Browse Items (166 total)

This issue of Mystery Tales was featured in an episode of the TV series Lost in 2008 ("Cabin Fever," Season 4, Episode 11). Along with that bit of strange coincidence, the issue contains a number of strange stories, including famed comics artist…

This war comic contains three stories about the Korean War, one story about World War II set in the Pacific, and a story about 19th-century Marines in the "South Seas." Typical of war comics at this time, Marines in Battle offers a mix of historical…

Mad was initially a comic book, and it converted to a magazine format in 1955 with issue #24. The elaborate frame on this cover was drawn by Harvey Kurtzman, Mad's founding editor, and it features the magazine's mascot, Alfred E. Neuman, and his…

This jungle adventure comic features a female version of Tarzan, raised in the African jungle and accompanied by her sidekick, a chimpanzee named Mikki. On this cover, two artist's signatures are visible on a rock, "Colletta and Williamson." Vince…

Little Lotta Plump was one of Harvey Comics' consistent characters, along with Little Audrey, Little Dot, and Richie Rich. Much of the humor in Little Lotta's comic book adventures comes from the incredible strength that she gets from eating massive…

This Archie Comics series was initially written and penciled by Bob Bolling, with inks by Bob White, and it would be published with some name changes until 1983. Featuring child versions of the teenage Archie characters, this first issues of the…

As they were on television and in cinema, Western were quite popular in 1950s comics. This issue of Gunsmoke Western features two recurring Western heroes, Kid Colt and Billy Buckskin. While Billy Buckskin would quickly fade out of Atlas's Western…

One of American Comics Group's longest-running titles, Forbidden Worlds featured tales of alien visitors from other planets, time travel, and other strange happenings. Perhaps most notable about this issue is its cover, by ACG artist Ogden Whitney.…

According to Michelle Nolan, romance comics saturated the newsstands in 1950, resulting in "the Love Glut. In 1950, publishers kissed off no fewer than 117 of 147 romance titles" (62). Harvey's First Romance was one of the titles to survive. This…

This issue of DC’s long-running Detective Comics series reintroduces the Mad Hatter, a Batman villain who first appeared in the 1940s. As the Mad Hatter’s villainous ambition here makes clear—he wants to add Batman’s signature cowl to his collection…