Rarer than hens' teeth. Larger than Marlon Brando as Jor-El 1 1

[path4play]

Master Comics 2-4.  Didn't realize how large 10.5 x 14 really was until in hand... don't currently have mylar or board to fit.

Overstreet rare, Gerber 7, 6 and 7.   

Very early 1940's Fawcett.  Trying to trump Superman - proof that size doesn't matter?

Satisfyingly cool yet disturbingly odd at the same time.

 

 

[Mmehdy]

They were always great books to me too....I think very under appreciated.

[Cat-Man_America]

7 hours ago, path4play said:

Master Comics 2-4.  Didn't realize how large 10.5 x 14 really was until in hand... don't currently have mylar or board to fit.

Overstreet rare, Gerber 7, 6 and 7.   

Very early 1940's Fawcett.  Trying to trump Superman - proof that size doesn't matter?

Satisfyingly cool yet disturbingly odd at the same time.

 

 

Gotta give Fawcett big props for format experimentation.  Harvey attempted more pages and smaller size for awhile with Speed Comics (labeled 100 page Pocket Comics), but it was a tough format for retailers to keep an eye on (kids were apparently walking off quite literally with copies in their pockets, but not paying for 'em).  

Fawcett not only tried the so-called "bed-sheet" sized Master Comics, they also tried standard dimensions & fewer pages with the twice monthly Nickel Comics that cost ...yep... 5 cents.  Fawcett actually had success publishing Whiz Comics twice monthly during Captain Marvel's hey-day, but Nickel Comics didn't quite hit the target, even with Bulletman leading the way.  

In retrospect, not many publishers were experimenting with format size or twice monthly outside of the pulp publisher Street & Smith with the hugely successful Shadow and John W. Campbell's editorial tinkering with S&S's Astounding Science Fiction, first as oversized (bed-sheet), then with the winning digest size.

Note: I need to quit drinking ales brewed with coffee, this is almost as bad as my morning posts!  

[IngelsFan]

I love these oversized books, along with New Fun and early Jumbos

[Get Marwood & I]

I have nothing to add of value alas, being a Golden thread, but that title did make me laugh 

 

Larger than Marlon Brando as Jor-El

[1950's war comics]

i never knew exactly how big those books were until now with the comparison photo's - thanks

[Cat-Man_America]

1 hour ago, IngelsFan said:

I love these oversized books, along with New Fun and early Jumbos

Good call! Thanks for reminding me.  Caffeine wins again! 

The first 8 issues of Fiction House's Jumbo were oversized, and unless I'm mistaken, all B&W until the format reverted to the standard GA comic size with issue #9.  DC's early More Fun, initially titled New Fun starting in Feb. 1935 was oversized as well (it started out as a 32 pager), increased in page count to 40 with issue #5 and editorial control shifted from Lloyd Jacquet to Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson and there may have been a reduction in overall dimension with that issue.  Interior color was introduced along the way, mostly partial, gradually increasing to full color content. 

The name changed to More Fun with issue #7 with overall dimensions reduced to magazine size for this and the following issue both of which contained 40 pages; then with issue #9 the periodical turned to the standard comic book format size of the time and 64 pages.  I don't know what it is about 9th issues, but it doesn't look like larger sizes could survive it.

Edited January 3, 2021 by Cat-Man_America
Ale, ...as usual!

[RareHighGrade]

44 minutes ago, Cat-Man_America said:

The first 8 issues of Fiction House's Jumbo were oversized, and unless I'm mistaken, all B&W until the format reverted to the standard GA comic size with issue #9.  

Jumbo 9 is also oversized, but smaller than issues 1-8.  It was a transitionary between-size similar to More Funs 7 and 8,