I. W. Publications

I.W. Publications (also known as Super Comics) was a short-lived comic book publisher in the late 1950s and early 1960s. The company was part of I.W. Enterprises, and named for the company's owner, Israel Waldman. I.W. Publications was notable for publishing unauthorized reprints of other publishers' properties. Usually these companies were already out of business — but not always.

I. W. Publications
I.W. Publications's Human Fly #10 (1963), reprinting material from Fox Feature Syndicate's Blue Beetle
Parent companyI.W. Enterprises
Statusdefunct, 1964
Founded1958
FounderIsrael Waldman
Country of originUnited States of America
Headquarters locationNew York City
Publication typesComic books
Fiction genresAdventure, Funny Animal, Crime, Humor, Romance, Science Fiction, Superhero, Teen humor, Western
ImprintsSuper Comics

I.W. Publications published comics in a wide variety of genres, including crime, science fiction, Western, horror, war and romance comics, as well as funny animal and superhero titles. The company was known for its low-budget products: most of I.W.'s comics were sold in grocery and discount stores,[1][2] often in "three comics for a quarter" plastic bags.[3] The numbering of most of the company's titles is misleading, often not starting at issue #1 and skipping issue numbers. Incredibly, the company produced 118 separate titles, but only 332 individual issues — many titles only published a single issue.

The company published one comic book with original material: Marty Mouse #1 (1958), featuring funny animal stories by Vincent Fago, among others.[4]

Some I.W./Super Comics titles used original cover art: illustrators included Jack Abel, Ross Andru, Sol Brodsky, Carl Burgos, Mike Esposito, and John Severin, with lettering by Ben Oda.

History

Following the publication of Fredric Wertham's Seduction of the Innocent and the 1954 comic book hearings of the United States Senate Subcommittee on Juvenile Delinquency, many comic book publishers closed down shop in the years 1954–1956. Other than I.W., no new publishers debuted in 1958. Comics historian Don Markstein explained the company's methods:

Waldman was able to sell them cheaply because in many cases, he was able to supply the letterpress plates they were printed from, and thus avoid paying for new ones. How a man who gives little evidence of being interested in comics before emerging as an extremely low-end publisher, came to have such production materials is simply that he bought out defunct publishers' storage facilities, purchasing physical materials only and ignoring intellectual property rights. In many cases, he dealt with Eastern Color Printing, which did most of America's comics, for materials their publishers had left behind when they went out of business.[5]

The company started publishing in 1958, with comics originally published by Avon Comics, Fiction House, Magazine Enterprises, and others. Many of these comics had the tagline "A Top Quality Comics." After releasing a great quantity of comics in 1958, the company went on hiatus until 1963, when it again released a number of comics up into 1964. The latter half of the company's existence, it published comics under the Super Comics name. Many of these titles were reprints of Toby Press, Avon, Magazine Enterprises, and Quality Comics. Many of these titles had the tagline "Super Comics Seal of Quality."

I.W. Publications went out of business in 1964. Waldman would later be involved with the short-lived black-and-white comics magazines publisher Skywald Publications in the 1970s.[3]

