Which GA titles had the most readable stories? 1 1

[Tri-Color Brian]

I tend to be a cover collector.  If I don't like a cover I seldom buy the book.  But, I try to read every comic I buy, and over the years I've found a lot of titles that are just not readable...being poorly written or boring, or both.  So, I'm wondering what the opinions are about which titles have really good stories as well as good covers.  I am not talking about interior art.  I want to know which titles you think are absolutely written to hold your interest.  Strictly slabbed buyers may have trouble with this question.   Here are a few of my choices in no particular order.  You can also name titles or publishers with terrible stories.

Good Story Titles and Publishers

Any Disney duck stories, but especially the Donald and Uncle Scrooge adventure stories.

Green Hornet

Shadow

Superman and Batman

Dennis the Menace

EC

Early (1950s) DC Sci-fi

Dell Four-colors (in general)

Target

Wanted

Terrible Stories

Fiction House (Boring)

Fox  (Some great covers, but Too wordy)

Hillman (Some great covers, but Too wordy)

Most L.B. Cole cover comics

Crime Does Not Pay

These are just a few off the top of my head, what do the rest of you think?

 

 

 

 

 

Edited October 6, 2020 by Tri-ColorBrian

[Cat-Man_America]

10 minutes ago, Tri-ColorBrian said:

I tend to be a cover collector.  If I don't like a cover I seldom buy the book.  But, I try to read every comic I buy, and over the years I've found a lot of titles that are just not readable...being poorly written or boring, or both.  So, I'm wondering what the opinions are about which titles have really good stories as well as good covers.  I am not talking about interior art.  I want to know which titles you think are absolutely written to hold your interest.  Strictly slabbed buyers may have trouble with this question.   Here are a few of my choices in no particular order.  You can also name titles or publishers with terrible stories.

Good Story Titles and Publishers

Any Disney duck stories, but especially the Donald and Uncle Scrooge adventure stories.

Green Hornet

Shadow

Superman and Batman

Dennis the Menace

EC

Early (1950s) DC Sci-fi

Dell Four-colors (in general)

Target

Terrible Stories

Fiction House (Boring)

Fox  (Some great covers, but Too wordy)

Hillman (Some great covers, but Too wordy)

Most L.B. Cole cover comics

These are just a few off the top of my head, what do the rest of you think?

 

 

 

 

 

Actually, reading comics isn’t an issue (pun intended) for those who collect encapsulated books & also buy reprints and/or archive editions.  Comparing GA to modern is a bit tougher however, as the modern reader has to assess older work based on the context of time and expectations of the intended audience. 

Judging the GA for story content is tricky, and can be tough.  Story content runs the gamut from ridiculously simple to more poignant and socially aware.  Wordy isn’t always a bad thing as long as the stories have some level of depth.  Most stories written in the early GA are fairly simple, serviceable work designed not to get in the way of art.

Lev Gleason comics were a bit more literate, the editors Charles Biro and Bob Wood being more concerned with quality scripting than the quality of art, but very wordy (especially Daredevil featuring the Little Wise Guys).  You mentioned EC, which is the pinnacle of tightly written cleverly literate content.  Based on O’Henry-esque plot twists and clever one liners conveyed through their horror-hosts, EC was groundbreaking for producing mature content for a more sophisticated audience.

Timely, by contrast, is a mixed bag, but occasionally surprising, with text stories by Stan Lee, Mickey Spillane, et al.  So, Timely was more art centered, but not oblivious to well written content.  Quality Comics, under “Busy” Arnold, was pretty balanced content-wise with above average art.  Generally, the scripting of GA comics ...especially those stories written before and during WWII... are lighter weight than those written after the war.  But each book and the publisher producing it must be gauged on individual merits.

My long winded two cents, ...no charge for the extra caffeine.  

[Robot Man]

ECs and Barks Ducks. Pick just about any issue. Drop the mike...

[sfcityduck]

30 minutes ago, Robot Man said:

ECs and Barks Ducks. Pick just about any issue. Drop the mike...

EC's have GREAT artists, and anything drawn by Kurtzman is fantastic, BUT (and I know I'm going out on a ledge here) I've always thought too many EC stories had too much text.  There are a few EC stories which are the best of the best, but if I were doing a top to bottom comparison, I think I might give the nod to Atlas! <ducks tomatoes>  So Atlas makes my list along with EC.  I agree with Tri-Color Brian, but I'd also add that my favorites include:

Late 40s to early 50s DC anthologies (Star Spangled, Detective, Action, Adventure, and (maybe less so) Sensation) because they have a really entertaining mix of characters, art, and genres in each issue. 

