Tag Archives: howard ferguson

In the Beginning, Chapter 8, A New Title

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Posted in 2011/11, 3 Timely, Artists, Assorted, Kirby, Jack, Lettering, Periods, Serial Posts, Simon, Joe, Start of S&K, Topic, z Archive and tagged , , ,


Blue Bolt #6 (November 1940), pencils by Jack Kirby, inks by Joe Simon, letters by Howard Ferguson and Joe Simon

Blue Bolt #6 is the second feature to include Simon and Kirby credits. Once again Kirby provides the pencils while Simon does the inking. Although it is not known who wrote the script, the story has the special Simon and Kirby quality that already was very different from the standard comic book fare of the day. Now the green sorceress is joined by Marto, a man with enlarged head and an atrophied body who uses a special mechanical device to overcome his physical limitations.


Famous Funnies #76 (November 1940) Lightnin’ and the Lone Rider, pencils, inks and letters by Jack Kirby

Kirby seemed to have a fascination with advanced beings with large heads. The earliest prototype appeared in a western feature that Jack work on called Lightnin’ and the Lone Rider. Actually this feature had been appearing in Famous Funnies at the same time as Blue Bolt #6. The Lone Rider was initially developed as a syndication strip back in late 1938 to early 1939 (Early Jack Kirby, Chapter 1, Lighting and the Lone Ranger). However it appears Kirby returned to the feature sometime later. Exactly when is uncertain but I believe it was while Kirby was still working for Fox Comics (Early Jack Kirby, Chapter 3, Moonlighting). However based on the art style I believe it was done before Kirby started working with Joe Simon and therefore outside the current discussion. However the recent appearance of the large headed adversary in Famous Funnies may have inspired Kirby to create an updated version for Blue Bolt.


Tales of Suspense #94 (October 1967) pencils by Jack Kirby, inks by Joe Sinnott, letters by Sam Rosen

It is surprising how some ideas seem to lay dormant for years before Kirby would return to them. If there was another appearance of the Marto character I do not recall it. But in 1967 Kirby returned to the theme when he created Modok. While the background stories were very different, the similarity between Marto and Modok is too great to be require much discussion.


Blue Bolt #6 (November 1940), letters by Howard Ferguson

The first six pages of the Blue Bolt feature were lettered by Howard Ferguson. The seventh page has some lettering by Ferguson but most of the page was lettered by Joe Simon. The style of the letters has not change at all from examples from the previous month. The use of circular or square shapes attached to the first letter of captions is also the same as what has been seen earlier. One new feature in Ferguson’s repertoire is the use of other abstract shapes with the first caption letter such as the oval and double square show above. The most interesting addition is the rendering of the letter as a negative space on a circular black field such as the ‘C’ and ‘M’ shown above. This simple but elegant design was the most effective design that Ferguson adopted. Unfortunately Ferguson had no control on how the colorist would handle it. When a separate color was added the letter would stand out. But without that special color addition the design becomes more abstract and harder to read as a letter. Unfortunately the colorist failed to apply a separate color to many of these negative letters in Blue Bolt #6.


Blue Bolt #6 (November 1940), letters by Joe Simon

Joe Simon did the lettering for most of page 7 and all of pages 8 to 10. Here Simon does a more careful job at lettering but the basic form of the letters remains the same. As mention previously the ‘W’ that Simon used is very helpful in spotting his work and while not quite as distinct his ‘M’ is useful as well. There still are occasional little elaborations that Simon uses like the ‘S’ and ‘R’ shown above. The lettering for page 9 seems particularly well done. Also found on that page are special first caption letters, something Simon normally did not do. While unusual for Simon, the use of open letters (which allow the addition of a color) was also done by other letterers. However Joe places one ‘B’ as a negative letter on a black circular field. This must have been a response to what Ferguson was doing in the same story. Simon’s design is not as abstract as Ferguson’s but it still an effective device.


Marvel Mystery #13 (November 1940) The Vision, pencils, inks and letters by Jack Kirby

In the previous chapter I mentioned the unusual lack of Kirby art in the Timely comics for October. The one explanation I provided was that Kirby might have done some art for Red Raven #2 only it was never published due to the abrupt cancellation of that title. Here I will suggest another (but not necessarily conflicting) explanation. Kirby might have been busy creating a new feature as in this month Marvel Mystery #13 debuted “The Vision”. The pencils, inks and letters were all done by Kirby. The only thing that suggests that Simon was involved (other than as the editor) was the motif of the Vision being able to appear from smoke of any kind. This is similar to the power of the Flame, a Fox comics feature, who could transport using fire as a portal. While Kirby had worked for Fox Comics he had nothing to do with the Flame. Simon on the other hand was not only the editor for the comics that included the Flame but had also drew the character on some of the covers.

As I mentioned Jack did the lettering for the Vision story. Kirby’s lettering was unchanged from the last time we saw it (Red Raven #1, August 1940 see In the Beginning, Chapter 5). Ferguson provided lettering for the Terry Vance feature from MM #13 in a style that matches his work in Blue Bolt #6.

In the Beginning, Chapter 6, Blue Bolt #4

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Posted in 2011/10, 3 Timely, Artists, Assorted, Kirby, Jack, Lettering, Periods, Serial Posts, Simon, Joe, Start of S&K, Topic, z Archive and tagged , ,


Blue Bolt #4 (September 1940), pencils by Jack Kirby, inking by Joe Simon

Blue Bolt #4 was the first story created in the definitive Simon and Kirby manner with all the pencils done by Jack and the inking by Joe. While previous Blue Bolt installments were quite nice, it is with BB #4 that the Simon and Kirby magic really unfolds. Exciting visuals, unusual perspectives and a great story. Both Joe and Jack had done their own individual work before this but it lacked the special qualities found in BB #4. Even the work they had done together in Blue Bolt #2 and #3 or Daring Mystery #6 is not quite as good. Only Kirby’s “Mercury in the 20th Century” for Red Raven #1 matches BB #4. The Blue Bolt story may have been signed by Joe Simon alone, but it was certainly a Simon and Kirby creation.

The Kirby Checklist states that Simon got assists in the inking from Avison and Gabriele. While I cannot prove this to be incorrect I also cannot find any evidence of it. The inking looks like the hand of one artist and that was Simon. Joe had made great strides in his inking and much of that can probably be credited to his working with Jack. In fact the inking of the robot and some of the other devices was done in the manner that Kirby had already been doing for his science fiction stories. While Kirby was and would remain a better inker, Simon’s inking talent far exceeded the abilities at that time of Avison or Gabriele.

One of the star attractions of the Blue Bolt #4 story was the formidable robot. The splash panel shows a exciting confrontation between Blue Bolt and the mechanical foe. The story takes a different, but still dramatic, turn. The robot’s murderous rampage is handled with what would be typical Simon and Kirby restraint. A restraint that would not diminish but actually enhance the effect. Close-ups, silhouettes and shadows would provide the substance while leaving it to the reader’s imagination to fill in the rest.


Marvel Stories v2 n2 (November 1940) “A Dictator for all Time”, art by Jack Kirby

Both Simon and Kirby would do more than just comic books while working at Timely. They would also supply art for some of the pulps that the company produced. The pulp art was created under different circumstances and with unique techniques. As far as I can tell illustrations were not joint efforts but were individually executed instead. The pencils and inks that were used to create comic book art were replaced with the use of a special textured paper that would translate pencils into dots suitable for printing. While the pulp art may not shed much light on the beginnings of the Simon and Kirby partnership they sometimes are not completely independent of the comic book art. The horrific robot from Blue Bolt #4 makes a reappearance in Marvel Stories volume 2 number 2 a couple of months later. The details may differ but both share one clawed hand with the other arm transformed into a gun. While the robot drawn for the pulp story “A Dictator for all Time” might have been impressive it really had nothing to do with the story. There we find a rather benign machine more of an immense computer than a terrifying weapon.


Blue Bolt #4 (September 1940), letters by unidentified letterer

Another unidentified letter was used for Blue Bolt #4. This letter differed from the one used for BB #3 in the form of the letters used for ‘G’, ‘J’, ‘K’, ‘M’ and ‘W’. It may seem surprising that so many different letterers would work on Blue Bolt but Joe’s position as editor for first Fox then Timely probably provided a lot of resources to turn to. The letterer for Blue Bolt #4 did the most professional work to appear in Blue Bolt to date. One of his interesting contributions was to do caption lettering with a slight slant upward to the right while keeping balloon text as vertical.


Marvel Mystery #11 (September 1940) “The Human Torch”, letters by Howard Ferguson

The letterer for BB #4 used some larger and specially formed first letters in the captions. A similar approach was used by Howard Ferguson at this time but his first caption letters are even more special. While the BB #4 letterer provided one of this first caption letter with a 3-D effect shadow he never provides the sort of abstract black shapes that Ferguson used. The difference between the two letterers also shows up in their letters ‘G’ and ‘J’.