Publishers whose work was reprinted in I.W. Publications comics

Titles
Title Pub. dates # of Issues Original publisher Original title Genre Notes
Algie19641TimorAlgieteen humor
Apache19581Fiction HouseApacheWestern
The Avenger19581Magazine EnterprisesThe Avengersuperhero
Battle Stories1963–19647  Avon, Farrell, Magazine Enterprises, Superior, Tobyvariouswar
Billy and Buggy Bear1958, 1963–19643TimelyAll Surprise Comicsfunny animal
Black Knight19631TobyThe Black Knightadventure
Blazing Sixguns195810Fox, Key Publications, Mainline, Timor, YouthfulvariousWestern
The Brain1958, 19639  Magazine EnterprisesThe Brainhumor
Buccaneer / The Buccaneers1958, 1963–19643QualityThe Buccaneersadventure
Buster Bear19582NoveltyFrisky Fablesfunny animaloriginally published in 1947
Candy1963–19643QualityCandyteen humor
Casper Cat1958, 19633TimelyDopey Duckfunny animaloriginally published in 1946
Cosmo Cat19581FoxCosmo Catfunny animal
Cowboys 'N' Injuns1958, 19633Magazine EnterprisesTick Tock Taleshumororiginally published in 1951
Danger1963–19647  Dynamic Publications, Novack, Novelty, Timely, Tobyvariousomnibusincludes a Nemo in Adventureland story by Bob McCay called "Morpheus's War"[6]
Danger is Our Business19581TobyDanger is Our Businesscrime
Daring Adventures1963–19649Avon, Fox, Star, Novelty, Spark, Superiorvarioushorror-suspense
Dogface Dooley19582Magazine EnterprisesDogface Dooleymilitary humor
Doll Man1963–19643QualityDoll Mansuperhero
Dr. Fu Manchu19581AvonThe Mask of Dr. Fu Manchuadventure
Dream of Love19584Magazine Enterprises, Tobyvariousromance
Dynamic Adventures19582Fiction House, Avonvariousomnibus
Dynamic Comics19581SuperiorDynamic Comicsomnibus
Eerie / Eerie Tales 1958, 1963–19647Avon, Bernard Baily, Fiction House, Novelty, Star, Tobyvarioushorror-suspense
Famous Funnies1963–19643Avon, Farrell, Novelty, St. Johnvariousfunny animal
Fantastic Adventures1963–19647Chesler, Farrell, Iger, Nesbit, Star, Tobyvariousomnibus
Fantastic Tales19581AvonCity of the Living Deadhorror-suspense
Fighting Daniel Boone19581AvonFighting Daniel Booneomnibus
Firehair19581Fiction HouseFirehairWestern
Foxhole1963–19646Magazine Enterprises, Mainline, Tobyvariouswar
Frontier Romances19582Avon, Fiction HousevariousWestern romance
Full of Fun19581Bernard Bailyvarioushumor
Great Action Comics19583Cambridge House, FoxGolden Medal Comics (Cambridge), Phantom Lady (Fox)superhero
Great Western19584Magazine EnterprisesvariousWesternincludes a large quantity of Straight Arrow stories
Gunfighters1963–19645Farrell, Magazine Enterprises, TobyvariousWestern
Hollywood Secrets of Romance19581QualityHollywood Secretsromance
Human Fly19582FoxBlue Beetlesuperhero
Indian Braves19581AceIndian BravesWestern
Indians of the Wild West19581Fiction HouseIndiansWestern
Intimate Confessions1958, 1963–19644AvonIntimate Confessionsromance
Jet Power19582Magazine EnterprisesJet Powerscience fiction
Jungle Adventures1963–19645Avon, Fiction House, Fox, Novelty, Starvariousjungle adventure
Jungle Comics19581Fiction HouseJungle Comicsjungle adventure
Ka'a'nga19582  Fiction HouseKa'a'ngajungle adventure
Kat Karson19581Magazine EnterprisesCowboys 'N' InjunsWestern humor
Kid Koko19582Magazine EnterprisesKoko and Kolafunny animal
Kiddie Kapers19634Magazine Enterprises, TimorCowboys 'N' Injuns (Magazine Enterprises), Animal Adventures (Timor)funny animal
Kit Carson19631AvonKit CarsonWestern
Krazy Krow1958, 19633TimelyKrazy Krowfunny animal
Leo the Lion19581Green PublishingAdventures of Patoruzufunny animal
Little Eva1958, 1963–196414St. JohnLittle Evahumor
Little Spunky19581NoveltyFrisky Fablesfunny animal
Love and Marriage1958, 1963–19647Quality, Superiorvariousromance
Malu in the Land of Adventure19581AvonSlave Girl Comicsadventure
Man o' Mars19581Fiction Housevariousscience fiction
Marmaduke Monk1958, 19632AceMonkeyshines Comicsfunny animal
Marty Mouse19581N/AN/Afunny animalnot a reprint; apparently original material from Vincent Fago, among others
Master Detective19641NoveltyCriminals on the Runcrime
Meet Merton1958, 19633TobyMeet Mertonteen humor
Mighty Atom19581  Magazine EnterprisesMighty Atom and the Pixiesfantasy
Muggsy Mouse1958, 19633Magazine EnterprisesMuggsy Mousefunny animal
