with not only Roy Rogers and Dale Evans, but their horses Trigger and Buttermilk, Bullet the dog (a German Shepherd), and comical sidekick Pat Brady and his errant jeep Nellybelle. Like favorite radio shows in earlier times, kids anxiously looked forward to the show each week. Roy was handsome and kindly yet tough, and he seemed to bound godlike from the heavens to right the West’s wrongs. But thirty minutes a week was hardly enough for Roy’s legions of fans, even those who saw re-runs of his many Republic films, so they snatched up copies of Roy Rogers Comics as fast as they could find them. Sales of the Dell Roy Rogers book had been healthy from its inception in 1948 but went 50

assignment at this time was Jesse James, which he sometimes produced on his own but other times inked penciled art by his friend Carmine Infantino. Kubert did a substantial amount of work for Sol Cohen at Avon, even after taking up his post in Southern Germany for the final six months of his twoyear military hitch. After his discharge in the autumn of 1952, he threw himself into a frenzy of comic book art and production.

Other Developments at National National was holding firm at 52 pages for a 10-cent comic book, but the need to cut pages The Dynamic Duo’s Rogues Gallery was out in force this year, although could no longer be de- Catwoman became an undercover crimefighter in Batman #62. In Batman nied. While National’s #65 (right) she starred in “Catwoman—Empress of the Underworld.” Characters TM and © DC Comics. less popular titles (like Funny Stuff and Star Spangled Comics) vey Dent being replaced by actor Paul dropped to 36 pages, most of the line Sloane as the half-scarred nemesis dropped only to 44 pages. Detective of the Dynamic Duo. The Penguin Comics went to 44 pages with issue was also on hand in “The Menace of #177 and Action Comics did the same the Giant Birds” in Detective Comics with issue #162, both cover-dated No#171. Another key story appeared in vember 1951. This page count would World’s Finest Comics #53 (“The Pricontinue for nearly three years, until vate Life of Commissioner Gordon”), finally going to 36. revealing for the first time that the Commissioner’s full name was James Fans of Batman and Robin had to W. Gordon. Many of these stories have been pleased with the frequent were drawn by Bob Kane’s ghosts Lew appearances of the Dynamic Duo’s Sayre Schwartz (pencils) and Charles colorful foes in 1951. The Joker was Paris (inks). Kane did his last work on given an origin in “The Man Behind the feature at this time, drawing the the Red Hood” in Detective Comics Batman and Robin figures on some of #168, and also appeared in Batman the covers and interior stories. (Kane #63 (“The Joker’s Crime Costumes!”) never touched any of the stories and Batman #66 (“The Joker’s Comedy drawn by Dick Sprang.) Bill Finger, coof Errors”). The return of Catwoman creator of Batman and Robin (though in Batman #62 (“The Secret Life of this wasn’t generally known until afCatwoman”) is notable for revealing ter his passing in 1974), wrote many her real name (Selina Kyle), how she of the scripts. became Catwoman, and having her decade-long criminal career forgiven Adding to its licensed books, National by the authorities because she’d had began publishing Big Town, based on amnesia. Re-cast as a police operathe radio and TV show about a crimetive, she returned that year in Batfighting newspaper editor named man #65 (“Catwoman – Empress of Steve Wilson. The 52-page first issue the Underworld”) and in Batman #69 featured a cover by Infantino and Gi(“The King of the Cats!”). A new Twoacoia with interior art by Dan and Sy Face showed up in Batman #68 (“The Barry. The Schwartz-edited title, more New Crimes of Two-Face!”) with Haror less National’s idea of a crime com51

ic book, lasted fifty issues (a little over seven years). The radio adventures of Steve Wilson and his sidekick, Lorelei Kilbourne, went off the air in 1952, but the television show lasted from 1950 through 1956, four years on CBS and two more on NBC. Near the year’s end, an event occurred that would soon have major ramifications for National. Superman and the Mole Men, a low-budget movie, was released on November 23rd. The black

series. When that series became a reality and began airing in Chicago in the Fall of 1952 and elsewhere in early 1953, it would have repercussions for National’s comic books, the most obvious being an increase in the sales of Superman and related titles.

Dell Expands More than any other publisher, the baby boom benefited Dell. This is because in the early 1950s so many boomers were in grade school, the target audience of many Dell titles. Parents felt safe purchasing Dell comic books for their children because of the comics’ evident high quality stories and art, and their innocuous, recognizable features such as Disney characters. Accordingly, in 1951 Dell Vice President Helen Meyer ordered an expansion of the line. Western Printing added a number of books to its production schedule. This year alone, Dell published first issues of Bozo the Clown, The Cisco Kid, Gene Autry’s Champion (to accompany their Gene Autry book), Indian Chief, Krazy Kat, Little Beaver (to accompany its Red Ryder title), Tonto (to keep its long running Long Ranger book company), Rex Allen, and Roy Rogers’ Trigger.

Comics on a Collision Course Despite the relatively good economic times for comic book publishers, the industry was on a collision course with disaster in 1951. Such disaster had narrowly been averted in 1948. Back then, the type of comic book chiefly—and publicly — criticized was crime comics. After the Saturday Review of Literature and Colliers published anti-comics articles by Dr. Fredric Wertham in the spring of 1948, publishers announced that as of July 1, 1948, they would adopt a selfregulatory code to deal with the problem. For Superman and the Mole Men, George Reeves was cast as the Man of Steel, a role that followed him the rest of his life. Superman and Lois Lane TM and © DC Comics. Superman and the Mole Men TM and © Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc.

The Association of Comics Magazine Publishers hired an attorney named Henry Schultz to administer the code, which was to have been enforced by a pre-publication review of the stories. However, only about a third of the publishers joined the ACMP, and the review process soon broke down. It cost money and led to time-consuming corrections and changes. Small publishers, in particular, couldn’t afford the fees. (Others weren’t convinced it was necessary.) Significantly, Dell and National declined to join, not wanting to sully their skirts by mingling with the lower echelons of the business. Besides, they claimed, their comics were already self-regulated. Timely, Hillman, and Lev Gleason joined but eventually dropped out or pledged to self regulate per their written code. In the end, then, the ACMP code was a failure.

and white film was the first feature film based on National characters. (Earlier films had been serials.) It was also the first time George Reeves played the Man of Steel. As much as George Reeves defined the role of Superman, the role of Superman defined George Reeves. George Reeves had seemed on his way to an “A” film career after appearing in a small part in Gone with the Wind (1939), co-starring with James Cagney in three films, and receiving excellent notices for his role opposite Claudette Colbert in So Proudly We Hail (1943). Yet Reeves was never able to do better than “B” pictures after his military, discharge. Reluctantly, he accepted the role of the Man of Steel, figuring it was something that would be quickly forgotten. Robert Maxwell and Whitney Ellsworth hammered out the script, and Phyllis Coates was engaged to play Lois Lane. It was a trial run for a proposed Superman television

Sales of crime comics peaked in 1947 and 1948. Then other trends such as Western, romance and teenage humor 52

comics took over. By 1950, the percentage of crime titles had dropped from a high of one-eighth of all issues in 1948 to three or four percent of the total number of books. Fox Comics, purveyor of the most egregious crime comic books, went out of business in 1951 and was missed by no one (except, perhaps, its creditors). A New York law against the publication of pictorial crime stories was enacted in 1948 but struck down in court. New York legislators noted the remaining crime comics and the new horror comics continued to publish material they deemed unacceptable and vowed to formulate a new law that would withstand legal challenges. Some wondered, was it time for a federal law to somehow restrict violence in comic books? A special Senate committee headed by Senator Estes Kefauver investigated the industry in 1950. Its report, Juvenile Delinquency: a Compilation of Information and Suggestions, provided mixed findings when it was released late in 1950. Those who expected a blanket condemnation of crime comic books were disappointed, though plenty of criticism was leveled at them. The report revealed that very few juvenile delinquency experts adhered to the idea that the elimination of crime comic books would lead to a reduction of crimes by young people. Hard-nosed probation officers, judges, and other authorities found plenty of other things to blame for the problem, if, indeed, such delinquency really was increasing. (Some provided statistics showing it wasn’t.) For example, Probation Officer John J. Doyle wrote, “I Comic books with salacious covers such as Avon/Realistic’s Reform School Girl! gave critics ammunition in doubt if crime comic books are any more significant as factors in the production of their crusade against violent and tasteless comic books. © respective copyright holder. delinquency than their predecessor the Nevertheless, Avon published the notorious Reform School dime novels were, and I would place the pool hall first, unGirl comic book in 1951, a one shot that reprinted the sadesirable movies second, lurid magazines third, and comic lacious paperback cover to Diversey Publishing’s House of books last” (U.S. Senate Report, 28). Fury (from 1948). Lev Gleason marched on with Crime Does Not Pay and Crime and Punishment (though their circulaThe report included a response from the estimable Directions were down a third from their peak). And the horror tor of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. J. Edgar Hoover genre grew rapidly after the Senate report was published. wrote, “It is doubtful … that an appreciable decrease in juA year after the report’s release, the number of such comvenile delinquency would result if crime comic books of all ics had more than doubled. Each time a new publisher types were not readily available to children” (U. S. Senate, jumped in with another scary comic book, the ladies’ auxil3). Though the report also included the predictable opiniary clubs, church groups, parent organizations, and media ions of the demonizers of comic books, they were in the watchdogs had more to criticize, and further motivation to minority. (Dr. Wertham worked behind-the-scenes to aid mobilize. Their efforts would take time to coalesce, but a the Senate committee, but his name wasn’t among those storm was brewing. who gave their opinions for the record.) Upon reading the report, some comic book publishers must have sighed with relief. Others soberly reflected on the damage done to comics’ public image, simply by being the subject of an investigation.

Unsatisfied by the 1950 Senate report, Dr. Wertham decided to write a book. In it, he would fully express his views on the dangers of comic books with case studies, illustrative examples, and any other means possible. Wertham would prove to be an inventive writer. 53

1952

Expansion

If the 1950s was “the best of times, the worst of times” for American comic books, 1952 was a year that exemplified the “best of times.” It was a year of industry expansion, both of the number of high quality titles and the imitative also-rans. New genres established in the prior years proliferated, crowding newsstands with new horror, war, and romance titles. Uncle Scrooge’s star was ascendant, and a sensational new type of comic book from EC came out of left field. A horror comics boom comprised a large part of the expansion. Nearly all of the horror titles published in 1951 by ACG, EC, Atlas, Harvey, and others continued into 1952, having met with robust sales and profits sufficient to warm any publisher’s heart. The word was out, and everyone wanted to grab a piece of the action. Exactly how did others find out what was “hot”? By the time the letter column in Vault of Horror #25 (June-July 1952) revealed that EC’s sales were 1,500,000 copies a month, the cat was out of the bag. Distributors were supposed to keep sales figures confidential, but publishers also had relationships with wholesalers who could—and did—talk freely about what was and wasn’t selling. What’s more, writers and artists usually worked for more than one firm, facilitating a flow of information along the industry grapevine. Besides, when the larger publishers began increasing the number of titles in any given genre, the evidence of a best seller was right there on the stands. A plethora of new horror titles appeared in 1952. As horror comics became a national craze, every publisher jumped on the band wagon:

American Comics Group introduced Out of the Night and Skeleton Hand. Ajax-Farrell published Haunted Thrills, Strange Fantasy, and Voodoo. Atlas added Adventures into Weird Worlds, Amazing Detective Cases (now all-horror), Journey into Mystery, Mystery Tales, Spellbound, and Uncanny Tales. Avon rolled out City of the Living Dead, The Dead Who Walk, Diary of Horror, Phantom Witch Doctor, and Witchcraft. Charlton jumped in with The Thing, and Comic Media introduced Horrific and Weird Terror. Fawcett published Beware Terror Tales, Strange Stories from Another World, Strange Suspense Stories, Unknown Worlds, and Worlds of Fear. Gilmor brought out Weird Mysteries. Harvey introduced Tomb of Terror. Hillman added Monster Crime Comics. Tame National had ended 1951 with the introduction of House of Mystery, and converted Sensation Comics to “horror,” dropping Wonder Woman from its pages. (She still had her solo book.) A few months later, Sensation Comics was renamed Sensation Mystery, and then one month after that, The Phantom Stranger began.

CHAPTER THREE 54

Prize brought back Frankenstein and introduced Simon and Kirby’s Strange World of Your Dreams in 1952. Quality published Web of Evil. Standard contributed Adventures into Darkness, Out of the Shadows and The Unseen. Stanley Morse had Weird Tales of the Future. Star put out Startling Terror Tales. St. John got into the act with Strange Terrors and Weird Horrors. Toby had Tales of Horror and Tales of Terror. Youthful put out Beware and Chilling Tales. Ziff-Davis added Nightmare. As for the horror comics leader, Entertaining Comics, Bill Gaines launched one more book with a connection to the genre: Shock SuspenStories #1 (February-March 1952). The Al Feldstein-drawn cover appropriately featured a shot of a man in an electric chair. It was initially conceived as a “sampler” book of all the genres EC offered: horror, SF, even war. In the first issue, Gaines and Feldstein wrote, We’ve tried to satisfy every one of you readers who have written us insisting that EC increase its output! Many of you wanted another sciencefiction mag... you horror fans wanted another horror book... and you suspense readers wanted a companion mag to Crime SuspenStories! We decided, therefore, to make this new mag an “EC Sampler” ...and to include in it an S-F yarn, a horror tale, a Crime SuspenStory, and... for you readers of Frontline Combat and Two-Fisted Tales... a war story! Although there was a wide variance in the types of mags requested, all of you fans seemed to agree on one thing: all of you wanted the stories to have the usual EC shock endings! So what could be more natural than to call the magazine Shock SuspenStories? The interior stories were illustrated by Jack Kamen, Jack Davis, Joe Orlando and Graham Ingels, and all were scripted by Feldstein. Shock SuspenStories can be considered the last “New Trend” horror book, though it seems clear that Gaines and Feld-

Some of the horror comics that proliferated on newsstands in 1952, including St. John’s Strange Terrors #4 with an odd William Ekgren cover (in the center of row 2). House of Mystery TM and © DC Comics. Tomb of Terror TM and © Harvey Comics or successors of interest. © respective copyright holders.

TIMELINE: 1952

April 11: Singin’ in the Rain, an MGM musical starring Gene Kelly, is released in movie theaters.

A compilation of the year’s notable comic book history events alongside some of the year’s most significant popular culture and historical events. (On sale dates are approximations.)

June: Magazine Enterprises publishes Thun’da #1, featuring a character created by Frank Frazetta who only drew the first issue.

January 10: Dell’s Four Color #381 presents the first of four issues devoted to Little Lulu’s friend, Tubby. The try-out was successful enough for Dell to give Tubby his own title in 1953.

JANUARY

January 29: Dell’s Four Color #386 features Donald Duck’s wealthy uncle Scrooge McDuck (a.k.a. “Uncle Scrooge”) in a starring role for the first time in a story titled “Only a Poor Old Man,” written and drawn by Carl Barks.

June 1: Taking over a license from St. John, Harvey Comics publishes the twenty-fifth issue of Little Audrey, based on the Paramount animated feature. With it, Harvey begins producing the kind of comic book that would save the firm after the arrival of the Comics Code in 1955.

June 13: Continuing the numbering of All American Western (which had continued the numbering of All American Comics), All American Men of War #127 becomes National’s third war genre comic book. Contributors to the issue include writers Robert Kanigher and Dave Wood and artists Frank Giacoia, Joe Giella, Irwin Hasen, and Irv Novick.

March 29: U.S. President Harry S. Truman announces that he will not seek another term in the upcoming election.

FEBRUARY

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June 4: National publishes its first war comic, Our Army at War #1 (sporting a cover by Carmine Infantino and Joe Giella). The series would become the longest running war comic book of all time, changing its name to Sgt. Rock, along the way. The final issue would be published in 1988.

February 6: At the age of 25, Princess Elizabeth of York is coronated Elizabeth II, Queen of the United Kingdom.

March 1: Atlas publishes the first issue of Journey into Mystery, the first of five Horror/SF anthologies Atlas would produce in a six-month period. The title remains in this form (after a brief hiatus in 1957) until mid-1962 when Thor is introduced in issue #83.

June 6: Continuing the numbering of Star Spangled Comics, Star Spangled War Stories #131 continues National’s commitment to the war genre. The issue’s cover is drawn by Curt Swan who also handles one of the interior stories.

June 27: National launches Phantom Stranger, one of its few horror comics. The first issue features both a Carmine Infantino cover and interior story art. The series only lasts six issues.

Phantom Stranger, Superman, G. I. Combat TM and © DC Comics. Journey into Mystery TM and © Marvel Characters Inc. Marge’s Tubby TM and © Classic Media, LLC. Porky Pig, Bugs Bunny TM and © Warner Bros.

stein had something a little different in mind. EC fan and critic Bhob Stewart wrote: It was evident from the cover of #2 that Gaines had conceived this title for matters of deeper concern. With “The Patriots,” the “Shock SuspenStory” was born. And far from being just a label of meaningless hype, the concept proved to be a major step for EC, providing Gaines and Feldstein with a forum for expressing their views on the human condition just as Two-Fisted Tales and Frontline Combat were for Harvey Kurtzman. The Shock SuspenStory was characterized by a running theme of mob violence and an art style best described as Heightened Realism. (Stewart) The book offered stories dealing with various controversial issues, including racism (“The Guilty” in issue #3, “In Gratitude” in issue #11), mob hysteria (“The Patriots” in issue #2), police corruption (“Confession” in issue #4), vigilantism (“Under Cover” in issue #6), rape (“The Assault” in issue #8, “A Kind of Justice” in issue #16), and drug addiction (“The Monkey” in issue #12). Eventually, the sampler format was phased out, making the book more like Crime SuspenStories. It focused primarily on shock and crime stories for the remainder of its run. Wally Wood’s cover on issue #6 showing a quasi-Ku Klux Klan member with a whip hovering over a cowering, scantily-clad young woman is one of the most genuinely shocking of the title’s entire run. In 1952, EC added two important artists to its staff: Al Williamson Shock SuspenStories TM and © William M. Gaines, Agent, Inc.

July 4: National publishes Superman #78, its last comic book with “52 BIG PAGES,” three weeks after it released the last 52-page issue of Batman (#72). All other National titles dropped to 36 or 44 pages by the fall of 1951. August: Harvey licenses the Paramount animated feature “Casper the Friendly Ghost” from St. John. Casper’s first Harvey appearance comes this month in Harvey Comics Hits #61.

November 4: Republican, and former U.S. general, Dwight D. Eisenhower defeats Democrat Adlai Stevenson to become the 34th President of the United States. It is the first time since 1928 that a Republican candidate wins a Presidential election.

September 23: Thirty million Americans tune in to watch Republican Vice-Presidential candidate Richard Nixon refute allegations of improper campaign financing. The only gift he claims to have accepted is a cocker spaniel named “Checkers” from a Texan who heard Nixon’s daughters wanted a puppy. Nixon’s television appearance would become known as his “Checkers speech.”

October: St. John publishes True Love Pictorial #1, one of its new romance titles, with a photo-cover.

J U LY

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August 6: EC publishes the first issue of its humor comic book, Mad, created so that Harvey Kurtzman could earn more money on a title that didn’t require the time-consuming research he conducted for his war books.

August: Quality Comics publishes the first issue of G.I. Combat (sporting a cover by Reed Crandall), which would become the second-longest running war comic book of all time. Taken over by National in 1956, the series would last until 1987.

September 1: Dell publishes new titles featuring characters that had been starring in its Four Color comic book: Donald Duck #26, Porky Pig #25, and Andy Panda #16. In the following month, Dell will expand its funny animal line further by giving ongoing series to Mickey Mouse (issue #28), Woody Woodpecker (issue #16), and Bugs Bunny (issue #28).

November 1: The United States successfully detonates the first hydrogen bomb at Eniwetok Atoll in the Marshall Islands in the central Pacific Ocean.

Andy Panda TM and © Walter Lantz Productions, Inc. Other characters are TM and © respective copyright holders.

and George Evans. As much a part of the EC story as Williamson was, it’s sometimes forgotten that he didn’t do his first work for Gaines until the third year of the “New Trend”. Wally Wood and Joe Orlando brought Al Williamson, who had worked for ACG, Fawcett and Standard comics, to EC. His first EC effort was “The Thing in the ‘Glades!” (Tales from the Crypt #31, August-September 1952), an effective swamp thriller presented by the Vault-Keeper. Williamson quickly gravitated toward the SF titles where he could explore territory that had been so masterfully illustrated by his idol, Alex Raymond, in Flash Gordon. George Evans, on the other hand, learned the business working for Fiction House and Fawcett, and he proved to be a good fit for EC’s horror books. His artwork showed up as EC began publishing some gory fare. His “Roped In” in Tales from the Crypt #32 was included with “’T Ain’t the Meat … It’s the Humanity!,” a Crypt-Keeper

tale by Feldstein and Davis that ended with a butcher’s wife presenting her husband’s dismembered body for sale. Evans was expert at conveying fright and panic in his characters’ faces and especially their bulging eyes. It was in 1952 that EC introduced its “Grim Fairy Tales” series, gruesome takes on Grimm’s fairy tales. It began in Haunt of Fear #15 (SeptemberOctober 1952) with “Marriage Vows!,” presented by the Old Witch in a story by Al Feldstein. The first, and nearly all of the rest of this series (fifteen stories in all), were drawn by Jack Kamen. The Old Witch’s own origin story appeared in HoF #14. Titled “A Little Stranger,” it was drawn by the number one Old Witch artist, “Ghastly” Graham Ingels. An origin for the Crypt-Keeper saw print in Tales from the Crypt #33 (December-January 1952) by Feldstein and Davis. The horror comics from EC’s competitors were a mixed bag. None could match EC in terms of quality or con57

sistency. Avon, Harvey, Standard, Quality, and Atlas all offered some entertaining stories in the genre, generating solid sales in the process. Finding good stories from the other publishers, however, was a hit and miss proposition, true to Sturgeon’s Law that “ninety percent of everything is crud.” This is especially true when imitative comic book publishers were “piling on” the latest trend. Yet some of the “also ran” horror comics had interesting material. George Evans, before going to EC, produced fine work on stories for Fawcett such as “The Slithering Horror of Skontong Swamp” in This Magazine is Haunted #5 (July 1952). Al Williamson, also EC-bound, worked for ACG on “Drum of Doom” in Out of the Night #2 (AprilMay 1952), among other stories for editor Richard Hughes. Alvin Hollingsworth’s neo-primitive artistic approach to horror appeared in many books from lower tier firms such as Key Publications (Mister Mystery),

Al Williamson’s splash panel to “Space-Borne!” from Weird Science #16 (November-December 1952). TM and © William M. Gaines, Agent, Inc.

Trojan (Beware) and Toby Press (Tales of Horror). And then there were the weird—yet strangely compelling—paintings by William Ekgren that appeared on the covers of a few St. John comics (such as Strange Terrors #4, November 1952). Horror provided a new outlet for another strangely compelling cartoonist, Basil Wolverton, known for creating Timely’s boxing strip “Powerhouse Pepper” in 1942. In 1946, his “Lena the Hyena” drawing won a contest run by Al Capp for his Li’l Abner comic strip, bringing him to national prominence on the cover of Life magazine. In the early ’50s, Wolverton produced seventeen horror and science fiction stories for Atlas and other publishers. “Nightmare World” in Stanley Morse’s Weird Tales of the Future #3 (September 1952) showed what Wolverton could do in just four pages in his bizarre, heavily-rendered style. His work had a surrealistic quality that was disturbing on its own, apart from what the writer was having him draw. His style and rendering techniques influenced the future work of cartoonist R. Crumb. For some comic book fans, the EC science fiction titles Weird Science and Weird Fantasy were the “cream” of Bill Gaines’ publishing company. Like EC’s horror titles, its SF books matured through 1950 and 1951, reaching fuller realization in 1952. The arrival of Al Williamson, with “Mad Journey!” in Weird Fantasy #14 (July-August), was pivotal, for his art brought a new and different visual aesthetic.

Weird Science #15 (September-October 1952). Wally Wood became the regular cover artist for this title, while Al Feldstein

Williamson’s work had an continued to do them for Weird Fantasy. TM and © William M. Gaines, Agent, Inc. illustrative quality and utilized Wally Wood, EC’s top and most prolific science fiction arta variety of textures and brush techniques. Often he was ist, had gained still more confidence and mastery of the assisted by his artist friends such as Frank Frazetta, Angelo medium by this year. Gaines preferred Feldstein as cover Torres, and Roy Krenkel. In particular, Krenkel’s elaborate artist on his twin SF titles, feeling that simpler images atbackgrounds of futuristic and alien cities added an importracted the eye better than more complex covers. But with tant element. Infused with fantastical beauty and a lyric Feldstein writing the new Shock SuspenStories, he had less quality, Williamson’s work immediately set him apart and time at the drawing board. Therefore, Wood stepped in, earned him legions of fans. Starting in 1952, at least one crafting five of the six Weird Science covers in 1952. Each story drawn by Williamson appeared in virtually every isone is a masterwork. As for Wood’s interior art, the images sue of Weird Science and Weird Fantasy, and each one was looked complete and pristine in original art form, before a gem. being reduced for publication. In later years, Wood would 59

chafe if fans told him they preferred his EC work over his later material, but a substantial percentage of fans harbor this view. Wood’s nova-like early brilliance was a hard act to follow, even for the artist himself.

Charlton Gets Moving In the midst of the wild-and-woolly horror comics boom, a company was emerging that would become one of the most dominant publishers of the late 1950s and 1960s: Charlton Comics of Derby, Connecticut. Charlton Comics was a division of Charlton Publications, formed by former bricklayer John Santangelo, Sr. and attorney Ed Levy. They met in prison in 1934, when Santangelo was serving a year for copyright infringement, and in 1940 the pair formed the T.W.O. Charles Publishing Company. (Both men had sons named Charles). Charlton Publications produced many types of material, like song-lyric magazines and puzzle books. Charlton differed from its competitors because it owned both its own printing plant and its own distribution company. All its products were produced under one roof at its plant in Derby, Connecticut. Its comic book division was created mainly to keep its presses busy. The first official Charlton comic book was Marvels of Science #1 (March 1946), though Charlton had published comics under other imprints before. Many Charlton comics over the next five years were packaged by freelance editor Al Fago. The key event that signaled the beginning of Charlton’s expansion came in 1951 when Fago was brought in-house, and artists and production people were hired to work with him in Derby. One of Charlton’s first, new titles was The Thing, debuting cover date February 1952. Until Charlton took over titles from Fawcett, The Thing was its only horror book.

Page 1 of the first story with Scrooge McDuck as a star in his own right. From Dell’s Four Color #386. Scrooge TM and © Disney Enterprises Inc.

one part of the American Dream, and his attitudes about money are feelings held by many. In Dell’s Four Color #386 (March 1952), Scrooge told Donald, “There’s no greater comfort than in having money – lots of money!”

One of the young freelancers who came into the Charlton fold in 1952 was Dick Giordano, a twenty-year-old New Yorker who had attended the School of Industrial Art. Like others who worked for Charlton, Giordano was able to accept its low pay rate—among the lowest in the business— because he liked the steady income and was a fast worker. His work appeared in Hot Rods and Racing Cars, a title that began in 1951 and zoomed along for an amazing twentytwo years. Over time Giordano came to be a better inker than penciler. Compared to many of Charlton’s other artists, he was Will Eisner.

Created by writer-artist Carl Barks, Uncle Scrooge made his first starring appearance in that issue of Four Color, in a story titled “Only a Poor Old Man.” (The story would go on to be reprinted many, many times.) Uncle Scrooge evolved from his Dickensian beginnings to become a sympathetic enough character to have his own series, with Donald and his nephews close at hand. “Only a Poor Old Man” began as many subsequent Uncle Scrooge stories began, with Scrooge diving and swimming in his money bin “like a porpoise,” burrowing through the mound of coins “like a gopher” and tossing them up and letting them hit him in the head. When Scrooge saw that the Beagle Boys purchased the lot next to his money bin, he was certain they had thievery in mind. Therefore,

Scrooge by Barks In 1981, George Lucas said of Donald Duck’s wealthy uncle, Scrooge McDuck, “like it or not, this is what America is” (Lucas). Scrooge’s great wealth is the logical extension of 60

several of the Paramount animated characters that had formerly been licensed by Archer St. John. In August 1952, Harvey began publishing Little Audrey, who trod similar territory as Marge’s Little Lulu. A few months later, Audrey was joined by Casper who headlined in Harvey Comics Hits #61 (October 1952), then gained his own title—Casper the Friendly Ghost—which began with issue #7 (December). The following year they were joined by Little Dot in her own book (first issue cover dated September 1953), with a backup strip featuring Richie Rich, “the poor little rich boy.” Dot and Richie were the first characters with the “Warren Kremer signature look.” These humorous comics sold very well, and gradually Harvey Comics added more of them.

EC, Atlas, and National at War After eighteen months of fighting between the South Korean forces (supported by the United Nations, primarily the United States) and the North Korean military (supplied by China and the Soviet Union), the Korean War reached a stalemate in January 1952. This conflict became the principal issue of the year’s U.S. presidential election. Republican candidate Dwight D. Eisenhower, the vastly popular World War II general, made the most of his military record by campaigning on the slogan, “I will go to Korea.”

After being prominently featured in Marge’s Little Lulu, Lulu’s friend Tubby was given a try-out as star of his own book in Dell’s Four Color series. Little Lulu - TM and © Classic Media, LLC.

he decided to get one jump ahead of them and move his wealth to another location. The 32-page story continued from there. Readers accepted and liked Uncle Scrooge. The following year he starred in two more issues of Four Color. Issue #456 (March 1953) featured the classic “Back to the Klondike,” and issue #495 (September 1953) had two more stories, untitled at the time but now known as “The Horseradish Story” and “The Water Tank Tryout.” After that, he graduated to his own series apart from Four Color. Uncle Scrooge #4 was dated December-January 1954. Carl Barks continued writing and drawing stories featuring Donald and Scrooge through 1966, creating a large body of superb work that is highly entertaining and much loved.

War comics were an important trend in this year of expansion. Comics historian Mike Benton explained why they

Meanwhile, Marge’s Little Lulu had become so popular that her friend Tubby was given four one shots in Dell’s Four Color series beginning with issue #381 (March 1952). These books sold well, and the regular series—Marge’s Tubby—began the following year. Some of the most popular Tubby stories featured him as the crime-solving detective “The Spider,” so named because he would catch the culprits in his web of detection. John Stanley wrote and drew the completed art for nine of the first ten Tubby issues, then stayed as writer and lay-out artist through issue #35. In December, Dell expanded its funny animal line substantially by spinning off a number of Four Color features into their own titles, including Donald Duck, Mickey Mouse, Woody Woodpecker, Bugs Bunny, Porky Pig, and Andy Panda. Matt Murphy moved from his editorial position at Harvey to Western Printing in 1952, and became a key figure in comics production during its halcyon years in the ’50s.

Casper Comes to Harvey Comics The Harvey brothers must have had an angel watching over their publishing company, because an event occurred in 1952 that allowed them to weather the catastrophic fate that was coming to the industry. This angel, however, came in the form of a ghost—a friendly ghost—named Casper. While the firm was putting out its middling horror, romance, and war comics, Harvey acquired the license to

Frontline Combat #8 (September-October 1952). Art by Harvey Kurtzman. TM and © William M. Gaines, Agent, Inc.

With only one exception, Harvey Kurtzman drew all the 1952 covers for EC’s war titles, Two-Fisted Tales and Frontline Combat. (The cover to TFT #30, dated November-December 1952, was handled by Jack Davis.) Kurtzman’s covers were extraordinarily well designed. Their uncluttered simplicity both maximized their visual impact and made them easy to “read” from a distance. On a newsstand, the EC war books stood out from other comics because of their power and visual punch, and the 1952 covers set an unparalleled standard. Those who succeeded Kurtzman on the war title covers—mainly Wally Wood and John Severin— were among the best in the business, yet none of their covers matched the strength of those by Kurtzman.

were so popular: “The 1950s war comics appealed to both the young American servicemen and would-be servicemen. Besides this new audience, the readers of crime and horror comics were also attracted to the realistic violence portrayed in war comics” (186).

EC’s war comics set many stories in the Korean War and World War II, but they also dealt with combat from past eras, notably World War I, the American Civil War, the Napoleonic wars, the American Revolution, and the Roman wars of conquest. But Kurtzman’s stories didn’t glorify war, quite the opposite. They often highlighted the needless destruction and loss of life that war inevitably causes. Kurtzman infused a noticeable anti-war tinge to his two war comic books, which he later confirmed. In John Benson’s groundbreaking interview with the cartoonist in 1965 (published a year later in A Talk with Harvey Kurtzman), Kurtzman said, “I had to determine a certain attitude that I’d approach war stories with, and I decided that if there was anything to be said, I had to ... research actual war and tell kids about what was true about war” (5). In a panel at the EC convention in 1972, Kurtzman declared, “All our stories really protested war. I don’t think we thought war was very nice generally. The whole mood of our stories was that war isn’t a good thing. You get killed” (Benson 31). Evidently, Kurtzman’s anti-war sentiment was presented subtly enough that the EC war comics never ran into trouble with military distribution, as Warren Publishing’s Blazing Combat did in the 1960s. Once Harvey Kurtzman began working on Mad, he had to cut back on his war comics work. He no longer had the time to continue his practice of providing finished art for one of the interior stories in each war title issue. He “Big ‘If’!” was Kurtzman’s last complete art job for an interior story at EC, and one of his best. TM and © William M. Gaines, Agent, Inc.

the quality of the stories inside those comic books dramatically improved.

“Thunderjet!” featured beautifully designed artwork by Alex Toth. TM and © William M. Gaines, Agent, Inc.

In early 1952, Atlas war comics entered a golden period. Kurtzman had set a very high bar for the war comics genre, and Atlas was the only comics publisher attempting to meet that bar. The prime mover behind this was writer Hank Chapman. For years he was a shadowy figure about whom little was known. Eventually, researchers Ger Apeldoorn, Ken Quattro, Steven Rowe, and Leonardo De Sa unearthed a fair amount of information about him, starting with the

fact that he was born Henry P. Chapman in 1915. He wrote part of the famous 60-page Human Torch battle with Sub-Mariner in The Human Torch #5 (Fall 1941) before enlisting in the military where he served as a photo-gunner in the Army Air Force. By 1951, Chapman was working as a writer-editor for Atlas. He wrote hundreds of stories for Atlas’s horror/ fantasy, Western, crime, romance, and other genre titles. War stories, though, were his specialty. Chapman wrote many of the finest, most hard-hitting Atlas war stories,

did, however, continue to write—and lay out—all the war title stories. The last of the stories with Kurtzman art was “Big ‘If’!” in Frontline Combat #5 (March-April 1952), one of his best. In it, he eloquently showed how fate and the smallest of circumstances often made the difference between life and death in war. After that, the issues contained a second story by Severin or Severin/Elder. But another outstanding artist showed up in a few instances, with the promise to match—or exceed—Kurtzman in terms of storytelling and design. That artist was Alex Toth. Alex Toth worked on just four stories for the EC war titles. He penciled “Dying City!” in Two-Fisted Tales #22 (July-August 1951)—Kurtzman inked that one—then did the full art job on three stories for Frontline Combat: “The Landing!” in FC #7 and “Thunderjet!” in FC #8, both in 1952, and “F-86 Sabre Jet!” in FC #12 (June 1953). All are masterworks, with “Thunderjet!” being considered not only an apex of EC war, but of Toth’s early career. Like Kurtzman and Barks, Toth was one of the seminal talents to emerge in the 1950s, and also like them, his work stood the test of time. With war comics selling well, Martin Goodman predictably pumped out more titles of that genre. Before the year began, Goodman was already publishing Battle, Combat Kelly, Man Comics, Men’s Adventures, and War Comics. In 1952, Goodman added Battle Action, Battlefield, Battlefront, Combat, Men in Action, and War Combat. Other war titles would follow as Atlas predictably flooded the market to take advantage of the popular new trend. But something had changed:

“Atrocity Story” by Hank Chapman and Paul Reinman was one of the most hard-hitting of the Atlas war comics. © Marvel Characters Inc.

Russ Heath’s ferocious covers on Combat #5 and War Comics #11. © Marvel Characters Inc.

#11 (August 1952) shows agonized enemy soldiers on fire due to a flamethrower attack. Heath followed with the equally shocking cover to Combat #5 (October 1952) with the image of an American soldier bayoneting a Korean soldier in the stomach. Russ Heath was perhaps the best and one of the most prolific of the Atlas war artists. These high quality jobs became a benchmark for the comics work the artist would turn out for the rest of his career.

undoubtedly by drawing on his own military experiences. The stories often dealt with death, often of American soldiers, and often punctuated with pain, catastrophic injury, and shell shock. One of his most famous tales is “Atrocity Story” in Battlefield #2, drawn by Paul Reinman. It recounted documented atrocities perpetrated by North Korean forces and associated them with those of the Nazi death camps. The end of the story raised the question about the kind of tactics civilized people can use to counter such barbarism. Paul Reinman is not generally a highly regarded comics artist, despite

having drawn Green Lantern in the Golden Age and later inking important Lee-Kirby Marvel stories in the early 1960s. His work on the Atlas war stories is the most effective of his career. He clearly took artistic, intellectual pride in what he was achieving. So did the other Atlas war comics artists, among them Gene Colan, Joe Maneely, Dave Berg, Robert Q. Sale, and Bill Everett. The same can be said for Russ Heath who drew covers for Atlas that are among the finest ever to grace any war comic book. His covers are also some of the most ferocious. For instance, Heath’s cover on War Comics 64

While visually stunning, the Atlas war titles lacked in one respect. Because of Goodman’s frugality, the Atlas war titles—indeed, the entire Atlas line— were plagued by shoddy printing and poor paper quality. While readers of that era probably didn’t notice that problem, Atlas comics of the 1950s have “browned” significantly in the intervening years in ways that EC and DC comics from the same era have not. The Atlas war comics featured hardhitting, memorable stories, clearly influenced by Kurtzman’s EC work. Unfortunately, this golden period didn’t last long. Perhaps the end of the Korean War in mid-1953 ended it. When that conflict concluded, Atlas’s war comics became more conventional, with fewer stand-out stories and issues. Of course, Atlas published many other titles at this time. They had a whole

slate of romance titles (Girl Confessions, Love Romances, My Own Romance), espionage titles (Spy Cases, Spy Fighters), many Westerns (most prominently Kid Colt, Outlaw), a bunch of teenage/girl comics (Millie the Model, Patsy Walker, Miss America), the aforementioned horror books (six added in 1952), and a number of funny animal and other children‘s comics. In this year of industry-wide expansion, the one area where Atlas was clearly cutting back was crime comics. Fully a half dozen Atlas crime titles were dropped in 1952, with only Justice and Kent Blake of the Secret Service surviving. Goodman pumped out seventy or more titles at any given time in the early and mid-1950s, and he was just as fast to jump off a genre once its popularity was losing steam as he was to jump on when it was “hot.” Across town, National leaped into the war comics arena with uncharacteristic boldness. With editor-in-chief Whitney Ellsworth spending an increasing amount of time in California representing National Comics in Hollywood, founder Harry Donenfeld’s son Irwin assumed the position of editorial director at National. In an interview conducted by Mark Evanier and Bob Beerbohm at the 2001 San Diego Comic-Con, Irwin Donenfeld recalled, “When I joined the company in ’48, Whitney Ellsworth had the company all set up. I was just there to help out until Whit Ellsworth went to California. Then I became head of the whole thing because there was nobody else” (Evanier 10). The former military pugilist couldn’t claim that he had his job for any reason other than nepotism, common in the industry. Nevertheless, he learned the business from Ellsworth and Liebowitz and spent a great deal of time going over sales reports from Independent News. At this time, Superman was selling upwards to a million copies per issue.

Irwin Donenfeld explained the decision to produce war books: “One day, I saw somebody had put out a war book … and it was selling quite well, and I said, ‘Oh, we’ll have to have war books, too.’ I decided on Bob Kanigher [as editor], and he put out some great, great magazines, and we did very, very well with the war books” (Evanier 11). A gifted writer from an early age, Robert Kanigher had stories and poetry published when he was a teenager and won The New York Times Short Story Contest in 1932 when he was just seventeen. He began in comics as a writer for Victor Fox on Blue Beetle and other titles, and he also wrote for MLJ and Fawcett (Captain Marvel). By 1946 he had ended up at the top of the heap, writing for National on the formerly All-American features Green Lantern, Hawkman, and the Justice Society of America. Kanigher was a highly inventive, facile writer whose value was quickly apparent to editor Julie Schwartz and National’s management. Before long, Kanigher was handling Wonder Woman and anything else that came along after the other costumed heroes declined in the late 1940s.

Millie the Model #36 (September 1952) and Patsy Walker #38 (January 1952), two popular titles from the 1940s that sold well all through the 1950s. © Marvel Characters Inc.

Comic book historians and fans have taken to referring to National’s 1950s-era war comics as “The Big Five.” The titles didn’t all start at once, but remarkably enough, three of them nearly did: Our Army at War #1 and Star Spangled War Stories #131 (continuing the numbering of Star Spangled Comics) were both dated August 1952, and All American Men of War #127 (renamed from All American Comics) was dated August-September 1952. They appeared on newsstands in staggered weeks in June. Before the decade ended, National completed “The Big Five” with the addition of two more war titles: Our Fighting Forces (1954) and G. I. Combat (1957), picked up from the defunct Quality Comics.

National Comics jumped into the war comics genre with three titles almost at the same time. TM and © DC Comics.

Meanwhile, there was celebration at National after a court decision in its litigation against Fawcett’s Captain Marvel was announced. National’s lawsuit against Fawcett for copyright infringement, initiated in 1941, alleged that Captain Marvel was an illegal copy of Superman. The case finally went to trial in 1948, and the verdict, delivered in 1951, was decided in Fawcett’s favor. However, the court reversed this verdict in 1952, and the case was sent back to a lower court for further adjudication. Fawcett’s lawyers had other grounds to defend the publisher’s position, if the owners wanted to continue the fight. The Fawcetts decided to take some time to consider their options. The decision, when they made it the following year, took many in the industry by surprise.

Romance Comics at Their Best

National’s “Big Five” were among the finest war comics published in the 1950s. One of the key reasons was the writing by Kanigher, who scripted most of the war books. Kanigher was ably assisted on the writing chores by Dave Wood, Bill Woolfolk, Bob Bernstein, and France Herron. The art was produced by a combination of National veterans and new faces at the company. The covers were mostly drawn by Irv Novick—who co-created The Shield in 1940 at MLJ and had worked continually in the industry since that time—and Jerry Grandenetti—who had worked as an assistant to Will Eisner on The Spirit. Novick and Grandenetti provided interior art as well, along with such cartoonists as Curt Swan, Howard Sherman, Mort Drucker, Gene Colan, and many, many others.

As previously noted, the newsstands became glutted with romance comics in 1950, but after a period of cutbacks, the genre rebounded the following year. By 1952, there were more romance titles than the “hot” horror comics. Appealing almost entirely to girls and young women, romance comics satisfied a consumer need before romance paperback novels became popular in the mid-1960s. Many romance comics were repetitive wish fulfillment fantasies of the girl-meets-boy/girl-loses-boy/girl-gets-boy formula that ended with a chaste kiss between the lovers. Westerns were formulaic. Romance comics, even more so. Prize continued to publish Simon and Kirby’s Young Romance and Young Love without interruption, often with interior stories drawn by Jack Kirby. Much of the other artwork was ably handled by Mort Meskin. Although the stories had long since shed the adult edge presented in the series’ earliest issues, they were still among the best-written in the genre.

War comics aside, in January 1952, National launched Here’s Howie, a short-lived teen book drawn by Irwin Hasen, and six months later, unveiled one of its longest running licensed titles, The Adventures of Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis. Written by Cal Howard and drawn by Howie Post (and later Owen Fitzgerald), the book dropped Dean Martin after the Martin and Lewis comedy team broke up in 1956. Another new title was The Adventures of Rex the Wonder Dog, debuting with a January-February 1952 date. A creation of Bob Kanigher, who wrote many of the stories, the series began with three issues drawn by Alex Toth. Gil Kane came in after that, handling the artwork until the series’ demise with issue #46 (November-December 1959).

Alex Toth jumped into the romance field after either quitting or being fired from National. The story of how the artist parted ways from the company that had been his home for the past five years is the stuff of comic book legend. According to one account, Toth became so furious with Julie Schwartz that he dangled him out an open window until the editor agreed to pay him for a completed assignment. 66

Black Comic Book Creators of the 1950s While some black cartoonists worked in the comic book production shops of the 1940s, the field was almost all-white. Despite gains made by African Americans in the post-war years, and the integration of U. S. armed forces during the Korean War following President Truman’s 1940s decision, there were few black writers and artists in 1950s comic books. The race of the person creating comic books meant nothing to the readers, of course, because they had no way of knowing if a book was produced by black or white hands. Nevertheless, it took an African American with considerable confidence and ability to knock on publishers’ doors, knowing that racial discrimination was widespread. The men of color discussed here—most of them working in the comic book industry during the 1940s as well as the 1950s—were persons of fortitude and should properly be considered pioneers in the field. Matt Baker is rated a “superstar” comic book artist who was largely considered the best “good girl artist” of his day. He was born Clarence Matthew Baker in North Carolina on December 10, 1921 and began working in comics in the S. M. Iger comic book production shop in New York City in 1944. He started out by assisting on the “Sheena” feature in Fiction House’s Jumbo Comics. Before long, he handled the finished work himself. It immediately became apparent that Baker depicted the female form exceptionally well. While at Iger’s shop (which supplied completed stories to Fiction House, Fox and others), Baker drew features starring a plethora of

Covers by Matt Baker: Phantom Lady #17 (April 1948), Teen-Age Romances #39 (September 1954), It Rhymes with Lust (1950). Photo of Matt Baker is © the Estate of Matt Baker, and may not be reproduced without permission of the Estate. Used with permission. St. John covers © respective copyright holders.

In 1950, Matt Baker collaborated with writer Arnold Drake to draw what some consider the first graphic novel, It Rhymes with Lust, published in paperback form by St. John. He also worked on a short-lived syndicated newspaper strip called Flamingo with writer (and Iger partner) Ruth Roche. It ran from February to July 1952.

jungle heroines and other similar material, including the “headlight” cover of Phantom Lady #17 (April 1948), his most famous single illustration. In 1948, Baker left Iger to work as an independent freelancer (he could make more money that way) and soon found himself producing all he could for St. John Publishing, his home in comics until 1955. At St. John, Baker became a romance comics specialist, producing work that showed a much greater grasp of gesture, nuance, and facial expressions than his earlier good girl art had demonstrated. He turned out nearly all of the covers on such titles as Teen-Age Romances, Wartime Romances, Cinderella Love, Pictorial Romances, and others. His superb artwork is one of the two main reasons St. John’s romance comics are considered the best in a large field. (The other reason is the writing of Dana Dutch.) Baker also served as St. John’s art director, reviewing the work of others as it came in. 67

After St. John went to all reprints in 1955 (except for covers, some by Baker), and the death of Archer St. John on August 13th of that year, the artist began producing more romance comics for Quality, Harvey, and eventually Charlton. He also drew Westerns for Atlas in such titles as Western Outlaws and Gunsmoke Western. Had he lived, Baker would likely have been a part of Martin Goodman’s comics renaissance in the 1960s. But Matt Baker had a weak heart, probably a result of contracting rheumatic fever as a boy. Tragically, he died of an apparent heart attack, passing away in his sleep on August 11th, 1959.

A. C. (Alvin Carl) Hollingsworth was born in 1928 in Harlem, the son of émigrés from the West Indies. At fifteen, Hollingsworth met Joe Photo of Alvin Hollingsworth. Kubert who was Below, image from “The Horror of the Walking Corpse” two years his from Dark Mysteries #16 senior and al- (February 1954) from Master © respective copyright ready working Comics. holder. in comic books. With his art training at the High School of Music and Art in New York City, a little tutelage from Kubert, and his own desire to draw comics, Hollingworth broke into the field doing one-page fillers and then worked in Bernard Baily’s comic book shop.

College in 1956. He put his comic book ambitions aside to focus instead on making it in the fine arts arena. In just a few years, Hollingsworth became an accomplished and well known expressionist painter and television personality in the Greater New York area. He was a prominent voice in the African American art movement of the early 1960s and spent much of the rest of his working life as a college professor. Black Out Loud (Macmillan, 1970), an anthology of modern poems by African Americans, was illustrated by Hollingsworth. His oil paintings were displayed in The Smithsonian in Washington D.C. Hollingsworth passed away on July 14th, 2000.

Witchcraft #6 (March 1953) from Avon. Below: Beware #8 (March 1954) from Trojan. © respective copyright holders.

1953) may be his best known comics image. Hollingsworth also worked in other genres for Ribage (Crime Mysteries), Story (Fight Against Crime), and Quality (G. I. Combat). Some have claimed that Hollingsworth did the artwork for Negro Romance, a comic book edited and written by Roy Ald for Fawcett Comics in 1950. This has been disputed by other knowledgeable comic art fans. When horror comics were no more, Hollingsworth did some desultory work for Charlton, Lev Gleason, and others. He went on to college, earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts from City

In the 1950s, Hollingsworth found his niche mostly drawing weird, neoprimitive images of floating skulls and grisly graveyards for the mostly minor horror publishers of the day. He drew such material for Avon (Eerie, Strange Worlds), Comic Media (Horrific), Key (Mister Mystery), Toby Press (Tales of Horror), Trojan (Beware), Master Comics (Dark Mysteries), Premier Magazines (Mysterious Stories), Star (Ghostly Weird Stories), and Stanley Publications (Ghoul Tales). His skull cover to Avon’s Witchcraft #6 (March

Cal Massey was born in 1926 in Pennsylvania and aspired to draw comics from an early age. After a stint in the Air Force during World War II as a pre-flight mechanic, Massey used the G.I. Bill to attend the Hussian School of Art in Philadelphia. After graduating in 1950, he began working for Cross Publishing (The Perfect Crime, Uncle Milty) and then St. John, where he met Matt Baker. Baker gave him pointers on drawing attractive women, and on the type of brushes and pens to use, as well as other advice, from one professional to another. After drawing a few romance stories for St. John, Massey worked for Lev Gleason on “The Little Wise Guys” in Daredevil and stories for Crime Does Not Pay. Sometime in 1951, Massey entered the offices of Magazine Management and began drawing comics for the firm where he did his most work: Atlas. He drew war (Battle Action), crime (Crime Exposed), horror (Journey into Unknown Worlds), and romance (Love Tales). Massey was a solid craftsman and probably would have stayed in comics except for the Atlas Implosion in 1957. He took a job with the Franklin Mint, designing its first medal in 1960. Massey worked there for many years and also in other forms of art. He also taught illustration and life drawing at the Hussian School, his alma mater. Alfonso “Al” Greene, like Matt Baker and Alvin Hollingsworth, began his comic book career in the 1940s. In one of his famously rambling stream-ofconsciousness writings, artist Alex Toth described Greene, his classmate at New York’s High School of Indus-

“no great shakes, but it worked” (Spicer 19). Harrison stated that he fronted the team, as Broderick feared facing white editors. It isn’t clear how long the Broderick and Harrison team lasted, but solo work signed by Broderick appeared in Martin Goodman’s comics as early as 1951. Titles that Broderick worked on included Crime Exposed, Girl Comics, Kid Colt Outlaw, and Wild Western. He is credited with Atlas work through 1954 and at Charlton during the same period. Harrison notes that Broderick, “… was a dear, gracious man and a very sensitive man—he left the business with enormous regret,” and reportedly, became an ambulance driver (Hadju 329). Tom Feelings was born in Brooklyn and recalled drawing at a very early age. In a 1996 interview, he stated, “I started by copying from comic strips. I was always interested in telling the story. That element of storytelling is, I think, very close to the oral tradition. In comics the story becomes the most important thing. They use their skills to emphasize the story” (Black Dog Bone). After high school, Feelings attended the Cartoonists and Illustrators School. While still a student, he began his brief foray into the world of comic books. Most, if not all of his work, appeared in 1953 in such publications as All True Romance (Comic Media) and Radiant Love (Key Publications). That same year he began a four-year hitch in the U. S. Air Force.

Top: Alphonso Greene art from Gunsmoke Western #47 (July 1958). Middle: Tom Feelings art from “Blues” in All True Romance #14 (November 1953). Bottom: Warren Broderick art for “House of Shadows” from Girl Comics #9 (July 1951). © respective copyright holders.

trial Arts, as “rough-edged, well built, strong, and black — quiet and spare with words… a wannabe cartoonist/comic book artist — had the Caniff-doodle/ style in his mind’s eye and hand....” (Toth 28). In 1944, Greene was hired by Sheldon Mayer to take over the Black Pirate feature in Sensation Comics. He also worked on a backup feature (“Wonder Women in History”) in Wonder Woman. While Greene’s record shows no work produced for 1947 or 1948, he did produce pages for Eastern Color’s New Heroic Comics in 1949. Even later, he worked for Atlas comics. In a short period in late 1956 and early 1957, Greene turned in at least 16 jobs to editor Stan Lee. Then came the Atlas collapse, and the end of Greene’s career in comic book illustration. Warren Broderick was much less prolific than Alfonso Greene. Broderick first worked in the Simon and Kirby studio in 1948, then teamed up with Harry Harrison in the early 1950s. Harrison, having recently ended his partnership with Wally Wood, engaged Broderick to do his penciling. Like Wood, Broderick was Harrison’s classmate at Burne Hogarth’s Cartoonists and Illustrators School. “We developed a nice clear style,” Harrison told an interviewer,

Upon his return in 1957, Feelings enrolled again at C&I, renamed the School of Visual Arts the prior year. A disagreement with an instructor about the place of African art in history inspired him to create the comic strip “Tommy Traveler in the World of Negro History” for The New York Age, a Harlem newspaper. Indicative of his newly formed interest in African American history, Feelings became involved in the Golden Legacy series of comic books in the 1960s, a line dedicated to putting Black history into illustrated form. He made his living teaching art and illustrating books (often for children) such as his acclaimed Middle Passage (Dial Books, 1995) which expressed the horror of the transport of black people to the New World as slaves in 64 narrative paintings. Note: Special thanks to Ken Quattro for the information on Alfonso Greene, Warren Broderick, and Tom Feelings. Recommended: Matt Baker: The Art of Glamour by Jim Amash and Eric Nolen-Weathington, TwoMorrows Publishing, 2012. 69

The more likely reality is that Toth resented having to wait until after Schwartz finished his lunchtime card game before receiving his paycheck. That had Toth steaming. The two men then reportedly clashed over which script Toth would draw next. The artist lost his temper, and after some yelling, stormed out of the office. Whether he was fired or not, the relationship between Toth and National was damaged. The artist was obliged to find work elsewhere. His last work for National in the’50s was the Johnny Thunder cover for All-American Western #126 (June-July 1952). Toth’s final story, in the prior issue, was titled, appropriately enough, “The Last Roundup!”

actually filled with hidden messages that worked together to unfold a natural, healthy attitude toward young romance that rejected the standard myths and clichés. The heroines of other romance comics were likely to be dull, passive, and rather stupid. But Dutch’s protagonists were lively, active young women who, though often naïve and inexperienced, had character, a sense of self worth, and a great deal of common sense. They might make mistakes, but were quite capable of thinking things through with no help from anyone. (7) A protagonist in a St. John romance story turned mistakes into learning experiences. The message was that mistakes not only happen, they can be transformative. What’s more, parents weren’t portrayed as clueless, intransigent barriers to true love; they were capable of changing their minds or admitting they, too, had made mistakes. These comics respected their readers.

National’s loss turned out to be Standard Comics’ gain. Actually, Toth’s first story for them—“My Stolen Kisses” in Best Romance #5 (February 1952)—was probably done before he left National. Standard produced some of the better-looking romance comics on the stands, and over the next couple of years, in titles such as New Romances, Popular Romance, My Real In 1952, St. John added two Love, Best Romance, and Tonew romance titles: Teen-Age day’s Romance, one could find Temptations (first issue cover stories penciled by Alex Toth dated October 1952, with the and, often, inked by the talexcellent “Tourist Cabin Escaented Mike Peppe. Toth took pade”) and True Love Pictorial. the assignments seriously, When St. John received unworking as hard on them as sold copies of romance comhe had on the Westerns. He ics back from its distributor, became fascinated with conthe firm repackaged them as temporary fashion, hairdos, All Picture All True Love Story, home design, and the kinds of a 100-page comic book that things that don’t play much sold for 25 cents. That series part in most other kinds of lasted only two issues, but the An intimate moment from “Shattered Dream!” in My Real Love #5 (June 1952), comic book tales. He drew drawn by Alex Toth. © respective copyright holder. contents of each issue varied some twenty such stories from copy to copy. from 1952 to 1954, a significant body of superior work in a field that didn’t often boast top flight artwork. (During Harvey Kurtzman Goes MAD this time, Toth also drew war and weird/horror stories for One of the most important events in 1950s comics was EC’s Standard.) publication of Mad. It was significant in many respects: With regard to both stories and art, Archer St. John’s roMad introduced iconoclastic satire and parody at a time of mance comics were a cut above every other publisher’s ofsocial conformity and conservatism, Mad became so popuferings in that genre. As John Benson pointed out in his lar that it inspired numerous imitators, Mad is EC’s only book Romance Without Tears, the St. John comics written by surviving publication, and quite simply, Mad was so well Dana Dutch and drawn by Matt Baker eschewed easy story produced and funny. conventions, clichés, and cardboard characterizations. The Bill Gaines described Mad’s genesis in 1983: tone of the comics was set by publisher Archer St. John, a more sophisticated individual than many of his opposite Kurtzman was very slow. He was putting out two numbers at other such firms. In Teen-Age Romances, Teenbooks in a two-month period. Feldstein was very Age Diary Secrets, and other titles, St. John wanted realism fast and he was putting out seven books in a twoas opposed to glamorous nonsense or tear-stained suffermonth period. By simple mathematics you can see ing. Dutch’s scripts achieved just that, as Benson explains: that Feldstein was making three and a half times as much as Kurtzman. This rankled Harvey, be[Dana] Dutch’s apparently innocuous stories about cause he felt that his books were better than Feldteenagers seemed to avoid the didactic, but were 70

Left: Mad #1 cover by Harvey Kurtzman. Above: Mad #2 cover by Jack Davis. TM and © DC Comics.

Harvey Kurtzman offered a conflicting explanation, however. When asked about the origin of Mad for a 1965 Rogue magazine interview, Kurtzman responded, “I invented the whole thing from the word go. It was started very simply. I suggested a humor magazine because I wouldn’t have to do the research. I could just go into a room and write it. So [Gaines] said, ‘OK, so see what you can come up with’” (James 43). The first issue of Mad had a cover date of October-November 1952 and hit the newsstands in August. A house ad appearing in EC’s other books showed a cartoon version of Kurtzman holding the first issue of Mad, with a nearby Bill Gaines saying, “We at EC proudly present our latest baby … a ‘comic’ comic book! This is undoubtedly the zaniest 10¢ worth of idiotic nonsense you could ever hope to buy! Get a copy of Mad … on sale now! We think you’ll enjoy it!”

stein’s books, and in one sense they were, but they weren’t selling as well, so that was negated. There was no reason in the world to pay Kurtzman more than he was getting unless I also gave Feldstein a raise…. So the only solution I could come up with was to suggest to Harvey that he put out a humor book. I suggested to him that he put out a humor book because … I remembered that what I had first seen him doing … was [his humorous] stuff he brought in that had me rolling on the floor…. I said, ‘Look, for God’s sake, it takes you a month to research Frontline Combat and a month to research Two-Fisted Tales; but you can stick Mad in there; it will take you a week to write it … and your income will go up fifty percent,’ and that’s why Mad was born. (Decker 60)

At first, Mad lost money. There had never been a comic book like it. Kurtzman used the same artists who worked on his war books: Wood, Davis, Elder and Severin, all talented at humor work. In retrospect, Mad’s first two issues were wonderful. Newsstand browsers, though, may not have known what to make of stories with titles like “Hoohah!,” “Ganefs!,” “Gookum!,” and “Mole!” With Mad #3, Kurtzman began satirizing popular television shows as Dragnet (“Dragged Net!”) and The Long Ranger (“Lone Stranger!”), helping potential readers relate to the craziness inside. Everyone in the EC office agreed Mad was hilarious… but would it find a readership?

1953

EC Soars, Fawcett Crashes

1953 was a year of extremes in the American political and social scene. At one end of the spectrum, Dwight David Eisenhower was sworn into office as President of the United States on January 20, his persona emanating a sense of benevolence and security to his electorate. At the other end of the spectrum, Senator Joseph McCarthy of Wisconsin whipped his anti-communist witch-hunt into a frenzy during the same year that Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were sent to the electric chair after being convicted of passing atomic bomb secrets to the Soviet Union. And with the announcement that the Soviets had an atomic bomb, fear of annihilation ran beneath the “carefree” surface of American life. In 1953, overall comic book sales were flattening out, with some publishers (like Atlas) experiencing declines and others (like Dell) on the upswing. The number of individual titles was up. Over 300 issues appeared on the stands in September, almost three times as many as had appeared in the same month in 1943. For Superman, 1953 was a very good year. The Adventures of Superman television series debuted coast-to-coast on February 9, bringing the Man of Steel’s exploits into millions of homes. The show benefited from the fortuitous casting of George Reeves as Superman and brought a great deal of attention to the Man of Steel’s supporting characters. Lois Lane had been an integral part of Superman’s stories since the super hero’s first appearance in 1938’s Action Comics #1. Editor Perry White and cub reporter Jimmy Olsen, however, had both been introduced later and in a somewhat desultory manner. Now, partly due to the necessity of focusing most of the television show on non-super heroic activity, these secondary characters were elevated and would from this point forward be more important in the Superman comics. For the television show, John Hamilton portrayed Perry White while Jack Larson played Jimmy Olsen. The role of Lois Lane was at first filled by Phyllis Coates, an attractive young actress of serials and low budget features. She took other employment after completing the first Superman season. (The show’s first year was filmed in 1951, but broadcast was delayed.) Subsequently, Noel Neill—the Lois from the Superman serials—was cast as the female reporter. Robert Maxwell, who supervised the Superman radio program, produced the first season, putting all the key elements in place. The stirring Superman theme music, the opening (“Look, up in the sky! It’s a bird! It’s a plane!,” carried over from the radio show), and the fa-

Character TM and © DC Comics.

CHAPTER FOUR 72

Atomic Fear in Comics Although EC’s product was relatively literate, the atomic-themed comics of its competitors predictably veered into the realm of exploitation. For instance, the cover of Ace Publications’ Atomic War! #1 (November 1952) showed New York City being destroyed by an atomic explosion, and the covers of subsequent issues were equally alarmist. Youthful’s Atomic Attack #5 (January 1953) sported a garish mushroom cloud cover and a World War III story with the unsettling title, “Tomorrow’s War.”

On January 7th, 1953, outgoing President Harry S. Truman announced that the United States had developed a hydrogen bomb. The government was conducting ongoing nuclear tests at a site in southern Nevada. With that, fear of atomic annihilation reached a kind of crescendo and was felt in many aspects of American life. In the film The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms (released June 13, 1953), an atomic bomb test in the Arctic Circle thawed out a hibernating dinosaur (animated by Ray Harryhausen). This was one of a number of movies that unleashed giant monsters on mankind, often a result of a nuclear accident or mutation. Atomic fear permeated movies, the news, TV, and, inevitably, comic books.

Amid the blossoming atomic fear came Gilberton’s Picture Parade #1 (September 1953), a title that attempted to explain the positive uses of nuclear energy. Picture Parade was an educational series conceived and written by Eleanor Lidofsky, a college-educated Brooklynite hired by publisher Albert Kanter to work on publicity and press releases, and to write incidental material for Classics Illustrated. “I wrote the things in the inside of the front and back covers,” Lidofsky recalled in an interview for this book. “Then Mr. Kantor asked me to come up with an idea for an educational comic book. All anyone thought about atomic energy was the bombs that had been dropped on Japan. My husband was a professor of nuclear science at Columbia University, and he gave me the information about the good things that nuclear power could bring. I wrote ‘Andy’s Atomic Adventure’ in that first issue, naming Andy after Mr. Kanter’s grandson. Picture Parade sold very well. It was geared to a fourth grade reading level.” Lidofsky wrote more issues of Picture Parade, then left at the end of 1954 to have her first child. Wellintentioned as that “boy and his dog” cover was, to modern eyes there’s something absurd about Andy comforting his canine friend while a nuclear explosion occurs nearby. The cover seemed to suggest that an atomic war wouldn’t disturb life as we know it.

When John W. Campbell became editor of Astounding Science Fiction in 1937, he exhibited a propensity for stories about atomic power and nuclear disasters. Urging Bill Gaines to publish a science f iction comic back in 1949, Wally Wood and Harry Harrison gave him copies of Astounding so the publisher would see the kind of stories they had in mind. Thus, some of the earliest issues of EC’s Weird Science and Weird Fantasy carried atomic-themed stories. There were “Cosmic Ray Bomb Explosion!” in Weird Fantasy #14 (July-August 1950) and “Radioactive Child!” in Weird Science #15 (November-December 1950). The cover of Weird Science #5 blared: “See the Earth 500,000 years after the first Atomic War!” In 1953, EC published two masterful, disturbing stories about atomic warfare and its aftermath. In Weird Fantasy #17, Al Feldstein adapted Ray Bradbury’s poetic story “There Will Come Soft Rains” about a “smart house” whose gadgets keep doing their jobs after its human occupants were decimated by an atomic explosion. And in Two-Fisted Stories #33, Harvey Kurtzman tackled the subject with “Atomic Bomb!,” showing the effects of the bomb dropped on Nagasaki, Japan ,on the city’s denizens. Wally Wood was at his EC peak when he drew both of these classic stories.

Some comics fans and historians have referred to the period from the end of World War II to the start of the Silver Age of comics in 1956 as “the Atom Age of comics.” Despite being used in Bob Overstreet’s influential Comic Book Price Guide, the phrase hasn’t yet gained widespread acceptance.

Youthful’s Atomic Attack #5 (January 1953), Ace Magazines’ Atomic War! #1 (November 1952), and Gilberton’s Picture Parade #1 (1953). Picture Parade - Classics Illustrated TM and © the Frawley Corporation & licensee First Classics, Inc. TM and © respective copyright holders.

TIMELINE: 1953 A compilation of the year’s notable comic book history events alongside some of the year’s most significant popular culture and historical events. (On sale dates are approximations.) January 7: In his final State of the Union address, President Truman announces the United States has developed a hydrogen bomb.

JANUARY

February 9: Adventures of Superman premieres on television as a syndicated program. (The first season’s episodes were filmed in 1951.) Producing the show is the same man who had produced the Adventures of Superman radio program, Bob Maxwell. When sponsor Kellogg’s worries the television program is too dark and violent, the tone of Superman’s second season is made lighter.

FEBRUARY

MARCH

April 19: The 3rd annual Fan-Vet convention in New York City encourages America’s veterans to read science fiction. Members of the EC staff attend, some of whom display original art, including “My World” by Wally Wood.

Summer: Bhob Stewart publishes the first true EC fanzine, EC Fan Bulletin #1. It effectively launches EC fandom.

APRIL

M AY

January 25: Due to the increasing public criticism directed at comic books, Ray Bradbury writes to Bill Gaines asking him to remove his name from the covers of EC comics that adapt his stories.

JUNE

June 13: The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms—with animated sequences by Ray Harryhausen—is released in theaters. The film’s Rhedosaurus is one of many atomic bomb-produced monsters unleashed on moviegoers in films of the ’50s.

