par Zoa Zorusson

Comic-book publishers of the Golden Age

  1. Fiction House: Founded in 1921, Fiction House was a pulp magazine publisher that expanded into comics in the early 1940s. They published a variety of genres, including adventure, romance, and science fiction. Notable titles include Jumbo Comics, Jungle Comics, and Wings Comics. Fiction House’s most popular character was Sheena, Queen of the Jungle, created by Will Eisner and Jerry Iger in 1937.
  2. Ziff-Davis Publications: Founded in 1927, Ziff-Davis was primarily a publisher of pulp magazines and later science fiction and fantasy books. They began publishing comics in the early 1950s, with notable titles including « Tales of the Mysterious Traveler, » which was published from 1956 to 1959. The series featured science fiction and horror stories, often with twist endings. Other notable Ziff-Davis titles include « Space Adventures » and « Amazing Adventures. » They also briefly published a superhero title, « Captain Science, » in 1950. However, Ziff-Davis ceased publishing comics in 1957 and focused on their magazine and book publishing business.
  3. Dell Comics was founded in 1929 and was initially known for its pulp magazines. In the early 1940s, they began publishing comic books, including their flagship title « Four Color Comics ». They were a major publisher of licensed comics based on popular movies and TV shows, including titles featuring Disney characters such as Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck, as well as Warner Bros. characters like Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck.

