Defunct comic book publishers.

[Electricmastro]

What are some comic book publishers, that you miss or are just simply interested in talking more about, that no longer exist?

Examples of defunct comic book publishers include:

American Comics Group (1939-1967) - Adventures into the Unknown, Forbidden Worlds, Ha Ha Comics, Romantic Adventures, Spy-Hunters, Blazing West, Out of the Night, Operation: Peril, etc.

Crestwood Publications (1940-1968) - Justice Traps the Guilty, Headline Comics, Prize Comics, Broadway Laughs, Army Laughs, Black Magic, Young Love, Fighting American, etc.

Gilberton (1941-1971) - Classics Illustrated, The World Around Us, Classic Comics, Picture Progress, Double Comics, The Best from Boys' Life, Bomber Comics, Picture Parade, etc.

Dell Comics (1929-1974) - Four Color, March of Comics, Marge's Little Lulu, Walter Lantz New Funnies, Tom & Jerry Comics, The Lone Ranger, Popular Comics, Red Ryder Comics, etc.

Fawcett Comics (1939-1980) - Whiz Comics, Captain Marvel Adventures, Master Comics, Dennis the Menace Bonus Magazine Series, The Marvel Family, Fawcett's Funny Animals, Don Winslow of the Navy, Captain Midnight, etc.

Charlton Comics (1940-1986) - Fightin' Marines, Romantic Story, Hot Rods and Racing Cars, Good Humor, Six-Gun Heroes, Many Ghosts of Dr. Graves, Black Fury, Atomic Mouse, etc.

Eclipse Comics (1977-1993) - Airboy, Crossfire, Miracleman, Scout, DNAgents, Sabre, The New Wave, Masked Man, etc.

Harvey Comics (1941-1994) - Sad Sack Comics, Richie Rich, Little Dot, Dick Tracy, Wendy the Good Little Witch, Casper the Friendly Ghost, Black Cat Comics, Felix the Cat, etc.

Comico: The Comic Company (1982-1997) - Grendel, Robotech: The Macross Saga, Johnny Quest, Elementals, Justice Machine, The Maze Agency, Mage: The Hero Discovered, Fish Police, etc.

Kitchen Sink Press (1970-1999) - The Spirit, Li'l Abner Dailies, Steve Canyon, Omaha the Cat Dancer, Death Rattle, Snarf, Xenozoic Tales, Megaton Man, etc.

[Gaastra]

Don't forget Now comics!

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[Electricmastro]

Don't forget Now comics!

Ah, never heard of them before. Interesting!

[PaulBullion]

I wish Topps Comics had taken off more.

[Deathstroke]

I would read the Harvey Comics whenever I came across an issue on the newsstand. If I come across some issues in halfway decent shape in a bargain box, I'd pick them up.

Didn't Comico publish some Starblazers comics at one point?

And I definitely wish Crossgen had been able to be a success.

[Moon Ronin]

Malibu Comic started in the mid 80s and was bought out and complexly shut down by Marvel in the mid 90s

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Also Chaos Comics through the 90s Dynamite ended up with the rights to a lot of there stuff

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[Iron Maiden]

I would read the Harvey Comics whenever I came across an issue on the newsstand. If I come across some issues in halfway decent shape in a bargain box, I'd pick them up.

Didn't Comico publish some Starblazers comics at one point?

And I definitely wish Crossgen had been able to be a success.

I did like Mark Waid's Sherlockian "Ruse" that he did for CrossGen. May have those issues laying around somewhere.

[K7P5V]

I remember reading a few issues of both the Axel Pressbutton series & the Laser Eraser series from Eclipse. IIRC, someone mentioned they were a big-time competitor of both DC & Marvel, and that Eclipse came very close to achieving mainstream popularity. If true, then those were certainly creative times.

I would read the Harvey Comics whenever I came across an issue on the newsstand. If I come across some issues in halfway decent shape in a bargain box, I'd pick them up.

Didn't Comico publish some Starblazers comics at one point?

And I definitely wish Crossgen had been able to be a success.

Correct. Comico put out a 4-issue series in 1987, and then a 5-issue series in 1989 (AFAIK).

[Electricmastro]

I wish Topps Comics had taken off more.

Are their X-Files comics any good?

[SquirrelMan]

Are their X-Files comics any good?

I never read it, but it had its fans at my LCS in the 90s.

[dancj]

Are their X-Files comics any good?

They were pretty good. The only real problem was that some of the issues had all of the art done (and done well) by Charlie Adlard, except for Mulder and Scully's faces which were drawn by a completely different artist. It was very jarring.

[SUPERECWFAN1]

Don't forget Now comics!

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Ah, never heard of them before. Interesting!

Now itself existed from 1985 to mid 1990's as a comics publisher. It grew with the success from licensed properties as seen above and others like Terminator , Twilight Zone etc. In fact Alex Ross 1st pro work was in Terminator : The Burning Earth.

Its just like most licensed properties ; they have a short shelf life. By the time of the speculator bust and losing steam they couldn't continue. They tried a comeback in mid 2000's and it failed.

[Electricmastro]

Now itself existed from 1985 to mid 1990's as a comics publisher. It grew with the success from licensed properties as seen above and others like Terminator , Twilight Zone etc. In fact Alex Ross 1st pro work was in Terminator : The Burning Earth.

Its just like most licensed properties ; they have a short shelf life. By the time of the speculator bust and losing steam they couldn't continue. They tried a comeback in mid 2000's and it failed.

Yeah, perhaps relying too much on licensed/previously created properties, however successful at the moment, can bite one in the butt after awhile. Heard that IDW Publishing (publisher of G.I. Joe and TMNT) was recently going through some financial difficulties actually. Not sure how bad it was though.

[Surf]

Anytime I see any of the old Comico line out in the wild I grab them.

I've owned this TMNT Karate Manuel for about 20 years and I'm always looking for an opportunity to dig through a long box at a flea market or sale. I've NEVER seen any more of the Solson Publications in person outside of Instagram. They must have been a super low print run but they put out several titles.

[Gaastra]

Don't forget Gladstone who did Disney and ec comics stories. (what a odd mix)

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Then there was gemstone as well!

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