This is the 18th entry in this weekly series. (For an index of the series’ other published posts, click here.) The purpose is to provide a detailed chronology of the history of North American comic-book publishing. The comics will be presented in order of publication.
While in some instances I will only include key issues of significant titles, I will for the most part be presenting the entirety of the major bodies of work. For example, every comic book with an original Carl Barks Donald Duck story will be featured in the posts. One will get to see something of the context in which the comics were published. With the original Barks duck comics, they will, depending on the year, appear alongside the Walt Kelly Pogo books, the EC “New Trend” titles, and the 1960s Marvel superhero line. This should reflect the books’ presence on newsstands when they were originally on sale.
The publication dates are by and large the on-sale dates the publishers reported to the U. S. Copyright Office. Exceptions will be noted.
Only magazines and books will be featured. Newspaper material will be included only when it has been published in these formats.
If the comic appears to be in the public domain, and a copy is available online for reading at the Digital Comic Museum [www.digitalcomicmuseum.com] or elsewhere, a link will be included in the listing.
The series will give perhaps as good an idea as one can have as to the worthwhile comics a reader would have found at a retailer at a given point in time. If nothing else, the posts should prove a fun exercise in nostalgia.
This 18th post covers August 1947 to December 1947.
Walt Disney’s Comics and Stories, Vol. 7, No. 12 [#84].
Published on August 15, 1947. Edited by Alice Nielsen [Cobb]. The comic includes the Donald Duck story “The Waltz King,” by Carl Barks. Cover illustration by Walt Kelly. New York: Dell. Cover/indicia date: September 1947. Cover price: 10¢.
Police Comics #71.
To read the issue online, click here.
Published on August 15, 1947. Edited by George E. Brenner. The comic includes the Plastic Man story “East Is East and West Is West,” by Jack Cole. Cover illustration by Jack Cole. Buffalo: Comic Magazines [Quality]. Cover/indicia date: October 1947. Cover price: 10¢.
Sensation Comics #70.
Published on August 20, 1947. Edited by Sheldon Mayer. The comic includes the Wonder Woman story “The Unconquerable Woman of Cocha Bamba,” by William Moulton Marston & Harry G. Peter. Cover illustration by Harry G. Peter. St. Louis: National [DC]. Cover/indicia date: October 1947. Cover price: 10¢.
Marge’s Little Lulu.
Published on August 29, 1947. Edited by Helen Meyer. The comic includes the stories “The Case of the Purloined Popover,” “Alvin’s Solo Flight,” and “Never Again,” all by John Stanley. Cover illustration by John Stanley. New York: Dell. Cover/indicia date: October 1947. Cover price: 10¢. Note: Also known as Four Color #165.
Jingle Jangle Comics #28.
To read the issue online, click here.
The comic includes the Jingle Jangle Tales story “Skip Van Wrinkle the High-Hatted Hunter,” and an untitled episode of “The Pie-Face Prince of Old Pretzleburg,” both by George Carlson. Cover illustration by Larz Bourne. New York: Famous Funnies [Eastern Color]. Cover/indicia date: August 1947. Cover price: 10¢. Notes: The exact publication date is unknown. A copyright registration does not appear to have been filed. There is no credited editor for the issue.
Terry and the Pirates Comics #5.
To read the issue online, click here.
Edited by Leon Harvey. The comic features color versions of stories from Milton Caniff’s run on the Terry and the Pirates daily newpaper strip. Cover illustration by Milton Caniff. New York: Harvey. Cover/indicia date: August 1947. Cover price: 10¢. Notes: Those who click to read the online scan should be aware the stories feature racist caricatures. The exact publication date is unknown. While the strips are under copyright to the Chicago Tribune New York News Syndicate (now Tribune Media Services), no copyright registration was filed for this publication.
Police Comics #72.
To read the issue online, click here.
Published on September 12, 1947. Edited by George E. Brenner. The comic includes the Plastic Man story “The Curse of Mr. Cat,” by Jack Cole. Cover illustration by Jack Cole. Buffao: Comic Magazines [Quality]. Cover/indicia date: November 1947. Cover price: 10¢.
Animal Comics #29.
To read the issue online, click here.
Published on September 16, 1947. Edited by Oskar Lebeck. The comic includes an untitled Albert & Pogo story by Walt Kelly. The main cover illustration is by Dan Noonan. The footer panels are by Walt Kelly. New York: Dell. Cover/indicia date: October-November 1947. Cover price: 10¢.
Walt Disney’s Comics and Stories, Vol. 8, No. 1 [#85].
Published on September 16, 1947. Edited by Alice Nielsen [Cobb]. The comic includes the Donald Duck story “The Masters of Melody,” by Carl Barks. Cover illustration by Walt Kelly. New York: Dell. Cover/indicia date: October 1947. Cover price: 10¢.
Captain Marvel Adventures #79.
To read the issue online, click here.
