Crack Comics
Encyclopedia
Crack Comics was an anthology
comic book
series published by Quality Comics
during the Golden Age of Comic Books
. It featured such characters as The Clock, Black Condor
, Captain Triumph
, Alias the Spider
, Madame Fatal
, Jane Arden, Molly the Model, and Red Torpedo. The title "crack" referred to "being at the top of one's form," like a "crack sharpshooter."
Notable contributors to Crack Comics included Alfred Andriola
, George Brenner
, Gill Fox
, Jack Cole
, Paul Gustavson
, Klaus Nordling
, and Art Pinajian
.
Quality Comics published 62 issues of Crack Comics from 1940–1949; the title was temporarily revived in 2011, when the Next Issue Project
published issue "#63."
Crack Comics started off as a monthly anthology of 68 pages, often with as many as 15 features. At first edited by Ed Cronin, much of its material was originally "packaged" by the Eisner and Iger Studio. "The Clock
," as well as such newspaper strip reprints as "Rube Goldberg
's Side Show," "Jane Arden," and "Ned Brant," moved over from Quality's Feature Comics
.
The first use of the publisher name "Quality Comic Group" was on the cover of Crack Comics #5 (Sept. 1940).
With issue #26 (Nov. 1942), at the height of World War II
, the title dropped down to a bi-monthly schedule due to wartime paper shortages; and with issue #33 (Spring 1944) it became quarterly, also reducing its page-count to 60. It was around this time that publisher Arnold dropped Eisner & Iger as a "packager" and began producing much of the material in-house. The syndicated newspaper strip reprints "Jane Arden" and "Ned Brant" disappeared during this period, as well as such recurring features as "Black Condor
," "Don Q," and "Snappy."
Cartoonist George Brenner
became editor of Crack Comics in with issue #31 (Oct. 1943) (Cronin having left the post in Feb. 1942), a few issues before Brenner's character The Clock stopped appearing in the book's pages. Beginning with issue #42 (May 1946) the title went back to a bimonthly schedule, which it maintained until its cancellation with issue #62. (During this time, the title also gradually reduced its page-count from 60 to 52 to 36.) Brenner stayed on as editor almost to the end, leaving the post after issue #61 (July 1949).
. In November 2011
, as part of editor Erik Larsen
's "Next Issue Project
," Image Comics
published Crack Comics "#63," containing the following stories:
Other characters of note who appeared in Crack Comics included Batch Bachelor, Biff Banks, Black Shark, Dewey Drip, Kiki Kelly, and Yankee Guerilla.
Anthology
An anthology is a collection of literary works chosen by the compiler. It may be a collection of poems, short stories, plays, songs, or excerpts...
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...
series published by Quality Comics
Quality Comics
Quality Comics was an American comic book publishing company that operated from 1939 to 1956 and was an influential creative force in what historians and fans call the Golden Age of comic books....
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...
. It featured such characters as The Clock, Black Condor
Black Condor
Black Condor is the name of three fictional characters, DC Comics superheroes who have all been members of the Freedom Fighters. The first Black Condor, Richard Grey Jr., was originally a Quality Comics character.-Quality Comics:...
, Captain Triumph
Captain Triumph
Captain Triumph is a superhero from the Golden Age of Comics who first appeared in Crack Comics #27, published in January 1943 by Quality Comics. The character was later obtained by DC Comics, though by that time he had already lapsed into public domain. Some of his Golden Age adventures were...
, Alias the Spider
Alias the Spider
Alias the Spider was a fairly obscure comic book feature from the Golden Age of Comic Books that appeared in Crack Comics for nearly three years...
, Madame Fatal
Madame Fatal
Madame Fatal is a fictional character and a comic book superhero active during the Golden Age of Comic Books. Madame Fatal was created and originally illustrated by artist/writer Art Pinajian and the debut of the character was in the Crack Comics #1 , a crime/detective anthology series published...