Blue Bolt #4 (September 1940), page 9 letters by unidentified letterer

Actually not all of Blue Bolt #4 was lettered by the individual discussed above. One page, page 9, was lettered by yet another artist. This page lacks the slanted lettering to the captions as well as any special effects to the first caption letter. The letters ‘G’ and ‘Y’ are distinct between the two. The second letterer also had a tendency to fail to properly connect the lines in ‘B’ and ‘R’ as shown in the bottom line of lettering examples above. His letter ‘S’ is somewhat variable but often has a bottom that is proportionally larger than the top.

As if it was not enough that there were two letterers to work on Blue Bolt #4, one caption (panel 6 on page 9) was lettered by Joe Simon. It has his very distinctive ‘W’ and recognizable ‘M’.

When Simon and Kirby first started working together for story art it was Jack helping out on a few pages for Blue Bolt #2 (July 1940) and #3 (August 1940). In August and September work was also done for Timely. Some of this later work (Blue Bolt #4) was done in what would be the classic Simon and Kirby manner, that is Jack providing the pencils with Joe doing the inking. But other work seems to have been mostly done by Kirby with little, if any, help from Simon (“Cosmic Carson”, Red Raven #1). Other distribution of working efforts were also done. Even greater variation is found in the lettering. Sometimes Simon or Kirby would do the lettering. Otherwise a number of different letterers were employed. Some more professional than others. One of these was Howard Ferguson who in the future would play an important roll as the definitive Simon and Kirby letterer. However initially Ferguson did more lettering for features not created by Simon and Kirby. What we have seen so far is not the sudden teaming up of Simon and Kirby but rather Joe putting together comic books using a variety of resources in a variety of ways.

In the Beginning, Chapter 5, Timely and Howard Ferguson

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Posted in 2011/10, 3 Timely, Artists, Assorted, Kirby, Jack, Lettering, Periods, Serial Posts, Simon, Joe, Start of S&K, Topic, z Archive and tagged , ,


Marvel Mystery #11 (September 1940) “The Human Torch”, pencils by Carl Burgos, letters by Howard Ferguson

Joe Simon was hired by Timely for the purpose of setting up a bullpen so that the comic book art could be created in-house. Previously Timely’s Marvel Mystery Comics, Daring Mystery Comics and Mystic Comics had be done by Funnies Inc. a shop run by Lloyd Jacquet. In “The Comic Book Makers” Joe says that he was to make things difficult for Funnies Inc. so that they would give up on the features they had doing for Timely. This must have put Joe in a rather awkward situation as he at that time he was also supplying Funnies Inc. with Blue Bolt stories.


Marvel Mystery #11 (September 1940) “The Human Torch”, letters by Howard Ferguson

September 1940 is the earliest cover date that I comfortably assign lettering credits to Howard Ferguson. This attribution is mainly based on the special lettering Ferguson applied to the first letter of a caption. This was the comic book equivalent of the oversized and often stylized first letter of a chapter that used to be very popular but has more recently gone out of fashion. A number of letterers emphasized the first letter often by enlarging and opening up its interior so that it could be colored. Some also included a “shadow” affect to the letter. But Ferguson was the only letterer that I am aware of who would place behind the letter not its shadow but an abstract black shape often of a square of circular shape. Todd Klein (Howard Ferguson, letterer) does not seem to appreciate them but I find this technique a great way to attract the attention and provide an element of design to the captions which are often overly plain.

Howard lettered a number of stories release in September but based on the form of the letters he used I believe the earliest ones he did were those for “The Human Torch” and “Terry Vance” stories from  Marvel Mystery #11 (September 1940). This may seem odd because these stories were still being provided by Jacquet’s shop. Ferguson seems to make an effort to make his lettering special, in particular the special first letters of the captions. Therefore I find it unlikely that he was moonlighting for Funnies Inc. without Simon being aware of it. Perhaps this was part of Joe’s campaign to make things difficult for the Funnies shop.


Marvel Mystery #10 (August 1940) “The Human Torch”, pencils by Carl Burgos, letters by an unidentified letterer (from Marvel Masterworks*)

Most captions for the “The Human Torch” and “Terry Vance” from Marvel Mystery #11 (September 1940) have a wavy line for a border. That is except for the one caption found on the splash page. The double line border has been cited as a Ferguson trademark and in fact we will see its use by Ferguson in the future. A double line border also appears in the captions throughout “The Human Torch” from Marvel Mystery #10 (August 1940).


Marvel Mystery #10 (August 1940) “The Human Torch”, letters by an unidentified letterer (from Marvel Masterworks*)

Comparison of the lettering in “The Human Torch” of Marvel Mystery #10 to that found in the same feature from Marvel Mystery #11 suggests that they were not done by the same letterer. Nowhere in MM #10 does the letterer use the special first letters for the captions like Ferguson used for MM #11. The closest the unknown letter gets to that is some over sized and open interior letters. Note the different form used for the letter ‘M’. In MM #10 the letter ‘S’ has the lower portion larger than the upper “half” while Ferguson typically did the reverse. But most importantly the letters for MM #10 just did not have the firm hand that Ferguson had. Often the strokes for the letters are not quite straight but curve slightly instead. In some places the letters ‘R’ and ‘K’ are not correctly connected (I provide some examples at the bottom of the letter guide above). I just do not believe Ferguson lettered “The Human Torch” from Marvel Mystery #10. Because of this and the use of this technique by other letterers it does not seem advisable to use double line caption borders as sufficient criteria for crediting lettering to Howard Ferguson.


Blue Bolt #3 (August 1940) letters by unidentified letterer

Now that I have Ferguson’s lettering for Marvel Mystery #11 to compare with I want to briefly return to examples from the previous month that some have credited to him. First I would like to compare it to Blue Bolt #3. Note the difference in the letters ‘M’ and ‘W’. In BB #3 the center angle of each does not extend are far as the outer lets while in MM #11 the center angle extends the full distance. Also note the differences between the two for the form of the letter ‘G’ or ‘K’.


Red Raven #1 (August 1940) “The Red Raven”, letters by unidentified letterer

The lettering for Red Raven #1 also differs from Ferguson’s for Marvel Mystery #11. The letters ‘K and ‘Y’ are different between the two. The outer legs for ‘M’ are almost vertical in MM #11 while they have a distinct slant in RR #1. However it will be shown below that Ferguson’s lettering changed somewhat for Daring Mystery #6 done the same month as Marvel Mystery #11. I believe we are seeing Ferguson in the process of learning what for him was a new craft. It is quite possible that Howard had done some lettering for earlier comics. Perhaps the lettering for Red Raven #1, Blue Bolt #3 or Marvel Mystery #10 might have been done by Ferguson only in yet a more primitive stage of his development. The problem is how to identify which, if any, were done by Ferguson particularly since each seems to have been done by a different letterer. At this time I will simply attribute RR #1, BB #3 and MM #11 to an unknown letterers and accept the work in MM #11 as the earliest examples that can confidently be credited to Ferguson.
 

Marvel Mystery #11 (September 1940) house ad

The inside front cover for Marvel Mystery #11 has a black and white house ad which shows the three other titles that Timely was publishing at that time. Red Raven #1 was released in the previous month but being a bi-monthly was still considered the current issue. The fourth panel for the advertisement does not show a cover but advertises a feature, the Fiery Mask. This was a Joe Simon creation that had been included in Daring Mystery although the last couple appearances (Daring Mystery #4 and #5) were not drawn by Simon. The presence of the Fiery Mask in this ad together with the two Kirby covers clearly was an attempt to promote those features which Simon was most responsible for.

Simon probably had little to do with Mystics Comics #4 that was in the Marvel Mystery #11 house ad. It seems that there is an inconsistency in the dating of that comic with the cover indicating August and the indicia listing it as July. Such discrepancies are not that unusual and I always go with the cover date since it was used for indicating when the comic might be removed from the rack and therefore would generally provide a more reliable date.


Daring Mystery #6 (September 1940) house ad

The house ad found in Daring Mystery #6 is entirely given over to the Red Raven #1. All Red Raven features are listed including the short comic filler “Officer O’Krime.


Daring Mystery #6 (September 1940) pencils by Jack Kirby, inking and lettering by Joe Simon

Simon and Kirby involvement in Daring Mystery #6 is obvious as they produced two stories for that issue. The cover was also a Simon and Kirby production with Jack providing the pencils, Joe the inking and lettering. That it was Simon’s lettering is clear by the letter ‘R’ in the word “their” which sometimes turns up in his lettering (see below for an example). Also the ‘W’ in “new” is done in the typical Simon manner (see below as well). The lettering for the covers of Daring Mystery #6 and Red Raven #1 are really well done. This might come as a surprise considering that Joe himself describes his lettering as not professional. However a really well done story lettering requires both precision and speed, a combination that Joe never mastered in his lettering. On the other hand more time would be expended on covers allowing Simon to use his talent for design and his skills with the brush.


Daring Mystery #6 (September 1940) “Introducing Marvel Boy” pencils and inking by Joe Simon, lettering by Howard Ferguson

The art for “Introducing Marvel Boy” was created by an unusual assortment of artists. The first three pages were drawn and inked by Joe Simon with no sign of any involvement by Jack Kirby. The hero’s gloves, boots and skull cap show would be used again six months later in another Simon and Kirby creation, Captain America.


