This is the 38th 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. There may also be a link if an online scan is available for copyrighted material, but only if that material is out of print.
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 38th post covers March 1952 to April 1952.
New Romances #11.
To read the story illustrated by Alex Toth, click here.
Published on March 4, 1952. The comic includes the story “My Empty Promise,” illustrated by Alex Toth. The cover photograph is a publicity still for the film A Place in the Sun. The actors are Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift. Standard-format comic book. Color interiors. 36 pages. Meridien, CT: Visual Editions [Standard]. Cover/indicia date: May 1952. Cover price: 10¢.
Walt Disney’s Comics and Stories, Vol. 12, No. 7 [#139].
Published on March 4, 1952. Edited by Alice Nielsen Cobb. The comic includes the Donald Duck story “Rocket Wing Saves the Day,” by Carl Barks. Cover illustration by Carl Barks. Standard-format comic book. Color interiors. 36 pages. New York: Dell. Cover/indicia date: April 1952. Cover price: 10¢.
Captain Marvel Adventures #132.
To read the issue online, click here.
Published on March 5, 1952. Edited by Wendell Crowley, Al Jetter, and Will Lieberson. The comic includes the story “The Dizzy Dervish Day,” by C. C. Beck & Otto Binder. Cover illustration by C. C. Beck. Standard-format comic book. Color interiors. 36 pages. Greenwich, CT: Fawcett. Cover/indicia date: May 1952. Cover price: 10¢.
Tales from the Crypt #30.
Published on March 6, 1952. Edited by William M. Gaines. The comic includes these stories: “Gas-tly Prospects!” by Albert B. Feldstein & Jack Davis; “A Hollywood Ending!” by Albert B. Feldstein & Joe Orlando, an uncredited adaptation of the Cornell Woolrich short story “Jane Brown’s Body”; “Auntie, It’s Coal Inside!” by Albert B. Feldstein & Jack Kamen; and “Mournin’ Ambrose…,” by Albert B. Feldstein & Graham Ingels. Cover illustration by Jack Davis. Standard-format comic book. Color interiors. 36 pages. New York: I. C. [E. C.]. Cover/indicia date: June-July 1952. Cover price: 10¢.
Weird Fantasy #13.
Published on March 7, 1952. Edited by Albert B. Feldstein. The comic includes these stories: “The End!” by Albert B. Feldstein & Wallace Wood; “The Trip!” by Albert B. Feldstein & Jack Kamen; “Home to Stay!” by Albert B. Feldstein & Wallace Wood, an uncredited adaptation of the Ray Bradbury short stories “Kaleidoscope” and “The Rocket Man”; and “Don’t Count Your Chickens…,” by Albert B. Feldstein & Joe Orlando. Cover illustration by Albert B. Feldstein. Standard-format comic book. Color interiors. 36 pages. New York: I. C. [E. C.]. Cover/indicia date: May-June 1952. Cover price: 10¢.
Note
Ray Bradbury contacted E. C. Comics after seeing the unauthorized adaptation of his work. The two agreed to produce further adaptations under license.
Dick Tracy Comics Monthly #51.
Published on March 10, 1952. Edited by Leon Harvey. The comic features material originally published in Chester Gould’s Dick Tracy daily newspaper strip. Cover illustration by Chester Gould. Standard-format comic book. Color interiors. 36 pages. New York: Harvey. Cover/indicia date: May 1952. Cover price: 10¢.
Marge’s Little Lulu #46.
Published on March 11, 1952. Edited by Helen Meyer. The comic includes the stories “April Fools,” “Out, Out, Darned Spot,” “The Little Girl Who Could Talk to Trees,” and “Water, Water, Everywhere,” all by John Stanley & Irving Tripp. Cover illustration by Irving Tripp. Standard-format comic book. Color interiors. 36 pages. New York: Dell. Cover/indicia date: April 1952. Cover price: 10¢.
Pogo Possum #9.
Published on March 11, 1952. Edited by Helen Meyer. The comic includes the stories “Caught in a Jam Session,” “Pig Game,” “Little Tommy Tucker,” “Who Ghost There?” and “Spring in the Air (and Why You Should),” all by Walt Kelly. Cover illustration by Walt Kelly. Standard-format comic book. Color interiors. 52 pages. New York: Dell. Cover-indicia date: April-June 1952. Cover price: 15¢.
The Vault of Horror #25.
Published on March 19, 1952. Edited by Albert B. Feldstein. The comic includes these stories: “Seance!” by Johnny Craig; “Kickin’ the Gong a Round!” illustrated by Jack Davis; “Practical Yolk!” illustrated by Jack Kamen; and “Collection Completed!” illustrated by Graham Ingels. Cover illustration by Johnny Craig. Standard-format comic book. Color interiors. 36 pages. New York: L. L. [E. C.]. Cover/indicia date: June-July 1952. Cover price: 10¢.
Shock SuspenStories #3.
Published on March 25, 1952. Edited by Albert B. Feldstein. The comic includes these stories: “Just Desserts!” by Albert B. Feldstein & Jack Kamen, with William M. Gaines; “The Guilty!” by Albert B. Feldstein & Wallace Wood, with William M. Gaines; “The Big Stand-Up!” by Albert B. Feldstein & Joe Orlando, with William M. Gaines; and “Stumped!” by Albert B. Feldstein & Jack Davis, with William M. Gaines. Cover illustration by Wallace Wood. Standard-format comic book. Color interiors. 36 pages. New York: Tiny Tot [E. C.]. Cover/indicia date: June-July 1952. Cover price: 10¢.
Today’s Romance #6.
