David McKay Publications
Encyclopedia
David McKay Publications (also known as David McKay Company) was an American
book publisher which also published some of the first comic book
s, including the long-running titles Ace Comics
, King Comics, and Magic Comics; as well as collections of such popular comic strip
s as Blondie
, Dick Tracy
, and Mandrake the Magician
. McKay was also the publisher of the Fodor's
travel guides.
At age 25, McKay published the first collected set of Shakespeare’s works in the United States. By December 1905, McKay had absorbed many rival publishing houses into his own, and was publishing books in almost every popular genre of the time, including world literature, textbooks, and a number of children’s books.
strips in King Comics, and in 1937 followed with the Ace Comics
title. Ace Comics #11, the first appearance of The Phantom, is regarded by many to be a key issue in the history of comics, as it introduced one of the first of the costumed heroes, leading to the Golden Age
of superheroes in comics.
McKay’s son Alexander would follow in his father’s shoes by taking over the house to go on to publish Walt Disney
’s first Mickey Mouse
comics, the Blondie and Dagwood
comic series, and numerous other notable works. David McKay Publications essentially ceased publishing comics in 1950.
Random House
purchased David McKay Publications in 1986.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
book publisher which also published some of the first 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...
s, including the long-running titles Ace Comics
Ace Comics
Ace Comics was a comic book series published by David McKay Publications between 1937 and 1949 — starting just before the Golden Age era of comics...
, King Comics, and Magic Comics; as well as collections of such popular comic strip
Comic strip
A comic strip is a sequence of drawings arranged in interrelated panels to display brief humor or form a narrative, often serialized, with text in balloons and captions....
s as Blondie
Blondie (comic strip)
Blondie is an American comic strip created by cartoonist Chic Young. Distributed by King Features Syndicate, the strip has been published in newspapers since September 8, 1930...
, Dick Tracy
Dick Tracy
Dick Tracy is a comic strip featuring Dick Tracy, a hard-hitting, fast-shooting and intelligent police detective. Created by Chester Gould, the strip made its debut on October 4, 1931, in the Detroit Mirror. It was distributed by the Chicago Tribune New York News Syndicate...
, and Mandrake the Magician
Mandrake the Magician
Mandrake the Magician is a syndicated newspaper comic strip, created by Lee Falk , which began June 11, 1934. Phil Davis soon took over as the strip's illustrator, while Falk continued to script. The strip was distributed by King Features Syndicate.Davis worked on the strip until his death in 1964,...
. McKay was also the publisher of the Fodor's
Fodor's
Fodor's is the world's largest publisher of English language travel and tourism information, and the first relatively professional producer of travel guidebooks...
travel guides.
History
David McKay was born in Dysart, Scotland, on June 24, 1860. At the age of 11, he came to the United States with his parents. At the age of 13, he began working for J. B. Lippincott & Co., learning the bookselling trade. By the age of 21, he was placed in charge of the miscellaneous catalog of books by publisher Rees Welsh. One year later, upon hearing McKay had been offered a position with a rival publisher, Welsh asked McKay to take the helm, offering to sell the entire publishing firm to him. In September 1882, with $500 of his own money and $2,500 in borrowed money and notes, McKay began his own publishing company on South 9th Street in Philadelphia.At age 25, McKay published the first collected set of Shakespeare’s works in the United States. By December 1905, McKay had absorbed many rival publishing houses into his own, and was publishing books in almost every popular genre of the time, including world literature, textbooks, and a number of children’s books.
Comics
In 1935, the company recognized the potential of the comic book medium and began selling collections of such popular strips as Henry and Popeye. In 1936 they began publishing collections of King Features SyndicateKing Features Syndicate
King Features Syndicate, a print syndication company owned by The Hearst Corporation, distributes about 150 comic strips, newspaper columns, editorial cartoons, puzzles and games to nearly 5000 newspapers worldwide...
strips in King Comics, and in 1937 followed with the Ace Comics
Ace Comics
Ace Comics was a comic book series published by David McKay Publications between 1937 and 1949 — starting just before the Golden Age era of comics...
title. Ace Comics #11, the first appearance of The Phantom, is regarded by many to be a key issue in the history of comics, as it introduced one of the first of the costumed heroes, leading to the Golden Age
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...
of superheroes in comics.
