Standard Comics
Encyclopedia
Standard Comics was a comic book
imprint
of American
publisher Ned Pines
, who also published pulp magazines under a variety of company names that he also used for the comics. Standard in turn was the parent company of two comic-book lines: Better Publications and Nedor Publishing Collectors and historians sometimes refer to them collectively as "Standard/Better/Nedor".
In business from 1939 to 1956, Standard was a prolific publisher during the Golden Age of comic books
. Its best-known character, initially published under the Better imprint, is the Black Terror
. In June 1949, the Better and Nedor imprints were consolidated as the Standard Comics line, with a "Standard Comics" flag-like cover logo. The titles previously had no publisher logo. In 1956, Standard ended and only two titles continued, published by Pines Comics.
Beginning in the 1980s, Standard/Better/Nedor characters have been revived by other publishers. Publisher Bill Black used many of them in his 1980s imprint Americomics (later shortened to AC Comics
). Many of the female heroes are members of the AC Comics superhero team Femforce
. In the 2000s, Standard/Better/Nedor characters have appeared in writer
Alan Moore
's comic book Tom Strong
and its spin-off Terra Obscura
. Marvel Comics
used the names American Eagle, Grim Reaper, and Wonder Man for its own, different characters.
The eight-issue comic book
miniseries
Project Superpowers
#0-7 (Jan.-Oct. 2008), published by Dynamite Entertainment
, resurrected a number of Golden Age superheroes, including those originally published by Fox Comics
and Crestwood Publications
, as well as Standard/Better/Nedor, many of which are assumed to be in the public domain.
publisher that existed from 1956-59.
Two titles were continued from Standard Comics, other were picked up from St. John Publications
. Most titles went to other publishers after Pines' demise.
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
imprint
Imprint
In the publishing industry, an imprint can mean several different things:* As a piece of bibliographic information about a book, it refers to the name and address of the book's publisher and its date of publication as given at the foot or on the verso of its title page.* It can mean a trade name...
of American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
publisher Ned Pines
Ned Pines
Ned L. Pines was a New York publisher. He died in Paris, and lived in Paris, Manhattan and East Hampton NY. He was married to the former Maxine Firestone, has two daughters, two stepsons, and one granddaughter....
, who also published pulp magazines under a variety of company names that he also used for the comics. Standard in turn was the parent company of two comic-book lines: Better Publications and Nedor Publishing Collectors and historians sometimes refer to them collectively as "Standard/Better/Nedor".
In business from 1939 to 1956, Standard was a prolific publisher during the Golden Age of comic books
Golden Age of Comic Books
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...
. Its best-known character, initially published under the Better imprint, is the Black Terror
Black Terror
The Black Terror is a fictional comic book superhero who originally appeared in Exciting Comics #9, published by Nedor Comics in January 1941. Some Black Terror stories were written by Patricia Highsmith before she became an acclaimed novelist...
. In June 1949, the Better and Nedor imprints were consolidated as the Standard Comics line, with a "Standard Comics" flag-like cover logo. The titles previously had no publisher logo. In 1956, Standard ended and only two titles continued, published by Pines Comics.
Beginning in the 1980s, Standard/Better/Nedor characters have been revived by other publishers. Publisher Bill Black used many of them in his 1980s imprint Americomics (later shortened to AC Comics
AC Comics
AC Comics is a comic book publishing company started by Bill Black.AC Comics specializes in reprints of Golden Age comics from now-defunct companies whose properties lapsed into public domain and were not reprinted elsewhere...
). Many of the female heroes are members of the AC Comics superhero team Femforce
Femforce
Femforce is a comic book published by AC Comics that began publication in 1985, detailing the adventures of the titular team: the "Federal Emergency Missions Force" or "Femforce", some of them original creations, while others originated in the 1940s and 50s, lapsing into public domain by the time...
. In the 2000s, Standard/Better/Nedor characters have appeared in writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
Alan Moore
Alan Moore
Alan Oswald Moore is an English writer primarily known for his work in comic books, a medium where he has produced a number of critically acclaimed and popular series, including Watchmen, V for Vendetta, and From Hell...
's comic book Tom Strong
Tom Strong
Tom Strong is a comic book created by writer Alan Moore and artist Chris Sprouse initially published bi-monthly by America's Best Comics, an imprint of DC Comics' Wildstorm division.-Background:Tom Strong, the title character, is a "science hero"...
and its spin-off Terra Obscura
Terra Obscura
Terra Obscura is a 2003 comic book miniseries spun off from Alan Moore's Tom Strong series. The stories are written by Peter Hogan, and drawn by Yanick Paquette and Karl Story with additional flashback sequences drawn by Eric Theriault. Each story is co-plotted by Alan Moore and Peter Hogan...
. Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
used the names American Eagle, Grim Reaper, and Wonder Man for its own, different characters.
The eight-issue comic book
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
miniseries
Miniseries
A miniseries , in a serial storytelling medium, is a television show production which tells a story in a limited number of episodes. The exact number is open to interpretation; however, they are usually limited to fewer than a whole season. The term "miniseries" is generally a North American term...
Project Superpowers
Project Superpowers
Project Superpowers is a comic book limited series published by Dynamite Entertainment beginning January 2008. It was co-plotted by Jim Krueger and Alex Ross, with scripts by Jim Krueger, covers by Alex Ross, and interior art by Doug Klauba and Stephen Sadowski for issue #0, and Carlos Paul for the...
#0-7 (Jan.-Oct. 2008), published by Dynamite Entertainment
Dynamite Entertainment
Dynamite Entertainment is an American comic book company that primarily publishes licensed franchises of adaptations of other media. These include adaptations of film properties such as Army of Darkness, Terminator and RoboCop, literary properties such as Zorro, Dracula, Sherlock Holmes, Alice in...
