The
Golden Age of Comic Books was a period in the history of
American comic books, generally thought of as lasting from the late 1930s until the late 1940s or early 1950s. During this time, modern
comic books were first published and enjoyed a surge of popularity; the archetype of the
superhero was created and defined; and many of the most famous superheroes debuted.
Comics packagers, often operated by notable artists such as
Will Eisner and
Jack Binder, also formed during this time, to supply cheaply produced material to the burgeoning comics industry.
This list ends in the mid-1950s, when many publishers went out of business due to the
scapegoating of comics by psychiatrist
Fredric Wertham and Senator
Estes Kefauver, and the creation of the self-censoring body the
Comics Code Authority in 1954. The debut of the new superhero the
Flash in 1956 is generally considered the beginning of the
Silver Age of Comic Books.
The following is a list of Golden Comics publishers.
List
Of the Golden Age American comic book publishers on this list, only ten continued to publish comic books after 1960, and only three of them are still currently in business:
Frank Z. Temerson (1939–1941; 1943–1946; 1950?) — imprints include Ultem Publications (1937–1938), Tem Publishing, Nita Publishing, Helnit Publishing (1939–1941); Et-Es-Go Magazines, Continental Magazines (1943–1946) and possibly Continental Publications (1950); acquired assets of Chesler Publications and
the Comics Magazine Company in 1937; Temerson assets acquired by
Centaur Publications in 1938; Temerson assets temporarily acquired by
Holyoke Publishing in 1942–1943
Harry "A" Chesler Comics (1937–1946) — also known as Harry A. Chesler Feature Syndicate. Imprints: Dynamic Publications, Home Guide Publications, Magazine Press
Key Publications imprints: Aragon Magazines, Gillmor Magazines, Medal Comics, Media Publications, S. P. M. Publications, Stanmor Publications, and Timor Publications) (1951–1956)
Rural Home Publications (1944–1945) — group of loosely tied fly-by-night publishers using prepackaged material, many using black market supplies of paper at the end of World War II; mutual tie-ins unclear. Enwil listed as copyright publisher. Some titles continued by
Orbit Publications and others by
Charlton Comics.
Toby Press (1949–1955) — also known as Toby Comics
Trojan Magazines (1949–1955) — evolved from 1940s
pulp magazine publisher owned by
Harry Donenfeld and Mike Estrow. Imprints: Pix-Parade (1949–1952), Ribage (1953–1954), Stanhall (1951–1954)
The
Golden Age of Comic Books was a period in the history of
American comic books, generally thought of as lasting from the late 1930s until the late 1940s or early 1950s. During this time, modern
comic books were first published and enjoyed a surge of popularity; the archetype of the
superhero was created and defined; and many of the most famous superheroes debuted.
Comics packagers, often operated by notable artists such as
Will Eisner and
Jack Binder, also formed during this time, to supply cheaply produced material to the burgeoning comics industry.
This list ends in the mid-1950s, when many publishers went out of business due to the
scapegoating of comics by psychiatrist
Fredric Wertham and Senator
Estes Kefauver, and the creation of the self-censoring body the
Comics Code Authority in 1954. The debut of the new superhero the
Flash in 1956 is generally considered the beginning of the
Silver Age of Comic Books.
The following is a list of Golden Comics publishers.
List
Of the Golden Age American comic book publishers on this list, only ten continued to publish comic books after 1960, and only three of them are still currently in business:
Frank Z. Temerson (1939–1941; 1943–1946; 1950?) — imprints include Ultem Publications (1937–1938), Tem Publishing, Nita Publishing, Helnit Publishing (1939–1941); Et-Es-Go Magazines, Continental Magazines (1943–1946) and possibly Continental Publications (1950); acquired assets of Chesler Publications and
the Comics Magazine Company in 1937; Temerson assets acquired by
Centaur Publications in 1938; Temerson assets temporarily acquired by
Holyoke Publishing in 1942–1943
Harry "A" Chesler Comics (1937–1946) — also known as Harry A. Chesler Feature Syndicate. Imprints: Dynamic Publications, Home Guide Publications, Magazine Press
Key Publications imprints: Aragon Magazines, Gillmor Magazines, Medal Comics, Media Publications, S. P. M. Publications, Stanmor Publications, and Timor Publications) (1951–1956)
Rural Home Publications (1944–1945) — group of loosely tied fly-by-night publishers using prepackaged material, many using black market supplies of paper at the end of World War II; mutual tie-ins unclear. Enwil listed as copyright publisher. Some titles continued by
Orbit Publications and others by
Charlton Comics.
Toby Press (1949–1955) — also known as Toby Comics
Trojan Magazines (1949–1955) — evolved from 1940s
pulp magazine publisher owned by
Harry Donenfeld and Mike Estrow. Imprints: Pix-Parade (1949–1952), Ribage (1953–1954), Stanhall (1951–1954)