March 26: Dr. Jonas Salk announces the development of a vaccine against polio that had been successfully tested in a small group of adults and children. Human Torch, Sub-Mariner, Captain America and Bucky TM and © Marvel Characters, Inc. Playboy TM and © Playboy. “My World” TM and © William M. Gaines Agent, Inc.

miliar Daily Planet milieu felt teroid threatens to crash into just right. The show struck a the earth. Weisinger used the chord with kids across Amersame premise in “The Menace ica and became a huge hit. from the Stars!” in World’s FinWhat didn’t feel right, at least est Comics #68 (January-Februto Kellogg’s, the show’s sponary 1954). Just as “Panic in the sor, was the dark and violent Sky” was a stand-out episode tone of the first season. Whitof the series, “The Menace ney Ellsworth orchestrated a from the Stars!” was one of the shift to a much lighter tone in better Superman tales of the the second season, which com1950s. menced with “Five Minutes to The Superman line of comic Doom” on September 18, 1953. books—still mostly 44 rather The program was produced for than 36 pages per issue—felt children but ended up with a the impact of coast-to-coast substantial teenage and adult George Reeves and Jack Larson in publicity photo. Superman and The Adventures of television exposure, despite Superman TM and © DC Comics. audience. Superman was a difsomewhat lackluster covers ferent kind of hero for TV, and translated to the medium on Action Comics and Superman by Canada-born Winslow surprisingly well. Mortimer. With a more realistic, prosaic art style than that Once The Adventures of Superman was renewed for a secof contemporaneous Superman artist Wayne Boring, Morond season, Whitney Ellsworth summoned Mort Weisingtimer also drew nearly all of the 1953 covers to Batman er to California to collaborate with him on script outlines and Detective. By the fall, the decision was made to release for the new episodes. Despite the lighter tone, there were some Superman titles more frequently. Action Comics alstill some dramatic scripts. One of the finest episodes they ready was being published monthly, but Superman and Suconceived was “Panic in the Sky” (aired December 5, 1953), perboy, along with several other National titles, had their a story about Superman losing his memory as a giant asbi-monthly schedule increased to eight issues a year. 74

July: Dell publishes old Pogo stories in giant Pogo Parade #1, alienating Walt Kelly.

November: Excerpts from Wertham’s Seduction of the Innocent are published in Ladies Home Journal in an article titled “What Parents Don’t Know about Comic Books.”

August 19: Atlas publishes Young Men #24, which revives the Golden Age super heroes Human Torch, Captain America, and Sub-Mariner.

December: EC publishes Panic, its own Mad imitation.

December 2: Starting with issue #81, Batman is no longer published bi-monthly. Its frequency is increased to eight issues a year.

December 30: The first color television sets go on sale, although not at a price that most Americans can afford. An Admiral color set costs $1,175.

July 27: Representatives from the United Nations, North Korea, and China sign an armistice, ending the three-year Korean War. With U.S. soldiers coming home, comic book sales soften.

J U LY

AUGUST

SEPTEMBER

OCTOBER

NOVEMBER November 6: Starting with issue #86, Superman is no longer published bi-monthly. Its frequency is increased to eight issues a year.

July: Priced at 25 cents and starring Mighty Mouse, the first issue of St. John’s Three Dimension Comics sells a total of 1.25 million copies in two printings. It launches the 3-D comics fad which lasts less than six months. By December, sixteen publishers are putting out thirty 3-D comic books, but few make it past the first issue.

October 20: Broadcast journalist Edward R. Murrow publicly details how U.S. Senator Joseph McCarthy, in the course of hunting communists in the U.S. military, has abused his power. Murrow’s broadcast marks the beginning of the end of “McCarthyism.”

DECEMBER December: The first issue of Hugh Hefner’s Playboy arrives at newsstands. It’s a sellout, largely because of the nude centerfold photo of Marilyn Monroe, whose February appearance in the film Niagara turned her into a movie star.

November: Marvel Family #89 (cover date Jan. 1954) arrives at newsstands. It marks the last appearance of Captain Marvel, Captain Marvel Jr., and Mary Marvel from Fawcett.

Pogo TM and © Okefenokee Glee & Perloo Inc. Adventures of Superman publicity photo: TM and © Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc. All others are TM and © respective copyright holders.

Fawcett Gets Out of Comics As Superman flew higher, his greatest competitor—Captain Marvel—finally fell to earth. The National vs. Fawcett lawsuit, which had been grinding on for a decade, returned effectively to square one in late 1952 when an appellate court reversed Fawcett’s 1950 victory. Fawcett failed in its tactic of claiming Superman had lost its copyright status due to the omission of copyright notices on certain newspaper strips. Now Fawcett had to try another legal angle if it wanted to keep fighting. The Fawcett brothers decided that the fight was no longer worth the cost. Legal fees were eating up the profits earned by the Marvel Family comic books. Since the Fawcetts were already publishing magazines and paperback books, they simply decided to close down their comic book division. Had it not been for the lawsuit, Fawcett would likely have stayed in the comics business for at least a few

more years. Sales of Captain Marvel Adventures had softened, dipping below 500,000 copies, but if any nonNational super hero title was poised to roll right through the 1950s, it was Captain Marvel’s own book. The World’s Mightiest Mortal could have continued right into the Silver Age of comics. Such was not to be. The first to go was Master Comics with issue #133 (April 1953). Captain Marvel Jr. then ended with issue #119 (June 1953). Fittingly, the cover to that issue showed “the World’s Mightiest Boy” strapped into an electric chair with a blurb that read, “Condemned To Die.” The same month Whiz Comics, Fawcett’s once proud flagship title and titular link to Fawcett’s first publication, Captain Billy’s Whiz-Bang, published its last issue with #155. Captain Marvel Adventures lasted a few more months, perhaps to use up an inventory of completed stories. It ended with issue #150 (November 1953). Finally, The Marvel Family #89 75

The last issue of Whiz Comics (#155, June 1953), the title that introduced Captain Marvel back in 1940. Character TM and © DC Comics.

and to make a couple of extra bucks. And to give opportunities to guys who I could work with, and let them have the same taste of freedom that I was having” (Groth 77). The first titles packaged by Kubert were Hollywood Confessions (1949), a romance book, and Son of Sinbad (1950). Then, in the fall of 1950, just as the operation was building up steam, Kubert was drafted into the U.S. Army.

(January 1954) sent the royal family of super heroes into comic book limbo with a story appropriately titled “And Then There were None!” Merely discontinuing Fawcett’s comics wasn’t enough to resolve the lawsuit, of course. Fawcett was also required to pay National a reported settlement of $400,000. Fawcett had been one of the top five comic book publishers, so its departure from the field sent shockwaves through the industry. Later, the Marvel Family’s chief scribe Otto Binder wrote,

Archer St. John promised Kubert that they could resume their arrangement after his military discharge. Two years later, Kubert met with St. John to do just that, and the publisher was as good as his word. In the intervening years, Kubert developed an idea that had originated while he was based in southern Germany. During his required overseas service, Kubert had seen some 3-D illustrations in a magazine and had been intrigued by the process. Perhaps spurred by the fact that the first 3-D movie, Bwana Devil, had opened to much fanfare in 1952, Kubert wondered if a 3-D comic book was within the realm of practicality. He discussed it with his boyhood friend Norman Maurer, who had come east to work with Kubert. When Joe explained his idea of a 3-D comic book, Norm suggested contacting his own brother, Leonard.

My reaction to DC as being the executioner was hardly of a friendly nature. In fact, we were all pretty sore and bitter about it. It seemed so heartless and greedy; DC wanting to hog the market by killing off its closest rival … but then, that’s business, y’know. It stinks. The sadness over Captain Marvel and friends being tossed into limbo was [extremely] painful — particularly to my pocketbook. But money was not the only factor; I really had a lot of fun doing the Captain Marvel stories. When it all ended it took the sunshine out of my life for a long time. (Lage 59)

Possessing a technical bent, Otto was also upset because Leonard Maurer began he felt Fawcett hadn’t stood studying the “anaglyphic” The prophetic cover of The Marvel Family #89 (January 1954), the last appearance of the by the editors, writers, and process to determine if it World’s Mightiest Mortals until their return in DC Comics of the 1970s. Cover by Kurt artists who produced its Schaffenberger. Charles TM and © DC Comics. was possible to adapt the efcomic books. Many of those fect to a mass-produced comic book. Would it have to be talented folks left comics for good, such as the genial editor printed on special paper? Given the necessity of including Wendell Crowley, writer Bill Woolfolk, and gifted cartoon3-D glasses, how much would the book have to sell for? ist C. C. Beck (although Beck did return to comics, briefly, Meanwhile, Kubert and Norman Maurer quickly created almost 20 years later). Comics were poorer for this loss. samples of the process to show St. John. The publisher was enthusiastic and gave them the go-ahead to produce a As sad as this was for Fawcett, it was cause for celebration comic book using the process. at National. Its lawyers, perhaps, weren’t as happy as Jack Liebowitz was when he cashed Fawcett’s check. The law3-D comics worked this way: an image was printed in red yers would now have to look elsewhere for billable hours. and green ink. The two colors were then separated and offset from each other at a specific angle. This created the illusion of four flat planes within a panel. When looked at with special glasses that had a red gelled left lens and a green gelled right lens, some planes appeared closer while others seemed farther away. Essentially, an effect of “seeing into the frame” was created. Captions, word balloons, and foreground objects were on the level “closest” to the reader. The background appeared in the “farthest” plane,

3-D Comics In the late 1940s, Joe Kubert had begun his own comicbook packaging operation for St. John Publishing. Kubert sold Archer St. John on buying entire comic books packaged by Kubert, using writers and artists that Joe knew. Kubert later explained, “It was just an opportunity to have a little bit more freedom with what it was I wanted to do, 76

Joe Kubert, Norman Maurer and Leonard Maurer produced Three Dimension Comics #1 for St. John, the first 3-D comic book published. Mighty Mouse TM and © CBS Consumer Products.

and the action of the panel usually took place in the two “in-between” planes. Despite being printed in red and green ink, the process forced the final image to appear monochromatic—brown and white—to the viewer. The effect of 3-D printing was startling, and the comic book readership proved eager to try it. The first 3-D comic book was published in the summer of 1953: Three Dimension Comics (first issue coverdated September), an oversized book starring St. John’s licensed property,

Mighty Mouse. It sold for 25 cents. The timing was perfect. The book sold out two printings totaling over 1.25 million copies. (The second printing was a regular-sized comic book published a month later.) Since Kubert and Maurer had contracted to receive a percentage of the profits (rather than just a page rate), they and St. John made a financial windfall. (Both Kubert and Maurer immediately went out and bought new cars.) But even before this occurred, they had set up a studio to convert St. John’s other titles to 3-D. 77

The success of the 3-D process spread quickly among the other publishers, partly because Leonard Maurer met with some of them to try to license the process that had been patented by the Maurers and Kubert. Others found ways around this, either by buying other patents or by developing other means. Dell was first to jump into the field, with 3-D-ell #1 (October 1953), applying the 3-D process to fumetti (photo) comics. Then, a month later, Harvey published Adventures in 3-D #1 while National released Three-Dimension Adventures

starring Superman. A flood of titles with December 1953 cover dates followed: Fiction House’s 3-D Sheena the Jungle Queen #1, Archie Publications’ Katy Keene Three Dimension Comics #1, Toby Press’s Felix the Cat 3-D #1, and Star Publications’ Jungle Thrills #1. All told, some forty 3-D comics were published with 1953 cover dates.

making superb use of the 3-D medium. The super hero format, an unusual choice of genre for a book in 1953, seemed to unleash Kirby’s inventiveness and brought his work to a new level. Unfortunately, Captain 3-D was effectively a one-shot due to the sudden collapse of 3-D comics. A character by that name just couldn’t continue in a regular comic book.

One of the best was Harvey’s Captain Joe Kubert’s Tor was another stel3-D (December 1953) by Joe Simon lar contribution to 3-D comics. The and Jack Kirby. The combination of concept of the “caveman with a conKirby’s ability to draw action-packed science” emerged from sketches Kupanels, sometimes extending beyond bert drew on a troop ship to Germany panel borders, and the new 3-D proin early 1952. Some of the sketches cess, resulted in visual magnificence. were of a prehistoric man battling giThe character and story cleverly made ant lizards and dinosaurs. He called the 3-D process central to the book’s the character Tor and conceived the premise: Captain 3-D leaps out of feature to reveal his protagonist’s a two-dimensional page in a book Archie Comics jumped into the 3-D fray with their popular emerging moral sense. “Certainly in female character Katy Keene. TM and © copyright holder. when young Danny Davis views it a superficial sense, Tor was my Tarthrough 3-D glasses. Soon Davis is pulled into the middle zan,” Kubert acknowledged. “Of course, Tor wasn’t raised of a battle in another dimension between a race of evil by apes. He was raised by other primitive men and women. cat people and the lone descendant of their humanoid enI suppose Tarzan and Tor are similar in that they are supeemies, Captain 3-D. rior to the others of their clan. But with Tor, I chose to emphasize that he had an extra spark of humanity, and was Though he was ably assisted by Mort Meskin and others, instinctively striving for a better, more civilized way of life Jack Kirby reached a new peak with his artwork, than that of his brothers” (Schelly 110). Tor debuted in One Million Years Ago #1 (July 1953) in a regular format comic book a couple of months before Kubert and the Maurers produced the first 3-D book. When viewed via 3-D, Tor’s battles with prehistoric animals, usually to protect a weaker person or creature, took on added excitement. 3-D Comics #2 (October 1953) leads off with “The Journey,” which featured the preeminent dinosaur battle of the Tor saga. Kubert’s use of 3-D was at its most effective during Tor’s clash with the thunder lizard in moody, volcanic caverns. Tor’s axe flew at the reader, and the monster’s powerful tail whipped into the foreground. Tor starred in just two 3-D comic books and then continued in regular, full-color comic book form. Joe Kubert’s six-issue run was one of the more notable creative achievements of the 1950s. Though the Tor saga only encompassed 109 pages and didn’t quite fulfill its potential, it showed how intelligent and original a comic book could be. As Don Glut put it in The Dinosaur Scrapbook, “Thanks to the work and obvious love that went into the series, what might have become a standard adventure strip, with man battling monster within the usual prehistoric-world settings, and situations, was elevated to art” (193).

EC at Its Zenith EC headquarters at 225 Lafayette Street hummed with activity. Feldstein was either barricaded behind his office door writing stories or discussing springboards with Gaines. Kurtzman shared an office with Marie Severin 1,000,000 Years Ago! (September 1953) introduced Joe Kubert’s Tor. TM and © the Estate of Joe Kubert.

Milton Caniff. Al Williamson contributed a couple of art jobs to that title, adding to fine work by George Evans, Graham Ingels, Bill Elder and others.

when he wasn’t home writing stories in his attic studio. Artists delivered their latest jobs, staying to hear Gaines’ reaction. When a new story by Wood or Williamson arrived, everyone crowded around to see it as it was pulled from the artist’s portfolio. Gaines fostered a familial relationship with his staff and freelancers, giving holiday parties and gifts, and spending time socializing with them and their wives. They worked hard and played hard.

One change was noticeable: the covers of EC’s horror books were beginning to ratchet up the violence. The increasingly horrific covers by competing publishers caused EC to respond in kind, a decision that would come back to haunt them. Still, Gaines wasn’t willing to cross what he considered the line into bad taste. Johnny Craig’s initial cover to Vault of Horror #32 (August-September 1953) portrayed a man with a meat cleaver planted in the middle of his forehead. Gaines had the cleaver removed before it went to press. He ordered a similar revision to Jack Davis’ cover for Tales from the Crypt #38 (October-November 1953), judging the original too savage.

Fifty-eight of the 268 individual “New Trend” comics published by EC (not counting the annuals and 3-D issues) bore 1953 cover dates. While comic book fans will never wholly agree, many feel that this group of issues represents EC’s creative peak. EC introduced no new titles in 1953. The “New Trend” was fully formed with its 10 bi-monthly books: Tales from the Crypt, Vault of Horror, Haunt of Fear, Crime SuspenStories, Shock SuspenStories, Weird Science, Weird Fantasy, Mad, Two-Fisted Tales, and Frontline Combat. (The two war books slipped a month toward the year’s end, causing what would have been 60 books to instead add up to just 58.) As in the previous year, Al Feldstein was writing almost four scripts a week (based on plots he devised with Gaines), and was managing to keep the quality high. (He was doing little or no artwork anymore.)

Still, EC’s product did become a bit bloodier this year. The difference between Gaines’ company and its competition was its creative finesse and tongue-in-cheek style. The Crypt-Keeper story “Foul Play!” by Gaines, Feldman, and Davis in Haunt of Fear #19 (May-June 1953) ended with the

Tales from the Crypt #36 (June-July 1953) featured Feldstein and Ingels’ adaptation of Ray Bradbury’s story “The Handler,” finally doing a true adaptation as opposed to the plagiarized version back in Haunt of Fear #6 (“A Strange Undertaking...”). This was one of the last stories to appear in an issue that touted Bradbury’s name on the cover. The public drumbeat of anti-comics sentiment had become a problem for the author, who was moving from the pulps to slick magazines and books, and was beginning to work in Hollywood. In a letter to Bill Gaines dated January 25, 1953, a saddened Ray Bradbury reluctantly asked, “Could you possibly eliminate my name from the covers of your comic magazines as soon as possible?” (Weist 103). Vault of Horror and Crime SuspenStories offered highly accomplished work in the lead-off stories written and drawn by Johnny Craig. His splash panels on such stories as “Rendezvous!” and “Touch and Go!” were bold and beautifully designed. His work in Crime SuspenStories was as if James M. Cain collaborated with

Al Feldstein’s authorized adaptation of Ray Bradbury’s story “The Handler” in Tales from the Crypt #36. These adaptations were invariably highlights of the issues where they appeared. TM and © the Estates of Ray Bradbury and William M. Gaines, Agent, Inc.

victim’s body parts festooning the paths of a baseball diamond, with his head being the ball. The Crypt-Keeper narrated: So now you know, fiends. Now you know why there is a ball game being played in the moonlight at midnight in the deserted central city ball park. Look closely. See this strange baseball game! See the long strings of pulpy intestines that mark the base lines. See the two lungs and the liver that indicate the bases... The heart that is home plate. See Doc White bend and whisk the heart with the mangy scalp, yelling ... Play ball... Batter up!

In order to compete with the other horror comics on the stands in 1953, EC’s comics ratcheted up the violence and gore, though colorist Marie Severin avoided coloring blood red when possible, as in the conclusion to the notorious story “Foul Play!”(bottom panel). TM and © William M. Gaines, Agent, Inc.

Comic books had never had covers as beautifully illustrated as those of EC, such as Weird Fantasy #21 (September-October) by Al Williamson and Frank Frazetta, and Weird Science #21 (September-October) by Wally Wood. TM and © William M. Gaines, Agent, Inc.

indicted simplistic reasoning while showing how assigning blame for troubled youth was a matter of point of view. Often, the story suggested, juvenile delinquency resulted from parental hypocrisy. At the end of the story, the youthful protagonist sits in an electric chair and wonders, “How did it happen? Why did I turn out like this? It’s because I didn’t listen to my folks. I guess … I was just a bad son.” The parallel story structure devised by Feldstein, showing the parents’ and the boy’s stories unfolding side by side, was brilliantly conceived and written.

It’s hard to imagine any of EC’s teen readers taking this sort of thing seriously or being harmed by it. EC’s last important new artist came through Bill Gaines’ door early in the year. His name was Reed Crandall, a star comic book artist whose career began in 1940 when he joined the S. M. Iger studio. Crandall made his name in the business with his highly accomplished, detailed work on Quality Comics’ Blackhawk. Now he turned up in EC’s offices in the Lafayette Building, much to the delight of Gaines and Feldstein. Crandall’s last Quality Comics work appeared in Blackhawk #67 (August 1953), and his first EC story was “Carrion Death!” in Shock SuspenStories #9 (JuneJuly 1953). “Carrion Death!” had no moral, only the gruesome but highly effective ending of a criminal who dies in the desert and seems to watch as vultures eat him. Crandall’s interpretation of the Gaines/Feldstein script made this story extraordinary.

In 1953, EC’s science fiction comics reached new heights, too. Every 1953 issue of Weird Science and Weird Fantasy— twelve in all—featured an Al Feldstein adaptation of a Ray Bradbury story, with art by Wally Wood, Jack Kamen, and others. “I, Rocket” in Weird Fantasy #20 (July-August 1953) and “Punishment Without Crime” in Weird Science #21 (September-October 1953) were the first of the Bradbury adaptations in the SF comics that weren’t touted as such on the covers.

And that was only one of many extraordinary stories that EC published in 1953. Take, for instance, “… So Shall Ye Reap!” in Shock SuspenStories #10 (August-September 1953). Undoubtedly, it was one of the most ambitious, challenging and fascinating stories in the whole EC canon. Much of the outcry against violence in comics claimed that reading such “trash” was one of the causes of juvenile delinquency. “… So Shall Ye Reap!” was Gaines’ and Feldstein’s counterpoint to that claim. The story in part

By this time, all the EC artists contributing to the SF titles had gained experience, and had developed their craft to a higher level. Al Williamson produced a cover with the help of Frank Frazetta on Weird Fantasy #21 to great effect. Wally Wood’s covers on Weird Science #17 to #22 are equally impressive. Orlando and Kamen had also grown as artists. Unfortunately, all this improvement didn’t translate into 81

Wally Wood page from Weird Science #18 (March-April 1953). TM and © William M. Gaines, Agent, Inc.

better-selling comic books. Indeed, sales for these SF books weren’t good. When interviewed in 1969, Bill Gaines recalled,

Severin. The Civil War issues didn’t appeal to readers as much as those series’ earlier issues which had centered mostly on the Korean War and World War II. “It wasn’t enough,” Kurtzman said in comments published in the Complete EC Library. “All the stuff that I put into the Civil War stories — it just wasn’t all that popular. They essentially were subtle by comic book standards. A little too quiet. It was like asking a kid to read The New York Times” (Benson). It was another case, as with EC science fiction, when the comics had become a bit too literate for EC’s own economic well-being.

The sci-fi never did very well. I think the best they did was 75% sales, which is phenomenal by today’s standards. But back then 75% was just mediocre sales. The horror books sold 80-85% most of the time. Maybe we did get too good for the market. There’s no question that as the quality went up, the sales slid down. When I say we sold 75% originally, that was only during the first year, and I think they quickly dove down to 60%. (Hauser 181)

One comics-related development in 1953 showed just how deep an impression EC comics made on a certain, albeit small, number of its Selling 60 percent of a 300,000 copy readers. Fan Bhob Stewart decided print run was about the break-even to publish a fanzine (an amateur point. Gaines was proud of the SF not-for-profit magazine) devoted titles and kept them going on the to EC comics. Gaines printed a plug profits from his horror comic books. Planet Comics #73 (Winter 1953) was the last issue of the Fiction for The EC Fan Bulletin in the letter In the fall, when their sales decline House title, which had been going since 1940. TM and © respective column of Weird Science #20 (Julycontinued, Gaines decided to com- copyright owner. August 1953), and Stewart received bine Weird Science and Weird Fanabout 80 orders for the first issue. tasy into one book titled Weird Science-Fantasy, initially Though there were only two issues of the Bulletin, other intended as a quarterly. fanzines came along from other fans. This was the beginning of EC fandom. Perhaps inspired by Stewart’s fanzine, The problem ultimately seems to have been less with beEC established its “EC Fan-Addict Club” and published a ing “too good” than with the genre itself. Interest in sciclub newsletter to announce upcoming stories and other ence fiction comics had waned. Fiction House’s lower-brow developments. Planet Comics had been sputtering along, and finally ended with #73 (Winter 1953). (The problem with Mad Takes Flight Planet was probably worsened by The comics success story of 1953 its old fashioned look, running covwith the greatest long-term impact ers much in the style of those on SF belongs to Mad. This was the year pulps of the late 1930s.) when Mad caught on in a big way. The issues of Mad cover-dated 1953 Starting in late 1952, EC published are #3 (February-March) through #8 three special issues, entirely devot(December 1953-January 1954). But ed to stories of the Civil War, part of when, exactly, did Mad’s sales begin a plan by editor Harvey Kurtzman to to increase and how many copies dramatize major events of the whole did it sell at its peak? war over a series of seven issues. The series was launched in Frontline #9 The best available information re(November-December 1952) which veals that the Mad #1 print run was led off with the excellent Davis400,000 copies. In an article titled drawn “Abe Lincoln!” The second all“Madman Gaines Pleads for Plots” in Civil War issue was Two-Fisted #31 the February 1954 issue of Writer’s (January 1953), featuring the outDigest, Bill Gaines stated that the standing story “Grant!” with art by first four issues of Mad lost money, Severin. This was the last war comic but then he claimed, “When the sales with a front cover completely drawn reports began to come in on Mad No. by Kurtzman. The third (and, as it 5, with a bang we had done it! Today turned out, last) Civil War issue, in the print order on Mad is 750,000 Two-Fisted #35 (October 1953), took Two-Fisted Tales #31 (January-February 1953) featured and on its way to a million” (Gaines last cover on the title. By the end of the year, he was a more Southern focus, beginning Kurtzman’s 192). By analyzing all factors, comfocusing entirely on Mad. TM and © William M. Gaines, Agent, Inc. with “Robert E. Lee!,” handled by 83

ics historian John Benson concluded that the steep increase in the print orders probably began with Mad #7 and went sharply upward with issues #8 and #9, which appeared in the second half of 1953 (though issue #9 bore a 1954 cover date). Did the print run reach a million? It may have continued to increase, but 750,000 is the top figure Benson could find (Benson, “Start-Up Data for Mad’s Imitators” 12). Since Mad wasn’t advertised other than in announcements in the other

EC titles, the cause of the explosive sales increase could only have been due to good word-of-mouth. What then inspired such positive buzz? Mad #4 (April-May 1953) featured the Kurtzman-written/Wally Wooddrawn parody “Superduperman!” Not only is “Superduperman!” one of the best-known and highly regarded stories in Mad history, it’s credited as the story that propelled Mad into profitability. In a 1983 interview, Gaines stated without equivocation, “Mad was a loser until ‘Superduperman’ came out” (Decker 75). (Two other stories in Mad #4, “Robin Hood!” illustrated by John Severin and “Shadow!” featuring the artwork of Bill Elder, also parodied familiar popular culture figures, and probably contributed to the success of that pivotal issue.) By the time Mad’s fifth issue was released, more readers were snatching it off newsstands. Mad’s future was secured. Mad #5 featured another comic book parody by the Kurtzman-Wood team, “Black and Blue Hawks!,” as well as “Miltie of the Mounties!,” satirizing the popular “Sergeant Preston of the Yukon” radio show, with art by Severin. “Outer Sanctum” spoofed the “Inner Sanctum” radio

program, making it the third of four parodies of widely-known popular culture subjects. This was followed by Mad #6 with three more comics and movie satires (Terry and the Pirates, Tarzan of the Apes, and King Kong). Mad #5 is also of historical importance for its inclusion of a one page humorous “biography” of Bill Gaines, a Mad version of the profiles of its creative personnel in other EC books. It likened Gaines to a Communist and child-molester, pretty strong stuff. When the facetious manner of the biography went unrecognized (or unappreciated) by parents and wholesalers, a major flap ensued. Gaines was quick to apologize, but it didn’t help EC’s reputation with the all-important wholesalers. Nonetheless, Mad’s prosperity inspired numerous imitations that tried to capture the same lightning in a bottle. Some were better than others, but none came close. They were often produced by able practitioners of comic art, but none had the creative genius of Harvey Kurtzman or his crew of wonderfully talented cartoonists. The first imitator, however, was produced before Mad’s sales shot up. At St. John, Joe Kubert and Norman Maurer produced Whack #1, cover-dated October 1953, a month after Mad #6 appeared, and a full two months before the next attempt to clone Mad.

Kurtzman/Wood’s “Superduperman!” in Mad #4 was the story that connected with readers in a big way, causing sales to soar. TM and © DC Comics.

Whack #1 was inspired by Mad but was published before the EC book became hugely popular. TM and © respective copyright holder.

ries, particularly among the lowertier outfits, were bloodier. Nearly all 1953 horror titles had been launched the prior year (if not before). Nightmare moved from Ziff-Davis to St. John, and the 3-D House of Terror was a one-shot. Star Publications converted Shock Detective Cases to Spook and adjusted some other books to emphasize horror. Menace was Atlas comics’ sole new entry in the genre. While many of these comics featured crudely written stories and shoddy art, one company made a concerted effort to upgrade its product: Harvey Publications. Gaines caused a controversy when some wholesalers and readers didn’t realize this profile, from Mad #5, was a joke. TM and © William M. Gaines, Agent, Inc.

Kubert later confirmed John Benson’s theory that Joe and Norman loved Mad, and figured their readers would too, so they did something like it before Mad’s success had been established. A humor book was a natural for Kubert-Maurer, because humor was Norman’s strong suit. Whack #1 offered “Ghastly Dee-Fective Comics” and “Mouse of Evil,” comic book parodies of the crime and horror comics of the day. The second issue had “Steve Crevice,” “Flush Jordan,” and even a parody of its Mighty Mouse 3-D book, “No Dimension Comics.” Next, Atlas came along with Crazy #1, the “Little Mixed-up Mag!” dated

December 1953, followed by Wild and Riot from Goodman’s firm shortly thereafter. Once the word was out that Mad was selling 750,000 copies, of course, the copycats came out in force.

The Harvey Horror Upgrade EC was the undisputed king of horror comics publishers, but that didn’t mean it didn’t face competition on the newsstands. Horror and crime comics constituted about a quarter of all titles published; the jam-packed newsstands took on a ghoulish, violent tinge. Competition led to more shocking covers, and the interior sto85

This is not to say that the covers of Harvey’s four horror titles (Black Cat Mystery, Chamber of Chills, Tomb of Terror, and Witches Tales) became more restrained in their imagery, but that the quality of both the stories and artwork improved. With the coming of a smart new editor named Sid Jacobson, the publisher made its bid to rival EC. They didn’t succeed, but in this year and the next, they came closer than any other firm. (Harvey, however, declined to advertise its horror comics in its other genre titles.) Sid Jacobson was hired at Harvey when he was 22 years old (or perhaps when he had just turned 23 on October 20, 1952). He was born in Brooklyn, and grew up there, in Ben-

In 1953, Harvey editor Sid Jacobson spurred an upgrade in the publisher’s horror comics, though the firm had always had some terrific artists, such as Lee Elias and Warren Kremer. Witches Tales, Black Cat TM and © Harvey Comics or successors of interest.

sonhurst. In an interview for American Comic Book Chronicles, Jacobson described how comics had been a part of his childhood life, recounting, “All my guy friends of the time read comic books [including] that first Action Comics with Superman. We read Superman, Batman, Green Lantern, Blue Beetle, Captain America, et al.” He worked delivering ad copy to stores and ad agencies for The New York Times while in high school, then attended New York University to major in journalism and English. Upon graduation in 1950, he became a copy boy for The Daily Compass where he first read Will Eisner’s The Spirit, which influenced his values as a comic book editor. Within a year, he had moved on to The New York Morning Telegraph, a racing and entertainment newspaper. When the Telegraph was shut down, a tip from a family friend led him to the door of the brothers Harvey.

To a degree, Harvey had been copying EC all along. EC had Vault of Horror; Harvey had Chamber of Chills and Tomb of Terror. EC had The Haunt of Fear with the Old Witch; Harvey had Witches Tales. But that was as far as it went. The artists in Harvey’s stable varied in talent. Bob Powell and Lee Elias were above average artists; Al Avison and Rudy Palais, just average. Jacobson fired them up. Likewise, writers Dick Kahn, Nat Barnett, Ted Senitsky, and Art Wallace were inspired by the young editor’s prodding, and the stories became more original and interesting. Two other factors contributed greatly to Harvey’s 1953 horror upgrade. First, three of its four horror books went bi-monthly at this juncture (Black Cat Mystery had been bi-monthly all along) due to an industry-wide dip in sales mid-year. This reduced the number of stories to be produced by almost half. Second was the emergence of Howard Nostrand, a former assistant to Bob Powell, as an important artist in his own right. His work had a protean quality that could shift into a convincing imitation of EC’s Jack Davis or Wally Wood, depending on the occasion. Jacobson encouraged this when he realized Nostrand wasn’t swiping but instead creating totally new work in the EC style. Two of Nostrand’s best solo stories in 1953 were “The Rift of the Maggis” in Tomb of Terror #11 (September) and “Dead End” in Witches Tales #21 (October). His cover of a tiger leaping toward the reader on Adventures in 3-D #1

“I was interviewed by Alfred Harvey who offered me a job as assistant editor to Perry Antoshak, who was editing the horror, war books, and Joe Palooka,” Jacobson recalled. “Though I had no interest in comics, I needed a job. I took it, especially when he told me that he hoped to get into the magazine business in the near future. He never did, but I learned to enjoy comic book editing.” Checking out the competition, Jacobson quickly realized that EC’s horror comics were by far the best, so he decided to do what he could to adopt some of EC’s standards and ideas to a Harvey line that was too often mediocre. 86

(November) created a highly effective multi-dimensional effect in full color. Nostrand illustrated two of the tales in this 3-D issue, “Jungle Drum” and “The Hidden Depths.” He would do even more impressive work the following year.

sionals entering the comics business) and Jerry Robinson’s artwork on Batman, Ditko wanted nothing more than to draw comics. In 1950, the 22-year-old moved to New York to study under Robinson at the Cartoonists and Illustrators School. While some believe that Ditko worked on the adaptation of “King – of the Khyber Rifles” in Classics Illustrated #107 (May 1953), along with other students at C and I, Ditko’s first documented sale was to little Stanmor Publications. Steve was hired to draw a script called “Stretching Things” by Bruce Hamilton, a young editor who would go on to become a prominent comic book collector and publisher.

No artist had a greater effect on the quality of Harvey horror in 19531954 than Warren Kremer. Better known for his work designing and drawing Harvey’s humorous comics that were soon to take over, Kremer’s horror work on such stories as “Zodiac” in Witches Tales #13 (April) and “Amnesia” in Chamber of Chills #17 (May)—and virtually any other he handled—showed superior execution in all respects. Kremer’s ideas and layouts were so good that Jacobson had him provide sketches for cover-artist Lee Elias to follow. Therefore, much of the effectiveness and punch of the Harvey horror covers can be attributed to Kremer.

“Stretching Things” was a horror story, the primary genre where Ditko made his reputation in the 1950s. Many of the hallmarks of Ditko’s style—showing the influences of Will Eisner, Jerry Robinson, Joe KuChamber of Chills #20 (November 1953) featured this cover bert and Mort Meskin—were apparby Howard Nostrand. Chamber of Chills TM and © Harvey Comics or Warren Kremer drew perhaps the successors of interest. ent from the beginning, including best known of all Harvey horror covthe particular weirdness of his imers: Black Cat Mystery #45 (August 1953). The cover’s black agery. “Stretching Things” was such a promising start that and white face is a distorted self portrait of Kremer, made Stanmor was able to sell it to Ajax-Farrell. After a bit of a all the more vivid by the colorful, psychedelic background. delay, it appeared in Fantastic Fears #5, cover-dated JanuIt was inspired by the interior story “Colorama,” a muchary-February 1954. reprinted tale written by Sid Jacobson and drawn by Bob Powell. The story bears several similarities to those of EC, Steve Ditko’s second paid assignment (“Paper Romance!”) particularly the first person narrasaw print in Gilmor Magazines’ tion and the twist ending. Other Daring Love #1 (September-October artists who did notable work in this 1953), making it his first work to period were Manny Stallman and appear on newsstands. Then, after Joe Certa, and of course Lee Elias, joining Simon and Kirby’s studio, the only one who was permitted to Ditko produced his third story, “A sign his work. (He was held in high Hole in His Head.” This six-page regard by the Harvey brothers.) tale appeared in Black Magic #27 (November-DecemJacobson’s push to produce qualber 1953). Inking and ity horror titles would continue in assisting on back1954… but it wouldn’t prove to be imgrounds of stories portant to the future of Harvey Pubdrawn by Mort Meskin lications. That’s because Harvey’s was a valuable learnshift in emphasis to humor comics ing experience for the was occurring simultaneously. That, young artist. Then too, was being art-directed and often Ditko linked up with drawn by Kremer. Charlton Publications, who had a small office Enter: Steve Ditko in Manhattan as well In 1953, the artist who would one as its main operation in Derby, Conday become famous for co-creating necticut. In 1954, he began doing Spider-Man first broke into print. solo assignments for the horror title Steve Ditko was a young man of PolThe Thing, among other Charlton tiish descent who had grown up in tles. Ditko was unquestionably the Johnstown, Pennsylvania. Inspired most important comic book artist by Will Eisner’s work on The Spirit Panel from Steve Ditko’s first solo comics story “Stretching Things” to cut his teeth at Charlton. (like so many of the young profes- in Fantastic Fears #5. TM and © copyright holder. 87

The Korean War Ends

Squeaky Clean Comics

On July 27, 1953, the United Nations, South Korea and North Korea signed an armistice that ended the Korean War. Though American troops stayed in South Korea to police the 38th parallel, the reduction in the armed forces was the probable cause of the dip in comic book sales that year. Many returning soldiers shifted from comics to paperback books while overseas PX’s lowered their comic book orders. The marginal publishers felt the pinch the most.

Despite the popularity of horror and war comics, childfriendly genres were the year’s top sellers. Dell, home of the Four Color series juggernaut, outsold all the other publishers. Four Color began cover date 1953 with Ben Bowie and his Mountain Men in issue #443 (January 1953). Successive issues featured such characters as Charlie McCarthy, Andy Hardy, Beany and Cecil, Johnny Mack Brown, Daffy Duck, Marge’s Tubby, Beetle Bailey, Elmer Fudd, Wild Bill Elliott, Mary Jane and Sniffles, Rin Tin Tin, John Carter of Mars, Tweety and Sylvester, Jungle Jim, Zorro, Buck Jones, Krazy Kat, Flash Gordon, Black Beauty and Frosty the Snowman. Walt Disney’s Comics and Stories sold even more copies, with each issue beginning with a Carl Barks’ Duck story. Walt Disney’s Donald Duck was Dell’s top-selling title, moving almost 2,000,000 copies per issue (according to the publisher). The team-up of Dell Comics and Whitman Printing was firing on all cylinders, and its products were being read by millions.

EC’s war titles experienced softening sales not so much because of the end of hostilities in Korea as much as the reduced commercial appeal of EC’s serious-minded approach in 1953. War comics from other publishers flourished. National and Atlas continued to publish them for many years to come, and they were always good (if not spectacular) sellers. Korean War stories appeared less often, though, as World War II tales became the genre’s staple.

Elsewhere, the popular newspaper strip Dennis the Menace made its comic book debut in 1953. Hank Ketchum’s cartoon panel, inspired by his own son Dennis, began as a daily syndicated panel on March 12th, 1951, in just 16 newspapers. By the end of the year, it was running in over 100 papers, and the syndicate asked Ketchum to produce a Sunday page in color. Ketchum hired writer Fred Toole and artist Al Wiseman, a freelance advertising artist, to help with the workload. Then Standard approached Ketchum about producing a Dennis comic book. “This was too much of an extra work load,” Ketchum later recalled, “so I cast about for additional art talent and came up with Bob Paplow, a seasoned pro from the Bay Area, and Lee Holley, a young fitness nut and a clever cartoonist with a special affinity for the younger generation. We were in business!” (Ketchum 141). Standard published Dennis the Menace #1 (August 1953), and it instantly became a hit.

By 1953, the baby boomers born in 1946 and 1947 were learning to read, and their parents bought them millions of comic books. Tweety, Sylvester TM and © Warner Bros. Dennis the Menace, Beetle Bailey TM and © King Features Syndicate, Inc.

Meanwhile, titles featuring Archie and his pals at Riverdale High School were doing very well. Although the Silberkleits wouldn’t forego all non-Archie titles, it was clear who was paying the bills. One can wonder at the popularity of the redheaded teenager, when others of similar design (even by the same publisher) failed to catch on. Aside from the talents of the writers and artists who created the comic book stories (Harry Lucey, Samm Schwartz, Bill Vigoda, Joe Edwards, among others), Archie also benefited from the popularity of Bob Montana’s newspaper strip incarnation, an additional venue that few other teen

books had. The ArchieBetty-Veronica triangle managed to find a tone and style that simply had greater appeal than its imitators. What’s more, Archie’s dominance was similar to that of Superman: he got there first, and was given the respective publishers’ most kid-glove treatment. Gilberton, publisher of Classics Illustrated since 1941, decided to launch a younger reader version of that series. Classics Illustrated Junior adapted The Atlas hero revival began at the 77 fairy tales and popu- end of 1953. Torch panels drawn by Heath and Cap splash by Mort lar children’s novels for Russ Lawrence, from Young Men #24. TM and younger readers, begin- © Marvel Characters Inc. ning with Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (#501, October 1953) followed by The Ugly Duckling and Cinderella with ’53 cover dates. These were also 15 cent issues, although only 36 pages. Many were drawn by Alex A. Blum. Gilberton also embarked on a campaign to re-do the covers of Classics Illustrated with new painted versions. Some of the interiors were also re-done, but most stayed the same. (Classics Illustrated never dropped below 52 pages.) In the near future, the publisher would also expand its line to include a series of specials on topics like The Story of Jesus, World War II and The Atomic Age, as well as a series called The World Around Us. This was Gilberton’s halcyon decade, when its comics reached their sales peak. Some were drawn by highly regarded practitioners of comic art, though sometimes—not always—their work was rushed because of the publisher’s low page rates. Gilberton’s financial health was augmented by foreign editions which sold well.

Previews of Coming Attractions

in Young Men #24 (December 1953) came totally out of left field. (The same was true of Simon and Kirby’s Captain 3-D which also bore a December 1953 cover date.)

Two comics industry events occurred in late 1953 that would carry over into 1954. Firstly, the overwhelming success of Mad encouraged a slew of companies to launch imitations of that series. Secondly, Atlas revived its most popular costumed heroes.

But the impact of these developments in the coming year, though interesting, were minor compared to what some social and political events wrought. The creative freedom of comic book publishers was about to collide with the concerns of both American citizens and, more ominously, a subcommittee of United States senators. In the November 1953 issue of the Ladies Home Journal, Dr. Fredric Wertham fired a shot across the bow of the comics industry. His essay contained excerpts from his forthcoming book Seduction of the Innocent under the title, “What Parents Don’t Know about Comic Books.” The full effects of Wertham’s writings were soon to follow.

The first of the Mad imitators was the aforementioned Kubert-Maurer Whack #1. It was followed by Atlas’s Crazy #1 and Charlton’s Eh!, both with December cover dates. Many more would appear in 1954, from numerous publishers, including EC itself. On the other hand, Martin Goodman’s decision to revive the Human Torch, Sub-Mariner and Captain America—his three biggest stars from the Golden Age—can’t be attributed to following the pack. Indeed, the return of these heroes 89

1954

Comics in

Crisis

The 3-D comics that offered such promise and excitement in 1953 turned out to be a short-lived fad. The form’s technical limitations and the smaller publishers’ shoddy product hastened the fad’s demise. Joe Kubert suggested another reason for its early death. “The publishers thought the gimmick would last forever so everybody tried to use the gimmick on everything,” he later opined. “When the market was saturated with 3-D, it was so common, readers began to ask, ‘Hey, what about the story? What about the content?’ The lack of content is what I think really caused the death of 3-D” (Groth 83). Also, 3-D was used on too many comics with stories that didn’t lend themselves to the process. Just seeing characters talking in a panel on two or three levels added nothing, even if the story was good. Two books that Kubert’s comments clearly didn’t apply to were Three Dimensional EC Classics #1 and #2, both dated Spring 1954. Each had four new, re-drawn versions of earlier EC stories from the same scripts (with a few minor changes). Most were re-drawn by different artists, allowing readers to experience a different visual interpretation of the (mostly) Gaines/Feldstein stories. “The Monster From the Fourth Dimension!” in Weird Science #7 (May-June 1951) was initially drawn by Al Feldstein. The 3-D version was handled by Bernard Krigstein. “Mr. Biddy ... Killer!” in Crime SuspenStories #5 (June-July 1951) had been illustrated by Jack Davis. Now readers had the chance to savor the same story drawn in the much different style of “Ghastly” Graham Ingels. Even when the same artist drew the new version, changes were made. Harvey Kurtzman and Wally Wood reworked “V-Vampires!” from Mad #3 (February-March 1953), expanding it from six to eight pages. The original splash panel was enlarged to a full page, and the opening sequence of the girl being stalked in the London fog was extended by several panels. Wood had used the CraftTint painted-shading process in the first version, but his use of that subtle shading technique was greatly expanded, perhaps partly to make up for the lack of color in 3-D. This re-worked, extended version of one of the finest Kurtzman-Wood collaborations in Mad is a treasure. EC planned a third issue of Three Dimensional EC Classics using six levels of 3-D depth as opposed to the four levels the first two issues had. When the 3-D bubble burst, however, Bill Gaines had no choice but to cancel its publication. (The four stories prepared for Three Dimensional EC Classics #3 were eventually printed in Wally Wood’s witzend #6 in 1969, in Jerry Weist’s Squa Tront #4 in 1970, and in Jerry Weist’s and John Benson’s Squa Tront #5 in 1974.) EC’s two 3-D comics were among the dozen or so 3-D books published with 1954 cover dates.

CHAPTER FIVE 90

the Dennis the Menace comic book from Pines in 1959), Otto Binder found that he was no longer persona non grata at National. With editors Julie Schwartz and Mort Weisinger beckoning, he began the second major phase of his comic book career.

Superman family of comics to capitalize on increased public awareness of the supporting characters in the Daily Planet newsroom. Mort decided Jimmy Olsen should be the first of them to have his own book. Though others at National were skeptical, Weisinger had confidence the series would succeed as long as its stories were entertaining and Superman appeared on the cover of each issue (and as a regular guest star). Binder turned out to be the perfect choice to write the book. The first issue of Superman’s Pal, Jimmy Olsen was dated September-October 1954. As Weisinger predicted, the series became a solid success, lasting into the 1970s.

Binder’s first story for National in the post-Marvel Family period was “I Delivered Mail from Mars” in Strange Adventures #42 (March 1954), drawn by Mort Drucker and inked by Joe Giella. His debut script for Mystery in Space was According to his personal records, “The Great Space-Train Binder scripted all but two Jimmy Robbery” in issue #19 Olsen stories in the series’ first 30 is(April-May 1954), illustratsues. Then he wrote two of every ised by Gil Kane and Bernard sue’s three stories through 1961’s Sachs. These short science Jimmy Olsen #51. The Flying Newsfiction stories came easily room, Jimmy’s disguise trunk, and to Binder. A lot of the story his Superman souvenir collection all resolutions involved quesappeared in the first issue, providtionable or at least sketchy ing fertile springboards for many scientific principles, but Page 1 of “V-Vampires!” by Kurtzman and Wood, as it appeared in Mad subsequent tales. It was Binder who the gimmicks were fun #3. TM and © DC Comics. and highly Archer St. John had invested heavily visual. Here, the virtue in the special acetate and celluloid of comic books shone, as needed to create and manufacture artists depicted things 3-D comics, since he planned to conthat couldn’t have been vert more of his line to 3-D. He was portrayed in movies. hurt worse than other publishers In all, Otto went on to when the fad came to a screeching write eighty-seven stohalt, but he had also reaped enormous ries for Schwartz over profits when 3-D comics launched. St. the next six years, such John continued a full line of comic as his popular Space books until the end of 1955, averagCabby series in Mystery ing about ten a month. In early 1953, in Space. He returned to he started Manhunt Detective Story the Tommy Tomorrow Monthly, a successful publication feature that he had writthat sold very well all through 1953, ten in the late 1940s, 1954, and 1955, and continued for a and scripted all the rest number of years after that. On Auof the character’s stories gust 13, 1955, on the eve of launching in Action Comics, occaNugget (a men’s magazine), Archer St. sionally recycling ideas John died from an overdose of pills, from his Jon Jarl text probably accidental. stories in Captain Marvel Adventures. The end of 3-D comic books also spelled the end of the Kubert-Maurer Mort Weisinger had partnership. Norman Maurer moved bigger plans for Otto back to the West Coast, and Joe KuBinder. With the popubert found work for other publishers. larity of The Adventures of Superman TV show, Otto Binder Moves to National Weisinger’s stock at National was on the rise. With Fawcett’s exit from the comics He began contemplat- Three-Dimension EC Classics #2 (Spring 1954). TM and © William M. Gaines, Agent, business (though the company would ing an expansion of the Inc. subsequently take over publishing 91

As wonderful as Wally Wood’s artwork was on the first version of “V-Vampires!” in Mad, his second, expanded version done for Three-Dimension EC Classics #1 was even more inspired. TM and © William M. Gaines, Agent, Inc.

TIMELINE: 1954 A compilation of the year’s notable comic book history events alongside some of the year’s most significant popular culture and historical events. (On sale dates are approximations.)

April 19: Rinehart and Company publishes Dr. Fredric Wertham’s Seduction of the Innocent, which claims a link between the reading of comic books and juvenile delinquency.

January 11: Atlas revives the solo titles of its Golden Age heroes, publishing Human Torch #36 and Sub-Mariner #33. One week later, Atlas publishes Captain America #76. January 28: Strange Adventures #42 marks the return of Otto Binder to National with story titled “I Delivered Mail from Mars,” drawn by Drucker and Giella.

May 17: In its unanimous “Brown v. Board of Education” decision, the U.S. Supreme Court rules that racial segregation in public schools is unconstitutional. The result overturns the 1896 “Plessy v. Ferguson” decision that established the “separate but equal” doctrine.

June 12: “Rock Around the Clock,” sung by Bill Haley, is released. While not the first rock and roll record, “Rock Around the Clock” is nonetheless credited for popularizing the new music genre.

February 10: President Eisenhower authorizes an additional $385 million for military aid in Vietnam but also warns against U.S. intervention in that region.

JANUARY

FEBRUARY

MARCH

APRIL

M AY

JUNE

February: Prize Comics publishes the first issue of Fighting American, starring a patriotic costumed hero created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby. The series would last seven issues.

January 14: New York Yankees outfielder Joe DiMaggio marries actress Marilyn Monroe in San Francisco. They would divorce nine months later.

May 27: With issue #71, World’s Finest Comics becomes an on-going Superman-Batman team-up book. The series’ page count drops from 64 pages to 36 pages, just as the retail price decreases from 15 cents to 10 cents.

April 21: The U.S. Senate Subcommittee to Investigate Juvenile Delinquency begins a two day hearing on the effects of crime and horror comic books on America’s youth. Dr. Fredric Wertham and EC’s William Gaines testify during the first day. A third session is held on June 6.

Captain America TM and © Marvel Characters Inc. Fighting American TM and © Estates of Joe Simon and Jack Kirby. Superman, Batman, Blue Beetle TM and © DC Comics. Blackboard Jungle TM and © MGM Studios Inc.

invented Jimmy’s signal watch, wrote the first Elastic Lad story, and introduced Lucy Lane to the Superman mythos. And it was Otto who had the cub reporter exclaiming “Super duper!” rather than “Jeepers!” like Jack Larson on the television show. The Jimmy Olsen series was also notable for another reason: it was Curt Swan’s breakthrough as a Superman-family artist. He had drawn Superman and Superboy before, but this time he worked on a book from its inception and was able to give it his own stamp. Like many others, Swan found editor Weisinger a difficult taskmaster, but he stayed the course, and eventually he became the quintessential Superman artist for a generation of readers. (Before that happened, Swan drew the Superman daily newspaper strip starting with the June 18th, 1956 episode.) Adventure, Detective, and Action all finally fell back to 36 pages like the other National titles, even as their sales showed signs of improvement. With its January issue, Superman’s publication frequency increased from six to eight issues a year. Batman followed suit with its March issue. Still, both books suffered from repetitive plots and unimaginative writing. In Superman’s case, it was probably Whitney Ellsworth’s decision to have him fighting ordinary crooks and crazy scientists as he did in the popular television series. Nonetheless, it wasn’t long before other publishers found out about the somewhat improved fortunes of National’s costumed heroes. As was ever the case in comics, success inspired imitation. World’s Finest Comics was reduced to regular comic book size and price (from its former status as a thick, 15-cent title), with Superman and Batman giving up their independent stories to appear together in one team-up 94

Superman’s Pal, Jimmy Olsen #1 (September-October 1954). Superman in one form or another appeared on all the covers. TM and © DC Comics.

August 31: The page count of three National titles (Action Comics, Detective Comics, and Adventure Comics) drops from 44 pages to 36 pages.

July 7: Elvis Presley makes his radio debut as a Memphis, Tennessee, station plays “That’s All Right (Mama).”

November: Charlton Comics revives the costumed hero, The Blue Beetle. The first new issue, Blue Beetle #18, reprints stories originally published by the defunct Fox Comics.

September 7: The Comics Magazine Association of America, founded to formulate a response to the criticism of comic books, is formally incorporated. Most publishers join the CMAA in order to insure the continued distribution of their comic books to the newsstands. (Dell and EC are notable exceptions.)

J U LY

AUGUST

July 22: The first issue of Superman’s Pal, Jimmy Olsen, written by Otto Binder and drawn by Curt Swan, arrives on newsstands. It is the first new Superman-family title of the 1950s and would last almost exactly 20 years.

SEPTEMBER

OCTOBER

NOVEMBER

DECEMBER

September: Sterling Comics publishes the new super hero title Captain Flash #1. Mike Sekowsky draws all four issues of the series.

October 26: The CMAA implements a Comics Code for publishers to adhere to. Among other things, the Code forbids excessive violence, sex, and the glorification of crime. Judge Charles F. Murphy is appointed code administrator, responsible for reviewing the contents of comic books produced by CMAA publishers.

November: Magazine Enterprises (ME) publishes the first issue of The Avenger, written by Gardner Fox and Paul S. Newman with art by Dick Ayers and Bob Powell. The series stars a costumed hero who fights “The Red Menace” (a.k.a. communists).

Rebel Without A Cause TM and © Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc. Others TM and © respective copyright holders.

tale per issue, beginning with issue #71 (“Batman – Double for Superman!”). Batman’s Rogue’s Gallery was re-invigorated to a degree when Catwoman returned to crime in Detective #203 (January 1954), Batman #84 (June 1954), and Detective #211 (September 1954). Also, the original Two-Face returned in Batman #81 (February 1954). Other 1954 National developments included the acquisition of the rights to Hopalong Cassidy (formerly with Fawcett) with issue #86. Julie Schwartz became Hopalong’s editor, while also taking over the reins of Western Comics from Jack Schiff. Captain Comet made his last cover appearance on Strange Adventures #44, with the series sputtering to a close in issues #46 and #49. Congo Bill got his own book, which gave prominent billing to his kid sidekick Janu who first appeared in Action Comics #191 (April 1954). Bill’s solo title lasted just seven issues. Our Fighting Forces began, joining Our Army at War, Star Spangled War Stories, and All-American Men of War to bring Bob Kanigher’s slate of war comics to four. Solo books replaced the funny animal anthology titles. Movie Town’s Animal Antics was renamed The Raccoon Kids (with issue #52), Hollywood Funny Folks became Nutsy Squirrel (with issue #51), and Funny Stuff was renamed Dodo and The Frog (with issue #80). The teenage title Everything Happens to Harvey was canceled (with issue #7), as was Here’s Howie Comics (with #18). Comic Cavalcade also appeared for the last time (with issue #63).

Return of the Timely Heroes The return of Captain America, the Human Torch, and the Sub-Mariner was one of the highlights of ’50s comics, if only in retrospect. Joe Simon and 95

Our Fighting Forces #1 (October-November 1954). Cover by Jerry Grandenetti. TM and © DC Comics.

Jack Kirby’s Captain America had been an authentic superstar of the Golden Age, garnering sales that approached those of Superman and Captain Marvel. The Torch and Sub-Mariner had also been top sellers. Martin Goodman ordered the revival of Timely’s top triumvirate, presumably to see if they would sell to the millions of viewers of The Adventures of Superman TV show. It was typical of Goodman to test those waters in late 1953 and into 1954, publishing the first of a boomlet of costumed hero books that appeared this year and into 1955. Goodman’s secondary motive was to see if he could generate interest in a TV series starring one or all of his heroes. That required the characters to be currently in print. Young Men #24 bore a December 1953 cover date and hit the stands on August 19th, just six months after George Reeves began bending steel with his bare hands on national television. Stan Lee selected the artists who handled the revivals of the three heroes. The character with the lead feature, who received most of the space on the cover, was the super-powered Human Torch. (Indeed, the cover had a banner above the title that read “The Human Torch Returns.”) He was drawn by his creator Carl Burgos; inside, the Torch was handled by Russ Heath. Captain America appeared next, drawn by John Romita. The Sub-Mariner, in the third position, was penciled and inked by his creator Bill Everett. The writers of the issue are unknown, but John Romita recalled that at least some of the Captain America revival scripts bore Stan Lee’s name. (Lee doesn’t remember.) Undoubtedly, it was Lee who decided that each of these stories would explain where the hero had been while out of the public eye. Villains had sprayed the Torch with X-R solution and buried him underground near Yucca Flat, Nevada. His junior partner Toro had been captured and brainwashed by the Communists. Captain America, feeling his work as a costumed hero

Human Torch #36, Sub-Mariner #33, Men’s Adventures #27 and Captain America #78. TM and © Marvel Characters Inc.

was done, had retired from crimefighting to become Professor Steve Rogers at the Lee School. Namor had returned to his home under the South Pole to try to rebuild his lost empire. Each was coaxed out of retirement by new threats, either from Commies or Venusian visitors. In the upcoming tales, the Red Menace would serve a similar function as the Axis had during World War II, providing an endless fount of villainy. The three heroes appeared in Young Men #24–28, and were each given a self-titled bi-monthly book, picking up the numbering of their former series. Human Torch #36 and SubMariner #33 were cover-dated April 1954, and Captain America #76 followed with a May issue. The heroes also jumped into Men’s Adventures #27 and #28 at the same time, in the same 1-2-3 format as Young Men. This expansion from one to (at least briefly) five costumed hero titles was true-to-form for Goodman. When he tried out a new trend, he apparently believed one couldn’t properly judge its acceptance unless there were enough similar titles out there to get browsers’ attention. After the first story by Russ Heath,

Top: Sub-Mariner story in Human Torch #38. Below: These three panels from Young Men #26 (March 1954) are from the only story in the Atlas hero revival to include (briefly) all three of their stars. TM and © Marvel Characters Inc.

Bill Everett’s work had progressed from his early days on SubMariner, and the new series benefited greatly by his highly polished, beautifully designed work. One might wish Namor had more than space aliens and Commies to fight, but most would agree he did it in fine style. Moreover, in the first issue of his solo title, Everett drew (and probably wrote) the eight-page “Origin of the Sub-Mariner” which flawlessly expanded his origin from 1939’s Marvel Comics #1. Everett also included a recap of the last issue of the original run. Due mainly to the Torch splash by Dick Ayers from Men’s Adventure #27. Below, Cap by Romita from Young Men #25. TM and © Marvel Characters Inc. pristine artwork, Sub-Mariner may Carl Burgos drew the rest of Young Men’s Torch stories. be the best-realized of the Atlas hero revivals. Then, with the expansion, Dick Ayers was brought in as Regardless, the revivals didn’t last long. For one thing, Capthe regular artist. Ayers was 30 years old by the time he tain America evoked criticism from certain quarters for drew the Human Torch. In 1952, Lee had Ayers producing political reasons, at least according to John Romita. “Later artwork for, among other things, Atlas’ numerous horror/ on, Stan told me Captain America was canceled [in 1954] weird books. What Ayers’ art lacked in finesse and polish, it because of its politics,” Romita told Jim Amash. “Timely got more than made up for in storytelling skills and readabila lot of mail complaining about chauvinism. The American ity. In the first revival issue, most of the Torch figures were flag was a dirty word in those days, because of the backredrawn by Burgos, but when Ayers’ own versions of the lash of the Korean War. We had gone to war seemingly flaming Torch and Toro were allowed to stand, they were unnecessarily. It was a ‘police action’ and people died. Peoespecially dynamic. ple were saying that America was putting the Although John Romita had been drawing comics since American flag over human safety, and that 1949 (with an interruption for military service), the Capthey weren’t going to buy Captain Ameritain America assignment was his first important comic ca…. That’s the reason they dropped it” book job. “I had no plans to stay in comics,” he later told (Amash 24). interviewer Jim Amash for Alter Ego magazine, alluding to Whatever the political fallout a widespread feeling at the time that comic books were a on Captain America, it only took doomed medium due to public criticism and boycotts. “EvMartin Goodman a matter eryone I spoke to thought we were treading water. We all of eight or nine months to figured we’d have to get nine-to-five jobs at some point. It conclude that his experiwas a very negative period” (Amash 19). Lee initially asment with both Cap and signed Mort Lawrence to Captain America, but according the Torch hadn’t generated to Romita, either Lee or Lawrence wasn’t satisfied with sufficient sales. Their titles how it was turning out, and only Lawrence’s splash panel vanished from newsstands after was retained. Romita recalled, “I wanted to do it like Jack just three issues each. With a Kirby, and frankly, the only reason it doesn’t look like KirSub-Mariner television show by’s work was because I couldn’t do it. It ended up looking in the planning stages, more like Milton Caniff than Jack Kirby to me” (Amash 20). Namor’s book continued Like all the Atlas books at this time, the pages have a somefor another full year bewhat cramped appearance, since there are a minimum of fore being jettisoned. seven panels per page, and often eight or nine. It’s unlikely that sales 98

of Sub-Mariner were better than those of Human Torch and Captain America.

Simon and Kirby’s Fighting American If John Romita’s explanation for the public’s rejection of Captain America in 1954 is true, then it would seem a new patriotic hero from the creators of Captain America would also have never stood a chance on the newsstands. Joe Simon and Jack Kirby, however, had no concerns as they prepared to launch a new character named Fighting American. On the contrary, to them, the omens seemed quite favorable. Two events in 1953 may have led Simon and Kirby to think the time was right for a return of costumed heroes (beyond the novelty of a Captain 3-D): the Superman TV show and the return of Captain America in Atlas comics. But another comic book milestone may also have played a part: the appearance of super hero parodies in Kurtzman’s Mad. “Superduperman!” in Mad #4 (MarchApril 1953) was the single most important feature responsible for Mad’s breakthrough, something that became obvious as the EC book’s sales escalated rapidly by the year’s end. Was the popularity of the KurtzmanWood parody entirely due to its brilliance? No doubt it was top form work from both writer and artist, but it was their work as applied to a super hero that would have been significant to Simon and Kirby. The impact of “Superduperman!” partly derived from the subject being parodied—the leading super hero in the medium— which revealed a great deal of residual fondness for the genre. Other features in Mad were just as well executed, but it was “Superduperman!” and other comic-book parodies (“Black and Blue Hawks!” in Mad #5, “Bat Boy and Rubin!” in issue #8) that seemed to have struck an especially strong chord with readers. Rival creators could try to grab a bit of Mad’s sales magic by producing similarly satirical comic books, but Mad seemingly inspired Simon and Kirby in another way: to try a super hero with a humorous slant. Joe Simon and Jack Kirby may not yet have been outraged that their

Exemplary page from Fighting American #1, reproduced from The Simon and Kirby Superheroes. TM and © Estates of Joe Simon and Jack Kirby.

greatest creation of the Golden Age was owned by Martin Goodman (according to the publisher) rather than themselves, but it seems likely their competitive instincts were aroused with the appearance of Young Men #24 in late 1953. The concept of the patriotic hero was a powerful one, but even Captain America hadn’t been the first. It was the execution of the idea that had earned Captain America its place as Timely’s top seller. Now came an opportunity for Simon and Kirby to show how it should 99

be done, and, indeed, to do Captain America one better. At the same time the Atlas hero revival expanded into solo titles for its three costumed stars, Prize Comics published Fighting American #1 (April-May 1954). The 10-page origin story, and its five-page coda introducing Speedboy, were essentially an expanded re-working of the eight-page origin of Cap and Bucky in Captain America Comics #1 (March 1941). Instead of being a skinny military-reject

light years ahead of Lee and Romita’s work. In particular, the layouts and pencils of Jack Kirby were astonishingly accomplished. In the past, he had been the leading exponent of comicbook dynamism, but on Fighting American Kirby achieved a kind of headlong action that was even more exhilarating, with a clarity and emphasis on story advancement that he may never have surpassed in later years. True, there was a tendency toward wordiness, typical of S & K at this time, but it was limited to the expositional story segments. Once the plot was set in motion, captions were minimal and the word count dropped to allow the visual excitement to take over. Fighting American #1 was, along with Captain 3-D, the greatest achievement of Simon and Kirby in the 1950s.

Fighting American #1 (April-May 1954). Right: Bulls Eye #1 (July-August 1954). TM and © Estates of Joe Simon and Jack Kirby.

like Steve Rogers, Nelson Flagg was the nerdy brother of a decorated war hero. Instead of a serum to build up his body, Nelson’s consciousness was transferred into his brother’s powerful, revitalized body after his sibling was killed by Commie agents. Like Bucky, Speedboy discovered Fighting American’s secret identity by chance and quickly proved himself an able assistant. (Oddly, Speedboy’s civilian name was never disclosed.) When one compares Lee and Romita’s

Captain America to Simon and Kirby’s Fighting American, it’s like the difference between night and day. Assessments of the Atlas Captain America have been mixed, with defenders rightly pointing out aspects of young Romita’s artwork that showed signs of above average potential. An objective comparison with Fighting American—produced by not only two veterans in the field, but two of the leading writer-artists of all time—shows that what Simon and Kirby produced was 100

With the second issue of Fighting American, humorous elements emerged, when the “new champion of split second action” encountered a two-headed nemesis named Double Header. Still, the first and third stories (“Handsome Devils” and “City of Ghouls”) were more or less played straight, offering mainly the grotesque side of Kirby’s humorous sensibility. The remaining issues (ending with #7 dated April-May 1955) saw the heroes battling such foes as Poison Ivan, Rhode Island Red, Rimsky and Korsakoff, Invisible Irving, the Sneak of Araby, and others along similar lines. The stories varied from tongue-in-cheek to full-blown farce. Fighting American never became a flat-out parody like “Superduperman!,” but its stories weren’t meant to be taken seriously, or as seriously as garden-variety costumed hero stories. Those who prefer their heroes played straight may not like this approach, but it was what made Fighting American distinctive, as opposed to a mere re-do of Captain America. Some 26 stories of this Commie-fighting team were created en toto, including several that didn’t

In the early 1950s, Farrell Publications (known as AjaxFarrell and by other imprints) was perhaps best known as the publisher of the horror titles Fantastic Fears, Haunted Thrills, Strange Fantasy, and Voodoo. Robert Farrell contracted with the Iger Studio to supply the art and stories. In ’54, he bought the rights to the defunct Fox character Phantom Lady and published four issues of the title. He also revived the Black Cobra who had fought crime in Captain Flight Comics in the 1940s, using a mix of reprints and new stories. Black Cobra #1 (October-November 1954) brought back “America’s Champion of Justice,” then followed with Black Cobra #6, and after that, issue #3. The Cobra’s numerically-confusing return was short-lived, but Farrell tried more costumed heroes in 1955. Sterling’s Captain Flash was more exciting comic-book making. Sterling, whose slogan was “Sterling Comics Packs a Punch,” entered the business in 1954 with a crime book called The Informer. Next was added a horror title, The Tormented. Then came Captain Flash, about a new super hero with an origin suited to his time, and with art by an experienced comic book pro. Captain Flash #1 (November 1954) revealed that the title character was really Professor Keith Spencer, a scientist working in the Atom City radiation laboratory. When he was exposed to cobalt rays, he was given a “power charge” that changed him into Captain Flash. Henceforth, by merely clapping his hands, Spencer

appear until later reprint collections. (Toward the end of the run, S & K relied on assistants both partly and fully.) In 1954, some smaller publishers were getting out of comics or ceasing operations entirely, in the wake of the crescendo of bad press that came during and after the Senate Subcommittee hearings in April. As a result, printers found their presses idle and were willing to print on credit. Simon and Kirby decided to take advantage of the situation, and while continuing to work for Prize, they launched their own line of four titles under the Mainline comics banner: Bulls Eye (a Western), Police Trap (crime from the point of view of the police), In Love (a complete “novel” in the first issue), and Foxhole (a war book). All the first issues bore cover dates in the second half of the year and sported colorful, eye-catching Kirby covers.

Other Costumed Heroes in 1954 Harvey Comics was winding down its horror offerings this year, changing the title of Tomb of Terror to Thrills of Tomorrow. Could costumed heroes be the way to go? Editor Sid Jacobson decided to see what happened if he reprinted Simon and Kirby’s Stuntman from 1946. Thrills of Tomorrow #19 (October 1954) brought back stories from Stuntman #1, and the following issue, dated April 1955, reprinted those that appeared in Stuntman #2. S & K would have probably done more Stuntman stories had these reprints generated sufficient interest. Apparently, they didn’t.