Daring Mystery #6 (September 1940) “Introducing Marvel Boy” lettering by Howard Ferguson

The lettering for the first three pages of the Marvel Boy story, the same pages Simon drew, was done by Howard Ferguson. One of the things that identifies this as Ferguson’s work is the presence of the same first caption letters that we saw in Marvel Mystery #11 (September 1940). Ferguson has even gone further and on the splash page provided the first caption with an enlarged, scripted and colored word “the”. This highlighting of the first word of a caption would appear again in future lettering by Ferguson. I have previously described Marvel Mystery #11 as providing the earliest work that can be confidently credited to Ferguson. The reason I gave MM #11 that distinction and not this story from DM #6 is that the Marvel Boy story shows the first appearance of a small vertical stroke applied to the letter ‘C’. This would be virtual trademark of Ferguson throughout most of his career and an easy and reliable indicator of his lettering. Ferguson has adjusted the letter ‘M’ to his more frequent format with distinctly slanted outer legs although since so many other letterers use this form it is of lesser importance in identifying Howard’s work. Oddly for DM #6 Ferguson has altered his letter ‘K’ to a shape not typical for him at all. But the letter ‘G’ still has not been altered to Ferguson’s more typical later form.


Daring Mystery #6 (September 1940) “Introducing Marvel Boy” page 8, pencils by Jack Kirby, lettering by Joe Simon

While Simon drew the first three pages of the Marvel Boy story it was Jack Kirby who penciled the remaining seven pages. The inking credit for these Kirby pages is hard to determine. Certainly Jack was not inking this work. Perhaps Joe was involved but to me it looks like the work of a number of different inkers. So it seems likely that by this time Simon had hired some studio assistants to help with choirs such as inking. I have been asked a number of times about who did what inking in this early Timely bullpen but to be honest I have not worked that out myself and I am dubious that such inking attributions can be reliably determined. So except for those cases where the inking was done primarily by Kirby or Simon I will leave off inking credits in this serial post.


Daring Mystery #6 (September 1940) “Introducing Marvel Boy” lettering by Joe Simon

The lettering for the Kirby pages was not done by Ferguson but by Joe Simon. This clearly indicated by the presence of Joe’s rather unique letter ‘W’. While not quite as useful, Joe’s letter ‘M’ is also of use in spotting his lettering. For the most part Simon tries to be more professional than some of his earlier lettering work but occasionally he provides his letters with dramatic extensions such as the ‘R’ and ‘E’ show at the bottom of the above letter samples. Even today Joe likes to use such flairs in his signature.


Daring Mystery #6 (September 1940) “The Fiery Mask” page 3, pencils by Joe Simon

Both Simon and Kirby worked on “The Fiery Mask” story in Daring Mystery #6. Once again it is Joe that penciled the start of the story (pages 1 to 4). Also like the Marvel Boy story, Joe inked his own pages. Simon’s pages contain a number of swipes from Alex Raymond’s Flash Gordon (Art by Joe Simon, Chapter 5).


Daring Mystery #6 (September 1940) “The Fiery Mask” page 5, pencils by Jack Kirby

Kirby penciled pages 5 to 10 of “The Fiery Mask”. While Simon’s pages include a number of swipes I am not aware of any in those penciled by Kirby. The most likely conclusion is that in this story Kirby is not working from Simon layouts or if he was Jack felt free to alter them.


Daring Mystery #6 (September 1940) “The Fiery Mask” page 5, pencils by Jack Kirby with some inking by Joe Simon

Like the Kirby pages from the Marvel Boy story, the inking seems to have been done by a number of different hands. But Simon’s inking seems present in some places particular the lower half of the last page. However there is some inking using fine lines, such as in the second panel of page 5, that is untypical of Simon. None of the inking seems attributable to Kirby.


Daring Mystery #6 (September 1940) “The Fiery Mask” lettering by Joe Simon?

The lettering for the Fiery Mask story was handled by two letterers. I very questionably attribute the lettering of the first two pages to Simon. Completely missing is Joe’s characteristic ‘W’ or anything that could be described as flaring of the letters. However the ‘M’ looks very much like Joe’s. The question mark is similar to Simon’s as well. Further the rather amateurish quality to the lettering is very much in agreement with Simon’s ability. Letter size varies and while all the lettering is vertically oriented in some places it actually slants slightly upward to the left. But I would like to emphasize that the attribution of this letter to Simon is provisional as I have not have had a chance to study some of Joe’s later lettering.


Daring Mystery #6 (September 1940) “The Fiery Mask” lettering by unidentified letter

Pages 3 to 10 of the Fiery Mask story were done by a different lettering. I have taken all the letter examples shown above from the speech balloons where the letters are all vertically oriented. However in all the captions the letters are slanted upward to the right. The letters ‘M’ and ‘Y’ are not like Joe’s. The second letterer does a little more profession job. Letter sizes are more consistent and the letters themselves seemed done with firmer control. However sometimes the letter ‘R’ lacks the connection as shown at the bottom of the lettering examples above. Also occasionally the ‘U’ gets an almost horseshoe shape.


Red Raven #1 (August 1940) “Mercury in the 20th Century” lettering by Jack Kirby

I somehow failed to include an example of Kirby lettering when I discussed Red Raven #1 and so I provide it here. As reported previously, Jack had a very distinctive, horseshoe shaped, letter ‘U’ that is very useful in identifying his work. Kirby’s ‘G’ is also rather distinctive with its small vertical stroke attached to the letter’s hook. While the second letterer for the Fiery Mask story occasionally makes a horse shoe shape ‘U’ Kirby only occasionally makes one that does not have that shape. Further the second letterer’s ‘G’ lacks Kirby’s unique form. So I do not believe the second letter in the Fiery Mask story is Jack.

Still to be discussed is Blue Bolt #4 also cover dated September which I will cover in the next chapter.

* I have been forced to use the Marvel Masterworks because I do not have access to original comics for some of the issues that I will be discussing. This is not without risks because Marvel is notorious for the use of recreated art for their reprints.

In the Beginning, Chapter 3, Blue Bolt #3

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Posted in 2011/10, 3 Timely, Artists, Kirby, Jack, Lettering, Periods, Serial Posts, Simon, Joe, Start of S&K, z Archive and tagged , ,


Blue Bolt #3 (August 1940) pencils and inks by Joe Simon

Although Simon and Kirby did 10 issues of Blue Bolt, they only provided 2 covers. The cover for Blue Bolt #3 is based on a panel from the story that also was done by Joe and it in turn was a swipe from Flash Gordon by Alex Raymond (Art by Joe Simon, Chapter 4, Footnote). But none of them could be described as close copies. For the cover Simon takes an extremely low view point so that we can see the sole of his boot. The men that Blue Bolt is leading appear to be coming over a ridge through a narrow pass.


Blue Bolt #3 (August 1940) page 10, pencils and inks by Joe Simon

The same Blue Bolt figure appears in panel 3 of page 10. The view point is a little higher than on the cover but still rather low. The background figures are not the same and in the story we can see the soldiers as they advance over a plain. But the story panel still has the narrow pass. 


Blue Bolt #3 (August 1940) page 6, pencils and inks by Joe Simon

Most of the panels on page 10 are distant views which make it harder to see how far Joe’s art has advanced. Page 6 provides closer views allowing that better show his artistic improvement. Simon’s work had already been steadily improving but working with Kirby probably helped.

There is a regular improvement as well in the quality of the writing in the first three issues of Blue Bolt. Actually the story for BB #3 is greatly advanced over BB #2. Was this due to Joe learning as he went? Or is it possible that the script was written by someone else? I doubt if Kirby had anything to do with the improvement as his contribution to BB #3 seems so small (see below). In the future most stories would be written by others after which Joe and Jack would rewrite them to give their stories the special Simon and Kirby quality.


Blue Bolt #3 (August 1940) page 1, pencils by Jack Kirby, inks by Joe Simon

Although the splash panel credits Joe Simon alone, Jack Kirby drew the first page and two other (pages 2 and 7). Whatever their working arrangement was it seems clear that it was not the full partnership that would exist later. Kirby provides even fewer pages for Blue Bolt #3 that he had for BB #2. While Kirby inked his own pages for BB #2 it was Simon that inked Kirby’s pages for BB #3. So Kirby’s contribution had actually diminished.


Blue Bolt #3 (August 1940) page 7, pencils by Jack Kirby, inks by Joe Simon

Joe Simon became quite good at inking Jack Kirby’s pencils. So good that it is often difficult to determine who providing the inking. But for BB #3 Joe’s hand is revealed by his handling of eyes and eyebrows which are merged into one angular form. In the previous chapter I suggested someone other than Joe or Jack inked the cover to Champion #9 (July 1940). Now seeing pages from BB #3 like the one shown above I realize that cover was in fact inked by Simon. Note the smooth and stylized folds on the clothing which are like those found on the Champion #9 cover.


