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Who is the most under-rated Golden Age Publisher?
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43 posts in this topic

I would be interested to see who you feel is the most under-rated Golden Age Publisher. Please list "Who" and "why". Please exclude D.C., Timely or Fawcett, as they were in the top's in publishing numbers. Who else?

 

If this is an old question please forgive me. foreheadslap.gif

Edited by fuelman
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Well, the other GA publisher I collect is Quality, so I'm biased in that direction. Quality produced at least one bona-fide icon in Plastic Man. Arguably the Blackhawks and Kid Eternity fell into this category as well. I don't really count Eisner's The Spirit as a point in their favor, because they simply reprinted the Sunday Spirit sections to make up that book. But I do give Quality credit for publishing the work of Lou Fine, Jack Cole and Reed Crandall and strips such as The Ray, Black Condor & Uncle Sam. thumbsup2.gif

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Well, the other GA publisher I collect is Quality, so I'm biased in that direction. Quality produced at least one bona-fide icon in Plastic Man. Arguably the Blackhawks and Kid Eternity fell into this category as well. I don't really count Eisner's The Spirit as a point in their favor, because they simply reprinted the Sunday Spirit sections to make up that book. But I do give Quality credit for publishing the work of Lou Fine, Jack Cole and Reed Crandall and strips such as The Ray, Black Condor & Uncle Sam. thumbsup2.gif
thumbsup2.gif

 

Good choice! Quality had some great product, Kid Eternity's origin in Hit Comics was one of the better origins told (Everett's Hydroman and The Fin just seemed to somehow have these powers, AND THEY EVEN SAID SO!). Early Blackhawks are also very collectible as are the Plastic Mans. Eisner's Spirits are some of the best Cinema/comic art out there, so don't under-sell those, even if they are newspaper reprints. The later ones featured Wally Wood art & I'd be very happy to land those! Lou Fine!!! What a talented artist! Great Choice!!!

 

Anyone else have a publisher & why? Please post scans if you have them.

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Fox Publishing. Artists: Lou Fine, Bob Kane, Wally Wood, Joe Simon, Tuska, Kirby, etc.

 

See Attachment cloud9.gif

 

Fox,...and I'm going to speak with my voice hushed because, judging by the scans you attached, they are going to bed now, was one of my personal favorite publishers! You can't beat those early pulp/comic covers! The characters are now so underrated: Blue Beetle, The Flame & the first Superman clone/competitor! makes me wonder how DC connected captain Marvel to Superman,..one is from Krypton & the other is a lame boy who gets his power from a hermit in a subway,..go figure? DC knew to protect their copyright early, you have to give them that! You have some very impressive books there, my friend!!!

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For me, Star Publishing.

 

Nothing compares to classic L.B. Cole covers!!!!! acclaim.gif

 

And if L.B. Cole had not worked for star would you still be in favor of Star as the most under-rated? Not a challenge, just trying to get some additional feedback as to why you chose Star. You'll not hear me mock L.B.Cole here or on any other boards!!!! He rules! 893scratchchin-thumb.gif

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I'm also going with Quality. Artists, writers, longevity of characters relative to other GA publishers- they had it all going on. Top of the stack as far as "B list GA publishers" go IMO.

 

My honorable mentions go to Lev Gleason with some of the best writing of the 40's and 50's (though the art was often marginal) and Hillman who managed to maintain consistent quality art and writing from their early superhero days and through their transition to focusing on Crime comics.

 

Hmmm... What do I collect? Quality, Lev Gleason, and Hillman, amongst others. Surprise, surprise. grin.gif

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Those are some really great Fox books TLC55555 cloud9.gif

 

Fox would be my #2 choice with MLJ being #1 (I can't believe that Shield hasn't already hit this thread!).

 

MLJ is one of the very few companies that has had a character (Archie) that was published continuously from the Golden Age to the present. As for artists: Bob Fujitani (my favorite GA artist--if you haven't seen his work, order Shield's Hangman CD--you will NOT be disappointed!), Harry Lucey, Irv Novick, and Bob Montana are all stars.