Published on September 26, 1947. Edited by Wendell Crowley, Will Lieberson, and Ralph Daigh. The comic includes the story “The Talking Tiger,” by C. C. Beck & Otto Binder. The story is the first appearance of Mr. Tawky Tawny. Cover illustration by C. C. Beck. Greenwich, CT: Fawcett. Cover/indicia date: December 1947. Cover price: 10¢.
Comic Cavalcade #24.
Published on October 13, 1947. Edited by Sheldon Mayer. The comic includes the Wonder Woman story “Empress of the Sea Brigands,” by William Moulton Marston & Harry G. Peter. Cover illustration by Irwin Hasen (The Flash and Green Lantern panels) & Harry G. Peter (Wonder Woman panel). New York: National [DC]. Cover/indicia date: December 1947-January 1948. Cover price: 15¢.
Police Comics #73.
To read the issue online, click here.
Published on October 15, 1947. Edited by George E. Brenner. The comic includes the Plastic Man story “The Man Called Remember,” by Jack Cole. Cover illustration by Jack Cole. Buffalo: Comic Magazines [Quality]. Cover/indicia date: December 1947. Cover price: 10¢.
Walt Disney’s Comics and Stories, Vol. 8, No. 2 [#86].
Published on October 16, 1947. Edited by Alice Nielsen [Cobb]. The comic includes the Donald Duck story “Fireman Donald,” by Carl Barks. Cover illustration by Walt Kelly. New York: Dell. Cover/indicia date: November 1947. Cover price: 10¢.
Plastic Man #10.
To read the issue online, click here.
Published on October 17, 1947. Edited by George E. Brenner. The comic includes these stories: “The Sands of Crime,” and “The Ballet Caper,” both by Jack Cole & Gwen Hansen; “Gangster’s Vacation,” by Jack Cole, with Alex Kotzky; and “A Shock to the System,” by Jack Cole, with John Spranger. Cover illustration by Jack Cole. Buffalo: Comic Magazines [Quality]. Cover/indicia date: Winter 1948. Cover price: 10¢.
Captain Marvel Adventures #80.
To read the issue online, click here.
Published on October 29, 1947. Edited by Wendell Crowley, Will Liebseron, and Ralph Daigh. The comic includes the story “Captain Marvel in the Land of Surrealism,” by C. C. Beck, Otto Binder, and Pete Costanza. Cover illustration by C. C. Beck. Greenwich CT: Fawcett. Cover/indicia date: January 1948. Cover price: 10¢.
Back Home, Bill Mauldin.
Published on October 31, 1947. This is a 315-page hardcover memoir that features several of Bill Mauldin’s postwar “Willie & Joe” cartoons. It’s the second civilian-press book collection of the “Willie & Joe” material. New York: William Sloane. Cover/indicia date: 1947. Cover price: $3.50.
Jingle Jangle Comics #29.
To read the issue online, click here.
The comic includes the Jingle Jangle Tales story “Alla Bama and His Forty Fleas,” and an untitled episode of “The Pie-Face Prince of Old Pretzleburg,” both by George Carlson. Cover illustration by Larz Bourne. New York: Famous Funnies [Eastern Color]. Cover/indicia date: October 1947. Cover price: 10¢. Notes: The exact publication date is unknown. A copyright registration does not appear to have been filed. There is no credited editor for the issue.
Terry and the Pirates Comics #6.
To read the issue online, click here.
Edited by Leon Harvey. The comic features color versions of stories from Milton Caniff’s run on the Terry and the Pirates daily-newpaper strip. Cover illustration by Milton Caniff. New York: Harvey. Cover/indicia date: October 1947. Cover price: 10¢. Notes: Those who click to read the online scan should be aware the stories feature racist caricatures. The exact publication date is unknown. While the strips are under copyright to the Chicago Tribune New York News Syndicate (now Tribune Media Services), no copyright registration was filed for this publication.
Animal Comics #30.
To read the issue online, click here.
Published on November 14, 1947. Edited by Oskar Lebeck. The comic includes an untitled Albert & Pogo story by Walt Kelly. The main cover illustration is by Dan Noonan. The footer panels are by Walt Kelly. New York: Dell. Cover/indicia date: December 1947-January 1948. Cover price: 10¢. Note: This is the final issue of the series.
Walt Disney’s Donald Duck: Christmas on Bear Mountain.
Published on November 14, 1947. Edited by Eleanor Packer, Alice Nielsen [Cobb], and Tom McKimson. The comic includes “Christmas on Bear Mountain,” by Carl Barks. The story is the first appearance of Uncle Scrooge. Cover illustration by Dan Gormley. Cover/indicia date: December 1947. Cover price: 10¢. Note: Also known as Four Color #178.
Walt Disney’s Comics and Stories, Vol. 8, No. 3 [#87].
Published on November 14, 1947. Edited by Alice Nielsen [Cobb]. The comic includes the Donald Duck story “The Terrible Turkey,” by Carl Barks. Cover illustration by Walt Kelly. New York: Dell. Cover/indicia date: December 1947. Cover price: 10¢.