Champion #10 (August 1940) pencils by Jack Kirby, inks by Joe Simon

While there is disagreement on what credits should be applied to the art for the covers of Champion #8 (June 1940) and #9 (July 1940) it is pretty much agreed that Kirby drew the Champion #10 cover. Jack is already showing some of his typical traits such as the hero’s unruly hair, the use of exaggerated perspective and a running stride that is more impressive than realistic.


Blue Bolt #3 (August 1940) letters by unidentified letter

The lettering for Blue Bolt #3 is different from that of BB #1 (by Joe Simon) or BB #2 (by an unidentified letterer). Absent from BB #3 are Simon’s rather unique ‘W’, Kirby’s special horseshoe shaped ‘U’ or BB #2 letterer’s unusual ‘E’. The BB #3 letterer uses a special ‘G’ with a long straight segment that pushes the horizontal bar to a great height. The angular ‘J’ is also unusual but that is not a commonly used letter. Other letters to note are the ‘W’ and ‘M’ where the inner angle does not extend as far as the outer leg segments. Further the ‘M’ has vertical outer lines.


Prize Comics #7 (December 1940) “The Black Owl” letters by Howard Ferguson

Some have suggested that Howard Ferguson did the lettering for BB #3. The timing is certainly possible because at that time Joe Simon had left Fox to become Timely’s first editor where Howard Ferguson was working. I have discussed Ferguson’s lettering (Some Lettering by Howard Ferguson) and I include above an example of his work from just a few months later. They do not look like the same letterer to me. Note the very different forms for the letters ‘C’, ‘G’, ‘J’, ‘K’, ‘M’, and ‘W’. Some have argued that at Ferguson had just begun to do lettering at this time and his work was not initially as professional as it would be later. The suggestion has been made that the unusual double line border to the captions found in BB #3 (see above images) is a  Ferguson trademark. However as we will see in a future chapter Ferguson was not the only one using this special caption border.

When I started this serial post my intentions were to concentrate on Blue Bolt using it to show the beginnings of the Simon and Kirby collaboration. However I find myself referring more and more to sources outside of that title to clarify what is going on. So I have decided to make this a serial post on the early stages of the Simon and Kirby team up with Blue Bolt as just one of the comics included in the discussion. My new plan is to examine Simon and Kirby up to the creation of Captain America. The first two chapters have been re-titled accordingly but otherwise remain unchanged.

A Review of Lettering by Howard Ferguson

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Posted in 2011/08, Lettering, Topic, z Archive and tagged

Todd Klein provides a fascinating post of Simon and Kirby letterer Howard Ferguson. I do not always agree with him but it is great to read one letterer’s opinions about another. One word of caution, Todd includes a quote that claims Ferguson was an African American, not true. I even called Joe Simon to make sure.

Howard Ferguson Lettering Checklist

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Posted in Ferguson, Howard, Letterer Checklist, Lettering and tagged 
Last update 6/4/2020

Codes:
   ?:  = questionable attribution

Adventure (National/DC)
   ?  #78     September 1942   10p     "The Miracle Maker"
      #79     October   1942   10p     "Footprints In The Sands Of Time"
      #79     October   1942   9p      "Cobras Of The Deep"
      #80     November  1942   10p     "The Man Who Couldn't Sleep"
      #81     December  1942   10p     "A Drama In Dreams"
      #82     January   1943   10p     "Santa Fronts For The Mob"
      #83     February  1943   9.5p    "The Lady And The Champ"
      #83     February  1943   .5p     "Everybody Reads the Boy Commandos"
      #84     March     1943   10p     "Crime Carnival"
      #85     April     1943   10p     "The Unholy Dreams Of Gentleman Jack"
      #86     May       1943   10p     "The Boy Who Was Too Big For His Breeches"
      #87     August    1943   10p     "I Hated The Sandman"
      #88     October   1943   10p     "The Cruise Of The Crescent"
      #89     December  1943   10p     "Prisoner Of His Dreams"
      #90     February  1944   10p     "Sleepy Time Crimes"

Alarming Tales (Harvey)
   ?  #1     September 1957   5p      "The Cadmus Seed"
   ?  #1     September 1957   2p      "Logan's Next Life"
   ?  #1     September 1957   5p      "The Fourth Dimension Is A Many Splattered Thing"
   ?  #1     September 1957   6p      "The Last Enemy"
   ?  #1     September 1957   4p      "Donnegan's Daffy Chair"
   ?  #2     November  1957   1p      "contents"
   ?  #2     November  1957   6p      "Hole In The Wall"
   ?  #2     November  1957   4p      "The Big Hunt"
   ?  #2     November  1957   5p      "The Fireballs"
   ?  #2     November  1957   5p      "I Want To Be a Man"
   ?  #3     January   1958   5p      "This World Is Ours"
   ?  #4     March     1958   1p      "contents"
   ?  #4     March     1958   5p      "Forbidden Journey"

All Winners (Timely)
      #1     Summer    1941   12p      "Carnival of Fiends"
      #1     Summer    1941   12p      "The Order of the Hood"
      #1     Summer    1941   13p      "Case Of The Hallow Men"
      #2     Fall      1942   12p      "Carnival of Death"
      #2     Fall      1942   12p      "The Strange Case Of The Malay Men"

All-New (Harvey)
      #13    July      1946   13p      "Stuntman Battles The Diamond Curse"

Battle Cry (Stanley Morse)
      #1     May       1952   4p      "Tale of a Tank"
      #2     July      1952   7p      "Section 8"
      #2     July      1952   6p      "The Meter Reader"
      #2     July      1952   5p      "A Pint of Plasma"
      #2     July      1952   5p      "Exterminator"
      #2     July      1952   4p      "A Plot of Land"
      #3     September 1952   4p      "Machinery"
      #3     September 1952   5p      "A Modern Army"
      #3     September 1952   4p      "To the Victors"
      #3     September 1952   6p      "The Gambler"
      #3     September 1952   6p      "The Glory Hound"
      #4     November  1952   5p      "The Paratrooper Boots"
      #4     November  1952   5p      "Gunfire"
      #4     November  1952   5p      "Buddies"
      #4     November  1952   6p      "The Treatment"
      #5     January   1953   5p      "Infiltration"
      #5     January   1953   4p      "Frustration"
      #5     January   1953   5p      "Plan of Attack"
      #5     January   1953   5p      "Going Home"
      #5     January   1953   5p      "Bawl Like a Baby"
      #6     March     1953   5p      "Up in Smoke"
      #6     March     1953   5p      "Steel Foxhole"
      #6     March     1953   6p      "A Pair of Dice"
      #6     March     1953   5p      "Bunker Hill"
      #6     March     1953   4p      "Dragon from the East"
      #7     May       1953   5p      "Run to Murmansk"
      #8     August    1953   4p      "Operation RX"

Black Cat (Harvey)
      #2     August    1946   10p     "Who Is the Black Cat"
      #2     August    1946   10p     "Banker's Holiday"
      #4     February  1947   3p      "The Strange Case of the Sidewalk Fisherman"
      #4     February  1947   14p     "Ghost of Blasco"
      #4     February  1947   7p      "The Imitation Atlas"
      #5     April     1947   7p      "Adventure ... South America Style"
      #5     April     1947   7p      "Adventure ... South America Style"
      #5     April     1947   10p     "My City Is No More"
      #6     July      1947   6p      "The Scarlet Arrow"
      #6     July      1947   6p      "The Loaded Oyster Bed"
      #6     July      1947   9p      "Fear The Story Of A Guilty Conscience!"
      #7     September 1947   10p     "Death-Trap De Luxe"
      #7     September 1947   10p     "Topsy Turvy Tavern"
      #8     November  1947   12p     "The Madness Of Doctor Altu"
      #10    March     1948   7p      "The Canvas Spoke to the Ghost"
      #11    May       1948   6p      "The Lady Spelled Trouble"
      #13    September 1948   7p      "The Puppets Who Came to Life"
      #14    November  1948   6p      "The Whistling Terror"

Black Cat Mystic (Harvey)
   ?  #58    September 1956   5p      "Read To Us, Mr. Zimmer"
   ?  #58    September 1956   5p      "Mystery Vision"
   ?  #58    September 1956   5p      "Gizmo"
   ?  #58    September 1956   5p      "Help"
   ?  #59    September 1957   1p      "contents"
   ?  #59    September 1957   5p      "Today I Am A?"
   ?  #59    September 1957   6p      "A Weemer Is The Best Of All"
   ?  #59    September 1957   5p      "The Great Stone Face"
   ?  #59    September 1957   5p      "Take Off, Mr. Zimmer"
   ?  #60    November  1957   5p      "A Snap Of The Fingers"
   ?  #60    November  1957   2p      "The Woman Who Discovered America"
   ?  #60    November  1957   4p      "A Town Full Of Babies"
   ?  #60    November  1957   5p      "The Ant Extract"
   ?  #60    November  1957   5p      "Shadow Brother"

Blue Bolt (Novelty)
      #5     October   1940   10p     "Blue Bolt"
      #6     November  1940   10p     "Blue Bolt" pages 1-6
      #7     December  1940   10p     "Blue Bolt"
      #8     January   1941   10p     "Blue Bolt"
      #9     February  1941   10p     "Blue Bolt"
      #10    March     1941   10p     "Blue Bolt"