Captain Flash #1 (November 1954). TM and © copyright holder.

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was transformed into the hero and fought crime with the help of his “young friend” Rick Davis. Editor Martin Smith assigned the feature to Mike Sekowsky, who was already handling much of the art in Sterling’s crime and horror books. Sekowsky, one of the fastest, most facile artists in the business, drew all the Captain Flash stories over its four-issue span. He had been a workhorse for Timely during the 1940s, handling everything from Westerns to funny animals to romance comics. Sekowsky’s art on Captain Flash was effective though appearing a bit rushed. While Captain Flash and Rick triumphed over such colorful foes as The Actor, Mirror Man, The Iron Mask, and the Sharkmen, they failed to find success on newsstands. Even nice work by Mort Meskin on another costumed feature—a heroine named Tomboy, in the book’s back pages—didn’t help. The fourth and final issue was dated July 1955. Sterling closed its doors shortly thereafter.

Mad and its Imitators Mad’s sales soared in 1954. Bill Gaines upped its frequency to monthly with the May issue (#11), the one with Basil Wolverton’s memorable “Beautiful Girl of the Month” cover. (Life magazine wasn’t amused by the parody of its cover format.) To allow Harvey Kurtzman to focus on Mad, Gaines dropped the lagging Frontline Combat, and Two-Fisted Tales became The New Two-Fisted Tales with issue #36 (January 1954). The slogan down the left side of the cover was changed from “War and Fighting Men” to simply “Adventure.” The all-war format was replaced by a variety of action stories with an emphasis on Westerns since they were a specialty of John Severin who became the book’s de facto editor. Mad highlights this year—all written by Kurtzman—were “Little Orphan Melvin!” (drawn by Wood), “Woman Wonder!” (art by Elder), “Flesh Garden!” (Wood), “Starchie!” (Elder), “3 Dimensions!” (Wood), “Prince Violent!” (Wood), “Plastic Sam!” (Heath), “Gasoline Valley!” (Elder), “Shermlock Shomes!” (Elder), “Alice in Wonderland!” (Davis), and “Howdy Dooit!” (Elder). But a list of highlights diminishes how innovative Mad was. Just about everything in the comic book was wellrealized and funny. Once Gaines himself announced to the world that Mad’s sales were going over 750,000 copies per issue, publishers both major and minor scrambled to get a piece of the parody pie. EC itself produced the best Mad imitation. Panic #1, edited by Al Feldstein, was cover“Howdy Dooit!” (Mad #18), “Starchie” (Mad #12) and “Plastic Sam!” (Mad #14). TM and © Estate of Bill Gaines.

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The Feldstein/Elder parody of “The Night Before Christmas” in Panic #1 caused a furor when it suggested that Santa Claus was “Just Divorced.” TM and © William M. Gaines, Agent, Inc.

dated February-March 1954, and created a huge controversy. Its parody of Charles Clement Moore’s “The Night before Christmas” poem caused the comic book to be banned in Massachusetts for portraying Santa Claus “in a pagan manner.” As he did in all his parody strips, Bill Elder put little humorous signs throughout the panels. A “Just Divorced” sign on the back of Santa’s sleigh was one of the major objectionable items. “They were on our back because Santa Claus was a saint and we suggested that Santa Claus was just divorced,” Gaines remembered. “Who gave this a forethought? We were catching hell on

everything” (Hauser 180). But that wasn’t all. EC’s new business manager Lyle Stuart was arrested in New York City for the “disgusting” parody of Mickey Spillane’s I, the Jury that appeared in the same issue (though Stuart had nothing to do with the story). Eventually, those controversies blew over, and Panic became a very good— if not great—companion to Mad. The number of Mad imitators, most published in the first half of 1954, was substantial. Added to Whack, Crazy, and Eh! were Wild and Riot (two more from Atlas), Get Lost (by Ross Andru and Mike Esposito from their own Mikeross company), Nuts! (Premier), Madhouse/Bughouse (Ajax/Farrell), Unsane! (Star), and Super Funnies (Superior). Harvey jumped in with Flip, but had been doing humorous horror strips and fillers in its horror titles

since Witches Tales #19 (June 1953) with “Mother Mongoose’s Nursery Rhymes.” Howard Nostrand drew many of its best parodies such as the excellent “Ivan’s Woe” in Witches Tales #23 (February 1954), a remarkable evocation of Wally Wood’s art for EC’s “Trial By Arms!” in Two Fisted Tales #34. The funniest material in Flip was drawn by Nostrand, the rest by Bob Powell. It was the best of the Mad imitators, after Panic. None of the Mad copycats could match or come close to the quality of the material Harvey Kurtzman and his artists were generating month after month. Few of the imitators lasted more than a couple of issues. Some nice work appeared in the best of them. The books from Atlas had some genuinely amusing material (with Joe Maneely showing the ability to do

Flip (from Harvey), Riot (from Atlas), and Get Lost (from MikeRoss) were among the better Mad imitations. TM and © respective copyright holders.

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Imminent sudden death, as in this cover by Jack Davis, was a frequent subject of EC horror comics covers. TM and © William M. Gaines, Agent, Inc.

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EC covers in 1954 displayed tremendous artistry. Haunt of Fear #24, Vault of Horror #35, and Weird Science-Fantasy #26. TM and © William M. Gaines, Agent, Inc.

parody artwork, just as he could do any other genre), and Andru-Esposito’s three issues of Get Lost were also good. The others were hit and miss. Some might have lasted longer, but it was a tough time to introduce new titles.

The art, on the other hand, was even better than before. The covers on EC’s 1954 comics were stunning across the board. While they depicted shocking, highly melodramatic situations—many of them dealing with sudden death— they displayed almost no gore. Graham Ingels’ covers on Haunt of Fear were highly atmospheric and beautifully designed. The only EC cover that could be classified as gory showed a woman’s decapitated head being held next to a bloody axe. It was drawn by Johnny Craig for the cover of Crime SuspenStories #22 (April-May 1954), and, due to later events, it became perhaps the single most notorious horror comics cover, EC or otherwise.

EC’s “New Trend” on the Precipice In this, the last full year of the “New Trend”, there were signs that EC couldn’t go on publishing horror comics, at least not at the high level reached in 1953. Gaines and Feldstein had run out of fresh plot “springboards” and the stories were becoming repetitious and formulaic. Recognizing this, Gaines hired new writers. Carl Wessler, Jack Oleck, and Otto Binder wrote many of the year’s EC stories, giving Gaines and Feldstein the relief they needed. Most of the new stories, however, were done to fit the well-worn EC template, which had become predictable by that time.

Johnny Craig said, “Blood and gore weren’t necessarily horror to a number of readers. I think it might have been kept to a minimum pictorially at least, which, to my taste, 105

The visual examples in Seduction of the Innocent clearly targeted EC. (The prior page reprinted panels from “Foul Play!”) “Injury to the eye” panel from True Crime Comics vol. 1 #2 (May 1947), a title canceled in 1949. Crime

would have lent a higher quality to the books. The problem was, I think, that the reader became accustomed to the stories and gradually felt a lessening of their impact. They clamored for more and our competitors, trying to copy and outdo us, gave it to them. We, in turn, had to compete with that. It just became a vicious circle” (Mason). Yet classic stories such as Craig’s “...and All Through the House...” in Vault of Horror #35 (February-March 1954) utilized more psychological horror than grue. EC also published milder yet highly effective stories such as “Standing Room Only” in Crime SuspenStories #23. In Otto Binder’s story, a man impersonates his dead twin sister, only to give himself away by entering the wrong public restroom. Whatever the difficulties and controversy, EC was planning to increase its horror output by adding a fourth horror title to be called Crypt of Terror, the original title of Tales from the Crypt. EC’s science fiction titles continued to underperform. Even when Gaines reluctantly combined two SF titles into a quarterly titled Weird ScienceFantasy, sales didn’t improve. The shame was that Wally Wood and Al Williamson were producing their finest work up to that date, and the cov-

SuspenStories #20 is TM and © William M. Gaines, Agent, Inc. Others © respective copyright holders.

Wertham’s Seduction of the Innocent, a scathing indictment of virtually the entire comic book field.

ers were even more gorgeous than before. Each issue was a gem. Weird Science-Fantasy #26 (December 1954) was a “Flying Saucer Report” special issue, with Feldstein scripting from information provided by UFO expert Donald Keyhoe.

Seduction of the Innocent Dark clouds had been gathering over the comics industry for years, presaging the storm that finally burst forth in full fury in 1954. Just as the storm reached its crescendo, Rinehart & Company, Inc. published Dr. Fredric 106

It’s worth contemplating Dr. Wertham’s motives in writing his book, and in leading the anti-comics campaign. Was money a factor? Perhaps, although psychiatry was a highly-paid profession, and by the mid-1950s, Wertham was wellestablished. Was he merely an opportunist or an attention seeker? We do know that he genuinely believed that violence in the media was a factor in influencing the behavior of so-called juvenile delinquents. (The issue of the influence of media on behavior is still debated today and will probably never be entirely resolved or agreed upon.) In the view of this writer, Dr. Wertham was a crusader who sincerely believed in doing good, a liberal who advocated government action to remedy social ills, and a deluded individual who used unethical, rabble-rousing rhetoric to attempt to achieve his ends. Much of Seduction of the Innocent (SOTI) was nothing new, derived from numerous articles that appeared under his byline in various periodicals

(1948-1950), accounting for the book’s obsession with a genre that had waned considerably by the time SOTI was published. But then, Wertham’s definition of a “crime comic” was all-encompassing. Any comic book with a story that showed a crime being committed—even in such titles as Superman or Donald Duck—was a “crime comic” in the doctor’s estimation.

from 1948 onward. The most recent was the aforementioned “What Parents Don’t Know about Comic Books” in the Ladies Home Journal (November 1953), which was excerpted from the SOTI manuscript almost six months before it was published. Nevertheless, the hardcover book packed a special punch because it was reviewed in book columns in newspapers across the country, further disseminating Wertham’s views. In six months, SOTI sold more than 16,000 copies in the United States.

Ironically, a book railing against lurid comic book images used highly sensational language and sleazy tactics to make its points. In his discussion of juvenile deBy any literary standard, Seduclinquency, Dr. Wertham seldom tion of the Innocent was a poorly mentioned the kind of crimes written book. Wertham wrote typical of most juvenile offenders, like he spoke, in awkward Engsuch as vandalism, car theft, and lish due to his less-than-perfect Panel from “Frisco Mary” (Crime Must Pay the Penalty #3, August 1948) used by Wertham in Seduction of the Innocent. Art by Warren Kremer. © burglary. Instead he frequently grasp of the language, some- copyright holder. mentioned rape, child prostitutimes using German syntax and tion, heroin addiction, and murder. By incessantly and resentence construction. (He learned English as a second lanpetitively discussing comic books in proximity to examples guage as an adult.) With an anecdotal, meandering nature, of such an extreme nature, even when he didn’t explicitly the book is a challenge to read all the way to the end. Preclaim a link, he was using verbal sleight-of-hand to make sumably, most readers gravitated to the book’s 16 pages of it seem as if there was. The chapter title “I Want To Be A Sex carefully selected images from (mainly) crime comic books, Maniac!” was clearly calculated to startle and incite outfor Wertham picked the most violent, crude or suggestive rage in his readers, and its subtitle, “Comic Books and the examples, some going back as far as 1947. The panels from Psychosexual Development of Children,” was hardly less “Foul Play!,” the famous “injury to the eye” ice pick panel inflammatory. At one point, Wertham stated that comics from Jack Cole’s “Murder, Morphine and Me,” and other inpromulgated a message of “might makes right” just like flammatory examples—shown out of context—were obviAdolf Hitler. The book’s title alone conjured up the specter ously calculated to upset concerned parents. (The majority of child molestation. (Wertham originally called his book of the images were taken from comic titles no longer being All Our Innocents, but the publisher created the more lurid published in 1954.) Most damaging, SOTI didn’t specificaltitle.) SOTI accused Superman of being a fascist, and Batly describe Wertham’s so-called “clinical method” nor did it man and Robin of being a fantasy of a homosexual man provide any actual scientific documentation or index. and boy living together. Wertham was either highly misWertham’s rhetoric was carried over from his campaign guided, or shameless, or both. against comics during the height of crime comics era In fact, when the Library of Congress ended its embargo of Dr. Wertham’s papers in 2010, Carol Tilley discovered many discrepancies between Wertham’s notes and what appeared in the final text of Seduction of the Innocent. Tilley, who taught media literacy, youth services librarianship, and a readers’ advisory course on comics at the University of Illinois Graduate School of Library and Information Science, delved into the 25 boxes of papers that focused on SOTI. Her purpose wasn’t to discredit Wertham but to pursue other research goals. However, as Tilley wrote, Within the first few hours of my examination of his papers ... I began to see patterns that both troubled and intrigued me. Wertham seems to have been an inveterate notetaker and underliner [making it] possible to discern much about how he constructed his writings. Ultimately, I found that, despite its accolades and its central role in moving comics further to the cultural sidelines, Wertham’s Seduction included numerous falsifications and distortions.

Meant to show Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson in separate twin beds, this panel sure makes them look cozy. Batman #84 (June 1954). TM and © DC Comics.

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stands. Murphy proudly wrote of this campaign in “For the Kiddies to Read,” a four-page article that appeared in Readers Digest. Some of the book reviewers fully accepted Wertham’s contentions. On April 25, 1954, The New York Times published a review titled “Nothing To Laugh At” by C. Wright Mills, Associate Professor of Sociology at Columbia University. Mills wrote, “Dr. Wertham’s ... careful observations and his sober reflections about the American child in a world of comic violence and unfunny filth testify to a most commendable use of the professional mind in the service of the public” (Mills, BR 20). Many of the reviews reprinted inflammatory images from the book. But at the time of its publication, Seduction of the Innocent had its fair share of detractors too. Some criticized the book for the way it presented its arguments, for its lack of documentation, et al. Some accused Wertham of outright distortion. It wasn’t as if there was unanimity of support for the idea that violent comic books caused juvenile delinquency and juvenile violence.

Dr. Fredric Wertham, leader of the anti-comic book crusade. © copyright holder.

Wertham manipulated, overstated, compromised, and fabricated evidence—especially that evidence he attributed to personal clinical research with young people—for rhetorical gain. I argue that Wertham privileged his interests in the cultural elements of social psychiatry and mental hygiene at the expense of systematic and verifiable science, an action that ultimately serves to discredit him and the claims he made about comics. (Tilley 386)

One of the most articulate dissenters was Robert S. Warshow, a writer for Commentary magazine. His 11-year-old son Paul was a member of the EC Fan-Addict Club, and Warshow found himself on the horns of a dilemma. Should he allow his son to read those comic books? He disliked them mainly because he felt they were junk literature, and thought children should be reading more high-toned matter. But Warshow looked into the issue, and SOTI, with a depth that few others accorded the subject. In his article “The Study of Man: Paul, the Horror Comics, and Dr. Wertham,” Robert Warshow finally concluded that his son wasn’t being damaged in any detectable way by reading EC comics. While Warshow felt comic books presented a slanted, simplistic view of the world to children, he also saw a similarly simplistic quality to Wertham’s book. Warshow wrote:

At the end of her lengthy, scholarly article published in Information & Culture: A Journal of History from the University of Texas Press, Tilley quoted Wertham himself giving “a clear indication that rhetoric must trump evidence” in the pages of SOTI itself (Tilley 407). When a colleague told him that she wished to remain neutral on whether comics were good or bad, Wertham wrote, “Neutrality— especially when hidden under the cloak of scientific objectivity—that is the devil’s ally” (Wertham 351). The publication date of SOTI (April 19, 1954) was set to benefit from the negative publicity about comic books that would accompany the nationally-televised hearings of the U.S. Senate subcommittee on juvenile delinquency that would begin two days later. Other quasi-acolytes of Dr. Wertham got on the bandwagon, such as T. E. Murphy, columnist and editorial writer for the Hartford, Connecticut, Courant, whose paper conducted a campaign in Hartford to get comic book “filth” off its news-

A comic rack shown in Seduction of the Innocent, clearly stacked with the right titles to prove Wertham’s point. © copyright holder.

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Dr. Wertham’s world, like the world of the comic books, is one where the logic of personal interest is inexorable, and Seduction of the Innocent is a kind of crime comic book for parents, as its lurid title alone would lead one to expect. There is the same simple conception of motives, the same sense of overhanging doom, the same melodramatic emphasis on pathology, the same direct and immediate relation between cause and effect. If a juvenile criminal is found in possession of comic books, the comic books produced the crime. If a publisher of comic books, alarmed by at-

tacks on the industry, retains a psychiatrist to advise him on suitable content for his publications, it follows necessarily that the arrangement is a dishonest one. If a psychiatrist accepts a fee of perhaps $150 a month for carrying out such an assignment (to judge by what Dr. Wertham himself tells us, the fees are not particularly high), that psychiatrist has been “bought”; it is of no consequence to point out how easily a psychiatrist can make $150. It is therefore all right to appeal to the authority of a sociologist who has “analyzed” Superman “according to criteria worked out by the psychologist Gordon W. Allport” and has found him to be a “psychopathic deviate,” but no authority whatever can be attached to the “bought” psychiatrist who has been professionally engaged in the problem of comic books. If no comic-book publisher has been prosecuted under the laws against contributing to the delinquency of minors, it cannot be because those laws may not be applicable; it must be because “no district attorney, no judge, no complainant, has ever had the courage to make a complaint.” (Warshow 68)

televised hearings were widely covered by other media such as Time and Newsweek, as well as newspapers across the country.

time he was able to bring the issue to the attention of the U. S. Senate, where anti-crime crusader Senator Estes Kefauver seized the opportunity to spearhead the cause, possibly to advance his political ambitions. On Wednesday, April 21, 1954, the Senate Subcommittee to Investigate Juvenile Delinquency opened what were planned to be two days of hearings in the federal courthouse in New York City. These

Wertham also claimed, “It is a miracle that my book was published considering how many threatening letters these lawyers and people have written to my prospective publishers. They have even threatened with a libel suit the Saturday Evening Post and even the National Parent Teachers, which is a nonprofit magazine.”

In his opening remarks, Chairman Robert C. Hendrickson established that the committee’s concern was primarily with crime and horror comic books, and whether such comics had deleterious effects on some children. The subcommittee’s purpose, he said, was to find out how much that kind of reading material contributed to juvenile crime in America. Lip service was paid to the First Amendment’s guarantee of free speech, and to the fact that juvenile delinquency was a complex problem without a simple cause or solution. The morning was taken up with preliminaries, such as a slide show of some of the comic books that were deemed offensive by many, and testimony from Henry Schultz, the attorney in charge of the first attempt at an industry-wide comics code by the Association of Comic Magazine Publishers, Inc. Schultz testified that he was stymied when the biggest publishers refused to support the organization.

The morning session was a mere “curtain raiser” for the big show that began after lunch: the testimony of Fredric Wertham, M. D. The star SOTI contained no witness began by discussion about entering his crethe varying quality dentials into the of the writing and record, then deartwork in comics. fining what types Warshow wrote, Wertham and Bill Gaines testifying before the U. S. Senate subcommittee investigating the causes of of comics were in “Dr. Wertham is Fredric juvenile delinquency. © copyright holder. the group he called largely able to ig“crime comics.” He nore the distinction between bad and ‘good’ [comics] besaid, “We have come to the conclusion that crime comic cause most of us find it hard to conceive of what a ‘good’ books are comic books that depict crime and we have found comic book might be” (Warshow 66). In fact, Wertham saw that it makes no difference whether the locale is Western, no value of any kind in the medium. “I have known many or Superman or space ship or horror, if a girl is raped, she is adults who have treasured throughout their lives some of raped whether it is in a space ship or on the prairie.” From the books they read as children,” he wrote. “I have never there, Wertham continued along similar lines. As in his come across any adult or adolescent who had outgrown book, after throwing in references to child prostitution and comic-book reading who would ever dream of keeping any rape, he made his bottom line assertion: “It is my opinion, of these ‘books’ for any sentimental or other reason” (Werwithout any reasonable doubt, and without any reservatham 89). tion, that comic books are an important contributing factor in many cases of juvenile delinquency.” (All quotations in The U.S. Senate Hearings this section are taken from transcripts appended to the U. Dr. Wertham may not have made a coherent case against S. Senate report, dated March 14, 1955.) comics, but as a rabble-rouser, he succeeded. For a second

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as difficult to explain the harmless thrill of a horror story to a Dr. Wertham as it would be to explain the sublimity of love to a frigid old maid.” However, when grilled about some of the specific stories and images that had appeared in EC horror comics, Gaines became less effective. He later attributed this to the fact that his testimony was taken late in the afternoon when he was suffering an energy slump after his diet pills wore off. Even so, some of the EC material was difficult to defend, especially in the arena Gaines found himself. Gaines was questioned by Herbert Beaser, associate chief counsel: Mr. BEASER. Let me get the limits as far as what you put into your magazine. Is the sole test of what you would put into your magazine whether it sells? Is there any limit you can think of that you would not put in a magazine because you thought a child should not see or read about it? Mr. GAINES. No, I wouldn’t say that there is any limit for the reason you outlined. My only limits are bounds of good taste, what I consider good taste. Mr. BEASER. Then you think a child cannot in any way, shape, or manner, be hurt by anything that a child reads or sees? Mr. GAINES. I don’t believe so. Mr. BEASER. There would be no limit actually to what you put in the magazines? The cover of Crime SuspenStories #22, which Bill Gaines found difficult to defend when pressed by Senator Estes Kefauver. TM and © William M. Gaines, Agent, Inc.

When asked what course of action he recommended to remedy the problem of objectionable comic books, he answered, “Mr. Chairman, I am just a doctor. I can’t tell what the remedy is. I can only say that in my opinion this is a public health problem. I think it ought to be possible to determine once and for all what is in these comic books and I think it ought to be possible to keep the children under 15 from seeing them displayed to them and preventing these being sold directly to children. In other words, I think something should be done to see that the children can’t get them.” What Wertham wanted (and subtly suggested by the use of the term “public health”) was federal legislation.

Mr. GAINES. Only within the bounds of good taste.

Mr. BEASER. Your own good taste and salability? Mr. GAINES. Yes. Then Senator Kefauver pounced: Senator KEFAUVER. Here is your [Crime SuspenStories #22]. This seems to be a man with a bloody ax holding a woman’s head up which has been severed from her body. Do you think that is in good taste? Mr. GAINES. Yes, sir; I do, for the cover of a horror comic. A cover in bad taste, for example, might be defined as holding the head a little higher so that the neck could be seen dripping blood from it and moving the body over a little further so that the neck of the body could be seen to be bloody.

Bill Gaines followed Wertham. Gaines volunteered to testify on behalf of horror comics at the urging of his business manager, Lyle Stuart. He began by reading from an opening statement (co-authored by Stuart), which made some cogent points. The most frequently quoted lines are, “I was the first publisher in these United States to publish horror comics. I am responsible. I started them. Some may not like them. That is a matter of personal taste. It would be just

Senator KEFAUVER. You have blood coming out of her mouth. 110

Mr. GAINES. A little. Senator KEFAUVER. Here is blood on the ax. I think most adults are shocked by that. The exchange did not play to Bill Gaines’ advantage on national television. It was difficult to make adults comfortable with the idea that such horror comic books were on sale next to those for young children, and the examples chosen by the committee—with Wertham’s help—were the most extreme. The story of an abused girl who kills her father and frames her mother for the murder so that the girl can live with a kindly aunt (“The Orphan!,” Shock SuspenStories #14) wasn’t one that could be defended in the context of the committee, except by Gaines’ general assertion that it provided a “harmless thrill.” Gaines’ arguments (that children should be free to choose their own reading material, that newspapers published material far more violent than comic books, and that there was no real evidence that comic books did any harm) either fell on deaf ears or were lost amid the hearing’s more sensationalistic moments. The experience left him in shock. Worse, his appearance made him and EC comics the lightning rod for the intense anti-comics hysteria of the day, further worsening his already problematic relationship with the all-important wholesalers.

Testimony was also heard from Helen Meyer, Vice President of Dell Comics, and (briefly) from her editor, Matt Murphy. Meyer made it clear that Dell Comics were clean as driven snow, asserting that Wertham’s criticism of a story point in a Tarzan comic book was unfair and ridiculous. She stated, “Dr. Wertham must have done some extensive examining of the 90 titles published by the Dell Publishing Company, as he went out of his way to point up the one story he didn’t like in an isolated issue of Tarzan comics, probably published several years ago. Wasn’t it unfair and destructive, rather than constructive, to read his condemnation of Dell Publishing Company’s comics into the record? Shouldn’t the good be given proper recognition, if for no other reason than to set the example?” Meyer also expressed her view that horror and crime comics were a blight on the industry, and that they were mostly from small publishers who had small sales. In any case, she contended, this had nothing to do with Dell Comics. Murphy chimed in with what became the publisher’s catch phrase: “Dell Comics are good comics.”

After the fireworks of day one, day two was less exciting. Dr. Lauretta Bender, a psychiatrist with impeccable credentials, testified. National had hired her for its advisory board years earlier. Her view was that comics were a healthy outlet for children’s imaginations, and that no comics published by National were in any way in poor taste or harmful. Unfortunately, while Dr. Bender was clearly intelligent, the way she made her points was somewhat diffuse and unfocused. Because she was on National’s payroll, she was accused of bias in favor of the firm’s comics, and possibly of the comic book industry in general.

The Senate hearings had a third day (June 4) to collect testimony on the matter of “tie-ins,” something comics retailers complained about: even if retailers wanted only to sell the “good” magazines (or the “good” comics), distributors forced them to sell everything. Distributors hotly denied this, pointing out that comics were fully returnable. Distinguishing which comics were appropriate (or inappropriate) for children, though, would require busy retailers to examine every comic title they received. Considering the hundreds of comics appearing on the newsstand at the time, this would have been an onerous—seemingly impossible—burden. Someone had to come up with an alternative.

The Comics Code

Shades of Nazi Germany: a book burning, this time of comic books. This event was most likely organized and staged for the media. © copyright holder.

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It wasn’t clear exactly what sort of government action would eliminate certain kinds of comic books. Banning all comic books would be unconstitutional. It was also politically unfeasible since the majority of comics (in terms of sales) were published by Dell and National, and

they were (despite Wertham’s attempts to smear them) undeniably inoffensive. After the hearings, Gaines suggested the publishers band together and hire experts to do research on whether any type of comic book was harmful to children, since no such scientific studies had been conducted by the industry’s critics. But when the first meeting of a new trade association called the Comics Magazine Association of America was held on August 17, 1954, at the Biltmore Hotel in New York, it was clear that the publishers were anxious to take immediate action to clean up comics. John Goldwater, publisher of Archie Comics, recommended the establishment and enforcement of a new code governing the content of comic books (including the advertising). Soon a special committee had drafted the new code and Goldwater began signing up publishers. On September 16, the association appointed Judge Charles F. Murphy code administrator for a two-year period. Murphy began setting up an office and hiring people to review the content of members’ comics, as well as planning a public relations campaign to “sell” the comics’ critics with the idea that the Code would alleviate their concerns.

Judge Charles Murphy was the first administrator of the Comics Code. He immediately launched a public relations campaign to let the public know that offensive comic books were no longer being published. © copyright holder.

doing it not for business reasons so much as because this seems to be what the American parents want—and the American parents should be served. Our new line, which will hit the newsstands early in 1955 will, we believe, meet favor with comics’ most angry critics. We are striving to put out comics which will offend no one….” (Gaines 28). He stated that he would not, however, join the newly formed trade association.

The new association realized that horror comics would have to go, and took specific aim at Gaines by banning the words “horror” and “terror” from any comic book title. The Code itself was written to prevent EC-type horror from continuing, although it didn’t preclude “scary” comics if they had nothing that ran afoul of other Code strictures. The word “crime” wasn’t banned from all titles, only limited so that it wasn’t the dominant word in a title. (A few issues of Lev Gleason’s Crime Does Not Pay subsequently appeared with the Code seal, albeit with tamer contents.) Undoubtedly, some of the association’s members would benefit by forcing the horror and violent crime publishers out of business (since those publishers presumably couldn’t compete in tamer modes and genres), leaving more room on the overcrowded newsstands for “clean” books.

EC wasn’t the only publisher who didn’t join. Dell refused, instead adopting a “Pledge to Parents,” which put forward its slogan “Dell Comics are good comics.” Dell’s rejection of the association and Code had no negative consequences for them. The publisher had a solid relationship with its distributor, American News, who was willing to handle its comics whether or not they bore the Code seal. Gilberton also refused to join on the grounds that Classics Illustrated wasn’t a comic book at all. Like Dell, Gilberton suffered no repercussions. Other publishers, however, were essentially forced to carry the CMAA Seal of Approval or their books would be taken by very few wholesalers.

Bill Gaines held a press conference to announce that he would end EC’s horror and crime comics. A shell-shocked Gaines said, “[EC is] discontinuing crime and horror. We are

Metal signs like this, manufactured and distributed by Independent News, topped spinner racks in retail outlets across the country. © copyright holder.

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The adoption of the Comics Code on October 26, 1954 was the most important event in the history of comic books since the publication of Action Comics #1 (with the debut of Superman). The Comics Code instantly and dramatically changed the kind of comic books that could be published in America. It didn’t just restrict the depiction of violence and sex; it mandated specific moral standards. For instance, the Code proclaimed that there would never be any disrespect shown for established authority and social institutions. Good must always triumph over evil, and criminals could never be portrayed sympathetically. As John Goldwater said in Americana in Four Colors, “Taken together these provisions constitute the most severe set of principles for

Propaganda from the Comic Magazine Association of America, the trade organization that established the Comics Code. © copyright holder.

any communications media in use today, restricting the use of many types of material permitted by the motion picture code and the codes for the television and radio industries” (Goldwater 24).

industry is in accordance with suggestions made by the subcommittee. Whether the fact that not all publishers of comic books are members of the association will impair the effectiveness of this latest attempt at self-regulation, as it did in the previous attempt, remains to be seen. However, since the association and the code authority have so recently been organized, it is still too early to form a judgement [sic] as to either the sincerity or the effectiveness of this latest attempt at self-regulation by the comic book industry. The subcommittee intends to watch with great interest the activities of this association and will report at a later date on this effort by the comic book industry to eliminate objectionable comic books. At any rate, the subcommittee is convinced that if this latest effort at industry selfregulation does not succeed, then other ways and means must and will be found to prevent our Nation’s young from being harmed by crime and horror comic books. (U. S. Senate)

Reading the language in the Code is a chilling experience, especially when one reaches the phrase, “All elements or techniques not specifically mentioned herein, but which are contrary to the spirit and intent of the Code, and are considered violations of good taste or decency, shall be prohibited.” This gave the association license to censor just about anything. At the very least, the new Code appeased the Senate subcommittee. Senator Kefauver wrote the summary of the findings of the 1954 Senate Subcommittee in the Interim Report. In the section near the end titled “Current Efforts at Self-Regulation,” the Senator wrote: Following the hearings of the subcommittee on the effects of crime and horror comic books and intensified community action throughout the country in protesting to objectionable comic books, establishment of the Comics Magazine Association of America was announced. A code was adopted on October 26, 1954. Charles F. Murphy, formerly a city magistrate in New York, was named code administrator. John Goldwater, president of the Comics Magazine Association of America, said that a staff of professional reviewers will be selected to assist the code administrator in inspecting all comic books before they are printed. The code provides for a ban on all horror and terror comic books but not on crime comic books. A seal of approval will be printed on all comic books approved by the code administrator.

If the Comics Code was “in accordance with suggestions made by the subcommittee,” then we know that the committee and Dr. Wertham were working at cross purposes. Wertham denounced the Code in an article titled “The Curse of the Comic Books,” writing “Whenever people begin to show signs of doing something themselves about controlling crime comics, the publishers come out with a ‘code’ or something to divert attention and avert action” (Wertham 403). In “It’s Still Murder: What Parents Don’t Know About Comic Books” in the Saturday Review of Literature (April 9, 1955), he condemned the Senate subcommittee for stopping short of passing legislation against comic book publishers. He claimed that the Code-approved comics were just as bad as the ones from before and called the publishers “racketeers of the spirit [who] have corrupted children in the past [and] are corrupting them right now....” (Wertham 48). Thus, when the dust settled, it turned out the senators used Dr. Wertham to achieve a remedy that he claimed was nothing more than a cover-up.

It is the consensus of the subcommittee that the establishment of this new association, the adoption of a code, and the appointment of a code administrator are steps in the right direction. This effort at self-regulation on the part of the comic book 113

THE COMICS CODE (1954) OF THE COMICS MAGAZINE ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA, INC. Source: Senate Committee on the Judiciary, Comic Books and Juvenile Delinquency, Interim Report, 1955 (Washington, D.C.: United States Government Printing Office, 1955). Adopted October 26, 1954

PREAMBLE The comic-book medium, having come of age on the American cultural scene, must measure up to its responsibilities. Constantly improving techniques and higher standards go hand in hand with these responsibilities. To make a positive contribution to contemporary life, the industry must seek new areas for developing sound, wholesome entertainment. The people responsible for writing, drawing, printing, publishing, and selling comic books have done a commendable job in the past, and have been striving toward this goal. Their record of progress and continuing improvement compares favorably with other media in the communications industry. An outstanding example is the development of comic books as a unique and effective tool for instruction and education. Comic books have also made their contribution in the field of letters and criticism of contemporary life. In keeping with the American tradition, the members of this industry will and must continue to work together in the future. In the same tradition, members of the industry must see to it that gains made in this medium are not lost and that violations of standards of good taste, which might tend toward corruption of the comic book as an instructive and wholesome form of entertainment, will be eliminated. Therefore, the Comics Magazine Association of America, Inc. has adopted this code, and placed strong powers of enforcement in the hands of an independent code authority. Further, members of the association have endorsed the purpose and spirit of this code as a vital instrument to the growth of the industry. To this end, they have pledged themselves to conscientiously adhere to its principles and to abide by all decisions based on the code made by the administrator. They are confident that this positive and forthright statement will provide an effective bulwark for the protection and enhancement of the American reading public, and that it will become a landmark in the history of self-regulation for the entire communications industry.

CODE FOR EDITORIAL MATTER General standards—Part A (1) Crimes shall never be presented in such a way as to create sympathy for the criminal, to promote distrust of the forces of law and justice, or to inspire others with a desire to imitate criminals. (2) No comics shall explicitly present the unique details and methods of a crime. (3) Policemen, judges, Government officials, and respected institutions shall never be presented in such a way as to create disrespect for established authority. (4) If crime is depicted it shall be as a sordid and unpleasant activity. (5) Criminals shall not be presented so as to be rendered glamorous or to occupy a position which creates a desire for emulation. (6) In every instance good shall triumph over evil and the criminal punished for his misdeeds. (7) Scenes of excessive violence shall be prohibited. Scenes of brutal torture, excessive and unnecessary knife and gunplay, physical agony, gory and gruesome crime shall be eliminated. (8) No unique or unusual methods of concealing weapons shall be shown. (9) Instances of law-enforcement officers dying as a result of a criminal’s activities should be discouraged. (10) The crime of kidnapping shall never be portrayed in any detail, nor shall any profit accrue to the abductor or kidnaper. The criminal or the kidnaper must be punished in every case. (11) T he letters of the word “crime” on a comics-magazine cover shall never be appreciably greater in dimension than the other words contained in the title. The word “crime” shall never appear alone on a cover. (12) Restraint in the use of the word “crime” in titles or subtitles shall be exercised.

General standards—Part B (1) No comic magazine shall use the word horror or terror in its title. (2) All scenes of horror, excessive bloodshed, gory or gruesome crimes, depravity, lust, sadism, masochism shall not be permitted. 114

(3) All lurid, unsavory, gruesome illustrations shall be eliminated. (4) Inclusion of stories dealing with evil shall be used or shall be published only where the intent is to illustrate a moral issue and in no case shall evil be presented alluringly, nor so as to injure the sensibilities of the reader. (5) Scenes dealing with, or instruments associated with walking dead, torture, vampires and vampirism, ghouls, cannibalism, and werewolfism are prohibited.

General standards—Part C All elements or techniques not specifically mentioned herein, but which are contrary to the spirit and intent of the code, and are considered violations of good taste or decency, shall be prohibited. Dialogue

(1) Profanity, obscenity, smut, vulgarity, or words or symbols which have acquired undesirable meanings are forbidden. (2) Special precautions to avoid references to physical afflictions or deformities shall be taken. (3) Although slang and colloquialisms are acceptable, excessive use should be discouraged and, wherever possible, good grammar shall be employed.

Religion

(1) Ridicule or attack on any religious or racial group is never permissible.

Costume

(1) Nudity in any form is prohibited, as is indecent or undue exposure. (2) Suggestive and salacious illustration or suggestive posture is unacceptable. (3) All characters shall be depicted in dress reasonably acceptable to society. (4) Females shall be drawn realistically without exaggeration of any physical qualities. NOTE.— It should be recognized that all prohibitions dealing with costume, dialog, or artwork applies as specifically to the cover of a comic magazine as they do to the contents.

Marriage and sex

(1) Divorce shall not be treated humorously nor represented as desirable. (2) Illicit sex relations are neither to be hinted at nor portrayed. Violent love scenes as well as sexual abnormalities are unacceptable. (3) Respect for parents, the moral code, and for honorable behavior shall be fostered. A sympathetic understanding of the problems of love is not a license for morbid distortion. (4) The treatment of live-romance stories shall emphasize the value of the home and the sanctity of marriage. (5) Passion or romantic interest shall never be treated in such a way as to stimulate the lower and baser emotions. (6) Seduction and rape shall never be shown or suggested. (7) Sex perversion or any inference to same is strictly forbidden.

CODE FOR ADVERTISING MATTER These regulations are applicable to all magazines published by members of the Comics Magazine Association of America, Inc. Good taste shall be the guiding principle in the acceptance of advertising. (1) Liquor and tobacco advertising is not acceptable. (2) Advertisement of sex or sex instruction books are unacceptable. (3) The sale of picture postcards, “pinups,” “art studies,” or any other reproduction of nude or seminude figures is prohibited. (4) Advertising for the sale of knives or realistic gun facsimiles is prohibited. (5) Advertising for the sale of fireworks is prohibited. (6) Advertising dealing with the sale of gambling equipment or printed matter dealing with gambling shall not be accepted. (7) Nudity with meretricious purpose and salacious postures shall not be permitted in the advertising of any product; clothed figures shall never be presented in such a way as to be offensive or contrary to good taste or morals. (8) T o the best of his ability, each publisher shall ascertain that all statements made in advertisements conform to fact and avoid misrepresentation. (9) A dvertisement of medical, health, or toiletry products of questionable nature are to be rejected. Advertisements for medical, health, or toiletry products endorsed by the American Medical Association, or the American Dental Association, shall be deemed acceptable if they conform with all other conditions of the Advertising Code. Reprinted from the 1954 Senate Report. 115

1955

Censored!

Judge Charles Murphy moved quickly to get the Comics Code approval process up and running. Time was of the essence. The publishers, who were paying for the service, wanted speedy action. The sooner Code-approved books appeared on newsstands, the better. Murphy hired a staff (a librarian, a college professor, a Voice of America publicist, a social worker, and an MGM story department editor), all women because he felt that female reviewers wouldn’t be steeped in the habits and traditions of comic book stories, and would bring a fresh eye to the material. They would review the entire contents of every issue, including advertisements and prose matter. Sol Harrison of National Comics designed the Code’s seal of approval (or so he claimed in later years, though it’s never been confirmed). The seal was made to look like a “stamp” to give the appearance of official approval. The word “authority” in its verbiage—“Approved by the Comics Code Authority”— conveyed the idea that this code would have teeth. Murphy insisted that it should always appear in black and white, not colored over, because its visibility was an essential part of the CMAA’s public relations campaign. Then the pre-publication review process began. While signing up publishers, Judge Murphy had given some of them the impression that he was “on their side” and would exercise his authority to reject only the most egregious material. However, it soon became apparent that the administrator was applying the Code strictly and aggressively. In December 1954, Murphy held a press conference as a sort of progress report. He told reporters that his staff had rejected 5,656 panels and 126 complete stories in the several weeks the Code had been in effect. More than a quarter of these changes involved making “feminine curves” more “natural” and women’s clothing more modest. (If a woman had any sort of décolletage, a line indicating the shape of the upper breasts in the exposed area was verboten.) Both Charles Murphy and John Goldwater (CMAA President) launched a public relations blitz, traveling the country to address dozens of civic, church, and parents groups to demonstrate how the Code was working. One reason for Murphy’s strict policy was his awareness that the critics of comic books were taking a “wait and see” attitude. Senator Kefauver told the administrator that the Code was a step in the right direction, but he wanted to convene another round of hearings to look into the matter more fully. Other government entities were also watching. In early 1955, the State of New York Legislature—one of the most zealous public bodies on this issue—conducted another hearing to take more testimony. Judge Murphy appeared before this Joint Legislative Committee on February 4 to give a presentation and answer questions. He showed them changes the Code had required: weapons had been eliminated, faces made less grotesque, clothing made more

CHAPTER SIX 116

modest. When some legislators pointed out that comics continued to tell stories replete with violent situations and themes, Murphy responded, I think we are both agreed, and were at the time, that you just could not go in like Carrie Nation and destroy an industry and a business which employs thousands and thousands of people—destroy it overnight—that it was a question of education. You had to re-educate the writers and editors and artists with respect to what I thought the Code meant. (New York Legislature 72) The New York legislators also heard from Dell owner George Delacorte on the reasons why his firm refused to join the CMAA. This was a matter of consequence; in the coming year, Dell would publish about one-seventh of the 2300 comics released to the newsstands, with sales representing about a third of comics’ overall circulation.

Judge Charles Murphy presents a display showing how the Comics Code eliminated “objectionable” artwork. © copyright holder.

Delacorte explained, “I could not allow the Dell Comics name to be used as an umbrella for some of the inferior products we deemed then, and deem now, unsuitable and unpublishable for our children” (New York Legislature 90). Helen Meyer, at the publisher’s side, explained Dell’s plan to run the “Dell Pledge to Parents” in all its comics starting with the April issues. (It first appeared in the April issue of Walt Disney’s Comics and Stories.) Behind the scenes, John Goldwater continued to try to persuade Dell to join the organization. Yes, Dell published many innocuous funny animal and humor titles, but it also published plenty of Westerns, which Goldwater felt warranted review. As history shows, however, Dell never wavered in its refusal to join the CMAA.

The coming of the Code drove the relatively few small exploitation-driven publishers out of business. Reducing the number of titles on newsstands was a priority of the top publishers, but the main motive behind the CMAA and the Code was to eliminate the kind of comics that were bringing the public’s wrath down onto the comics industry. To some, it was principally a matter of morality; to others, comics’ image had to be improved.

Effects of Censorship The Comics Code Authority seal of approval began appearing on a few comic books cover-dated February 1955. Most bore the seal beginning with their March issues. Either way, the publishers’ flow of revenue was uninterrupted.

Would the American comic book have disappeared without adopting the Comics Code? No one knows for sure. Some fans in future years would criticize the industry for “caving in” to pressure. The problem was that by 1955 comics had suffered years of criticism. Many parents wouldn’t let their children read comics at all, or at least nothing but Dell comics, and this attitude had to be turned around. Also, comics publishers were beholden to wholesalers to put their product on the stands, and many wholesalers were souring on carrying comic books due to the flak they were getting from retailers. Comic book burnings and boycotts were in the news. A number of communities around the country were considering—and sometimes passing—ordinances that exacted penalties on retailers who sold comic books that were deemed offensive. (Some, like the State of Washington and Los Angeles County, passed such ordinances even after the Code arrived.) Many comic book publishers recognized the necessity of a regulation Code. After all, films had to pass the Motion Picture Production Code in order to obtain distribution. The problem, they were soon to discover, was that the Comics Code was much more restrictive than the movie code.

As expected, marginal and small publishers felt the effect of the Code most keenly. A number of them ceased publication late in 1954 and in 1955. Stanhall, Star Publications, Sterling Comics, Toby Press, Trojan, United Features, and Eastern Color (the first publisher of mass-market comic books) left the comics business. It wasn’t always just due to the Code strictures. Some publishers were simply finding a comic book line both troublesome and unprofitable. Licensed properties, such as United Features’ Nancy and Sluggo, continued with other publishers. Six companies published more than 100 issues in 1955. Some eighteen companies produced between 13 and 90 issues. Another ten firms published fewer than a dozen issues, and they were soon gone. From an industry high of slightly more than 3,150 issues published with 1952 dates, only about 2,300 were produced with 1955 dates. The downward trend was just beginning. Within two more years, so many companies gave up comics that only fifteen companies produced as many as a dozen issues in 1957. 117

TIMELINE: 1955

June 28: The first issue of National Comics’ The Brave and the Bold, featuring Bob Kanigher and Joe Kubert’s Viking Prince, debuts on newsstands.

A compilation of the year’s notable comic book history events alongside some of the year’s most significant popular culture and historical events. (On sale dates are approximations.)

March 25: One of the key indicators of “The Year of the Teenager,” Blackboard Jungle, with Bill Haley and the Comets’ “Rock Around the Clock” playing over the opening credits, is released in movie theaters.

January: Beginning with cover date March/ April titles, the Comics Code Authority’s Seal of Approval stamp appears on nearly all participating publishers’ comics.

April 12: Dr. Jonas Salk’s polio vaccine is declared “safe, potent and effective.” It is soon administered to children all over the country. April 15: Ray Kroc opens his first McDonald’s restaurant in Des Plaines, Illinois, after acquiring permission from the fast food chain’s original owners, Richard and Maurice McDonald, to do so.

JANUARY

FEBRUARY January 27: In a story written by Otto Binder and drawn by Curt Swan, Superboy’s dog, Krypto, makes his first appearance in Adventure Comics #210.

MARCH

APRIL

M AY

March 14: Nearly a year after conducting hearings on the possible link between comic book reading and juvenile delinquency, a U.S. Senate report is finally published. June: With its 24th issue, Mad changes its format to become a black-and-white magazine, priced at 25 cents.

March: In an attempt to solve its distribution problems, EC titles now display the Comics Code Seal of Approval. January: Impact #1, the first of EC’s “New Direction” titles, is launched, with the Feldstein-Krigstein story “Master Race.” None of EC’s six “New Direction” titles display the Comics Code seal as Gaines refuses to join the CCA.

JUNE

March 1: The San Francisco Chronicle reports a University of California survey that found that Americans spend more money on comic books than all the country’s elementary schools and high schools spend on textbooks.

April 19: In a story written by Bill Finger and drawn by Sheldon Moldoff, Ace, “The Bat-Hound,” makes his first appearance in Batman #92.

Archie TM and © Archie Publications Inc. Krypto, Viking Prince, Batman and Robin, and Martian Manhunter TM and © DC Comics. Donald Duck and Disneyland TM and © Disney Enterprises Inc. Incredible Science Fiction and “Judgment Day!” TM and © Estate of William M. Gaines. Other images © respective copyright holders.

The Comics Code had a chilling effect on the industry. Only one new publisher entered the field in 1955, a short-lived minor outfit, Argo. (They published re-worked newspaper reprints.) While some new titles debuted that year, the drop in the number of issues meant there were fewer assignments available for writers and artists, as well as others helping produce editorial matter. John Romita said that he and others saw comic books as temporary employment because the medium was doomed. Now a fair number of creative men and women discovered just how temporary employment in comics could be.

he was able to find relatively stable work in comic books again, though mainly on backup features such as Green Arrow. After closing down Star Publications’ comic book operation in 1954, L. B. Cole concentrated on art directing Star’s other fare such as puzzle books, coloring books and magazines. He painted numerous covers for its Croydon paperback line. Entering the men’s magazine arena, Cole used his love of painting animals to good advantage on the covers of such titles as Man’s True Action and Man’s Daring Adventure. When his partner, Jerry Kramer, died of lung cancer in 1956, the company was liquidated, leaving Cole freelancing for other hunting and fishing magazines. He wouldn’t return to comics for nearly three years.

Some, like Bob Powell, were well connected and found enough comics work in the late 1950s, though it was often for cut-rate prices. Powell had been a star artist on the Harvey horror comics. Now he accepted work from low-paying Charlton, though he got better pay at Dell and Magazine Enterprises. Powell also did many war stories for Atlas, often with the help of an assistant or two. He also received the occasional assignment from Harvey Comics.

Publishers had to scramble to adapt to the new reality brought on by the Code. The pre-publication review process forced them to add another major step in their production lines. Editors and other staffers had to package the art boards, which were large and heavy, and send them to the CMAA offices. When reviewers deemed any pages in violation of the Code, those pages were returned with a note requesting specific changes. Often, entire stories were rejected, especially when they had originally seen print in the pre-Code era. Once a page was approved, it was stamped and initialed, then photographed to guard against subse-

Another star artist at Harvey Comics didn’t fare quite as well. Lee Elias, who drew some of the more notorious horror covers for Harvey, scrambled to get work in post-Code comics. In 1958, he had to swallow his pride and work as a ghost artist for Al Capp on the L’il Abner newspaper strip. It wasn’t until he got in the door at National in 1959 that 118

July: Shock Illustrated #1, EC’s first Picto-Fiction magazine, arrives on newsstands.

September 30: Twenty-four-year-old actor James Dean dies in a two-car collision on a California highway.

November: Unable to improve the sales of its line, EC publishes its last comic book: Incredible Science Fiction #33. (EC would continue to publish Mad magazine to great success.)

July 17: Located in Anaheim, California, Disneyland is now open to the public.

December 15: The first issue of National Comics’ anthology, Tales of the Unexpected, arrives on newsstands.

August 15: Archer St. John, founder and publisher of St. Johns Publications, dies at the age of 51.

J U LY

July 6: With its 42nd issue, Sub-Mariner is cancelled, bringing an end to the short-lived Atlas hero revival.

AUGUST

SEPTEMBER

OCTOBER

NOVEMBER

DECEMBER

December 1: In Montgomery, Alabama, Rosa Parks, a 42-year-old African-American seamstress, is arrested when she refuses to move to the back of a bus in order to accommodate a white passenger. The arrest becomes a launching point for the Civil Rights movement in America.

August: Hurricane Diane barrels up the eastern coast of the United States, killing over 184 people and causing over $750 million of damage. (Charlton Comics’ office and printing presses are flooded.)

September 27: In a story written by Joe Samachson and drawn by Joe Certa, J’onn J’onzz, the Martian Manhunter, is introduced in Detective Comics #225.

quent changes after the fact. According to the CMAA Fact Kit, each reviewer checked about nine books a day totaling approximately 300 pages. Murphy described his job as “back-breaking, ulcer producing” to the New York Legislative Committee (New York Legislature 72). Certainly, the “back-breaking” part applied to those who had to carry around those heavy packages of artwork.

October 27: Rebel Without a Cause, starring James Dean, Natalie Wood and Sal Mineo, is released in movie theaters.

end of its first year of existence, the trade organization was feeling a financial pinch due to the overall depressed comic book market, and its budget for 1956 was significantly trimmed. With less money for travel, Murphy became disenchanted with his job. Shortly after having his photo taken with Senator Kefauver in the spring of 1956, he announced he would not accept reappointment in November. He was replaced by Mrs. Guy Percy Trulock, former President of the New York City Federation of Women’s Clubs. She served as code administrator until 1965.

Before the Code, a significant percentage of adults read comic books. Once the Code went into effect, adult consumption of comic books decreased considerably because the contents no longer suited an adult’s interests. Most adults turned to the inexpensive and often lurid paperback books proliferating at this time. Paperbacks provided just the sort of material ex-comic book readers were interested in: crime, sex, romance and Westerns. The Code forced comic book Westerns to keep gunplay to a minimum, more or less restricting it to wounding an outlaw’s gun arm or hand, even to the ridiculous extreme of shooting the gun out of someone’s hand. In general, the conservative reviewers preferred comic book stories to show problems being solved in a non-violent, constructive, wholesome manner. This gave editors fits.

Westerns weren’t the only surviving comic book genre to be seriously impacted by Code restrictions. The new environment had major implications for romance comics as well. Writer Dana Dutch and artist Matt Baker had proven that such stories could be engaging, mature and realistic. By telling stories of assertive, capable girls and young women dealing with life problems, the creative team fought the 1950s trend toward female disempowerment. Once the Comics Code arrived, however, the types of permissible romantic situations and contexts became far more limited. Romance comics might sometimes be well drawn, but the stories became numbingly repetitive, with nothing more daring than a chaste kiss at the story’s end. By the end of the decade, the most prolific publisher in the genre was Charlton, whose romance comics are of little worth except as cultural artifacts—or landfill.

Members of the CMAA groused at their spring 1955 meeting about some of the more senseless changes that were required. There was talk of amending the Code in various ways, although this wouldn’t happen until 1971. By the 119

The public perception that comics had been “neutered” meant they were now considered “strictly for kids,” a stigma even more difficult to erase than their earlier reputation for unseemly content.

Forces and Star Spangled War Stories all had crisp writing and more than competent artwork by editor Bob Kanigher’s able staff. Now he strengthened this line by bringing in Joe Kubert to handle art assignments.

A look at the roster of titles published in 1955 by each of the major publishers best demonstrates the changes and effects brought on by the Comics Code era of self-censorship.

In 1955, two continuing canine characters of some importance were introduced, within months of each other. The first was Superboy’s super-dog Krypto, created by Otto Binder and Curt Swan in Adventure Comics #210 (March 1955), the first Code-approved issue. Krypto was the first known survivor from Krypton after Superman (though not the last). He was popular with readers, adding welcome touches of humor to the adventures of the Boy of Steel in Smallville. Unlike Rex the Wonder Dog, Krypto never received his own book, though eventually he was part of a backup series of super canines in Superboy. He was the perfect pal for Superboy, and as far as is known, never had to be walked or taken to a vet.

National Comics Predictably, National’s line made a seamless transition to the Code’s restrictions. The costumed hero titles (Superman, Action Comics, Adventure Comics, Superman’s Pal, Jimmy Olsen, Superboy, Batman, Detective Comics, World’s Finest and Wonder Woman) had few problems with the CCA. Neither did National’s nominal crime books (Big Town, Mr. District Attorney, Gang Busters) and “mystery” titles (House of Mystery, My Greatest Adventure). Its Westerns (All-Star Western, Western Comics, Hopalong Cassidy, Tomahawk) made it through with only minor adjustments. Its science fiction (Strange Adventures, Mystery in Space) had no trouble with the transition. Girls’ Love Stories, Girls’ Romances and Secret Hearts were innocuous, as were Adventures of Rex the Wonder Dog and the short-lived Congo Bill.

The other canine supporting character was Ace, the BatHound, introduced in Batman #92 (June 1955). Batman and Robin saved a dog from drowning and put an ad in the paper looking for the animal’s owner. It turned out the owner, John Wilker, was kidnapped by the same criminals the Dynamic Duo was seeking. When the canine was surprisingly helpful in the hunt, he was given a black mask (to hide a distinctive marking on his head) and named BatHound after a crook’s offhand remark. At the story’s climax, Bat-Hound saved the day. When returning the dog

DC’s line had a large contingent of humor and licensed properties, all squeaky clean: A Date with Judy, Adventures of Bob Hope, Adventures of Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis, Buzzy, Dodo and the Frog, Flippity and Flop, Fox and Crow, Leave it to Binky, Mutt & Jeff, Nutsy Squirrel, Peter Panda, Peter Porkchops, Raccoon Kids and Real Screen Comics. The one category that still had strong appeal to an olderskewing readership was war comics. Leonard Darvin, who took a position as executive secretary of the CMAA, later explained the loosened policy toward violence in war comics: “We don’t allow a close-up of a person who’s obviously dead, like with the mouth open, the eyes staring. We don’t allow an open coffin where someone is lying there, dead. But when somebody in battle dies, this is inevitable” (Schelly 50). It was tacitly understood that if war comics were to be permitted, more latitude was required. All-American Men of War, Our Army at War, Our Fighting

Characters TM and © DC Comics.

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10 Great Batman Stories drawn by Dick Sprang Just as Carl Barks was known as “the good duck artist” by readers who recognized his work but didn’t know his name, Dick Sprang was known as “the good Bob Kane.” He had been penciling the adventures of Batman and Robin for a decade, but Sprang’s work reached a higher plateau in the 1950s. His style was characterized by superior composition, energetic figure dynamics and a semi-whimsical quality that was perfect for comic books. When he depicted the Dynamic Duo swinging on their ropes, they sometimes appeared to defy gravity. Sprang’s Batman was more akin to the darker crimefighter of the early 1940s than the lighter “boy scout leader” that ran parallel to his fine ’50s work. Throughout the decade, Sprang and regular Batman inker Charles Paris turned out dozens of stories, a body of work of the highest artistic caliber.

Jack Schiff gave Dick Sprang the assignment of updating the Gotham Guardians’ vehicles in two classic stories: “The Batmobile of 1950” in Detective #156 (February 1950) and “The Birth of Batplane II!” in Batman #61 (October-November 1950). In 1953, Sprang received a script by science fiction writer Edmond Hamilton (creator of Captain Future in the pulps) for a story titled “The Lord of Batmanor!” The tale took Batman and Robin to Scotland where one of their better mysteries awaited. Of these ten superlative stories illustrated by the Sprang-Paris team, eight are known to have been penned by Edmond Hamilton. Hamilton’s stories were always intelligent and carefully constructed. Each was a gem, and all were reprinted in the future Batman Annuals from 1961 to 1963, and elsewhere, due to their overall excellence.

“The Lord of Batmanor!” Detective #198, August 1953. (Reprinted in Batman Annual #2, Winter 1961.) The Dynamic Duo travel to “far away Scotland” to solve the mystery of McLaughlie Castle, which is known to the locals as “Batmanor.” Clad in kilts, Batman and Robin search the castle’s spooky, atmospheric corridors, and clash with a sea serpent (a la the Loch Ness monster) in their quest to find the missing gold treasure.

“The Voyage of the First Batmarine!” Batman #86, September 1954. (Reprinted in Batman Annual #2, Winter 1961, as “The Underseas Batman.”) When the duo stayed in deep water too long while clearing dangerous debris from Gotham City River, they had to fight crime underwater while gradually decompressing. Batman and Robin TM and © DC Comics.

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“The Mental Giant of Gotham City!” Detective #217, March 1955. (Reprinted in Batman Annual #3, 1962.) A simpleton accidentally gained tremendous mental abilities and threatened the secret identities of Batman and Robin.

“The Map of Mystery!” Batman #91, April 1955. (Reprinted in Batman Annual #6, 1963.) The Dynamic Duo went globetrotting to Peru to catch a crook.

“When Batman was Robin!” Detective #226, December 1955. (Reprinted in Batman Annual #2, 1961.) This memorable story revealed that before Bruce Wayne became Batman, he created and wore the Robin costume as a teenager for a key adventure with a detective mentor named Harvey Harris.

“The 10,000 Secrets of Batman!” Detective #229, March 1956. (Reprinted in Batman Annual #1, 1961, as “Batman’s Electronic Crime-File.”) The unknown writer of this script (Bill Finger? Edmond Hamilton?) concocted a forward-looking story revealing the Crusaders’ computerized crime-file. The showdown in an abandoned organ factory was highly atmospheric.

“Batman the Giant!” Detective #243, May 1957. (Reprinted in Batman Annual #5, 1963, as “The Giant Batman.”) Among the many stories where the Caped Crusader goes through strange body transformations, this was one of the best.

Batman and Robin TM and © DC Comics.

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“1,001 Inventions of Batman!” Batman #109, August 1957. (Reprinted in Batman Annual #1, 1961, as “The Amazing Inventions of Batman.”) This companion of sorts to “The 10,000 Secrets of Batman!” gave Sprang the opportunity to design more great-looking gadgets, including the very cool Flying Eye.

“The Phantom Batman!” Batman #110, September 1957. (Reprinted in Batman Annual #5, 1963.) An explosion at an “experimental electronics laboratory” left Batman with the temporary ability to pass through solid objects.

“Batman – The Superman of Planet X!” Batman #113, February 1958. (Reprinted in Batman Annual #2, Winter 1961.) Pulled into another dimension where he had super powers, Batman discovered the Batman of that world and joined him in a wild adventure. Great “pre-psychedelic” color effects enhanced Batman’s inter-dimensional transfer.

Dick Sprang became the regular artist on World’s Finest Comics’ Superman-Batman team-up stories with issue #78’s “When Superman’s Identity is Exposed!” (September-October 1955), probably because Curt Swan, who had drawn issues #71-77, was needed by Weisinger to draw Superman’s Pal, Jimmy Olsen. Sprang did his usual fine job, continuing on the series into the 1960s, but none of stories was especially memorable. Despite scripts by Edmond Hamilton, Bill Finger, etc., the team-up stories were plot driven with few atmospherics or other opportunities for the artist to shine. This author will always favor the superb artwork Sprang did in Batman and Detective Comics in the ’50s. Batman and Robin TM and © DC Comics.

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lot of work. I may have even seen Julie that same day, but for some reason I started doing much of my work for Kanigher. (Thomas 9)

to Wilker, Robin said, “If you ever want to be a Bat-Hound again, Ace – the position is open!” Indeed, future visits occurred, in some 25 non-reprint comics between 1955 and 1964. The heroic hound received a special radio-collar so that he could hear commands when he was away from Batman and Robin.

In retrospect, this was a pivotal move in Kubert’s career. He became known, by the decade’s end, as National’s premier war comics artist, and did most of his comics work in that genre over the next 15 years.

Kubert Returns to National After the collapse of 3-D, Joe Kubert freelanced with Atlas, Avon and Lev Gleason to pay the bills, but it was only a matter of time before his artwork began appearing in comics from National. He had worked with both Julie Schwartz and Bob Kanigher in the late 1940s before his military stint, and had always gotten along well with both men. Now he showed up in National’s office to see what was available. Kubert began working mainly with Kanigher on the war comics because those assignments came through faster and tended to keep him busy. Later, while being interviewed by Roy Thomas, Kubert recalled:

Kubert’s first war comic assignment for National was the cover of All-American Men of War #18 (February 1955), and his first story was in issue #20 (April 1955), a six-pager titled “Cannon Camera.” These early one-off stories (with no continuing characters) gave Kubert the chance to experiment with different art techniques. His hard work and inventiveness earned him a spot in a non-war comic book drawing a new character created by Kanigher. The comic was The Brave and The Bold, and the character was the Viking Prince.

The reason I started doing all that work for Bob Kanigher on the war comics wasn’t really because I loved war comics. It’s just that, back at the time after the Senate hearings and all about comics, I was a bit unsure about getting plenty of work in comics. I went up to DC, and for some reason ... the first person I ran into was Kanigher, who offered me a

Once the parameters of the Comics Code became clear, Atlas appeared to have little trouble cleaning up its act. The firm adjusted its line to fit the Code and continued to publish its usual output of comics in the same popular genres of the day. In his autobiography, Excelsior!, Stan Lee wrote, “Most of the changes [demanded by the CCA] seemed foolish and unnecessary to us, but they were easy to make and never bothered us that much. At least we were getting back in business again” (95).

Atlas in 1955

When he later talked about the effect of the Comics Code on Atlas, Lee recounted how one of the reviewers in Judge Murphy’s office thought a particular image of a gun firing was too violent. When asked how to “correct” the panel, Lee was told that it would be acceptable as long as the smoke around the firing gun was omitted. It made no sense, but Lee had the offending smoke removed and the panel was passed. Lee later stated: Actually, we had less trouble with the Code than most of the other publishers. We never intentionally played up sex or violence anyway and always tried to have a salutary moral message in every story. The good guys were the ones we wanted the readers to root for and to emulate, and we took pains never to glamorize the villains. Of course, we did make sure that there was plenty of action in our adventure tales, because that’s what the readers always want, but any discerning reader must know that there’s a world of difference between violence and action, something of which Wertham seemed to be blissfully unaware. As for sex, we drew the prettiest females we could, and yes, they had great figures. The heroes were often in love with them. Sometimes they might even kiss. I don’t think our stories would have offended a nun. (95) In 1955, Atlas comics’ output of Western titles reached its high water mark. The slate included Apache Kid, Black Rider, Gunsmoke Western, Kid Colt Outlaw, Outlaw Fighters, Outlaw Kid, Rawhide Kid, Ringo Kid, Two-Gun Kid, Western Kid, Western Thrillers, Western Outlaws, Wild Western and Wyatt Earp. Lee obviously had an affinity for gunfighters

Joe Kubert’s first story drawn for National’s war comics was “Cannon Camera!” in All-American Men of War #20. TM and © DC Comics.

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with “kid” in their names, and many a comics historian has wondered why the Comics Code, given its directive that crime should never appear glamorous, didn’t object to a book titled Outlaw Kid. True, the book’s protagonist wasn’t really an outlaw, but the title certainly gave that impression. With all those Atlas Westerns essentially competing against each other, it’s hard to believe that each of them sold enough copies to be profitable but that must have been the case. In truth, the contents of all these Atlas Westerns were virtually interchangeable; even the continuing characters didn’t differ much from each other.

Joe Maneely covers on Battle Front #33 (July 1955) and Outlaw Kid #7 (September 1955). Russ Heath cover on Battleground #4 (March 1955). TM and © Marvel Characters Inc.

In later years, collectors sought these comics more for work by a favorite artist rather than for the characters or stories. Some of the most popular issues are those with stories drawn by Gene Colan, Mort Drucker, Russ Heath, Joe Maneely, John Severin and Al Williamson. Atlas continued to publish “horror” comics such as Astonishing, Journey into Mystery, Journey into Unknown Worlds, Marvel Tales, Mystery Tales, Mystic, Spellbound, Strange Stories of 125

Suspense, Strange Tales, Strange Tales of the Unusual and Uncanny Tales. In fact, Atlas produced as many horror comics as it did Westerns. Other Atlas genres included romance (such as Love Romances, Lovers), girl comics (such as Millie the Model, Patsy Walker), and war comics (including Combat Casey, Battlefront, War Comics, Battle). Atlas’ output was generally undistinguished… and large. For instance, some 40 Atlas titles were published with an October cover date, and that didn’t even include

the entire Atlas lineup. Because some titles were released bi-monthly, Atlas produced many more books in total.

American Comics Group In 1948 ACG had published the first ongoing horror comic book with Adventures into the Unknown #1. Seven years later, ACG’s horror books weren’t among the bloodiest on the stands, but the question remained if they would still sell after being toned down to fit the Comics Code. Editor Richard Hughes cancelled Out of the Night with issue #17 (November 1954), never bothering to submit it to the CCA, and re-started The Hooded Horseman (a Western) with issue #18. Adventures into the Unknown made a smooth transition, sporting the Code seal for the first time on issue #62 (March-April 1955). In the case of Forbidden Worlds, #34 (October-November 1954) was the last pre-Code issue. It didn’t return with a Code seal until the August 1955 issue. Hughes succeeded in making the sto-

ries interesting despite the imposed limitations. He was a clever enough writer to keep them selling until ACG went out of business in 1967. In 1955, ACG introduced the commercial tie-in Wrangler Great Moments in Rodeo (which lasted for six issues), Teepee Tim and Spencer Spook. Young Heroes starred boy heroes Prince Athel, Jeremy Jones of the Queen’s Navy, Frontier Scout and Roger of Sherwood Forest. None of these books lasted, and as the decade progressed, Hughes focused mainly on his niche as a publisher of quirky, offbeat stories in a Twilight Zone vein.

Archie Comics In the world of American popular culture, 1955 has been dubbed the “year of the teenager” largely because of two important movies. The first was Blackboard Jungle, a film about a teacher (played by Glenn Ford) who had to deal with tough, inner city youths, based on the novel by Evan Hunter. It was released on March 25,

Archie characters TM and © Archie Publications Inc.