, resurrected a number of Golden Age superheroes, including those originally published by Fox Comics
Fox Feature Syndicate
Fox Feature Syndicate was a comic book publisher from early in the period known to fans and historians as the Golden Age of Comic Books. Founded by entrepreneur Victor S...
and Crestwood Publications
Crestwood Publications
Crestwood Publications, also known as Feature Publications, was a magazine publisher that also published comic books from the 1940s through the 1960s. Its title Prize Comics contained what is considered the first ongoing horror comic-book feature, Dick Briefer's "Frankenstein"...
, as well as Standard/Better/Nedor, many of which are assumed to be in the public domain.
Superheroes
- American CrusaderAmerican CrusaderThe American Crusader is a fictional character, a superhero who originally appeared in Thrilling Comics #19 . The character was revived in the Modern Age in Femforce #59, by AC Comics, and in Tom Strong #11, by Alan Moore and Chris Sprouse.-Character history:His secret identity is Professor...
- American EagleAmerican Eagle (Nedor)The American Eagle was a fictional superhero from the Golden Age of Comics. He first appeared in Exciting Comics #25 , published by Better Comics, a part of Nedor Comics...
- Black Bat
- Black TerrorBlack TerrorThe Black Terror is a fictional comic book superhero who originally appeared in Exciting Comics #9, published by Nedor Comics in January 1941. Some Black Terror stories were written by Patricia Highsmith before she became an acclaimed novelist...
- Captain Future (not to be confused with the pulp hero)
- CavalierCavalier (Nedor)The Cavalier was a fictional character that appeared in comic books published by Nedor Comics. His first appearance was in Thrilling Comics #53 . The Cavalier was later revived by Alan Moore for his work at America's Best Comics....
- Doc StrangeDoc StrangeDoc Strange is a fictional character, a comic book superhero who originally appeared in Thrilling Comics #1...
(Tom Strange) - Fighting YankFighting Yank-Publication history:The initial comic-book character called Fighting Yank first appeared in Nedor Comics' Startling Comics #10 , during the period fans and historians call the Golden Age of comic books. He was created by writer Richard E. Hughes and artist Jon L. Blummer...
- Four Comrades
- The GhostThe Ghost (Nedor)The Ghost is a fictional character, a superhero that appeared in comic books published by Nedor Comics. His first appearance was in Thrilling Comics #3...
(also known as Green Ghost) - Grim ReaperGrim Reaper (Nedor)The Grim Reaper is a fictional character and a superhero. Created by writer/editor Richard E. Hughes He first appeared in Fighting Yank #7, Feb., 1944, and was quickly promoted to cover feature of Wonder Comics , beginning with #1 May 1944...
- Judy of the JungleJudy of the JungleJudy of the Jungle is a fictional character from the Golden Age of Comics that appeared in comic books published by Nedor Comics. She debuted in Exciting Comics #55 .-Publication history:...
- Kara, the Jungle Princess
- Lance Lewis, Space DetectiveLance Lewis, Space DetectiveLance Lewis, Space Detective is a fictional superhero from the Golden Age of Comics. He first appeared in Mystery Comics #3 , published by Nedor Comics. The character was later revived by writer Alan Moore for America's Best Comics.-Nedor Comics:...
- LiberatorLiberator (Nedor)The Liberator is a fictional superhero from the Golden Age of Comics. His first appearance was in Exciting Comics #15 , published by Nedor Comics. The character was later revived by writer Alan Moore for America's Best Comics....
- Lone Eagle
- The MagnetThe Magnet (Nedor)The Magnet was a minor fictional hero from the Golden Age of Comics. He first appeared in the Complete Book of Comics and Funnies #1 , published by Nedor Comics. The character was later revived by writer Alan Moore for America's Best Comics....
- Major Mars
- Mask
- Masked Rider
- Masked Rider (II)
- Mechano
- Miss MasqueMiss MasqueMiss Masque is a fictional masked crime-fighter. She originally appeared in comic books published by Nedor Comics, and was later revived by AC Comics, America's Best Comics, and Dynamite Entertainment.-Nedor Comics:...
- Mystico
- The Oracle
- Phantom Detective (also not to be confused with the pulp hero)
- Phantom Soldier
- Princess PanthaPrincess PanthaPrincess Pantha is a fictional jungle heroine that appeared in comic books published by Nedor Comics. The character was revived twice; first by AC Comics, and second by writer Alan Moore for his Tom Strong spin-off, Terra Obscura...
- PyromanPyromanPyroman is a fictional superhero that appeared in comic books published by Nedor Comics. His first appearance was in Startling Comics #18 , with art by Jack Binder. His character was latter revived by both AC Comics, and Alan Moore for America's Best Comics.-Nedor Comics:Pyroman was the secret...
- Red Mask
- Rick Howard, Mystery Rider
- ScarabScarab (Nedor)The Scarab is a fictional superhero from the Golden Age of Comics. He first appeared in Startling Comics #34 , published by Nedor Comics. The character was later revived by writer Alan Moore for America's Best Comics.-Nedor Comics:...
- Silver Knight
- Spectro
- Thesson
- The Woman in Red
- Wonder Man
Pines Comics
A successor of Nedor Comics, Pines Comics was a short-lived comic bookComic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
publisher that existed from 1956-59.
Two titles were continued from Standard Comics, other were picked up from St. John Publications
St. John Publications
St. John Publications was an American publisher of magazines and comic books. During its short existence , St. John's comic books established several industry firsts. Founded by Archer St. John , the firm was located in Manhattan at 545 Fifth Avenue. After the St...
. Most titles went to other publishers after Pines' demise.