, Jane Arden, Molly the Model, and Red Torpedo. The title "crack" referred to "being at the top of one's form," like a "crack sharpshooter."
Notable contributors to Crack Comics included Alfred Andriola
Alfred Andriola
Alfred James Andriola was an American cartoonist best known for the comic strip Kerry Drake, for which he won a Reuben Award in 1970. His work sometimes appeared under the pseudonym Alfred James....
, George Brenner
George Brenner
George Brenner was an American cartoonist in the mid 1900s. He created comics such as The Clock, Bozo the Iron Man, and 711.He also had a small part as a guest in the 1946 movie The Razor's Edge....
, Gill Fox
Gill Fox
Gilbert Theodore "Gill" Fox was an American political cartoonist, comic book artist and editor, and animator.-Biography:...
, Jack Cole
Jack Cole (artist)
Jack Ralph Cole was an American comic book artist and Playboy magazine cartoonist best known for creating the comedic superhero Plastic Man....
, Paul Gustavson
Paul Gustavson
Paul Gustavson née Karl Paul Gustafson was an American-immigrant comic-book writer and artist. His most notable creations during the Golden Age of Comic Books were The Human Bomb for Quality Comics, and the Angel, who debuted in Marvel Comics #1 , the first publication of Marvel Comics forerunner...
, Klaus Nordling
Klaus Nordling
Klaus Nordling was a Finnish American writer-artist for American comic books. He is best-known for his work on the 1940s masked-crimefighter feature "Lady Luck", and as co-creator of the Marvel Comics superhero the Thin Man. Some of Nordling's earliest comic books are signed F...
, and Art Pinajian
Art pinajian
Art Pinajian was an American artist and comic book creator active from the late 1930s throughout the 1950s, during the Golden Age of Comic Books. He was a member of the Eisner-Iger Studio in 1938-39 and of Funnies, Inc. in 1939-42...
.
Quality Comics published 62 issues of Crack Comics from 1940–1949; the title was temporarily revived in 2011, when the Next Issue Project
Next Issue Project
The Next Issue Project is a series of American comic-book anthology one-shots published by Image Comics beginning in February, 2008. The multi-title project, edited by Erik Larsen, creator of Savage Dragon, features comic book characters that have fallen into the public domain.The premise behind...
published issue "#63."
Publication history
The Clock
The Clock is a fictional masked crime-fighter published during the Golden Age of Comic Books. According to the Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide, the Clock was the first masked hero to appear in American comic books.-Publication history:...
," as well as such newspaper strip reprints as "Rube Goldberg
Rube Goldberg
Reuben Garrett Lucius Goldberg was an American cartoonist, sculptor, author, engineer and inventor.He is best known for a series of popular cartoons depicting complex gadgets that perform simple tasks in indirect, convoluted ways. These devices, now known as Rube Goldberg machines, are similar to...
's Side Show," "Jane Arden," and "Ned Brant," moved over from Quality's Feature Comics
Feature Comics
Feature Comics was a comic book anthology title published in the United States by Quality Comics from 1939 until 1950, that featured short stories in the superhero and humor genres. The series was a continuation of Feature Funnies, a reprint collection of newspaper comic strips that was published...
.
The first use of the publisher name "Quality Comic Group" was on the cover of Crack Comics #5 (Sept. 1940).
With issue #26 (Nov. 1942), at the height of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the title dropped down to a bi-monthly schedule due to wartime paper shortages; and with issue #33 (Spring 1944) it became quarterly, also reducing its page-count to 60. It was around this time that publisher Arnold dropped Eisner & Iger as a "packager" and began producing much of the material in-house. The syndicated newspaper strip reprints "Jane Arden" and "Ned Brant" disappeared during this period, as well as such recurring features as "Black Condor
Black Condor
Black Condor is the name of three fictional characters, DC Comics superheroes who have all been members of the Freedom Fighters. The first Black Condor, Richard Grey Jr., was originally a Quality Comics character.-Quality Comics:...
," "Don Q," and "Snappy."
