Quick Question: What was the second Marvel comic book? 0

[Westy Steve]

I realized I don't know the answer to this.

What was the second Marvel Comic?  And the third?  How did it all progress?

[sfcityduck]

Is this a trick question?  Do you mean comics by the publisher "Timely"  (like Marvel Comics 1, Marvel Mystery 2 etc.) or comics that were actually published with the "Marvel" publisher trade name?

[Scrooge]

Here's an overview of the first year + in Marvel / Timely publishing:

Marvel Comics 1 October 1939

Marvel Mystery Comics 2 December 1939

Daring Mystery Comics 1 January 1940

Marvel Mystery Comics 3 January 1940

Daring Mystery Comics 2 February 1940

Marvel Mystery Comics 4 February 1940

Marvel Mystery Comics 5 March 1940

Mystic Comics 1 March 1940

Daring Mystery Comics 3 April 1940

Marvel Mystery Comics 6 April 1940

Mystic Comics 2 April 1940

Daring Mystery Comics 4 May 1940

Marvel Mystery Comics 7 May 1940

Daring Mystery Comics 5 June 1940

Marvel Mystery Comics 8 June 1940

Mystic Comics 3 June 1940

Marvel Mystery Comics 9 July 1940

Marvel Mystery Comics 10 August 1940

Mystic Comics 4 August 1940

Red Raven Comics 1 August 1940

Daring Mystery Comics 6 September 1940

Marvel Mystery Comics 11 September 1940

Marvel Mystery Comics 12 October 1940

Marvel Mystery Comics 13 November 1940

Marvel Mystery Comics 14 December 1940

The Human Torch 2(1) Fall 1940

Marvel Mystery Comics 15 January 1941

The Human Torch 3(2) Winter 1940

[Scrooge]

Want to know more? Here's a link to the timeline up to the end of 1944

 

https://www.atlastales.com/search/b:1:e:1939:x:12:y:1944:z:c

[telerites]

Does the second printing of Marvel Comics #1 (November, 1939) count as the second? 

 

The November printing had a much higher print run if I am not mistaken but it is the same book but different print runs and different months.

[sfcityduck]

36 minutes ago, telerites said:

Does the second printing of Marvel Comics #1 (November, 1939) count as the second? 

 

The November printing had a much higher print run if I am not mistaken but it is the same book but different print runs and different months.

Yep.  I'd go with MC 1 (Nov. cover date) as the second Timely comic, after the MC 1 (Oct. cover date).

I think I'd also put that issue of Marvel Science Stories (pulp) with the Human Torch one page story in the timeline.

Edited October 18, 2017 by sfcityduck

[telerites]

7 minutes ago, sfcityduck said:

44 minutes ago, telerites said:

Does the second printing of Marvel Comics #1 (November, 1939) count as the second? 

 

The November printing had a much higher print run if I am not mistaken but it is the same book but different print runs and different months.

Yep.  I'd go with MC 1 (Nov. cover date) as the second Timely comic, after the MC 1 (Oct. cover date).

I think I'd also put that issue of Marvel Science Stories (pulp) with the Human Torch one page story in the timeline.

Edited just now by sfcityduck

This made me think of Motion Pictures Funny Weekly.  Was Funnies, Inc. under Goodman at all?  #1 of that series came in April 1939.

Edited October 18, 2017 by telerites

[sfcityduck]

Just now, telerites said:

This made me think of Motion Pictures Funny Weekly.  Was Funnies, Inc. under Goodman at all?

No.

[telerites]

Just now, sfcityduck said:

No.

So they just reprinted the Subby story (bought in some way from Funnies) so they could re-use it?

[sfcityduck]

1 minute ago, telerites said:

So they just reprinted the Subby story (bought in some way from Funnies) so they could re-use it?

The Subby story in MPFW 1 was expanded for MC 1. 

I believe the conventional wisdom now is that MPFW 1 was a test printing that was never really distributed in any real sense.  There's a good thread or two on the subject that are worth reading.

[telerites]

3 minutes ago, sfcityduck said:

The Subby story in MPFW 1 was expanded for MC 1. 

I believe the conventional wisdom now is that MPFW 1 was a test printing that was never really distributed in any real sense.  There's a good thread or two on the subject that are worth reading.

Thanks.  Yeah I do remember now.  Meds and age play havoc with my memory anymore.

[Sqeggs]

1 hour ago, telerites said:

1 hour ago, sfcityduck said:

The Subby story in MPFW 1 was expanded for MC 1. 

I believe the conventional wisdom now is that MPFW 1 was a test printing that was never really distributed in any real sense.  There's a good thread or two on the subject that are worth reading.

Thanks.  Yeah I do remember now.  Meds and age play havoc with my memory anymore.

Here's Matt Nelson's take from a few years back:  http://comicrestoration.freeservers.com/feature_article_b.htm

[rjpb]

4 hours ago, telerites said:

Does the second printing of Marvel Comics #1 (November, 1939) count as the second? 

 

The November printing had a much higher print run if I am not mistaken but it is the same book but different print runs and different months.

One can't even get agreement as to whether or not it was an actual 2nd print, but either way I wouldn't consider it the second Timely book, as it is still the same comic, title, content, and number.

[telerites]

8 hours ago, rjpb said:

One can't even get agreement as to whether or not it was an actual 2nd print, but either way I wouldn't consider it the second Timely book, as it is still the same comic, title, content, and number.

I'm not advocating either way.  I do personally believe there was a second printing of MC1 but whether or not that is the second Marvel Comic? - I guess depends on question intent.  I assume the OP was looking for the second distinctive comic issue printed and not just the second comic to be printed but did want to throw the idea out there.

If I had to choose, I would agree with you that it really isn't the second but with some people now picking up first - whatever printings, it appears some at least constitute further printings of the same book as separate.  I haven't bought a new comic book in over 30 years so that fad is lost on me.  

But it may be all moot, if there wasn't both an October and November issuance of MC1.  I just wished I had a copy  

 

 

[Westy Steve]

17 hours ago, Scrooge said:

Want to know more? Here's a link to the timeline up to the end of 1944

 

https://www.atlastales.com/search/b:1:e:1939:x:12:y:1944:z:c

Scrooge,

Can't thank you enough!  You're the kind of person that makes this site great.

Gotta say, that second issue is pretty cool.  I've never even seen one.  I was thinking the other day that Marvel #1 used to be right up there with Action #1, and now you hardly hear about it anymore.  Then I was thinking with so many Marvel movies, it's surprising that I (a lowly collector in the trenches) never hear about that book.  I don't have one, and will never afford one, but I was thinking it was surprising.

Then I started thinking...."hey...maybe I could afford a low grade copy of one of the other early ones...comparable to an Action #2 or Action #3).  Then I realized I had no idea what those were.

Thanks again!

Steve

[Jayman]

On 10/19/2017 at 8:25 AM, Westy Steve said:

Scrooge,

Can't thank you enough!  You're the kind of person that makes this site great.

Gotta say, that second issue is pretty cool.  I've never even seen one.  I was thinking the other day that Marvel #1 used to be right up there with Action #1, and now you hardly hear about it anymore.  Then I was thinking with so many Marvel movies, it's surprising that I (a lowly collector in the trenches) never hear about that book.  I don't have one, and will never afford one, but I was thinking it was surprising.

Then I started thinking...."hey...maybe I could afford a low grade copy of one of the other early ones...comparable to an Action #2 or Action #3).  Then I realized I had no idea what those were.

Thanks again!

Steve

+1! Great info, I learned something new to me by following those links. I never knew The Human Torch was continued from Red Raven! I always thought RR was a one shot. This explains the Torch numbering also. ?