    In terms of original titles, Dell Comics published a number of genres, including westerns, romance, and war comics. One of their most popular original characters was Captain Midnight, a superhero who first appeared in 1942. They also published a number of science fiction titles, including « Space Man », « Tom Corbett, Space Cadet », and « The Lone Ranger ».
  4. DC Comics (formerly National Allied Publications): Founded in 1934, DC is one of the oldest and most well-known comic book publishers. They published a variety of genres, including superhero comics like Batman and Superman, as well as mystery and horror comics like The Spectre and House of Mystery. Some of DC’s most famous creators from the Golden Age include Bob Kane, Bill Finger, Jerry Siegel, Joe Shuster, and Jack Kirby.
  5. Quality Comics: Founded in 1937, Quality was known for their superhero comics, including Plastic Man, Blackhawk, and The Spirit. They were acquired by DC Comics in 1956, which led to many of their characters becoming integrated into the DC Universe.
  6. MLJ Comics (later Archie Comics): Founded in 1939, MLJ was initially known for their superhero comics, including the patriotic hero The Shield and the teenage superhero team The Mighty Crusaders. However, they later became famous for their teen humor comics, including Archie, Betty, and Veronica. MLJ changed their name to Archie Comics in 1946.
  7. Marvel Comics (formerly Timely Comics): Founded in 1939, Marvel was known for their superhero comics, including Captain America, The Human Torch, and Sub-Mariner. In the 1960s, Marvel revolutionized the comics industry with their « Marvel Age of Comics, » which introduced a new generation of superheroes like Spider-Man, The X-Men, and The Fantastic Four. Some of Marvel’s most famous creators from the Golden Age include Jack Kirby, Joe Simon, and Stan Lee.
  8. Fawcett Comics: Founded in 1939, Fawcett was best known for their superhero Captain Marvel, who was later renamed Shazam due to legal disputes with DC Comics. Fawcett also published titles like Bulletman and Ibis the Invincible.
  9. Fox Feature Syndicate: Founded in 1939, Fox was known for their superhero comics, including the Golden Age version of The Blue Beetle and The Flame. They also published horror and crime comics, such as Jo-Jo Comics and Phantom Lady.
  10. Lev Gleason Publications: Founded in 1939, Lev Gleason was known for their crime and adventure comics, including Daredevil and Crime Does Not Pay. They also published titles like Silver Streak and Boy Comics.
  11. Comics Magazine Company, Nedor Publishing, Centaur Comics.
    During the Golden Age of comic books, from the late 1930s to the mid-1950s, several companies made their mark on the industry, including Comic Magazine Company (C.M.C.), Chesler Publications, Ultem Comics, and Centaur Comics. C.M.C., founded in 1936 by John Mahon and Bill Cook, debuted with The Comics Magazine and Funny Picture Stories. Chesler Publications, founded in 1937 by Harry « A » Chesler, provided early work to artists like Jack Cole and Otto Binder. Ultem Comics, founded in 1937 by I.W. Ullman and Frank Z. Temerson, acquired Chesler’s and C.M.C. and continued to produce titles until January 1938. Finally, Centaur Comics, founded in 1938 by Joseph Hardie and Raymond J. Kelly, had its own distribution network and published titles like Funny Pages, Detective Eye, and Fantoman. Although these companies were short-lived, they left a lasting impact on the comic book industry, with some of their creators and characters finding new homes at publishers like DC Comics and Marvel Comics.
  12. Hillman Periodicals – Hillman Periodicals was a comic book publisher founded in 1939 by Robert W. Farrell. Hillman was known for publishing a variety of genres including superhero, western, and romance comics. Some of their most popular titles included « Airboy, » « Black Diamond Western, » and « My Date. » Hillman was also known for publishing some of the earliest superheroines, such as « Miss Fury » and « The Phantom Lady. » Notable artists who worked for Hillman during the Golden Age include Jack Kirby, Bob Powell, and Matt Baker. Hillman ceased publishing in 1953.
  13. Holyoke Publishing – Holyoke Publishing was a comic book publisher founded in 1940 by Everett M. Arnold. During the Golden Age of Comics, Holyoke was known for publishing a variety of genres including superhero, western, and romance comics. Some of their most popular titles included « Cat-Man Comics, » « Captain Aero Comics, » and « The Green Hornet. » Holyoke was also known for their iconic superhero team-up book « The Holyoke Heroes, » which featured some of the most popular heroes of the time. Notable artists who worked for Holyoke during the Golden Age include Will Eisner, Joe Kubert, and Charles Sultan. Holyoke ceased publishing in 1954.
  14. Standard/Better/Nedor/Pines
    Standard Comics was an American comic book imprint founded by Ned Pines. It was a parent company of two comic-book lines, Better and Nedor Publishing. During the Golden Age of comic books from 1939 to 1956, Standard was a prolific publisher. One of its best-known characters was the Black Terror. After Standard Comics ended its operations in 1956, only two titles continued under the Pines Comics imprint. These four imprints played a significant role in shaping the comic book landscape during their time.
  15. Harvey Comics – Harvey Comics was a comic book publisher founded in 1941 by Alfred Harvey. During the Golden Age of Comics, Harvey was known for publishing a variety of genres including superhero, funny animal, and romance comics. Some of their most popular titles included « Casper the Friendly Ghost, » « Richie Rich, » and « Little Audrey. » Harvey was also known for their iconic superhero team-up book « The Harvey Superheroes, » which featured some of the most popular heroes of the time. Notable artists who worked for Harvey during the Golden Age include Joe Simon, Jack Kirby, and Warren Kremer. Harvey ceased publishing in 1994.
  16. EC Comics – EC Comics was a comic book publisher founded in 1944 by Max Gaines. During the Golden Age of Comics, EC was known for publishing a variety of genres including horror, science fiction, and crime comics. Some of their most popular titles included « Tales from the Crypt, » « The Vault of Horror, » and « Crime SuspenStories. » EC was also known for their iconic horror host « The Crypt-Keeper, » who introduced many of their horror stories. Notable artists who worked for EC
  1. Avon Publications – founded in 1945, ceased publishing comics in 1952.
    Avon Publications was a publishing company that was founded in 1945 by the American News Company. During the Golden Age of comics, Avon primarily published romance comics, westerns, and horror comics. Some of their popular titles included « Eerie, » « Weird Mysteries, » « Out of the Night, » « Love at First Sight, » and « The Lone Ranger. »