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1955. “Rock Around the Clock” by Bill Haley and the Comets played over the opening credits, which helped make it a hit recording. So sensational was the impact of “Rock Around the Clock” that it’s generally considered

the song that established rock and roll music as a commercial phenomenon. The other important movie with a teenage theme was Rebel Without a Cause. It starred James Dean, a young actor who died in a car crash on September 30, 1955, about a month before the film’s release. Rebel featured three lead actors (Dean, Natalie Wood and Sal Mineo), all of whom delivered sensational performances. The movie, which cleaned up at the box office, examined the causes behind some of the wild behavior displayed by American youth at this time. In general, the film placed blame on adult hypocrisy. (In this case, presumably, “crime comics” weren’t the cause of youth’s problematic behavior.) In the “year of the teenager,” teenage comics appropriately became a popular phenomenon. Despite the fact that John Goldwater had been the ramrod behind the Comics Code, his Archie Comics required its own share of adjustments. The relatively modestly-dressed curves of Betty and Veronica had to be touched up if preCode work was reprinted. Archie editor Victor Gorelick later reminisced about the arrival of the Code in Best of the Fifties, his introduction to the Archie Americana Series. “My first assignment, as a new art assistant, was to remove cleavages and lift up low cut blouses on Katy Keene,” he recalled (Gorelick 5). Katy Keene continued, but not the shots of her sitting at her vanity wearing filmy garments or showing lots of leg (unless she was in a swimsuit—usually one piece—or an ice-skating getup). “America’s PinUp Queen” became “Queen of Pin-ups and Fashions.” Archie’s Joke Book #16, dated 195455 in the indicia, was the first Codeapproved Archie title on newsstands. Next came Pep Comics #108 (March), Archie Comics #73 (March-April), Laugh Comics #68 (April) and Archie’s Pal Jughead #29 (April). Other than Super Duck, Wilbur, Katy Keene and Pat the Brat, Goldwater’s 1955 comic book line consisted solely of Archie-related titles. The following year introduced Bob Bolling’s Little Archie, chronicling the adventures of Archie and friends when they were children. These comics, written and drawn by Bolling and Dexter Taylor, were published in the

Harvey Comics added two new titles in 1955 that proved to be long-running, both with November cover dates: Little Lotta (#1) and Spooky (#1). Characters TM and © Classic Media, LLC.

25-cent format after their first two issues.

Harvey Comics The transformation of Harvey Comics accelerated in the new Code environment. Black Cat Mystery changed briefly to Black Cat Western, went back to Black Cat Mystery (with the Code seal) and then ultimately became Black Cat Mystic for its last five issues. Its final issue, #62, was cover dated March 1958. Witches Tales became Witches Western Tales with issue #29 (featuring Simon and Kirby’s Boy’s Ranch) but was soon gone. Chamber of Chills never made it to 1955, and Thrills of Tomorrow (formerly Tomb of Terror) was dropped with issue #20 (April 1955). With Warren Kremer as its art editor, Harvey added titles that would fit right in with its comics for younger readers. Spooky the Tuff Little Ghost first appeared in Casper the Friendly Ghost #10 (June 1953). He was Casper’s cousin and looked much like him except for having freckles and a large black nose. With his Brooklyn accent, his derby hat became his “doiby.” In 1955, Spooky earned his own Harvey title. So, too, did Little Lotta, one of Harvey’s best-known female characters. Her own book launched near the year’s end. Lotta’s defining character127

istic was her insatiable appetite and her super-human strength. Warren Kremer and Howard Post scripted the Little Lotta stories. Her primary artists were Dom Sileo and Sid Couchey. This direction proved fertile for Harvey. Other books along similar lines were added throughout the remainder of the decade: Baby Huey, The Baby Giant (September 1956), Hot Stuff, the Little Devil (October 1957) and Wendy the Good Little Witch (August 1960). Harvey gradually jettisoned its other genres. In 1959, the publisher purchased Famous Studios outright, which gave it ownership of its cash cow, Casper. These comics turned out to be Harvey comics’ salvation and lasted into the 1980s. By the end of 1955, Harvey’s lineup consisted of Blondie Comics Monthly, Dick Tracy, Sad Sack Comics, Sad Sack’s Funny Friends, Mazie, First Love Illustrated, First Romance Magazine, HiSchool Romance, Love Problems and Advice Illustrated and True Brides’ Experiences. It also had Joe Palooka, Dagwood Comics, Felix the Cat, Casper the Friendly Ghost, Little Dot, Little Audrey, Little Max Comics, Little Lotta, Paramount Animated Comics (with Baby Huey), Spooky and Flat-Top, a teenage character who ended his brief seven issue run in 1955. Harvey published Warfront sporadically for eight more issues, completing its respectable seven-year run in 1958.

Black Fury #1 (May 1955) and Danger and Adventure #22 (February 1955). TM and © respective copyright holders.

continuations of titles obtained from the defunct comic division of Fawcett Publishing.) War: Don Winslow, Soldier and Marine Comics and Fightin’ Marines. Crime and adventure: Crime and Justice (with both words the same size), Danger and Adventure, Racket Squad in Action, Charlie Chan, Bullseye, Danger, Johnny Dynamite, Terry and the Pirates and Rookie Cop. Romance: Cowboy Love, Sweethearts, In Love, True Life Secrets, I Love You, Romantic Story and Sweetheart Diary.

Dennis the Giant Menace

Charlton

The 25-cent format had proven its acceptability with the popularity of the Dell Giant series. The extra-thick comic books were perfect for keeping the kids quiet while traveling to vacation destinations, or when they had extra time on their hands during the Christmas holidays. In 1955 Dennis the Menace jumped on the giant bandwagon with the Dennis the Menace Giant Vacation Special and the Dennis the Menace Christmas Issue. They sold so well that Standard/Pines launched the Dennis the Menace Giant series the following year.

Charlton’s plant in Derby, Connecticut, was pumping out a dizzying array of titles by this time, undeterred by Code requirements. A substantial number of new Charlton books were picked up from publishers no longer in the business. Ongoing Charlton titles that continued with the Code seal are listed by category as follows: Westerns: Cowboy Western, Gabby Hayes, Monte Hale Western, Tex Ritter Western, Lash Larue Western, Six Gun Heroes, Rocky Lane Western and Death Valley. (Most of these were 128

Other titles: Hot Rods and Racing Cars, My Little Margie, Space Adventures, Atomic Mouse, Blue Beetle (obtained from the defunct Fox Comics), From Here to Insanity (its Mad imitation), Funny Animals, Win a Prize, TV Teens and Zoo Funnies (with Nyoka the Jungle Girl, another Fawcett acquisition). New titles added were Black Fury (a horse book), Badge of Justice, Bo, Frank Merriwell at Yale, Masked Raider, Scotland Yard, Atomic Rabbit, Davy Crockett, Unusual Tales, Danny Blaze, Hillbilly Comics, Romantic Secrets, Sherlock Holmes, and Wild Frontier with Davy Crockett. Charlton’s publishing business was interrupted in 1955 by a major flood in Derby, Connecticut, part of the

devastation brought to the area by Hurricane Diane. On August 18, 1955, flood waters put much of Derby’s acreage underwater including Charlton’s offices and printing presses. While there were comic books bearing cover dates from the subsequent months, they were far fewer in November and especially December. One of the results of this flood was Charlton owner John Santangelo’s decision—due to the firm’s supposed financial distress—to cut pay to all freelancers by 50%. Artists who were getting $13 to pencil and ink a page (already less than half of the going rate at other companies) would now be paid a mere $6.50 for each page! Writers who had been getting a paltry $4 a page were now to get only $2 for the same work. Freelancers were aghast, but many of them simply decided to put the same amount of work into two pages that they had formerly put into one. Little wonder then that so many Charlton comics from 1956 onward were of poor quality.

Dell: One Giant Prospers While Dell’s comics weren’t submitted for Code approval, there’s little doubt they would have been passed with few objections. Instead of a Comics Code seal, the publisher offered “Dell’s Pledge to Parents” which was advertised on some of Dell’s covers this year. The changes that Dell experienced in 1955 were only the normal kind that happen every year as certain titles were dropped and others added. Dell’s Four Color series continued with issue #610 in 1955, featuring Walt Disney’s Duck Album, followed by Little Beaver, Daffy, The Quest of Zorro, Johnny Mack Brown, Krazy Kat, Mowgli (Jungle Book), Beetle Bailey, Oswald the Rabbit, Ben Bowie and his Mountain Men, Goofy, Elmer Fudd, Priscilla’s Pop and Davy Crockett Indian Fighter. It also featured Beany and Cecil, Chip ‘n’ Dale, Max Brand’s Silvertip, Spike and Tyke, Walt Disney’s Davy Crockett at the Alamo, Western Marshal, Milton Caniff’s Steve Canyon, Wild Bill Elliott, Bugs Bunny Album and Prince Valiant. It continued with Buck Jones, Smokey the Bear, Pluto, Francis the Talking Mule, Turok: Son of Stone (the second of two Turok Four Color issues, which continued with an ongoing series with Turok: Son of Stone #3), Daisy Duck’s Dell Comics looked great on newsstands. Lone Ranger, Little Lulu (TM and © Classic Media, LLC.) Turok TM and © Random House, Inc. Others TM and © respective copyright holders.

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The Davy Crockett Craze

Diary, Frosty the Snowman, Marlin Perkins’ Zoo Parade, Winky Dink, Santa Claus Funnies and Dumbo.

One of the biggest fads of the 1950s was what has come to be called “the Davy Crockett craze.” It began in 1954 shortly after the launch of Walt Disney’s new television anthology series Disneyland. (The show served as an ongoing advertisement for the Disneyland theme park thatopened its gates on July 17th, 1955.) Disney’s program presented a total of five episodes starring the frontiersman, the first one titled “Davy Crockett, Indian Fighter,” starring Fess Parker as Crockett and Buddy Ebsen as his pal Georgie Russel. That initial episode ran on December 15th, 1954. The show was the epitome of “family entertainment” and got high ratings, leading to sequels with the same actors. Three versions of the show’s theme song “The Ballad of Davy Crockett” (which begins with the lyric “Born on a mountaintop in Tennessee...”) made the charts. Kids loved the song, and they loved Crockett. They quickly begged their parents for a coonskin cap or other merchandise being produced to exploit the craze. According to one source, sales of Crockett-related merchandise hit $300 million by the end of 1956.

Ongoing Western comics, a key aspect of Dell’s roster, consisted of Champion, The Cisco Kid, Dale Evans, Flying A’s Range Rider, Gene Autry, Indian Chief, Jace Pearson of the Texas Rangers, The Lone Ranger, Red Ryder, Rex Allen, Roy Rogers, Silver, Tonto, Trigger, Western Roundup and Wild Bill Elliott. Due to his television popularity and reruns of his 81 Republic feature films, Roy Rogers was surely the biggest Western star of the midto-late 1950s. Though figures aren’t available, his solo title must have sold well over 1,000,000 copies per issue at this time. Solo titles Donald Duck, Mickey Mouse and Uncle Scrooge continued, as did Walt Disney’s Comics and Stories (the January 1955 issue was #172). WDC&S featured Donald Duck by Carl Barks, Li’l Bad Wolf by the art team of Gil Turner and Vic Lockman, and both Pluto and Mickey Mouse drawn by Paul Murry. These Disney titles were all immensely popular. Other regular Dell series published in 1955: Andy Panda, Henry, Howdy Doody, Jungle Jim, Lassie, Marge’s Little Lulu, Marge’s Tubby, Popeye, Porky Pig, Tom and Jerry, Bugs Bunny, I Love Lucy, Sergeant Preston of the Yukon, Woody Woodpecker, Rin Tin Tin, Tarzan and Tweety and Sylvester. Chip ‘n’ Dale got their own title, as did Spike and Tyke and Angel.

It is odd then that Davy Crockett made only a moderate impact on comic books, especially when the character was based on a real historic figure and therefore was in the public domain. Disney allowed Dell to produce authorized adaptations of the television episodes, but the publisher offered few other Davy Crockett comics. It didn’t even launch an ongoing series. The Four Color series presented Walt Disney’s Davy Crockett Indian Fighter (issue #631), Davy Crockett at the Alamo (#639), Davy Crockett in The Great Keelboat Race (#664) and Davy Crockett and the River Pirates (#671). Dell also published the 25-cent Walt Disney’s Davy Crockett King of the Wild Frontier (September 1955). Only Charlton tried an ongoing book named for the character, inaugurating its Davy Crockett #1 with an August 1955 cover date. (The series lasted seven issues.) Charlton also ran Crockett strips in its Wild Frontier title.

Dell’s Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies Comics became simply Looney Tunes with issue #166 (August 1955), continuing the adventures of Warner Brothers’ characters Bugs Bunny, Elmer Fudd, Porky Pig, Daffy Duck, Tweety and Sylvester and Mary Jane and Sniffles. Walter Lantz New Funnies was the title where readers could find the adventures of Woody Woodpecker and Andy Panda. Many Dell comics had painted covers such as Morris Gollub’s gorgeous one for Walt Disney’s African Lion based on Disney’s True Life Adventure film series. Movie adaptations included Walt Disney’s 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Walt Disney’s Treasure Island, Walt Disney’s Lady and the Tramp (with Jock) and Sir Walter Raleigh. Novels such as Zane Grey’s To the Last Man and Zane Grey’s Fighting Caravans were also adapted.

National launched the Crockett headlined and cover-featured Frontier Fighters, drawn by John Prentice. The frontiersman shared the book with the Joe Kubert-drawn Buffalo Bill and Howard Sherman-illustrated Kit Carson. Like 130

Davy Crockett appeared in comics published by Dell, Charlton, National and others, but vanished from the racks when the craze was over. Davy Crockett TM and © Disney Enterprises, Inc. Frontier Fighters TM and © DC Comics.

Charlton’s Davy Crockett, National’s Frontier Fighters didn’t last long (only eight issues). Young Davy Crockett showed up in a couple of adventures with DC’s Revolutionary hero Tomahawk (in issues #35 and #36), quite an anachronism considering the real Crockett was born in 1786, well after the time period of the Tomahawk stories. Other publishers released a scattering of Crockett comics, none of which amounted to much. Classics Illustrated had its Davy Crockett issue (#129, November 1955). Harvey’s Western Tales #31 and #32 featured Davy in stories drawn by Jack Kirby. Avon

published one issue of Fighting Davy Crockett (#9, Oct-Nov 1955) as well as Wild Bill Hickok #17, which starred Crockett. There were other miscellaneous appearances (such as two issues from Ace entitled Heroes of the Wild Frontier), but it seems the frontiersman’s popularity didn’t take hold in comic books, at least not enough to warrant continuation after the craze had subsided.

EC: One Giant Dies As previously stated, EC was a “giant” publisher not in terms of sales or number of titles, but in terms of its creative excellence and impact on comics of the 1950s. By virtue of his 131

Gorgeous covers by Frank Frazetta on Weird Science-Fantasy #29 and Wally Wood on Valor #1. The Frazetta cover was originally intended as a Famous Funnies/Buck Rogers cover, altered slightly for EC. TM and © Estate of William M. Gaines.

was outspoken and didn’t care whose feathers he ruffled. He made angry phone calls, acted imprudently, and felt that because he was “in the right,” he would prevail. Even when most of the “New Trend” comics had to be shut down, and he lost his battle to prevent the adoption of the new Comics Code, Gaines was far from a chastened man. As he was about to discover, sticking up for oneself and fighting for principles weren’t always welcomed by one’s supposed colleagues, especially when it was done without finesse. He became an industry scapegoat, branded an undesirable whose actions put the whole industry in jeopardy. It seems obvious that the wording of the Comics Code was particularly aimed at Gaines’ comics.

appreciation of distinctive, top quality writing and art, publisher Bill Gaines was responsible for producing some of the finest comic books of all time. EC’s “New Trend” comics have had a life beyond virtually all of their contemporaries and continue to be read and enjoyed by new generations of readers. History shows that the implementation of the Comics Code spelled doom for EC. It’s perhaps perplexing to understand why, though. Given the high caliber of EC’s writers and artists, the company could have easily re-invented itself and produced excellent Code-approved books through the end of the decade and beyond.

Bill Gaines finally realized that most of the “New Trend” titles would have to go, and that EC needed to produce new “clean” comics that would be offensive to no one. In the fall of 1954, he and Al Feldstein worked furiously to create a slate of new comic books. Only three “New Trend” comic books would continue: Weird-Science Fantasy (now back on a bi-monthly schedule), Panic (its Mad imitation) and Piracy, the last “New Trend” title to be introduced.

EC, however, didn’t, and the reason why it didn’t is complicated. A lot of it had to do with Bill Gaines’ personality. Unlike the founders of National and Dell, Gaines hadn’t formed his company himself, hadn’t nurtured it for years, and hadn’t acquired the caution of a businessman who seeks to protect an enterprise that had become an American institution. Also, he was an idealist, rather than a pragmatist. When his comics were attacked, he fought back. He

Mad also continued, saved by its conversion to a 25-cent black-and-white magazine. This wasn’t done to avoid the Comics Code (though Mad would have had all kinds of problems trying to pass the Code), because at first Bill Gaines refused to sign on to the Code. Instead, the conversion was approved to appease Harvey Kurtzman, Mad’s editor and prime creative force. Kurtzman was being wooed by Pageant magazine, whose owner would pay him more 132

Shock SuspenStories), Valor (stories of knights in armor), Aces High (a book about World War I air battles), Extra! (tales of globe-trotting reporters), Psychoanalysis (“people searching for peace of mind”) and MD (doctor and hospital stories). Virtually all of EC’s star artists drew these books: Jack Davis, Wally Wood, Johnny Craig, Bernard Krigstein, Al Williamson, Joe Orlando, Reed Crandall, George Evans, Jack Kamen and John Severin.

money. Unable to match the monetary offer, Gaines cannily told Kurtzman he would convert Mad into a magazine, which Kurtzman had suggested in the past, hoping this would keep the talented writer-artist in the fold. It did, for a little over a year. Mad magazine was a spectacular success both sales-wise and creatively. Kurtzman designed its distinctive logo and format, which were retained after he left in the spring of 1956 to start a slick magazine called Trump (bankrolled by Playboy publisher Hugh Hefner). However, in late 1954, converting Mad to a magazine was a risk, adding further to Gaines’ anxiety as he prepared to launch his new comics without joining the Code.

The scripts were mostly by the writers who became regulars in the last year of the “New Trend”: Jack Oleck, Carl Wessler and Otto Binder. Daniel Keyes and Robert Bernstein wrote Psychoanalysis. All were solid professionals, though probably not as inspired as Feldstein at his best. At this stage, all Feldstein wanted to do was edit the “New Direction” titles (and the remaining “New Trend” books) and design Panic covers. (Johnny Craig edited Extra!.)

EC’s “New Direction” Gaines could have played it safe. He could have put out new titles in the popular genres of 1955: Western, romance, war and teen humor. This would have been a return to his policy before the “New Trend”, when he was just getting his bearings in the comics business. It wasn’t until Gaines and Feldstein decided to create the kind of comics they would personally enjoy that EC found success. Now Gaines and Feldstein tried to do the same thing again: invent comic books that interested them, written and drawn by the best in the business. Just as EC’s covers in 1950 announced its “New Trend,” the covers of EC’s new 1955 titles trumpeted its “New Direction” in magazines ... An entirely novel and unique kind of reading experience!”

The first issues of Impact, Valor, Aces High, Extra! and Psychoanalysis bore cover dates of March 1955, and the first issue of MD was dated April. The first five “New Direction” titles didn’t hit the stands simultaneously, but launching them in concert was an impressive achievement for Gaines and his staff. It was also a statement of Gaines’ defiance, for none of them carried the Comics Code Seal of Approval. The editorial on the inside front cover of Impact #1 titled “The Punch Bowl” began: “This magazine, ‘IMPACT,’ is the first of five E.C. “New Direction” publications. And to it, your Editors have entrusted a cherished tradition here at E.C. … THE SURPRISE ENDING! Yes, ‘IMPACT’ will be a magazine devoted to the unexpected outcome, the twist, the snap wind-up.”

The “New Direction” titles were Impact (a mild version of

When one describes Impact as a “mild version of ShockSuspenStories,” one story in its first issue must be excepted, because there was nothing mild about it. “Master Race!” was plotted by Gaines and Feldstein, scripted by Feldstein, and drawn by Bernard Krigstein. It told the story of an encounter on a New York subway between a Jewish survivor of a Nazi death camp and its commandant who was living anonymously in the city. The script called for a six-page

No one was sure whether Mad in magazine form would sell. Cover design and Page 1 cartoon by Harvey Kurtzman. TM and © Estate of William M. Gaines.

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Impact #1 and panel from page 1 of “Master Race!” Opposite and next page: Pages 7 and 8 of “Master Race!.” Bernard Krigstein’s page and panel designs were like nothing seen before in comic books. TM and © Estate of William M. Gaines.

Lackluster work was the least of Bill Gaines’ problems. As he would soon learn, the newsstand dealers and distributors were out to make Gaines pay for the turmoil they felt his comics brought onto the industry. “I put out the six first issues, six bimonthlies, and they sold ten, 15 percent,” Gaines stated. “You can’t believe how horrendous the sales were. And I later found out that it was because the word was passed by the wholesalers, ‘Get ’em!’ So they got me” (Decker 78). Lacking the Code seal, and with the EC logo featured prominently on the covers, many of these books never made it onto newsstands. In fact, many bundles of EC comics never even left the distributor’s warehouse.

story, but Krigstein saw such potential in it that he expanded it (over Gaines’ objections) to eight pages, and he introduced innovative panel sequences and designs unlike any comic book story drawn before. The use of multiple panels to create the impression of figures in slow motion was just one of the artist’s techniques to make the narrative more vivid. “Master Race!” was the best story produced in all of EC’s “New Direction” books. In fact, it’s a masterwork of comic art that ranks among the greatest comics stories of all time. This may be partly due to the power of the subject matter itself, so loaded with emotion, tragedy and revulsion, as it unflinchingly portrayed Nazi atrocities. Still, Krigstein was obviously on fire creatively and showed himself a true visionary of the field. Probably more words have been written about “Master Race!” than any other single EC story. Even those who generally dislike Krigstein’s artwork fall under its spell. From a historical perspective, it influenced many future practitioners of comic art.

Gaines had no choice but to swallow his pride and sign on to the Comics Code. Unfortunately, that move didn’t reverse his fortunes. As Gaines recounted in a 1983 Comics Journal interview, once EC comics carried the Comics Code seal, sales figures doubled, from 10 percent to 20 percent. A twenty percent sell-through rate was still, in Gaines’ own words, “disastrous” (Decker 78). Not only did joining the Association not improve EC’s sales much, it also meant Gaines now had to contend with Judge Murphy’s (sometimes baffling, sometimes maddening) revision stipulations. As expected, Gaines and Murphy didn’t see eye-to-eye on matters. Their attitudes about censorship were incompatible, to say the very least. Inevitably, Gaines battled Murphy over revisions the latter’s office was requiring.

Because EC’s “New Direction” titles contained a great deal of beautiful artwork, they retain a certain popularity among comics fans of later generations. Valor was colorful and boasted wonderful visuals by Williamson, Ingels, Davis, Orlando, Wood and Crandall. Extra! had lots of Johnny Craig work and continuing characters for added appeal. On the other hand, MD and Psychoanalysis were rather dull, as was much of Impact.

Gaines’ last battle with the CMAA was over the contents of the final comic book EC published: Incredible Science Fic134

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tion #33 (January-February 1956). Sometimes the EC science fiction titles contained a “preachy” story like those most often found in Shock SuspenStories. A famous example is the story “Judgment Day!,” which originally appeared in Weird Fantasy #18 (March-April 1953). Written by Al Feldstein from a plot he concocted with Bill Gaines, it was a landmark story against racism. It ends with the astronaut from earth, who has been observing unfounded prejudice between different colored robots on another planet, removing his helmet and revealing that he’s a black man. In that final panel, artist Joe Orlando had drawn tiny beads of sweat on the astronaut’s face. When the Comics Code rejected one story for Incredible #33, Gaines decided to fill the slot with a reprint of “Judgment Day!” Gaines’ and Feldstein’s stories of what happened next differ. According to Feldstein, in an account Digby Diehl published in his book Tales from the Crypt, he met with Judge Murphy in person:

Wire service photo of Bill Gaines in his office at EC. AP/Wide World.

“Judge Murphy was off his nut. He was really out to get us,” recalls Feldstein. “I went in there with this story and Murphy says, ‘It can’t be a Black man.’ But ... but that’s the whole point of the story!” Feldstein sputtered. When Murphy continued to insist that the Black man had to go, Feldstein put it on the line. “Listen,” he told Murphy, “you’ve been riding us and making it impossible to put out anything at all because you guys just want us out of business.” (Diehl 95)

On that acrimonious note, the saga of EC as a comic book publisher came to an end. Gaines could no longer afford to publish comics that were losing money with every issue. Consequently, none of the “New Direction” titles lasted longer than five issues.

Bill Gaines, in the science fiction panel discussion at the 1972 EC convention (which didn’t include Feldstein), said, “One of the errors of fact is that ... the Code turned down ‘Judgment Day’ because they wanted the spaceman not to be a Negro. That is simply not true.” Both Gaines and Feldstein, however, agreed that Murphy objected to the beads of sweat shown on the astronaut’s face. Gaines added:

After launching the “New Direction” comic books, EC tried publishing a comic book hybrid. Noting that Mad was selling well as a magazine, Gaines decided to try publishing more magazines with illustrated stories that were something like the confession magazines of the day except there would be much more artwork, and it would be by the great EC pros. Gaines called them Picto-Fiction magazines.

This was to them a very distasteful thing. I refused to remove it, and it became a cause celebre for a

The first of them was Shock Illustrated #1 (September-October 1955). Then came Crime Illustrated #1 and Terror Illustrated #1 (both November-December 1955), and finally Confessions Illustrated #1 (January-February 1956), published about the same time as Incredible Science Fiction #33. The problem was that the Picto-Fictions just didn’t sell. The last Picto-Fiction, Shock Illustrated #3 (Spring 1956), wasn’t distributed because Gaines lacked the funds to have the issue bound. He asked the bindery to put together 100 to 200 by hand as a favor. They were given away to fans, or at the office, and some were reportedly thrown away. Therefore, it’s the rarest of EC publications, though not truly a comic book.

little while. I threatened to take it to the Supreme Court, and they relented and the story was printed. Then I sent them a letter and told them to go screw....” (Benson 41).

The truth about EC is that, while its “New Trend” books were of the highest caliber, the firm’s financial success was largely based on the popularity of its horror comics. As time went on, the brilliant science fiction and war comics were “carried” by the profits from Tales from the Crypt, Vault of Horror and Haunt of Fear. In Tales of Terror!, Gaines admitted, “Maybe we did get too good for the market…. There’s no question that as the quality went up, the sales slid down” (Hauser 181). As in any field of popular culture, catering to discriminating tastes was usually a recipe for failure. Still, no EC comics published in 1955 would have

Last panel from “Judgment Day!” Art by Joe Orlando. TM and © Estate of William M. Gaines.

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business was Ron Parker’s Hoohah!, which presented topnotch work by Archie Goodwin, Ted White, Fred von Bernewitz, Larry Ivie, Bill Spicer, and virtually all of the older and more articulate EC followers. One of the most memorable pieces was Larry Stark’s “Elegy” to EC. In Hoohah! #9 (October 1957) Parker printed a list of his readers, which totaled 44. Other latter-day publications by EC fans were The Complete EC Checklist, Spoof, Frantic, EChhhh!, Squatront (no relation to the later fanzine), Fanfare, Gamut and Image.

Costumed Heroes in 1955 The mini-super hero revival of 1954 continued into 1955, but showed signs of sputtering out. Two more issues of Simon and Kirby’s Fighting American appeared, disappointingly ending its short seven-issue run. Its last issue bore an April-May cover date. The Human Torch and Captain America didn’t make it into 1955, but Sub-Mariner did. Sub-Mariner Comics’ first issue with the Code seal was #39 (April 1955). Namor continued his adventures (with more nice Everett artwork and a couple of covers by Maneely) mainly to keep the possibility of a TV series alive. When negotiations fell through, Goodman pulled the plug. The last issue of the series was #42, dated October 1955, officially ending the laudable but doomed revival of the Timely heroes. Also, after a bit of a delay, three more issues of Sterling’s Captain Flash were published. These Code-approved issues bore colorful, SF-oriented covers, but Sterling’s brief run in comics ended shortly after Captain Flash #4 (July 1955) appeared.

Shock Illustrated #1 was the first of the failed black-and-white Picto-Fiction magazines. Cover by Jack Kamen. TM and © Estate of William M. Gaines.

The first new hero of the year arrived with The Avenger #1 from Magazine Enterprises. Attempting to move forward in the post-Code era, Vin Sullivan’s operation gave its own commie fighter a shot.

been successful given their notorious reputation and poor relations with wholesalers. EC didn’t really die in 1955. Mad continued with evermounting sales figures, reaching a circulation in excess of 2,000,000 copies at its peak in the 1970s. Harvey Kurtzman’s brainchild, under the stewardship of Gaines and Feldstein, became a true cultural phenomenon and one of the great publishing success stories of the century.

Artist Dick Ayers figured prominently in Atlas’ hero revivals (especially on the Torch). Now he teamed up with writers Gardner F. Fox and Paul S. Newman to draw the first issue of another new costumed character. In “The Birth of The Avenger!” in The Avenger #1 (February-March 1955), readers learned that scientist Roger Wright’s brother and sister-in-law were kidnapped by Communists. To release the Americans, the Commies demanded the blueprints for Wright’s invention, the Starjet. Described as “50 years ahead of its time,” the Starjet was a VTOL vehicle that could also streak through the sky like a jet because it had an “atomic motor.” Inspired by a Ghost Rider mask that his secretary Claire Farrow bought for her son, Wright and Farrow created a costume for him to wear, all red (a curious choice for a Commie fighter) with a big “A” emblazoned on the chest. Soon Wright arrived in East Berlin to rescue his relatives. However, the treacherous Russian General Sergei Viroshonsky had already ordered their execution. Because the Commie agent’s failure to obtain the Starjet plans meant a certain firing squad in Moscow, vengeance belonged to the Avenger. At the story’s conclusion, he tossed the General a rhetorical question: “When will you people learn that it is the individual man, and not the state, that is most important?”

EC Fandom after EC Comics One might think that EC fandom would die when the EC comics came to an end, but that wasn’t the case. EC fandom continued unabated through the end of the decade in the form of numerous fanzines devoted to the company’s former output, to Mad magazine, and to the EC artists whose work was appearing in other publications. The last EC fanzine begun while the publisher was in the comic book

The Avenger, with his elaborate headquarters, utility belt 138

and private plane (and no super powers) was sort of a cross between Batman and Fighting American. Ayers’ first issue’s artwork captured something of the dynamics of Kirby in its action scenes. The cover of issue #1 and the entirety of issues #2 through #4 (when the series ended) were drawn by Bob Powell, and ably so, though his work lacked Ayers’ rough dynamism. Forged on the anvil of the Cold War, the Avenger was an above average entry in the costumed hero derby. The last of his 15 stories appeared in The Avenger #4, dated July 1955. ME debuted a second hero book just one month after The Avenger. It was Strong Man #1 (March-April 1955), drawn by Bob Powell. The opening caption of the origin story read, “He doesn’t have muscles of steel — there is no such thing — but he is the strongest human in the world today! His strength, built of bone, sinew, blood and nerves, was created from healthy living, proper eating, exercise, training and will-power. Follow his example — as you now follow his battle against the evil forces that roam the world — and you yourself may someday be known as STRONG MAN.” Strong Man’s origin began when he was a boy in a circus aerialist act with his parents. After a fall from the trapeze that might have maimed him for life, two friends from the big top—

Sub-Mariner #41 (August 1955) with a cover by Joe Maneely. TM and © Marvel Characters, Inc.

the strong man and a midget named the General—helped him recover, train, and grow stronger until he became the epitome of human physical development. Strong Man used his strength and other training to fight crime like any good hero; in his case, he did it clad in a leopard skin costume. From his base as the owner of a “school of physical culture” (its slogan is “My Strength is Yours”), Strong Man battled evildoers including the inevitable Commies. The character would seem to have been inspired by the rise of bodybuilding and physical culture in the 1950s (with bodybuilders such as Steve Reeves and Gordon Scott appearing in the movies). The title included body-building and training tips for its readers. Unfortunately, like its companion book, Strong Man lasted just four issues, with #4 dated September-October 1955. More costumed heroes returned from the Golden Age that year, courtesy of Ajax-Farrell. The first was The Flame, a creation of Will Eisner and Lou Fine who appeared in Fox’s Wonderworld Comics beginning in 1939. He came back for a three-issue run in his own title, beginning with a December 1954-January 1955 issue. Then came a book starring Wonder Boy in March 1955, followed by Samson (who looked a lot like ME’s Strong Man) in his own title the following month. All were mediocre and short-lived. Wonder Boy was the backup in Samson, and Phantom Lady served this purpose in Wonder Boy’s own title. Phantom Lady, a.k.a. Sandra Knight, had seen sexier days as a “headlight” star of Fox Comics of the late 1940s. Now, chastely clad, she became one more nondescript crimefighter. Charlton also got into the super hero act in a minor way, bringing the Golden Age Blue Beetle back in his own book, continuing the numbering of The Thing! with issue #18 (February 1955). It was a mix of reprints of the old Fox comics along with some new stories. The Blue Beetle also appeared in Space Adventures #13 (OctoberNovember 1954) and #14 (January 1955). His own title lasted through issue #21. Then the Beetle returned to comic book limbo where he remained for almost a decade. Charlton also published Danger and Adventure #22 with Ibis the Invincible, the long139

The Avenger and Strong Man, two short-lived costumed heroes in 1955. © respective copyright holders.

running star of his own Fawcett series (and solo comic). Reprints of Nyoka the Jungle Girl, another Fawcett alumnus, appeared in the same book. She also had a solo series for 15 issues: Zoo Funnies #8 through #10 and Nyoka the Jungle Girl #14 through #22, ending in late 1957. None of the new, re-tooled and/or reprinted costumed heroes launched in 1954 and 1955 caught on. Generally, the only such heroes outside of the big stars at National who were still selling were Quality Comics’ Plastic Man and Blackhawk (if you consider the Blackhawks’ uniform a costume). By mid-1955, all of Plastic Man was

Yes, he had the advantage of appearing in a long-established title and wouldn’t likely have succeeded in his own solo book. Nevertheless, J’onn J’onzz had his own modest appeal centering around the “stranger in a strange land” element and the poignancy of being trapped on Earth.

Looking for the Next Big Thing Even with the number of issues cut by about 25 percent in one year, overall sales of the remaining books in 1955 were either flat or sinking for all publishers other than Dell. The damage done to comics’ image by Dr. Wertham and the Senate hearings would not be undone overnight. Still, parents who bothered to accompany their kids to the newsstands could note with satisfaction that there was nothing on sale in comic book form that was in the least offensive. The Senate held no further hearings, and Dr. Wertham—still grumbling—was left to target other forms of mass media. While the Davy Crockett craze had minimal repercussions in comics, another trend from motion pictures had a greater effect. This was the release of movies featuring medieval adventure, with the most influential being Ivanhoe (released in February 1953), nominated for Best Picture by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Its critical and popular success led to more such films, which in 1954 included MGM’s Knights of the Round Table, Warner Brothers’ King Richard and the Crusaders, 20th Century Fox’s Prince Valiant (based on Hal Foster’s comic strip), Universal’s The Black Shield of Falworth, and Columbia’s The Black Knight—a virtual traffic jam of horses and armored riders. Dashing knights and feats of derring-do offered the possibility of exciting and colorful visuals, seemingly perfect for the comic book medium. To publishers looking for new subject matter to catch the readers’ attention as they attempted to compete with the allure of the big and small screens, it was a direction worth exploring.

The Martian Manhunter, introduced in Detective Comics #225, had staying power. TM and © DC Comics.

The Black Shield of Falworth TM and © Universal International Pictures, Inc.

retouched reprints; creator Jack Cole was long gone, having found a niche as a cartoonist for Playboy. Blackhawk, however, was comparatively vibrant, and was still being worked on by its co-creator Chuck Cuidera. It appeared monthly, offering new stories with art by penciler Dick Dillin and inker Cuidera. As one might expect, it was National who introduced the one enduring super hero of 1955: J’onn J’onzz, the Martian Manhunter. He debuted in the backup story “The Strange Experiment of Dr. Erdel” in Detective Comics #225 (November 1955), replacing Captain Compass. Joseph Samachson wrote and Joe Certa drew the origin story. The Manhunter was an extra-terrestrial being from Mars who was brought to Earth by a teleportation beam. Its inventor, the elderly Dr. Erdel, died of heart failure before he could find a way to return the alien to his home planet. J’onzz decided to make the best of it, fighting crime on Earth while searching for a way to return to Mars. He assumed the guise of John Jones, a detective on the police force of Middletown. Beyond the ability to change his appearance, his powers were “Atomic vision,” super-hearing, telepathy, flight, superhuman strength and invulnerability. At first operating in secret, he eventually revealed his existence to the world and joined the Justice League of America when it was formed in 1959. Never a superstar, the Manhunter was enjoyed as a backup to Batman and Robin in Detective, and continued into the 1960s when his profile would become somewhat higher, especially in House of Mystery.

Dell’s Four Color had included one-shot adaptations of such films as early as 1952 with its version of Walt Disney’s Robin Hood and His Merrie Men (simply as Walt Disney’s Robin Hood, Four Color #413, August 1952). Four Color #505 (October 1953) featured Walt Disney’s The Sword and the Rose, and Four Color #567 had Prince Valiant. A sequel to the first Prince Valiant book was published in Four Color #650 (September 1955), indicating that sales had been at least satisfactory on the first one. (For Dell, that meant sales of 500,000 copies or more.) A trend in comics, most would agree, requires at least two publishers putting out comics with the same or similar theme. EC deserves credit for being next 140

Would knights in armor be the Next Big Thing? Both Atlas and National tried them. Black Knight TM and ©

Marvel Characters Incs. The Brave and the Bold characters TM and © DC Comics.

to enter the field with its ill-fated “New Direction” title Valor. In most respects Valor was a fine comic book, but found its way into the hands of only a small number of readers in 1955 due to EC’s distribution problems. Of all the “New Direction” titles, after Impact #1, Valor is probably the most collected. Four of Valor’s five covers were drawn by Wally Wood, and all have interior stories handled by Wood and Williamson, two artists who were born to illustrate such tales. Next came Atlas with The Black Knight (#1, dated May 1955), which

had the virtue of a continuing character and top of the line artwork by Joe Maneely. Stan Lee scripted at least the first issue. The Black Knight was colorful, exciting, and so good that one could believe the front cover blurb, “The Greatest Knight of Them All!” At least in comics, his five-issue run was one of the best of the genre. (A new version of the character arose years later and took his place in the Marvel Age of Comics.) Then it was time for the folks at National to weigh in. Editor Bob Kanigher put together a new title called The 141

Brave and the Bold (#1 dated August-September 1955) which hit the stands in late June, shortly after kids got out of the school for the summer. It headlined three new heroes: The Golden Gladiator (“The Thunder of the Chariots!” by France Herron and Russ Heath), Viking Prince (“Battle for the Dragon Ship!” by Bob Kanigher and Joe Kubert) and Silent Knight (“Duel in Forest Perilous” by Kanigher and Irv Novick). The Golden Gladiator was set in ancient Rome. Viking Prince took place in the stormy coasts and fjords of Scandinavia in the 11th century. The Silent Knight was National’s entry in medieval adventure. All were well written and drawn but struggled to tell satisfying stories in a mere eight pages each. Still, The Brave and the Bold sold well enough to outlast its competitors in the genre. Soon Kanigher would make changes that improved the title considerably. Despite the moderate success of National’s Silent Knight, medieval adventure didn’t become the “next big thing” or anything like it. The editors at National, along with those of their competitors, would have to look elsewhere to find the next successful trend. But where? Hadn’t they tried just about everything? One thing was certain: it would have to work within the confines of the Comics Code.

1956

Birth of the

Silver Age

Reverberations from the anti-comics crusades and the adoption of the Comics Code continued to be felt in the industry in 1956. Stanley P. Morse, a publisher who had depended heavily on horror comics, shut down all four of his publishing companies: Aragon, Gilmor, Key Publications and Stanmor Publications. Other publishers who succumbed or dropped their comics lines this year were Ace Publications, Avon Publications, Lev Gleason, Premier Magazines and Superior Comics (a Canadian firm). At the year’s end, Comic Magazines, Inc.—better known as Quality Comics—ceased operations. Perhaps the most telling fact of 1956 was that no new publisher entered the comics field. National’s Next Moves Of course, that didn’t mean that no new comics titles were published. National debuted several of them in the early months of the year, and all of them were successful. House of Mystery, National’s lone “weird” anthology book, was selling well. As that title approached its 50th issue, a companion title called Tales of the Unexpected was added (sporting a February 1956 cover date). Editor Jack Schiff had access to some superb artists, including John Prentice and Leonard Starr (both of whom would go on to careers as syndicated comic strip cartoonists). Sales of Tales were sufficient to spur the launch of a third title in the genre. House of Secrets (#1, October 1956) completed National’s trilogy of comic books with the same type of material. Just after the publication of the first issue of Tales of the Unexpected, National released Showcase #1 (March-April 1956), a vehicle for the company to try out new ideas and see if they generated sufficient sales to earn their own titles. According to Irwin Donenfeld, who originated Showcase’s format, the book’s name was inspired by the Producer’s Showcase TV show (1954-1957) that aired a variety of 90 minute special programs every four weeks. (Peter Pan was one of its offerings; another was a new version of the film The Petrified Forest with Humphrey Bogart reprising the role that made him a star.) Showcase was one of the last titles launched before Whitney Ellsworth relinquished his remaining editorial duties. National had found its greatest success with super heroes, and sales of its Superman family of books were still good. The editors knew that young readers would always be attracted to heroes, which is why knights, Vikings and gladiators were being featured in The Brave and the Bold. The expressed purpose of Showcase was to test other ideas.

CHAPTER SEVEN 142

Mort Weisinger was sure he had the answer. According to a story Julie Schwartz would later tell, Weisinger was convinced that all boys admired firemen, so a book about them would be a sure-fire hit. Weisinger claimed he talked to children in his neighborhood who were enthusiastic about reading such a comic book. Thus, Showcase #1 featured Fireman Farrell in “Fourth Alarm!,” “School for Smoke-Eaters!” and “Fire Under the Big Top!” The issue’s first page told “The Story Behind Showcase” in comic strip form, stating that the firefighter idea had been suggested by a reader, and that future issues would also be based on readers’ ideas. It announced: “There’s a big surprise waiting for you in the very next issue of Showcase. It will introduce a brand-new colorful hero suggested by YOU!” As it turned out, Fireman Farrell didn’t generate enough interest (it was a sales flop), nor did Kings of the Wild in Showcase #2 two months later (despite art by Joe Kubert), nor did Frogmen in issue #3 (though the washtone cover was striking, and National later had success with undersea heroes when it unveiled the Sea Devils). Meanwhile, National began licensing titles from popular television shows and performers. It was a logical step, after it had licensed Mr. District Attorney, Gang Busters and Big Town from radio shows, and already had titles such as Adventures of Bob Hope and Adventures of Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis. St. John had published four issues of Jackie Gleason in 1955, and now National stepped in with Jackie Gleason & The Honeymooners #1 (June 1956), a bi-monthly title that lasted two years. The more popular Sgt. Bilko title (based on the CBS TV series) appeared the following year and had a spinoff in 1958, Sgt. Bilko’s Pvt. Doberman. Two more new National titles appeared in 1956, both from the brilliant mind of Sheldon Mayer. Mayer had joined National’s staff in 1945 when All-American Comics—where he worked as editor in chief—was sold to the publisher of Superman and Batman. He continued his editorial duties, but yearned to get back to the drawing board and be a full-time cartoonist. Three years later, he relinquished his editorial role and devoted his time to writing and drawing a 15-issue run of his self-created Scribbly (“the life of a boy cartoonist”) for the publisher. He also worked on such funny animal characters as Doodles Duck, Bo Bunny and Dizzy Dog. Mayer’s creative efforts and acumen were highly regarded by Jack Liebowitz and Harry Donenfeld. He had all the work that he could handle and was a happier man.

House of Secrets #1 and Tales of the Unexpected #1. TM and © DC Comics.

In late 1955, Jack Liebowitz asked Sheldon Mayer to originate two new books for National’s younger readers such as those who had been buying the fading Nutsy Squirrel and Raccoon Kids. The first, Mayer later recalled, was a response to Disney’s use of the name “Mouseketeers” in their new Mickey Mouse Club TV series which debuted in October 1955. All-American had published The Three Mouseketeers back in Funny Stuff in the ’40s, and, since All-American had been bought by National, the company had a proprietary interest in the name. Rather than sue Disney, they brought it back in a new incarnation, though Mayer’s The Three Mouseketeers (#1, March-April 1956) had only its name in common with the earlier feature. The new book starred three backyard mice named Fatsy, Patsy and Minus, and did moderately well, lasting into 1960 for 26 issues. 143

TIMELINE: 1956

May 1: Little Archie, created by writer/artist Bob Bolling, debuts as a 10-cent comic book. It would soon become a regularly published 25-cent giant comic book.

A compilation of the year’s notable comic book history events alongside some of the year’s most significant popular culture and historical events. (On sale dates are approximations.) January 1: Charlton’s Nature Boy #3 arrives at newsstands. It’s the first issue (the series’ numbering continued from the cancelled Danny Blaze) starring a hero created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist John Buscema. Nature Boy would last only three issues.

March 29: National’s “washtone” covers begin on Star Spangled War Stories #45. May 22: National’s “washtone” covers are inaugurated with All-American Men of War #35 with a cover produced by artist Jerry Grandinetti and colorist Jack Adler. The issue sells well, assuring more National washtone covers for years to come.

January 1: Atlas expands its weirdfantasy line with World of Suspense #1. The similarly themed World of Fantasy, World of Mystery and Mystical Tales would soon follow.

JANUARY

FEBRUARY

MARCH

APRIL

M AY

June: Distributor Leader News Co. goes bankrupt, removing its obligation to pay money it owes EC, over $100,000. (EC subsequently turns to American News to distribute Mad magazine, starting with issue #28.) Leader’s bankruptcy also causes the dissolution of the Joe Simon/Jack Kirby creative team.

JUNE

April: EC writer/creator Harvey Kurtzman leaves Mad magazine in order to create the similarly satirical Trump magazine for Playboy publisher Hugh Hefner. Due to Hefner’s financial woes, only two issues of Trump were published.

January 24: The first issue of National’s try-out series, Showcase, arrives at newsstands. Showcase #1 features Fireman Farrell with three stories written by Arnold Drake and drawn by John Prentice.

February 21: National’s Sugar and Spike #1, about two mischievous toddlers, arrives at newsstands. The series is the brainchild of Sheldon Mayer who writes and draws every story and would continue to do so until the series’ end in 1971.

May 29: Created by writer Edmond Hamilton and artist Sheldon Moldoff, Batwoman makes her first appearance in Detective Comics #233. She would soon become a regular Batman cast member.

Showcase, Star Spangled War Stories, Detective Comics, Mad TM and © DC Comics. Little Archie TM and © Archie Comic Publications, Inc. Trump TM and © Playboy.

The second idea for a new comic book came to him much more slowly. Shelly recalled in The Amazing World of DC Comics, “The other book … was to be about kids … Human kids … to compete with the rash of Dennis the Menace imitations that were flooding the market. I resisted all suggestions that it be another Dennis imitation! I remembered saying, ‘It’ll be something else, with his own individuality. That way, it’ll have a better chance of survival when the Dennis craze ends’” (Tollin 9). Mayer invented Sugar and Spike after watching home movies of his children Merrily and Lanny when they were toddlers. For younger readers, Sugar and Spike stories were no doubt a welcome change from the dull Dick and Jane books that they were stuck reading in school at the time. But in reality Sugar and Spike wasn’t aimed exclusively at kids. Mayer was aiming for an audience of all ages. Older readers think toddlers are cute, too. He gave his readers insight into two mischievous minds as they attempted to figure out (and get around) the rules of a strange land that they neither understood nor was able to understand them. They did, however, understand each other. The central conceit of their stories was that babies understand each others’ baby talk. Perhaps to the untrained eye, these playful, light-hearted stories appear to have been produced easily and quickly. Knowledgeable fans of comic art realize that it takes tremendous talent and craftsmanship to make work of this caliber seem effortless. When Sheldon Mayer began work on Sugar and Spike, he was 39 years old, and had 20 years of professional cartooning experience. He applied every bit of that experience to bear on these clever, ceaselessly inventive tales. Sugar and Spike (#1, April-May 144

Sugar and Spike #1 (April-May 1956). TM and © DC Comics.

July 1: The first issue of Harvey Comics’ Baby Huey, the Baby Giant arrives at newsstands.

September 6: Cartoonist Alex Raymond, best known for creating Flash Gordon, dies at the age of 46 as a result of a car crash.

November 6: Dwight D. Eisenhower is elected to a second Presidential term when he defeats Democratic challenger Adlai Stevenson in a landslide. November 8: Blackhawk #108—National’s first issue of the series after acquiring it from the defunct Quality Comics—arrives at newsstands. National would go on to publish other ex-Quality titles, specifically Robin Hood Tales, G. I. Combat and Heart Throbs.

August: First Feldsteinedited issue of Mad magazine (#29) is published.

November 15: National’s Showcase #6 introduces the Challengers of the Unknown in a story written by Dave Wood and drawn by Jack Kirby.

September 9: Singer Elvis Presley makes his first appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show.

J U LY

AUGUST

July 19: National publishes Showcase #4 which debuts a new version of the Flash, courtesy of writer Bob Kanigher, penciler Carmine Infantino, inker Joe Kubert and editor Julius Schwartz. With the revival of the Flash, the Silver Age of comics history begins.

SEPTEMBER

OCTOBER

NOVEMBER

DECEMBER

October: Judge Charles Murphy’s two year term as Comics Code Administrator expires. Mrs. Guy Percy Trulock, former president of the New York City Federation of Women’s Clubs, is hired as new Code administrator.

September 21: The final issue of Quality’s Plastic Man (#64), a series begun in 1943, arrives at newsstands.

November 3: MGM’s The Wizard of Oz makes it television debut on CBS networks. It runs uncut and in one evening, the first major Hollywood film to do so on television.

Baby Huey © Classic Media, LLC. Flash Gordon TM and © King Features Syndicate, Inc. Wizard of Oz TM and © MGM Studios, Inc. Others TM and © respective copyright holders.

Schwartz put it on several occasions, just “someone” who came up with the idea.

1956) was an instant hit. The book demonstrated remarkable staying power, lasting until Mayer’s failing eyesight prevented him from doing it any more, fifteen years later. (After an eye operation, he created further adventures of the duo for publication in foreign countries.)

In 1956, National’s monthly editorial conferences were attended by Irwin Donenfeld, Whitney Ellsworth, Julie Schwartz, Bob Kanigher, Mort Weisinger, Jack Schiff, Murray Boltinoff, Larry Nadle and Zena Brody. “Someone,” therefore, had to be one of those nine individuals. We also know that time was running short for creating a new feature for the next issue of Showcase (#4), which means the discussion probably occurred in mid-to-late April.

The New Flash and Showcase #4 Action Comics #1 (1938) is generally identified as the book that began the Golden Age of comics. We know Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster created Superman, and we know editor Vin Sullivan slotted Superman for the first issue of Action, after M. C. “Charlie” Gaines and Sheldon Mayer brought the Man of Tomorrow to Sullivan’s attention.

Julie Schwartz told Paul Kupperberg, “So there we were, sitting around at our monthly meeting. Irwin Donenfeld was in charge. Someone suggested, and I really don’t know who it was, that maybe we should bring back the Flash. Someone else objected, saying that the Flash had failed once. Why bring back a character that had failed?” But others felt that five or six years had passed since that failure, and a whole new crop of kids were buying comics in 1956, “because,” as Schwartz related, “it was generally accepted back then that kids only read comics for maybe, tops, five years. Donenfeld felt we should go with Flash” (Kupperberg 5).

In the summer of 1956 National published a comic book that became as pivotal as Action Comics #1. When the firm revived the Flash in Showcase #4, it unwittingly inaugurated a new age of comic book history. Unfortunately, at this late date, the identity of the one who first suggested the revival of the Flash will never be known. In later years, some of the key participants in the pivotal editorial meeting at 480 Lexington Avenue were deposed on the subject, either in the pages of Robin Snyder’s History of the Comics, Alter Ego magazine, or in various other places (such as Paul Kupperberg’s introduction to The Flash Archives, Vol. 1). In all cases, however, no one has ventured to name the person who first proposed the return of the Flash. It was, as Julie

The original Flash was a co-creation of writer Gardner Fox and artist Harry Lampert, and first appeared in Flash Comics #1 (January 1940). His last Golden Age appearance 145

the story together. Kanigher, however, mentioned nothing about input from Schwartz. Instead, Kanigher gave the impression that he was essentially working from scratch. In Robin Snyder’s History of the Comics, Kanigher wrote, “Come 1956 and all I needed to know about the new assignment was that he was the fastest man alive. I left the rest to my inner self. What name to give the new Flash? I was too impatient to waste time to think up one. You really can get hung up on the simplest things. My task was to bring him alive. What could be more natural than to call him Flash, and pretend that he was inspired by an old comic? And Jay Garrick was changed into Barry Allen, who was the new Flash” (Kanigher 59-60). Schwartz maintained that the two decided to tie in the origin with lightning, which caused the chemical lab accident, and the fact that Allen would be a police scientist. Kanigher didn’t directly dispute this, but essentially asserted that everything in the story originated with him—except for one thing: Flash’s ring. Kanigher admitted that “the Flash’s ring was sheer plagiarism [based on the pulp character] the Crimson Clown.... When he wanted to switch from his civvies, he pressed a spring on a ring on his finger. The clown costume erupted out and expanded to life-size. Many years later, I stole that gimmick” (Kanigher, 59-60). Then it was time to select the artist. In an interview with Will Murray in Alter Ego, Julie Schwartz recalled, “I liked Carmine Infantino’s work, and he said he would do a quick job” (Murray 11). The choice had a nice symmetry since Kanigher and Infantino had worked together on the Jay Garrick-Flash solo story in the last issue of Flash Comics,

Showcase #4, one of the most significant comic books of all time. Flash TM and © DC Comics.

back in 1949.

was in the final Justice Society of America story in All-Star Comics #57 (February-March 1951). Schwartz recalled, “I had been the last editor of the original Flash, so everybody looked at me” (Kupperberg 5). Donenfeld selected the idea and gave the job to Schwartz, who then had to both develop the concept as well as pick the writers and artists who would work on it.

In History of the Comics, Infantino remembered it this way: “On one day [when] I was delivering my work, Julie told me we were going to try the Flash. He said it was decided at an editorial meeting. He gave me a script by Kanigher. (I know Kanigher had a lot of input. It was in his style.) I was told to design a costume. I chose a stark bland one with a lightning bolt across. I always kept him slim, like a runner; wiry, too. The cover idea for the first issue was Kanigher’s – this I do remember” (Infantino 101).

Schwartz decided the character should be a new Flash, with just the name and the super-speed carried forward. Julie said the new Flash’s secret identity of Barry Allen was a combination of two show business personalities he was fond of in those days, radio talk-show host Barry Gray and humorist Steve Allen. From this point, accounts about what happened next differ slightly. Schwartz stated that he asked Bob Kanigher to write the first script for a new Flash because they shared an office and he knew Kanigher could write the script quickly. Julie claimed they plotted

When Infantino finished penciling the story’s pages, Schwartz then needed to find an inker. He recalled, “It so happened Joe Kubert was in the office and I said, ‘Joe, how would you like to 146

Defying Gravity Bob Kanigher worked quickly, wrote from his gut, and had great instincts. For proof, one need only read the first Barry Allen story that he wrote for Showcase #4. For starters, Kanigher brilliantly decided to frame the story as a mystery, which not only incited reader curiosity but led to setting the first part of the story at night, adding drama and gravitas. Kanigher’s second key concept was establishing that the new Flash was inspired by the old Flash. This idea was suggested by the full-page splash panel showing the new Flash bursting out of the pages of an open comic book. Kanigher began the narrative at a radar station where a mysterious object was

detected moving on the ground so fast that it broke the sound barrier. With the next caption the reader was taken back in time to a stormy Central City night. Lightning bolts streaked against dark storm clouds over the cityscape. The rough crayon technique used by Kubert made the scene especially evocative. This was where the choice of Kubert as inker paid dividends; his work had a noir quality that emphasized the air of mystery and something more disquieting, a certain “meeting with fate” quality, to the narrative. The switch to a police laboratory was an abrupt jump from dark to light, from chaos to order. The scene introducing police scientist Barry Allen has often been commented on for its irony; that is, 147

for cleverly showing how a fantasy character in a comic book (the original Flash) played a part in the origin of the new one, linking the two characters. This was a much more sophisticated, interesting creative decision than if Kanigher chose to make the new Flash the son of Jay Garrick, the original speedster. The scene was equally important because it showed an adult reading a comic book (a validation for the reader), revealing Barry Allen’s humanity. He wasn’t a stock, dull, outline of a character, but a person. It was another effort, like the scene in the radar station, to convince the reader that the story was happening in the

real world to real people. This aided the “suspension of disbelief” when fantastic events followed. Then came the spectacular widescreen panel of the laboratory exploding “with blinding light as a bolt of lightning streaks in.” The color emphasized yellow and orange for a fiery effect. A three-panel “triptych” topped the fourth page of the story, showing Barry’s feet as he began to run to catch a cab and “a mysterious force rockets from him... Until his feet vibrate with eye-blurring speed.” The triptych was one of Robert Kanigher’s trademark storytelling devices, a way to

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illustrate progressive action from the same point of view and distance. It was a quasi-cinematic technique that was especially good at showing brief passages of time. It helped convey the feeling of acceleration, leading perfectly into the following widescreen panel as Barry “flashes past the taxi as if it were standing still!” In the panel when the waitress tripped and a tray full of a food fell in Barry’s direction, Kanigher had Infantino show Allen’s hands righting the plates and catching the food in five separate images in one large panel, accomplishing the story-point with remarkable economy. Then, another triptych depicted Barry watching a

bullet moving progressively closer to Iris West’s head in each panel, followed by yet another widescreen action panel showing him moving her out of harm’s way. These sequences cut between elongated time and real time, setting up a basic visual vocabulary for the strip as it moved from the normal-time perception of a police detective (and the rest of us) to the perception of the Flash. Then Kanigher brought back the link to the original Flash, when Barry picked up the same Flash comic book he’d been reading earlier. This “real” Flash would name himself after the “fantasy” Flash. In the process, the writer planted the seed for Earth-1 and Earth-2, a concept that would be explored in subsequent Flash stories. (It had major implications for what came to be called “the DC Universe.”) If Infantino’s work had been brilliant up to page 7, when the Flash costume first emerged from Allen’s ring, it was positively inspired in the way he achieved the look of the Scarlet Speedster in motion. As readers witnessed the Flash run down the side of a building in a tall panel, with the artist’s dynamic speed lines behind him creating an extraordinary sense of velocity, the strip introduced a “thrill factor” that must have been irresistible. This idea, this image—defying gravity, turning the world askew— closed the deal with the book’s readers. The Flash was cool! The Flash’s encounter with the Turtle Man, the slowest man on earth, took place in a scant five pages but was told with such mastery of the medium that it didn’t seem rushed. More to the point, it was conceived to show off Flash’s second cool ability: running on water. That was the final exciting grace note to end the story, 12 pages of comic book magic. On “Mystery of the Human Thunderbolt!,” three top creators (four if you count Julie) demonstrated what could be done with a simple super hero origin story. This was an impressive achievement, more so because it was done in a blinding rush. Kanigher effectively shaped the story to focus on the way events impacted Barry Allen, making Allen come alive on the page. This treatment had an uncommon maturity, something that was re149

tained in later stories. Moreover, the story was a break from “comics past” into a fresh new world where defying gravity was the order of the day. It’s no wonder that the Flash worked a wonder, and why Showcase #4 was the book that started the next major era in comics history.

A note about the coloring of this story: It isn’t known whether National’s chief colorist Jack Adler worked on “Mystery of the Human Thunderbolt!,” but the coloring in Showcase #4 was consistent with the light, bright approach he favored at that time. Nearer the decade’s end, he shifted to a slightly darker, more dramatic 150

palette. For example, the color blue throughout this story is the “neon blue” he brought to the firm’s books in this era. However, when the story was reprinted in the 80-page Secret Origins #1 (1961), the blue was much darker, enhancing the noir look of the night scenes. Also, the browns were darker and more saturated. Subsequent re-printings adhered closer to the later approach.

ink this Carmine Infantino Flash story?’ He said, ‘Sure, I have nothing to do and no assignment’” (Murray 11). Kubert had experience inking Infantino’s pencils (on Jesse James for Avon, among other things), but later confirmed he was mainly chosen because he showed up at the right time, and the issue needed to be inked in a hurry. Given the Flash’s super speed, it’s fitting that the ability to work fast was a key reason for Schwartz’s choice of writer, penciler and inker. To further speed up the process, Schwartz had another writer handle the second story in the issue. John Broome came up with a backup tale called, “The Man Who Broke the Time Barrier!” It too was an Infantino-Kubert art job. When the book was finished, it went to press and then hit newsstands on July 19, 1956 (with a September-October cover date).

old enough to be interested in a story set in what passed for an adult milieu in comic books. The new, almost impossibly slender Flash looked stripped down and modern, like a sleek new sports car. (Wearing a Mercury helmet would have seemed gauche in the brave new world of the mid1950s.) Also, the baby boomers appreciated the “realistic” type of origin story. Being bathed in an unknown mix of chemicals hit by a lightning bolt seemed like a plausible way for someone to gain super powers.

As the saying goes, that was that… until reports showed how well Showcase #4 sold. It was a success that no one at National anticipated. Historians, though, have to ask why, after so many failed attempts by other companies to launch costumed heroes in 1954-55, the Flash was the one to break through in 1956. One part of the answer involved demographics. The baby boomers, those born beginning in 1946—Schwartz’s “whole new crop of kids”—were getting older, and each year, there were millions more of them. (An estimated 78.3 million Americans were born from 1946 to 1964.) Many of Showcase #3 featured Russ Heath’s “washtone” cover. TM and © DC Comics. them were too young in 1954 (when Atlas had its abortive hero reThe number of young readers at the vival) to be interested in anything right age to enjoy the new Flash inmore complicated than funny anicreased further in 1957 and 1958, as mal comics (fueling Dell’s enormous they would for several more years. sales). By July 1956, when Showcase The pool of Flash-ready readers had #4 hit the stands, the oldest boomers grown to the point that they needed were 10 years old, the age when kids something in comic books just for want to be able to run faster than them. Suddenly, super heroes were a their friends. perfect fit. Showcase #4 was the right comic book at the right time. Our hypothetical 10-year-olds were too young to think of such colorful Demographics aside, the success that characters as old-fashioned, yet were comics book had in igniting the inter151

est of a new generation of readers in super heroes must be attributed to the quality of the work. In contrast to Atlas’ craftsman-like Captain America and Human Torch stories, and the middling-to-poor quality of most of the other costumed hero attempts, these new Flash stories were comic book-making of the highest order. The 12-page “Mystery of the Human Thunderbolt!” ranks as one of the most outstanding single stories of its era. It was a masterwork of conception, construction and execution, and warrants close examination. The Flash, as re-invented under the editorship of Julius Schwartz, a science fiction fan and former agent for such writers, fit with the zeitgeist of the times. In the coming months, as Flash returned for more tryouts, the Russian satellite Sputnik was successfully launched, beginning the “space race” between the U.S.S.R. and the U.S.A. Suddenly, science was of greater interest to kids, and was given greater emphasis in schools. Having science fiction scribe John Broome as the regular writer of the Flash fit the tenor of those times.

The Silver Age of Comics Had Begun.... But No One Knew It. The Silver Age didn’t gain a name for years. The earliest known use of the term “silver” to refer to the new age of comics occurred in a comic book letter column almost 10 years later. In Justice League of America #42 (February 1966), letter writer Scott Taylor of Westport, Connecticut, wrote, “If you guys keep bringing back the heroes from the ... Golden Age, people 20 years from now will be calling this decade the Silver Sixties!” It also took time before Showcase #4 was identified as a turning point for the comic book industry. Only later were fans and historians able to identify the reinvention of the Flash in 1956 as the start of a new comics era, a creative act that led to another, then another, like a snowball rolling downhill, becoming larger and gain-

hunter from Mars in his backup status; there’s a reason why the character has survived to the present day.) Showcase #4 was the perfect barometer of interest in the marketplace for costumed heroes, and its sales provided concrete evidence that National was on the right track. Overlooked by many, however, is another costumed hero that was introduced before the new Flash: Batwoman. Scripted by Edmond Hamilton and drawn by Sheldon Moldoff, the debut of the female Batman in Detective #233 hit newsstands at the end of May, two months before Showcase #4.

Batwoman’s debut in Detective Comics #233. Batman and Batwoman TM and © DC Comics.

ing momentum as it goes. The chain of cause and effect began there, because the idea (and the decision to pursue it) wasn’t inspired by or based on anything happening in comics at the time. It came out of the comic book ethers, a gut-level decision by editors who were willing to take a chance in the pages of a comic book especially designed for that purpose. Schwartz and company cast their lure. Now the wait began. It would take several months before they knew if readers took the bait.

ans have advanced the view that the introduction of John Jones, the Manhunter from Mars, in Detective #225 should be considered the beginning of the Silver Age. This hasn’t been widely accepted, mainly because the Manhunter was a backup strip (not cover-featured) and appeared essentially unheralded. Detective’s sales didn’t rely on the success of its John Jones feature, and as far as is known, Detective’s sales weren’t affected one way or another by the character’s introduction. (This isn’t to say that readers didn’t enjoy the Man-

As previously noted, National introduced another costumed hero prior to its re-tooling of the Flash. For this reason, some comics histori-

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Batwoman, secretly socialite Kathy Kane, was a sort of substitute for Catwoman as a quasi-romantic interest for the Caped Crusader in the postCode era. Her introduction is seen by some as the first of several changes in the Batman line to make it more kidfriendly. The Dark Avenger was now the head of a sort of “Batman family,” with its last member coming early in the next decade. Bat-Girl, introduced in Batman #139 (April 1961), completed the family concept, designed to play on the types of relationships familiar to readers from eight to 10 years old, as well as provide springboards for story ideas. It has been argued that the writer and artist of a new character’s introductory story should be credited as the creators of that character. By that standard, Sheldon Moldoff must be considered co-creator of Bat-Hound, Batwoman and Bat-Girl, along with writers Bill Finger and Edmond Hamilton. Creation is not a clear-cut matter, though, since the over-arching “bat” concept originally came from Bob Kane. Still, it was Moldoff who designed the costumes for the distaff additions to the Batmythos, and credit should be given where it’s due.

In “The First Batman,” Thomas Wayne wore a cape and cowl reminiscent of those worn by Batman in his earliest stories. Batman and Robin TM and © DC Comics.

The sensation of 1956, though, wasn’t anything happening in the pages of Detective Comics, such as the introduction of Batwoman or the adventures of the Martian Manhunter. It was the Flash’s re-introduction in Showcase #4. Sometime in November 1956, the sales figures for that issue came in. An ebullient Irwin Donenfeld reported the news: with its revival of the Flash, sales of Showcase had increased! The issue’s 350,000 copy print run had a sellthrough rate of about 59%, well above what everyone at National expected (Hanerfeld 153). It was only with this revelation that work began on a follow-up Flash story. Between that and accommodating what had already been lined up for Showcase, the second Flash feature wouldn’t come until Showcase’s eighth bi-monthly issue (May-June 1957). No one knew where it would lead. Donenfeld and Schwartz merely knew the feature was worth following up.

Opinions vary on the quality of Moldoff’s artwork during this era. Most critics relegate his art to the lower echelon of the Bob Kane ghosts. Others feel that his work had a great deal of charm and visual appeal. In any case, Sheldon Moldoff drew Batman into the late 1960s, contributing in a major way to the character’s legacy.

Jack Adler and National’s “Washtone” Covers Born in 1918, and having worked in the engraving business for years, Jack Adler came to National Comics in January 1951 to work as a colorist. His friend Sol Harrison was already there, in charge of coloring all the comic book covers. When Irwin Donenfeld took over managing the company from his father, he wanted Harrison to work on other things. Jack Adler recalled, “Irwin had Sol become more involved with the advertising. At that point, the covers were turned over to me for coloring” (Gafford 9). With his new responsibility, Adler decided to do something bold. He began coloring covers in—what he termed—“washtone.” Adler later talked to interviewer Jim Amash about the genesis of this unusual method:

One Moldoff-drawn story in 1956 stands out: “The First Batman” in Detective Comics #235 (September). Bill Finger’s story revisits Batman’s origin with the revelation that the seemingly random murders of Thomas and Martha Wayne were actually a hit arranged by mobster Lew Moxon. It was an outstanding early example of how—through careful staging—violent subject matter could still be presented even under the tightest Code strictures. The expressive inking of Stan Kaye, rather than Charles Paris, brought out an often-missing sense of drama in Sheldon Moldoff’s pencils. With seven reprintings as of this writing, “The First Batman” is one of the nine most-reprinted Batman stories of all time.

