This is the 41st 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 41st post covers September 1952 to October 1952.
Walt Disney’s Comics and Stories, Vol. 13, No. 1 [#145].
Published on September 2, 1952. Edited by Alice Nielsen Cobb. The comic includes the Donald Duck story “The Hypno-Gun,” by Carl Barks. Cover illustration by Carl Barks. Standard-format comic book. Color interiors. 52 pages. New York: Dell. Cover/indicia date: October 1952. Cover price: 10¢.
Captain Marvel Adventures #138.
To read the issue online, click here.
Published on September 3, 1952. Edited by Wendell Crowley, Al Jetter, and Will Lieberson. The comic includes these stories: “The Flying Disk Danger” and “The World’s Maddest Ghost,” both by C. C. Beck & Otto Binder; and “The Horrible Haunted Armor,” by C. C. Beck & Otto Binder, with Pete Costanza. Cover illustration by C. C. Beck. Standard-format comic book. Color interiors. 36 pages. Greenwich, CT: Fawcett. Cover/indicia date: November 1952. Cover price: 10¢.
Dennis the Menace, Hank Ketcham.
Published on September 8, 1952. This book collects material from Hank Ketcham’s Dennis the Menace daily newspaper strip. Cover illustration by Hank Ketcham. Hardcover book. Black-and-white interiors. 112 pages. New York: Henry Holt. Cover/indicia date: 1952. Cover price: $1.00.
Note
This is the first book collection of Hank Ketcham’s Dennis the Menace newspaper strip.
Weird Fantasy #16.
Published on September 9, 1952. Edited by Albert B. Feldstein. The comic includes these stories: “Mass Meeting!” by Albert B. Feldstein & Joe Orlando; “Skeleton Key!” by Albert B. Feldstein & Al Williamson; “What He Saw!” by Albert B. Feldstein & Jack Kamen; and “The Green Thing!” 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: November-December 1952. Cover price: 10¢.
Dick Tracy Comics Monthly #57.
Published on September 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: November 1952. Cover price: 10¢.
I Go Pogo, Walt Kelly.
Published on September 15, 1952. The book collects select material from Walt Kelly’s Pogo daily newspaper strip. Cover illustration by Walt Kelly. Trade-paperback book. Black-and-white interiors. 190 pages. New York: Simon & Schuster. Cover/indicia date: 1952. Cover price: $1.00.
The Spirit #3.
To read the issue online, click here.
Published on September 15, 1952. Edited by J. F. Byrne. The comic features select stories originally published in Will Eisner’s The Spirit Sunday-newspaper comic-book insert. The stories include: “The Walking Corpse [also known as “The Big Job”], by Jules Feiffer & Jim Dixon, first published on March 9, 1952; “It Kills by Dark,” by Jules Feiffer & Jim Dixon, first published on February 24, 1952; “The League of Liars,” by Jules Feiffer & Jim Dixon, first published on November 25, 1951; and “A Man Called Nero,” illustrated by Al Wenzel, first published on February 3, 1952. The cover illustrator is unknown. Standard-format comic book. Color interiors. 36 pages. Stamford, CT: Real Adventures [Fiction House]. Cover/indicia date: 1952. Cover price: 10¢.
Walt Disney’s Donald Duck #26.
Published on September 16, 1952. Edited by Alice Nielsen Cobb. The comic includes the stories “Trick or Treat” and “Hobblin’ Goblins,” both by Carl Barks. Cover illustration by Carl Barks. Standard-format comic book. Color interiors. 36 pages. New York: Dell. Cover/indicia date: November 1952. Cover price: 10¢.
Note
This is the first issue of Dell’s bimonthly Donald Duck series. The numbering ostensibly treats the previous Four Color one-shots as the series’ previous issues.
Mad #2.
Published on September 17, 1952. Edited by Harvey Kurtzman. The comic includes these stories: “Hex!” by Harvey Kurtzman & Jack Davis; “Melvin!” by Harvey Kurtzman & John Severin; “Gookum!” by Harvey Kurtzman & Wallace Wood; and “Mole!” by Harvey Kurtzman & Bill [Will] Elder. Cover illustration by Jack Davis. Standard-format comic book. Color interiors. 36 pages. New York: Educational [E. C.] Cover/indicia date: December 1952-January 1953. Cover price: 10¢.
The Vault of Horror #28.
Published on September 18, 1952. Edited by Albert B. Feldstein. The comic includes these stories: “Till Death…,” by Johnny Craig; “The Chips Are Down!” by Albert B. Feldstein & Jack Davis; “For How the Bell Tolls!” by Albert B. Feldstein & George Evans; and “We Ain’t Got No Body!” by Albert B. Feldstein & Graham Ingels, with William M. Gaines. Cover illustration by Johnny Craig. Standard-format comic book. Color interiors. 36 pages. New York: L. L. [E. C.]. Cover/indicia date: December 1952-January 1953. Cover price: 10¢.
