Columbia Comics
Encyclopedia
The Columbia Comics Corporation was formed in 1940
as a partnership between Vin Sullivan
and the McNaught Newspaper Syndicate. The idea was to publish comics featuring a mix of McNaught-owned comic strip reprints like Joe Palooka
and Charlie Chan
as well as original features.
The first title published by Columbia was the anthology title Big Shot Comics
, the first issue of which introduced Skyman
and The Face. Big Shot Comics would run for 104 issues until 1949
, when Columbia went out of business. Other titles published by Columbia included spinoff series from Big Shot Comics featuring Skyman (four issues) and The Face.
Several well known comics creators worked for Columbia, including Fred Guardineer
on Marvelo, the Monarch of Magicians, and Ogden Whitney
and Gardner Fox
on Skyman.
1940 in comics
-Year overall:* Another boom year for the burgeoning American comic book industry, as Ace Comics, Columbia Comics, Farrell Publications, Holyoke Publishing, Novelty Press, and Street & Smith Comics all begin publishing.-January:...
as a partnership between Vin Sullivan
Vin Sullivan
Vincent "Vin" Sullivan was a pioneering American comic book editor, artist and publisher.As an editor for National Allied Publications, the future DC Comics, he was responsible for buying Superman from creators Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, and edited that archetypcal superhero in his first...
and the McNaught Newspaper Syndicate. The idea was to publish comics featuring a mix of McNaught-owned comic strip reprints like Joe Palooka
Joe Palooka
Joe Palooka was an American comic strip about a heavyweight boxing champion, created by cartoonist Ham Fisher in 1921. The strip debuted in 1930 and was carried at its peak by 900 newspapers....
and Charlie Chan
Charlie Chan
Charlie Chan is a fictional Chinese-American detective created by Earl Derr Biggers in 1919. Loosely based on Honolulu detective Chang Apana, Biggers conceived of the benevolent and heroic Chan as an alternative to Yellow Peril stereotypes, such as villains like Fu Manchu...
as well as original features.
The first title published by Columbia was the anthology title Big Shot Comics
Big Shot Comics
Big Shot Comics was an American comic book series published by Columbia Comics during period in the 1940s that fans and historians refer to as the Golden Age of comic books. It ran 104 issues, cover-dated May 1940 to August 1949. With issue #30 , the title was shortened to simply Big Shot...
, the first issue of which introduced Skyman
Skyman (Columbia Comics)
The Skyman is a fictional comic book superhero that appeared in 1940s comics during what historians and fans call the Golden Age of Comic Books. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Ogden Whitney, the character first appeared in the Columbia Comics omnibus title Big Shot Comics #1...
and The Face. Big Shot Comics would run for 104 issues until 1949
1949 in comics
-Events and publications:Publishers Star Publications, Toby Press, and Youthful make their debuts; conversely, Columbia Comics, Novelty Press, and Street & Smith Comics all fold.-January:* Captain America Comics #70 - Timely Comics...
, when Columbia went out of business. Other titles published by Columbia included spinoff series from Big Shot Comics featuring Skyman (four issues) and The Face.
Several well known comics creators worked for Columbia, including Fred Guardineer
Fred Guardineer
Frederick B. Guardineer was an American illustrator and comic book writer-artist best known for his work in the 1930s and 1940s during what historians and fans call the Golden Age of Comic Books, and for his 1950s art on the Western comic-book series The Durango Kid.A pioneer of the medium...
on Marvelo, the Monarch of Magicians, and Ogden Whitney
Ogden Whitney
Ogden Whitney was an American comic-book artist and sometime writer active from the 1930s-1940s Golden Age of comics through the 1960s Silver Age. He is best known as co-creator of the aviator hero the Skyman and of the superpowered novelty character Herbie Popnecker and his alter ego, the satiric...
and Gardner Fox
Gardner Fox
Gardner Francis Cooper Fox was an American writer best known for creating numerous comic book characters for DC Comics. Comic-book historians estimate that he wrote over 4,000 comics stories....
on Skyman.
Titles
- Big Shot ComicsBig Shot ComicsBig Shot Comics was an American comic book series published by Columbia Comics during period in the 1940s that fans and historians refer to as the Golden Age of comic books. It ran 104 issues, cover-dated May 1940 to August 1949. With issue #30 , the title was shortened to simply Big Shot...
(104 issues, 1940-1949) - The FaceFace (Columbia Comics)The Face is a fictional character, a comic book superhero that appeared in 1940s comics during what historians and fans call the Golden Age of Comic Books.-Publication history:...
(2 issues, 1941-1942) - SkymanSkyman (Columbia Comics)The Skyman is a fictional comic book superhero that appeared in 1940s comics during what historians and fans call the Golden Age of Comic Books. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Ogden Whitney, the character first appeared in the Columbia Comics omnibus title Big Shot Comics #1...
(4 issues, 1941, 1942, 1947, and 1948) - Sparky Watts (10 issues, 1942–1949)
- Tony Trent (2 issues, 1948)