[Electricmastro]

2 hours ago, Tri-ColorBrian said:

Hillman (Some great covers, but Too wordy)

I will say that quite a number of the Heap stories were surprisingly emotional to me in exploring the feelings and humanity of a humanoid plant-like giant who effectively had to leave his previous human life behind. I suppose people who read Swamp Thing and Man-Thing stories have had similar feelings.

Edited October 6, 2020 by Electricmastro

[AJD]

IMHO the Fawcett superhero stories are usually much more readable than those from other imprints. Early Superman is pretty dire and Batman hit and miss at best. (Honourable exception: "The two futures" in Batman 15.)

[143ksk]

23 minutes ago, Electricmastro said:

I will say that quite a number of the Heap stories were surprisingly emotional to me in exploring the feelings and humanity of a humanoid plant-like giant who effectively had to leave his previous human life behind. I suppose people who read Swamp Thing and Man-Thing stories have had similar feelings.

Agreed. I really like Airboy in general.

Other titles I like are Pogo, Little Lulu and the hero/Archie issues of Pep.

[Electricmastro]

35 minutes ago, AJD said:

IMHO the Fawcett superhero stories are usually much more readable than those from other imprints. Early Superman is pretty dire and Batman hit and miss at best. (Honourable exception: "The two futures" in Batman 15.)

In terms of comic book superhero writing from the 40s, I’m sure Jack Cole’s Plastic Man, from Police Comics and his self-titled book, would be favorited at the top for many, including myself. It can not only be funny, but also occasionally heartfelt, with Cole mixing all of that, along with an old school gangster-esque vibe, I felt, in a consistently convincing manner.

Edited October 6, 2020 by Electricmastro

[Larryw7]

Story comics(Fight against Crime, Mysterious Adventures) are sleazy as hell, but they are very enjoyable and readable.

[GreatCaesarsGhost]

I can't say about the whole run, but Mr. Mystery ran what many consider one of the greatest stories of all time,  The Brain Bats of Venus

[Tri-Color Brian]

1 hour ago, Electricmastro said:

I will say that quite a number of the Heap stories were surprisingly emotional to me in exploring the feelings and humanity of a humanoid plant-like giant who effectively had to leave his previous human life behind. I suppose people who read Swamp Thing and Man-Thing stories have had similar feelings.

I have never read a Heap story, so I can't comment on those.  Airboy might be an exception to most Hillman titles.

[catman76]

For me everything really. Though I did read some Lev Gleason comics recently again and they are too wordy and everyone worships EC's but I find most too wordy. The best comics tell the story mostly through the visuals. Old comics though aren't for everyone. I remember trying to get my brother to read some old comics years ago and it did not go well. Same with when I try and get people to watch old movies with me, especially b-movies or old serials, it always fails big time and no one can take it. No one likes that old b-movie acting or dialogue any more and old comics are kind of the same.

[Tri-Color Brian]

19 minutes ago, catman76 said:

For me everything really. Though I did read some Lev Gleason comics recently again and they are too wordy and everyone worships EC's but I find most too wordy. The best comics tell the story mostly through the visuals. Old comics though aren't for everyone. I remember trying to get my brother to read some old comics years ago and it did not go well. Same with when I try and get people to watch old movies with me, especially b-movies or old serials, it always fails big time and no one can take it. No one likes that old b-movie acting or dialogue any more and old comics are kind of the same.

My 29 year-old son can't even watch a TV show or movie in B&W...

[Electricmastro]

Well if we’re going to be talking about writing, then I suppose it would help to get to know the names of writers more. Names are often used when talking about 40s art, so named examples might as well be mentioned:

Ben Farish

Bernard Baily

Bill Finger

Bill Woggon

Bob Davis

Bob Jenney

Bob Kanigher

Bob Oksner

Boody Rogers

Burt Frohman

Carl Barks

Carl Hubbell

Charles Biro

Chase Craig

Clyde Yeadon

David Gantz

DickWood

Ed Cronin

Ed Nofziger

Elliot Bruce

Frank Frollo

Frank Long

Gardner Fox

George Evans

Harry Sahle

Harry Shorten

Harvey Kurtzman

Hubie Karp

Jack Cole

Jack Kirby

Jack Schiff

Jerry Siegel

Jim Davis

Joe Edwards

Joe Greene

Joe Kubert

Joe Simon

Julie Schwartz

Ken Fitch

Klaus Nordling

Len Hollreiser

Lynn Karp

Martin Bursten

Mort Weisinger

Otto Binder

Paul Norris

Peter Wells

Ralph Wolfe

Ray Gill

Red Udall

Richard Hughes

Ruth Roche

Sheldon Mayer

Sol Brodsky

Stan Lee

Sy Reit

Tom Baron

Walter Gibson

Will Eisner

Woody Gelman

[Tri-Color Brian]