Boy Commandos (National/DC)
      #1     Winter    1943   12p     "The Town That Couldn't Be Conquered"
      #1     Winter    1943   12p     "Heroes Never Die"
      #1     Winter    1943   12p     "Satan Wears A Swastika"
      #1     Winter    1943   12p     "Ghost Raiders"
      #2     Spring    1943   12p     "The Silent People Speak"
      #2     Spring    1943   12p     "On The Double M' Lord"
      #2     Spring    1943   13p     "The Knights Wore Khaki"
      #2     Spring    1943   9p      "Nine Lives For Victory"
      #3     Summer    1943   12p     "A Film From The Front, Uncensored"
      #3     Summer    1943   10p     "The Siege Of Troy"
      #3     Summer    1943   12p     "Cyril Thwaite Rides Again"
      #3     Summer    1943   11p     "The Return Of Agent Axis"
      #4     Fall      1943   6p      "Flames At Dawn" pages 2-4, 6
      #4     Fall      1943   9p      "Brooklyn Revere's Ride" pages 11, 14, 15
      #4     Fall      1943   9p      "Madman At Mr. Cloud" pages 22-24
      #5     Winter    1943   13p     "Reassignment In Norway"
      #5     Winter    1943   11p     "A Town To Remember" part page 2
      #5     Winter    1943   10p     "The Mysterious Mr. Mulani"
      #5     Winter    1943   12p     "Satan To See You"
      #6     February  1944   11p     "News From Belgium"
      #6     February  1944   11p     "Destiny Writes The Headlines"

Boy Explorers (Harvey)
      #1     May       1946   12p     "Talent For Trouble"
      #1     May       1946   3p      "Soapy Sam"
      #1     May       1946   7p      "The Lesson In Room 303"
      #1     May       1946   12p     "Let's Meet His Highness The Duke Of Broadway"
      #1     May       1946   8p      "The Case Of The Hapless Hackie" page 1
      #2     June      1946   12p     "Trapped on Wax"
      #2     September 1946   14p     "The Edge Of The World"
      #2     September 1946   6p      "The Loaded Oyster Bed"

Bullseye (Mainline)
   ?  #1     August    1954   9p      "Bulls-Eye, The Boy"
   ?  #1     August    1954   7p      "Bulls-Eye, The Youth"
   ?  #1     August    1954   9p      "Bulls-Eye, The Man"
   ?  #2     October   1954   9p      "Trial By Fire"
   ?  #2     October   1954   8p      "Union Jack"
   ?  #3     December  1954   8p      "Devil Bird"
   ?  #3     December  1954   7p      "The Ghosts Of Dead Center"
   ?  #3     December  1954   7p      "The Adventures of Sheriff Shorty"
   ?  #4     February  1955   8p      "The Pinto People"
   ?  #4     February  1955   8p      "Doom Town"
   ?  #5     April     1955   8p      "Headhunter"
   ?  #5     April     1955   7.67p   "Grandma Tomahawk"
   ?  #5     April     1955   8p      "Tough Little Varmint"
   ?  #6     May       1955   8p      "Tomahawks For Two"
   ?  #6     May       1955   4p      "Bulls-Eye And The Killer Horse"
   ?  #6     May       1955   6p      "The Coming Of The Sioux"
   ?  #6     May       1955   2p      "The Man Who Lived Twice"
   ?  #6     May       1955   4p      "untitled"
   ?  #7     August    1955   8p      "Duel In The Sky"
   ?  #7     August    1955   4p      "The Flaming Arrow"
   ?  #7     August    1955   8p      "The Stolen Rain God"
   ?  #7     August    1955   4p      "Fightin' Mad"

Captain America (Timely)
      #1     March     1941   8p      "Case #1: Meet Captain America"
      #1     March     1941   7p      "Case #2: Sando And Omar"
      #1     March     1941   16p     "Case #3: Chessboard"
      #1     March     1941   14p     "Captain America And The Riddle Of The Red Skull"
      #3     May       1941   2p      "Hurricane"
      #4     June      1941   15p     "The Unholy Legion"
      #4     June      1941   9p      "Ivan The Terrible" pages 1-7, 8
      #4     June      1941   10p     "The Case Of The Fake Money Fiends"
      #4     June      1941   13p     "Horror Hospital"
      #4     June      1941   6p      "Tuk, Caveboy"
      #4     June      1941   6p      "The Pirate and the Missing Ships"
      #5     August    1941   12p     "The Ringmaster Of Death"
      #5     August    1941   15p     "The Gruesome Secret Of The Dragon Of Death"
      #5     August    1941   10p     "Killers Of The Bund"
      #5     August    1941   6p      "The Terror That Was Devil's Island"
      #5     August    1941   5p      "Headline Hunter"
      #5     August    1941   4p      "Tuk Cave Boy"
      #5     August    1941   8p      "Hurricane"
      #6     September 1941   16p     "The Camera Fiend And His Darts Of Doom"
      #6     September 1941   9p      "Meet the Fang Arch Fiend Of The Orient"
      #6     September 1941   16p     "The Hangman"
      #6     September 1941   5p      "The Engine of Destruction"
      #6     September 1941   7p      "Hurricane"
      #7     October   1941   13p     "The Red Skull"
      #7     October   1941   15p     "Death Loads The Bases"
      #7     October   1941   13p     "Horror Plays The Scales"
      #7     October   1941   5p      "Headline Hunter"
      #8     November  1941   13p     "The Strange Mystery Of The Ruby Of The Nile...And It's Heritage Of Horror"
      #8     November  1941   11p     "Murder Stalks The Maneuvers"
      #8     November  1941   17p     "Case Of The Black Witch"
      #9     December  1941   11p     "The White Death"
      #9     December  1941   13p     "The Man Who Could Not Die"
      #9     December  1941   18p     "The Case Of The Black Talon"
      #10    January   1942   11p     "Spy Ambush"
      #10    January   1942   13p     "Hotel Of Horror"
      #10    January   1942   16p     "The Phantom Hound Of Cardiff Moor"
      #10    January   1942   7p      "Beware of the Man Who Could Forecast Doom"

Charlie Chan (Charlton)
   ?  #6     June      1955   6p      "See No Evil"
   ?  #6     June      1955   7p      "Pawns Of Peril"
   ?  #6     June      1955   7p      "Pitfall"
   ?  #7     August    1955   6p      "Silent Witness"

Cow Puncher (Avon)
      #6     March     1949   6p      "White Brother"
      #7     May       1949   8p      "Six-Shooter Serenade"
      #7     May       1949   8p      "Gold Makes a Ghost Town"

Daring Mystery (Timely)
      #6     September 1940   10p     "Introducing Marvel Boy" pages 1-3
      #7     April     1941   5p      "The Silver Scorpion"
      #8     January   1942   12p     "Death Rides the Air Waves"
      #8     January   1942   8p      "Silver Scorpion"
      #8     January   1942   6p      "The Return of Mad Dog Hitler"

Detective (National/DC)
      #67    September 1942   12p     "Escape To Disaster"
      #68    October   1942   12p     "The Treachery Of Osuki"
      #69    November  1942   12p     "The Siege Of Krovka"
      #70    December  1942   12p     "Fury Rides A Taxicab"
      #71    January   1943   12p     "A Break For Santa"
      #72    February  1943   12p     "Petals Of Peril"
      #73    March     1943   12p     "Saga Of The Little Tin Box"
      #74    April     1943   12p     "The Trial Of Captain Carter"
      #75    May       1943   12p     "Double For Death"
      #76    June      1943   12p     "The Invasion Of America"
      #77    July      1943   12p     "Valley Of Destiny"
      #78    August    1943   12p     "Freedom Station"
      #79    September 1943   12p     "The Duce Gets A Hotfoot"
      #80    October   1943   12p     "Baronet Of Bodkin Borders"
      #81    November  1943   12p     "Yankee Doodle Dynamite"
      #82    December  1943   11p     "The Romance Of Rip Carter" pages 3, 5
      #83    January   1944   12p     "Triumph Of Chocky The Chimp"
      #85    March     1944   12p     "Curtain Call For Action"

Fighting American (Harvey)
   ?  #1     October   1966   5p      "Round Robin"
   ?  #1     October   1966   8p      "Roman Scoundrels"
   ?  #1     October   1966   7p      "Yafata's Moustache"

Fighting American (Prize)
   ?  #5     December  1954   6p      "Invisible Irving"
   ?  #6     February  1955   8p      "Deadly Doolittle"
   ?  #6     February  1955   10p     "Super Khakalovitch"
   ?  #7     April     1955   8p      "Sneak Of Araby"
   ?  #7     April     1955   7p      "Three Coins In The Pushcart"
   ?  #7     April     1955   5p      "Space-Face"

Foxhole (Charlton)
   ?  #5     July      1955   6p      "Glide To Glory"
   ?  #5     July      1955   6p      "Lucky Stiff"
   ?  #5     July      1955   3p      "Hip Pockets And The Paper Bullets"
   ?  #6     September 1955   6p      "Decision At Dieppe"
   ?  #6     September 1955   4p      "Even Steven"
   ?  #6     September 1955   4p      "Listen To The Boidie"
   ?  #6     September 1955   3p      "The 50th Man"