    In 1952, Avon Publications stopped publishing comics due to declining sales, but the company continued to publish other types of literature, such as novels and magazines.
  2. Charlton Comics – founded in 1946, ceased publishing in 1986.
    Charlton Comics was founded by John Santangelo Sr. in 1946 and was based in Derby, Connecticut. During the Golden Age of comics, Charlton published a wide variety of genres including superhero, science fiction, western, horror, romance, and crime comics. Some of their popular titles included « Blue Beetle, » « Captain Atom, » « The Question, » « Space Adventures, » and « Teen-Age Love. »

    Charlton was known for its low-budget approach to publishing comics and was often referred to as a « nursery » or « training ground » for new talent. Many well-known creators in the comic book industry started their careers at Charlton, including Steve Ditko, John Byrne, and Denny O’Neil. Despite its reputation for low-budget comics, Charlton also had some popular characters and stories, such as the « Charlton Bullseye » series and « The Peacemaker. »

    However, by the late 1970s, Charlton’s sales had declined significantly and the company ceased publishing comics in 1986. The rights to some of their characters were later acquired by DC Comics.
  3. Trojan Comics – founded in 1949, ceased publishing in 1952
    Trojan Comics was a short-lived comic book publisher that was founded in 1949 by Robert and Katherine Farrell. During its brief existence, Trojan published a variety of genres, including westerns, science fiction, and romance comics. Some of their popular titles included « Funnyman, » « Lash LaRue Western, » and « Roy Rogers Comics. »

    Despite some popular titles, Trojan Comics struggled with distribution issues and ultimately ceased publishing in 1952 after only three years in the industry.
  4. Ajax-Farrell Publications – founded in 1951, ceased publishing in 1958
    Ajax-Farrell Publications was a comic book publisher that was founded in 1951 by Allen Hardy and Jack Farrell. The company primarily published romance and western comics, as well as some science fiction and horror titles. Some of their popular titles included « Young Love, » « True Life Romance, » « The Black Cat, » and « Adventures into the Unknown. » The company ceased publishing in 1958.

    Ajax-Farrell was known for its use of recycled art and stories, with many of their comics featuring content that had been previously published by other publishers. The company ceased publishing in 1958 due to declining sales and distribution issues.
  5. Eastern Colors
    The Eastern Color Printing Company was instrumental in transforming the American comic book industry. The company was founded in 1928 and initially focused on printing color newspaper sections for various papers in New England and New York. In 1930, Eastern developed an engraving process that allowed color to be added to black-and-white comics, which was a significant breakthrough for the newspaper syndicates. Eastern’s sales manager, Harry I. Wildenberg, came up with the idea of using comics as a medium for advertising in 1933, leading to the creation of Gulf Comic Weekly, the first promotional comic book. The company went on to publish the first modern-format comic book, Funnies on Parade, in 1933, and subsequently produced similar periodicals for other companies, including Canada Dry, Kinney Shoes, and Wheatena cereal. Eastern’s most popular comic book, Famous Funnies, was published in 1933 and became the first true American comic book. Eastern continued to print comic books until the mid-1950s and produced comic books for other publishers until 1973, but eventually closed in 2002 due to changes in printing technologies. Despite this, the company’s legacy as a pioneer in the American comic book industry remains strong.
  6. United Features:
    United Feature Comics was a comic book publishing company that was active from the 1930s to the 1970s. During its heyday, United Feature Comics was responsible for publishing a number of popular comic strips, including some of the most well-known and beloved strips in history.
  7. Colombia Comics
    Columbia Comics Corporation, fondée en 1940, a marqué l’âge d’or de la bande dessinée par son innovation et sa créativité. Née de la collaboration entre Vin Sullivan, le McNaught Syndicate et le Frank Jay Markey Syndicate, Columbia a lancé des titres emblématiques comme Big Shot Comics, introduisant des personnages iconiques tels que Skyman et The Face. La société a également entretenu une relation stratégique avec Eastern Color Printing, consolidant ainsi sa position sur le marché. Malgré la cessation de ses activités en 1949, l’influence de Columbia Comics persiste, son approche innovante de l’édition, ses personnages uniques et son soutien aux talents ayant laissé une empreinte durable sur l’industrie de la bande dessinée.

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