53 minutes ago, Electricmastro said:

Well if we’re going to be talking about writing, then I suppose it would help to get to know the names of writers more. Names are often used when talking about 40s art, so named examples might as well be mentioned:

Ben Farish

Bernard Baily

Bill Finger

Bill Woggon

Bob Davis

Bob Jenney

Bob Kanigher

Bob Oksner

Boody Rogers

Burt Frohman

Carl Barks

Carl Hubbell

Charles Biro

Chase Craig

Clyde Yeadon

David Gantz

DickWood

Ed Cronin

Ed Nofziger

Elliot Bruce

Frank Frollo

Frank Long

Gardner Fox

George Evans

Harry Sahle

Harry Shorten

Harvey Kurtzman

Hubie Karp

Jack Cole

Jack Kirby

Jack Schiff

Jerry Siegel

Jim Davis

Joe Edwards

Joe Greene

Joe Kubert

Joe Simon

Julie Schwartz

Ken Fitch

Klaus Nordling

Len Hollreiser

Lynn Karp

Martin Bursten

Mort Weisinger

Otto Binder

Paul Norris

Peter Wells

Ralph Wolfe

Ray Gill

Red Udall

Richard Hughes

Ruth Roche

Sheldon Mayer

Sol Brodsky

Stan Lee

Sy Reit

Tom Baron

Walter Gibson

Will Eisner

Woody Gelman

Yeah, but which one's were good writers?  

[Tri-Color Brian]

And, you forgot Al Feldstein and Fred Toole...

[OtherEric]

Walt Kelly is normally thought of as an artist.... But he wrote most of the stuff he drew, as well, and he was every bit as great an author as he was an illustrator.  His work on Peter Wheat is amazing.

[waaaghboss]

9 hours ago, Tri-ColorBrian said:

My 29 year-old son can't even watch a TV show or movie in B&W...

It's a strange phenomenon.  I know a number of people with that mindset, and I'm not much older (37).  I grew up on b+w shows like get smart and mr ed, and the idea that black and white = unwatchable just confuses me.  

[ft88]

It's almost like a brand.  I'll never buy generic cola at the supermarket because the few times I have had it, it's a poor replica.  Same with B&W.  The few times Gen Z watches something, it's basically unwatchable (by today's standards) so they miss out on the classic stuff that holds up or is historically significant.  

As pure stories go, I find GA unreadable other than a few of the Barks ducks stories.  I do like historically significance though, so 1st appearances, or interesting panel construction etc.  are fun to read through but don't hold up as far as a pure read.  I can (re)read a pre-Robin Tec and enjoy the hell out of it knowing what Batman is today.  Or if a story is so kitchey that it's almost funny.  Romance or Nurse comics come to mind. 

Peanuts GA by Shultz are good too.  They hold up well.  

[damonwad]

20 hours ago, Electricmastro said:

Well if we’re going to be talking about writing, then I suppose it would help to get to know the names of writers more. Names are often used when talking about 40s art, so named examples might as well be mentioned:

Ben Farish

Bernard Baily

Bill Finger

Bill Woggon

Bob Davis

Bob Jenney

Bob Kanigher

Bob Oksner

Boody Rogers

Burt Frohman

Carl Barks

Carl Hubbell

Charles Biro

Chase Craig

Clyde Yeadon

David Gantz

DickWood

Ed Cronin

Ed Nofziger

Elliot Bruce

Frank Frollo

Frank Long

Gardner Fox

George Evans

Harry Sahle

Harry Shorten

Harvey Kurtzman

Hubie Karp

Jack Cole

Jack Kirby

Jack Schiff

Jerry Siegel

Jim Davis

Joe Edwards

Joe Greene

Joe Kubert

Joe Simon

Julie Schwartz

Ken Fitch

Klaus Nordling

Len Hollreiser

Lynn Karp

Martin Bursten

Mort Weisinger

Otto Binder

Paul Norris

Peter Wells

Ralph Wolfe

Ray Gill

Red Udall

Richard Hughes

Ruth Roche

Sheldon Mayer

Sol Brodsky

Stan Lee

Sy Reit

Tom Baron

Walter Gibson

Will Eisner

Woody Gelman

Gaylord DuBois