I can’t remember precisely how I got the idea to do wash covers. I was always trying to think up new 153

and better ideas. I knew it was going to be difficult to do the color separations on them, so I had to work out a system for it. Once I worked out the details, I made up a cover and showed it to Sol, who immediately loved the idea. (Amash 33) The result added a three-dimensional quality to the image, and often a kind of gritty-looking shading that was perfect for moody effects and the more realistic covers of the war comics. The technique called for the artist to apply watereddown India ink to the finished inked drawing to create the shading or mottled areas. Then a halftone Photostat of the cover was made, the logo and other cover blurbs were pasted on it, and the color was applied over the whole thing, creating a startling, eye-catching effect. An early washtone cover—perhaps the first, though there were surely experiments leading up to it—appeared on Star Spangled War Stories #45 (May 1956). Drawn by Jerry Grandenetti, the cover showed a paratrooper jumping out of an airplane door with an explosion in the background highlighting the figure. Other early examples were Russ Heath’s frogman cover on Showcase #3 (July August 1956) and Joe Kubert’s cover on Our Army at War #49 (August 1956). One of the most impressive was Grandenetti’s cover on Our Fighting Forces #20 (April 1957). “That one,” Adler commented, “ended up looking like a full color painting” (Gafford 10). The results were striking and had a positive effect on sales. As Adler recalled: The subtlety of colors made the separations more labor-intensive, but it worked! I did the separations on all those covers. Every time we put one on those covers on a book, sales went up. We didn’t do more of them because of the extra time it took, and the fact that the artists would need more money for their time, too. The decisions to do wash covers were made by the individual editors. (Amash 33) In the next 10 years, over 100 washtone covers appeared on National’s comics. In the 1950s, they graced such titles as Secret Hearts (#59, November 1959), Western Comics #64 (July-August 1957), Tomahawk #65 (November-December 1959), My Greatest Adventure #17 (SeptemberOctober 1957), Adventures of Rex the Wonder Dog #31 (January-February 1957) and The Brave and the Bold #23 (April-May 1959). Some, like the cover of Detective Comics #239 (January 1957), were done without solid black lines. This technique was seldom used, possibly because the resulting “softness” lacked visual snap. Collectors prize the washtone covers, and the issues with them go for higher prices, generally, than the ones without.

Our Fighting Forces #20 and Star Spangled War Stories #45 featured superb “washtone” covers by Jerry Grandenetti. Joe Kubert’s cover for Our Army at War #49 showed that he was also skilled at using Jack Adler’s innovative shading process. TM and © DC Comics.

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World Color Press

looking product for Dell. Charlton, too, had its own printing plant in Derby, Connecticut, but its presses were aging. That and the firm’s indifferent quality control resulted in the inferior printing in its books.

While Jack Adler altered the look of some of National’s covers, another development affected the look of the majority of comic books from 1956 forward. World Color Press had become the leading printer of comic books from the time it opened its branch in Sparta, Illinoiss in 1948. It had some of the most technically advanced presses of the time for printing in four colors. In 1956, the firm installed one of the first web-offset presses in its Sparta plant, a further leap ahead in print technology. The result was better-looking comics, with improved color registration. That’s why the interior pages of many Silver Age comic books have much better printing than the pages of the pre-Code and Golden Age books.

Harvey Kurtzman Leaves Mad The conversion of Mad to a magazine format with issue #24 (July 1955) had been a stunning success, both creatively and commercially. A first print run of 400,000 copies of the 25-cent magazine quickly sold out, and Bill Gaines made the decision—rare in the magazine field— to go back to press, printing another 50,000 copies. With the same staff of stellar artists (Wally Wood, Jack Davis, Willy Elder), Mad magazine soared ... until Kurtzman’s relationship with Gaines soured.

World Color Press continued to grow, building more plants and presses. As Chuck Rozanski, owner of Mile High Comics, explained in a series of articles on the evolution of comics’ direct market:

Harvey Kurtzman and Bill Gaines clashed over Mad’s budget, which precluded paying outside writers more than $25 a page. Kurtzman could no longer write the whole magazine (as he had the comic book) and felt the low rate was insufficient to regularly attract top writers. Partly as a result, the bi-monthly magazine began missing deadlines. Mad #27, cover dated April 1956, was three months late. Then EC’s distributor Leader News went bankrupt, causing the firm to lose about $100,000 in back monies owed EC. Bill and his mother Jessie Gaines injected $100,000 more into the magazine and signed a deal with powerful American News to distribute Mad. Just when it looked like the magazine would make it through, Kurtzman left.

These plants were part of the Spartan/World Color Press Publishing empire, which at the time printed vastly more magazines in the USA than any other company. The reason for this near monopoly on magazine publishing is that Spartan could provide publishers with a uniquely integrated system of shipping of their products to the 500 ID wholesalers. Integrated shipping meant that an ID wholesaler (such as the one who controlled Mad #28 was the last issue edited by Harvey Kurtzman. TM and © DC Comics. all magazine sales in the Boulder, Colorado, region) could receive a single massive shipment Sometime in February of 1956, Kurtzman heard from one each week, containing almost all of the magazines of Mad’s fans: Hugh Hefner, publisher of another magathat they had ordered. This was only possible bezine phenomenon, Playboy, which debuted in late 1953. cause Spartan printed practically all of the magaHefner later wrote of discovering Mad: zines, and then sent them to a central breakdown warehouse, where magazines were then allocated From the beginning, in 1954, it was obvious that to each local ID distributor based on their orders. the editors of Playboy and the editors of Mad were The savings in shipping costs resulting from this kindred spirits. In those early days, Playboy’s origiintegration were huge, and they acted as an overnal four-man staff traveled to the printing plant whelming incentive for all comics and magazine each month to put their new men’s magazine to publishers to stick with printing through Spartan/ bed, an all-night ritual that included a pre-dawn World Color Press for decades. (Rozanski) breakfast break at a local drugstore. During one such session, while perusing the drugstore’s magaNot all comics in the 1950s were printed by World Color zine display to see how Playboy was doing, and Press. Whitman Publishing had its own printing plant to check on the competition, we discovered Mad in Poughkeepsie, New York, which produced a very good 155

Foxhole #5 and Police Trap #5 (both July 1955) were two of the last comic books produced by the Simon and Kirby team. TM and © Estates of Joe Simon and Jack Kirby.

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man wondered how different his life would have been had he stuck with Mad, even for just a few more years. (Gaines sold the magazine for $5,000,000 in the early 1960s. Had Kurtzman accepted Gaines’ 10 percent offer, he would have gotten $500,000.)

... and the delighted roar of our laughter rivaled the roar of the presses. (Hefner 5) Hefner was sympathetic to Kurtzman’s complaints about EC and working for Gaines, and at some point the idea of a new magazine was discussed. Kurtzman recalled in a later interview:

Simon and Kirby Break Up

In the 1940s, the team of Joe I felt I had developed someSimon and Jack Kirby seemed thing really hot with Mad... unstoppable. Having created I felt that there was a great Captain America at Timely, the future in the idea. I felt I Boy Commandos and Newshad built it, but I had built boy Legion at National, and it for somebody else. ProfesYoung Romance at Prize, they sionally, I was completely had a reputation for producing unhappy. I was feeling trend-setting, top-selling comic pretty low. Hefner was in books. Joe Simon was the canny town—this was early in his businessman while Jack Kirby own career, too—and we was the master storyteller. went out to lunch together. I was impressed with him. Jack Kirby, Joe Simon and Jack Oleck in what appears to be Kirby’s attic studio. In the 1950s, Simon and Kirby From The Comic Book Makers by Joe and Jim Simon, copyrighted and used with permission. were no longer invincible. Black He came on with all that Magic—which the pair had cregusto and optimism he was ated for Prize—was a solid seller, and many of their other putting into his own book, and we just talked back crime and romance titles did well, but there were no more and forth. His high opinion of my work did much breakout, nova-like, trend-setting hits. It wasn’t a lack of for my ego at that lunch, and put me into just the inspiration that caused the team’s breakup, though. After right mood to go ask my publisher for a substantial the introduction of the Comics Code, a time of great turbupiece of the magazine as an alternative to my leavlence in the comics industry, Simon and Kirby had started ing. (James 46) their own publishing company. Before long, they were cut Sometime in April, Kurtzman demanded an ownership pooff at the knees by a distribution disaster. sition in Mad magazine. Gaines offered 10 percent. KurtzIn late 1955, payments slowed from man came back asking for 51 pertheir distributor Leader News, just cent. This, he claimed, was so that he as they had for EC. In The Comiccould authorize higher payments for Book Makers, Joe Simon explained, outside writers, but in all likelihood, “Our Mainline comics … had been Kurtzman’s outrageous demand was showing fairly good sales with probably just a way to get fired. And clean, wholesome material, but paythat’s what happened. Gaines rements from Leader News Company, sponded, “Goodbye, Harvey.” Kurtzour distributor, were slowing down man’s last issue of Mad was issue alarmingly. The sudden demise of #28 (July 1956). EC comics had put Leader News in a Harvey Kurtzman accepted Hugh financial crisis and they soon folded Hefner’s offer to create a slick, sotheir tents, leaving us holding an phisticated humor magazine, which empty sack. Mainline Publications was eventually named Trump. Some became insolvent, an innocent casuof Mad’s contributors—Jack Davis, alty in the final victory by ‘The PeoWilly Elder—left Gaines to appear ple’ against the vile forces of Horror in Kurtzman’s new magazine. Trump Comics” (Simon 162). In sum, Main#1 bore a January 1957 cover date. It line published five issues of Bulls Eye sold well, but because of a complex and four of the other three titles. The mix of reasons (partially because remaining two issues of each (FoxHefner had expanded too quickly), hole had three), already prepared, Hefner pulled the plug with its secwere sold to Charlton to recoup ond issue. Suddenly Kurtzman was something for the effort. With that, out in the cold. Feldstein was editing the Simon and Kirby studio came to Mad and its sales continued to climb. a sad ending in 1956. For the rest of his life, Harvey Kurtz157

Yellow Claw #1 cover by Joe Maneely. Panel from Yellow Claw #2 by Jack Kirby. TM and © Marvel Characters, Inc.

ries covered wars of all eras, including not only World War I, World War II and the Civil War, but all sorts of obscure wars of all eras and locations. They had art by Jack Davis, Al Williamson, Joe Orlando, Reed Crandall, Bernie Krigstein and one of the most prolific artists of the era, John Severin. In 1956, Severin drew many Atlas war covers as well as all three entire issues of Sergeant Barney Barker, Atlas’ answer to Sgt. Bilko. Besides increasing Atlas’ war comics output, Martin Goodman had also given the green light to publish several more weird/mystery books at this time: World of Suspense (April), World of Fantasy (May), and two with June cover dates, Mystical Tales and World of Mystery. Many of them carried work by ace artist Joe Maneely.

The Simon and Kirby operation was based on them handling the editorial aspects of their material. They had edited their own work on Captain America and the National features such as Boy Commandos, and had continued to do so in the ensuing years. Simon had also retained the rights to their characters and work after leaving National in 1946. Now he was unable to find a publisher (among the reduced number still in business) who was interested in working with them on that basis. That left Joe Simon and Jack Kirby looking for work anywhere

they could find it, not as a team but as individual freelancers.

Kirby at Atlas In 1956, Atlas was doing relatively well. Stan Lee was overseeing a large slate of Western, romance, humor and titles. In fact, by the fall of 1956, Atlas had twelve titles in the war genre alone. (Just two years earlier, after the Korean War ended, Goodman was publishing only five war titles: War Comics, Battle, Battlefront, Combat Kelly and Combat Casey.) At various times in the post-Code era, Atlas’ sto158

During the time period before a laidoff Al Feldstein was called back to take over Mad from a departing Harvey Kurtzman, Feldstein had been scrambling for work. One of the jobs he turned up was scripting for Atlas, including writing the entire first issue of Yellow Claw (October 1956), an “oriental menace” book that riffed on the Oriental mastermind Fu Manchu created by Sax Rohmer, pen name of English writer Arthur Henry Ward. While bizarre and even racist to modern eyes, such Asian purveyors of Eastern intrigue had long been popular in pulp literature. The first issue of Yellow Claw was drawn by Joe Maneely and Werner Roth. Jack Kirby didn’t want to draw more comics for Martin Goodman, who he

felt had failed to pay him and Simon promised profits on Captain America, but he needed work. When Kirby walked in Stan Lee’s door, Lee was delighted to see him. Kirby, who remembered Lee as an office boy during his days as a star at Timely, didn’t harbor the same respect for Lee but was grateful for the welcome and willing to take anything Lee offered. Lee gave Kirby Yellow Claw. Even Kirby biographer Mark Evanier isn’t sure whether Kirby actually wrote the scripts for Yellow Claw, or if he plotted them and gave them to someone else to write the finished captions and dialogue. Nonetheless, Kirby launched into the title with his typical panache and produced issues #2 through #4. However, for reasons that pass understanding, Kirby wasn’t permitted to draw the covers. In any case, Goodman canceled Yellow Claw after its fourth issue. Sometime in the late summer or early fall, Jack Kirby was able to get in the door at National because it was looking for new ideas for Showcase. National paid better than Atlas, but the drawback for Kirby was that he would have to endure the conservative mentality of National’s editors. Still, Kirby began a 30-month stint working for the firm, a difficult time that led to ventures that didn’t turn out well for the veteran comics creator.

Ditko at Atlas Nineteen-fifty-six was very likely the year when Steve Ditko met Stan Lee. It was definitely the year he did his first artwork for Martin Goodman’s comic book company. Before the Comics Code came along, Ditko had found a home at Charlton. Then he became ill with tuberculosis and spent almost a year back in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, where his mother nursed him back to health. When he returned to New York in the fall of 1955, healthy and eager to get back to work, Ditko found that Charlton’s comics production had been much reduced due to the August flood which caused a great deal of damage to the publisher’s printing plant and other facilities. That’s why Ditko turned up at the Atlas office on Madison Avenue looking for work. Stan Lee had plenty of artists to draw

the many comic books being produced by Atlas at this time, but he was intrigued by Ditko’s style and felt he would add something different to the many weird/mystery titles. Lee later wrote: Since we were so eager to rebuild our line and add more and more comic book titles while other publishers were mostly standing pat, a large number of ... artists and writers started returning to us because we were becoming a big market. It was the first time I had met [Steve], and when I saw samples of his artwork I felt as if I had discovered uranium. (Lee 100) One of the first Atlas stories Ditko drew was “The Vanishing Martians” in Marvel Tales #147 (June Out of this World #1 (August 1956). © respective copyright holder. 1956). Lee was pleased with the results and continued to Rain and Fire” on the cover of his first give the artist work for the next six issue (#3, dated March 1956, continumonths. These stories appeared in ing the numbering of another CharlAstonishing, Journey into Unknown ton series, Danny Blaze). Nature Boy Worlds, Spellbound, Strange Tales, was the product of writer Jerry Sieamong other titles. All were four and gel and artist John Buscema. Siegel, five pages long (typical of Atlas), apof course, was one half of the team pearing alongside stories drawn by that created Superman; Buscema Bill Everett, Frank Bolle, Robert Q. had been working in comics since Sale, Dave Berg and others. 1948, and had honed his art to a high level by this time. Siegel noticed the Considering the low page rates he smattering of new costumed heroes received from Charlton, Ditko must in 1954 and 1955, and decided it have appreciated the better pay at was worth a try to see if—just posAtlas. Ultimately, though, he decided sibly—commercial lightning could what he valued most was creative strike twice. Unfortunately, the only freedom, and the only publisher willpublisher interested in the idea was ing to give him that was the one locatbargain-basement Charlton, and it ed in Derby, Connecticut. Therefore, appears Nature Boy got lost amid a Ditko began picking up work again windstorm of mediocre titles. at Charlton and worked primarily for them in 1957, though circumstances The leading caption in the “The Oriat Martin Goodman’s company that gin of Nature Boy” read, “Our planet year would have driven him back to is a mighty reservoir of tremendous mysteries that are only beginCharlton anyway. ning to unfold! Most spectacular of all the marvels is the gigantic force Charlton Adds Two More Heroes of nature—whose power and fury One of the first comics published by when aroused, is shattering to frail Charlton post-flood was Nature Boy, humans. Now comes a new hero, in a hero described as “Master of Wind, 159

whose hands is the amazing power of control … a boy who is dedicated to use these staggering powers for the triumph of good and right living!” When a rich, young couple’s small plane went down in the ocean during a storm, they were rescued, but their son—a mere toddler—was swept away to his apparent death. But when the despondent couple returned home, they found their son waiting for them, having been mysteriously rescued by winds that carried him home. How was this possible?

Nature Boy was accorded just three issues to find an audience, one that apparently didn’t make itself known. While not written or drawn anywhere near the level of the new Flash, the adventures of David Crandall were imaginative and more than competently done—that is, before Buscema was replaced by lesser artists such as Rocke Mastroserio. Siegel even had grand plans for expansion, briefly introducing Nature Girl and Nature Man in the book. It all came to naught, but not for lack of trying.

Undersea gods—“a group of mighty rulers”—(King Neptune among them) were watching, and bestowed upon the boy powers derived from each of their domains. A caption reads, “Each of the mighty beings ignited a spark within tiny David Crandall … Sparks fated to flame into dazzling omnipotence!” When he grew to become a strapping teenager, David Crandall discovered that he had power over the elements: wind, fire, earth, the skies, electricity and the cold. He had simply to will it so, and he was transformed into a yellow and blue clad hero with extraordinary powers known as Nature Boy. Naturally, he vowed to help mankind.... and a new super hero was born.

The same fate befell a second Charlton hero from Jerry Siegel, one who resembled ME’s Strong Man from the year before: Mr. Muscles. In his first issue, Mr. Muscles #22 (March 1956), continuing the numbering from Blue Beetle, the opening story revealed that Brett Carson overcame childhood polio to become Mr. Muscles, “the world’s finest physical culturist.” With the help of his assistant Kid Muscles, Carson battled crime and inspired others to follow his example. As with Nature Boy, Siegel conceived a distaff member of the “muscles family,” one Miss Muscles, who appeared in the same issue. Both the concept and the art were inferior to that of Nature Boy.

After one more issue, Siegel’s muscleheroes took their place on the scrap heap next to other ill-fated new costumed heroes of the 1950s. The last issue of Nature Boy was #5, dated February 1957. (The last Blue Beetle story of the 1950s was a backup feature in the first issue of Nature Boy.) Editor Pat Masulli, who had taken over the position from a departing Al Fago, felt there was better sales potential in the science fiction category. Charlton launched two new titles in this genre, both with August cover dates: Out of This World and Mysteries of Unexplored Worlds. The latter title had some staying power, lasting 48 issues and well into the 1960s, helped enormously by the art of Steve Ditko.

Dell Comics in 1956 Dell’s flagship title Walt Disney’s Comics and Stories was a monthly sales juggernaut. It was anchored by an opening 10-page Donald Duck story by Carl Barks, and a closing Mickey Mouse tale with art by Paul Murry. By this time, Barks had produced more than a decade of comics of the highest quality. His writing and art were impeccable, and he had invented a large cast of supporting players and villains, including Gladstone Gander (Donald’s lucky cousin), Gyro Gearloose (inventor), the Beagle Boys (villains) and more. In 1956, he added another villain, Flintheart Glomgold, a ruthless adversary who was “the secondrichest duck in the world” (Uncle Scrooge was the richest, of course). He debuted in Uncle Scrooge #15 (September-November 1956).

Two short-lived costumed heroes from Charlton in 1956. Both Mr. Muscles and Nature Boy were created and written by Jerry Siegel. © respective copyright holders.

160

Some fans prefer Barks’ 10-page Donald Duck stories, others are partial to the longer Scrooge stories. Sometimes an issue of Uncle Scrooge would consist of one long 32-page tale. This

Though Dell’s books didn’t have to pass the Comics Code, they were subject to editorial “hints” that were even more restrictive. (Reprinted from The Carl Barks Library, Vol. 2, No. 2.) Uncle Scrooge TM and © Disney Enterprises Inc.

Mouse’s nephews Morty and Ferdie for Huey, Dewey and Louie. Barks was further frustrated by censorship of some elements in his stories. Though Dell didn’t submit its comics to the Comics Code Authority, the company developed its own internal set of guidelines mildly known as “Hints on Writing for Dell Comics.” After sections on the kind of stories Dell wanted, the document had a section on “Taboos” which began, “Avoid sophisticated and adult themes” as well as “anything dealing with minority races, politics, religion, labor, suicides, death, afflictions (such as blindness), torture, kidnapping, blackmail, snakes, sex, love, female villains, crooked lawmen or heavies of any race other than the white race” (Andrae 522). That’s quite a list! It also asked writers to “try to avoid atom bombs, Communists and international intrigue generally” and not to “make fun of the law or portray the law officials as stupid, dull-witted, or cruel.” These taboos made Barks’ job tougher (as they did for others at Western) and arrived just as he was beginning to find it more difficult to come up with new ideas. At one point, his editor Alice Cobb advised him that parents complained about Donald yelling “Shut up!” at his nephews and suggested that he use the word “Quiet!” instead. Because of this and some tumultuous years in his personal life, Barks became somewhat discouraged and began to recycle plots from earlier

gave Barks room to set up marvelously complex tales of Scrooge’s quests to obtain even greater wealth, and his encounters with all sorts of strange civilizations and peoples. The Scrooge stories’ intergenerational construction—an old duck, an adult duck, and kid ducks, working together toward a goal—was, and remains, unusual in comic book stories. Barks wasn’t, however, master of all he surveyed. He had to answer to the editors at Western Printing. After he completed a 32-page story “The Land Under the Ground” for Uncle Scrooge #13 (March-May 1956), Barks was informed that it had to be cut to allow for a second strip featuring a different character. This was because Dell had applied for second class mailing privileges which required such a supporting story. Therefore, Barks cut five pages from “The Land Under the Ground” (one of his finest Scrooge stories) and added the first in a series of backup strips starring Gyro Gearloose. Even then, there were problems. Strange as it seems, no ducks—not even Donald’s three nephews— could appear in that backup strip. Again, Barks had to change what he had already finished, substituting Mickey 161

Gordon Scott was Tarzan in the second half of the 1950s. Turok: Son of Stone, an original series developed by Western Publishing, featured good-looking painted covers through its entire run. Tarzan TM and © ERB, Inc. Turok © copyright holder.

stories. For example, the Donald Duck story known as “The Ice Taxis” in WDC&S #186 (1956) was a new version of “Rival Boatmen” in WDC&S #45 (1944). The stories were still entertaining, and sold well, but the sparkle of inspiration was sometimes missing.

the character for several years, becoming the face of Burroughs’ jungle hero for a generation of baby boomers. The painted covers used during the gap (which still showed the likeness of Lex Barker) were replaced on Tarzan #80 (May 1956) with Gordon Scott photo covers.

In 1960, Barks answered a fan letter regarding a lessening of quality in the duck stories. “About Donald being less vital than he was in the old days, I can only point to the fact that tabu after tabu [sic] has been imposed on us scripters’ freedom of material,” he wrote. “My early stories were in many instances based on an intense and violent rivalry between Don and the kids. Can I do that now? Ha” (Andrae 522)! Nevertheless, some of his best stories were yet to come, such as the Donald Duck story “Knight in Shining Armor” from WDC&S #198 (March 1957), and the Scrooge classic, “The Mines of King Solomon” from Uncle Scrooge #19 (September-November 1957).

Turok: Son of Stone graduated from the Four Color series to its own title with #3 (March-May 1956). Turok, the preColumbian Native American trapped with his younger brother Andar in an isolated “lost valley” populated by dinosaurs, was a surprise hit, and ended up becoming a long-running original title for Western. It benefited from good-looking painted covers featuring all manner of dinosaurs—always popular with kids—and reliable scripting by Gaylord Du Bois. Especially nice covers painted by Mo Gollub began with #7 (March-May 1957). Turok appeared under the Dell, Gold Key and finally the Whitman banner, breathing its last with #130 (April 1982). All but the last issue continued the tradition of painted covers.

Dell’s popular Tarzan title made a change in 1956, not to its interior stories but to its covers. A new actor came to play the Lord of the Jungle in 1955, and in 1956 Dell’s covers belatedly reflected that fact. The book had begun the decade with photo covers of the then-current actor playing Tarzan, Lex Barker. After Tarzan and the She-Devil (1953), Barker’s last film in the role, a body builder named Gordon Scott was cast as Tarzan. His first film, Tarzan’s Hidden Jungle, debuted on February 16, 1956. Scott stayed with

Death of Alex Raymond On September 6, 1956, the comics world was shaken by news of the death of Alex Raymond. Raymond’s sumptuous, virtuoso artwork on his self-created Flash Gordon comic strip had greatly influenced a generation of cartoonists. Raymond was driving fellow cartoonist Stan Drake in Drake’s 1956 Corvette at twice the speed limit on a road in 162

terested in continuing his best sellers as “quality” magazines. The Blackhawks had starred in their own movie serial (and, briefly, a radio series), and still sold well as a monthly. The last Quality issue was Blackhawk #107 (December 1956), and its first National issue was dated just one month later. Most readers probably didn’t notice the changeover since the title was still drawn by Dick Dillin and inked by Charles Cuidera. Indeed, the first National issue consisted of material partially completed at Quality. The title was added to Jack Schiff’s editorial slate. Blackhawk lasted until 1968, a victim of inept handling and, perhaps, because its time had passed.

Westport, Connecticut. He lost control of the vehicle and crashed into a tree. Drake was thrown clear but Raymond, wearing a seat belt, died instantly. He was 46 years old. Although Raymond enjoyed extraordinary success in syndicated newspaper comic strips (his others were Jungle Jim, Secret Agent X-9 and Rip Kirby), he was avidly read and imitated on comic book pages. One of his best known and most talented admirers was Al Williamson, whose artwork on the EC science fiction comics showed a noticeable Raymond influence. (In later years, Williamson drew Flash Gordon in comic books.) Raymond’s comic strip Rip Kirby was continued by John Prentice, the artist who drew Fireman Farrell in Showcase #1. Prentice continued on Rip Kirby until its demise in 1999.

Heart Throbs ended its Quality run with issue #46 (December 1956), returning after a bit of gap with issue #47 (April-May 1957) bearing the National Romance Group insignia (with a heart in the center). It lasted until 1972.

The End of Quality Comics In the Golden Age of Comics, there were ten major comic book publishers: National, Timely, Fawcett, Fiction House, MLJ, All-American, Harvey, Dell, Standard and Quality. Of these, seven were still publishing comics in 1956: National (which had bought All-American), Timely/Atlas, MLJ (now Archie Comics Publications), Harvey, Dell, Standard and Quality. By year’s end, however, Quality came to the end of its line.

Quality had launched G.I. Combat in 1952 initially as a bi-monthly (it soon went monthly), and had reached issue #43 (December 1956) before making the jump to National. It was added to Bob Kanigher’s roster of war titles, doing it in style with a superb washtone cover by Jerry Grandenetti. The interior stories were drawn by Joe Kubert, Jerry Grandenetti and the Ross Andru-Mike Esposito team. G. I. Combat outlived its original owner, Busy Arnold, who passed away in December 1974 at the age of 75. The comic book made it to 1987.

As was the case when Fawcett discontinued all its comics, the loss of Quality was worth mourning. Owner Everett M. “Busy” Arnold established the firm in 1939 and built it into a powNational also chose to continue Qualerhouse with popular titles such as ity’s Robin Hood Tales starting with Smash Comics, Crack Comics, Hit Comissue #7 (January-February 1957). ics, National Comics, Military Comics, This was due to a wave of popularity Police Comics, Uncle Sam, Doll Man, for the champion of Sherwood Forest and his two biggest hits, Plastic Man set off by the hit TV series The Advenand Blackhawk. Busy Arnold paid top Alex Raymond, shown here in a self-portrait, was one of the tures of Robin Hood (1955 to 1959) most influential comics artists of his time. © copyright holder. rates, and much of the firm’s success starring Richard Greene. (Seven pubcame from the talented writers and artists he was able to lishers jumped on that bandwagon in late 1955 and 1956, attract, among them Will Eisner (who designed many covconvinced it was going to be the next Davy Crockett.) ers and characters), Jack Cole (whose Plastic Man was a top Though National only continued four Quality titles, it held star of the era), Reed Crandall and Lou Fine. He also pubin reserve the ownership of other Quality characters such lished Eisner’s The Spirit in Police Comics and his own title. as Plastic Man, Kid Eternity and Doll Man. Years later, when In the early 1950s, though, Quality struggled. It canceled Golden Age reprints were used to fill out extra-thick comic 22 of its 30 titles in mid-1950, dropping all 14 of its robooks, National reprinted many stories from its Quality mance titles during “The Love Glut.” The company gradureserves. It also kept Plastic Man alive in various revived ally brought back their romance roster and were a major versions. player in the genre by 1953. By 1956, its fire had burned No question about it: National Comics was on the move. out. Between new and continued titles from Quality, its roster Even at the firm’s end, Arnold showed his classy side by in 1957 was taking on a new shape. There would soon be selling his titles and characters to National (rather than changes of proportions to dwarf these early steps, as the Charlton, the dumping ground of other dying publishers), reality of a Silver Age of comics came into focus. putting them into the hands of a publisher who was in163

1957

Turbulence and

Transition

When National Comics offered Jack Kirby freelance work, Joe Simon encouraged Jack to take it. Kirby didn’t want to break with Simon, but his bills were piling up and National paid well. The two men, who were neighbors, remained friends and worked together again before the decade’s end. Now Jack Kirby embarked on a new stage in his career, one where he would have to steer his own course. There was a problem: in 1957, Jack Kirby was no longer a good fit for National. Without Joe Simon to handle the business side and company relations, Kirby was unable to manage National’s conservative “suits” who considered his artwork crude and his figure drawing too exaggerated. As Kirby later explained, “They kept showing me their other books—books that weren’t selling—and saying, ‘This is what a comic book ought to be.’ I couldn’t communicate with those people” (Evanier 101). Kirby began work on a new feature that came to be called Challengers of the Unknown. It was one of the last concepts he and Joe Simon thought up together: a team of daredevils who survived an airplane crash, then decided to take further risks because they were “living on borrowed time.” With Jack Schiff acting as his editor, Kirby provided the plots and writer Dave Wood wrote the finished scripts. It was yet another S & K team book, but in keeping with the times and the still widely held perception that costumed characters were out, these heroes wore uniforms that resembled “normal” clothes: identical purple shirts and slacks that weren’t skin tight. (Kirby brought the idea of a team of heroes clad in non-descript, identical costumes to the Fantastic Four, almost five years later.) Showcase #6 (January-February 1957) presented the origin story “The Secret of the Sorcerer’s Box!,” a book-length tale divided into four chapters. The book-length story, little-used at National at this time, was perhaps made more acceptable because the chapter divisions looked like separate stories to the casual browser. Before Max Gaines sold All-American Comics to National in 1945, there were book-length stories in the likes of Wonder Woman, Green Lantern and All-Flash. All-American editor Sheldon Mayer also had several such humorous tales in his short-lived original run of Scribbly in 1948-1950. Similarly, in the 1950s National ran book-length stories in certain humor books (The Adventures of Bob Hope and The Adventures of Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis), but when it came to their “serious” titles, National preferred multiple stories until the Challengers broke the mold.

CHAPTER EIGHT

After their debut in “Sorcerer’s Box,” the Challengers returned in the next issue of Showcase (#7, March-April 1957) 164

Showcase #6 and #7 featured Challengers of the Unknown, a team of heroes who became modestly successful, starring in their own self-titled book from 1958 to 1971. Challengers TM and © DC Comics.

with “Ultivac is Loose!” The issue included an excellent onepage summarization of the talents of Ace Morgan (pilot), Prof. Haley (skin diver), Red Ryan (daredevil, mountain climber) and Rocky Davis (wrestler, strong man), a page that was repeated when the Challengers returned in Showcase #11 (NovemberDecember 1957). Book-length stories were eschewed for their third and fourth Showcase issues (#11 and #12). In all, there were four try-out issues before the Challengers were judged capable of supporting their own ongoing title.

Simon at Harvey Comics Meanwhile, Joe Simon returned to Harvey Comics in 1957. “The industry was once again engaging in a frenzy of new titles set off by some wild tip or distributor’s perception that the time 165

TIMELINE: 1957 A compilation of the year’s notable comic book history events alongside some of the year’s most significant popular culture and historical events. (On sale dates are approximations.) January 1: National Comics unveils its “National Romance Group” logo on the cover of Falling in Love #10.

March 19: National’s Showcase #8 features the second appearance of the new Flash. The issue’s second story, written by John Broome and drawn by Carmine Infantino and Frank Giacoia, introduces Captain Cold.

April: Dell cancels its distribution arrangement with American News. By mid-May, American News is out of the distribution business, creating hardship for many magazine and comic book publishers, particularly Atlas. June: The first issue of Harvey Kurtzman’s Humbug arrives at newsstands.

February 14: National publishes Heart Throbs #47, its first issue after taking over the title from defunct Quality Comics.

May 3: Dodgers owner Walter O’Malley agrees to move his baseball team from Brooklyn, New York to Los Angeles, California.

JANUARY

FEBRUARY

MARCH

APRIL

January 17: National’s Showcase #7 features the second appearance of the Challengers of the Unknown, scripted by Dave Wood and drawn by Jack Kirby.

Jamuary 13: Originally called the “Pluto Platter,” the first Frisbee is produced by Wham-O Company.

M AY

JUNE

June 27: More than 400 people die after Hurricane Audrey slams through eastern Texas and western Louisiana. It is one of the deadliest hurricanes to impact the United States. April 1: Charlton begins publishing 25-cent comics with the 96-page Giant Comics #1.

March 14: Superman #113 presents “a special 3-part novel,” written by Bill Finger and drawn by Wayne Boring and Stan Kaye. It is Superman’s first book-length story.

May 23: In anticipation of her own series, Lois Lane gets a solo try-out in Showcase #9 with stories written by Jerry Coleman and Otto Binder and drawn by Al Plastino and Ruben Moreira.

National insignia, Heart Throbs, Showcase, Flash and Superman TM and © DC Comics. Others TM and © respective copyright holders.

was ripe for more adventure titles,” Simon wrote in The Comic Book Makers (166). Perhaps the fact that National was trying out a new Flash was enough to get the smaller companies thinking along those lines. Though the S & K team was no more, Simon gave Kirby work in the slate of Harvey titles he was editing. The first was Alarming Tales (September 1957), another of the weirdmystery books of the post-Code era. It offered Kirby-drawn stories alongside tales illustrated by Doug Wildey, Mort Meskin and others. That same month, Man in Black #1 debuted, the same sort of book except the stories were presented by the title character, and drawn from cover to cover by Bob Powell. Simon also edited issues of Black Cat Mystic and Warfront, while working on a science fiction title with Jack Kirby and Al Williamson called Race for the Moon. Its first issue was dated March 1958. Inexplicably, none of these books

generated sufficient sales to continue past 1958. It’s odd that National could succeed with House of Secrets and House of Mystery, but Harvey couldn’t with Alarming Tales and Man in Black.

Alarming Tales #1. Art by Jack Kirby and Joe Simon. TM and © Estates of Joe Simon and Jack Kirby.

166

In any case, Harvey was clearly heading in another direction. The publisher was even phasing out its perennial romance comic books (titles such as Hi-School Romance, First Love Illustrated and First Romance). Although the first issue of a new Showcase-like title called Harvey Hits (#1 dated September 1957) put the Phantom on the cover (the insides were reprints from past comic strips), it was mainly devoted to testing the appeal of various humor features. Harvey Hits #3 gave Richie Rich his first chance to shine as a star in his own right. The Harvey brothers knew they had found a profitable niche with their humor line-up. Hot Stuff, the Little Devil got this own book in 1957, doing so

July: After a two-and-a-half-year hiatus, Prize Comics’ Black Magic returns to newsstands. Joe Orlando and Marvin Stein, among others, replace the Joe Simon and Jack Kirby creative team.

September 5: Viking Press publishes On the Road, Jack Kerouac’s classic novel of the Beat Generation.

July 1: Harvey Comics publishes the first issues of Hot Stuff, Man in Black (by Bob Powell) and Alarming Tales (edited by Joe Simon with art by Jack Kirby).

J U LY

September 24: President Eisenhower sends federal troops to Arkansas to protect nine black students who are entering Little Rock’s newly integrated high school. The students will become known as the “Little Rock Nine.”

AUGUST August 5: American Bandstand, a Philadelphia dance show hosted by Dick Clark, makes it television debut on the ABC network.

December 31: Dell’s Four Color #882 debuts Walt Disney’s Zorro, with art by Alex Toth.

October: After being ordered to divest themselves of their newsstands by a Justice Department lawsuit, American News Distributors ceases operations. In the “Atlas Implosion,” Martin Goodman turned to National Comics-owned Independent News Distributors to get his books to the newsstands, but IND forced him to cut back his comic book line. Goodman can publish just eight books a month.

SEPTEMBER

OCTOBER

NOVEMBER

DECEMBER

September 1: Harvey Hits #3 gives Richie Rich front cover status.

October 4: The Soviet Union launches Sputnik, the first Earth orbiting satellite, igniting not only the “space race” between the Soviets and the American governments but also interest in science and science fiction in the United States.

July 1: After St. John ceases its comic book operations, Dell picks up and continues publishing Nancy (with issue #146).

November 1: Timmy the Timid Ghost #10 introduces Charlton’s new 68-page line of 15-cent comic books, a grand experiment that failed within a few months.

Richie Rich, Hot Stuff © Classic Media, LLC Nancy and Sluggo TM and © United Features Syndicate, Inc. Zorro TM and © Zorro Productions, Inc.

without having appeared as a backup in one of Harvey’s other books. Characters such as Casper, Little Audrey, Little Lotta, Spooky, Baby Huey, Little Dot and Sad Sack had such appeal that they became a staple of spinner racks for many years.

virtuosity, especially his masterful brush work. These artists were perhaps lucky in another respect: their realistic style might have been ill-suited for the colorful, more imaginative types of comic books that would soon come to dominate the medium. Their departures created openings for other artists to move to the fore. Not that National immediately accepted wide variations from the Barry style; if it had, the company wouldn’t have given Jack Kirby such a hard time. But its gradual loosening allowed Carmine Infantino to give his Flash artwork an even more stylized, abstract look, something that wouldn’t have been acceptable earlier in the decade.

End of the “Dan Barry School” at National Although Dan Barry left National in 1951 to do the Flash Gordon daily newspaper strip, the firm’s editors continued to use his work as an example for other artists. John Prentice and Leonard Starr had more or less continued drawing in a Barry-like manner, and other artists had also attempted to emulate that sort of realistic, somewhat prosaic style. In 1957, both Prentice and Starr had achieved their dream jobs: getting their own syndicated newspaper strips, just as Dan Barry had.

Of the six bi-monthly issues of Showcase in 1957, three were devoted to Jack Kirby’s Challengers of the Unknown. Oddly, only one issue that year featured the return of the new Flash. Ever cautious, Irwin Donenfeld seemed to have wanted to make sure the good sales of Showcase #4 weren’t a fluke. The Flash’s second try-out in Showcase #8 (May-June 1957) presented two more stories: “The Secret of the Empty Box!” and “The Coldest Man on Earth!” The latter tale introduced the first of the speedster’s regular foes, Captain Cold. Kanigher, Broome and Infantino were all back, with the only replacement being Infantino’s boyhood friend Frank Giacoia for Joe Kubert on the inks, and the results, again, were first-rate.

After the death of Alex Raymond, John Prentice was selected to take over Raymond’s popular Rip Kirby strip, a detective/adventure feature that was widely syndicated at this time. Prentice stayed with it for some 43 years. Leonard Starr sold his own strip called On Stage (later Mary Perkins, On Stage), essentially a soap opera. His tight, realistic artwork, and his strong storytelling skills, propelled the feature to a 22-year run. Starr’s originals are particularly prized by connoisseurs of comic art for their astonishing 167

A Book for Lois

1957). The cover announced, “Featuring the Superman of the present and the Superman of the past in a Special 3-part novel complete in this issue!” The story, from the typewriter of Bill Finger, involved Superman’s discovery of “mind tapes” of an adventure his father Jor-El had before Krypton blew up. Some of the best and most memorable Superman stories were the two- and three-parters that appeared with increasing frequency in the next few years.

More Flash try-outs wouldn’t appear for almost another year, partly because Mort Weisinger was chomping at the bit to use Showcase to introduce his latest idea to expand the Superman line. To Superman, Action Comics, World’s Finest Comics, Superboy, Adventure Comics and Superman’s Pal, Jimmy Olsen, Weisinger wanted to add a book starring Lois Lane. It had worked for Jimmy. Why not Lois? But because of a certain hesitance on the part of Donenfeld and Liebowitz, and because of the new policy of trying out book ideas in Showcase, Weisinger had to go that route. Superman’s Girl Friend, Lois Lane needed room in Showcase, and got it.

Strength ... Courage ... Justice In 1957, each of National’s 36-page comics had about 24 pages of multiple-page story content. That left 12 other pages, which included the front cover, two pages of text required by the Post Office and any number of incidental items. They typically were filled with halfpage gag strips, house ads for other comics (usually though not always for titles handled by the same editor), advertisements, promotions, and certain items that the publisher included to burnish its image as a positive influence on American youth.

Lois needed a current day rival for the Man of Steel’s affections. To that end, Weisinger decided to bring redheaded Lana Lang into the title in the first story, “The Girl in Superman’s Past,” credited to writer Jerry Coleman. (An earlier “first meeting” of Lois and Lana occurred in Superman #78 in 1952; Weisinger was confident no one would remember.) Lana became a recurring character in the Lois Lane stories. Lois was Superman’s “girl friend” (two words), not his “girlfriend.” She hadn’t bagged the Man of Steel, though the title probably gave that impression to some.

One of the main ways the firm did that was with full-page public service pages that presented lessons in good citizenship in a one-page comic strip. These were the special project of Jack Schiff, who wrote them all “in cooperation with the National Social Welfare Assembly,” a coalition of social service agencies. Schiff’s politics were far left of center, but these messages tended to be only moderately liberal. They were innocuous lessons in such topics as accepting diversity, like 1957’s “Danger Prejudice at Work,” with art by Ruben Moreira. Winslow Mortimer and Sheldon Moldoff drew most of them.

True to the idea that a woman’s place was in the home with the children, the cover of Showcase #9 (July-August 1957) showed Lois as “Mrs. Superman,” unable to discipline their super toddler. Its cover teased readers by suggesting that perhaps Superman and Lois would marry. It turned out Lois was dreaming of a life wed to her hero. Weisinger had no intention of changing Editor Mort Weisinger hoped to feature Lois Lane in her own book. Art by Al Plastino. Superman Lois to a housewife; she and Lois Lane TM and © DC Comics. would remain a working woman who, while still falling within the proscribed limAmong the other miscellaneous matter, one might find an its allowed women at this time, was capable of handling a invitation to join the Supermen of America, a club formed man’s job. by National shortly after Siegel and Shuster’s creation debuted. Its motto “Strength, Courage, Justice” was emblazoned on the certificate of membership, which read: Mort Weisinger’s gradually unfolding plans for the SuperThis certifies that [John Doe] has been duly elected man books took a leaf from Challengers of the Unknown by a member of this organization upon the pledge introducing book-length stories. The first such story starto do everything possible to increase his or her ring the Man of Steel appeared in Superman #113 (May 168

strength and courage, to aid the cause of justice, to keep absolutely secret the Superman Code, and to follow the announcements of the Supermen of America in each issue of Action Comics and Superman. For those truly seeking physical strength, the ad pages often included full-page offers for bodybuilding courses. The most famous were Charles Atlas’ “Hey Skinny!” ads. Another frequent advertiser was the “Jowett Institute of Physical Training,” which offered George Jowett’s Photo Book of Strong Men and his How to become a Mighty HE-MAN booklet, available for a mere 10 cents. In a balloon next to a grainy photo of Jowett (“Champion of Champions”), he exhorted, “Let’s go, young fellow! Now YOU give me 10 pleasant minutes a day in your home ... I don’t care how skinny or flabby you are. I’ll make you over by the same method I turned myself from a wreck to the strongest of the strong.” Maybe a kid couldn’t be super-powered like the Man of Steel, but he could have muscles to help him approximate the look of his hero. The ads played on the power fantasies of many a pimple-faced youth. Also, for readers’ consideration, were promotions for the Palisades Amusement Park in Bergen County, New Jersey, across the Hudson River from New York City. Founded in This is where the caption would go. This is where the caption would go. This is where the caption would go. This is where the caption would go. Characters TM and © Company.

Public service pages such as the one above (from Adventure #240, September 1957) were the special project of editor Jack Schiff. Art by Ruben Moreira. Right: Thanks to Gary Brown for providing his Supermen of America certificate, as shown. Superman TM and © DC Comics.

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Peanuts in Comic Books by Dr. Michael J. Vassallo

Charles Schulz’s Peanuts was the most successful comic strip in American history. Debuting in seven newspapers on October 2, 1950, it lit up the American landscape for a half century, providing characters that have permeated American popular culture and are beloved worldwide. An introspective strip on the surface, readers warmly embraced the underlying pathos of the strip’s main character Charlie Brown and his daily interaction with his pet dog Snoopy and childhood friends in a world where adults were never seen. Within a year of Peanuts’ launch, United Features Syndicate decided to add the feature to several titles of its concurrent comic book line, using strip reprints in books featuring well-known strips like Tarzan, Li’l Abner, Abbie & Slats and Ernie Bushmiller’s long-legged beauty, Fritzi Ritz. Peanuts quietly debuted in two comic books simultaneously: the March-April, 1952 issues of Tip Top Comics #173 and United Comics #21. Panels from the Peanuts story drawn by Charles Schulz in Nancy #146, one of just two that Over the next two years Peanuts would also appear weren’t handled by assistants. Below: Dell Four Color #878. Peanuts TM and © Peanuts Worldwide LLC. sue #211 (November 1957) and appeared as an eight-page in Fritzi Ritz, Sparkler Comics, Sparkle Comics, and an story in the middle of the book for the entire 15-issue run all-Peanuts one-shot comic book simply titled Peanuts, feathrough #225 (May-July/61), even sharing cover space turing reprints from the first year of the strip. Highlights with Nancy, Sluggo and The Captain and the Kids. By midof this United Features Syndicate period also include four 1958 and into 1959, Dell introduced Peanuts as a solo title consecutive, unsigned, but Schulz-drawn Peanuts covers in three issues of its long-running Four Color series, issues on Tip Top Comics #185-188 as well as four full interior #878, #969 and #1015. Finally, Dell revived Fritzi Ritz and pages of daily and Sunday strip reprints. In 1955 St. John published four final issues with Peanuts appearing as a Publishing took over the titles after a seven-month hiatus single four-page story in the last three issues, #57-59 in and continued publishing Peanuts reprints in Tip Top Com1958. ics, Fritzi Ritz and even cameos in Nancy and Sluggo into early 1957. While Charles Schulz wrote, drew and supervised all aspects of his Peanuts comic strip, except for the aforemenIn late 1957 Western, under its Dell imprint, took over pubtioned Nancy #146 and #148, the entire rest of the Dell lishing Nancy Comics from St. John after another hiatus published comic books containing Peanuts material was and Peanuts once again appeared. This time the mateproduced by a crew of artists who did advertising work rial was “all new” Peanuts stories created exclusively for for him. The first artist was Art Instruction School friend comic book publication. Charles Schulz got the series off and colleague Jim Sasseville with Nancy #149, who would the ground drawgo on to draw Peanuts in 20 issues of Nancy, three issues ing the first issue of Fritzi Ritz, five issues of Tip Top Comics, and Peanuts’ solo himself, #146 (Sepdebut in Four Color #878. Sasseville would shortly go on to tember 1957) and assist Schulz with the syndicated strip “It’s Only a Game.” then returned for Dale Hale would follow in the latter 1950s issues and take issue #148 (Novemthe feature into the 1960s. Tony Pocrnick possibly also ber 1957). All issues drew a handful of the late Dell issues. consisted of fourpage self-contained Peanuts as a comic book feature continued into the 1960s. stories. Peanuts apThe Four Color series issues were followed through 1962 peared in the entire as Peanuts #4-13. Tip Top Comics’ final issue was #225 in run into the 1960s, 1961. Western continued Peanuts under its Gold Key imthe last five issues print in late 1962, releasing five final issues of Nancy and being published by Sluggo and restarting the solo Peanuts title for four isWestern’s Gold Key sues until February 1964. These were nothing more than imprint in 1962-63. reprints of the first four solo Dell issues, Four Color #878, #969, #1015 and Peanuts #4. From here Peanuts left the Peanuts also joined comic book stage but would shortly bloom in the venue of Dell’s Tip Top Comtelevision by the Christmas season of 1965. ics starting with isPeanuts TM and © Peanuts Worldwide LLC.

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Superman TM and © DC Comics. Others © respective copyright holders.

1898, the park was immensely popular. The owners, Jack and Irving Rosenthal, used saturation advertising to publicize the venue, including ads in comic books which were considered a good way to get New York City kids to “come on over.” Kids in other parts of the country could only wistfully survey Superman’s invitation to “Be my guest” and wish they too could go to a place as wonderful as Palisades Park.

John Stanley, the writer and layout man of Little Lulu and Tubby, was assigned to work on Bushmiller’s characters for Dell. The title was continued as simply Nancy with issue #146 (September 1957), and wouldn’t become Nancy and Sluggo again until #174, the first issue with a 1960 cover date. Stanley’s Nancy stories were similar to his Lulu stories. Characteristically, he introduced a substantial supporting cast, which may have been one of the reasons he was assigned to the feature. One of them was Nancy’s spooky friend Oona Goosepimple, who lived in a haunted house inhabited by weird relatives and mysterious little people known as Yoyos who hid behind the fireplace. Stanley also created Mr. McOnion, Sluggo’s crabby neighbor, and many other characters. In addition, he very likely did the Nancy and Sluggo stories in Dell’s Tip Top Comics (from issue #211 to #225).

National Comics’ only new title in 1957 (other than the pickups from Quality) was Sergeant Bilko, licensed from Phil Silvers’ hit TV show.

Nancy and Peanuts go to Dell In 1957, St. John—managed by the late publisher’s son Michael—was winding down its comics operation. Three comics featuring Ernie Bushmiller’s Nancy ended with July issues: Nancy and Sluggo (#145), Fritzi Ritz (#55) and Tip Top Comics (#210). Western Printing picked up the licenses to all three.

However, it has never been firmly documented that John 171

Oona Goosepimple’s introduction in Nancy #146, the first Dell issue. Story and layouts by John Stanley. Nancy and Sluggo TM and © United Features Syndicate, Inc.

Stanley wrote all the Nancy stories published by Dell. Stanley expert Ed Buchman has studied the stories closely, and is only willing to say that “many or all” of the Dell run from Nancy/Nancy and Sluggo #146 to #192 were written by him (plus giants #34 and #45 and FC #1034). Very likely all the Oona Goosepimple stories were Stanley’s. Nevertheless, we know that the writer-artist stayed with the feature for several years, contributing mightily to a body of work that is entertaining and well regarded by collectors and critics.

Toth at Western Printing – “West Coast” When Alex Toth completed a twoyear military stint in May 1956, much of it spent in Japan, he found a very different comics industry than the one he’d known before his enlistment. EC was no longer in the business. Stan Lee gave him a little work but, according to Toth, advised him to get out of comics and into some facet of the art field where he could make a good living. By late 1956, he had moved to California. He liked the warm weather and casual lifestyle in Los Angeles.

Western Printing (a.k.a. Western Publishing) had an editorial office in New York City, of course, but also one in Beverly Hills, California, which put them in ideal proximity to make licensing deals with major film companies. Over the years Western’s West Coast office’s editorial staff included Eleanor Packer, Alice Cobb, Chase Craig, Zetta Devoe, Del Connell and Chuck McKimson. One of the artists who worked for Western in California for many years was Sparky Moore. When he was interviewed by Jim Amash for Alter Ego in 2006, Moore recalled: I first met Alex the first time he showed his work at Western Publishing.... I was there the day Alex walked in with his samples. Don MacLaughlin was there, Chase Craig, myself, and maybe one or two other people. Everybody was totally impressed. He was taken on immediately, and went on to bigger and better things. Alex was rather subdued, like any artist looking for work; he just put it up there for ap172

proval. Knowing what I know now, I realize he was quite confident that unless these idiots didn’t know what they were looking at, they were going to hire him. (Amash 35) Toth accepted the limitations of working for Western: modest pay ($27 a page for both pencils and inks, below what he had gotten before his military hitch), having to work anonymously (artists couldn’t sign their work), and being required to use the six-panels-per-page grid for his layouts. His first assignment may have been for Gene Autry and Champion #113 (January 1957), a four-pager titled “Sundown Incident.” His introduction in the pages of Dell Four Color was for the movie adaptation of The Wings of Eagles (FC #790, April 1957), a film starring John Wayne as naval aviator-turned-screenwriter Frank “Spig” Wead. Toth had the ability to draw likenesses of movie and television stars, and his editor, Chuck McKimson, soon became one of his greatest admirers. In 1957, a standout Toth assignment for Dell was the adaptation of the Universal International film The Land Unknown (FC #845, August 1957). It was a personal favorite of Toth’s, perhaps because he was able to produce a full-color version of the black-and-

white film. Although unverified, the coloring was almost certainly by Toth, as the approach was stylized in sometimes unusual ways to enhance the mood of the story and the page designs. A small group of Antarctic explorers arrives by ship, and sets off in a helicopter to look for a polar oasis found by the Byrd expedition years before. The copter crashes in a hidden prehistoric jungle, and the stranded explorers—including the inevitable girl reporter—encounter a Tyrannosaurus Rex and other dinosaurs. “The Land Unknown,” which ran 32 uninterrupted pages, gave Toth highly visual story material which he attacked with a bolder, somewhat more rudimentary style than he’d used in his pre-military work. (While Mike Peppe had inked much of his work at Standard, Toth inked his own work for Dell.)

varied by combining two panels into one, or three into one, or four into one—but only if called for in the script. When Bill Spicer, Richard Kyle and Vince Davis interviewed him in Graphic Story Magazine, Toth addressed the issue, referring to Western by its other name, Whitman: At Whitman, they simply drew a line down the middle of the page to form six evenly spaced panels. At first I disliked it.... But after a while I got to appreciate it, and in most of my work for Whitman I did follow through with that squared, six-panel breakdown. After a few years they asked me to break up the pages with more variety. I said no. Not now. I’d learned that it wasn’t important what kind of exotic shapes I gave the panels. My breakdowns were “internal,” and the story was being told. I liked the challenge of working within a fixed format. A movie screen doesn’t change its shape, scene to scene, and I didn’t think the size or shape of comic panels necessarily had to change, either. I grew to enjoy composing scenes in the square panels. Granted, there are certain kinds of strips which demand more variated breakdowns, but most of Whitman’s didn’t. More important to me is what the art does within the frame, not the frame’s size or shape itself. (Spicer 35)

Toth quickly adapted to the six-panel grid, which could be

Alex Toth’s artwork on the adaptation of the movie The Land Unknown in Four Color #845. TM and © respective copyright holder.

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non Sisters. Some of his movie adaptations after The Land Unknown were Rio Bravo, Darby O’Gill and the Little People, The FBI Story and The Time Machine. Alex Toth’s best known work for Western was drawing Zorro in six issues of Four Color, beginning with #882 (February 1958). As a boy, he’d loved The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938) starring Errol Flynn, and this gave him a chance to do something along those lines. However, Toth was dissatisfied with the Zorro scripts, which he felt had too much unnecessary dialogue. When editor Chase Craig objected to the artist’s script cuts and changes, Toth’s days on the feature (and at Western) were numbered. He asked for a replacement, and did a few more issues (later claiming that he batted them out, which the quality of the work belies) while seeking greener pastures. When Dell began the solo Zorro book in 1960, Warren Tufts provided the artwork.

Dell Tries 15-cent Comics In 1957, Dell’s powers that be decided to test the public’s reaction to a comic book price hike to 15 cents, primarily in the San Francisco Bay Area. Tarzan #89 (February 1957) was available in both 10-cent and 15cent editions, something that was done at least seven more times over the next 12 months. The same was true of Walt Disney’s Comics and Stories, starting with issue #197 (February 1957) and continuing for about a year. Since inflation had raised prices across the board by 16.6 percent from 1950 to 1957, an increase to 12 cents would seem to have covered it, though publishers were likely conToth’s first Zorro page, from Four Color #882 (February 1958). Zorro TM and © Zorro Productions, Inc. cerned about the inflation rate as it specifically pertained to paper and Toth’s artwork accentuated the staging of the characters printing costs. The results of Dell’s experiment are told by and panel composition. He was a master at using black silthe fact that its comics stayed at 10 cents for the rest of the houettes and shapes. No one was a better designer of the decade. In 1961, Dell boldly increased the price of its comcomic book page. What Toth’s work lacked in “prettiness” ics to 15 cents while National and the others only jumped and surface slickness was more than made up for in its emto 12 cents. This proved a disaster for Dell, especially when phasis on movement, impact, and depth of field. Of course, it stayed with it for a year and a half before relenting and Dell readers knew nothing of this. They wanted an excitdropping down to 12 cents. ing story, and Toth gave them one.

Kurtzman at Charlton?

With or without seeing the TV shows in advance, or having still photos for reference, Toth produced artwork for 29 issues of Four Color. He also drew many independent Dell series that adapted popular television programs, including The Rifleman, Sea Hunt, Sugarfoot, Lawman and The Len-

Harvey Kurtzman left the hugely successful Mad magazine, which he created and designed, to produce a satire magazine called Trump for publisher Hugh Hefner. Unfortunately for Kurtzman, Hefner pulled the plug on the 174

Covers of Mad #32, #33 and #36 (all 1957 issues) painted by Norman Mingo. Mad TM and © DC Comics.

magazine in January 1957 due mainly to financial reverses experienced by his company’s overexpansion. When that project crashed and burned, Kurtzman and his staff—Willy Elder, Al Jaffee, Arnold Roth and Harry Chester (the production man)—had a wake for the magazine, drinking a huge bottle of Scotch together. Somehow, during this post mortem, the idea of a new magazine was born, a magazine they would own. Each would put in as much money as he could (no one had much), and Kurtzman would design a new magazine that was sure to be a hit. They would own it, as a sort of “publishing cooperative.” (Jack Davis also agreed to be part of it, but not as an owner.) If they

could find a distributor who was willing to advance them money to pay a printer, they might make a go of it. Kurtzman named the magazine Humbug, and they were off to the races. The only company they could find that was willing to advance them money to pay the printer was Capital Distributing, the distribution arm of Charlton magazines and comics. It wasn’t an ideal choice, since Capital’s trucks only covered territory east of the Mississippi River. The firm relied on jobbing truckers to take its goods west, which meant distribution was weaker in areas where a third of the U.S. population lived. Like Mad magazine, Humbug wasn’t 175

really a comic book; it was a hybrid magazine with some sequential art stories, along with prose parodies, single-page cartoons and other illustrated features. The format Kurtzman chose was 6½ inches by 9½ inches, smaller than typical comics of the day by ¾ inch each way. It was also different because the interior was printed in black and white with just one color for contrast. (In one way, the limited color was a blessing, for it meant the magazine wasn’t wrecked by the kind of poor color registration that was rampant in Charlton’s four-color comics.) Since it was a small magazine rather than a comic book, Humbug’s price—15 cents a copy—was determined by comparing its value to that of Mad, which cost 25 cents, rather than a 10-cent comic book.

The group creating Humbug was an extraordinary aggregation of talent. Jack Davis, Willy Elder, Arnold Roth, Al Jaffee and Harvey Kurtzman came together with upcoming writer Larry Siegel (who became a first string writer for Mad magazine all through the 1960s and 1970s). It had to be great, and it was. The cover of Humbug #1 (August 1957) consisted of a fancy border surrounding the words in large capitals: THE END OF THE WORLD IS COMING. At the bottom, in small print, it added, “Only ten billion years left. While waiting, read Humbug for laughs.” In the issue’s opening editorial, Kurtzman wrote: Humbug will be a responsible magazine. We won’t write for morons. We won’t do anything just to get laughs. We won’t be dirty. We won’t be grotesque. We won’t be in bad taste. We won’t sell any magazines. The issue began with a parody of the movie Baby Doll, which had been released in December of ’56. Tennessee Williams’ somewhat scandalous story of two Southern rivals for the affections of a sensuous 19-year-old virgin provided the basis for the first movie ever approved by Hollywood’s Production Code Authority but given a “C” (condemned) rating by the Catholic Legion of Decency. “Doll-Baby” was Kurtzman and Davis at their best. Davis’s likenesses of Carroll Baker, Karl Malden and Eli Wallach were on target, and a sequence with Baker and Wallach tiptoeing in and out of doorways in a hallway reached dizzying heights of absurdity when Walt Disney’s Goofy and other cartoon characters also tiptoe through the same doors and hallway. The features by Arnold Roth (“Bird Watchers Guide for Humbugians”), Al Jaffee (“Model Making”) and Willy Elder (a parody of the Twenty One quiz show called “Twenty-Win”) were every bit as funny. Humbug #1 was, like Mad #24 (the first in its new format), a nearly flawless issue.

Jack Davis cover of Humbug #6, dated January 1958 but published in time for Christmas 1957. Humbug TM and © respective copyright holders.

dus operandi. Lee was responsible for everything. No wonder then so many of the Atlas titles from this period have a numbing sameness about them. Nevertheless, an Atlas comic book was always competently written, and the art was often excellent.

Atlas Implodes By early 1957, Martin Goodman’s Atlas comics had adapted to the post-Comics Code environment. The CCA seal of approval on Atlas’ covers was reduced in size starting with the fall 1956 issues, and finished books were smoothly shuttling back and forth between Goodman’s office and that of Judge Murphy and his staff of eagle-eyed reviewers. The number of comics Goodman was putting out in 1957 was roughly the same as what he produced in 1954. Atlas published about 70 different comic book titles at this time, with about half appearing on newsstands each month. As before, the breakdown of Atlas books by genre was roughly even among Westerns, weird/mystery/SF, war and romance/“girl” books (like Patsy Walker). A smattering of humor, crime and jungle titles filled out the line.

Beneath the surface appearance of success, though, was another reality. The future of comic books didn’t look good. The number of operating comic book companies continued to shrink. Only nine publishers produced as many as 40 issues in 1957. Comic book sales were soft, not surprising after the battering the field had taken for the past several years. Stan Lee’s primary concern wasn’t the industry’s future, but his own. What other kind of work was a former comic book editor and writer qualified to do? As he wrote in his autobiography Excelsior!: I couldn’t shake one disturbing thought. What if Martin [Goodman] eventually went out of business or fired me? After all those years of writing comics I couldn’t, for example, go to Time magazine and say, “I’d like a job. I used to write Captain America.” Nor could I go to Simon & Schuster and say, “I used to edit comics. Got anything for me?” I didn’t feel that the years I spent as a comic book creator would impress any future employer that I

Somehow, editor in chief Stan Lee managed to ride herd on this huge number of books. At National, an editor was typically responsible for about eight titles. National’s philosophy was that an editorial workload more burdensome than that would adversely affect the quality of the books. National also believed that different editors had different tastes, which fostered a feeling of variety in National’s overall line. Atlas, however, didn’t subscribe to that mo176

mistakes. In the summer of 1956, Martin Goodman made a business decision that proved disastrous for his comic book line. At the urging of his accountant and chief business advisor, Monroe Froelich, Jr., Goodman closed down Atlas News in favor of a distribution arrangement with the giant American News Corporation (ANC). ANC was the largest distributor of periodicals in the United States for over 40 years, carrying top magazines such as Life, Time, Look, Newsweek, The New Yorker, Vogue, Sports Illustrated and Popular Mechanics. However, ANC had lost some of these titles to competitors in recent years and was looking for more product to place on their newsstands. American News was the owner and sole distributor to Union News, a company that had some 1,500 newsstands in premier display locations, among them railroad stations across the country. The new distribution agreement would seem to ensure that Goodman’s books, magazines and comics would be prominently displayed in the best locations. Sequence from “Doll-Baby” in Humbug #1 by Kurtzman and Davis. Reproduced from the restored version published by Fantagraphics Books in 2009. TM and © respective copyright holder.

might apply to. So, more and more, I began living with a nagging feeling of insecurity. (Lee 86)

Hartley, Vince Colletta, Jay Scott Pike and, among others, Carl Burgos, who acted as unofficial cover editor of the post-Code Atlas comics.

He was also depressed because Goodman lowered the rates for writers and artists. Now Lee could offer artists no more than $18 a page. Even so, many of the best artists in the business were willing to work for the reduced rates in order to pay for food and rent. One of them was Jack Kirby, who ended up briefly at Atlas on Yellow Claw. Another was Bernard Krigstein, who had worked for Goodman’s company before the artist’s celebrated period at EC in 1953 and 1954. Once Gaines dropped his comic book line, the artist of “Master Race!” found his way back to Atlas. He penciled and inked stories in Astonishing, Strange Tales, Battleground, Journey into Unknown Worlds, Tales of Justice, Navy Tales and more, turning in exceptional work. But, for the most part, Lee relied on his stable of regulars: Joe Maneely, Gene Colan, Dave Berg, Joe Sinnott, Syd Shores, Dick Ayers, Paul Reinman, Don Heck, Bill Everett, Al

Publisher Martin Goodman may not have been a warm and fuzzy human being, but all who knew him pretty much agreed that he was a smart businessman. His Magazine Management Company published various types of periodicals, including a number of men’s magazines such as Male, Stag and For Men Only. He also published digest-sized “girlie” magazines with titles like Joker, Stare, Breezy and Gaze. In addition, he had his Lion paperback book line, publishing books by Jim Thompson, David Goodis and Robert Bloch. Goodman’s comic book operation had total sales that made it the third largest in the business. This was possible not just because he had a capable editor in chief, and the work of a legion of comic book writers and artists to fill the pages, but because he owned Atlas News, his own distribution company. But even savvy businessmen make 177

What Martin Goodman didn’t know was that Dell Publishing Company was unhappy with the service it was receiving from ANC. In April 1957, Dell canceled its distribution arrangement with American News and started its own independent distribution network to wholesalers. It also sued ANC for restraint of trade. When he learned of this, an alarmed Goodman told Stan Lee to stop giving out assignments until he knew how these developments would affect ANC. By mid-May he had the answer: American News was closing its wholesale periodical division. It was out of the distribution business. A shocked Goodman had to find a new way to get his products to his customers. After exhausting all alternatives, Martin Goodman had no choice but to sign an onerous distribution deal with Independent News (IND), the firm tied by ownership to National Comics. IND distributed all of National’s comics and various other publications as disparate as Playboy and Family Circle. The company agreed to distribute most of Goodman’s magazines, but not his Lion paperback books. He sold that division to New American Library. As for the comics,

Independent News was only willing to distribute eight comic books a month for Goodman. Goodman, therefore, was forced to downsize his comic book division, and in a big way. He went from publishing 30-40 a month to a mere eight titles. A dramatic development, to say the least. The near 80% reduction of Atlas’ former output is the reason why comics historians call this event the Atlas Implosion. Clearly, the owners of National and IND had used the situation to eliminate Goodman’s comics as a serious rival. They would also profit from the distribution of those remaining eight books. To make the best of a bad situation, Goodman and Lee chose to publish 16 bi-monthly Covers of Tales of the Mysterious Traveler (clockwise) #5, #3 and #4, all drawn titles. This helped re- by Steve Ditko. TM and © respective copyright holder. tain a sense of diversity ly reduced numbers—appeared on in the line and minimized the apparAmerican newsstands with surprisent effect on the newsstand presence ingly little interruption. A few were of the firm’s books. Those titles were right on schedule, and others apStrange Tales, World of Fantasy, Batpeared after delays of one to three tle, Marines in Battle, Navy Combat, months. Joe Maneely’s funny animal Gunsmoke Western, Kid Colt Outlaw, one-shot Dippy Duck (October 1957) Two-Gun Kid, Wyatt Earp, My Own was the last book to carry the Atlas Romance, Love Romances, Millie the symbol; all the others dropped it with Model, Miss America, Patsy Walker, their August or September issues. Patsy and Hedy, and Homer the HapBy the end of the year, the material py Ghost. Presumably, these were Atassigned before the implosion had las’ top sellers in each genre. largely been burned through, and Naturally this meant there wasn’t enough work to go around to the large number of freelance writers and artists in Lee’s rolodex. Indeed, with all the assignments that were in various stages of progress, Lee would need little or no new material for some time. Many of those stories weren’t character-specific, which meant the unpublished stories could appear in any title in the same genre. It was no surprise that the first new stories commissioned after the implosion were character-specific. Despite these drastic developments, Goodman’s comics—albeit in vast-

Lee was again giving out regular assignments. The firm had survived the ANC debacle—barely. (From this point forward, this book will return to calling the firm’s output “Goodman’s comics.”) Then the American economy entered a period of recession from August 1957 to April 1958, which didn’t help matters. Dozens of comics artists and writers were forced to re-invent themselves and seek work in other media. For this reason, few new writers and artists were able to break into the field at this time. The remaining companies were understandably 178

loyal to their “regulars” and would remain so through the 1960s.