Foxhole (Mainline)
   ?  #2     December  1954   6p      "Booby Trap"
   ?  #2     December  1954   3p      "Walkie-Talkie"
   ?  #2     December  1954   2p      "Hot Box"
   ?  #2     December  1954   4p      "Replacement"
   ?  #3     February  1955   5p      "Chicken"
   ?  #3     February  1955   6p      "The Face"
   ?  #3     February  1955   6p      "Office Upstairs"
   ?  #4     April     1955   6p      "30 Year Man"
   ?  #4     April     1955   3p      "Suicide Run"
   ?  #4     April     1955   4p      "Find And Fire"
   ?  #4     April     1955   5p      "It's Mutual"

From Here to Insanity (Charlton)
   ?  #11    August    1955   6p      "Old Love"
   ?  #11    August    1955   1p      "Expressions"
   ?  #11    August    1955   2p      "Line 'em Up"
   ?  #11    August    1955   4p      "Dorothy and Digby"
   ?  #11    August    1955   3p      "Rex Mortgage, M.D."
   ?  #11    August    1955   6p      "200,000 Lugs Under The Sea"
   ?  #11    August    1955   4p      "Build It Yourself"
   ?  #11    August    1955   1p      "Coming Attraction"

Green Hornet (Harvey)
      #35    September 1947   8p      "The Fat Tuesday" page 1
      #36    November  1947   8p      "Spirit of '76"
      #38    March     1948   8p      "Affairs Of The Man From Out Of This World"
      #39    May       1948   12p     "Rest Camp For Criminals"

Human Torch, The (Timely)
      #2     Fall      1940   19p     "Introducing Toro"
      #2     Fall      1940   10p     "The Strange Case of the Bloodless Corpses"
      #4     Spring    1941   20p     "The Mystery of the Disappearing Criminals, part 1"
      #4     Spring    1941   20p     "The Mystery of the Disappearing Criminals, part 2"
      #5     Summer    1941   20p     "The March of Death, part 1"
      #5     Summer    1941   20p     "The March of Death, part 2"

In Love (Mainline)
   ?  #2     November  1954   6p      "The Scandal"
   ?  #2     November  1954   6p      "Set My Heart Free"
   ?  #2     November  1954   6p      "Mother By Proxy"
   ?  #3     January   1955   9p      "Search For Inspiration"
   ?  #3     January   1955   9p      "The Girl, Cute and Cunning"
   ?  #3     January   1955   6p      "A Stranger To Love"
   ?  #4     March     1955   4p      "Proposal"
   ?  #4     March     1955   6p      "Wolf Bait"
   ?  #4     March     1955   6p      "The Right Choice"
   ?  #4     March     1955   6p      "Don't Run My Life"
   ?  #4     March     1955   2p      "Ask Ray Hart"
   ?  #5     May       1955   6p      "Fuss Budget"
   ?  #5     May       1955   2p      "The Pretenders"
   ?  #5     May       1955   2p      "False Happiness"
   ?  #5     May       1955   2p      "The Matchmaker"
   ?  #6     July      1955   6p      "Among Us Girls"
   ?  #6     July      1955   1p      "Love Letters"
   ?  #6     July      1955   2p      "Ask Ray Hart"

Joe Palooka (Harvey)
      #5     July      1946   6p      "A Trip To The Moon"

Marvel Mystery (Timely)
      #11    September 1940   12p     "The Human Torch"
      #11    September 1940   7p      "Terry Vance"
      #12    October   1940   7p      "Terry Vance"
      #13    November  1940   7p      "Terry Vance"
      #14    December  1940   12p     "The Human Torch"
      #14    December  1940   7p      "Terry Vance"
      #15    January   1941   12p     "The Human Torch"
      #15    January   1941   7p      "Terry Vance"
      #16    February  1941   15p     "The Human Torch"
      #16    February  1941   7p      "Terry Vance"
      #18    April     1941   15p     "The Human Torch"
      #18    April     1941   6p      "The Vision"
      #18    April     1941   7p      "Terry Vance"
      #19    May       1941   15p     "The Human Torch"
      #19    May       1941   7p      "Terry Vance"
      #20    June      1941   15p     "The Human Torch"
      #20    June      1941   9p      "Tombs of Torture"
      #20    June      1941   7p      "Terry Vance"
      #21    July      1941   5p      "Danger Ahead"
      #21    July      1941   9p      "Weird Ghost of Amber Swamps"
      #21    July      1941   15p     "The Human Torch"
      #21    July      1941   7p      "The Vision"
      #21    July      1941   7p      "Terry Vance"
      #22    August    1941   5p      "The Patriot" pages 1-3
      #22    August    1941   15p     "The Human Torch"
   ?  #22    August    1941   7p      "The Mystery of the Phantom Killer"
      #22    August    1941   9p      "The Angel"
      #23    September 1941   5p      "The Patriot"
      #23    September 1941   9p      "The Angel"
      #23    September 1941   15p     "The Human Torch"
      #23    September 1941   7p      "The Vision"
      #24    October   1941   9p      "The Angel"
      #24    October   1941   7p      "Terry Vance"
      #24    October   1941   9p      "The Angel"
      #24    October   1941   7p      "The Vision"
      #25    November  1941   9p      "The Angel"
      #25    November  1941   15p     "The Human Torch"
      #25    November  1941   7p      "The Vision"
      #26    December  1941   9p      "The Angel"
      #26    December  1941   15p     "The Human Torch"
      #26    December  1941   7p      "The Vision"
      #27    January   1942   5p      "The Patriot"
      #27    January   1942   9p      "The Angel"
      #27    January   1942   7p      "The Vision"
      #27    January   1942   7p      "Voodini's Last Laugh from the Grave"

Mister Mystery (Stanley Morse)
      #5     May       1952   8p      "The Thirteen Locks"
      #5     May       1952   5p      "Carniverous Cargo"
      #6     July      1952   7p      "The Fatal Chord"
      #6     July      1952   7p      "Deal With Fate"
      #6     July      1952   6p      "Murder"
      #6     July      1952   7p      "Warlock"
      #7     September 1952   6p      "The Killer"
      #7     September 1952   6p      "The Man Who Beat the Chair"
      #8     November  1952   7p      "The Man with the Green Thumb"
      #8     November  1952   5p      "The Cycle"
      #8     November  1952   5p      "Sarcophagus of Sandola"
      #9     January   1953   4p      "The Taxi Driver"
      #9     January   1953   4p      "The Thin Line"
      #9     January   1953   7p      "Intelligence"
      #9     January   1953   4p      "Everlasting Life"
      #11    May       1953   7p      "The Marriage of Life and Death"
      #15    February  1954   4p      "Nightmare"

Police Trap (Mainline)
   ?  #2     November  1954   2p      "Gambler's End"
   ?  #3     January   1955   5p      "Hick Cop"
   ?  #3     January   1955   5p      "The Mountie"
   ?  #3     January   1955   6p      "Tough Beat"
   ?  #4     March     1955   6p      "An Honest Day's Work"
   ?  #4     March     1955   6p      "Doctor For The Dead"
   ?  #4     March     1955   6p      "One-Armed Bandit"
   ?  #4     March     1955   6p      "Fly Cop"
   ?  #5     July      1955   6p      "The Gun"
   ?  #5     July      1955   5p      "The Test"
   ?  #5     July      1955   4p      "Bad Influence"
   ?  #5     July      1955   5p      "Short Visit"
   ?  #5     July      1955   5p      "Alibi?"
   ?  #6     September 1955   6p      "The Amateur"
   ?  #6     September 1955   5p      "The Debt"
   ?  #6     September 1955   3p      "The $64 Question"
   ?  #6     September 1955   6p      "Only The Guilty Run"
   ?  #6     September 1955   5p      "Third Degree"

Prize (Prize)
      #7     (v.1, n.7)     December  1940   9p      "The Black Owl"
      #9     (v.1, n.9)     February  1941   9p      "The Black Owl"
      #9     (v.1, n.9)     February  1941   6p      "Ted O'Neill"

Romantic Love (Avon)
      #1     September 1949   9p      "Love Diary"
      #1     September 1949   11p     "No Other Love"

Slave Girl (Avon)
      #2     April     1949   10p     "The Pirates of Abmur"
      #2     April     1949   6p      "The Lost Princess"
      #2     April     1949   10p     "The Tower of Indecision"
      #2     April     1949   6p      "The Flame Goddess"
      #2     April     1949   10p     "The Fall of Zankhara"