To read the story illustrated by Alex Toth, click here.
Published on March 25, 1952. The comic includes the story “Appointment with Love,” illustrated by Alex Toth, with John Celardo. The cover photograph is a publicity still for the film The First Time. The actors are Barbara Hale and Robert Cummings. Standard-format comic book. Color interiors. 36 pages. Meridien, CT: Visual Editions [Standard]. Cover/indicia date: May 1952. Cover price: 10¢.
Walt Disney’s Comics and Stories, Vol. 12, No. 8 [#140]
Published on April 1, 1952. Edited by Alice Nielsen Cobb. The comic includes the Donald Duck story “Gladstone’s Terrible Secret,” by Carl Barks. The story is the first appearance of Gyro Gearloose. Cover illustration by Carl Barks. Standard-format comic book. Color interiors. 36 pages. New York: Dell. Cover/indicia date: May 1952. Cover price: 10¢.
Captain Marvel Adventures #133.
To read the issue online, click here.
Published on April 2, 1952. Edited by Wendell Crowley, Al Jetter, and Will Lieberson. The comic includes the stories “The Pressure Peril” and “A New Home for Billy,” both by C. C. Beck & Otto Binder, with Pete Costanza; and “The Dog Dilemma,” by C. C. Beck & Otto Binder. Cover illustration by C. C. Beck. Standard-format comic book. Color interiors. 36 pages. Greenwich, CT: Fawcett. Cover/indicia date: June 1952. Cover price: 10¢.
Two-Fisted Tales #28.
Published on April 2, 1952. Edited by Harvey Kurtzman. The comic includes these stories: “Checkers!” by Harvey Kurtzman & John Severin, with Bill [Will] Elder; “Pell’s Point!” by Harvey Kurtzman & Wallace Wood; “Alamo!” by Harvey Kurtzman & John Severin; and “Saipan!” by Harvey Kurtzman & Jack Davis. Cover illustration by Harvey Kurtzman. Standard-format comic book. Color interiors. 36 pages. New York: Fables [E. C.] Cover/indicia date: July-August 1952. Cover price: 10¢.
Dick Tracy Comics Monthly #52.
Published on April 10, 1952. Edited by Leon Harvey. The comic features material originally published in Chester Gould’s Dick Tracy daily newspaper strip. Cover illustration by Chester Gould. Standard-format comic book. Color interiors. 36 pages. New York: Harvey. Cover/indicia date: June 1952. Cover price: 10¢.
The Haunt of Fear #13.
Published on April 18, 1952. Edited by Albert B. Feldstein. The comic includes these stories: “For the Love of Death!” by Albert B. Feldstein & Graham Ingels; “Fed Up!” by Albert B. Feldstein & Johnny Craig; “Minor Error!” by Albert B. Feldstein & Jack Kamen; and “Wolf Bait!” by Albert B. Feldstein & Jack Davis. Cover illustration by Graham Ingels. Standard-format comic book. Color interiors. 36 pages. New York: Fables [E. C.]. Cover/indicia date: March-April 1952. Cover price: 10¢.
My Real Love #5.
Published on April 22, 1952. The comic includes the story “Shattered Dream!” illustrated by Alex Toth, with John Celardo. The cover photograph is a publicity still for the film Down Among the Sheltering Palms. The actors are Gloria DeHaven and David Wayne. Standard-format comic book. Color interiors. 36 pages. Meridien, CT: Visual Editions [Standard]. Cover/indicia date: June 1952. Cover price: 10¢.
The Marvel Family #72.
To read the issue online, click here.
Published on April 23, 1952. Edited by Wendell Crowley, Al Jetter, and Will Lieberson. The comic features the story “The Marvel Family Battles the Pandora Pirates,” by C. C. Beck & Otto Binder. Cover illustration by C. C. Beck, with Pete Costanza. Standard-format comic book. Color interiors. 36 pages. Greenwich, CT: Fawcett. Cover/indicia date: June 1952. Cover price: 10¢.
Al Capp’s Li’l Abner #88.
Published on April 25, 1952. The comic features material originally published in Al Capp’s Li’l Abner daily newspaper strip. Cover illustration by Al Capp. Standard-format comic book. Color interiors. 36 pages. New York: Toby. Cover/indicia date: May 1952. Cover price: 10¢.
Weird Science #14.
Published on April 25, 1952. Edited by William M. Gaines. The comic includes these stories: “There’ll Be Some Changes Made,” by Albert B. Feldstein & Wallace Wood; “Inside Story!” by Albert B. Feldstein & Bill [Will] Elder; “Saving for the Future” by Albert B. Feldstein & Jack Kamen; “Strategy!” by Albert B. Feldstein & Sid Check; and “They Shall Inherit,” by Albert B. Feldstein & Joe Orlando. Cover illustration by Wallace Wood. Standard-format comic book. Color interiors. 36 pages. New York: Fables [E. C.]. Cover/indicia date: July-August 1952. Cover price: 10¢.
Crime SuspenStories #12.
Published on April 29, 1952. Edited by Albert B. Feldstein. The comic includes these stories: “The Execution!” by Johnny Craig; “Murder the Lover!” by Albert B. Feldstein & Jack Davis; “Murder the Husband!” by Albert B. Feldstein & Jack Davis; “Snooze to Me!” by Albert B. Feldstein & Jack Kamen; and “Paralyzed!” by Albert B. Feldstein & Graham Ingels. Cover illustration by Johnny Craig. Standard-format comic book. Color interiors. 36 pages. New York: L. L. [E. C.]. Cover/indicia date: August-September 1952. Cover price: 10¢.
Next: May 1952 to June 1952.