Police Comics #74.
To read the issue online, click here.
Published on November 19, 1947. Edited by George E. Brenner. The comic includes the Plastic Man story “The Diabolical Dr. Dimwit,” by Jack Cole. Cover illustration by Jack Cole. Buffalo: Comic Magazines [Quality]. Cover/indicia date: January 1948. Cover price: 10¢.
Wonder Woman #27.
Published on November 27, 1947. Edited by Sheldon Mayer. The comic includes the stories “The Legend of Rainbow and Stardust” and “The Mystical Power of Idea-Forms,” both by William Moulton Marston & Harry G. Peter. Cover illustration by Harry G. Peter. New York: National [DC]. Cover/indicia date: January-February 1948. Cover price: 10¢.
Marge’s Little Lulu #1.
Published on November 28, 1947. Edited by Helen Meyer. The comic includes the stories “Mountain Climbing,” “Bam! Bam!”, and “The Lost Hat,” all by John Stanley & Charles Hedinger with Irving Tripp. Cover illustration by Charles Hedinger & Irving Tripp. New York: Dell. Cover/indicia date: January-February 1948. Cover price: 10¢.
Comic Cavalcade #25.
Published on December 10, 1947. Edited by Sheldon Mayer. The comics includes the Wonder Woman story “The Hatred of Badra,” by William Moulton Marston & Harry G. Peter. Cover illustration by Bob Oksner. New York: National [DC]. Cover/indicia date: January-March 1948. Cover price: 15¢.
Dick Tracy Monthly #1.
Published on December 16, 1947. The comic features color versions of stories from Chester Gould’s Dick Tracy daily newspaper strip. The cover illustrator is unknown. New York: Dell. Cover/indicia date: January 1948. Cover price: 10¢.
Walt Disney’s Comics and Stories, Vol. 8, No. 4 [#88].
Published on December 16, 1947. Edited by Alice Nielsen [Cobb]. The comic includes the Donald Duck story “Wintertime Wager,” by Carl Barks. Cover illustration by Walt Kelly. New York: Dell. Cover/indicia date: January 1948. Cover price: 10¢.
Police Comics #75.
To read the issue online, click here.
Published on December 17, 1947. Edited by George E. Brenner. The comic includes the Plastic Man story “The Case of the Ancient Clues,” by Jack Cole & William Woolfolk. Cover illustration by Jack Cole. Buffalo: Comic Magazines [Quality]. Cover/indicia date: February 1948. Cover price: 10¢.
The Marvel Family #20.
To read the issue online, click here.
Published on December 19, 1947. Edited by Wendell Crowley, Will Lieberson, and Ralph Daigh. The comic includes the Captain Marvel story “The Mistake of Father Time,” by C. C. Beck & Otto Binder. The cover illustrator is unknown. Greenwich, CT: Fawcett. Cover/indicia date: February 1948. Cover price: 10¢.
Captain Marvel Adventures #82.
To read the issue online, click here.
Published on December 31, 1947. Edited by Wendell Crowley, Will Lieberson, and Ralph Daigh. The comic includes the story “The Return of Mr. Tawny,” by C. C. Beck & Otto Binder. Cover illustration by C. C. Beck. Greenwich, CT: Fawcett. Cover/indicia date: March 1948. Cover price: 10¢.
Li’l Abner Comics #61.
Edited by Leon Harvey. The comic features color versions of stories from Al Capp’s Li’l Abner daily newpaper strip. Cover illustration by Al Capp. New York: Harvey. Cover/indicia date: December 1947. Cover price: 10¢. Notes: This is the first issue of the series. The series it continues its numbering from is unknown. The exact publication date is also unknown. While the strips are under copyright to the United Feature Syndicate, no copyright registration was filed for this publication.
Jingle Jangle Comics #30.
To read the issue online, click here.
The comic includes the Jingle Jangle Tales story “The Yule-Tide Bull-Fiddler and the Highly Enchanted Snow-Flake,” and an untitled episode of “The Pie-Face Prince of Old Pretzleburg,” both by George Carlson. Cover illustration by Ray Willner. New York: Famous Funnies [Eastern Color]. Cover/indicia date: December 1947. Cover price: 10¢. Notes: The exact publication date is unknown. A copyright registration does not appear to have been filed. There is no credited editor for the issue.
Terry and the Pirates Comics #7.
To read the issue online, click here.
Edited by Leon Harvey. The comic features color versions of stories from Milton Caniff’s run on the Terry and the Pirates daily newpaper strip. Cover illustration by Milton Caniff. New York: Harvey. Cover/indicia date: December 1947. Cover price: 10¢. Notes: Those who click to read the online scan should be aware the stories feature racist caricatures. The exact publication date is unknown. While the strips are under copyright to the Chicago Tribune New York News Syndicate (now Tribune Media Services), no copyright registration was filed for this publication.
Next: January 1948 to April 1948.