Cartoonist George Brenner
George Brenner
George Brenner was an American cartoonist in the mid 1900s. He created comics such as The Clock, Bozo the Iron Man, and 711.He also had a small part as a guest in the 1946 movie The Razor's Edge....
became editor of Crack Comics in with issue #31 (Oct. 1943) (Cronin having left the post in Feb. 1942), a few issues before Brenner's character The Clock stopped appearing in the book's pages. Beginning with issue #42 (May 1946) the title went back to a bimonthly schedule, which it maintained until its cancellation with issue #62. (During this time, the title also gradually reduced its page-count from 60 to 52 to 36.) Brenner stayed on as editor almost to the end, leaving the post after issue #61 (July 1949).
Crack Western and Jonesy
As comics readers' tastes changed in the years following World War II, Quality publisher Arnold responded. Starting with issue #63 (Nov. 1949), Crack became a Western comic, changing its name to Crack Western. This format lasted 22 issues until #84 (May 1953), when the title changed again, to Jonesy. Jonesy published one issue with the old numbering system and then re-started (from #2), publishing until issue #8 (Oct. 1954), when it was cancelled for good.Next Issue Project
Following the demise of Crack Comics and later the publisher itself, many of Quality Comics' characters lapsed into the public domainPublic domain
Works are in the public domain if the intellectual property rights have expired, if the intellectual property rights are forfeited, or if they are not covered by intellectual property rights at all...
. In November 2011
2011 in comics
-January:*January 4 Axel Alonso is named editor-in-chief of Marvel Comics, replacing Joe Quesada.-September:*During the whole month of September DC Comics released 52 brand new titles as part of their The New 52 publishing scheme after canceling all titles in August.-Conventions:*July 2–3 -...
, as part of editor Erik Larsen
Erik Larsen
Erik J. Larsen is an American comic book writer, artist and publisher. He is best known for his work on Savage Dragon, as one of the founders of Image Comics, and for his work on Spider-Man for Marvel Comics.-Early life:...
's "Next Issue Project
Next Issue Project
The Next Issue Project is a series of American comic-book anthology one-shots published by Image Comics beginning in February, 2008. The multi-title project, edited by Erik Larsen, creator of Savage Dragon, features comic book characters that have fallen into the public domain.The premise behind...
," Image Comics
Image Comics
Image Comics is a United States comic book publisher. It was founded in 1992 by high-profile illustrators as a venue where creators could publish their material without giving up the copyrights to the characters they created, as creator-owned properties. It was immediately successful, and remains...
published Crack Comics "#63," containing the following stories:
- Captain TriumphCaptain TriumphCaptain Triumph is a superhero from the Golden Age of Comics who first appeared in Crack Comics #27, published in January 1943 by Quality Comics. The character was later obtained by DC Comics, though by that time he had already lapsed into public domain. Some of his Golden Age adventures were...
, written and penciled by Alan WeissAlan Weiss (comics)Alan Weiss is an American comic book artist and writer known for his work on Warlock, Avengers, Captain America, Daredevil, Sub-Mariner and Spider-Man... - The Space Legion, written and illustrated by Chris BurnhamChris BurnhamChris Burnham is a comic book artist best known for his work on Batman, Inc. with Grant Morrison, as well as the creator-owned books such as Officer Downe and Nixon's Pals he's done for Image...
- The ClockThe ClockThe Clock is a fictional masked crime-fighter published during the Golden Age of Comic Books. According to the Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide, the Clock was the first masked hero to appear in American comic books.-Publication history:...
, written and illustrated by Paul MayburyPaul MayburyPaul Maybury is an award winning illustrator and comic book artist living in Austin, Texas.-Biography:Maybury worked for the city of Boston under Mayor Menino as a muralist for several years before pursuing a career in comics.... - Molly the Model, written and illustrated by Terry AustinTerry Austin (comics)Terry Austin is an American comic book artist, working primarily as an inker. He is best known for his work embellishing John Byrne's pencils on The Uncanny X-Men from 1977–1981.-Early life and career:...