Shock SuspenStories #6.
Published on September 25, 1952. Edited by Albert B. Feldstein. The comic includes these stories: “Dead Right!” by Albert B. Feldstein & Jack Kamen; “Under Cover!” by Albert B. Feldstein & Wallace Wood; “Not So Tough!” by Albert B. Feldstein & Joe Orlando; and “Sugar ‘N Spice ‘N…” by Albert B. Feldstein & Graham Ingels, 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: December 1952-January 1953. Cover price: 10¢.
Captain Marvel Adventures #139.
To read the issue online, click here.
Published on October 3, 1952. Edited by Wendell Crowley, Al Jetter, and Will Lieberson. The comic includes the stories “The Red Crusher,” “Spider’s Doom,” and “Captain Marvel Fights Niatpac Levram!” all 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: December 1952. Cover price: 10¢.
Walt Disney’s Comics and Stories, Vol. 13, No. 2 [#146].
Published on October 3, 1952. Edited by Alice Nielsen Cobb. The comic includes the Donald Duck story “Omelet,” by Carl Barks. Cover illustration by Carl Barks. Standard-format comic book. Color interiors. 52 pages. New York: Dell. Cover/indicia date: November 1952. Cover price: 10¢.
Al Capp’s Li’l Abner #91.
Published on October 10, 1952. Edited by Mell Lazarus. 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: November 1952. Cover price: 10¢.
Dick Tracy Comics Monthly #58.
Published on October 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: December 1952. Cover price: 10¢.
The Haunt of Fear #16.
Published on October 10, 1952. Edited by Albert B. Feldstein. The comic includes these stories: “Nobody There!” by Albert B. Feldstein & Graham Ingels, with William M. Gaines; “A Creep in the Deep!” by Albert B. Feldstein & George Evans; “…From Hunger!” by Albert B. Feldstein & Jack Kamen; and “The Coffin!” by Albert B. Feldstein & Jack Davis, adapted from the Ray Bradbury short story. Cover illustration by Graham Ingels. Standard-format comic book. Color interiors. 36 pages. New York: Fables [E. C.]. Cover/indicia date: November-December 1952. Cover price: 10¢.
Two-Fisted Tales #31.
Published on October 10, 1952. Edited by Harvey Kurtzman. The comic includes these stories: “Blockade!” by Harvey Kurtzman & Wallace Wood; “Campaign!” by Harvey Kurtzman & John Severin, with Bill [Will] Elder; “Donelson!” by Harvey Kurtzman & Jack Davis; and “Grant!” by Harvey Kurtzman & John Severin, with Jerry DeFuccio. Cover illustration by Harvey Kurtzman. Standard-format comic book. Color interiors. 36 pages. New York: Fables [E. C.] Cover/indicia date: January-February 1953. Cover price: 10¢.
Crime SuspenStories #15.
Published on October 21, 1952. Edited by Albert B. Feldstein. The comic includes these stories: “When the Cat’s Away…,” by Johnny Craig; “The Screaming Woman!” by Albert B. Feldstein & Jack Kamen, adapted from the Ray Bradbury short story; “Water, Water, Everywhere…,” by Albert B. Feldstein & George Evans; “…And Not a Drop to Drink,” by Albert B. Feldstein & George Evans; “Hail and Heart-y,” by Albert B. Feldstein & Graham Ingels, with William M. Gaines. Cover illustration by Johnny Craig. Standard-format comic book. Color interiors. 36 pages. New York: L. L. [E. C.]. Cover/indicia date: February-March 1953. Cover price: 10¢.
Weird Science #17.
Published on October 24, 1952. Edited by William M. Gaines. The comic includes these stories: “Plucked!” by Albert B. Feldstein & Wallace Wood; “The Island Monster,” by Albert B. Feldstein & Al Williamson, with Larry Woromay; “Off Day!” by Albert B. Feldstein & Jack Kamen; and “The Long Years,” by Albert B. Feldstein & Joe Orlando, adapted from the Ray Bradbury short story. Cover illustration by Wallace Wood. Standard-format comic book. Color interiors. 36 pages. New York: Fables [E. C.]. Cover/indicia date: January-February 1953. Cover price: 10¢.
Tales from the Crypt #34.
Published on October 29, 1952. Edited by William M. Gaines. The comic includes these stories: “Mirror, Mirror, on the Wall!” by Albert B. Feldstein & Jack Davis; “Oil’s Well That Ends Well!” by Albert B. Feldstein & George Evans; “Attacks of Horror!” by Albert B. Feldstein & Jack Kamen; and “There Was an Old Woman,” by Albert B. Feldstein & Graham Ingels, adapted from the Ray Bradbury short story. Cover illustration by Jack Davis. Standard-format comic book. Color interiors. 36 pages. New York: I. C. [E. C.]. Cover/indicia date: February-March 1953. Cover price: 10¢.
Next: November 1952 to December 1952.