Star Spangled (National/DC
      #12    September 1942   13p     "Prevue Of Peril"
      #13    October   1942   13p     "The Scoop Of Suicide Slum"
      #14    November  1942   13p     "The Meanest Man On Earth"
      #15    December  1942   13p     "Playmates Of Peril"
      #16    January   1943   13p     "Playboy Of Suicide Slum"
      #17    February  1943   13p     "The Rafferty Mob"
      #18    March     1943   13p     "The Education Of Iron Man Gookin"
      #19    April     1943   13p     "The Fuhrer Of Suicide Slum"
      #20    May       1943   13p     "The Newsboys And The Champ"
      #21    June      1943   12p     "The House Where Time Stood Still"
      #22    July      1943   13p     "Brains For Sale"
      #23    August    1943   13p     "Art For The Scrapper Sale"
      #24    September 1943   1p      "Death Strikes A Bargain"
      #25    October   1943   11p     "Victuals For Victory"
      #26    November  1943   13p     "Louie The Lug Goes Literary"
      #27    December  1943   11p     "Turn On The Heat"
      #28    January   1944   11p     "Poor Man's Rich Man"
      #29    February  1944   11p     "Cabbages And Comics"
      #61    October   1946   10p     "The Great Balloon Race"
      #62    November  1946   10p     "Prevue of Tomorrow"

Stuntman (Harvey)
      #1     April     1946   13p     "Killer In The Bigtop"
      #1     April     1946   10p     "The Crime On Cauliflower Row"
      #1     April     1946   13p     "The House Of Madness"
      #1     April     1946   3p      "Junior Genius"
      #2     June      1946   12p     "Curtain Call For Death"
      #2     June      1946   1p      "introduction to Duke of Broadway"
      #2     June      1946   12p     "The Angel Wore Spurs"
      #2     June      1946   12p     "The Rescue Of Robin Hood"
      #2     June      1946   3p      "Junior Genius"
      #2     June      1946   6p      "Triangular Troubles" splash panel
      #3     October   1946   12p     "Rest Camp For Criminals"

Sub-Mariner (Timely)
      #1     Spring    1941   20p     "The Sub-Mariner (first story)"
      #1     Spring    1941   20p     "The Sub-Mariner (second story)"
      #2     Summer    1941   1p      "Steaming  Statistics"
      #2     Summer    1941   20p     "The Sub-Mariner (second story)"
      #2     Summer    1941   20p     "Slaves of the Python"
      #3     Fall      1941   40p     "The Mystery of the Disappearing Island"
      #4     Winter    1942   20p     "Murders by Ghost Light"
      #4     Winter    1942   18p     "The Horror That Walked"
      #4     Winter    1942   20p     "Death's Merry-Go-Round"

Terry And The Pirates (Harvey)
      #3     April     1947   8p      "The Isle Where Women Rule"
      #4     June      1947   6p      "The Isle Where Women Rule"

USA (Timely)
      #1     August    1941   1p      "The Defender"
      #1     August    1941   6p      "The Whizzer"
      #1     August    1941   10p     "Mr. Liberty" pages 1-5
      #1     August    1941   6p      "Jack Frost"
      #2     November  1941   17p     "The Fiends of the Seas" pages 1-12
      #2     November  1941   7p      "Island Menace" splash panel

Weird Mysteries (Stanley Morse)
      #1     October   1952   4p      "High Voltage"
      #2     December  1952   6p      "The Devil's Bottles"
      #2     December  1952   5p      "Turnabout"
      #2     December  1952   4p      "First Come, First Served"
      #2     December  1952   5p      "Ordeal by Wax"
      #3     February  1953   5p      "Hand of Fate"
      #3     February  1953   4p      "Your Name On It"
      #3     February  1953   6p      "The Disbeliever"
      #3     February  1953   6p      "The Castle of Fear"
      #6     August    1953   6p      "Begin to Live"

Weird Tales of the Future (Stanley Morse)
      #2     June      1952   7p      "The City of Primitive Man"
      #3     September 1952   6p      "The Desert Castle"
      #4     November  1952   7p      "Day of Doom"
      #4     November  1952   7p      "The Engine That Came Through Time"
      #4     November  1952   7p      "Speck of Stardust"
      #5     January   1953   4p      "The Worm Turns"
      #5     January   1953   4p      "Else You'll Be Dead"
      #5     January   1953   4p      "Under Her Thumb"

Western Tales (Harvey)
   ?  #31    October   1955   8p      "Devil Rapids"
   ?  #31    October   1955   4p      "The Missing Bullet Hole"
   ?  #31    October   1955   1p      "Waitin' Duel"
   ?  #32    March     1956   1p      "introduction"
   ?  #32    March     1956   9p      "Running Fight"
   ?  #32    March     1956   4p      "King Ram"
   ?  #32    March     1956   1p      "ad"
   ?  #33    September 1956   1p      "introduction"
   ?  #33    September 1956   7p      "Jim Bowie Makes A Magic Knife"
   ?  #33    September 1956   5p      "Jim Bowie Loses A Fortune And Wins An Indian Fight"

Wild Bill Hickock (Avon)
      #1     September 1949   10p     "The Cheyenne Campaign"
      #1     September 1949   10p     "The McCallan Gang Fight"
      #2     December  1949   11p     " Kansas Pacific Blood Trail"
      #2     December  1949   10p     "Gambler's Guns"
      #3     February  1950   8p      "Surprise Gold"
      #4     July      1950   7p      "Showdown at Massare Creek"
      #5     October   1950   8p      "The Mysterious Trader"
      #5     October   1950   8p      "The Bannock Rebellion"

Win A Prize (Charlton)
   ?  #1     February  1955   1p      introduction
   ?  #1     February  1955   6p      "The Emissary"
   ?  #1     February  1955   4p      "Telltale Heart"
   ?  #2     April     1955   7p      "Bullet Ballad"
   ?  #2     April     1955   4p      "Sir Cashby Of Moneyvault"
   ?  #2     April     1955   4p      "Torpedoed"
   ?  #2     April     1955   5p      "The Handsome Brute"
   ?  #2     April     1955   5p      "The Bull"

World's Finest (National/DC)
      #8     Winter    1942   13p     "Luck Of The Lepparts"
      #9     Spring    1942   13p     "Battle of the Big Top"
      #10    Summer    1943   12p     "Message To Murmansk"
      #11    Fall      1943   12p     "Sand Dunes Of Death"
      #12    Winter    1943   12p     "Golden Victory"

Young Brides (Prize)
   ?  #16   (v.2, n.10)    June      1954   6p      "How To Marry The Boss"
   ?  #16   (v.2, n.10)    June      1954   6p      "Young Sinners"
   ?  #16   (v.2, n.10)    June      1954   7p      "Born Bad"
   ?  #16   (v.2, n.10)    June      1954   6p      "Nice Little Guy"
   ?  #20   (v.3, n.2)     January   1955   5p      "Sinner By Night"
   ?  #20   (v.3, n.2)     January   1955   5p      "My Darkest Hour"
   ?  #20   (v.3, n.2)     January   1955   5p      "One Young Bride"
   ?  #20   (v.3, n.2)     January   1955   5p      "My Heart's Torment"
   ?  #20   (v.3, n.2)     January   1955   5p      "Stolen Thrills"
   ?  #21   (v.3, n.3)     March     1955   6p      "Cheating Lady"
   ?  #21   (v.3, n.3)     March     1955   6p      "Marriage At Work"
   ?  #21   (v.3, n.3)     March     1955   7p      "Bad Impression"
   ?  #21   (v.3, n.3)     March     1955   6p      "Fair Veather Love"
   ?  #22   (v.3, n.4)     May       1955   6p      "Those Two"
   ?  #22   (v.3, n.4)     May       1955   6p      "The Pianist"
   ?  #22   (v.3, n.4)     May       1955   6p      "Dream Love"
   ?  #22   (v.3, n.4)     May       1955   6p      "Trail's End"
   ?  #23   (v.3, n.5)     July      1955   6p      "That Manning Boy"
   ?  #23   (v.3, n.5)     July      1955   2p      "Steady Beau"
   ?  #23   (v.3, n.5)     July      1955   6p      "Impossible Love"
   ?  #23   (v.3, n.5)     July      1955   2p      "Man About Women"
   ?  #23   (v.3, n.5)     July      1955   6p      "The Day I Grew Up"
   ?  #24   (v.3, n.6)     September 1955   6p      "Ask Mother"
   ?  #24   (v.3, n.6)     September 1955   6p      "Bitter Bride"
   ?  #24   (v.3, n.6)     September 1955   6p      "Riches Or Romance"
   ?  #25   (v.4, n.1)     November  1955   8p      "Cafe Society Lover"
   ?  #25   (v.4, n.1)     November  1955   6p      "A Little Understanding"
   ?  #25   (v.4, n.1)     November  1955   6p      "Last Hope"
   ?  #25   (v.4, n.1)     November  1955   5p      "Her Beautiful Visitor"
   ?  #26   (v.4, n.2)     January   1956   7p      "Lydia's Boy"
   ?  #26   (v.4, n.2)     January   1956   6p      "Since You Got Glamour"
   ?  #26   (v.4, n.2)     January   1956   5p      "Love And Lamb Chops"
   ?  #26   (v.4, n.2)     January   1956   7p      "Dream Man"
   ?  #27   (v.4, n.3)     March     1956   7p      "Good Marriage"
   ?  #27   (v.4, n.3)     March     1956   6p      "Second Choice"
   ?  #27   (v.4, n.3)     March     1956   5p      "Sad Wedding"
   ?  #27   (v.4, n.3)     March     1956   7p      "Unattached Male"
   ?  #28   (v.4, n.4)     May       1956   4.5p    "If You Could Only Cook"
   ?  #28   (v.4, n.4)     May       1956   7p      "Under New Management"
   ?  #28   (v.4, n.4)     May       1956   6p      "Aide To Marriage"
   ?  #28   (v.4, n.4)     May       1956   7p      "New Boy In Town"
   ?  #29   (v.4, n.5)     July      1956   6p      "The Sound Of Wedding Bells"
   ?  #29   (v.4, n.5)     July      1956   6p      "Shadow Wife"
   ?  #29   (v.4, n.5)     July      1956   6p      "Nancy's Sanctuary"
   ?  #29   (v.4, n.5)     July      1956   7p      "Romance On The Run"
   ?  #30   (v.4, n.6)     November  1956   6p      "In Love With A Tomboy"
   ?  #30   (v.4, n.6)     November  1956   6p      "Here Comes The Bride"
   ?  #30   (v.4, n.6)     November  1956   6p      "Family Jinx"
   ?  #30   (v.4, n.6)     November  1956   1p      "The Way They Met"
   ?  #30   (v.4, n.6)     November  1956   6p      "The Unhappy Housewife"