- Alias the SpiderAlias the SpiderAlias the Spider was a fairly obscure comic book feature from the Golden Age of Comic Books that appeared in Crack Comics for nearly three years...
, written and illustrated by Adam McGovern and Paolo Leandri - Spitfire, written and illustrated by Herb TrimpeHerb TrimpeHerbert W. "Herb" Trimpe Herbert W. "Herb" Trimpe Herbert W. "Herb" Trimpe (b. May 26, 1939, is an American comic book artist and occasional writer, best known for his work on The Incredible Hulk and as the first artist to draw for publication the character Wolverine, who later became a breakout...
- Slap Happy Pappy, written and illustrated by Joe KeatingeJoe KeatingeJoe Keatinge is an award winning American comic book editor and writer, best known as the co-editor of Popgun with Mark Andrew Smith. He is also a first cousin of Mayhaw Hoons, ex-bassist of Portland, OR indie rock band The Shaky Hands.-Biography:...
- Hack O'Hara (with a cameo by the Space Legion), written and illustrated by Erik LarsenErik LarsenErik J. Larsen is an American comic book writer, artist and publisher. He is best known for his work on Savage Dragon, as one of the founders of Image Comics, and for his work on Spider-Man for Marvel Comics.-Early life:...
- Red Torpedo, written and illustrated by B. Clay MooreB. Clay MooreB. Clay Moore is an American comic book writer, best known for the series Hawaiian Dick.-Career:Moore first achieved notoriety as the writer and co-creator of Hawaiian Dick, first published in 2002 by Image Comics...
, Frank Fosco, and Erik LarsenErik LarsenErik J. Larsen is an American comic book writer, artist and publisher. He is best known for his work on Savage Dragon, as one of the founders of Image Comics, and for his work on Spider-Man for Marvel Comics.-Early life:...
Recurring features
- The Clock: moving over from Feature ComicsFeature ComicsFeature Comics was a comic book anthology title published in the United States by Quality Comics from 1939 until 1950, that featured short stories in the superhero and humor genres. The series was a continuation of Feature Funnies, a reprint collection of newspaper comic strips that was published...
, George BrennerGeorge BrennerGeorge Brenner was an American cartoonist in the mid 1900s. He created comics such as The Clock, Bozo the Iron Man, and 711.He also had a small part as a guest in the 1946 movie The Razor's Edge....
's the Clock was the cover feature of Crack Comics #1, alternating cover appearances with the Black CondorBlack CondorBlack Condor is the name of three fictional characters, DC Comics superheroes who have all been members of the Freedom Fighters. The first Black Condor, Richard Grey Jr., was originally a Quality Comics character.-Quality Comics:...
until issue #19. He was a regular feature in the title — usually as the final story in each issue — until his last appearance, in issue #35 (Autumn 1944). The Clock's spot was taken over by Floogy the Fiji, a jungle comics feature which lasted from issue #36 (Winter 1944) until issue #59 (Mar. 1949). - Black CondorBlack CondorBlack Condor is the name of three fictional characters, DC Comics superheroes who have all been members of the Freedom Fighters. The first Black Condor, Richard Grey Jr., was originally a Quality Comics character.-Quality Comics:...
: A mystery man with the power of flight, the character's adventures were originally written by Will EisnerWill EisnerWilliam Erwin "Will" Eisner was an American comics writer, artist and entrepreneur. He is considered one of the most important contributors to the development of the medium and is known for the cartooning studio he founded; for his highly influential series The Spirit; for his use of comics as an...
and drawn by Lou FineLou FineLouis Kenneth Fine was an American comic book artist known for his work during the 1940s Golden Age of comic books, where his quality draftsmanship became an influential model to a generation of fellow comics artists....
