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The Early Years... 1896 to 1937, Part II
 New Fun Comics #1 |
 New Comics #1 |
In February 1935, Major Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson, an ex-calvalry officer and pulp writer, published the
tabloid-sized anthology title New Fun Comics No. 1 through National Allied Publications, later named DC
Comics. It was the first comic to publish NEW material, rather than reprints of Sunday material. Much of
it was written by Wheeler-Nicolson himself. Considering that the other early titles were successes BECAUSE
of these recognizable characters, this was quite a risk. New Fun Comics No. 6 contained the first work Jerry
Seigel and Joe Shuster, the later creators of Superman, work in comics. After
the sixth issue, the title became More Fun, and after the eighth issue, it converted to the normal
comic-book size. With this size change, it became the comic book of standard size to publish new material
 Big Book of Fun Comics #1 |
and continued until 1949. Spring 1935 also saw another first, the first annual in comics with the publication
of Big Book of Fun Comics No. 1
With this success, Wheeler-Nicholson began a second anthology, also with new characters, New Comics No. 1
(December 1935) later that year. New Comics changed it's name several times, while continuing the numbering.
In 1937, with No. 12 it became New Adventure Comics, and in 1938, with No. 32, it became Adventure Comics.
The title renamed Adventure Comics until it ended publication with No. 503 in 1983.
 Wow Comics #1 |
In summer 1935, Mickey Mouse Magazine debuted, featuring a mixture of reprinted newspaper strips and new
original material in most issues. In 1940, the title was changed to Walt Disney's Comic and Stories. In
1936 many others also tried to emulate the success of Famous Funnies by launching reprint comics of their
own. Among them were February's Popular Comics, April's King Comics, April's Tip Top Comics, and October's
The Funnies. Popular Comics No. 1, from Dell, contained the first comic book appearances of Little Orphan
Annie, Dick Tracy, and Terry and the Pirates. Dell also
revived Delacorte's failure, The Funnies, with a new series and in the new comic book format. This time
it was a success, continuing publication until March 1962 with No. 288. King Comics, published by David
McKay, contained Popeye, Flash Gordon, and Mandrake the Magician. Also new was Wow Comics, lasting four
issues and featuring early comic art from Will "The Spirit" Eisner, Bob "Batman" Kane, and Alex "Flash
Gordon" Raymond. December also saw the release of the first non-reprint comic book devoted to a single
theme, Detective Picture Stories from The Comics Magazine Company. Two months later, in February 1937,
Comics Magazine Company published their second theme title, Western Picture Stories.
 Detective Comics #1 |
In 1937 Wheeler-Nicholson, after having financial trouble launching his third title, was forced to take on
one of his printers who he owed money to, Harry Donenfield, as a partner. The new company was called
Detective Comics and their first new title, the company's third, was
Detective Comics No.1, launched in March 1937.
The new title concentrated solely on crime and suspense stories, instead of the usual varied themes, and is
the title that would later launch Batman. The initials of the title eventually would provide the company's
new name. The title continues to this day and has the longest uninterrupted run of any title. Despite the
title's success, Wheeler-Nicholson still was having financial difficulty and, late in the year, sold his
remaining interest to Harry Donenfield.
After taking over Detective Comics, Donenfield took on as a partner Jack Liebowitz, an account friend who he
had been involved with in a distribution company, Independent News, since 1932. The name was once again
changed, from Detective Comics, Inc. to National Periodical Publications. Liebowitz would continue to work
in comics until 1970, and Donenfield would remain president of DC Comics until close to his death in 1965.
Twilight of one day, dawn of another...
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The appearance of Lee Falk's The Phantom in Ace Comics No. 11 in 1938 gave comic books their first costumed
hero and brought an end to the Pre-Golden age Era, setting the stage for
Superman and the birth of the
Golden Age.
me@dereksantos.com - Derek Santos - webmaster
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