Ditko back at Charlton Steve Ditko was one Atlas freelancer who had no problem making it through 1957. That’s because Charlton stood ready and willing to take everything he could turn out. He could turn out a lot. According to Ditko biographer Blake Bell, Ditko drew some 450 pages for Charlton in 1957, almost two pages (penciled and inked) a day. His annual income that year was almost $3,000.00, more than enough to live on at that time.

One of the first stories Steve Ditko produced upon his return to Charlton was “What Wilbur Saw...,” the lead story in Tales of the Mysterious Traveler #2 (February 1957). It told how a frustrated young man was given a second chance at life by means of an “age regressor” from an alien planet. The six-page story was told by the taciturn narrator clad in a blue fedora and trench coat, thus the book’s title. The Mysterious Traveler originated from the eponymous radio series that debuted on the Mutual Broadcasting System on December 5, 1943, and continued on the air until September 16, 1952. Written and directed by David Kogan and Robert Arthur, the weekly program always opened with an introduction by its host: This is the Mysterious Traveler, inviting you to join me on another journey into the strange and terrifying. I hope you will enjoy the trip, that it will thrill you a little and chill you a little. So settle back, get a good grip on your nerves and be comfortable—if you can! Such hosts were common on suspense and mystery radio programs. By Al Feldstein’s own admission, these radio shows had inspired him to create EC’s horror hosts such as the Crypt-Keeper and Vault-Keeper. In 1948, a one-shot Mysterious Traveler comic book was published by Trans-World Publications as a tie-in to the radio series, even going so far as to adapt a story from the show into comic strip form. In 1951-1952, Grace Publishing put out the Mysterious Traveler magazine, a digest-sized publication that ran for five issues with cover paintings by well known pulp and paperback artist Norman Saunders. Then both the magazine and radio show died, and the Traveler disappeared until Charlton chose to revive him. The creative freedom Ditko enjoyed at Charlton allowed him to produce this unusual cover

After a single story in Charlton’s Tales of the Mysterious for Out of This World #6 (November 1957). Traveler #2 and #3, Steve Ditko drew virtually all of the fourth issue: an excellent cover and interior art on “Esfinish. He even took an active, if subsidiary, role in the accape,” “Test of a Man,” “The Desert” and “Operation Blacktion of an occasional story in the 13-issue run (from 1956 snake.” The stories ranged from four to six pages in length. to 1959). (This Magazine is Haunted, a companion Charlton comic book with a great deal of Ditko art, had its own similar host named Dr. Haunt.)

We don’t know for sure who wrote specific stories at Charlton in the 1950s, because—unlike the artists—the writers didn’t sign the stories. However, we know that the majority of them were written by one man: Joe Gill. Born in 1919 in Scranton, Pennsylvania, Gill began writing comic books for Timely during the Golden Age of comics. In the 1950s, he became Charlton’s primary staff writer, where he had to write quickly to make a living given the company’s low rates. He wrote at least a script a day, turning out 125 or more pages a week in most of the genres under the Charlton umbrella. When the rate for scripts went from $4 to $2 a page, Gill wrote still faster. Sometimes this resulted in stories that were somewhat incoherent or ended abruptly with little or no resolution, but most of Gill’s scripts were at least competent. When given a little more time, he proved to be a very capable writer.

Steve Ditko’s work “before the flood” was highly imaginative but sometimes crude and uneven. His Charlton art from 1957 to 1960, on the other hand, was more assured and demonstrated substantial development. Ditko had always had talent but was a bit of a late bloomer; he was 30 years old in 1957, when this period began. Nonetheless, the progress he made in these years—providing the majority of the covers and often four stories in a single issue for such science fiction/weird/fantasy titles as Strange Suspense Stories, Mysteries of Unexplored Worlds, Unusual Tales, Out of This World, This Magazine is Haunted and Tales of the Mysterious Traveler—was exhilarating. Although marred by Charlton’s poor printing, those comic books remain highly collectible because they contain work embodying many of Ditko’s stylistic traits that reached their apogee in Amazing Adult Fantasy and Amazing Spider-Man in the decade to come.

Charlton’s Mysterious Traveler was different from the EC horror hosts in two ways: he was unrelentingly grim and serious (no tongue in cheek humor for him), and he more frequently narrated an entire story, not just its start and 179

1958

National Takes

the Lead

By 1958, the dust had settled from the war on comic books. Senator Estes Kefauver’s political ambitions ended when Adlai Stevenson won the Democratic Party’s nomination for President in 1956. Dr. Fredric Wertham moved on to focus on violence in television. The ladies clubs and other civic watchdog groups were, for the most part, sufficiently mollified by the effect of the industry’s self-censorship. Adults passed by the comics racks to examine the latest crop of paperback offerings. Publishers had adapted to the new reality. Comic book companies either picked up the pieces or gave up. St. John and Magazine Enterprises (ME), both of whom had been important players, would issue their last comics this year, leaving just six major comic book publishers standing: Dell, National, Harvey, Charlton, Goodman and Archie. All had their roots in the Golden Age of comics, but then, so did the small firms that were still hanging on. American Comics Group (ACG) continued with Adventures into the Unknown and a few other titles (including their lucrative commercial comics). Prize was still around with Black Magic and others. (Its Young Romance and Young Love would be purchased by National in 1963.) Gilberton rolled along with its educational titles, and Catechetical Guild kept producing Treasure Chest of Fun and Fact. But that was it. No publishers who started comic book lines in the 1950s stayed with them through the decade’s end.

National’s “Full Court Press” After the winnowing out of publishers, National found its dominance of the field greater than ever. Though Dell sold more comic books, the publisher with the DC insignia on its covers had crushed Fawcett, decimated Goodman’s line and purchased the properties of Quality. With dominance came the realization that National held the future of the comic book industry in its hands. Or, as a certain wallcrawler from another company later learned, “With great power comes great responsibility.” National had to find a way to inject new vitality into massmarket comic books if the medium was to have a real resurgence and compete with television. The publisher began seriously marshalling its forces for a major push. The re-tooled Flash was promising as were the Challengers of the Unknown, but those were only a beginning. The Silver Age would not come to pass with the revival of a solitary Golden Age hero, or with a new Jack Kirby-created hero team. In 1958, National’s leadership, editors, and creative staff began a “full court press” to improve their product and find new things to appeal to readers, and in so doing, shepherd the industry to a full recovery.

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Quintessential shot of Lois Lane and Superman by Kurt Schaffenberger (from the cover of the Lois Lane Annual #2, 1963). Characters TM and © DC Comics.

Irwin Donenfeld chaired regular editorial meetings that acted as brainstorming sessions. All the editors were expected to come up with ways to upgrade their titles. Mort Weisinger and Julie Schwartz took an especially proactive role in shaping the comics on their slates. So did Bob Kanigher on the war books. Ideas flowed from the minds and typewriters of John Broome, Gardner Fox, Otto Binder, Bob Kanigher, Jerry Coleman, Edmond Hamilton and others. Something positive was in the air. It seemed like all the players were determined to make their comics more appealing to the surging numbers of baby boomers, many with more money to spend than their parents had in earlier times. In so doing, the firm returned to being the kind of industry leader it was when the medium was in its infancy. Superman’s Girl Friend, Lois Lane began publication with its first issue bearing a March-April cover date, the first Showcase feature to graduate to its own book. Yet, despite sales

of Showcase #9 that were described later by Irwin Donenfeld as “incredible,” Weisinger wasn’t satisfied that he had the right artist for a Lois Lane book. Al Plastino and Ruben Moreira penciled that first try-out issue. Weisinger tried Wayne Boring and Stan Kaye on Showcase #10 (September-October). While Boring could draw exquisitely beautiful women, somehow Weisinger wasn’t entirely pleased with his interpretation either. Otto Binder, who wrote four of the six Lois Lane solo stories in Showcase, provided the solution: he recommended Kurt Schaffenberger for the job. Schaffenberger had done excellent work on Fawcett’s Marvel Family in the late 1940s and early 1950s, but had been struggling after those comics’ demise. He was forced to accept lower rates working for anybody who would have him: Lev Gleason, Atlas, Gilberton and Premier. In 1955 he found work with Richard Hughes at ACG, becoming its top cover artist on Forbidden Worlds and Adventures into the Unknown, and doing art for its Custom Comics division. Then his close friend Otto got him a berth at National, with the best pay in the industry. Kurt Schaffenberger possessed a slick, precise style, and was especially adept at drawing women— not just their faces, but their gestures, the way their bodies moved, and the way they dressed. “Kurt S c h a f f e n b e r g e r ’s artwork was simply excellent!” Otto enthused. “I think he ‘made’ Lois Lane by his artwork. More importantly, he tells the story with his art. Many artists kill a story by failing to make good transitions from panel to panel to keep the continuity intact. Choosing how to show each scene is vital and Kurt always 181

chooses right” (Lage 63). Schaffenberger drew all three stories in the first issue of the new book. Weisinger was delighted and made “Schaffy” the primary artist in Superman’s Girl Friend, Lois Lane for many years. (Wayne Boring, then John Forte or Curt Swan, drew the stories Schaffenberger couldn’t handle.) Reruns of the Lois-centric Superman TV series bolstered the success of her title. Challengers of the Unknown #1 arrived with an April-May 1958 cover date. The book proved successful, even after Kirby left with issue #8 (June-July 1959), lasting for 77 issues. Its 13-year run was proof, if anyone needed it, that Kirby could have done a lot for National if he had been properly appreciated and utilized. Whatever reservations the National editors had about Jack Kirby’s “unorthodox” style, he was given a substantial amount of work in the coming months, though nothing high profile. As already noted, Jack Kirby was one of the fastest pencilers in the

Challengers of the Unknown #1. Art by Jack Kirby. Challengers TM and © DC Comics.

TIMELINE: 1958

March 20: Wonder Woman #98 launches the Silver Age revamping of the title character with Ross Andru and Mike Esposito taking over art duties from H.G. Peter.

A compilation of the year’s notable comic book history events alongside some of the year’s most significant popular culture and historical events. (On sale dates are approximations.) January 14: The first issue of Superman’s Girl Friend, Lois Lane features art by Kurt Schaffenberger who would go on to pencil the series for the next 10 years.

May 20: Showcase #15 introduces the Space Ranger with stories plotted by Gardner Fox, scripted by Edmund Hamilton and drawn by Bob Brown.

February 13: The first issue of National’s Challengers of the Unknown, featuring art by Jack Kirby, arrives on newsstands.

JANUARY

FEBRUARY

MARCH

APRIL

M AY

June 7: Joe Maneely, artist best known for his prolific work on Atlas comic books, dies at the age of 32 when he falls between the cars of a moving train on his way home to New Jersey.

JUNE

March 24: Rock and roll singer Elvis Presley is inducted into the U.S. Army. After nearly six months of basic training, Presley is posted to West Germany. He will be honorably discharged in 1960.

January 21: Showcase #13 features the third try-out appearance of the new Flash. Jerry Bails is subsequently inspired to write letters to National editor Julius Schwartz.

January 31: United States successfully launches the Explorer I satellite. The space race with the Soviet Union is in full swing.

February 27: Superboy meets the futuristic Legion of Super-Heroes in Adventure Comics #247, courtesy of writer Otto Binder and artist Al Plastino.

May 29: Action Comics #242 introduces Superman villain Brainiac and the bottle city of Kandor in a story titled “The Super Duel in Space!,” written by Otto Binder and drawn by Al Plastino.

Superman, Lois Lane, Flash, Legion of Super-Heroes, Wonder Woman, Space Ranger, Brainiac, Bizarro TM and © DC Comics. Archie characters TM and © Archie Publications, Inc. World of Fantasy TM and © Marvel Characters, Inc.

business. Most artists could pencil one or two pages a day; Kirby could do three or four, depending on the complexity of the assignment. That meant he could draw three complete comic books a month. He needed much more work than plotting and penciling a 24-page Challengers book on a bi-monthly schedule. Jack Schiff, who edited Challengers, responded by giving Kirby scripts for short six-page stories for House of Secrets, House of Mystery and Tales of the Unexpected. In order to maximum his earnings, he inked as well as penciled, with the assistance of his wife Roz. Mort Weisinger put him on Green Arrow starting with Adventure Comics #250 (July 1958). According to Mark Evanier, Kirby produced some 600 pages for National in a 30-month period (Evanier 101). Just before the Challengers’ first solo issue appeared, the Flash returned in Showcase for the first of two more try-outs (issues #13 and #14). Howev-

er protracted the Flash’s audition process was, it would soon become obvious that the Scarlet Speedster was heading for his own ongoing series. In 1958, a big change occurred to the moribund Wonder Woman title. Editor Bob Kanigher replaced H. G. Peter, the feature’s originating artist, on the interior stories. The new art team, penciler Ross Andru and inker Mike Esposito, had already done several covers on the title, having gained favor with Kanigher in National’s war comics. The change came in Wonder Woman #98 (May 1958). Kanigher had been scripting the Amazon heroine’s adventures since the late ’40s, but this “new look”—more suitable for comics in the late ’50s—helped Wonder Woman stay relevant in the Silver Age. Kanigher used the debut of fresh artists to reboot the series. Issue #98 featured a new version of Wonder Woman’s origin in which Athena asked the Amazons to send their finest example 182

to “Man’s World” to serve humanity. Princess Diana (already clad in her familiar costume) won the ensuing contest and, as she prepared to leave Paradise Island, caught a pilot (Steve Trevor) whose parachute malfunctioned after ejecting from his plane. A follow-up story in issue #99 explained how the heroine created her Diana Prince alter ego.

The Superman titles’ creative surge The debut of Superman’s Girl Friend, Lois Lane early in the year was the first of a series of developments orchestrated by Mort Weisinger for the Superman family of comic books. Most of them occurred in stories written by Otto Binder. Both men’s backgrounds in science fiction were evident in many of these stories. One of the mainstays of science fiction was time travel, explored by H. G. Wells and many of the SF writers who followed. Time travel was the concept that made it possible for a team of he-

August 15: Jack Cole, artist best known for creating Plastic Man and later for contributing cartoons to Playboy magazine, dies at the age of 43 of a selfinflicted gunshot wound.

July: Gilberton publishes the first issue of The World Around Us.

December 23: National’s new “Fastest Man Alive” is given his own title. Flash #105 continues the numbering of the previous Flash series which ended in December 1948.

August 21: Bizarro makes his comic book debut in Superboy #68 in a story written by Otto Binder and drawn by George Papp.

October 1: The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is inaugurated.

July 24: Superman #124 debuts the first letter column for National’s flagship character.

J U LY

AUGUST

August 1: With issue #104, Mutt and Jeff is now published by Dell, who takes the series over from National.

July 1: The first issue of Archie Comics’ Life with Archie, featuring an issue-length story, arrives on newsstands.

SEPTEMBER

OCTOBER

NOVEMBER

September 23: Showcase #17 introduces Adam Strange in two stories written by Gardner Fox and drawn by Mike Sekowsky.

September 1: Jack Kirby returns to Marvel with work in Strange Worlds #1, Tales to Astonish #1, and World of Fantasy #15. In the coming decade, the Lee-Kirby team will change the face of American comic books leading Marvel to become the top-selling publisher in the field.

Disney characters TM and © Disney Enterprises, Inc. World Around Us (Dogs) - TM and © the Frawley Corporation & licensee First Classics, Inc. Others © respective copyright holders.

tasks were initiation pranks designed to see if he was a good sport. The Legion, they told Superboy, was formed with him as their inspiration. Otto Binder wrote it as a “one off” story with no presumption the Legion would ever return. The team’s encore appearance wouldn’t come until Adventure #267 (December 1959) in a story written by Jerry Siegel. Mort Weisinger was determined to breathe new life into the Superman line. He didn’t think up all the new ideas, but some he did. Other ideas were used at his discretion. Photo © copyright holder.

roes from the future to journey back to 1958 in Adventure Comics #247 (April 1958). In the simply-named story “The Legion of Super-Heroes!,” Superboy met three teenage crimefighters from the 30th century. Cosmic Boy, Lightning Boy (Lightning Lad in all future stories) and Saturn Girl invited Superboy to join their super-club, provided he perform three simple tasks. When he failed, the heroes pretended to reject him, then revealed that the

DECEMBER

Binder was also responsible for the story introducing a villain who would become Superman’s second most important ongoing nemesis (after Lex Luthor): Brainiac, the marauding alien whose shrinking ray could pluck whole cities from planet surfaces and place them in bottles. In “The Super-Duel in Space” in Action #242 (July 1958), Superman learned that this fate had befallen the Kryptonian city of Kandor some time before the planet’s destruction. The disaster for Kandor turned into a saving grace because it allowed the city to survive, and with it, the Kryptonian 183

December 1: Walt Disney’s Christmas Parade #9 sells for 35 cents, the first issue of the title to do so without also being widelysold in a 25-cent variant edition.

race and culture. This set up stories featuring trips into the tiny bottled city, once the visitor was reduced to a suitable size. Over time, the mythos of Kandor became increasingly elaborate and figured in many subsequent stories. Readers were fascinated by the idea of the city in a bottle which offered continuing looks at Kryptonian society in the present day. (The character of Brainiac was changed to an intelligent robot in 1964, when it was discovered that a scientist named Edmund C. Berkeley had invented a “Brainiac Computer Kit” in 1955.) Earlier, according to Otto, Mort had laughed at the idea of Mary Marvel, a “female Captain Marvel.” Now, Weisinger decided that perhaps a “female Superman” might provide another avenue of expansion. To test the waters, he had Binder feature a Super-Girl in the three-part serial in Superman #123 (August 1958). The story’s premise involved a magical totem that gave Jimmy Olsen three

wishes. One was to create a companion for Superman. This magically-created Super-Girl (who appeared on the book’s cover) didn’t survive the end of the story, except insofar as Weisinger found that there was a bump in sales and presumed it was because browsers were attracted by the depiction of a Girl of Steel. Even though Otto and Mort had been friends for over 20 years, Binder found dealing with Weisinger difficult, and it took a toll on the genial writer. Weisinger was one of the toughest editors in comics to work for, and became more so as time went on. Freed from the supervisory eye of Whitney Ellsworth, close with Jack Liebowitz, and editor of National’s top-selling books, Mort felt more at liberty to launch into angry tirades at the drop of a hat, play writers against each other, and lord it over his colleagues at National. Otto recalled: One day [Mort] went up to Julie [Schwartz] and said, “You can’t have Otto anymore.” He didn’t ask me whether I wanted to write for Julie, and of course, I wanted to because Julie was easier to work for. He could be finicky, but there was a good back-and-forth exchange with him. But no, Mort had to have his way. It was a quarrel. Julie said, “For Christ’s sake, Mort, how can you just take him away? That isn’t right. You can’t do that!” So when I went to Julie the following week, he said, “You can’t write for me. Mort will make trouble.” Mort was that kind of a guy. Crazy, crazy. He was a madman. It’s a wonder I didn’t go mad!” (Schelly 143) In his notes, Binder wrote, “My last science-fiction scripts for DC were in January 1959, at which time Mort Weisinger ‘commandeered’ me wholly for his Superman group of comics, paying me higher rates.” Despite the unpleasantness of writing for Weisinger, Binder’s work was better than ever. He wrote the first story in comic books featuring Bizarro, the imperfect artificial copy of Superboy created by a scientific experiment gone awry. While writer Alvin Schwartz created

Brainiac, the Legion of Super-Heroes and the bottled city Kandor were additions to the Superman mythos introduced in stories written by Otto Binder. Characters TM and © DC Comics.

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Bizarro for the Superman daily newspaper strip, the booklength Bizarro introduction in Superboy #68 (October 1958) appeared in print before the character’s appearance in the daily strip. Weisinger had passed the concept to Binder after reviewing Schwartz’s story. The timing was such that Bizarro appeared first in comic book form. (Sharing plots and plot elements between the Superman daily strip and the comic books was common at this time.) “The Boy of Steel vs. the Thing of Steel” harkened back to Charlie Chaplin’s silent film City Lights, a story about a blind girl who fell in love with the Little Tramp, unaware of his outward “hobo” appearance. Here, the Bizarro Superboy met and helped a blind girl who was unaware of his imperfect form. The story ended poignantly when the girl’s blindness was cured by vibrations from the explosion that destroyed Bizarro. This 24-page tale was one of Binder’s best for National and was selected for inclusion in the book The Greatest Superman Stories Ever Told (1987). In the Superman newspaper strip, the “Battle with Bizarro” storyline ran from August 25, 1958 to December 13, 1958. The newspaper version of Bizarro wore a “B” on his chest, unlike his comic book counterpart. Binder scripted the next two Bizarro tales which brought the character into Kal-El’s adult world, and the especially memorable three-part “The Son of Bizarro” story in Superman #140 (October 1960). Binder had nothing to do with the wacky “Bizarro World” series that would appear in Adventure Comics (issues #285-299, June 1961 to August 1962). Those were written by Jerry Siegel. The introductory Bizarro story in Superboy #68 was drawn by George Papp (behind a Curt Swan cover), an experienced comic book artist who began drawing the Boy of Steel with “The Super-Weakling from Space” in Superboy #65 (June 1958). Back in the Golden Age, Papp co-created Green Arrow with Weisinger in 1941 (More Fun Comics #73) and stayed with the feature for 17 years. While his figure work was sometimes stiff, Papp was adept at drawing the facial expressions that conveyed the necessary emotions called

Book-length stories, as in Superboy #68, allowed for greater complexity and interplay of story elements. Cover by Curt Swan.

for in the scripts. His storytelling was always clear and direct. Papp also handled Superboy’s lead feature in Adventure with issue #251 (August 1958), making him the primary Superboy artist going forward. In Superboy #67 (September 1958), he drew the shocking story, “The Execution of Krypto!” just before that first Bizarro tale. Papp also handled the introduction of Mon-El, future member of the Legion of Super-Heroes, in Superboy #89 (“Superboy’s Big Brother!”) in 1961. These Superboy stories were generally (though not always) more dynamic and interesting than those from 1950 to 1957. The Superman stories were also getting better, though the improvement had begun earlier. It was partly a result of more Man of Steel stories by Edmond Hamilton and Otto Binder. The maturation of Wayne Boring’s art was another reason. Boring was 51 years old in 1956 and had been drawing Superman since the character’s debut, working first as an assistant to Joe Shuster and then on his own. At an age when many cartoonists are no longer capable of improvement, and whose work might even be deteriorating, Wayne Boring’s art got noticeably better: more subtle, more detailed and more evocative. The exaggerated postures and facial expressions were much modulated (though still present), especially when he wasn’t rushing to meet a deadline. His panels often had a dark romanticism and deep emotional resonance. Boring’s inking part-

Bizarro was created by Alvin Schwartz for the Superman daily newspaper strip, but appeared first in this landmark story. Superboy TM and © DC Comics.

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deep shadow—cast his “mighty mind” back to his infancy on Krypton and to events that occurred in space on his way to earth. The following year brought the Boring-Kaye team’s artwork to bear on two Binder scripts. One was a tale of a nightmarish monster threatening Metropolis (“The Invulnerable Enemy” in Action #226), the other the story of Superman becoming a slave on an island of women (“The Super-Prisoner of Amazon Island” in Action #235). In 1958, facial disfigurement and shame were deemed fitting subjects in a Hamilton script (“Superman’s New Face” in Action #239). Then came “The Super-Key to Fort Superman” (Action #241, June 1958) from a script credited to Jerry Coleman, a regular writer for Mort Weisinger. It was a mystery story about an intruder in Superman’s arctic hideaway. Superman’s “Secret Citadel” had first appeared in Superman #17, located on the outskirts of Metropolis. The name “Fortress of Solitude” was introduced in Superman #58 (May-June 1949) when it had moved to a “polar waste.” Action #241 introduced a new Fortress of Solitude much different from the one shown in the 1940s, one that was a “key” to the Man of Steel’s inner life and the things he considered most important. “Here I can keep the trophies and dangerous souvenirs I’ve collected from other worlds,” Superman reflected. “Here I can conduct secret experiments with my super powers ... and keep souvenirs of my best friends ... if I am ever destroyed....” The story revealed that he had special room dedicated to Lois Lane, Jimmy Olsen, Batman and even Clark Kent “if some unexpected earthquake ever opened my secret cave to a stranger.” We see Superman painting an alien landscape on a large canvas, and conducting experiments to find an antidote to kryptonite. He returned to the fortress one day to discover that an intruder had broken in and left a message daring him to find out his identity. As Superman searched his sanctum for clues, he became increasingly frustrated, and in one extraordinary panel, was haunted in a nightmare as he shouted, “No! No!” in his sleep. In the end, the puzzle was only an

ner Stan Kaye worked in concert to enhance this metamorphosis. An early example of improving Superman stories was “Superman’s First Exploit” in Superman #106 (July 1956), a script credited to Edmond Hamilton. A simple story which provided a framework for examples of Superman’s earliest feats as a boy became a fascinating trip into the depths of the Man of Steel’s mind. Asked to see how far back his memory reached, Superman—his face partly in

Dark tinges colored some of the Superman stories in the late 1950s, such as “Superman’s First Exploit” and “The Super-Key to Fort Superman.” Superman TM and © DC Comics.

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Art by Wayne Boring

elaborate birthday gift from Batman, though Superman figured it out and turned the tables on the Caped Crusader in the final pages. The harmless joke nevertheless revealed a great deal and opened up that kind of psychological territory for the future, though it was seldom explored as effectively. Wayne Boring’s visual treatment greatly enhanced “The Super-Key to Fort Superman.” It would have been so different, and so much less intriguing, had it been drawn by a different artist such as the otherwise able Al Plastino. Yet the book’s cover was by Curt Swan, whose interpretation of the Man of Steel was gaining favor with Weisinger as it became more assured and confident.

Character was at the heart of the year’s improvements and new ideas in the Superman books. Even the frequent stories involving betrayal among Superman, Lois and Jimmy—inevitably hoaxes—served to emphasize the bonds between them. Their search for personal happiness, their satisfaction at their jobs, the way they looked to each other for support — all made the center of the stories more human. The Superman-Lois-Lana triangle exposed readers to romance comic book tropes. Superman’s Girl Friend, Lois Lane was a unique hybrid of romance and super hero adventure. Boys who would never be caught buying a romance comic book bought Lois Lane’s book because, well, it was also a Superman comic book. There was a kind of family feeling among the Daily Planet crew, something that made the stories relatable to younger readers whose lives weren’t yet reaching far beyond their own family milieu.

hero, SUPERMAN.” To protect the presumably young letterwriters, their full addresses weren’t printed. Everyone who wrote received a postcard with a boiler-plate “thank you” for writing. With Lois Lane in her own title, the development of the Silver Age Fortress of Solitude, the creation of the Legion of Super-Heroes, and the addition of Brainiac, Kandor and Bizarro—as well as a stronger emphasis on characterization—editor Mort Weisinger and his staff made major strides in 1958 in laying the groundwork for a more interesting and coherent “Superman Universe.” The appeal of that universe, which continued to develop in the ensuing years, contributed a great deal to the growing momentum of the Silver Age alongside the developments overseen by Julie Schwartz, and produced many highly entertaining comic books.

Another important development occurred in Superman #124 (September 1958): the first letter column as a regular feature in National’s comics of this era (aside from Sugar & Spike which had been running one since its third issue in 1956). “Metropolis Mailbag” was a way for editor Weisinger to judge reader reaction to the changes and new ideas, as well as make the readers part of Superman’s world. In that first column, Weisinger wrote, “We welcome your suggestions and comments regarding America’s favorite action

National’s new Science Fiction Heroes The U.S.S.R.’s launch of its Sputnik satellite on October 4, 1957 was a wake-up call to the American space program. Suddenly, a “space race” was underway between the United States and the Soviet Union. It became a topic of national concern, consequently impacting various aspects of American life. For instance, public education nationwide

The letter column “Metropolis Mailbag” gave readers a sense of participation. Gradually, such columns were introduced in other titles, eventually becoming an expected adjunct to most Silver Age books from National/DC (and many of their rivals).

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adjusted its focus in reaction to the space race. School boards across the country began emphasizing math and science as never before. Transistors had been invented and computer science was advancing. The burgeoning interest in science and space travel among America’s youth encouraged the editors at National to try new heroes in a science fictional, outer space setting. Strange Adventures and Mystery in Space were doing well, but it was thought that adding recurring heroes to those titles would enhance reader interest and loyalty. The editors decided to try one hero set in the future and one in the present day. Jack Schiff had already been shifting the emphasis of Tales of the Unexpected and House of Secrets toward science fictional themes. He was selected to work on the futuristic hero. Schiff and writer Gardner Fox came up with a new version of Edmond Hamilton’s Captain Future. They called him Space Ranger. In fact, Hamilton is credited with writing the first two Space Ranger stories from Fox’s plots (“The Great Plutonium Plot” and “The Robot Planet”). Rick Starr, a.k.a. Space Ranger, appeared in Showcase #15 and #16, drawn by Bob Brown. The character found sufficient favor to be given the lead in Tales of the Unexpected #40 (August 1959). He didn’t appear on the cover, however, until issue #43 (November 1959). Space Ranger never became hugely popular but he had his fans

National’s new SF heroes Adam Strange (Showcase #17) and Space Ranger (Showcase #15) both proved successful. Characters TM and © DC Comics.

and lasted until 1965, moving to Mystery in Space in his last year. Gardner Fox’s second science fiction hero, set in the present day, was more successful and enduring than Space Ranger. While exploring in Peru, archeologist Adam Strange was suddenly transported to the planet Rann in the Alpha Centauri star system via what he found was called a “Zeta Beam.” On Rann, Adam met the beautiful Alanna and her scientist father Sardath, who had created the Zeta Beams that periodically hit various lo188

cations on Earth. Adam quickly found himself embroiled in the defense of Rann from alien threats. He donned a red and white costume (somewhat reminiscent of Captain Comet’s uniform) and became a hero of Rann, though he was always returned to Earth when the Zeta Beam “wore off.” (In order to go back to Rann, he had to travel to the location on Earth where the next Zeta Beam would hit.) The basic idea of a hero mysteriously transported to a far-flung planet was straight out of Edgar Rice Burroughs’

John Carter of Mars stories. Unlike the pulp hero who fought his enemies by physical means such as swordplay, Adam Strange relied on scientific gadgets and quasi-scientific ingenuity for his eventual triumphs. This semicerebral quality was probably the reason why Adam Strange was more appealing to an older reader than Space Ranger was. Adam Strange (initially billed under the title “Adventures on Other Worlds”) followed Space Ranger in Showcase. The cover of Showcase #17 (November-December 1958) featured a rare example of Gil Kane inking his own pencils, but the in-

terior—Strange’s origin story was titled “Secret of the Eternal City”— was penciled by Mike Sekowsky and inked by Bernard Sachs. It was one of Sekowsky’s finest efforts at National, sporting superior page and panel design. Unfortunately, the artist’s next two jobs on Adam Strange for Showcase #18 and #19 were less inspired. When Adam was deemed sufficiently successful to be a featured character in the pages of Mystery in Space, Carmine Infantino was given the regular penciling assignment. The first issue of Mystery in Space starring Adam Strange was #53, cover-dated August 1959.

Jerry Bails Writes to Julie Schwartz Sometime in the first part of 1958, Julie Schwartz received the first of a series of letters from a PhD student who would soon become a science professor at Wayne State University in Michigan. As a youth, Jerry Bails had been a fan of the Justice Society of America in All-Star Comics. Though he spent the early 1950s obtaining a bachelor of science degree in physics from the University of Kansas City, and then going for a master’s in math, Bails had corresponded with Gardner Fox (author of the first 32 JSA stories) beginning in 1953 regarding the erstwhile team, and worked steadily toward re-building his personal collection of All-Star. Bails later recalled, “Gardner Fox was a most generous and compassionate man and it is clear to me that he had influenced my basic values through the vehicle of the Justice Society. He made a big difference to me” (Schelly 28). Immersed in his studies, Bails had missed Showcase #4 and #8. When he finally noticed the Flash revival in Showcase #13 in late January of 1958, he was thunderstruck, partly because it implied the possibility of further revivals—even his beloved JSA. He unleashed a flurry of letters to Schwartz (and also to Fox), expressing his fervent desire for a return of the complete Justice Society. Bails and Fox worked out a deal for the writer’s bound editions of All-Star Comics to help Jerry complete his JSA collection. Schwartz enjoyed hearing from a college professor who wrote intelligently and had been a fan of National’s comics in the 1940s. These enthusiastic letters gave Julie the first hint that there were at least some older readers still reading comic books. Bails may have been the first fan to ask for the return of the other JSA characters, although Schwartz was probably already considering bringing back some of them. After all, if the new Flash seemed to be working, why not others?

Brave and Bold Changes

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Meanwhile, Bob Kanigher was making adjustments to some of the books on his editorial roster. For instance, the first 15 issues of The Brave and the Bold featured three stories each.

Original Kubert page from The Brave and the Bold #24, the second of two all-Viking Prince issues. Characters TM and © DC Comics.

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Despite fine stories and art, Viking Prince didn’t click with enough readers, and vanished from comics for several years. Characters TM and © DC Comics.

(April-May 1959), surrendering the title to Viking Prince for two spectacular solo issues.

Batman in the Doldrums

Given the number of pages lost to advertising and other editorial matter, the title’s three stars—Silent Knight, Viking Prince and Robin Hood (which had replaced the Golden Gladiator)— were allotted a mere eight pages per issue (in a bi-monthly book) to perform their derring-do. While the Kanigher-Kubert team had been having excellent results with the one-off, short anthology stories in National’s war comics, it was harder when ongoing characters had to be served. With The Brave and the Bold #16 (February-March 1958), Robin Hood was dropped (because National picked up

Robin Hood Tales from Quality at this time), giving the Viking Prince and Silent Knight (with Heath taking over the art from Novick) roughly four more pages per issue. (Sometimes the story lengths varied by a page or two.) Given this substantial new room to breathe, both features immediately improved. “The Viking and the Mermaid!” in B&B #16 was the best Viking Prince story so far, with Kubert’s work demonstrating better dynamics and panel depth. Ultimately, the Silent Knight became the longest-running knight in comics at that time, surviving 22 issues of The Brave and the Bold until finally, with issue #23 191

New life and new creativity were popping up in most of National’s comics in 1958. The exception was in the Batman titles, which had been on a gradual downhill slide since middecade. The Comics Code had more impact on the adventures of the Dynamic Duo than those of the Man of Steel. Considering Batman’s darker nature (a bat is, after all, a nocturnal creature), and the somewhat “edgy” qualities of some of his Rogues Gallery, this was perhaps to be expected. It seemed that the days of Batman as a dark avenger (“I’ll strike fear into the hearts of criminals!”) were in the past. The Joker had returned in Batman #97 (1956) but was used sparsely. Catwoman and Two-Face were gone. In their place, Schiff decreed that the Duo battle a procession of generic crooks and evil scientists. Bill Finger had been on the feature from the beginning, and his work was showing “writer fatigue.”

By 1958, tales of the Dynamic Duo seemed geared toward younger readers than before. Batman and Robin TM and © DC Comics.

In 1958, reportedly influenced by Mort Weisinger, Schiff began pushing Batman and Robin into stories with a fantastic or science fictional slant. That’s when the covers shifted decidedly to aliens (Batman #113, #117, Detective #251, #256, #260) as well as freaks and monsters (Batman #115, 116, Detective #252, #253, #255). Other covers and stories featured futuristic threats and strange transformations. In general, the stories seemed geared toward younger readers (ages eight to 10 years old). Yes, there were the occasional stories that stood out, such as those drawn by Dick Sprang, but the scripts he was given were often no better than those handled by Sheldon Moldoff. It was a sad comedown from former glory for Gotham’s Guardians. Sales of Batman and Detective Comics began to slip.

sues included Big Town #50, Buzzy #77, Gang Busters #67, Jackie Gleason and the Honeymooners #12, Leave it to Binky #60, Mutt & Jeff #103 (which was picked up by Dell comics), Peter Panda #31 and Robin Hood Tales #14. Mr. District Attorney breathed its last with issue #67 (January 1959), and neither Hopalong Cassidy nor Adventures of Rex the Wonder Dog would survive at National into 1960. It was a turbulent time for the firm, relatively speaking, because of the number of new ideas, creative experiments and cancellations. Change was in the air, and gradually it became apparent the company was on the right track.

The Death of Joe Maneely All through the 1950s, Joe Maneely was Stan Lee’s “go to” guy. Maneely drew stories in almost every genre, and did them well, and, despite the evident detail in his work, he could turn out pages faster than anyone else. Stan and Joe had such an excellent rapport that they did side projects together like the Mrs. Lyons’ Cubs newspaper strip (Chicago SunTimes Syndicate), which debuted on February 10, 1958.

National’s Cutbacks Begin To be expected, some of National’s new ideas for 1958 either didn’t succeed or were short-lived. The New Adventures of Charlie Chan lasted just six issues. Sgt. Bilko’s Pvt. Doberman, spinning off from the Bilko comic book, also didn’t last long. National’s days of actively seeking licensed properties were ending, though Bob Hope’s book continued, as did Jerry Lewis’ comic, without Dean Martin starting with the November 1957 issue (#41). There were oddities such as the Gulliver-like “The Lost Tribe of Tiny Warriors” in Tomahawk #54, and the dinosaur cover on Tomahawk #58. In 1958, National published over 400 issues, its high water mark, but cutbacks had already begun. Last is-

Joe Maneely working on Mrs. Lyon’s Cubs not long before Maneely’s untimely passing. Thanks to Dr. Michael J. Vassallo.

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Early in the morning of June 7, 1958 (around 1:00 a.m.), Maneely—who had misplaced his glasses—fell between the cars of a moving train headed for New Jersey (where he lived). He was instantly killed. His sudden accidental death was a huge blow to his family and to his friend and editor, Stan Lee. Here was a 32-year-old artist who was at his peak one day and gone the next. Maneely was so prolific that

Not that there weren’t plenty of great artists to draw the scripts that would have gone to Maneely. The demise of EC as a comic book publisher left its highly talented staff of artists on the prowl for work, and Lee had already given many of them assignments. Still, he knew that the low rates he was forced to pay at this time meant that most of them wouldn’t be regular, ongoing collaborators. Stan Lee did know one artist—one he admired very much—who would have no problem with the rates: Steve Ditko. Lee purportedly called Ditko shortly after Maneely’s demise. Having worked through the inventory on hand or assigned before the Implosion, Lee was attempting to bring together the best talent possible.

his last story, a five-page Ringo Kid tale, didn’t see print until Gunsmoke Western #53 (July 1959). His last cover appeared on Gunsmoke Western #55 (November 1959). Had Joe Maneely not lost his glasses and been better able to judge where he was stepping that fateful night, there’s no doubt that the history of Marvel Comics in the 1960s would have been much different. In conjunction with the considerable output of Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko, Joe Maneely’s work would have much reduced the need for Marvel’s second-stringers in the first few years of the Marvel Age. In the short term, his death left a yawning gap in Stan Lee’s art staff.

About the same time Steve Ditko was back with Stan Lee, Jack Kirby showed up at Lee’s door looking for work. Kirby wasn’t busy enough at National Comics, even though he’d finally broken into the realm of national syndication with the Sky Masters of the Space Force newspaper strip. Syndicate interest in such a strip came to Kirby and writer Dave Wood (the team producing Challengers of the Unknown) through National editor Jack Schiff. A story outline and

This is where the caption would go. This is where the caption would go. This is where the caption would go. This is where the caption would go. Characters TM and © Company.

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sample strips were approved. Shortly thereafter, when the early strips were being prepared, a disagreement over the amount of money due Schiff led to conflict. Kirby felt any amount paid to Schiff should only be on a onetime basis. Schiff argued otherwise. Sky Masters debuted coast-to-coast on September 8, 1958, while the conflict escalated behind the scenes. Finally, Schiff sued both Jack Kirby and Dave Wood for breach of contract. Kirby countersued Schiff, but it was Schiff who prevailed. Kirby was obligated to continue on the strip for over a year. Along the way, Dick Ayers replaced inker Wally Wood. After the lawsuits, Kirby found himself “out” at National. His last work on Challengers of the Unknown appeared in issue #8 (June-July 1959). Bob Brown penciled subsequent issues. His last Green Arrow story was the Ed Herron-scripted “The Green Arrow’s First Case” in Adventure #256 (January 1959), presenting a modern origin of the character—even incorporated into the Arrow TV series of 2012—in which Oliver Queen was shipwrecked and developed survival skills that he’d later use as a costumed hero. A desperate Jack Kirby ended up back with Stan Lee. Later, Jack Kirby would ruefully state that he was “shipwrecked at Marvel” at a time when the firm’s comic books were on the verge of cancellation (Evanier 109). The part about cancellation wasn’t true, but the firm was at low ebb. Nevertheless, Stan was able to give Jack a steady stream of scripts. Kirby’s 12year odyssey with Martin Goodman’s company had begun.

Unfortunately for Charlton, its confidence in the new format proved to be unfounded. Despite the fact that these comics were unquestionably a good value—and carried some very nice work by artists desperate for work in the wake of the Atlas implosion, such as Al Williamson and John Severin—retailer and presumably customer resistance doomed the experiment to failure. Somehow, 15 cents never worked as a price point for comics in the ’50s, other than for Classics Illustrated. A total of 29 Charlton titles appeared in 68-page editions. The final issues of the push were dated June 1958. While the 68-pagers were followed by a number of 100-pagers for 25 cents, Charlton quietly ended its ambitious vision for an all-square bound line. Harvey Kurtzman’s Humbug—printed by Charlton and distributed by CDC—continued its precarious existence into 1958. It was precarious because the sales information that came back from the distributor was considerably delayed, and when it did arrive, it was clear the magazine wasn’t reaching its intended audience. The problem was that on the stands Humbug looked more like a comic book than a magazine (both had 36 pages), and Humbug came out at the same time when the public was rejecting 15 cent comics. Besides that, retailers didn’t know where to display Humbug since it was “neither fish nor fowl.” Smaller than a true comic book, it was too often lost behind comics or other magazines. From a commercial standpoint, Kurtzman’s choice of format was an unmitigated disaster. As a work of satire and parody, however, Humbug was perhaps Kurtzman’s most perfect magazine. Humbug struggled along for eleven issues, never selling more than 35% of its print run, even when its last two issues were full-sized magazines like Mad, with the last issue dated October 1958. Perhaps the highlight of Humbug’s run was the brilliant parody of Frankenstein called “Frankenstien and His Monster” by Kurtzman and Elder in issue

Artist Steve Ditko seems to have “spiders on the brain” on this cover of Charlton’s Out of This World #8 (May 1958), the second of the title’s 15-cent extra-thick issues. © copyright holder.

Charlton’s Giant Revolution Dell, Archie and Harvey had established the 25-cent specials and annuals early in the decade. Charlton followed with Giant Comics #1 (Summer 1957), offering 96 pages of its popular Atomic Mouse. This and—perhaps—Dell’s experiment with a price increase to 15 cents the same year seems to have led Charlton’s publisher John Santangelo to make a bold move. According to comics historian Gene Kehoe, Charlton purchased a new $350,000 binding machine to produce square-bound comics. Santangelo planned to convert Charlton’s entire line to giant 68-pagers for just 15 cents (nearly twice the number of pages for just a nickel more). A guaranteed success, if you asked Santangelo. Accordingly, Charlton bombastically announced its plan to retailers (“The most important news in comic history”), touting increased profits from comics that would be “a real magazine [with] real backbone.” The initial books (with January 1958 cover dates) such as Timmy the Timid Ghost #10 and Lash LaRue Western #67 came out of the gate with the same old side-stapled binding of regular comics. Within 45 days, however, Charlton’s books began appearing with the promised square spines.

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Mad had one mascot so Cracked had three: Veronica (a beautiful woman with a cigarette holder), Der Editor (an unkempt editor) and janitor Sylvester P. Smythe (the only one of the three to endure).

Death of Jack Cole After the accidental deaths of Alex Raymond and Joe Maneely, a third giant of comics passed away in 1958: Jack Cole. The quintessential Golden Age artist, Jack Cole got his start in a production shop (in his case, the Harry “A” Chesler shop, beginning in 1936), found his style and contributed to the first, formative years of comic books. Cole created Plastic Man, one of the great characters of the era, and like his contemporaries who stayed in comics, he drifted into crime and horror comics in the postwar era. He was a cut above most others in the field and had the dubious honor of having his work given prominent placement in Wertham’s Seduction of the Innocent. A crime story he had drawn (and perhaps written) called “Murder, Morphine and Me” from True Crime Comics #2 (May 1947), provided the image of a woman’s bulging eyeball being threatened by an ice pick. But by the time of the 1954 Senate hearings, Cole had already re-invented himself as a single-panel gag cartoonist, selling to the “girlie magazines” of the early 1950s. His work came to the attention of Hugh Hefner, once an aspiring cartoonist himself, and Cole quickly became a top cartoonist in Playboy. As Hefner’s magazine gained acceptance and circulation, Cole’s future prospects looked bright.

Despite nice color printing, Classics Illustrated #26 didn’t do justice to Norman Saunders’ stunning Frankenstein cover. Classics Illus. TM and © the Frawley Corporation & licensee First Classics, Inc.

#7. After both Trump and Humbug failed, Kurtzman found himself back in the freelance market. He made the best of it, working for Esquire, TV Guide and other magazines, until inventing “Little Annie Fanny” for Playboy in 1962. Kurtzman wrote and did the layouts for Annie Fanny for over 25 years.

Yet on August 15, 1958, Cole put a gun to his head and pulled the trigger. Why had he committed suicide? None of his close friends and family could answer that question. It remains a mysterious and tragic ending to the life of one of comics’ top talents.

Brodsky gets Cracked In the wake of the Atlas Implosion, Sol Brodsky worked out a deal with publisher Bob Sproul and agent Bernie Brill (who put up most of the money) to launch a Mad knockoff that he would edit. The 25cent Cracked #1 (February-March 1958) became a haven for several former Atlas artists with an initial roster including John Severin, Russ Heath, Joe Maneely, Bill Everett, Carl Burgos, Bill Ward (using the alias Bill McCartney) and Paul Reinman. In the wake of Humbug’s cancellation, Jack Davis, Bill Elder, and Al Jaffee began selling material to Cracked, too (effective with issue #5, October 1958). After ten issues, Brodsky accepted an offer from Martin Goodman to return to Goodman’s line, and Cracked continued under new editor Paul Laiken with issue #11 (October 1959).

Gilberton/Classics Illustrated Already publishing the successful Classics Illustrated and Classics Illustrated Junior, Gilberton decided to add another title. The World Around Us debuted with a September 1958 cover date. The series did well enough to last 36 issues over the next three years.

The World Around Us #3 with a painted cover by L. B. Cole. World around Us TM and © the Frawley Corporation & licensee First Classics, Inc.

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Besides adding a new title to its slate, Gilberton also added a talented new editor to its staff. After the demise of Star Publications in 1956, L. B. Cole had freelanced as a painter of book and magazine covers. He

286 issues through July 1991. (It was revived in 2010 with “imaginary stories” of Archie married to Betty, and Archie married to Veronica.)

became an editor for Skye Publications, which published Rod and Gun, as well as men’s magazines such as Valor, Epic and Power. Then, in the fall of 1958, his friend Norman Nodell called to tell him that Gilberton’s art editor Alex A. Blum was retiring, leaving his position vacant. Cole phoned executive editor Meyer Kaplan and was immediately hired. Leonard Cole’s first assignment was painting the cover illustration of a horse for The World Around Us #3, reportedly his only signed work for the firm. Cole was in charge of picking the artists for upcoming issues of Classics Illustrated and the other Gilberton publications. The publisher was in the process of adding painted covers to his reprints of 1940s editions. Cole’s predecessor probably arranged for the Norman Saunders covers for The Crisis by Winston Churchill (#145, July 1958) and Frankenstein by Mary W. Shelley (#26, September 1958). The popular pulp, paperback and magazine cover artist came up with a stunning interpretation of Mary Shelley’s beleaguered monster. Cole himself painted numerous covers for the Classics Illustrated Junior series, as well as covers for The Best from Boys’ Life Comics such as the super-wholesome Boy Scout cover of issue #5 (October 1958).

At Dell, Tarzan #100 (January 1958) saw print with a Gordon Scott cover. After Four Color tryouts, characters receiving their own series included Buffalo Bill Jr. (with issue #7, February), Scamp (with issue #5, March-May), Spin and Marty (#5, March-May) and Wyatt Earp (#4, September). In 1958, Dell published numerous 25-cent “annuals” such as Tarzan’s Jungle Annual, Nancy and Sluggo Travel Time, Bugs Bunny’s Vacation Funnies, Walt Disney’s Vacation in Disneyland #1 (and other Disney specials), Marge’s Little Lulu and Tubby at Summer Camp (July) and Marge’s Lulu and Tubby Halloween Fun #2 (October).

L. B. Cole’s cover to The Best From Boys’ Life #5 promulgates a wholesome image of America’s youth. Boys’ Life TM and © Boy Scouts of America.

Leonard Cole served as Gilberton’s art director through 1961, leaving under a cloud due to unspecified irregularities in his handling of freelancer accounts. One of his best pieces was the new painted cover for the Classics Illustrated adaptation of Black Beauty by Anna Sewell (#60, Fall 1960).

OtherDevelopments in 1958 Archie Comics continued to launch new titles, such as three with September cover dates: Cosmo the Merry Martian #1, Katy Keenr Charm #1 and Life with Archie #1. Another came during the summer: Little Ambrose #1 (October). Of the four, somewhat predictably, it was Life with Archie that became a regular addition to the publisher’s line-up, lasting for

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Harvey’s Hot Stuff, the Little Devil and Harvey Hits (its Showcase-like book) were beginning to show traction in their early issues. Harvey’s line continued to feature a few vestigial romance titles, and the books initiated and/or continued in 1957 by editor Joe Simon (Alarming Tales, Black Cat Mystic, Man in Black and Warfront) were augmented by Race for the Moon #1, the last of the new titles Simon introduced at the time for Harvey. Its third issue had a nifty outer space cover by Kirby. None of the Simon-edited titles, though, survived into 1959. Despite the (odd) fact that National didn’t enter the 25-cent comic arena, the news in 1958 was mainly about this preeminent firm. It hadn’t understood or appreciated the talents of Jack Kirby, but it would seem it inadvertently did him a favor. National wasn’t a setting where Kirby could thrive, whereas Goodman’s operation brought him together with the collaborator who would unleash his untapped creative potential. But that wouldn’t happen overnight. Meanwhile, National’s “full court press” was already bearing fruit. The stage was set for the decade’s last, exciting year.

Reprints

made. I wrote my address on a pad on his desk. He wrote a check. It was for fifteen hundred dollars, as agreed upon by phone prior to our meeting.

As comic book companies succumbed to censorship and distribution problems, as well as low sales, Israel Waldman bought the plates to discontinued comics. He added new covers, and published the books without dates on either the covers or interiors. This meant they weren’t periodicals and could be sold any time; they wouldn’t be removed from display because they had been there too long, like regular comic books. Waldman had them packaged in plastic bags and sold the packages in job lots to discount stores. Merchants could charge what they felt the market would bear. Some stores removed them from the plastic bags and put them on the shelf or spinner racks with regular comics.

“We need to keep the copyrights,” I said. “So keep them.” He shrugged. “What do I need with copyrights.” (Simon 165) Waldman paid little for the interiors but good rates for the art on the new covers. Cover artists included John Severin, Wally Wood, Everett Raymond Kinstler and Jay Disbrow. In 1958, Waldman issued around 90 of these “new” titles, such as Apache, Blazing Sixguns, Dr. Fu Manchu, Dynamic Comics, Eerie Comics, Jet Powers, Space Mysteries, Strange Planets, Top Adventure Comics and U. S. Paratroops. There were also familiar titles such as The Avenger, a reprint of the first issue of the ME comic book with a new cover (oddly issued as #9).

Joe Simon recalled visiting Waldman’s office in New York’s diamond district: Mr. Waldman was all business. He took the comic books out of the envelope I shoved at him: Bullseye, Foxhole, In Love, Police Trap. He rifled through a few pages of each, then set them down next to [his business-size] checkbook. I was disappointed that he hadn’t read a story or two.

In 1963, Waldman put another raft of his packages out under the Super Comics banner when comics were experiencing a resurgence. The comics he produced were, in the long run, oddities remarkable mainly for their crass commercialism. They contributed nothing new to the field, but then, that was the farthest thing from Israel Waldman’s mind.

“This material is really superior,” I told him. “Where can I pick up the mats?” he asked. He was referring to matrix, the fiber molds for the zinc plates from which the final letterpress printing is

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1959

The

Silver Age

Gains Traction

According to the 1960 N. W. Ayer & Sons Directory (an annual publication that provided data for advertisers), the monthly circulation totals of the major surviving comic book publishers in 1959 were: Dell – 9,686,424 (37%) National – 6,653,485 (25%) Harvey – 2,514,879 (9.5%) Charlton – 2,500,000 est. (9.5%) Goodman – 2,253,112 (9%) Archie – 1,608,489 (6%) ACG – 975,000 (4%)

The top two publishers accounted for an incredible 62% of the comics sold in 1959, with Dell decidedly outselling National (Miller). This list makes clear how disastrous the “Atlas implosion” was for Martin Goodman’s comic book line. In 1950, National Comics’ monthly sales were 7,791,402, but Goodman was right up there with 5,783,231 (Tolworthy). By decade’s end, National’s monthly sales were 85% of what they had been 10 years earlier, not bad considering that television had become all-pervasive by 1959, and that children watched much more TV than adults. Sales of Martin Goodman’s line, however, were just 39% of what they had been in 1950. When comparing sales figures, one must take into account the number of issues each company published. Archie published 100 issues in 1959 while National published 382. Therefore, Archie comics were selling about as well as National’s on an issue-by-issue basis. On the other hand, Charlton released 289 issues, nearly triple Archie’s production, yet only represented 9.5 percent of the industry’s revenues. The number of issues published provides a picture of how crowded newsstands were, and the number of choices readers had. The decade’s peak year was 1952, when 3,150 issues were published. According to historians Michelle Nolan and Dan Stevenson, those numbers (not including giveaways or religious comics, rounded off to the nearest 50) in the middle and later years of the decade were: 1954 – Slightly more than 2,700 1955 – Slightly less than 2,350 1956 – Slightly more than 2,000 1957 – Slightly more than 1,900 1958 – Slightly more than 1,850 1959 – Slightly more than 1,500

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Less than half as many issues were published in 1959 as had appeared in 1952. The anti-comics hysteria, the Senate hearings, the winnowingoutofpublishersandthe coming of the Comics Code (and consequent loss of adult readers) had all taken their toll. In the process, a medium that had been in the mainstream was now substantially marginalized.

Dell’s Greatest Decade Dell was the dominant comic book publisher of the 1950s by almost any measure. It had the best sales, the most popular lineup of characters (Donald Duck outsold Superman), and some of the top creators in the business. History has singled out Carl Barks, John Stanley and Alex Toth as the “superstars” of the Dell firmament in the 1950s. Though Carl Barks wrote and drew comics before and after this key decade, many collectors and fans believe he produced his most inspired work during the ’50s, especially its first half. While Barks found it difficult to maintain that creative standard from 1956 to 1959, the adventures he crafted for comic books remained highly entertaining. In the spring of 1960, Barks received his first fan letter from 16-year-old John Spicer of Aptos, California, and was visited shortly thereafter by John and Bill Spicer and another fan named Ron Leonard. The realization that intelligent, older readers were following his work gave the 59-year-old Barks the needed shot in the arm to “raise his game” in succeeding years. An interesting fact: Barks’ story “The Prize of Pizarro” (Uncle Scrooge #26, June 1959) was acknowledged by George Lucas and Steven Spielberg as the inspiration for both “the hall of flying arrows” and the “giant rolling boulder” in the opening sequence in their 1980 movie Raiders of the Lost Ark. Similarly, the booby-trapped idol in Raiders that set the other traps in motion appears to have been inspired by a scene in “The Seven Cities of Cibola” in Uncle Scrooge #7 (September 1954). In that story, the

The famous “rolling boulder” sequence in Raiders of the Lost Ark was inspired by “The Prize of Pizarro” by Carl Barks. Above: panels from Uncle Scrooge #26. TM and © Disney Enterprises, Inc. Raiders of the Lost Ark TM and © Lucasfilm Ltd. Movie still courtesy of the Teegarden-Nash Collection.

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TIMELINE: 1959

April 1: The first issue of The Double Life of Private Strong debuts the new version of Archie Comics’ The Shield.

JANUARY

June 1: Archie Comics publishes the first issue of The Fly, created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby.

March 9: The Mattel Toy Company unveils The Barbie doll at the American Toy Fair in New York City. The first Barbie Doll retails for $3.

FEBRUARY

February 12: Wonder Girl makes her first appearance (as a younger version of Diana) in Wonder Woman #105’s “The Secret Origin of Wonder Woman,” written by Robert Kanigher and drawn by Ross Andru and Mike Esposito.

June 14: The Disneyland Monorail, the first daily operating monorail system in the Western Hemisphere, opens to the public.

MARCH

APRIL

M AY

JUNE

June 30: The Brave and the Bold #25 introduces the Suicide Squad in a story written by Robert Kanigher and drawn by Ross Andru and Mike Esposito.

March 31: The Otto Binder-Al Plastino creative team introduces Kara, Superman’s cousin, as Supergirl in Action Comics #252 (cover provided by Curt Swan).

April 2: Our Army at War #83 presents “The Rock and the Wall!,” written by Robert Kanigher and drawn by Joe Kubert. The story marks the first appearance of the fully-realized Sgt. Frank Rock of Easy Company.

June 16: Superman actor George Reeves dies at the age of 45 of a gunshot wound to the head. His death would be officially ruled a suicide.

Wonder Girl, Sgt. Rock, Green Lantern, the Flash and Legion of Super-Heroes TM and © DC Comics. The Fly and The Shield TM and © Archie Publications, Inc. Barbie TM and © Mattel.

Beagle Boys try to steal an emerald idol that, when they move it, releases a giant boulder that destroys the Seven Cities. When “The Prize of Pizarro”

was first published, Lucas and Spielberg were 15 and 12 years old, respectively.

Tarzan #114 (September-October 1959) and Turok, Son of Stone #14 (December 1958-February 1959). Tarzan TM and © ERB, Inc. Turok TM and © Random House, Inc.

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As for John Stanley, he left Marge’s Little Lulu in 1959 around issue #135. (The exact issue that marks his departure has never been determined.) He was busily writing and doing layouts for the Nancy stories, though his greatest legacy is his work on Lulu and Tubby. Undoubtedly, Stanley’s Lulu work has stood the test of time. Dell’s regular humor titles at the end of 1959 were Adventures of Mighty Mouse, Andy Panda, Beetle Bailey, Bugs Bunny, Chip ‘n’ Dale, Comic Album (with issues alternately featuring characters from all the animation studios represented in Dell’s roster), Daffy Duck, Donald Duck, Henry, I Love Lucy, Looney Tunes, MGM’s Mouse Musketeers (Tom and Jerry), MGM’s Spike and Tyke, Marge’s Little Lulu, Marge’s Tubby, Little Iodine, Mickey Mouse, Nancy, New Funnies, Popeye, Porky Pig, Scamp, Tip Top Comics, Tom and Jerry Comics, Tweety and Sylvester, Uncle Scrooge, Walt Disney’s Comics and Stories, and Woody Wood-

July 17: Alfred Hitchcock’s North by Northwest, starring Cary Grant and Eva Marie Saint, is released. The famed director begins working on his next film based on Robert Bloch’s book Psycho.

December 29: The Brave and the Bold #28 introduces the Justice League of America with “Starro the Conqueror!,” a story written by Gardner Fox and drawn Mike Sekowsky and Bernard Sachs. (Murphy Anderson inks the Mike Sekowsky cover.)The meteoric success of the new version of the Justice Society of America shifts the Silver Age into high gear, and indirectly inspires Stan Lee to create the Fantastic Four.

September: Dick Ayers begins inking the Sky Masters syndicated strip over Jack Kirby’s pencils.

November 1: Dell’s Nancy changes its title to Nancy and Sluggo with issue #174.

August 11: Comic book artist Matt Baker dies at the age of 37 of a heart attack.

August 21: Hawaii becomes the 50th state in the union. (It had been a territory of the U.S. since 1898.)

J U LY

AUGUST

October 20: In Flash #110 Wally West becomes Kid Flash in a story written by John Broome and drawn by Carmine Infantino.

SEPTEMBER

OCTOBER

NOVEMBER

DECEMBER

October 2: Rod Serling’s classic anthology series The Twilight Zone premieres on the CBS television network.

July 23: Showcase #22 introduces the new Green Lantern with stories written by John Broome, drawn by Gil Kane and Joe Giella and edited by Julius Schwartz.

August 11: Dick Ayers turns in his work on the cover to Wyatt Earp #27 (on sale in October). It is the first time Ayers inks Jack Kirby’s pencil work. The first complete Kirby story that Ayers will ink is “Monstro, the Menace from the Murky Depths!” in Tales of Suspense #8 (also on sale in October).

October 29: Adventure Comics #267 marks the second appearance of The Legion of Super-Heroes, with Jerry Siegel replacing creator Otto Binder.

December 1: Harvey takes over the still-popular Mutt and Jeff from Dell, starting with issue #116.

pecker. Dell picked up Mutt and Jeff after National had been publishing it for many years, but Dell published just 12 Mutt and Jeff issues in 1958 and 1959 (from #104 to #115) before the title moved again, this time to Harvey.

its association with Western Printing, the firm with advantageous licensing deals with the top cartoon studios.

Dell’s other comics, mostly Westerns, were Cheyenne, Gunsmoke, Lassie, Lone Ranger, Lone Ranger’s Famous Horse Hi-Yo Silver, Maverick, Rin Tin Tin, Roy Rogers and Trigger, Tarzan, Tarzan’s Jungle World, Turok, Son of Stone, Walt Disney Presents, Wyatt Earp and Zorro. The Four Color series published, in December 1959 alone, comics featuring Buffalo Bee, Bugs Bunny’s Merry Christmas, Christmas Stories, Frosty the Snowman, Huckleberry Hound, Journey to the Center of the Earth, Santa Claus Funnies, Yellowstone Kelly and Yogi Bear. Dell had achieved its position by careful, conservative management and by

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Dell also had the great advantage of having a line that was perfectly attuned to the reading needs of the upand-coming baby boomers. As such, anyone would be forgiven for assuming the Dell juggernaut would continue rolling along in similar fashion for many years. Such was not to be. The giant who led comic book sales in 1959 would break with Western Printing within three years and find that producing top selling comics “in house” was harder than it looked. In the end, Dell got out of comics before nearly all of the other companies that were in business in 1959. Of the top six publishers, Dell was the first to leave the business (in 1973). Western Printing’s Gold Key imprint, begun in 1962 after the split with Dell, took with it the rights to the Disney, Warner Brothers and other popular characters that had been the backbone of the Dell line. Gold Key survived into the 1980s.

National’s New Era

from that story and continuing on in its own title.

The date the company moved to 575 Lexington Avenue— late spring/early summer of 1958—is as good a time as any to mark the beginning of a “new era” at National. (Coincidentally, this was when Goodman’s line also began its new era.) Whitney Ellsworth was backing away from an active role. The resulting turnover in titles left Julie Schwartz with a light roster, just two Westerns (All-Star Western and Western Comics), Adventures of Rex the Wonder Dog and two SF books (Mystery in Space and Strange Adventures).

As I started the new series, I had a basic question to confront: Should it be numbered one as the first of the new Flash, or should it pick up its numbering from 104 which was where the Golden Age series had left off? Donenfeld was adamant. It had to be the latter, and when I asked why, he explained. “If you go to a newsstand, you see hundreds of titles on display. If you are looking at two of them side by side and one said number one, and one said number one hundred and four, which is a kid going to spend his hard-earned dime on? If the kid is smart, it will obviously be number one hundred and four and not an unknown number one because any comic that has gone that long must be worth reading.” (88)

All-Star Western featured the Trigger Twins drawn by Carmine Infantino, Foley of the Fighting 5th with Howard Sherman art, and Johnny Thunder drawn by Gil Kane. Western Comics had Pow Wow Smith drawn by Infantino, Nighthawk with art by Kane, and the Wyoming Kid drawn by Sherman. John Broome, Gardner Fox and Bob Kanigher provided the scripts. Westerns continued to be popular on television, but the sales of Western comics had dropped off. Although National’s Western comics were among the best the industry had to offer, their days were numbered. (Indeed, both All-Star Western and Western Comics would be canceled in 1961.)

The Flash #105, cover-dated February-March 1959, arrived on the stands on December 23, 1958. The cover introduced the Mirror Master, who would become a recurring foe of the Flash. While Robert Kanigher had played a crucial role in Flash’s Showcase success, he was busy with other things. Therefore, both “Conqueror from 8 Million B.C.!” and “The Master of Mirrors!” came from the typewriter of Flash’s other Showcase writer, John Broome. Just as he had on all of Flash’s Showcase stories, Carmine Infantino penciled the new series, which meant the speedster’s title would be drawn by the same penciler who finished the original series exactly 10 years earlier. (Flash Comics #104 was dated February 1949.) Of the three inkers who had worked on Flash’s try-out issues, Joe Giella was given the regular assignment going forward. A letter column called “FlashGrams” began appearing a little over a year later in issue #112 (the book was bi-monthly until issue #114).

Of course, Schwartz had also been occupied editing the Flash and Adam Strange try-outs in Showcase, and he was slated to handle them should they be given ongoing series. The Flash was first of the two to graduate, but not with a new first issue. In his autobiography, Schwartz recalled: Four Flash Showcases succeeded, and I was given the go-ahead to launch a new series, picking up

Strange Adventures and Mystery in Space continued to do well, with Gardner Fox scripts, Gil Kane covers, and interior stories drawn by Mike Sekowsky, Manny Stallman and Frank Giacoia. A new series called Space Museum (written by Fox, and initially drawn by Sekowsky) debuted in Strange Adventures #104 (May 1959). Each episode revolved around Howard Parker telling his son Tommy about the exciting history of a particular item in the 25th Century Space Museum. Subsequent stories, appearing at threeissue intervals, were drawn by Infantino, who was also tapped to pencil Adam Strange when the character was given a regular slot in Mystery in Space starting with issue #53 (August 1959).

Photo of Carmine Infantino taken in 1958 by Bill Crawford, used with permission. The Flash and Green Lantern TM and © DC Comics.