. The Black Condor was the lead feature of Crack from issue #1–26, and a regular feature until issue #31 (Oct. 1943). - Lee Preston of the Red Cross: newspaper strip reprints of Lee Preston, a heroic Red Cross nurse, and her friend Rick Royce, were a feature from issues #1–9 (Jan. 1941), when the strip was replaced by Paul GustavsonPaul GustavsonPaul Gustavson née Karl Paul Gustafson was an American-immigrant comic-book writer and artist. His most notable creations during the Golden Age of Comic Books were The Human Bomb for Quality Comics, and the Angel, who debuted in Marvel Comics #1 , the first publication of Marvel Comics forerunner...
' s Tor the Magic Master. Jim Slade was a photojournalist whose superhero persona was a backward-speaking magician. This feature lasted from issue #10 (Feb. 1941) until issue #26 (Nov. 1942). Beginning with issue #27 (Jan. 1943), Tor's spot was taken by Alfred AndriolaAlfred AndriolaAlfred James Andriola was an American cartoonist best known for the comic strip Kerry Drake, for which he won a Reuben Award in 1970. His work sometimes appeared under the pseudonym Alfred James....
's Captain TriumphCaptain TriumphCaptain Triumph is a superhero from the Golden Age of Comics who first appeared in Crack Comics #27, published in January 1943 by Quality Comics. The character was later obtained by DC Comics, though by that time he had already lapsed into public domain. Some of his Golden Age adventures were...
. Stories of the merged twins (one alive, one dead) who formed the Golden Age superhero were a recurring item — mostly as the cover feature — through to Crack Comics final issue, #62. - Alias the SpiderAlias the SpiderAlias the Spider was a fairly obscure comic book feature from the Golden Age of Comic Books that appeared in Crack Comics for nearly three years...
: Paul GustavsonPaul GustavsonPaul Gustavson née Karl Paul Gustafson was an American-immigrant comic-book writer and artist. His most notable creations during the Golden Age of Comic Books were The Human Bomb for Quality Comics, and the Angel, who debuted in Marvel Comics #1 , the first publication of Marvel Comics forerunner...
's crime-fighting bowman was a regular feature in Crack from issue #1–29 (May 1943), eventually replaced by Bernard Dibble's humor feature Beezy Bumble. Beezy lasted through the rest of Crack Comics' run, ending with issue #62. - Molly the Model: Bernard Dibble's one-page humor strips were featured in every issue of Crack Comics from #1–62.
- Eric Vale: two-page text stories of the adventuresome pilot of a black plane were a regular feature, only missing a few issues, from #1–50 (Sept. 1947).
- Slap Happy Pappy: created by Quality editor Gill FoxGill FoxGilbert Theodore "Gill" Fox was an American political cartoonist, comic book artist and editor, and animator.-Biography:...
, most of the hillbilly character's humorous one-page strips were done by Jack ColeJack Cole (artist)Jack Ralph Cole was an American comic book artist and Playboy magazine cartoonist best known for creating the comedic superhero Plastic Man....
, and were a regular feature from issues #1–49 (July 1947). - Madame FatalMadame FatalMadame Fatal is a fictional character and a comic book superhero active during the Golden Age of Comic Books. Madame Fatal was created and originally illustrated by artist/writer Art Pinajian and the debut of the character was in the Crack Comics #1 , a crime/detective anthology series published...
: Art PinajianArt pinajianArt Pinajian was an American artist and comic book creator active from the late 1930s throughout the 1950s, during the Golden Age of Comic Books. He was a member of the Eisner-Iger Studio in 1938-39 and of Funnies, Inc. in 1939-42...
's cross-dressingCross-dressingCross-dressing is the wearing of clothing and other accoutrement commonly associated with a gender within a particular society that is seen as different than the one usually presented by the dresser...
detective debuted in issue #1, continuing as a feature until issue #22 (Mar. 1942), when it was replaced by Pen Miller, who came over from National ComicsNational Comics (series)National Comics was an anthology comic book series published by Quality Comics, from July, 1940 until November, 1949. It ran for 75 issues....