 

And classic covers abound cloud9.gif524799-pep34.jpg

524799-pep34.jpg.67ddc04b7d8adec40bbece95e3cc621a.jpg

Edited by 143ksk
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for cover art MLJ can vie with even Timely's For interiors Quality had an excellent stable of artists I collect Fox for their covers but most of the interior art seems cheesy even for the era. Judginhg from the handful of Centaurs I own they seem to pushed to the side since they are by the same artists who started Timely

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I've been holding off on saying Centaur, but I think they could hold their own from an artist standpoint with anyone.

Paul Gustavson, Carl Burgos, Bill Everett, Basil Wolverton, Clare Moe, Charles Biro, W. McKay Jr, Bob Kane, even Siegel & Schuster.

They don't have any real lasting characters, but they laid the groundwork for the "Comic Book" as we know it.

 

In terms of characters, I'd probably say Fawcett, then Quality, then MLJ.

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for cover art MLJ can vie with even Timely's For interiors Quality had an excellent stable of artists I collect Fox for their covers but most of the interior art seems cheesy even for the era. Judginhg from the handful of Centaurs I own they seem to pushed to the side since they are by the same artists who started Timely

 

Good point! I myself am surprised EC Comics were not mentioned yet. Frazetta/Williamson, art light-years ahead of it's time! Those fantastic Feldstein covers, Johnny Craig, Wally Wood,...!!! What are your feelings on Tem Publishing, Holyoke or Continental? L.B. Cole, Schomburg art on Catman and Suspense Comics, the elusive Suspense #3? popcorn.gif

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I collect Holyoke and Continental as well Someday I hope to have Cat-Man, Terrific complete I have several Suspense but doubt I will ever secure a #3 to complete the run I do have a nice #8 Judging by the prices in the guide those dont really qualify as under rated anymore, maybe 10 years ago before their huge run up. Just by guide price I think MLJ's and Fox are a quite cheap compared to Timely's and DC's. I think DC's are waaaayyyy overrated prce wise Never understood why a much more common DC book with uninteresting cover art would be worth 3-4 times what a MLJ or Fox with a great cover is valued at Dont most people now collect mainly individual issues by covers? Exactly how many collectors out there can stil try and complete full Golden Age runs of Action, Superman etc (besides Ian of course)

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I would be interested to see who you feel is the most under-rated Golden Age Publisher. Please list "Who" and "why". Please exclude D.C., Timely or Fawcett, as they were in the top's in publishing numbers. Who else?

 

If this is an old question please forgive me. foreheadslap.gif

 

MLJ, hands down. Why?

 

1. They invented the first teenage character, Archie, which is still successful today.

2. First WWII War cover in comics (Top-Notch #2, Jan 1940).

3. First Patriotic Superhero in comics (Shield, Pep 1, Jan 1940).

 

For me, the run of Pep from #22 to about #50 is the best stuff ever produced in the Golden Age. You'd have a great opening Shield Story, then a Bob Fujitani Hangman story complete with Anti-Nazi propaganda, swastikas, murder, etc., then turn to page 49 and read about Archie taking Betty to the Prom. Same for Jackpot Comics #4-#9.

It's like a Little Lulu story in the middle of an EC Comic! Especially considering how "squeaky clean" Archie Co. is nowadays.

 

Example:

 

These three pics are in the same issue - Pep Comics #31, September 1942

 

1. Shield/Dusty villian "Snowbird" doing cocaine (possibly the first time ever in comics) - pep31_12.jpg

 

2. A man being "impaled" on top of a Church steeple

pep31_61.jpg

 

3. Archie, meeting Mr. Lodge for the very first time!

pep31_57.jpg

 

 

Doesn't get any better than that for me, folks. 893applaud-thumb.gif

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thumbsup2.gifthumbsup2.gif

 

You knew I'd weigh in on this thread eventually...thanks for the nice words about the Hangman CD, and for giving due "props" to MLJ...

 

Did you expect any less of a post from me? 27_laughing.gif

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