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Though he was a favorite of Julius Schwartz, Carmine Infantino wasn’t satisfied with his work. In the late 1950s he did something that

would drastically alter his artistic style: he re-enrolled in art school. “There came a point where I felt I had to get back to school,” Infantino recalled in his book The Amazing World of Carmine Infantino. “I just felt there was something missing” (42). Infantino took classes at the Art Students’ League, and then at the School of Visual Arts with teacher Jack Potter. “What Jack taught me about design was monumental, and I went through a metamorphosis working with him. My work started to grow by leaps and bounds. I was achieving individuality in my work that wasn’t there before. I threw all the basics of cartooning out the window and focused on pure design” (Infantino 54). Infantino’s work took on a dynamic quality that directed the readers’ eye to each panel’s foreground elements (rather than to the background details). It was an abstract, spare, modern-looking approach that fit perfectly with the times and was startlingly different than anything else in comics. He continued to refine his style over the next few years. Since his teenage years, Infantino had always been a very good penciler, but the artistic metamorphosis he underwent in his mid-30s made him one of the greatest artists in comic book history. Infantino’s early Adam Strange artwork was inked variously by Bernard Sachs, Joe Giella and Murphy Anderson. The scripts, however, had certain weaknesses: lack of character, emotion and humor. Though writer Gardner Fox had scripted comic books for nearly 20 years, he had the sensibility of a writer of pulp magazines, a medium where character was sublimated almost entirely to plot and atmosphere. Yes, Adam and Alanna were in love, but their relationship acted more as a device to explain Adam’s continual desire to defend Rann than anything resembling a real life relationship, even the jokey relationship Barry Allen had with Iris West. While it’s true the Adam Strange feature only ran nine pages for its first two years, its weaknesses were just as apparent when the stories became longer. As with pulp readers, many comic book readers overlooked these flaws, but some did not, limiting the appeal of Adam Strange’s adventures in Mystery in Space.

Green Lantern as he appeared in the 1940s, and the new version introduced in Showcase #22. Art by Gil Kane. Green Lantern TM and © DC Comics.

Showcase #22 came nineteen years after the debut of the original Green Lantern in All-American Comics #16 (July 1940), ten years after the cancellation of that character’s eponymous series (with Green Lantern #38, May-June 1949), and eight and a half years after his last appearance in All-Star Comics #57 (February-March 1951). Schwartz selected his Flash writer, John Broome, to script the adventures of the new Emerald Gladiator. Finding an artist, however, wasn’t a repeat of the process with the Flash, when the artist who drew the Golden Age feature was given the nod. Most of the Green Lantern stories of the late 1940s were drawn by Alex Toth and Irwin Hasen, but neither of those artists was available for Schwartz’s use. Even if Toth hadn’t been working in California at this time, his estrangement from Schwartz would most likely have ruled him out as penciler. Hasen, on the other hand, was busy drawing his newspaper strip Dondi. In any case, Schwartz wanted an artist who could bring a fresh, modern approach to the visuals. He chose Gil Kane, one of the regular artists in his stable, to design and illustrate the new Green Lantern.

The Space Age Green Lantern In 1959, Julie Schwartz got the opportunity to reinvent another one of National’s Golden Age costumed heroes. One month after Mystery in Space #53 appeared on newsstands, Showcase #22 (September-October 1959) featured a new version of the Green Lantern. National clearly had high hopes for the revival as Showcase #23 and #24 also featured the character. All three Showcase covers displayed a large, eye-catching Green Lantern logo (created by Ira Schnapp) that was big enough to read from across a room. 203

1930s and 1940s, and introduced more such elements into the Superman mythos, science fictional ideas formed a great deal of the foundation of National’s Silver Age costumed hero comics. Showcase #22 appeared on newsstands in late July 1959, in such venues as Fulenweider’s Drug Store in Jackson, Missouri. There, as in similar locations around the country, the comic book would vie for the attention of browsers, in this case the 18-year-old ticket-taker in the nearby Palace Theatre, looking for a way to pass the time on a slow night. His name was Roy Thomas. Thomas, who had grown up reading the adventures of the Justice Society of America and its members, later wrote of that evening: I had the popcorn boy—my younger friend Gary Friedrich—watching things for five minutes while I trotted a few doors down to FulenweiHal Jordan has a meeting with destiny, in “S.O.S. Green Lantern” from Showcase #22 (September-October 1959). Green Lantern der’s to peruse the new comTM and © DC Comics. ics that had come in that day Kane earned the plum new assignment by drawing (probably a Tuesday or Thursday, if I recall a-right). Schwartz’s science fiction and Western stories throughout To my surprise, there was Showcase #22 staring at the 1950s. Moreover, his artwork had incrementally imme. proved over those years, going from nondescript and stiff “GREEN LANTERN” shrieked the title logo in big to more design-oriented and fluid. His work hadn’t prowhite letters surrounded by green-colored flames. gressed as much as Infantino’s, but it would go through a Could it be? I wasn’t expecting it, despite the slow similar evolution in the next few years. Along the way, he revival of the Flash over the past few years. Grabgained many fans. Kane recalled: bing it hurriedly lest it vanish, I surveyed the cover Julie was chosen as the editor for the new Green at closer range. It boasted an excellently drawn picLantern and he picked writer John Broome and ture of a brown-haired man wearing a tight-fitting myself to do it. I went to work on the look of the green-and-black costume and an emerald mask, character while the script was being written. Juhovering high above the large city as an over-sized lie had given me some rough indications what he ring on one outstretched hand blasted verdant rays wanted and, coupled with some ideas I’d had, the at a plunging rocket. WOW! I thought. (Thomas drawing began to develop. I submitted them to Ju15) lie, taking care to color the one I favored. That was For older fans like Thomas, the return of yet another hero the one he chose. (Kane 6) from the JSA (even in changed form) was a seismic event. The new origin, “S.O.S. Green Lantern,” was told in a mere One revival could be considered an isolated case; two resix pages (allowing for two more G.L. stories in that first vivals suggested the beginning of a trend. The arrival of a Showcase issue). According to future comic book writer new Green Lantern was an important next step in the unMarty Pasko, Schwartz and Broome were inspired by the folding of the Silver Age, and if successful, augured well for opening sequence in the 1955 science fiction film This Isthe revitalization of the industry—an industry that both land Earth in which a jet fighter pilot is saved from a crash Roy Thomas (and later Gary Friedrich) would enter several by an alien’s bright green light. Schwartz and Broome’s years hence. (Indeed, Roy would go on to become the secGreen Lantern was test pilot Hal Jordan who was given a ond most important writer of the Marvel Age of comics.) power ring by a dying alien Green Lantern named Abin Sur. Showcase #22 might be considered the spark that ignited Thomas’ fascination with comics as an adult. In an email As it had on the Flash, Schwartz’s background as a science to American Comic Book Chronicles, Thomas wrote: fiction fan had a great effect on the Green Lantern feature. It would also affect subsequent revivals of former JSA char acters. Since Weisinger also came from SF fandom of the

It would be the debut of the Justice League of America, some months later, that would cause me 204

There was still a lingering cloud of repression that was yet to be dissipated. Characters could run, fly, jump, ride horses but they could not hurt each other badly. Plots were generally puzzles with an unexpected resolution that left the artist with about one or two panels of concluding action in which to punch the villain out. How to extend the physical action and not raise Julie’s blood pressure became my job for the immediate future. (Kane 6).

to pen my very first set of letters on the same day to the “editors” of The Flash, Showcase (with Green Lantern) and The Brave and the Bold (with the JLA). Since Julie Schwartz was the editor of all three, I received a response from him soon afterward, the first of many we exchanged which pushed me slowly and unsuspectingly toward a career in comics. That first letter to GL, in fact, is probably the one printed (at least in part) in Green Lantern #1 a few months later; that was the first letter of mine ever printed in a comic, and it was a real thrill to see.

Kane was able to keep a sense of action going by moving Green Lantern’s figure through space in unique ways, often showing him at unusual, foreshortened angles. The art on “The Planet of Doomed Men!” was further enhanced by “guest inker” Murphy Anderson, whose delineations had an ingratiating quality that was appreciated by many fans. But Joe Giella was clearly working hard on his inks for the issue’s second story (“Menace of the Giant Puppet!”) and those that followed, and did a more than adequate job. Though Kane would later register dissatisfaction with his work on these early issues, he was being too hard on himself (as was his wont). They were comic book making of a high order.

With characteristic caution, Schwartz and Donenfeld waited until the sales reports were in on the Showcase Green Lantern issues before going forward with a solo series. Schwartz actively sought reader reaction at the end of the third tryout, stating, “If you have been thrilled by the adventures of Green Lantern in the past three issues of Showcase — and would like to see his adventures continued in a magazine exclusively his own — please write and tell him so!” He needn’t have worried. The new Green Lantern met with resounding approval, and Schwartz got his team to work on the first issue. (Donenfeld dropped the idea that the independent solo book should pick up the numbering of the Golden Age title; had he continued that policy, the new G.L. would have begun with issue #39.)

Before he knew the reaction to Showcase #22, Julie Schwartz began planning a new version of the vaunted Justice Society of America. Letters from Jerry Bails and others were urging him Looking a bit ahead, Green to bring back some verLantern #1 (July-August 1960, The first issue of the Emerald Gladiator’s solo book. Green Lantern TM and © DC Comics. sion of the first super hero on sale in May) led with the team in comics. In late spring, Julie got approval to charge superb “The Planet of Doomed Men,” a 15-page story ahead with a new JSA to be known as the Justice League of that devoted nine of them to an expanded, more detailed America. As a rabid fan of the New York Yankees, Schwartz origin story. The opener in The Flash #105 had recapped felt the word “league” sounded better than “society.” This the speedster’s origin in a couple of pages, but this longer time, he called in Gardner Fox and Mike Sekowsky to be his version was necessary because Schwartz and Broome had pitcher and catcher. come up with the idea of the Guardians of the Universe on the planet Oa and wanted to incorporate them into the oriMeanwhile, editor Bob Kanigher was on the move with his gin. Clearly, Broome and Kane were energized, turning in war comics in 1959. He began adding continuing characwork that seemed to be a leap forward in itself. Nothing in ters, such as Gunner and Sarge, initially in All-American the Showcase issues had been as interesting or evocative as Men of War #67 and #68, then moving to Our Fighting the planet Calor. When the first Secret Origins Annual was Forces with #45. Another was Mlle. Marie in Star Spangled produced in 1961, this version of the origin was included War Stories #84. But the most exciting and enduring new in its entirety. character introduced this year was Sgt. Frank Rock of Easy Company who became the star of National’s flagship war Handling Green Lantern’s art chores, however, wasn’t book Our Army at War. always easy, as Gil Kane remembered: 205

The Birth of Sgt. Rock In his Big Five Information Guide (1995), war comics authority Chris Pedrin asserts Sgt. Rock was “the most important original Silver Age character in the DC Universe.” If one doesn’t consider the re-tooled versions of the Flash and Green Lantern to be new characters, then Pedrin may well be right. According to Joe Kubert, signature artist on the feature, Sgt. Rock outsold every comic book in National’s line-up at one time or another during the character’s phenomenal three-decade run. Ironic then that Sgt. Frank Rock’s genesis differs from most comic book characters. Normally a new character makes his first appearance in grand fashion, heralded on covers or house ads. Sgt. Rock’s emergence, however, was more than a little convoluted. There has even been controversy over what comic book contains the first “true” Sgt. Rock story. He evolved in the pages of the anthology war comics edited by Bob Kanigher, born out of a story idea. In “The Rock!” in G. I. Combat #68 (January 1959), Kanigher used the “rock” metaphor as a way of describing a tough World War II sergeant’s indomitability. Over the next six months, Kanigher’s ideas gradually coalesced in the pages of Our Army at War until Sgt. Rock of Easy Company

(“where nothing’s easy”) was fully formed. That key story was “The Rock and the Wall!” in OAAW #83 (June 1959). Both “The Rock!” and “The Rock and the Wall!” were written by Kanigher and drawn by Kubert. In between those two issues, Rock prototypes were drawn by the team of Ross Andru and Mike Esposito, as well as Jerry Grandenetti and Mort Drucker. Also, Bob Haney stood in for Bob Kanigher as the writer of “The Rock of Easy Co.!” in OAAW #81 (April 1959). Certainly “Sgt. Rocky” in Haney’s script is close to the Sgt. Rock readers came to know and love, but, due to the name difference if nothing else, many consider Haney’s tough-as-nails sergeant a prototype, or precursor, to the real thing. Indeed, Robert Overstreet’s Comic Book Price Guide deems “The Rock and the Wall!” the “first true Sgt. Rock appearance,” a good barometer of the most widely-held view (Overstreet 779). However, a sizable number of professionals, fans and col-

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lectors insist that the first true Rock story was “The Rock of Easy Co.!,” with some going so far as to give Bob Haney, Ross Andru and Mike Esposito credit as co-creators of the character. Actually, the sergeant in the Kanigher-written “The Rock!” was Frank Rock in all but name: his background

as a boxer, his hair color, and his appearance as drawn by Kubert. Joe Kubert isn’t generally considered Sgt. Rock’s co-creator, nor does he claim it for himself. “Rock was Bob’s idea from start to finish, as far as I’m concerned,” he stated in an interview in 2004 (Schelly 134). Yet a good case can be made that the look of Sgt. Rock, which was established by Kubert, was so central to the character that Kubert deserves co-creator status. It was Kubert who established Sgt. Rock’s appearance—grizzled, perpetually unshaven, with sunken, shadowy eyes—which other artists were obliged to follow. Without the facial characteristics Kubert gave him, it just wasn’t Sgt. Rock. Early on, Kanigher was clearly gearing his writing to play into the visual representation fashioned by Kubert. “Bob’s intention was to try to do war comics that explored more adult themes, like how we retain our humanity in the face of war,” Kubert explained. “That meant something to him, and in turn, it was meaningful to

me. It made me do a little bit more and pushed me a little bit more into getting deeper into the kind of stuff—the storytelling, the dramatics—and so on” (Schelly 134). Having been working closely with Kubert on war comics and Viking Prince since 1955, Kanigher had developed confidence in Kubert’s storytelling ability and instincts, and gave him an extraordinary amount of freedom Our Army at War #112. Sgt. Rock TM and © DC Comics. in interpreting and adaptOver the next few years, readers ing his Sgt. Rock scripts. Kubert remet the men of Easy Company who called, were a regular part of Rock’s unit: Bob gave me essentially carte Bulldozer, Ice Cream Soldier, Wild blanche on the stuff. He Man, Little Sure Shot and Jackie would give me a script to do, Johnson, among a number of other but it was up to me to do anyregulars and semi-regulars. thing and everything I wantPart of the readers’ feeling they ed. He had that much faith in “knew” Rock was undoubtedly bemy ability to do the best on cause the sergeant acted as first-perhis scripts, and it was great. son narrator of the stories, beginning I had no compunction about with “Ice Cream Soldier” in OAAW #85 making whatever changes I (August 1959). That story began, “I’m felt were necessary, as long Sgt. Rock of Easy Company! The best as they were in keeping outfit in the army! There’s nothin’ we with what I felt he wanted. won’t do! Nothin’ we won’t tackle! (Schelly 134) That’s why our motto is: When you’re [Bob and I] felt that each man in Easy – nothing’s easy!” should look different, walk Bob Kanigher and Joe Kubert were different, run different, be one of the great writer-artist teams recognizable from the back of comic books. They produced some as well as from the front. It of the most exciting and thought-prowas a conscious attempt on voking comic books of the Silver Age, my part at all times. I guess appealing to older readers at a time I knew we succeeded to some when the industry had little to offer extent when we received letthem. Their Sgt. Rock became the ters from readers speaking to longest running war comic character and about Rock as if he were a in comic book history, continuously living person. (Kubert 6) published well into the 1980s. 207

Due to the vagaries of the printing process, the coloring of the cover came out either deep blue or green. Either way, the washtones coupled with the use of one color effectively captured the fear and loneliness of a night vigil. Joe Kubert was also skilled at using washtones. He Wonder Girl was introduced in a story drawn by Andru-Esposito in Wonder didn’t do as many Woman #105 (April 1959). Cover of isas Grandenetti, sue #107 by Irv Novick. Wonder Woman TM and © DC Comics. but Kubert’s were equally memorable. In 1959, his cover on The Brave and the Bold #23 (April-May 1959), the last issue featuring the Viking Prince, demonstrated how the grittiness of the washtones perfectly complimented his style. Gil Kane was another able user, demonstrating the ability with his Adam Strange cover on Mystery in Space #55 (November 1959). Even Dick Dillin, not known as the most adventurous artist, produced striking results on House of Mystery #92 (November 1959) based on the story “The Sleepers from the Past!” That the Adler washtone technique helped sales is proven by National’s use of them throughout the 1960s. They would probably have appeared more often except the artists had to be paid a little more due to the increased effort involved.

Superman Gains a Cousin The most important single character introduced by Otto Binder at National in the 1950s was Superman’s cousin, Supergirl. Since Binder wrote so many tales of Mary Marvel, the female member of Fawcett’s erstwhile Marvel Family, it’s fitting that he produced the story that brought Supergirl into the developing Superman universe. This occurred in “The Supergirl from Krypton!” in Action Comics #252 (May 1959).

In 1959, Robert Kanigher added a character to Wonder Woman that would lead to future developments. Wonder Girl first appeared in “The Secret Origin of Wonder Woman” in WW #105 (April 1959). In this revised Silver Age origin, Kanigher established that Diana had in fact not been created from clay but had been born before the Amazons settled on Paradise Island. Several stories with Diana as Wonder Girl followed, including the cover-featured “Amazon Teen-Ager!” in issue #107. This Wonder Girl, in turn, inspired an eventual revision that resulted in her being a separate character who could appear alongside her namesake or as a member of the Teen Titans. That character came along in Showcase #59 (December 1965).

In just eight pages, Superman discovered a rocket landing near Metropolis that contained a teenage girl who not only wore a costume based on his own, but—he was soon to discover—had all his super powers. “Don’t worry, Superman,” she said, smiling. “I’m alive without a scratch!” Equally amazing was the tale she told to explain how she too could be from the planet Krypton: a chunk of the planet with “a large bubble of air” remained intact after it exploded, allowing its denizens to survive for years. When, like other pieces of Krypton, the large fragment turned into Kryptonite, the survivors covered its surface with lead plates to protect them from the deadly rays. It was only when a meteor shower ruptured the lead shielding that Argo City was doomed, and a teenage Supergirl was sent in a rocket ship to Earth by her father, Zor-El.

More Washtone Covers Robert Kanigher was an exponent of the washtone covers developed by Jack Adler in 1956. He frequently used them on his war titles. It helped that he had artist Jerry Grandenetti doing many of them, because Grandenetti was one of the most enthusiastic and deft users of the process. One of Grandenetti’s best appeared on G. I. Combat #69 (February 1959), a shot of a young, nervous soldier alone in a forest. 208

The debut of Supergirl in Action Comics #252 was a major event in the developing “Superman Universe.” Superman and Supergirl TM and © DC Comics.

When Superman discovered that the girl’s father was his father Jor-El’s brother, making them cousins, science fiction quickly yielded to an emotional suffusion that was genuinely powerful. “This is perhaps the happiest moment in Superman’s life, to find he has a long-lost living relative from his native world!” read the caption. Superman vowed, “We may be orphans, but we have each other now! I’ll take care of you like a big brother, cousin Kara!” By the time of Supergirl’s first appearance, Mort Weisinger had already decided that she would have her own series in the back of Action Comics, pushing Congo Bill and Tommy Tomorrow into other titles. These solo Supergirl tales, drawn by comics veteran Jim Mooney, were much milder than those of her cousin, since the idea was to do something especially for the female readers who were thought to be more interested in seeing a girl use super powers “closer to home.” Unfortunately, the early stories—penned by Binder— were disappointing, mostly concerned as they were with trivial matters around the orphanage which was Kara’s home at first. But Diana Schutz doesn’t agree. In her introduction to the first Supergirl Archives, Schutz wrote, Powerless in the grown-up world of the early 60s, a little girl could hardly be faulted for wishing that she were Superman’s cousin, for pretending to fly, for wanting to save the world, if only in secret. Back in those days, after all, children—especially little girls—were taught to be seen and not heard. And our female fantasies weren’t necessarily even so grandiose. What little girl wouldn’t envy the Maid of Steel’s ability to super-clean her bedroom or to complete her homework in three seconds? Supergirl was everything we weren’t, and yet she was close enough in age to be everything we could aspire to. (Schutz 5-6) 209

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The original cover art for House of Mystery #92 by Dick Dillin (left) shows the elaborate shading effects created by the artist. Above: Cover of G. I. Combat #69 by Jerry Grandenetti is a good example of how colors on the same issue could vary depending on how the inks were applied during the printing process. Bottom row covers, all from 1959 (left to right) by Grandenetti, Gil Kane and Joe Kubert. Adam Strange and Viking Prince TM and © DC Comics.

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to all kinds of story gimmicks. Among them were stories that involved dreams, hoaxes, illusions, other dimensions, et al. In order to explore life on Superman’s home planet, in the wake of Kandor’s introduction, Otto Binder resorted to time travel in the story “How Jimmy Olsen First Met Superman!” in Jimmy Olsen #36 (April 1959). He sent Jimmy back in time to visit Krypton of the past, giving the readers a good, long look at life on the doomed planet. Then Weisinger and Binder came up with a simpler solution: a story with an intriguing premise that indicated up-front that it didn’t “really” happen. This was “Superman’s Other Life” (Superman #132, October 1959), a direct antecedent to the popular Imaginary Story series. In that three-part tale, Superman saw what his life would have been like if Krypton hadn’t exploded. Batman and Robin suggested that Superman feed available data into his Super Univac computer, and ask it to show what would have happened on an attached television screen. What followed differed from the subsequent Imaginary Stories because it allowed Superman, Batman and Robin to comment on the action in the story as they watched it unfold. In the course of the story, Superman discovered that he would have had a younger brother, that Krypton would have had its own hero named Futuro, and that he would eventually have ended up becoming Superman on Krypton. Interestingly, the prediction was presented as though it truly was what would have happened to Kal-El if his home planet hadn’t been destroyed.

The romance between an alien from Krypton and a mermaid from the earth’s oceans in Bill Finger’s swooning love story, “The Girl in Superman’s Past.” Superman and Lori Lemaris TM and © DC Comics.

Eventually, the series became more exciting, especially after Supergirl’s existence was revealed to the world. Kara was accepted and was a popular addition, appearing in Action for many years (through issue #376), and then in other books, including her own. Meanwhile, Wayne Boring remained Superman’s primary artist for the time being, getting most of the prime assignments such as “The Girl in Superman’s Past,” in Superman #129 (May 1959). This was another mystery story, turning on Boring’s facility for drawing beautiful women. It involved Superman’s college romance with Lori Lemaris, a mysterious girl in a wheelchair who turned out to be a mermaid. Lemaris became a recurring character in the burgeoning mythos. This story of star-crossed love also revealed Kal-El’s deeply romantic side and a yearning that was notably absent from his relationship with Lois Lane. “The Girl in Superman’s Past,” written by Bill Finger, ranks as one of the finest Superman stories of the decade, a status that would be doubtful had it not been so skillfully illuminated by Wayne Boring and his regular inker, Stan Kaye.

Officially, the first authentic Imaginary Superman story of the Silver Age was “Mr. and Mrs. Clark (Superman) Kent” in Lois Lane #19 (August 1960), written by Jerry Siegel. This began a series of such tales, invariably popular with readers.

The Death of George Reeves On June 16, 1959, the news media reported the news that “Superman” had committed suicide. The headline in The New York Post read “TV’S ‘SUPERMAN’ KILLS SELF.”

Imaginary Stories When one considers the sheer number of Superman and Superman-related stories that were being published each month, as well as the need for arresting covers to hook newsstand browsers, it’s no wonder Mort Weisinger and his writers turned

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Between 1:30 and 2:00 a.m., George Reeves died of a gunshot wound to the head in the bedroom of his Benedict Canyon home. He was 45 years old. This was shocking, almost impossible to comprehend, for the millions of viewers of the The Adventures of Superman, which had broadcast its last episode a year earlier but was in syndicated reruns across the U.S. Longtime comic book fan Jeff Gelb told American Comic Book Chronicles, “I still recall where I was and how I felt when I heard

this news, and I think I was in second grade! It was earthshattering to me, probably the first death in my life that meant anything at all to me personally.” Other children across the country undoubtedly experienced similar feelings.

tion. The youth of today are going to live the things we wrote very pale versions about. And I’m going to be their “space reporter,” for as long as I’m privileged to be around as mankind’s venture among the stars unfolds. (Binder 51)

The question of whether Reeves’ death was a suicide (the official finding), an accident or murder has never been satisfactorily resolved. Reeves had just signed for another season of the Superman TV program, was about to get married and gave no evidence of being despondent or depressed. The murder theory goes like this: when Reeves ended his longtime affair with Toni Mannix, wife of powerful movie mogul Eddie Mannix, and was about to marry another woman, Mannix used her husband’s gangland connections to have Reeves killed. The book Hollywood Kryptonite (St. Martins, 1996) by Sam Kashner and Nancy Schoenberger laid out a possible scenario for murder, but it’s unlikely the story will ever be supported by hard evidence. The movie Hollywoodland (2006) starring Ben Affleck as Reeves and Diane Lane as Mannix left the cause of death open, dramatizing each of the three options in imaginary sequences.

The first issue of Space World was dated May 1960. Binder continued to produce scripts for Weisinger while the magazine was getting started. He also wrote non-fiction science-oriented books on future careers in space and other topics. In 1959, Otto Binder wrote the story that introduced Lucy Lane to the Superman mythos. In Superman’s Pal, Jimmy Olsen #36, “Lois Lane’s Sister” readers met the Daily Planet reporter’s younger sibling, who would be a love interest for Jimmy. Lucy’s job as an airline stewardess (as flight attendants were then called) explained her recurring status in the feature. At first, Lucy wanted nothing to do with the cub reporter, and the stories primarily revolved around Jimmy’s schemes to impress the often-confounding blonde. Over time, Lucy became Jimmy’s girlfriend.

Another “element” in Superman’s world appeared in 1958 and 1959: Red Kryptonite. This crimson substance debuted in the SuOtto Binder perman newspaper strip on Plans to Leave Comics Sunday, August 9, 1958. In At the decade’s end, Otto that story, Red Kryptonite Binder teamed with Wiltook away the Man of Steel’s liam Woolfolk to publish the powers for two hours. But, magazine Space World. Bindwhen it made its first aper once aspired to become a Boys and girls woke up on the morning of June 16th, 1959, to hear that “Superman” had killed himself. R. I. P. George Reeves (1914-1959). TM and © Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc. pearance in comic books (in chemical engineer and had Adventure Comics #252, Sepmade his living as a science tember 1958), readers were fiction writer before getting into comics, so it’s not surpristold that Red K was like Green K except 10 times stronger. ing that he was fascinated with the nascent possibility of Over the next several stories, Kal-El found himself still afspace exploration. He later wrote: fected in other ways by the stuff. Was Weisinger initially uncertain, or did he have some other motive? In any case, Nothing Adam Link, Anton York or other sciencehe let his writers (Alvin Schwartz, Bill Finger, Otto Binder) fiction pulp heroes could do, nor any of the most run free. Finally, it was established that Red K had been amazing feats of Captain Marvel or Superman, formed when Green K meteors passed through a “cosmic can hold a candle to the supreme adventure of Ascloud,” and each piece of Red K would have a different eftronaut John Glenn in merely leaving earth and fect on Superman lasting 24 to 48 hours. This not only exAmerica for the first time. Nor could all the superplained past discrepancies, but provided a springboard for brainy and super-brawny people that marched out many future stories. (All the “rules” about red K weren’t of my mind equal a tenth of the thrill I will feel ironed out until 1961.) within the near future, when writing of the first men stepping out to stir up the age-old dust on the Otto Binder wrote for National through 1960, but as his moon. The factual deed in space exploration, even role was voluntarily phased out, scripts by Jerry Siegel the simplest first step, is infinitely more pulsewere phased in. According to his records, Binder’s last pounding than all the greatest epics of heroic ficscript was “Clark Kent’s Super Father!” in Adventure Comics 213

#289, dated October 1961. Since Siegel produced high caliber work, readers didn’t suffer, and the march of Weisinger’s new Superman universe continued. Much of it was built on a foundation laid by Binder. More and more in the late 1950s, Curt Swan’s artwork appeared in the Superman family of titles. Wayne Boring continued drawing the Superman Sunday newspaper strip with inker Stan Kaye, but found himself essentially replaced by Swan in the comic books in the early 1960s. Swan’s work was light, appealing, and more suitable to the character interaction in the new Superman issues. Just as Boring’s Superman was emblematic of the Man of Steel in the 1950s, Swan’s Superman became the defining look of the 1960s. In order to have more time for comic book work, Swan stopped drawing the Superman daily strip. The November 12, 1960 episode was his last.

National Goes Ape One odd phenomenon of 1950s-era National comics was the use of gorilla-themed covers and stories, predominantly in Strange Adventures, but also other titles. It began with the cover of Strange Adventures #8 (May 1951) depicting a scene from “Evolution Plus!,” a story of an ape with a human brain. The cover depicted a caged gorilla holding a sign for a blonde woman to see. The sign read, “Ruth ... Please believe me! I am the victim of a terrible scientific experiment! – Ralph.” When that issue showed a spike in sales, Irwin Donenfeld pointed it out to Julie Schwartz. “The way I saw it,” Schwartz later explained, “the issue went over well because the gorilla was acting like a human. And every gorilla cover I did from then on was not a straight gorilla cover; he was acting like a human” (Benton 73). Another gorilla cover ran on Strange Adventures #32 (May 1953), with more following on issues #39, #45, #55, #64, #69, #75, #88, #100 and #108, each time selling better than the issues in between.

Though gorilla covers started on Julius Schwartz’s SF titles, they eventually spread to books from other editors. In 1959, Superman was threatened by a giant ape named Titano, seen in this panel from Superman #127. Superman and Lois Lane TM and © DC Comics.

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The gorilla-cover phenomenon was part of National’s evolving approach to cover design. In the 1940s, most of National’s covers weren’t story-specific. That was the era of the so-called “symbolic” cover, which displayed the magazine’s star (or stars) in a heroic pose

or other context without reference to an inside story. In the post-war era, especially from 1950 forward, the covers began representing an interior story, but still in a general way that wasn’t often like an exact scene from the comics’ innards. When Irwin Donenfeld became editorial director, he began putting more emphasis on “hooking” browsers with an arresting cover. This idea, which led to the gorilla covers, converged with the thought that covers should tantalize potential readers with the premise of a story inside, resulting in the promotion-oriented, highly situational covers that dominated the line by 1959.

in 1954. Then, improbable as it seems, someone (perhaps Weisinger himself) suggested giving him the power to turn into a gorilla at will. Thus, in Action Comics #248 (January 1959), he became Congorilla (by writer Robert Bernstein and artist Howard Sherman), and continued as such until 1961, after a switch to Adventure Comics. Still, Congo Bill— in one form or another—lasted more than 20 years, one of the longest-lived of National’s backup features.

Other Developments at National in 1959 Blackhawk, much like Batman, succumbed to an invasion of weird and alien menaces as the issues progressed through the end of the decade. A bright spot for teen male readers was the introduction of Lady Blackhawk, perhaps harkening back to a much earlier adventure. Military Comics #20 (July 1943) presented a story about an unnamed woman who attempted to become the first female Blackhawk. In “The Lady Blackhawk” (Blackhawk #133, February 1959), Zinda Blake trained to qualify for induction to the team, but discovered that the Blackhawk code restricted membership to men. Lady Blackhawk returned occasionally as an honorary member, looking fetching in her short skirt and bare legs.

Gorilla-mania spread to titles beyond Schwartz’s slate. Batman #75 (February-March 1953) cover-featured “The Gorilla Boss of Gotham City,” a story about a crime boss’s brain being transplanted into the body of a giant gorilla. In 1959, Flash encountered Gorilla Grodd in three consecutive issues (The Flash #106-108), though the character didn’t appear on any of the covers. Beppo the Super-Monkey debuted in Superboy #76 (October 1959), yet another survivor from Krypton. (Beppo ultimately made 16 Silver Age appearances.) Superman #127 (February 1959) sported a cover with a giant purple ape for the Binder-written story “Titano the Super-Ape!” In that tale, a normal chimpanzee was sent into space in a rocket and was mutated into a giant, super-powered simian by exposure to radiation in outer space. One National character literally became a gorilla. Congo Bill, co-created by Whitney Ellsworth and George Papp in More Fun #56 (June 1940), was always a second or thirdstring character whose adventures moved to Action Comics and stayed in its back pages through the 1940s and early 1950s. He was an intrepid adventurer operating from his base in Africa. Congo Bill got his own short-lived solo title

Two more spin-off characters appeared in 1959: Kid Flash and Lady Blackhawk. Zinda Blake art by Dick Dillin and Charles Cuidera. Characters TM and © DC Comics.

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Green Arrow and Speedy in “Five Clues to Danger” from World’s Finest Comics #96, drawn by Jack Kirby. Reproduced from The Jack Kirby Omnibus Vol. 1. Green Arrow TM and © DC Comics.

House of Secrets #23 (August 1959) introduced Mark Merlin, a “supernatural detective” who battled those who would use the occult for evil ends. He was created by Mort Meskin, the star artist who had been working for National since the early 1940s. Merlin was a precursor to Dr. Strange, the Stan Lee-Steve Ditko character who came along a few years later. The series was successful enough to last for much of the 1960s.

cial announcement on the cover. “How Aquaman Got His Power!,” written by Robert Bernstein and drawn by Ramona Fradon, recast the Sea King (whose real name of Arthur Curry was revealed for the first time) as the son of lighthouse keeper Tom Curry and a refugee from fabled Atlantis named Atlanna. On her deathbed, she revealed her background to young Arthur, who then spent years developing his powers. In Adventure #262 (July), Green Arrow’s sidekick Speedy (Roy Harper) got his own origin story, revealing that Chief Brave Bow helped the boy become the Emerald Archer’s partner.

Two December issues also had significance. Flash #110 introduced Wally West as Kid Flash who would quickly become a permanent part of the Scarlet Speedster’s saga. At first he wore a costume identical to that of the Flash, an interesting idea that nevertheless confused readers at times. In The Flash #135 (1963), Kid Flash was given his own unique costume, carrying over design elements of the original but exposing his hair and making yellow a more prominent color. Kid Flash was welcomed by readers, who applauded the decision to have him appear occasionally rather than as a full-time sidekick.

Another story of significance in Adventure Comics appeared in #267 (December 1959): the second appearance of the Legion of Super-Heroes, establishing them as continuing characters in the Superboy adventures. “Prisoner of the Super-Heroes,” written by Jerry Siegel and drawn by George Papp, changed Lightning Boy’s name to Lightning Lad. The story initiated a number of appearances of the Legion in Weisinger-edited books, leading to the team’s own series in Adventure #300 (September 1962). Though Otto Binder wrote only the first story, the Legion remains the greatest original feature he created from whole cloth. (Mary Marvel and Supergirl were variations on existing characters created by others.) Adventure #267 also included the historic first cross-over of Aquaman and Green Arrow, after nearly twenty years of working back to back.

Interesting things proliferated in the Weisinger-edited Adventure Comics in ’59. In #256 (January), “Green Arrow’s First Case” by Ed Herron and Jack Kirby told the story of Oliver Queen gaining his skill with a bow and arrow to survive while stranded on a remote island. This new origin identified his home base as Star City for the first time. Then, Adventure #260 (May) had a new origin of Aquaman, considered important enough to be hailed in a spe-

The Legion of Super-Heroes returned in a story written by Jerry Siegel in Adventure Comics #267. Characters TM and © DC Comics.

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Sales apparently flagged on The Brave and the Bold so Robert Kanigher decided to try the

Viking Prince solo in #23 and #24. Then he gave the book over to the Suicide Squad for three issues beginning with #25 (August-September 1959) with the Andru/Esposito art team. Kanigher would keep artists Joe Kubert and Russ Heath busy on other things. Kubert moved seamlessly to Sgt. Rock in Our Army at War, and it wouldn’t be long before Heath was working on Sea Devils try-outs. Having adopted the Showcase format, The Brave and the Bold was given the honor of housing test issues of the Justice League of America with #28 (February-March 1960), which hit the stands in the decade’s final days.

Pvt. Doberman, Sugar and Spike, Three Mouseketeers and TV Screen Cartoons (formerly Real Screen Comics). Nadle’s editorial role on Sugar and Spike was minimal because Sheldon Mayer, the book’s writer-artist, created the content from start to finish. However, Nadle still had to proofread the pages, get the issue ready for the printer, etc. Showcase and The Brave and the Bold were edited by whichever editor had put together that issue’s contents. On the surface, the 1950s had been a period of great change at National. Just 16 titles from 1950 had survived to the end of the decade, and seven of them starred Superman or Batman. Yet the editorial staff remained much the same, other than the retirement of Whitney Ellsworth. The main difference was the increasing role of assistant editors Murray Boltinoff and George Kashdan. The group of writers and artists producing its books was also much the same, although the work of some of them had progressed considerably. Chief among them was Infantino, but most of the others had evolved stylistically as the Dan Barry mold became a model of the past.

At the end of 1959, National Comics’ titles were broken down by the editors’ slates as follows: Julius Schwartz: All-Star Western, The Flash, Mystery in Space, Strange Adventures and Western Comics. (Soon to be added were Green Lantern and Justice League of America.) Mort Weisinger: Action Comics, Adventure Comics, Superboy, Superman, Superman’s Pal, Jimmy Olsen and Superman’s Girl Friend, Lois Lane. Robert Kanigher: All American Men of War, G.I. Combat, Our Army at War, Our Fighting Forces, Star Spangled War Stories and Wonder Woman.

Harvey Comics

Dell and National’s sales were massive. While Harvey Phyllis Reed: Falling in Comics was the industry’s Love, Girls’ Love Stories, third highest in monthly Girls’ Romances, Heart sales in 1959, its sales were Throbs and Secret Hearts. less than 40 percent of NaSome of the artists who tional’s revenues. Harvey’s drew stories for these expansion in the late 1950s Gorgeous cover to Girls’ Love Stories #60 (February 1959). © DC Comics. interchangeable titles hit a bump, dropping from were Tony Abruzzo, Sy 185 issues in 1958 to 153 in 1959. Still, Harvey placed Barry, Bill Draut, John Romita and Bernard Sachs, ahead of the others because of the surging popularity of who handled many of the covers. what had become a nearly all-humor line of comics. Jack Schiff (assisted by George Kashdan and MurHarvey’s horror comics of 1953 and 1954 gave EC a run ray Boltinoff): Batman, Blackhawk, Challengers of for its money, but most of its other comics were mediocre. the Unknown, Detective Comics, House of Mystery, Never an innovator, the publisher would likely have been House of Secrets, My Greatest Adventure, Tales of consigned to oblivion like many of its competitors except the Unexpected, Tomahawk and World’s Finest. The for two developments. First, it picked up two popular prop“big event” in Gotham City in 1959 was the appearerties in 1950: the Blondie franchise from David McKay ance of a new recurring character. Detective Comand Dick Tracy from Dell. Both helped enormously. The ics #267 (May 1959) featured “Batman Meets Batreal saving grace for Harvey, though, was its takeover of Mite!,” a tale introducing a Mxyzptlk-like pest to Casper from St. John. The success of “the friendly ghost” complicate the Dynamic Duo’s lives. and the licensing of other popular characters for younger readers proved that editor Sid Jacobson and art editor WarLarry Nadle: A Date with Judy, Adventures of Bob ren Kremer were able to give such fare great appeal and Hope, Adventures of Jerry Lewis, Flippity & Flop, Fox charm. and the Crow, Pat Boone, Sergeant Bilko, Sgt. Bilko’s 217

ick Marshal, Outlaws of the West, Rocky Lane Western, Rocky Lane’s Black Jack, Sheriff of Tombstone, Six-Gun Heroes, Texas Rangers in Action, Wild Bill Hickok and Jingles, and Wyatt Earp Frontier Marshal.

In 1959, Harvey bought the rights to Casper outright along with other Famous Studios properties including Herman and Katnip, Little Audrey and Baby Huey. In 1959, the publisher began supplying the Famous cartoons of the 1950s, originally shown in theatres, to a television show sponsored by Mattel Toys called Matty’s Funday Funnies on ABC. This show and others like it brought increased attention to the Harvey comic books.

War: Attack, Battlefield Action, Fightin’ Air Force, Fightin’ Army, Fightin’ Marines, Fightin’ Navy, Submarine Attack, U. S. Air Force Comics and War at Sea.

Harvey’s lineup by the end of 1959 consisted of Baby Huey the Baby Giant, Blondie Comics Monthly, Dagwood Comics, Dick Tracy, Felix the Cat, Friendly Ghost Casper, Harvey Hits, Hot Stuff the Little Devil, Joe Palooka, Little Dot, Little Lotta, Little Max, Playful Little Audrey, Sad Sack and the Sarge, Sad Sack Comics, Sad Sack’s Funny Friends and Spooky. Soon its original character Richie Rich would become its most popular of all and, with the others, kept the company thriving for another 25 years.

Science Fiction/Mystery/Fantasy: Mysteries of Unexplored Worlds, Out of this World, Outer Space, Space Adventures, Space War, Strange Suspense Stories and Unusual Tales. Humor: Atomic Bunny, Atomic Mouse, Freddy, Li’l Genius, Li’l Tomboy, Li’l Rascal Twins and Timmy the Timid Ghost. Charlton also produced Hot Rods and Racing Cars, My Little Margie, and My Little Margie’s Fashions.

Charlton Comics Charlton was the industry’s fourth best selling publisher. The caveat to that distinction is that Charlton’s ranking was not because its comics sold in large numbers. Instead, it was a result of the sheer numbers of comics Charlton produced. The circulations were small but it didn’t matter as long as the money they brought in was more than the cost to create, print and distribute them. Since Charlton was both a printer and a distributor, the breakeven point was low. Besides, Charlton’s parsimonious page rates kept costs down. This policy would continue for several years, until editor Pat Masulli was replaced by Dick Giordano in the mid-1960s and rates were raised.

Steve Ditko was Charlton’s star artist and would never leave the firm, even during his peak years in the 1960s. Many of the rest of Charlton’s comics were drawn by Rocke Mastroserio, Charles Nicholas, Jack Keller and Dick Giordano. After so many publishers folded their tents mid-decade, and especially after the Atlas Implosion in 1957, other top artists worked for Charlton, if only briefly. Odd issues of its Western, weird, war and even romance comics were drawn by John Severin, Al Williamson, Alex Toth, Wally Wood and others. Steve Ditko’s cover to Space Adventures #31 (November 1959). In 1959, many Charlton covers were marred by contest come-ons and offers of “free prizes.” © copyright holder.

Together Again: Stan Lee and Jack Kirby

The most important event at Magazine Management in 1959, as Goodman’s comics struggled to get by with just 16 bi-monthly titles, was the return of Jack Kirby.

In 1958, Harvey, Ajax and St. John left the romance field. That meant the only publishers of romance in 1959 were National, Goodman, Charlton, ACG and Prize. A genre that was big in the first half of the decade was comparatively insignificant in the years to come. That didn’t stop Charlton from producing a considerable amount of romance titles by decade’s end: Brides in Love, First Kiss, I Love You, Just Married, Love Diary, My Secret Life, Romantic Secrets, Romantic Story, Secrets of Love and Marriage, Sweethearts, Sweetheart Diary, Teen Secret Diary, Teen Confessions, TeenAge Love and Teen Secret Diary.

When Kirby’s relationship with National soured over the Sky Masters lawsuit, it was a major personal setback for the writer-artist as his employment options were limited. Most of Dell’s adventure-oriented books were created in conjunction with its California editorial office. Harvey had chosen to focus almost entirely on its humor titles, and Charlton’s pay was a mere pittance. Archie comics didn’t seem to need an artist like him. Prize only had a few titles. That left only Goodman, though his firm had been maimed by the implosion. So that’s where Kirby went.

Charlton’s offerings in other genres were equally numerous:

Kirby, though, didn’t have a monopoly on hardship. Stan Lee was equally demoralized by the state of the company he worked for and what looked like limited prospects. By

Western: Billy the Kid, Black Fury, Cheyenne Kid, Kid Montana, Lash Larue, Masked Raider, Maver218

1959 then, Lee and Kirby both were hitting the lowest point in their careers. Neither could know that their reunion would lead to a great American success story. In retrospect, it has become clear that Jack Kirby’s return to what would become Marvel Comics was one of the most important, pivotal events in the whole history of comics. Kirby began with work in World of Fantasy and Strange Worlds with December cover dates. World of Fantasy was one of eight science fiction anthologies launched or revived in the 18 months after the Comics Code was instituted, increasing Atlas’s SF/weird lineup to 16 books. It was one of two (the other being Strange Tales) that resumed publication after the implosion. Lee created Strange Worlds once he knew Kirby and Ditko were returning. According to Atlas/Goodman historian Dr. Michael J. Vassallo, “Joe Maneely died the exact week Jack Kirby arWith all the monsters threatening America in 1959, it’s a wonder anyone was surprised when yet another rived. In essence, a direct, clean break giant beast rose from the murky depths to wreak havoc. It Came from Outer Space TM and © Universal International Pictures, Inc. can be drawn here. The Atlas Era was fiction movies of the early 1950s (like Destination: Moon), over and the Marvel Age was beginmovies with knights at mid-decade, and the Western films ning. From comic book history’s long-sighted observance, and TV shows throughout the decade all directed comic it was a melancholy passing of the torch from one era to book trends. To that list must be added a rash of movies another” (Vassallo 244). featuring giant monsters such as Them! (1954) with giant Kirby was probably the only man in comics who could ants, Tarantula (1955) with a huge spider, It Came from Benot only match Joe Maneely’s contributions to Goodman’s neath the Sea (1955) with a gigantic octopus, The Beginning comics, but exceed them. of the End (1957) with giant locusts, and The Blob (1958) with, well, an enormous blob. Even giant-sized humans The Monsters Cometh became threats in The Amazing Colossal Man (1957) and Attack of the 50 Foot Woman (1958). Popular American motion pictures and television programs often influence the comic book industry. This was espeThese movies inspired Stan Lee (with Martin Goodman’s cially true during the 1950s. Besides the obvious impact blessing) to create comic book equivalents with three new of The Adventures of Superman television program, science books launched in the last months of 1958: Strange Worlds, Tales of Suspense and Tales to Astonish. By Tales to Astonish #6 (“I Saw the Invasion of the Stone Men!”) and Tales of Suspense #6 (“I Hear it Howl in the Swamp!”) dated November 1959, the monster theme was established, whether the grotesque menaces came from alien planets, deep in the earth or scientific experiments gone awry. The other fantasy titles followed suit. Strange Tales #72 (December 1959) featured “I Fought the Colossus!” with Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko became Stan Lee’s “go to” artists as the decade came to a close. TM and © Marvel Characters, Inc. a giant monster coming 219

Steve Ditko drew his share of monsters for Stan Lee, but he excelled in another kind of story, one that seemed inspired by the movie Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956) based on Jack Finney’s science fiction serial (and novel), The Body Snatchers. The film, directed by Don Siegel and starring Kevin McCarthy, is one of the most engrossing and beautifully crafted SF movies of the 1950s, telling its tale of alien invasion among well-delineated characters with subtlety and suggestion. Lee and Ditko eventually developed the “humans who are really aliens” story into virtually a subgenre of its own. “I Know the Secret of the Poltergeist!” and “I Landed on the Forbidden Planet!” (in Tales to Astonish #1 and 5, respectively) introduced the theme; it would continue, reaching its full fruition when the writer and artist teamed up in Amazing Adult Fantasy a couple of years later.

out of the sea to threaten a nearby city, and Journey into Mystery #55 (September 1959) offered “I Unleashed Monstro on the World!” (Along the way, World of Fantasy was dropped, apparently to make room for Kathy #1, dated October 1959.) Many of the stories were told in the first person, often by someone who had inadvertently unleashed the monstrous menace. Stan Lee and Jack Kirby would both later confess to not being particularly proud of these stories, but at the time they seemed to be having fun with these modestly entertaining short tales. It’s thought that most of the scripts were written by Larry Lieber, Stan’s brother, from Lee’s plots. The early Hulk, as portrayed in his first series beginning in 1962, was much like an extended version of these short five and six page monster stories. Many of the monster names turned up later in the Marvel super hero comics of the next decade.

From a historical perspective, the chief importance of these humble fantasy comic books is that they brought together the three chief architects of the 1960s Marvel Age of comics: Stan Lee, Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko.

Lee’s ability to come up with new names for the monsters seemed inexhaustible. In the coming issues mankind would be threatened by Grottu, Gorgolla, Gorgilla, Taboo, Dragoom, Mummex, Droom, Titano, Monstrom, Groot, Monstro, Diablo, Sporr, Gorkill and, yes, the Thing. None of these comics were very frightening, even to the ladies of the Comics Code Authority who blithely approved them all.

Coincidentally, on August 11, 1959, the same day that Matt Baker died of a heart attack, Dick Ayers turned in his first assignment for Stan Lee that called upon him to ink Jack Kirby’s pencils. Ayers wrote: 220

artists came and went, Lee kept Heck busy and eventually gave him the job of drawing the first Iron Man story in Tales of Suspense #39 (March 1963), making him a cocreator of the character. (Jack Kirby designed the costume, while Heck created the look of Tony Stark and Pepper Potts.)

I first inked Kirby on a Wyatt Earp cover I turned in August 11, 1959. I had penciled, inked and lettered my own work from April 1948 until then. I didn’t like the cover. Next, Stan had me ink a monster story penciled by Kirby—“Monstro, The Menace from the Murky Depths”—and then, in September 1959, Kirby started me inking Sky Masters, his newspaper strip. We were a busy team through the ’60’s. (Ayers vi)

As the 1950s drew to a close, Martin Goodman’s sparse comic book line looked like this: Westerns: Gunsmoke Western, Kid Colt Outlaw, Two-Gun Kid, Wyatt Earp

Ayers was referring to the cover of Wyatt Earp #27 (February 1960), which hit the stands in October 1959.

Weird: Tales of Suspense, Tales to Astonish, Journey into Mystery, Strange Tales

Battle was the last surviving Goodman war comic of the 1950s, still publishing occasional biographical stories. Back in 1953, Joe Sinnott, who got his start assisting Western artist Tom Gill, had drawn a three-part biographical series on Napoleon (Man Comics #22–24). In 1959, Battle #66 featured Sinnott art on the famous Fidel Castro story “The Man With the Beard!” Having toppled Fulgencio Bastista’s regime, Castro had become Prime Minister of Cuba on February 16th, 1959. This fourpage “essay” cast Castro in a positive light but also questioned his ultimate motives. (The same issue has stories set in WWI, WWII and the Korean War.)

Romance: Love Romances, My Own Romance Girl: A Date with Millie, Millie the Model, Patsy and Hedy, Patsy Walker, Kathy War: Battle The “pre-Marvel” line had stabilized after its 1957 implosion but was still caged by its distribution arrangement. The firm had produced some of the finest war comics of 1952 and 1953, and had provided work for some of the most talented artists in the field. In the final year of the decade, though, it was struggling to find its place when it could no longer flood the market with titles.

Don Heck was another artist working with Stan Lee at this time, penciling and inking a story in most isArchie Comics sues of the monster books. While Jack Kirby drew A New York native, Heck’s monsters, Westerns and first art in war and horror war stories for Stan Lee, Joe titles was published by ComSimon worked on a 25-cent ics Media, in such stories as humor magazine to com“Hitler’s Head” in Weird Terpete with Mad. The Simon ror #1 (September 1952). He and Kirby team was a thing continued with that firm The Man with the Beard!” in Battle #66 (October 1959) was a four-page “essay” on of the past, or so it seemed. Castro’s assumption of power in Cuba. Art by Joe Sinnott. TM and © Marvel Characters. doing mainly horror comics, Simon later wrote, “Early designing the title logo for in 1959, while I was workHorrific as well as drawing many of the book’s covers. Don ing on the first issue of Sick magazine, John Goldwater, Heck’s first Atlas story appeared in Rugged Action #3 (April chief honcho of Archie Comics, called me at the Crestwood 1955). Stan Lee liked Heck’s work and had him draw the office. John asked me to create and package a couple of cover of Tales of Suspense #1 (January 1959). While other super hero comic books. ‘Super heroes are about to come 221

Famous Monsters of Filmland

each issue was brimming with wonderful stills from the classic Universal horror and fantasy films. Famous Monsters of Filmland #5 (November 1959) was the last issue published in the 1950s. Warren and Ackerman would continue to produce the magazine until the early 1980s.

Another kind of magazine appeared partially in response to the science fiction films of the day and even more in response to the Shock Theater movies that had become a sensation on TV stations across the country. In 1957, James Warren published a low-rent “girlie” magazine called After Hours. It was cancelled after four issues because Warren was arrested for publishing obscene material (though in truth After Hours was Forrest J. Ackerman quite tame). One of the contributors to that magazine was veteran science fiction fan Forrest J. Ackerman, who lived in California and owned a massive collection of movie stills and memorabilia.

Many of Famous Monsters’ eager readers were also engaged by the Lee-Kirby monster comics, and if nothing else, Famous Monsters’ success proved that Stan Lee’s ability to spot and exploit kids’ interest in monsters was on target. Famous Monsters’ considerable revenues gave Warren the means to expand into other types of magazines such as Harvey Kurtzman’s Help! in 1960, and the black-and-white horror comics titles Creepy, Eerie and Vampirella in the mid-to-late 1960s.

Warren hired Ackerman to supply the stills and text for a new magazine that he would assemble and publish. Warren called it Famous Monsters of Filmland. The first issue (January 1958) did so well that Warren order a second print run. Only one more issue of the magazine saw print in 1958, but starting in 1959 new issues of Famous Monsters began coming out more regularly. Known as “Forry,” “4e” and “the AckerMonster” to his readers, Ackerman was fond of word play and neologisms. He was more vaudevillian than serious historian, but Ackerman’s tongue-in-cheek text worked in a magazine aimed at young readers, and

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back,’ he predicted. I told Goldwater I’d go home and invent a super hero” (Simon 194).

crime on Earth. Tommy was told that by rubbing the ring, he would become The Fly, and have super strength, the ability to walk up and down the sides of buildings, the ability to see in all directions, and to escape any trap. “Golly!” Tommy exclaimed. “I hope I am deserving! Let’s see ... I rub the ring ... and ....” Immediately, Tommy was transformed into a tall, muscular man in a dark green costume with fly wings on his back. In a mere six pages, The Fly was ready to start fighting crime.

Actually, the super heroes Simon invented were re-inventions. First, Simon revamped Archie’s Golden Age hero The Shield for a book titled The Double Life of Private Strong (a curious title for a super hero series, but one that perhaps signaled Archie’s deliberate attempt to ease into the genre). Young Lancelot Strong gained powers as a test subject for his father’s experiments. (Among his powers was the ability to hurl bolts of lightning.) As in the Superman saga, the child was adopted by a farm couple, initially unaware of his special powers. As Strong became older, his powers manifested themselves, and soon he donned a patriotic costume and became the Shield. The Double Life of Private Strong #1 was dated June 1959.

While the origin of The Fly had obvious similarities to that of the original Captain Marvel, especially the Shazam-like Turan who bestowed power on a boy, the stories that followed were of a typical Simon and Kirby ilk. The Fly fought “Spider” Spry, a costumed villain who debuted in a splash panel with Spry luring the hero into his web. It was a “widescreen” splash (across two pages) which, a caption informed readers, was called a “wide angle scream!” Kirby’s art in the first issues of both comics was well up to his standard.

For the other character, Simon pitched Goldwater the idea of a hero who could walk up walls, loosely based on a character called the Silver Spider that he and C. C. Beck had originated in 1953 and been unable to sell. Although Simon knew he could call in top artists such as Jack Davis, Al Williamson, George Tuska and others, he ran into Kirby and offered to split the payments for the two books with him. Kirby agreed and quickly began penciling the first issues. The Silver Spider was re-invented as The Fly, with a costume somewhat based on an earlier, aborted S & K hero named Night Fighter. Kirby drew The Fly #1 (August 1959) which introduced orphan Tommy Troy. Tommy stumbled across a mysterious ring that summoned a being from another dimension. “Fear not, you lad of earth,” the being intoned. “I am Turan, emissary of the Fly People... Our world exists on a dimensional plane outside your galaxy!” Turan explained that the Fly People sought a champion who is “pure of heart” to fight greed and

The Double Life of Private Strong #1 and The Fly #1 were super hero comic book gems, but problems surfaced right away. According to Joe Simon, John Goldwater pulled the plug on Private Strong when he got a cease-and-desist order from lawyers for National Comics. Supposedly, the Shield too closely resembled Superman, or at least, too closely for National’s tastes. Whatever the merits of that argument, the book was killed after a second issue which was mostly drawn by artists over Kirby layouts. A second problem came along that precluded any consideration of a new title to replace The Double Life of Private Strong. John Goldwater’s son Richard, who was allowed to have editorial input even as he was learning the business, opined that the Kirby artwork wasn’t slick

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fine (if not too inspired) work by Ogden Whitney, and interior art was handled by John Rosenberger, John Forte, Paul Reinman, John Buscema and others. At the end of 1958, Hughes exercised his droll sense of humor (under his pseudonym Shane O’Shea) with the introduction of Herbie Popnecker, the short, bespectacled, rotund boy with a fondness for lollipops. Herbie, called a “little fat nothing” by his father, had powers (some genetic and some derived from magical lollipops) such as being able to talk to animals and fly. “Herbie’s Quiet Saturday Afternoon!” in Forbidden Worlds #73 (December 1958) was a one-off story; the character didn’t return until #94 (MarchApril 1961). Eventually, he got his own series.

“like the DC artists” (Simon 196). When Kirby heard this, he was gone. Like The Double Life of Private Strong #2, The Fly #2 was finished by other artists over Kirby layouts. Simon stayed for a couple more issues of The Fly, then went back to giving Sick his full attention.

One of the most interesting developments at ACG was its use of painted covers. They appeared on AITU #109 through #113, as well as #118, and were painted by Ogden Whitney. The cover on #112, the last issue in 1959, was a spectacular depiction of a hand of fire about to grip an airplane above an erupting volcano. Even ACG’s long-running Confessions of the Lovelorn ran painted covers on its last issues in the decade. It didn’t have long to live beyond that point, ending in 1960, but its companion My Romantic Adventure proved hardier, surviving into issues with 1964 cover dates. The fortunes of this

Archie Comics continued to publish The Fly using artists John Giunta and John Rosenberger. Such was the dawning interest in costumed heroes that The Fly, mediocre at best without Kirby, sold sufficiently to warrant continuation for several years. One wonders about the fate of the character had Richard Goldwater not made his ill-advised remarks. It was a regrettable coda to the illustrious career of the Simon and Kirby team. (They would work together briefly on projects for Harvey and National in the coming years.) The Archie Comics lineup at the end of 1959 consisted of Adventures of Little Archie, Adventures of Pipsqueak, Archie Comics, Archie’s Girls Betty and Veronica, Archie’s Joke Book Magazine, Archie’s Madhouse (a new title in 1959), Archie’s Pal Jughead, Archie’s Pals ‘n’ Gals, Cosmo the Merry Martian, The Fly (changed to The Adventures of the Fly with issue #7), Katy Keene, Katy Keene Pinup Parade, Laugh, Life with Archie, Pep Comics, Super Duck and Wilbur. Although Archie Comics still had seven non-Archie titles at this point, the 1950s made clearer than ever that the firm’s fortunes relied on the red-headed teenager from Riverdale.

American Comics Group Under Richard E. Hughes’ indefatigable editorship, ACG was holding on with four titles at the end of the 1950s. Two were weird/mystery books and two were romance comics. The firm’s longest running title was Adventures into the Unknown, the pioneer of the horror genre. The Comics Code had affected it and its companion book Forbidden Worlds, but Hughes (using a number of pseudonyms) was able to write appealing stories that emphasized human elements and charm rather than scares. The covers featured

American Comics Group featured covers painted by Ogden Whitney on some issues in 1959, such as Adventures into the Unknown #112. TM and © copyright holder.

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small company dimmed as time went on. It would never return to the kind of sales it garnered in the pre-Code era.

ter the demise of Humbug, Al Jaffee became a mainstay, later inventing the Mad “Fold-in” back cover.

Dennis the Menace

A Decade Ends ...

When Standard/Pines got out of the comic book business in 1958, Hank Ketchum licensed Dennis to Hallden/Fawcett. They were the only comic books published by Fawcett in the post-Code period. Its first issue of Dennis the Menace was #32 (January 1959). The publisher knew by the time it inked the deal that the Dennis the Menace TV show was in the works. The show debuted on October 4, 1959 and was a hit, helping make Dennis even more popular than he had been in comics up to that point. Hallden/Fawcett produced the Dennis comics for more than 20 years, many of them giant comics that were reprinted again and again (Dennis the Menace in Hollywood, Dennis the Menace in Mexico). It also published the lucrative paperback reprints of Ketchum’s daily panel during the same period.

Though the comic book field had changed a great deal from January 1940 to December 1949, even greater changes were wrought from January 1950 to December 1959. Those changes were immediately apparent to any comic book reader at the end of the decade who was old enough to remember buying comics ten years earlier. For one thing, comics with “52 Big Pages!” were gone. All standard, 10-cent books had just 36 pages. Also, people didn’t necessarily buy comic books in the same places they had ten years earlier. The Mom and Pop candy stores where many comics had been sold were disappearing, increasingly replaced by supermarkets and suburban shopping strips. Shelf displays, flat metal racks and spinner racks were now more likely found in chain drug stores and dime stores. More magazine racks had no comic books at all.

Mad Magazine at the end of the 1950s

Retailers who attempted Though it hadn’t been a to carry a complete seleccomic book, strictly-speaktion of comics only had to ing, since 1955, Mad conallow half as much space tained parodies of popular for them, as the number movies and TV shows in of issues published had comic strip form and had dropped dramatically a great deal of other carfrom 1950 to 1959. In tooning between its covturn, browsers had fewer ers. Publisher Bill Gaines choices, and older readand editor Al Feldstein Mad #50 (October 1959) with cover art by Kelly Freas. Mad would experience ever-increasing ers found little of interest. sales in the 1960s. TM and © DC Comics. had imitated the Harvey Juicy, violent, sometimes Kurtzman Mad magazine sexy comic books were a thing of the past. as closely as possible after its creator left in 1956. By the end of the 50s, the magazine had become somewhat simBut while the comics lost the older readers, perhaps to the plified in an effort to appeal to younger readers. Pre-teens paperback books in nearby racks, they gained hordes of loved how the staff was described as “the usual gang of idistarry-eyed kids who were filling up the new elementary ots” and the magazine regularly referred to itself as “trash.” schools being built across the country, and the young teens Gaines continued to make financial hay from paperback in junior high schools. These young readers happily spent reprints of the early issues, which were unfailingly poputheir dimes on the fare being produced month after month lar. Sales of Mad magazine climbed over 500,000 copies by the surviving publishers, especially the exciting new per issue and continued to rise through the 1960s, attainsuper hero books that were beginning to appear in greater ing the status of a true cultural icon. numbers. When Bill Elder and Jack Davis left with Harvey Kurtzman, Al Feldstein found new talents to take their place. A young cartoonist named Don Martin proved to be a real find, and work began appearing by such gifted individuals as Frank Jacobs and Mort Drucker. Wally Wood had stayed, and af-

Dr. Wertham and others succeeded in marginalizing what had been a mainstream medium. Yet, within those margins, marvelous things were about to happen. The Silver Age was about to shift into high gear.

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Appendix A Farewell to EC from its “Number One fan” From Ron Parker’s Hoohah! #6 (September 1956) Introduction Imagine if an adult fan had visited the offices of National Comics in 1939 and wrote about talking with the editors, staff, writers and artists, from a first person point of view. That didn’t happen ... but we do have such an essay by one who visited the EC offices in New York City at the height of the “New Trend”. Larry Stark was known as “EC’s Number One Fan” due to the many letters he sent to the publisher, commenting on virtually every issue. As this essay describes, Bill Gaines did indeed have a sign in his office reading “God help us to write stories that will please Larry Stark.” If there is a downside to such a contemporary account, it’s that Larry didn’t quite have all his facts straight, not having had access to all the research into EC that was subsequently done by fans and comics historians. “Elegy” gives us a look inside the mind of an EC fan as of mid-1956. Note: The text appears exactly as it originally appeared, except for spelling corrections and a few punctuation changes. Comic book titles that originally appeared in all capitals have been italicized. It’s being reprinted with the permission of both Larry Stark and Ron Parker.

Elegy

Archie Goodwin’s cover to the mimeographed issue of Hoohah with Larry Stark’s article.

by Larry Stark “Let us sit upon the ground, And tell sad stories Of the death of kings.” – W. Shaxpy

EC is gone. Nothing remains but a memory, and the tattered copies yellowing in the closets of collectors. For EC death was long and cruel in coming, and almost as undeserved as it was inevitable. The meteor of its genius was hot and brief, yet flashed with such a brilliance as to make forgetting difficult.

a second time; they were the only comics I could read straight through, without my mind clogging with clichés and rebelling somewhere in the middle. That is, they were written well. Compared to competitors, EC’s were Pulitzer Prize material, and compared with similar material in contemporary pulps ... or even by the masters of writing ... they displayed a care and craftsmanship that the field did not seem to deserve.

I suppose I was a normal introvert throughout adolescence, delaying maturity with an over-attention toward books, reading almost anything and deciding later of its worth. Rather soon after beginning high school I found comic books had become slightly amusing diversions though a little below the dignity of any honest interest. They merited an occasional orgy, but piles of perused magazines rated little but contempt. Then, about the middle of my senior year (early 1950), Entertaining Comics first began to appear on the newsstands in their “New Trend” format, and my careful intellectualism had to undergo a modification.

I had been writing almost constantly for two or three years, more amateurish fiction than anything else, and had always managed to finish stories with one grand spark of inspiration. During that senior year, and the next summer, I seemed to run out of flint. Happily, however, I’d absorbed half a dozen collections of radio plays by Arch Oboler and Norman Corwin, and spent some time with the Speech and Drama department, and met some enthusiastic friends. During that summer, when ideas refused to freely flow, I spent my time fooling with a recording-machine and grinding out an occasional adaptation of an EC story in a radioscript form. The bare minimum of facilities, plus the grand style of the men I’d taken as models, and an appreciatory belief in the sacredness of the words which I

So far as I could see EC began the uses of both fantasy and science-fiction in the comic field, though everyone jumped on both bandwagons immediately. EC magazines, though, were the only comics of any variety that I wanted to read 226

vey Kurtzman “to illustrate the kind of story I would prefer to see in Two-Fisted Tales and Frontline Combat.” Harvey mailed them back, with a note explaining that all EC material was staff-written, but noting that they were “Very realistic. Not like usual comic-book material.” It was undoubtedly the kindest and friendliest editorial reaction I’ve ever seen.

was transcribing ... all of these conspired with my inexperience to create some pretty outlandish scripts. The year of personal drought did accomplish several things for me, though. I learned how to handle conversation. I built up a tendency to suggestion and evocation rather than dull, direct plotting. I managed to get through an idea-less dessert without really having stopped writing. I probably learned a little bit about the story structures. And, most important to this account, I came on intimate terms with the ideas and expressions of EC’s staff of writers, and learned to appreciate their imagination and power.

Thrilled over being noticed at all, I worked out a very lengthy critical essay on what I’d liked and hadn’t liked in the issues of Two-Fisted Tales and Frontline Combat that I’d bought. THAT letter was answered, briefly, with thanks and interest. Both letters from Harvey were on the back of the standard EC reply-sheet, along with the detachable subscription blank, and I proceeded rather slowly to extend my few subs to all of the (then eight, I think) titles. Also, I began spilling my spleen over two to four pages of letter in comment on each new issue by Harvey Kurtzman, and writing in the tone of an almost-equal and a friend. That’s how he’d made me feel. By the beginning of the school year Upstate, I’d finally paid for subs to all titles, and as they started to arrive on a regular schedule, I took the plunge and began writing “Mr. Feldstein” about new-andpast issues of the magazines he edited. That must have made a profound impression on everyone at the office.