. Klaus NordlingKlaus NordlingKlaus Nordling was a Finnish American writer-artist for American comic books. He is best-known for his work on the 1940s masked-crimefighter feature "Lady Luck", and as co-creator of the Marvel Comics superhero the Thin Man. Some of Nordling's earliest comic books are signed F...
's cartoonist/detective and his "Chinese houseboy Chop Chu" solved crimes and helped the war effort, lasting as a regular feature from issue #23 (May 1942) until issue #60 (May 1949). - Red Torpedo: SubmarinerSubmarineA submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
Jim Lockhart, created by Henry Kiefer, first appeared in Crack Comics #1 and was a regular feature until issue #20 (Jan. 1942), when he was replaced by Hack O'Hara. O'Hara was a tough New York taxi driver who used his muscles to take down criminals. Hack's stories, illustrated by Witmer Williams, were featured from #21 (Feb. 1942) through issue #62. - Space Legion: Vernon Henkel's science fiction adventures starring Rock Braddon and Commander Crosby were a regular feature from issues #1–18 (Nov. 1941), replaced by Henkel's own Don Q. Don was a crime-fighter whose secret identity was a diplomatic courierDiplomatic courierA diplomatic courier is an official who transports diplomatic bags as sanctioned under the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. Couriers are granted diplomatic immunity and are thereby protected by the receiving state from arrest and detention when performing their work...
for the American government. His adventures appeared in issues #19 (Dec. 1941)–26 (Nov. 1942). - Wizard Wells: Harry Campbell's Wells was a former All-American athlete and a talented inventor who used science to outwit crooks. Wells' sidekicks included Tug, a punch-drunk jack-of-all-trades and Wells' would-be girlfriend Mary Perry. Wells was featured in issues #1–14 (July 1941), when he was replaced by Al McWilliams' Spitfire. The adventures of heroic fighter pilot Tex Adams lasted from issue #15 (Aug. 1941) until issue #27 (Jan. 1943). Spitfire was in turn replaced by Al Stahl's Inkie, who lasted as a feature from #28 (Mar. 1943) until issue #60 (May 1949).
- Rube GoldbergRube GoldbergReuben Garrett Lucius Goldberg was an American cartoonist, sculptor, author, engineer and inventor.He is best known for a series of popular cartoons depicting complex gadgets that perform simple tasks in indirect, convoluted ways. These devices, now known as Rube Goldberg machines, are similar to...
's Side Show: reprints of the cartoonistRube GoldbergReuben Garrett Lucius Goldberg was an American cartoonist, sculptor, author, engineer and inventor.He is best known for a series of popular cartoons depicting complex gadgets that perform simple tasks in indirect, convoluted ways. These devices, now known as Rube Goldberg machines, are similar to...
's newspaper strips were a regular two-page feature in every issue from #1–40 (Winter 1945). - Jane Arden: Reprints of the popular newspaper strip featuring a spunky gal reporter were a regular Crack Comics feature from issues #1–25 (continuing the tradition of Feature ComicsFeature ComicsFeature Comics was a comic book anthology title published in the United States by Quality Comics from 1939 until 1950, that featured short stories in the superhero and humor genres. The series was a continuation of Feature Funnies, a reprint collection of newspaper comic strips that was published...
#21-31). - Ned Brant: a regular feature from issues #1–25 (Sept. 1942), the sports-related stories were syndicated newspaper strip reprints by writer Robert ZuppkeRobert ZuppkeRobert Carl Zuppke was an American football coach. He served the head coach at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign from 1913 until 1941, compiling a career college football record of 131–81–12. Inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1951, Zuppke coached his...
and artist Walt Depew. - Snappy: Arthur Beeman's one-pager humor strips debuted in issue #5 (Sept. 1940), lasting until #26 (Nov. 1942).
Other characters of note who appeared in Crack Comics included Batch Bachelor, Biff Banks, Black Shark, Dewey Drip, Kiki Kelly, and Yankee Guerilla.