Young Love (Prize)
   ?  #64   (v.6, n.10)    April     1955   6p      "Kissing Game"
   ?  #64   (v.6, n.10)    April     1955   6p      "Weeping Willow"
   ?  #64   (v.6, n.10)    April     1955   6p      "Love Me, Love My Sister"
   ?  #64   (v.6, n.10)    April     1955   6p      "Lovely Little Faker"
   ?  #65   (v.6, n.11)    June      1955   6p      "Who Keeps The Faith"
   ?  #65   (v.6, n.11)    June      1955   6p      "The Wild One"
   ?  #65   (v.6, n.11)    June      1955   6p      "Foolishly Wise"
   ?  #65   (v.6, n.11)    June      1955   7p      "Get Out Of Town"
   ?  #66   (v.6, n.12)    August    1955   6p      "Just For Spite"
   ?  #66   (v.6, n.12)    August    1955   2p      "Remember Me"
   ?  #66   (v.6, n.12)    August    1955   6p      "Till The End Of Time"
   ?  #66   (v.6, n.12)    August    1955   2p      "The Proposal"
   ?  #69   (v.7, n.3)     February  1956   7p      "How's The Family?"
   ?  #69   (v.7, n.3)     February  1956   6p      "Bright Boy"
   ?  #69   (v.7, n.3)     February  1956   6p      "The Lady In The Jaguar"
   ?  #69   (v.7, n.3)     February  1956   6p      "Secrets Of The Girls Next Door"
   ?  #70   (v.7, n.4)     April     1956   6p      "Too Late For Love"
   ?  #70   (v.7, n.4)     April     1956   8p      "Big Disappointment"
   ?  #70   (v.7, n.4)     April     1956   5p      "A Week In Frisco"
   ?  #70   (v.7, n.4)     April     1956   5.67p   "Lovely Little Copycat"
   ?  #71   (v.7, n.5)     June      1956   6p      "Easy Way Out"
   ?  #71   (v.7, n.5)     June      1956   6p      "Love That Money"
   ?  #71   (v.7, n.5)     June      1956   7p      "Birthday Present"
   ?  #72   (v.7, n.5)     October   1956   7p      "And My Heart Came Tumbling Down"
   ?  #72   (v.7, n.5)     October   1956   6p      "Love And War"
   ?  #72   (v.7, n.5)     October   1956   6p      "Cinderella Story"
   ?  #72   (v.7, n.5)     October   1956   6p      "I Dream Of Jeannie"
   ?  #73   (v.8, n.1)     December  1956   7p      "Torch Song"
   ?  #73   (v.8, n.1)     December  1956   6p      "Soldier's Homecoming"
   ?  #73   (v.8, n.1)     December  1956   6p      "Bust-up"

Young Romance (Prize)
   ?  #75   (v.8, n.3)     December  1954   6p      "Secret Marriage"
   ?  #76   (v.8, n.4)     April     1955   7p      "Let's Pretend"
   ?  #76   (v.8, n.4)     April     1955   5.5p    "Lovesick Meddler"
   ?  #76   (v.8, n.4)     April     1955   6p      "Unpleasingly Plump"
   ?  #76   (v.8, n.4)     April     1955   6p      "Lover's Helper"
   ?  #77   (v.8, n.5)     June      1955   6p      "The Security Of Love"
   ?  #77   (v.8, n.5)     June      1955   6p      "The Hangout"
   ?  #77   (v.8, n.5)     June      1955   6p      "The Big Fish"
   ?  #77   (v.8, n.5)     June      1955   7p      "My Husband's Keeper"
   ?  #78   (v.8, n.6)     August    1955   6p      "Dream House For Two"
   ?  #78   (v.8, n.6)     August    1955   2p      "Meddling Mother-In-Law"
   ?  #78   (v.8, n.6)     August    1955   7p      "What's The Catch"
   ?  #78   (v.8, n.6)     August    1955   6p      "Army Nurse"
   ?  #79   (v.8, n.7)     October   1955   6p      "A Vision Of Beauty"
   ?  #79   (v.8, n.7)     October   1955   6p      "Poor Marcie"
   ?  #79   (v.8, n.7)     October   1955   2p      "Problem Clinic"
   ?  #79   (v.8, n.7)     October   1955   5p      "Castle In Spain"
   ?  #80   (v.8, n.8)     December  1955   6p      "Personal Message To Ruth"
   ?  #80   (v.8, n.8)     December  1955   6p      "The Gingerbread House"
   ?  #80   (v.8, n.8)     December  1955   5p      "Old Enough To Marry"
   ?  #80   (v.8, n.8)     December  1955   8p      "Lovesick"
   ?  #81   (v.9, n.3)     February  1956   7p      "The Lady And The Truck Driver"
   ?  #81   (v.9, n.3)     February  1956   5p      "A Match For Linda"
   ?  #81   (v.9, n.3)     February  1956   6p      "He Had Only Me"
   ?  #81   (v.9, n.3)     February  1956   7p      "Bring The Kids"
   ?  #82   (v.9, n.4)     April     1956   6p      "Lost Little Lamb"
   ?  #82   (v.9, n.4)     April     1956   6p      "Bundle From Heaven"
   ?  #82   (v.9, n.4)     April     1956   6p      "Wild Flower"
   ?  #83   (v.9, n.5)     June      1956   8p      "Dancing Doll"
   ?  #83   (v.9, n.5)     June      1956   5p      "Lonely Heart"
   ?  #83   (v.9, n.5)     June      1956   6p      "The Serious Type"
   ?  #83   (v.9, n.5)     June      1956   7p      "Only You"
   ?  #84   (v.9, n.6)     October   1956   6p      "Swept Off My Feet"
   ?  #84   (v.9, n.6)     October   1956   6p      "Romeo And Judy Ann"
   ?  #84   (v.9, n.6)     October   1956   7p      "Much Ado About Love"
   ?  #84   (v.9, n.6)     October   1956   6p      "Poison Ivy"
   ?  #85   (v.10, n.1)    December  1956   7p      "Lizzie's Back In Town"
   ?  #85   (v.10, n.1)    December  1956   6p      "Lady's Choice"
   ?  #85   (v.10, n.1)    December  1956   6p      "Resort Romeo"
   ?  #85   (v.10, n.1)    December  1956   6p      "My Cousin From Milwaukee"
   ?  #86   (v.10, n.2)    February  1957   3.5p    "Reject"
   ?  #87   (v.10, n.3)    April     1957   7p      "Girl With Possibilities"
   ?  #87   (v.10, n.3)    April     1957   5.5p    "Rock n' Roll Sweetheart"
   ?  #87   (v.10, n.3)    April     1957   6p      "Made Me Beautiful"
   ?  #88   (v.10, n.4)    June      1957   5p      "Who Loves The Loser"
   ?  #88   (v.10, n.4)    June      1957   5p      "Unfinished Business"
   ?  #89   (v.10, n.5)    August    1957   5p      "Trust In Me"
   ?  #89   (v.10, n.5)    August    1957   4p      "Guessing Game"
   ?  #89   (v.10, n.5)    August    1957   5p      "Pal Joannie"
   ?  #89   (v.10, n.5)    August    1957   6p      "Rock-A-Bye To Love"
   ?  #89   (v.10, n.5)    August    1957   5p      "Goodbye, My Darling"
   ?  #90   (v.10, n.6)    October   1957   5p      "Girl In The Middle"
   ?  #90   (v.10, n.6)    October   1957   4p      "The Direct Approach"
   ?  #90   (v.10, n.6)    October   1957   5p      "Sawdust Princess"
   ?  #90   (v.10, n.6)    October   1957   5p      "Baby Sister"
   ?  #90   (v.10, n.6)    October   1957   6p      "Something Missing"