The drought lasted, more or less, through my first year of college. I took a full five subject schedule, went at night, arose late and loafed most of the day. The following summer I did the adolescent equivalent of “running away from home”: I spent the summer with relatives in upstate New York, and arranged to go to college there during the following year...also at night, also with concomitant loafing-time available. During that summer I mailed three things to professional editors. The first was a pretty putrid space-ship story (with no conflict and not much else), which subsequently acquired half a dozen rejection slips; the others were two “sample scripts”, stories of my own devising, sent to Har-

Along about January of 1952, a neatly typed letter with the signature of Bill Gaines arrived Upstate. It said they like the fact of my commenting, and agreed with around half of it. It admitted to stealing from a number of sources I had pointed out. And it casually mentioned that I had been entered on a list for Free Subscriptionship Membership in EC for life. I don’t think that dulled my critical fangs too much, but it certainly made my hat a dozen sizes too small. For the next year or two, until well into the Crash, I don’t think I missed an issue with comment of some kind, generally three or four pages of criticism, appreciation, and notation of literary larceny. When I arrived home from that year of college Upstate, a letter was forwarded to me. It was from Jerry [De Fuccio], a member of Harvey’s staff. Jerry did research work for the war magazines, and had been writing the one-page text fillers that went into the centerfold of each of Harvey’s publications. He was about my age, liked his job and his associates as well as any fan, and had a burning desire to write. We carried on quite a lively and interesting correspondence for some time. Mixed in with advance-info on stories, office-gossip, notes on artists, techniques of drawing, comparative criticisms of associates, and notes on the general situation of comics, Jerry used to include an occasional upcoming story proof; had I had anything but a passive interest in fandom then, EC fandom might have become something of genuine importance. I had a pipeline direct to the scene of the crime. EC remained, in my opinion, the best-written comic magazine line ever published ... and periodically topped itself with new plateaus of excellence. There were a number of “house-plots” and clichés, more-so toward the last of the period, but always some unexpected peak of originality would make the whole thing worth waiting for. At their best, EC was easily on a par with the best pulp-fiction available. And, if specific individual stories were considered,

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many of them were a good deal better, both in originality of concept and completion of expression. Al Feldstein and Bill Gaines, Harvey Kurtzman and Johnny Craig, gave their creations much more than they would seem worth. And they did it on phenomenal schedules. Feldstein was required to turn out better than a story a week [should be “a story a day”] for four years, together with conducting conferences with artists, and doing layout-work on most of the pages. Kurtzman had a less straining schedule, but he justified it by doing a preliminary-sketch of each panel, and cramming his magazines with so much research, his illustrations with actual photographs used as guides, that everyone admitted the accuracy of detail was unimpeachable.

ing, editing, and comic-art. I gloried in the special sign over Bill’s desk: “God help us to write stories that will please Larry Stark” (made by Marie, and stored in my closet even now); I sat in on a conference with George Evans about his art, and listened to Bill proof-read some finished pages aloud. I hung on after everyone left, while Bill emptied a drawer and showed me the posters and the cockeyed covers that were decorations at the previous office Christmas party; and when I left at six o’clock, my feet hardly touched the pavement. It seemed that the Happy Times left the office with me that afternoon. Within the next month, Jerry reported that comic titles were folding at the rate of one or two a week; a few months later, that comic COMPANIES were folding one and two a week. The “Summer slump” turned into a major economic crisis, and yet EC plunged rather steadily through it all. Somehow, their reputation for excellence must have acquired more lasting readers. During the early uneasiness, EC not only remained in business, they added titles to their list, and added artists to their staff.

It would also seem to be a general rule that every artist who joined EC on a permanent basis inevitably showed exceptional maturity and improvement in style. Wally Wood drew things into comic panels that no man would seem capable of. Joe Orlando ultimately turned out entire stories drawn so well and so distinctively that he rivaled even Wally. Jerry remarked once that EC had work from every top artist in the business except Reed Crandall ... and during the early days of the crash even he joined the staff. There is more good art in the pages of EC publications than in the entire output of the rest of the industry for the same period.

But there were nasty corners. Jerry [De Fuccio] wrote one war story, and was allowed to write text fillers for all of the EC titles; then, perhaps because of the economic pinch, Bill The story with the gory ending that was featured in Fredric Wertham’s Seduction of the gave the fillers to an outInnocent. TM and © William M. Gaines Agent, Inc. The secret of the triumph, I side writer. Jerry asked me think, is that practically everyone felt free when working to pan the new writer, hoping it would help him get the with EC, and that instead of satisfying an art editor or a job back again. Though the new stuff was poor, it didn’t collection of readers, everyone attempted to satisfy their help Jerry. own personal ideas of excellence. Johnny Severin, with a lot of general experience doing American Eagle scripting for Prize, argued often and bitIn September of ’52, I made a visit to the office. I stayed terly with Kurtzman over art, and probably over story confour hours, and talked to practically everyone around. It tent. Jerry preferred Severin’s ideas to Harvey’s autocratic seemed a joyous occasion on every hand, though there ideas on editorship. were hints of impending doom. Marie Severin described “day after day when nobody speaks to anyone,” and “peoJerry mentioned once a situation that was ultimately to ple screaming at one another.” Feldstein and Gaines menruin the whole industry. “Those two iconoclasts in the othtioned that the “Summer slump” hadn’t picked up yet; Al er office have gone overboard on a story about baseball.” Feldstein lapsed a few times into an edgy pessimism over Jerry thought the emphasis on gory detail was out of place. “knocking yourself out over what you think is great mateThe story was “Foul Play,” one of Dr. Wertham’s prime exrial, when you know damn well it isn’t going to sell, and hibits in the later comic investigations. isn’t selling.” The truth was, Bill and Al were getting a little worn thin But I was in no mood to notice the hints of impending from the constant demand for stories; they had slipped doom. I gabbled for an hour with Marie about the artists, into a rut of sadism and grue, a formula which seemed to and for a couple of hours with Bill about the how’s of writ228

sell comics much better than anything else. Their frazzled imaginations, plus the income-curve which dipped steadily farther down and ultimately nose-dived, together made writing an ugly, unpleasant chore, and “house-plots” began to predominate the horror field. The only variation, then, was in the details of the stories, which were getting bloodier and bloodier. Never totally unimaginative, Feldstein fell back into doing ingeniously original descriptions of gruesome scenes, caring less and less for any objective or any personal standards of excellence. The whole industry was overstocked with horror; most of it had to be raw and also cheap, and even those who had once poured more art than blood into their writing could no longer think of artfully conceived stories. When the industry came under official scrutiny, they had no defense.

as well as EC; even better, because its creators weren’t worth Kurtzman’s or Feldstein’s salaries. And, when the public stopped buying, they didn’t cut back judiciously, but stopped buying all comics generally ... denying these artists and writers the satisfaction of knowing their sweat and perfection was recognized and appreciated. Once the crash forced EC to recognize that they were regarded as just another comic publisher, all incentive to keep working and trying failed them. Al Feldstein’s bitter comments, both in ’52 and last December, were those of a man who felt acutely the lack of an appreciative audience. Finally, I think in the last stages of the degeneration, all of EC’s staff felt it something of a blow to their pride to have to turn out their work on a grueling schedule, and without thought to excellence. Once the glow of pride left the office, and the job became one of supplying a set number of pages a month, regardless of quality, I think most of those people felt some kind of a shame at what they were creating.

At the end, the happy crew I had known was pretty well broken up. Jerry ran himself ragged carting books out to Kurtzman’s home from Brooklyn, so that Harvey might still work while recovering from yellow jaundice. He joined a couple of the artists who wrote their own stories for Harvey’s magazines during that time, and then left the comic industry entirely. Severin, after The New Two-Fisted Tales collapsed, had already left EC. That title itself was edited by a new man, after Harvey’s brilliant war stories had failed to pay for themselves. Kurtzman was left with Mad alone.

I know rather little about the “New Direction” kick, or the “Picto-Fiction” idea, though I’ve been back to EC twice since that first visit. When I arrived the next time, even the number, size, and arrangement of offices had changed, and practically everyone did their work somewhere other than at the EC offices. There was new personnel around, and those few familiar people either didn’t sound the same, or didn’t have time for any discussions. Now I’m not even sure there IS an office any more. But I’m not sure I would enjoy revisiting all my friends; it might turn out too much like a wake.

In the other office, Bill Gaines stopped taking an active part in the plotting sessions, and finally, for the last half-dozen issues almost everything Feldstein edited was written by outsiders. Looking over old issues, it’s almost possible to point out precisely where everyone stopped caring how good their work was. Almost everything seems the same, but the soul is missing.

Still, I’ve had a rare privilege. I was allowed to know EC, intimately, at its prime. I knew most of the staff, not personally, but professionally, more thoroughly than I’ve known most of my classmates at school. I’ve laughed at their private jokes, scolded at their failures, brooded at their errors, and soared in praise of all they accomplished with integrity and excellence. I’ve probably had more experience as a kind of critic than would ever be possible in so short a time, and I’m certain that alone has helped mold whatever amount of personal style I possess. This organization has done a lot for me, and meant a lot to me. When I felt their interest failing, I felt embittered too. When the censors chopped their work to shreds for impossible reasons, I added my hate to their fires.

I don’t think I exaggerate when I say some of the best writing I’ve read has been found in EC comics. Aside from the tightrope-like assignment of writing such short, limited stories on such a schedule, EC stories always managed to acquire a distinctive flavor, a personal style, and a magnificently wide scope. If any popular writing deserves a claim as literature, this does also. They were, at their best, mature conceptions totally explored and with a constant attitude toward realism and honesty mixed in with the short, sharp crackle of drama. And, ultimately, I think it was EC’s general excellence that killed it, on all levels. I was always one to argue that even a comic writer has a duty to write as best he is capable of writing, and by his own inner conviction of what constitutes proper art and excellence. However, I must admit that it seems unwise to sell Faulkner, Caldwell, and McCullers to seven-year-olds. Insofar as these writers had a duty to themselves to finish these kinds of stories with integrity, they also had a duty to choose the correct kind of story to tell. As things turned out, the best writer of sensationalism and perversion was also the worst writer, judged from a different framework.

They are my friends, a crew of the best persons and personalities, the most enjoyable creators that I’ve been allowed to meet. I hope this final economic deathblow is not a complete end, either of EC, or of my connection with my many friends there. I thrived in the reflection of their glory, and shared in their pride of accomplishment. They will not be easy to forget.

Also, the general economic situation forced the excellence of EC to loop back and destroy itself. In order to be as good as they were, these people demanded appreciation. They simply didn’t get it from the buyers of comics. Trash sold

Larry Stark ca. 1956.

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American Comic Book Chronicles The 1950s Works Cited Chapter One: 1950 Variety on the Newsstand

Tolworthy, Chris. “Marvel and DC Sales Figures.” Enter The Story. 10 Feb. 2009. <http://zak-site.com/Great-AmericanNovel/comic_sales.html>.

Arnold, Mark. Letter to the author. 11 Nov. 2010.

U. S. Senate. “Reports on Comic Book Circulation Figures.” U. S. Senate Report: Juvenile Delinquency. 1950.

Benson, John. “1972 EC Convention, The Horror Panel.” Squa Tront (No. 8). 1978.

Vassallo, Dr. Michael J. “Joe Maneely: Adventure Comics.” Marvel Masterworks: Atlas Era Black Knight/Yellow Claw, (Vol., No. 1). New York, New York: Marvel Publishing, Inc., 2009.

Benton, Mike. The Comic Book in America: An Illustrated History. Dallas, Texas: Taylor Publishing, 1989. Brown, Gary. The Four-Color Four Color Index (Vol. 2). January, 2011.

Chapter Two: 1951 Before the Storm

Decker, Dwight, and Gary Groth. “An Interview with William M. Gaines.” The Comics Journal (No. 81). May, 1983.

Amash, Jim. “Ghost Writers in the Sky.” Alter Ego (Vol. 3, No. 30). November, 2003.

Geissman, Grant. “Interview with Al Feldstein.” Tales of Terror! Seattle, Washington and Timonium, Maryland: Fantagraphics Books and Gemstone Publishing, 2000.

Benson, John. “A Conversation with Harvey Kurtzman and Bill Gaines.” Squa Tront (No. 9). 1983. Benson, John. “Notes on TwoFisted Tales #21.” Complete EC Library: Two-Fisted Tales (Vol. 1). West Plains, Missouri: Russ Cochran Publishing, 1980.

Hutchinson, Alan, and Gary Brown. Giant Dell Giant Index: The Followup. October, 2010.

Benton, Michael. Science Fiction Comics: The Illustrated History. Dallas, Texas: Taylor Publishing, 1992.

Jones, William, Jr. Classics Illustrated: A Cultural History, Second Edition. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland and Company, Inc., 2011.

Cooke, Jon B. “Donenfeld’s Comics.” Comic Book Artist Collection (Vol. 2). Raleigh, North Carolina: TwoMorrows Publishing, 2002.

O’Brien, Elizabeth A. and Johanna B. Cooke. “Reading Comics in Dayton, Ohio—A Continuing Study.” U. S. Senate Report: Juvenile Delinquency. 1950. Phelps, Don. “Interview with John Stanley.” 1976 New Con Program Book. 1976.

Schwartz, Julius, with Brian M. Thomsen. Man of Two Worlds. New York, New York: HarperCollins Publishers, Inc., 2000.

Severin, Marie. From a tape made by John Benson of a 1975 comicon appearance.

Schelly, Bill. “Interview with Vincent Sullivan.” 1994, unpublished.

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Simon, Joe, and Jack Kirby. The Best of Simon and Kirby. London, England: Titan Books, 2009.

Vasquez, Tina. “Ramona Fradon: A Woman’s Life in Comics.” Graphic Novel Reporter. 2012. <http://www.graphicnovelreporter.com/content/ramona-fradon-womans-lifecomics-interview>

Spicer, Bill. “Interview with Harry Harrison.” Graphic Story Magazine (No. 15). 1973. Spicer, Bill. “Interview with John Severin.” Graphic Story Magazine (No. 13). Spring, 1971. 230

Chapter Three: 1952 Expansion

Decker, Dwight, and Gary Groth. “An Interview with William M. Gaines.” The Comics Journal (No. 81). May 1983: 53-84.

Benson, John. “The War Panel.” Squa Tront (No. 8). 1978: 31-6.

Gaines, William M. “Madman Gaines Pleads for Plots.” Tales of Terror! Seattle, Washington and Timonium, Maryland: Fantagraphics Books and Gemstone Publishing: 2000: 191-2.

Benson, John. Romance Without Tears. Seattle, Washington: Fantagraphics Books, 2003.

Glut, Don. The Dinosaur Scrapbook. Secaucus, New Jersey: Citadel Press, 1980.

Benson, John. A Talk with Harvey Kurtzman. New York, New York: John Benson, 1966.

Groth, Gary. “Joe Kubert: An Interview by Gary Groth.” The Comics Journal (No. 172). November, 1994: 58-105.

Benton, Mike. The Comic Book in America: An Illustrated History. Dallas, Texas: Taylor Publishing, 1989.

Hauser, Rich. “Bill Gaines: Vintage 1969.” Tales of Terror! Seattle, Washington and Timonium, Maryland: Fantagraphics Books and Gemstone Publishing: 2000: 176-85.

Black Dog Bone. “Tom Feelings Interview.” Murderdog.com. August 1996. <http://murderdog.com/archives/pre_1997/TomFeelings-8>. Decker, Dwight, and Gary Groth. “An Interview with William M. Gaines.” The Comics Journal (No. 81). May 1983: 53-84.

Lage, Matt. “We Were More or Less Inspired.” The Fawcett Companion. Raleigh, North Carolina: TwoMorrows Publishing, 2001: 58-64.

Evanier, Mark, Robert Beerbohm and Julius Schwartz, “There’s A Lot Of Myth Out There!” Alter Ego (Vol. 3, No. 26). June 2003: 3-28.

Ketchum, Hank. The Merchant of Dennis. New York, New York: Abbeville Press, Inc., 1990.

Hadju, David. The Ten-Cent Plague. New York, New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2008.

Schelly, Bill. Man of Rock: A Biography of Joe Kubert. Seattle, Washington: Fantagraphics Books, 2008.

James, J. P. C. “Hey Look! An Interview with Harvey Kurtzman.” The Comics Journal Library Volume Seven: Harvey Kurtzman. Seattle, Washington: Fantagraphics Books: 2006: 39-52. Lucas, George. “An Appreciation.” Walt Disney’s Uncle Scrooge McDuck: His Life and Times. Berkeley, California: Celestial Arts, 1981.

Weist, Jerry. Bradbury: An Illustrated Life. New York, New York: HarperCollins Publishers, Inc., 2002.

Amash, Jim. “Captain America Was a Dirty Name!” Alter Ego (Vol. 3, No. 35). April 2004: 19-26.

Spicer, Bill. “Harry Harrison interview.” Graphic Story Magazine (No. 15). 1973: 14-27.

Gaines, Bill. Press release September 14, 1954. Tales of Terror! Seattle, Washington and Timonium, Maryland: Fantagraphics Books and Gemstone Publishing: 2000: 28.

Stewart, Bob. “Notes on Shock Suspenstories.” Complete EC Library: Shock Suspenstories (Vol. 1). West Plains, Missouri: Russ Cochran, 1981.

Goldwater, John. Americana in Four Colors: A Decade of Self-Regulation by the Comics Magazine Industry. New York, New York: Comics Magazine Association of America, 1964.

Toth, Alex. “About ‘The Black Pirate’ and Alfonso Greene!” Alter Ego (Vol. 3, No. 27). August, 2003: 28-9.

Groth, Gary. “Joe Kubert: An Interview by Gary Groth.” The Comics Journal (No. 172). November, 1994: 58-105.

Chapter Four: 1953 EC Soars, Fawcett Crashes

Hauser, Rich. “Bill Gaines: Vintage 1969.” Tales of Terror! Seattle, Washington and Timonium, Maryland: Fantagraphics Books and Gemstone Publishing: 2000: 176-85.

Benson, John. “[Notes on Frontline Combat #9],” Complete EC Library: Frontline Combat (Vol. 2). West Plains, Missouri: Russ Cochran, 1980.

Mason, Bill and John Benson. “Notes on Vault of Horror #37.” Complete EC Library: Vault of Horror (Vol. 5). West Plaines, Missouri: Russ Cochran: 1980.

Benson, John. “Start-Up Data for Mad’s Imitators.” Alter Ego (Vol. 3, No. 86). June, 2008: 12. 231

Mills, C. Wright. “Nothing To Laugh At.” The New York Times. April 25, 1954: BR20.

Schelly, Bill. “Leonard Darvin Speaks—About The Comics Code.” Alter Ego (Vol. 3, No. 55). December 2005: 47-51.

Tilley, Carol L. “Seducing the Innocent: Fredric Wertham and the Falsifications That Helped Condemn Comics.” Information & Culture: A Journal of History (Vol. 47, No. 4). 2012: 383-413.

Thomas, Roy. “I Dated Julie’s Wife Before He Did!” Alter Ego (Vol. 3, No. 38). July, 2004: 8-10.

Chapter Seven: 1956 Birth of the Silver Age

U. S. Senate. Comic Books and Juvenile Delinquency: Interim Report of the Committee on the Judiciary. Washington D.C.: March 14, 1955. <www.thecomicbooks. com/1954senatetranscripts.html>

Amash, Jim. “I Didn’t Want To Know [What Other Companies Were Doing]!” Alter Ego (Vol. 3, No. 56). February 2006: 22-48.

Warshow, Robert. “Paul, the Horror Comics, and Dr. Wertham.” The Immediate Experience. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press, 2002: 53-74.

Andrae, Thomas. “The Expurgated Barks.” The Carl Barks Library (Vol. 2, No. 2). Scottsdale, Arizona: 1984, 517-524.

Wertham, Fredric, M. D. Seduction of the Innocent. New York, New York: Rinehart & Company, Inc., 1954.

Gafford, Carl. “Sol Harrison and Jack Adler.” The Amazing World of DC Comics (Vol. 3, No. 10). January, 1976: 2-13.

Wertham, Fredric. “It’s Still Murder: What Parents Don’t Know About Comic Books.” The Saturday Review of Literature. April 9, 1955: 11-121.

Hanerfeld, Mark. “Progression by Staying in Place: Carmine Infantino’s Brilliant Career.” The Amazing World of Carmine Infantino: An Autobiography. Lebanon, NJ: Vanguard Productions, 2001: 152-164.

Wertham, Fredric. “The Curse of the Comic Book: The Value Patterns and Effects of Comic Books.” Religious Education (No. 49). 1954: 394-406.

Hefner, Hugh. Playboy’s Little Annie Fanny. Chicago, Illinois: Playboy Press, 1966. Infantino, Carmine. “Remembrance of The Flash.” Robin Snyder’s History of the Comics (Vol. 1, No. 13). December, 1990: 101.

Chapter Six: 1955 Censored! Benson, John. “The Science Fiction Panel.” Squa Tront (No. 8). 1978: 37-44. Decker, Dwight and Gary Groth. “An Interview with William M. Gaines.” The Comics Journal (No. 81). May, 1983: 53-84.

James, J. P. C. “Hey Look! An Interview with Harvey Kurtzman.” The Comics Journal Library Volume Seven: Harvey Kurtzman. Seattle, Washington: Fantagraphics Books: 2006: 39-52.

Kanigher, Robert. “The Flushing of the Flash.” Robin Snyder’s History of the Comics (Vol. 1, No. 7). July, 1991: 59-60.

Diehl, Digby. Tales from the Crypt. New York, New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1996.

Kupperberg, Paul. “Foreword.” The Flash Archives (Vol. 1). New York, New York: DC Comics, 1996: 5-7.

Gorelick, Victor. Archie Americana Series: Best of the Fifties. Mamaroneck, New York: Archie Comic Publications, 1992.

Lee, Stan and George Mair. Excelsior!: The Amazing Life of Stan Lee. New York, New York: Fireside Books, 2002.

Hauser, Rich. “Bill Gaines: Vintage 1969.” Tales of Terror! Seattle, Washington and Timonium, Maryland: Fantagraphics Books and Gemstone Publishing: 2000: 176-85.

Murray, Will. “Three Easy Pieces Starring Julius Schwartz.” Alter Ego (Vol. 3, No. 38). July, 2004: 9-29. Rozanski, Chuck. “Evolution of the Direct Market Part II.” Tales from the Database. Nov. 2003. <http://www.milehighcomics.com/tales/cbg96.html>.

Lee, Stan. Excelsior! New York, New York: Fireside, 2002. New York Legislature. Hearings before the New York Legislative Committee to Study the Publication of Comics. Albany, New York: February 4, 1955.

Simon, Joe, with Jim Simon. The Comic Book Makers. New York, New York: Crestwood/II Publications, 1990. 232

Benton, Mike. The Illustrated History of Science Fiction Comics. Dallas, Texas: Taylor Publishing, 1992.

Tollin, Anthony. “Origins of the Golden Age Sheldon Mayer.” The Amazing World of DC Comics (Vol. 2, No. 5). March, 1975: 2-10.

Binder, Otto. “From Fiction to Factual ‘Fantasy’.” Shazam Annual (No. 3). August 1964: 51-3.

Chapter Eight: 1957 Turbulence and Transition

Infantino, Carmine, and J. David Spurlock. The Amazing World of Carmine Infantino: an Autobiography. Lebanon, New Jersey: Vanguard Productions, 2000.

Amash, Jim. “He Was A True Genius In His Field [Sparky Moore interview].” Alter Ego (Vol. 3, No. 63). December, 2006: 35-40.

Kane, Gil. “Foreword.” The Green Lantern Archives (Vol. 1). New York, New York: DC Comics, 1993. Kubert, Joe. “Foreword.” The Sgt. Rock Archives (Vol. 1). New York, New York: DC Comics, 2002.

Evanier, Mark. Kirby King of Comics. New York, New York: Harry N. Abrams, Inc., 2008.

Miller, John Jackson. “Comics Market Shares, 1959, According to Ayer.” The Comichron: The Blog of The Comics Chronicles. 5 Aug. 2008. <http://blog.comichron.com/2008/08/comicsmarket-shares-1959-according-to.html>.

Lee, Stan and George Mair. Excelsior! New York, New York: Fireside Books: 2002. Simon, Joe, with Jim Simon. The Comic Book Makers. New York, New York: Crestwood/II Publications, 1990. Spicer, Bill, Richard Kyle and Vince Davis. “Interview with Alex Toth.” Graphic Story Magazine (No. 10). Spring, 1969: 30-46.

Overstreet, Robert. The Comic Book Price Guide (41st edition). Timonium, Maryland: Gemstone Publishing, 2011.

Chapter Nine: 1958 National Takes the Lead

Schelly, Bill. Man of Rock, a biography of Joe Kubert. Seattle, Washington: Fantagraphics Books, 2008. Schwartz, Julius, with Brian M. Thomsen. Man of Two Worlds. New York, New York: HarperCollins Publishers, Inc., 2000.

Binder, Otto. Personal records of his comic book scripts 1941 – 1961. Evanier, Mark. Kirby King of Comics. New York, New York: Harry N. Abrams, Inc., 2008.

Schutz, Diana. “Foreword.” Supergirl Archives (Vol. 1). New York, New York: DC Comics, 2001.

Lage, Matt. “We Were More or Less Inspired.” The Fawcett Companion. Raleigh, North Carolina: TwoMorrows Publishing, 2001: 58-64.

Simon, Joe, with Jim Simon. The Comic Book Makers. New York, New York: Crestwood/II Publications, 1990.

Schelly, Bill. Words of Won- The Green Hornet made it into the 1950s, in Dell’s Four Color #496 (September 1953). Green Hornet TM and © The Green Hornet, Inc. der: The Life and Times of Tolworthy, Chris. “Marvel and Otto Binder. Seattle, Washington: Hamster Press, 2003. DC Sales Figures.” Enter The Story. 10 Feb. 2009. <http:// zak-site.com/Great-American-Novel/comic_sales.html>. Schelly, Bill. The Golden Age of Comic Fandom (Third Edition). Seattle, Washington: Hamster Press, 2003. Thomas, Roy. “New Lamps for Old,” Alter Ego (Vol. 1, No. 3). November, 1961: 15-8. Simon, Joe, with Jim Simon. The Comic Book Makers. New York, New York: Crestwood/II Publications, 1990. Vassallo, Dr. Michael J. “Joe Maneely: Adventure Comics.” Marvel Masterworks: Atlas Era Black Knight/Yellow Claw, (Vol., No. 1). New York, New York: Marvel Publishing, Inc., 2009: 234-45.

Chapter Ten: 1959 The Silver Age Gaines Traction Ayers, Dick. “Introduction.” Marvel Masterworks: AntMan/Giant Man (Vol. 1). New York, New York: Marvel Publishing Inc., 2006. 233

American Comic Book Chronicles The 1950s Index

3-D comics 6, 75-9, 85, 87, 90-3, 124 Aamodt, Kim 46 Ace Publications 16, 45, 47, 73 Aces High 133 Ackerman, Forrest J. 222 Action Comics 10-4, 19, 51, 72, 74, 86, 91, 94, 95, 112, 145, 168, 169, 182, 184, 186, 208-9, 215 Adam Strange 7, 188-9, 202, 208, 211 Adler, Jack 150, 153-5, 210-1 Adventure Comics 10-1, 44, 94, 120, 168, 182-3, 185, 193, 201, 213, 216-7 Adventures into the Unknown 13, 29, 126, 180, 224 Adventures of Bob Hope 13, 143, 164 Adventures of Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis, The 13, 66, 143, 164 Adventures of Rex the Wonder Dog, The 66, 154 Adventures of Superman, The (TV series) 8, 13, 72, 74, 91, 96, 99, 212-3, 219 Ajax/Farrell 20, 22, 54, 87, 101, 103, 139 Alarming Tales 166, 196 All-American Comics (publisher) 11, 27, 50, 65, 143, 163-4 All-American Men of War 65-6, 95, 124, 205 All-American Western 12, 50, 70

All-Star Comics 11, 13, 27, 50, 146, 189, 203 All-Star Western 11, 50 Amazing Adult Fantasy 179, 221 American Comics Group (ACG) 29, 45, 54, 57, 126, 180-1, 198, 218, 224-5 American Eagle 50, 228 American News (ANC) 22, 112, 166-7, 177-8 Anderson, Murphy 14, 21, 31, 40, 205 Andru, Ross 102, 104, 163, 182, 206, 217 Antoshak, Perry 15, 43, 86 Aquaman 11, 44, 216-7 Archie Comics Publications 19, 78, 88-9, 112, 118, 126-7, 180, 183, 196, 198, 223-4 Arnold, Everett M. (“Busy”) 15, 163 Association of Comics Magazine Publishers (ACMP) 52, 109 Atkinson, Ruth 45 Atlas comics 8, 17-8, 41, 45-7, 49, 54, 57, 61, 635, 67-9, 72, 85, 89, 95-9, 103, 118, 124-5, 138, 141, 151, 158-9, 176-8 Atlas distributing 41, 177 Atlas implosion 167, 176-8, 194, 218, 221 Atomic Attack 73 Atomic War! 73, 74 Attack on Planet Mars 41 Avenger, The 95, 138-9

234

Avon (publisher) 19, 29, 31, 41, 47, 50-1, 53-4, 57, 131, 142 Ayers, Dick 20, 98, 138-9, 177, 193, 201, 221 Baby Huey, The Baby Giant 127, 145 Bails, Jerry 189, 205 Baker, Matt 8, 16, 45, 67-8, 70, 119 Barclay, Violet (aka Valerie) 45 Barks, Carl 6, 9, 23-6, 56, 60-1, 63, 88, 121, 130, 160-2, 199 Barry, Dan 13-4, 51, 167, 217 Barry, Sy 13, 51 Bat-Hound (Ace) 118, 120, 124, 152 Batman 10, 13, 51, 74, 945, 107, 118, 120-2, 152, 191-2, 215 Batman 10-13, 51, 87, 94, 107, 121-4, 143, 152-3, 191, 212, 217, 221 Battle 49, 63, 178 Battle Front 125 Battlefield 63-4 Battleground 125 Batwoman 144, 152 Beck, C. C. 14, 76, 223 Bender, Lauretta, Dr. 111 Beppo the Super-Monkey 215 Bernstein, Robert 44, 66, 133, 215-6 Best of Boy’s Life 196 Better Publications 45 Big Town 13, 51, 143

Binder, Otto 14, 76, 91, 94, 105-6, 120, 133, 181-5, 208, 212-4, 216-7 Bizarro 183-5, 187 Black Cat 15 Black Cat 43 Black Cat Mystery 43, 85-7 Black Cat Mystic 127, 166, 196 Black Cat Western 127 Black Cobra 101 Black Fury 128 Black Knight 141 Black Magic 43, 46, 87 Blackhawk 15, 81, 139, 163, 215 Blackhawk 15, 81, 145, 215 Blake, Zinda 215 Blue Beetle 139, 160 Blue Beetle 95 Blue Bolt Comics 21 Blue Bolt Weird Tales of Terror 47 Blum, Alex 21-2, 89 Boltinoff, Murray 44, 145, 217 Boring, Wayne 13, 74, 181, 185-7, 212, 214 Boys’ Ranch 15-6 Bradbury, Ray 37, 43, 79, 81-2 Brainiac 182-4, 187 Brant, Ruth 45 Brave and the Bold, The 124, 141-2, 154, 189-91, 200-1, 205, 208, 211, 217 Breslauer, Bernie 11 Brewster, Ann 45 Broderick, Warren 69

Brodsky, Sol 195 Brody, Zena 45, 145 Broome, John 14, 39, 40, 151, 167, 181, 201-5 Brothers of the Spear 26 Brown, Bob 47, 193 Buell, Marjorie Henderson 24 Bugs Bunny 24, 61 Bugs Bunny’s Christmas Funnies 26 Bulls Eye 100-1, 128, 157, 197 Burgos, Carl 96, 98, 177, 195 Burroughs, Edgar Rice 12, 25, 188 Buscema, John 45, 159-60 Bushmiller, Ernie 170, 171 C & I school 20, 38, 69, 87 Capital Distributing (CDC) 175, 194 Capp, Al 40, 59, 118 Captain 3-D 7, 78, 89, 100 Captain America 29, 94-5, 96, 98-100 Captain America 7, 18-9, 89, 95-100, 138, 151, 157-9 Captain America’s Weird Tales 29 Captain Comet 40, 95, 188 Captain Flash 101-2, 138 Captain Marvel 18, 47, 66, 75-6, 96 Captain Marvel Adventures 14, 47, 75, 91 Captain Marvel Jr. 14, 75 Captain Rocket 41 Captain Science 41 Captain Video and His Video Rangers 49 Cartoonists and Illustrators School – see C&I Casper 57, 61, 127 Casper the Friendly Ghost 61, 127 Catechetical Guild 20-1, 180 Catwoman 51, 95, 152, 191

Challengers of the Unknown 164-5, 167, 180, 193 Challengers of the Unknown 181-2, 193 Chamber of Chills 38, 43, 85-7 Chapman, Hank 41, 63 Charlton (publisher) 19, 54, 60, 67-9, 87-8, 95, 118-9, 128-30, 139, 155, 157, 159-60, 163, 166, 174-5, 178-80, 194, 198, 218-9 Chris KL-99 38 Classics Illustrated 21-2, 45, 73, 87, 89, 112, 131, 194-6 Classics Illustrated Junior 89, 195-6 Colan, Gene 41, 64, 66, 125, 177 Cole, Jack 8, 14, 107, 163, 183, 195 Cole, Leonard (“L. B.”) 21, 47, 118, 195 Coleman, Jerry 168, 181, 186 Colletta, Vince 177 Combat 64 Combat Kelly 39, 49, 63, 158 Comic Cavalcade 12 Comic Media 54, 221 Comics Code Authority 8, 20, 45, 95, 111-18, 120, 124-7, 129, 132-4, 138, 142, 152-3, 157-9, 161, 191, 199 Comics Code Seal of Approval 116-8, 126, 128, 133-4, 138, 176 Comics Magazine Association of America (CMAA) 112-15, 117-20, 134, 137 Comics Magazines, Inc. – see Quality Comics Complete EC Checklist, The 138 Confessions Illustrated 137 Congo Bill 12, 95, 209, 215 Congo Bill 120 Congorilla 215 Cracked 195 235

Craig, Chase 172, 174 Craig, Johnny 27-30, 34, 43, 79, 105-6, 110, 133-4, 228 Crandall, Reed 15, 21, 81, 133-4, 158, 163, 228 Crazy 85, 89, 103 Crime Does Not Pay 27, 68, 112 Crime Illustrated 137 Crime Incorporated 28 Crime Patrol 27, 29 Crime SuspenStories 13, 30, 55-6, 80, 105-6, 110 Crimebuster 15 Crimes by Women 28 Crowley, Wendell 76 Crypt of Terror, The 30, 43, 106 Cuidera, Chuck 140, 163, 215 Daffy Duck 24 Dale Evans 12, 50 Danger and Adventure 128, 139 Daredevil Comics 15, 68 Darvin, Leonard 120 Davis, Jack 42-3, 45, 58, 55, 57, 62, 71, 79, 80, 83, 86, 90, 102, 104, 133-4, 155, 157-8, 175-6, 223, 225 Davy Crocket Frontier Fighter 131 Davy Crockett craze 12931, 140, 163 Dawkins, Colin 50 DC Comics 6, 7 - see National Comics DeFuccio, Jerry 227-9 Delacorte, George 22, 117 Dell comics 9, 22, 25-6, 49, 50, 52, 60-1, 72, 88, 1112, 117-8, 129-31, 140, 151, 155, 160-2, 167, 170, 172-4, 180, 183, 192, 194, 196, 198-201, 217-8 Dell Publishing Co. 177 Dennis the Menace 38, 128, 144, 225 Dennis the Menace 88, 91 Detective Comics 10-4, 51, 74, 94-5, 140, 144, 152-4, 192

Dick Tracy 15 Dillin, Dick 163, 208, 210-1, 215 Disbrow, Jay 21, 197 Ditko, Steve 87-8, 159, 1789, 193, 218-21 Dodo and the Frog 95 Doll Girl 14-5 Doll Man 14-5 Donenfeld, Harry 11-2, 20, 65, 143 Donenfeld, Irwin 45, 65, 142, 145-6, 153, 167, 181, 202, 205, 215 Double Life of Private Strong, The 200, 223-4 Drake, Arnold 67 Drake, Stan 162-3 Drucker, Mort 66, 91, 125, 206, 225 DuBois, Gaylord 25-6, 162 Dutch, Dana 67, 70, 119 Eastern Color 117 EC (Entertaining Comics) 6, 22, 26-34, 36-45, 48, 5462, 70-3, 78-88, 90-3, 99, 102, 104-6, 110-11, 119, 132-8, 141, 155, 157, 163, 172, 193, 217, 225-9 EC Fan Bulletin, The 83 EC Fan-Addict Club 83 EC fandom 83, 138 Eerie 29, 47, 197 Eisner, Will 22, 43, 60, 66, 86-7, 163 Elastic Lad 94 Elder, Will (aka Bill, Willy) 17, 48, 63, 71, 79, 102-3, 155, 157, 175-6, 194, 225 Elias, Lee 43, 86, 118 Ellsworth, Whitney 11-2, 39, 52, 65, 74, 94, 142, 145, 184, 202, 215 Entertaining Comics – see EC Esposito, Mike 102, 104, 163, 182, 206, 217 Evans, George 57, 79, 133, 228-9 Everett, Bill 18, 41, 64, 96, 98, 138, 159, 177, 195 Extra! 133-4 Fago, Al 60

Famous Monsters of Filmland 222 Farrell Comics Group – see Ajax/Farrell Fawcett Publications, Inc. 14, 16-8, 26, 47, 49, 54, 57, 60, 65, 66, 68, 72, 756, 91, 128, 139, 180, 208 Feelings, Tom 69 Feldstein, Al 27-32, 34, 367, 38, 43, 48, 55-7, 59, 70-1, 73, 78-81, 90, 1023, 105-6, 132-3, 137-8, 157-8, 179, 225, 228-9 Fiction House 19, 22, 47, 67, 78, 83 Fighting American 7, 99101 Fighting American 94, 99, 100, 138 Finger, Bill 13, 51, 123, 1523, 168, 191, 212-3 Flame, The 139 Flash Comics 27, 145-7 Flash Gordon (comic book) 41 Flash Gordon (newspaper strip) 14, 41, 47, 57, 162, 167 Flash Gordon 37, 145 Flash, The – Barry Allen 6-8, 145, 146, 147, 148, 149, 150, 151, 152, 153, 167, 180, 182, 189 Flash, The – Jay Garrick 10, 145, 146, 147, 148, 149, 151 Flash, The 183, 201-2, 205, 215-6 Flip 103 Fly, The 7 Fly, The 200, 223-4 Forbidden Worlds 29, 38, 126, 224 Fortress of Solitude 186-7 Four Color Series 23-4, 60, 88, 129-30, 140, 162, 167, 170, 172-4, 196, 233 Fox and the Crow, The 12 Fox Features Syndicate aka Fox Comics 16, 28, 53, 67 Fox, Gardner F. 14, 31, 39, 40, 138, 145, 181, 188-9, 202-3

Fox, Victor 28, 38, 65 Foxhole 101, 156-7, 197 Fradon, Ramona 44, 216 Frazetta, Frank 39-51, 56, 59, 81, 132 Freas, Kelly 225 Fritzi Ritz 170-1 Frontier Fighters 131 Frontline Combat 48, 55-6, 61-3, 71, 79, 83, 102, 227 Funny Folks 12 Funny Stuff 51, 143 G. I. Combat 57, 65, 68, 163, 206, 208, 211 Gaines, Maxwell C. 26-7, 145, 164 Gaines, William M. (Bill) 27, 29-31, 34, 36-8, 41-2, 55-6, 59, 70-1, 79, 81, 835, 90, 102-3, 105, 109-12, 132-4, 137-8, 155, 157, 225-9 Gang Busters 13-4, 143 Gene Autry Comics 17, 172 Get Lost 103 Ghost Rider 20 Giacoia, Frank 14, 31, 39, 51, 167 Giant Comics 194 Giella, Joe 91, 202, 205 Gilberton Publications 21, 73, 89, 112, 131, 180-1, 195-6 Gill, Joe 179 Giordano, Dick 60, 218 Girls’ Love Stories 12, 45 Girls’ Romances 12, 17, 45 Gold Key 162, 170, 201 Golden Gladiator, The 141, 191 Goldwater, John 19, 112-3, 116-7, 127, 223-4 Gollub, Morris 130, 162 Goodman, Martin 13, 16-8, 35, 41, 63, 65, 89, 96-99, 138, 158-9, 176-8, 193, 195-6, 202, 219 Goodman’s comics 18-9, 29, 41, 180, 192-3, 198, 218-21 Goodwin, Archie 138, 226 Gorelick, Victor 127 Gottfredson, Floyd 24

Grandenetti, Jerry 66, 95, 154, 163, 206, 208, 211 Green Arrow 11-2, 118, 182, 185, 193, 216-7 Green Hornet, The 233 Green Lantern (Golden Age) 10, 12 Green Lantern (Golden Age) 27, 203, 205 Green Lantern (Silver Age) 7, 203-5 Green Lantern (Silver Age) 205 Greene, Alfonso 68-9 Gunfighter 27, 28 Gunner and Sarge 205 Hamilton, Edmond 37-8, 40, 121, 152, 181, 185-6, 188 Haney, Bob 206 Harrison, Harry 27, 31, 33, 69, 73 Harrison, Sol 116, 153-4 Harvey Comics 15-6, 43, 49, 54, 57, 61, 67, 77-8, 85-7, 101, 103, 118, 127, 131, 165-6, 180, 196, 198, 217-8 Harvey Comics Hits 61 Harvey Hits 166-7, 196 Harvey, Alfred 15, 43, 86 Haunt of Fear 12, 28, 32-4, 37, 41-3, 57, 79, 86, 105, 137 Hawkman 10-1 Heart Throbs 15, 17, 45, 163, 166 Heath, Russ 18, 41, 64, 89, 96-7, 102, 125, 151, 154, 195, 217 Heck, Don 177, 221, 232 Hefner, Hugh 133, 155, 157, 174, 195 Hermann, Rae 45 Herron, Ed 193, 216 Herron, France 66, 141 Hillman (publisher) 19, 45, 52, 54 Hollingsworth, Alvin 57, 68 Hoohah! 138, 226-9 Hopalong Cassidy 14, 17, 47, 95, 120, 192 236

Horrific 221, 232 Hot Rods and Racing Cars 60 Hot Stuff, the Little Devil 127, 167, 196 House of Mystery 47, 54, 140, 142, 166, 182, 210-1 House of Secrets 142, 166, 182, 188, 214, 216 Howdy Doody 129, 130 Hughes, Richard E. 29, 57, 126, 181, 224 Human Torch 7, 18, 89, 959, 138, 151 Human Torch, The 96-7 Humbug 166, 175-7, 194-5 I. W. reprints 197 Ibis 14, 139 Iger shop [see S. M. Iger Studio] Iger, S. M. (“Jerry”) 22 Imaginary stories 212 Impact 133-6, 141 In Love 101, 197 Incredible Science Fiction 119, 137 Independent News 11, 41, 65, 112, 167, 177-8 Infantino, Carmine 14, 39, 40, 50-1, 146, 148-51, 167, 189, 202, 217 Ingels, Graham 21, 27, 378, 43, 45, 55, 57, 79, 90, 104, 134 It Rhymes with Lust 67 Ivie, Larry 138 J’onn J’onzz – see Manhunter from Mars Jackie Gleason & The Honeymooners 143 Jacobson, Sid 85-7, 101 Jaffee, Al 175-6, 225 Jesse James 50-1 Jet Power 197 Jimmy Olsen – see Superman’s Pal, Jimmy Olsen Jimmy Wakely 12, 50 Johnny Thunder 12, 50, 70 Joker, The 51, 191 Journey into Mystery 54, 56, 125, 219 Jungle Comics 19, 67

Justice League of America 151 Justice League of America 205 Justice Society of America 10-1, 146, 189, 204 Kamen, Jack 37, 43, 55, 57, 81, 133 Kandor 183-4, 187 Kane, Bob 13, 51, 152-3 Kane, Gil 14, 40, 50, 66, 91, 188-9, 201-5, 208, 211 Kanigher, Robert 11, 50, 65-6, 95, 120, 124, 141, 145-9, 163, 167, 181-2, 189-91, 20-2, 205-8, 217 Kanter, Albert 21, 73 Kashdan, George 11, 217 Katy Keene 19, 127 Katy Keene Three Dimension Comics 78 Kaye, Stan 13, 153, 186, 212 Kefauver, Estes, Senator 13, 29, 53, 109-10, 113, 116, 119, 180 Kelly, Walt 24-6 Ketchum, Hank 88, 225 Keys, Daniel 133 Kid Colt Outlaw 17, 19, 65, 69, 178 Kid Cowboys of Boys’ Ranch, The 15-6 Kid Flash 215-6 Kinstler, Everett Raymond 197 Kirby, Jack 7, 15-6, 18-9, 21, 43, 46, 66, 69, 78, 87, 89, 95, 98-101, 127, 131, 138, 156-9, 164-7, 177, 180-2, 193, 196, 216, 218-21, 223-4 Kirkpatrick, Alice 45 Kremer, Warren 61, 86-87, 107, 127 Krenkel, Roy 41, 59 Krigstein, Bernard 38, 45, 90, 133-6, 158, 177 Krypto 118, 120 Kubert, Joe 31, 50, 68, 76-8, 84-5, 87, 90-1, 124, 131, 141, 143, 146-51, 154, 163, 167, 190-1, 206-8, 211, 217

Kurtzman, Harvey 6, 34-7, 43-5, 48-9, 61-4, 70-1, 73, 79, 83-4, 90, 99, 1023, 133, 138, 155, 157-8, 166, 174-6, 194-5, 225, 227-9 Lady Blackhawk 215 Lane, Lois 72, 94, 168, 181 Lane, Lucy 94, 213 Lang, Lana 10, 11, 13, 168 Lash LaRue Western 194 Laugh Comics 19 Leader News 36, 144, 155, 157 Leading Comics 12 Leave it to Binky 12 Lee, Stan 13, 18, 41, 44-7, 49, 69, 96-9, 100, 124, 141, 158-9, 172, 176-8, 192-3, 218-21 Legion of Super-Heroes 7, 182-4, 187, 201, 216-7 Lemaris, Lori 212 Lev Gleason (publisher) 15, 27, 52-3, 68, 112, 124, 142 Levy, Ed 60 Li’l Abner (comic book) 20 Li’l Abner (newspaper strip) 40, 59, 118 Lieber, Larry 220 Liebowitz, Jack 11-2, 27, 65, 76, 143, 184 Life with Archie 183, 196 Little Archie 127, 144 Little Audrey 61 Little Dot 61, 127, 167 Little Lotta 127 Little Lulu – see Marge’s Little Lulu Little Wise Guys 15 Lois Lane – see Superman’s Girl Friend, Lois Lane Lone Ranger, The 17, 129 Lone Ranger, The 24 Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies 24, 130 Mad 6, 43, 62, 70-1, 79, 83-5, 89-92, 99, 102-3, 132-3, 137-8, 145, 155, 157-8, 174-6, 194-5, 223, 225, 229

237

Magazine Enterprises 19, 20, 95, 118, 138, 180 Mainline Comics 101, 1567 Man in Black 166-7, 196 Maneely, Joe 8, 18-9, 41, 64, 103, 125, 138, 141, 158, 177-8, 192-3, 195, 219 Manning, Russ 26 Marge’s Little Lulu 24, 25, 61, 130, 196, 200 Marge’s Tubby 56, 61 Marsh, Jesse 25-6 Martian Manhunter 7, 119, 140, 152-3 Martin, Don 225 Marvel Boy 13, 18 Marvel Comics - see Goodman’s comics, Atlas comics Marvel Family, The 75-6 Marvel Tales 29, 38, 41, 46, 159 Massey, Cal 68 Master Comics 14, 75 Mastroserio, Rocke 160, 218 Maurer, Leonard 76-8 Maurer, Norman 76-8, 845, 91 Maurer, Norman 91 Mayer, Sheldon 12, 50, 69, 143-5, 217 McCarthy, Senator Joseph 12, 72, 75 MD 133-4 Men’s Adventures 63, 96-8 Merlin, Mark 216 Meskin, Mort 46-7, 66, 78, 87, 102, 166 Metropolis Mailbag 187 Meyer, Helen 22-3, 52, 61, 111, 117 Mickey Mouse Club (TV series) 143 Mighty Mouse 77 Millie the Model 45, 65, 178 Mingo, Norman 175 Mister Mystery 231 MLJ 19, 65-6 Mlle. Marie 205 Modern Comics 15

Moldoff, Sheldon 29, 118, 144, 152-3, 168, 192 Montana, Bob 89 Mooney, Jim 21, 47 Moreira, Ruben 168-9, 181 Mortimer, Winslow 13, 47, 74, 168 Mr. District Attorney 13, 143 Mr. Muscles 160 Mrs. Lyons’ Cubs (newspaper strip) 192 Murphy, Charles, Judge 112-3, 116-7, 119, 124, 134, 137, 145, 176 Murphy, Matt 15, 43, 61, 111 Murry, Paul 130, 160 Mutt and Jeff 201 My Greatest Adventure 154 Mysteries of Unexplored Worlds 160, 179 Mystery in Space 38-40, 91, 188-9, 202-3, 208, 211 Nadle, Larry 11, 145, 217 Nancy 167, 170-2 Nancy and Sluggo 117, 170-2, 201 National comics 10-4, 16, 18-20, 22, 26, 34, 38-41, 44-5, 47, 50-2, 54, 61, 65, 66, 70, 72, 74, 75-6, 78, 91, 94-5, 116, 118, 120-4, 131, 139, 141-55, 158-9, 163-69, 171, 174, 177-8, 180, 182-93, 196, 198, 200-18, 223-4 National Romance Group 163, 166 Nature Boy 159-60 Negro Romance 68 New Adventures of Charlie Chan, The 192 New Funnies 24 New Two-Fisted Tales, The 102, 227, 229 Newman, Paul S. 138 Nodell, Norman 21, 196 Nostrand, Howard 43, 867, 103 Novick, Irv 66, 141, 191, 208 Nutsy Squirrel 95, 143 Nyoka the Jungle Girl 139

Oleck, Jack 105, 133, 157 Olsen, Jimmy 72, 94, 183 On Stage (newspaper strip) 167 One Million Years Ago 78 Orlando, Joe 21, 31, 41, 43, 55, 57, 81, 133-4, 137, 158, 228 Our Army at War 56, 65-6, 95, 154, 200, 205-7, 217 Our Fighting Forces 65, 95, 154, 205 Out of This World 160, 179, 194 Outlaw Kid, The 125 Panic 102-3, 132 Papp, George 185-6, 215 Paris, Charles 51, 153 Parker, Ron 138, 226 Patsy Walker 45, 65, 178 Peanuts (newspaper strip) 13, 25, 170-1 Penguin, The 51 Pep Comics 19 Peppe, Mike 70, 173 Peter, H. G. 182 Phantom Lady 101, 139 Phantom Lady 67 Phantom Stranger, The 54, 56 Picture Parade 73 Picture Stories from American History 27 Picture Stories from the Bible 27 Pines (publisher) – see Standard Piracy 132 Planet Comics 19, 83 Plastic Man 8, 14, 145, 163, 195 Plastino, Al 13, 181, 187 Playboy 75, 133, 155, 157, 177, 195 Pogo Parade 25, 75 Pogo Possum 25 Police Comics 14, 163 Police Trap 101, 197 Popnecker, Herbie 224 Powell, S. Robert (Bob) 43, 86-7, 103, 118, 139, 166 Pow-Wow Smith 12

Premiani, Bruno 46 Prentice, John 14, 131, 142, 163, 167 Prize Comics 43, 55, 66, 99, 100, 180, 218-9, 228 Prize Comics Western 17, 50 Psychoanalysis 133-4 Quality comics 14-6, 45, 57, 65, 67, 81, 139, 142, 163, 180 Raccoon Kids, The 95, 143 Race for the Moon 166, 196 Raymond, Alex 37, 41, 57, 145, 162-3, 167, 195 Red Kryptonite 213 Reed, Phyllis 45, 217 Reeves, George 12, 39, 52, 72, 74, 96, 200, 212-3 Reform School Girl! 53 Reinman, Paul 63-4, 177, 195 Richie Rich 61, 166 Riot 85, 103 Rip Kirby (newspaper strip) 163, 167 Robin Hood Tales 163, 191 Roche, Ruth 22, 45, 67 Romance Trail 17 Romita, John 96, 98-100, 217 Roth, Arnold 175-6 Roy Raymond, TV Detective 12 Roy Rogers and Trigger 49, 52 Roy Rogers Comics 49, 50, 130 S. M. Iger Studio 20, 22, 45, 67, 81, 101 Sachs, Bernard 14, 91, 189 Sad Sack 15 Saddle Justice 27 Saddle Romances 27, 31 Sale, Robert Q. 64, 159 Samachson, Joseph 140 Samson 139 Santangelo, John Sr. 60, 194 Saunders, Norman 49, 179, 195-6 Schaffenberger, Kurt 14, 76, 181-2 238

Schiff, Jack 11, 13-4, 47, 95, 121, 142, 145, 163-4, 168-9, 182, 188, 191-3, 217 Schultz, Henry 52, 109 Schulz, Charles 13 Schwartz, Alvin 13, 184-5, 213 Schwartz, Julius (Julie) 11, 14, 38-40, 51, 65-6, 70, 91, 95, 124, 143, 145-6, 149, 151-3, 184, 187, 189, 201-5, 214, 217 Schwartz, Lew Sayre 13, 51 Scribbly 12, 143, 164 Secret Hearts 12, 45, 154 Seduction of the Innocent 89, 94, 106-9, 195, 228 Sekowsky, Mike 14, 41, 102, 189, 201 Sensation Comics 10, 69 Sensation Mystery 54 Sergeant Bilko 143, 171 Severin, John 17-8, 43-5, 48, 50, 62-3, 71, 83-4, 102, 125, 133, 158, 1945, 197, 218, 227-9 Severin, Marie 44-5, 79, 80, 228 Sgt. Bilko’s Private Doberman 143, 192 Sgt. Rock 200, 205-7, 217 Shield, The 19, 66, 223 Shining Knight 44 Shock Illustrated 119, 1378 Shock SuspenStories 39, 556, 79, 81, 111, 133, 137 Showcase 6, 142-54, 159, 163-8, 181-2, 188-9, 2015, 208, 217 Shulz, Charles 170 Shuster, Joe 10, 13, 145, 168 Siegel, Jerry 10, 13, 20, 41, 145, 159-60, 168, 183, 185, 212-4 Siegel, Larry 176 Silberkleit, Louis 19 Silent Knight 141, 191 Silver Age of comics, the 6, 8, 142, 145, 151, 152, 163, 187, 198, 204, 2068, 212, 215, 225

Simon, Joe 7, 15-6, 43, 46, 66, 69, 78, 87, 89, 95, 99-101, 127, 138, 156-8, 164-6, 196-7, 218, 200, 223-4 Sinnott, Joe 177, 221 Sky Masters of the Space Force (newspaper strip) 193, 218 Space Adventures 139, 218 Space Cabby 91 Space Detective 41 Space Museum 202 Space Ranger 182, 188-9 Spirit, The (newspaper feature) 43, 66, 86-7, 163 Spooky 127 Sprang, Dick 13, 51, 121, 192 Sputnick 167, 187 St. John Publishing 16, 45, 55, 59, 67-8, 70, 76, 84-5, 91, 119, 143, 171, 180, 218 St. John, Archer 61, 67, 70, 76-7, 90-1 Standard Comics (aka Better, Pines) 45, 55, 57, 70, 88, 91, 128 Stanley Morse 55, 59 Stanley, John 6, 24-5, 61, 171-2, 199-200 Star Publications 21, 47, 55, 117-8 Star Spangled Comics 10, 51 Star Spangled War Stories 65-6, 95, 144, 154, 105 Stark, Larry 138, 226-9 Starr, Leoanrd 14, 46, 142, 167 Sterling Comics 101-2, 117 Stewart, Bhob 83 Strange Adventures 12, 14, 38-40, 91, 95, 188, 202, 214 Strange Suspense Stories 179 Strange Tales 38, 41, 46, 159, 178, 220 Strange World of Your Dreams, The 46 Strange Worlds 31, 41, 219 Strong Man 139

Stuart, Lyle 103, 110 Stuntman 101 Sub-Mariner 7, 18, 89, 958, 138 Sub-Mariner Comics 96-7, 99, 138 Sugar and Spike 144-5, 187 Sullivan, Vincent 19, 20, 138, 145 Superboy 10, 44, 120, 168 Superboy 10-1, 74, 183, 185, 215 Supergirl 7, 208-209, 212 Superman (newspaper strip) 94, 213-4 Superman 10, 12-3, 18, 52, 66, 72, 74-5, 78, 94, 96, 120, 123, 143, 145, 168, 186-7, 208-9, 212, 214, 217 Superman 13, 65, 74, 94, 107, 166, 168-9, 183, 185, 187, 199, 212, 215 Superman and the Mole Men 12, 39, 51-2 Superman’s Girl Friend, Lois Lane 181-2, 187, 212 Superman’s Pal, Jimmy Olsen 91, 94-5, 123, 168, 212-3 Supermen of America (club) 168, 169 Swan, Curt 47, 66, 94, 120, 123, 181, 185, 187, 214 Tales from the Crypt 6, 7, 30, 41, 57, 79, 80, 104, 106, 137 Tales of Suspense 219-21 Tales of the Mysterious Traveler 178-9 Tales of the Unexpected 142-3, 182, 188, 214 Tales to Astonish 219-20 Tarzan 25-6, 111, 162, 196, 200 Teen-Age Romances 16, 67, 70 Terror Illustrated 137 Thing, The 39, 60, 88, 139 This Magazine is Haunted 47, 179 Thomas, Roy 124, 204-5 Three Dimension Comics 77

Three Dimensional EC Classics 90, 92-3 Three Mouseketeers, The 143 Three-Dimension Adventures 78 Thrills of Tomorrow 101, 127 Thun’Da 56 Timmy the Timid Ghost 167, 194 Tip Top Comics 20, 25, 1701 Toby Press 20, 45, 55, 59, 117 Tomahawk 13, 131 Tomahawk 154, 192 Tomb of Terror 43, 85-7, 101 Tommy Tomorrow 12, 91, 209 Tonto 129 Tor 78 Torres, Angelo 59 Toth, Alex 39, 40, 50, 63, 66, 68-70, 172-4, 199, 201 Treasure Chest 20-1, 180 Trulock, Guy Percy 119 Trump 144, 157, 174, 194 Turok, Son of Stone 129-30, 200 Turok, Son of Stone 162 Tuska, George 46, 223 Two-Face 51, 95, 191 Two-Fisted Tales 13, 34, 48-9, 56, 62-3, 71, 79, 83, 103-3, 227 Two-Gun Kid 17, 178 U. S. Senate hearings 6. 13, 29, 53, 94, 101, 108-113, 118, 124, 140, 195, 199 Uncle Scrooge 6, 54, 56, 60-1 – see Walt Disney’s Uncle Scrooge Valor 132-4, 141 Vault of Horror 30, 41-3, 54, 79, 86, 104, 106, 137 Vic Torry and His Flying Saucer 230 Vigilante 12-13 Viking Prince 118, 124, 141, 190-91, 207-8, 211

Von Bernewitz, Fred 138 Waldman, Israel 197 Walt Disney’s Christmas Parade 26, 183 Walt Disney’s Comics and Stories 22-3, 88, 117, 130, 162 Walt Disney’s Donald Duck 88, 107, 199 Walt Disney’s Uncle Scrooge 9, 61, 160-2, 199 Walt Disney’s Vacation Parade 26 War against Crime 27, 29, 30 War Comics 13, 35, 63-4 Warfront 49, 127, 166, 196 Warren Publishing 62 Warren, James 222 Weird Fantasy 31, 37, 59, 73, 79, 81, 83, 137 Weird Science 6, 7, 31, 37, 58-9, 73, 79, 81-3 Weird Science-Fantasy 83, 104, 106, 132 Weisinger, Mort 11, 13, 44, 74, 91, 94, 123, 143, 145, 168, 181-7, 192, 204, 209, 212-3, 215-7 Wendy the Good Little Witch 127 Wertham, Fredric, Dr. 28, 52-3, 75, 89, 106-11, 113, 124, 140, 180, 195, 225, 228 Wessler, Carl 105, 133 Western Comics 12, 50, 95, 120, 154 Western Printing and Lithography Company 22-6, 52, 61, 88, 155, 161-2, 170-4, 183, 196, 198-201 Whack 84-5, 89, 103 White, Ted 138 Whitman – see Western Printing Whitney, Ogden 224 Whiz Comics 14, 47, 75 Wild 85 Wildey, Doug 166

239

Williamson, Al 40-1, 43, 56-9, 79, 81, 106, 125, 133, 134, 141, 158, 163, 194, 218, 223 Witch Hazel 25 Witches Tales 13, 43, 85-7, 103 Wolverton, Basil 47, 59, 102 Wonder Boy 139 Wonder Girl 200, 208 Wonder Woman 10, 54, 65 Wonder Woman 10-1, 69, 182, 200, 208 Wood, Dave 50, 66, 164, 193 Wood, Wally 27, 13, 33, 34, 37-8, 41, 43, 48, 56-7, 59, 60, 62, 69, 71, 73, 79, 81-2, 84, 86, 90, 92-3, 99, 102-3, 106, 132-4, 141, 155, 193, 197, 218, 225, 228 Woody Woodpecker 24, 61 Woolfolk, Dorothy 45 Woolfolk, William 13, 66, 76, 213 World Around Us, The 89, 183, 195-6 World Color Press 155 World of Fantasy 183, 21920 World’s Finest Comics 1012, 26, 51, 74, 94, 123, 168 Wyoming Kid 12, 50 Yellow Claw 158-9, 177 Young Love 66, 180 Young Marriage 17 Young Men 75, 89, 96-9 Young Romance 16, 43, 66, 157, 180 Ziff-Davis 19, 31, 41, 45, 47, 49, 50, 55, 85 Zorro 167, 174

BOOKS FROM TWOMORROWS PUBLISHING

ER EISN RD AWAINEE! M NO

MONSTER MASH

GROOVY

MARK VOGER’s time-trip back to 1957-1972, to explore the CREEPY, KOOKY MONSTER CRAZE, when monsters stomped into America’s mainstream!

A psychedelic look at when Flower Power bloomed in Pop Culture. Revisits ‘60s era’s ROCK FESTIVALS, TV, MOVIES, ART, COMICS & CARTOONS!

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(192-page FULL-COLOR HARDCOVER) $39.95 (Digital Edition) $13.99 ISBN: 978-1-60549-080-9

MIKE GRELL

LIFE IS DRAWING WITHOUT AN ERASER Career-spanning tribute to a comics art legend! (160-page FULL-COLOR TPB) $27.95 ISBN: 978-1-60549-088-5 (176-page LTD. ED. HARDCOVER) $37.95 ISBN: 978-1-60549-087-8 (Digital Edition) $12.99

KIRBY & LEE: STUF’ SAID

ED AND EXP COND SE ION! IT ED

ISBN: 978-1-60549-094-6

THE MLJ COMPANION

Documents the complete history of ARCHIE COMICS’ super-heroes known as the “Mighty Crusaders”, with in-depth examinations of each era of the characters’ history: The GOLDEN AGE (beginning with the Shield, the first patriotic super-hero), the SILVER AGE (spotlighting the campy Mighty Comics issues, and The Fly and Jaguar), the BRONZE AGE (the Red Circle line, and the !mpact imprint published by DC Comics), up to the MODERN AGE, with its Dark Circle imprint! (288-page FULL-COLOR trade paperback) $34.95 (Digital Edition) $14.99 ISBN: 978-1-60549-067-0

COMIC BOOK IMPLOSION

In 1978, DC Comics implemented its “DC Explosion” with many creative new titles, but just weeks after its launch, they pulled the plug, leaving stacks of completed comic book stories unpublished. This book marks the 40th Anniversary of “The DC Implosion”, one of the most notorious events in comics, with an exhaustive oral history from the creators involved (JENETTE KAHN, PAUL LEVITZ, LEN WEIN, MIKE GOLD, and others), plus detailed analysis of how it changed the landscape of comics forever!

ER EISN RD AWAINEE! NOM

(136-page trade paperback with COLOR) $21.95 (Digital Edition) $10.99 ISBN: 978-1-60549-085-4

(272-page FULL-COLOR trade paperback) $36.95 (Digital Edition) $13.99 ISBN: 978-1-60549-073-1

IT CREPT FROM THE TOMB Digs up the best of FROM THE TOMB (the UK’s preeminent horror comics history magazine): Atomic comics lost to the Cold War, censored British horror comics, the early art of RICHARD CORBEN, Good Girls of a bygone age, TOM SUTTON, DON HECK, LOU MORALES, AL EADEH, BRUCE JONES’ ALIEN WORLDS, HP LOVECRAFT in HEAVY METAL, and more!

EXPANDED SECOND EDITION—16 EXTRA PAGES! Looks back at the creators of the Marvel Universe’s own words, in chronological order, from fanzine, magazine, radio, and television interviews, to paint a picture of JACK KIRBY and STAN LEE’s complicated relationship! Includes recollections from STEVE DITKO, ROY THOMAS, WALLACE WOOD, JOHN ROMITA SR., and other Marvel Bullpenners! (176-page FULL-COLOR trade paperback) $26.95 (Digital Edition) $12.99

HERO-A-GO-GO!

MICHAEL EURY looks at comics’ CAMP AGE, when spies liked their wars cold and their women warm, and TV’s Batman shook a mean cape!

(192-page trade paperback) $29.95 (Digital Edition) $10.99 ISBN: 978-1-60549-081-6

ER EISN RD AWAINEE! NOM

JACK KIRBY’S DINGBAT LOVE

The final complete, unpublished Jack Kirby stories in existence, presented here for the first time, in cooperation with DC Comics! Two unused 1970s DINGBATS OF DANGER STREET tales, plus TRUE-LIFE DIVORCE and SOUL LOVE magazines! (176-page FULL-COLOR HARDCOVER) $43.95 (Digital Edition) $14.99 ISBN: 978-1-60549-091-5

AMERICAN COMIC BOOK CHRONICLES:

THE WORLD OF TWOMORROWS

Celebrate our 25th anniversary with this retrospective by publisher JOHN MORROW and Comic Book Creator magazine’s JON B. COOKE! Go behind-the-scenes with MICHAEL EURY, ROY THOMAS, GEORGE KHOURY, and a host of other TwoMorrows contributors! Introduction by MARK EVANIER, Foreword by ALEX ROSS, Afterword by PAUL LEVITZ, and a new cover by TOM McWEENEY! (224-page FULL-COLOR TPB) $37.95 (240-page ULTRA-LIMITED HARDCOVER) $75 (Digital Edition) $15.99

8 Volumes Covering The 1940s-1990s

MAC RABOY

Master of the Comics

OR -COL FULLDCOVER HAR RIES SE nting me f docu ecade o d y! c ea h s histor ic com

MAC RABOY perfected his art style on such 1940s comic book creations as DR. VOODOO, BULLETMAN, SPY SMASHER, GREEN LAMA, and his crowning achievement, CAPTAIN MARVEL JR., before moving on to illustrate the FLASH GORDON Sunday newspaper strip. Author ROGER HILL documents the life and career of the master artist in a full-color hardcover with never-before-seen photos, a wealth of rare and unpublished artwork, and the first definitive biography of a true Master of the Comics! (160-page FULL-COLOR HARDCOVER) $39.95 • (Digital Edition) $14.99 ISBN: 978-1-60549-090-8

TwoMorrows. The Future of Pop History.

Phone: 919-449-0344 E-mail: store@twomorrows.com Web: www.twomorrows.com

TwoMorrows Publishing • 10407 Bedfordtown Drive • Raleigh, NC 27614 USA

It was the

1950s

It was a decade of innovation and turmoil that began with the rise of EC Comics’ “New Trend” titles (Tales of the Crypt, Weird Science) and ended with National Comics’ new heroes (the Martian Manhunter, the new Green Lantern, Adam Strange). It was a time when Harvey Kurtzman created Mad, when Carl Barks’ work on Donald Duck and Uncle Scrooge reached its creative peak, and when a re-tooling of the Flash kicked off the Silver Age of comics. But it was also the decade when the publication of Dr. Fredric Wertham’s anti-comics book Seduction of the Innocent and the U. S. Senate hearings on the causes of juvenile delinquency led to the creation of the Comics Code, changing the face—and reputation—of comics for decades to come. It was the 1950s. American Comic Book Chronicles documents every decade of comic book history, from the 1930s to today. Each volume presents a year-by-year account of the comic book industry’s most significant publications, most notable creators, and most impactful trends.

ISBN-13: 978-1-60549-054-0 ISBN-10: 1-60549-054-7 54095

Printed in China

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TwoMorrows Publishing Raleigh, North Carolina $40.95 in the US ISBN 978-1-60549-054-0