Muggy-Doo, Boy Cat1963–19642StanhallMuggy-Doo, Boy Catfunny animal
My Secret Marriage19581SuperiorMy Secret Marriageromance
Mystery Tales19643Avon, St. John, Tobyvarioushorror-suspense
Pee-Wee Pixies1958, 19633Magazine EnterprisesPee-Wee Pixiesfantasy
Pinky the Egghead1958, 19633Comic MediaPinky the Eggheadhumor
Planet Comics19582Fiction HousePlanet Comicsscience fiction
Plastic Man19633QualityPlastic Mansuperhero
Police Trap1963–19644MainlinePolice Trapcrime
Purple Claw19581TobyPurple Clawhorror-suspense
Realistic Romances19583AvonRealistic Romancesromance
Red Mask19583Magazine EnterprisesRed MaskWestern
Robin Hood1958, 1963–19645Magazine EnterprisesRobin Hoodadventure
Romantic Love1958, 19635Avon, TobyRomantic Love (Avon), Great Lover Romances & Young Lover Romances (Toby)romance
Sensational Police Cases19581AvonPrison Breakcrime
Sharpy Fox1958, 19633Green Publishing, Kiddie Kapers Company, Timelyvariousfunny animal
Sheena, Queen of the Jungle19581Fiction HouseSheena, Queen of the Junglejungle adventure
Silver Kid Western19582Key Publications / Medal ComicsSilver Kid WesternWestern
Space Comics19581AvonSpace Comicsscience fiction
Space Detective19582AvonSpace Detectivescience fiction
Space Mysteries19582Atlas, Fiction HouseJourney into Unknown Worlds (Atlas), Planet Comics (Fiction House)science fiction
Speedy Rabbit1958, 19633Key PublicationsPeter Cottontailfunny animal
The Spirit1963–19642QualityThe Spiritsuperheroitself reprints of material from The Spirit section
Star Feature Comics19581QualityFeature Comicscrime
Strange Mysteries1958, 1963–19648Avon, Chesler/Dynamic, Farrell, Four Star, Fox, Master Comics, Star, Tobyvarioushorror-suspense
Strange Planets19588Atlas, Avon, EC, Novelty, St. Johnvariousscience fiction
Strange Worlds19581AvonStrange Worldsscience fiction
Sunny, America's Sweetheart19581  FoxSunny, America's Sweetheartteen humor
Super-Brat19586TobySuper-Brathumor
Super Rabbit19583TimelySuper Rabbitsuperhero funny animalone issue does not contain any Super Rabbit stories on the inside
Teen Romances1963–19645StarPopular Teen-Agersromance
Teen-Age Talk19583Key Publications, Superior, Stanhallvariousteen humor
Tell It To the Marines1958, 1963–19643Tobyvariouswar
Three Rascals19583  Magazine EnterprisesClubhouse Rascalshumor
Tippy Terry19632RestonLittle Grouchohumor
Tom-Tom The Jungle Boy1958, 19634Magazine EnterprisesTick Tock Talesfunny animal
Top Adventure Comics19582Decker, Superior, Ziff-Davisvariousadventure
Top Detective Comics19581NoveltyCriminals on the Runcrime
Top Jungle Comics19581AvonWhite Princess of the Junglejungle adventure
Torchy19641QualityTorchyhumor
Tuffy Turtle19581Green PublishingRibticklerfunny animal
U.S. Fighting Air Force19582SuperiorU.S. Fighting Air Forcewar
U.S. Fighting Men1963–19647Avon, Superior, Timely, Tobyvariouswar
U.S. Paratroops19582AvonU.S. Paratroopswar
U.S. Tank Commandos19582AvonU.S. Tank Commandoswar
Undersea Commandos19641AvonFighting Undersea Commandoswar
Wacky Duck1958, 19634TimelyWacky Duckfunny animal
Wacky Woodpecker19582TobyTwo-Bit the Wacky Woodpeckerfunny animal
Wambi19581Fiction HouseWambi, Jungle Boyjungle adventure
Western Action19581AvonCow Puncher ComicsWestern
Westerner1963–19633Farrell, Quality, TimorvariousWestern
Whip Wilson19581TimelyWhip WilsonWestern
Wild Bill Hickok1958, 1963–19644AvonvariousWestern
Wild Western Roundup19581  Decker, Ziff-DavisWild Western Roundup (Decker), Kid Cowboy (Ziff-Davis)Western
Young Hearts In Love19632PrizeYoung Loveromance
Ziggy Pig19584TimelyZiggy Pigfunny animal

Notes
  1. Shaw, Scott (September 2, 2005). "Wambi (The Jungle Boy) Issue: No. 8". "Oddball Comics" (column) #1084, ComicBookResources.com. Archived from the original on December 4, 2005. Retrieved November 16, 2005.
  2. Super Rabbit at Don Markstein's Toonopedia. Archived from the original on November 3, 2011.
  3. Arndt, Richard J. Horror Comics in Black and White: A History and Catalog, 1964-2004, (McFarland, 2013), p. 162.
  4. "Marty Mouse #1," Grand Comics Database. Accessed Jan.2, 2019.
  5. Markstein, Don. "IW/Super Comics," Toonpedia. Accessed Nov. 23, 2018.
  6. Bob McKay entry, Who's Who of American Comic Books, 1928–1999.

References
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