McKay’s son Alexander would follow in his father’s shoes by taking over the house to go on to publish Walt Disney
Walt Disney
Walter Elias "Walt" Disney was an American film producer, director, screenwriter, voice actor, animator, entrepreneur, entertainer, international icon, and philanthropist, well-known for his influence in the field of entertainment during the 20th century. Along with his brother Roy O...
’s first Mickey Mouse
Mickey Mouse (comics)
Mickey Mouse is a comic book series that has a long-running history, first appearing in 1941 as part of the Four Color one-shot series...
comics, the Blondie and Dagwood
Blondie (comic strip)
Blondie is an American comic strip created by cartoonist Chic Young. Distributed by King Features Syndicate, the strip has been published in newspapers since September 8, 1930...
comic series, and numerous other notable works. David McKay Publications essentially ceased publishing comics in 1950.
Acquisitions and demise
In 1973, David McKay Publications purchased Henry Z. Walck Publications, a publisher of scholarly and children's books.Random House
Random House
Random House, Inc. is the largest general-interest trade book publisher in the world. It has been owned since 1998 by the German private media corporation Bertelsmann and has become the umbrella brand for Bertelsmann book publishing. Random House also has a movie production arm, Random House Films,...
purchased David McKay Publications in 1986.
Titles
- Ace ComicsAce ComicsAce Comics was a comic book series published by David McKay Publications between 1937 and 1949 — starting just before the Golden Age era of comics...
(1937–1950) - American Library (1943-1944)
- Barney BaxterBarney BaxterBarney Baxter in the Air was a comic strip by Frank Miller. It started its run in 1935 for the Denver's Rocky Mountain News and later was syndicated by King Features....
(1938) - BlondieBlondie (comic strip)Blondie is an American comic strip created by cartoonist Chic Young. Distributed by King Features Syndicate, the strip has been published in newspapers since September 8, 1930...
(1942) - Blondie ComicsBlondie (comic strip)Blondie is an American comic strip created by cartoonist Chic Young. Distributed by King Features Syndicate, the strip has been published in newspapers since September 8, 1930...
(Spring 1947-December 1949/January 1950) - Blondie: 100 Selected Top-Laughs of America's Best Loved ComicBlondie (comic strip)Blondie is an American comic strip created by cartoonist Chic Young. Distributed by King Features Syndicate, the strip has been published in newspapers since September 8, 1930...
(1944) - Dick TracyDick TracyDick Tracy is a comic strip featuring Dick Tracy, a hard-hitting, fast-shooting and intelligent police detective. Created by Chester Gould, the strip made its debut on October 4, 1931, in the Detroit Mirror. It was distributed by the Chicago Tribune New York News Syndicate...
(1937) - Feature Book (May 1937-1948)
- Mandrake the MagicianMandrake the MagicianMandrake the Magician is a syndicated newspaper comic strip, created by Lee Falk , which began June 11, 1934. Phil Davis soon took over as the strip's illustrator, while Falk continued to script. The strip was distributed by King Features Syndicate.Davis worked on the strip until his death in 1964,...
(1938) - Perry Mason (1946)
- Phantom (1939)
- Prince ValiantPrince ValiantPrince Valiant in the Days of King Arthur, or simply Prince Valiant, is a long-run comic strip created by Hal Foster in 1937. It is an epic adventure that has told a continuous story during its entire history, and the full stretch of that story now totals more than 3700 Sunday strips...
(1941)
- Mandrake the Magician
- Future Comics (1940)
- Henry (1935)
- The Katzenjammer Kids (Summer 1947-circa 1949)
- King Comics (April 1936-November/December 1949)
- Little Annie RooneyLittle Annie RooneyLittle Annie Rooney was a comic strip about a young orphaned girl who traveled about with her dog, Zero. King Features Syndicate launched the strip on January 10, 1927, not long after it was apparent that the Chicago Tribune Syndicate had scored a huge hit with Little Orphan Annie.Although the King...
(1935) - Little Orphan Annie and the KidnappersLittle Orphan AnnieLittle Orphan Annie was a daily American comic strip created by Harold Gray and syndicated by Tribune Media Services. The strip took its name from the 1885 poem "Little Orphant Annie" by James Whitcomb Riley, and made its debut on August 5, 1924 in the New York Daily News...
(1941, giveaway) - Little Orphan Annie Popped Wheat GiveawayLittle Orphan AnnieLittle Orphan Annie was a daily American comic strip created by Harold Gray and syndicated by Tribune Media Services. The strip took its name from the 1885 poem "Little Orphant Annie" by James Whitcomb Riley, and made its debut on August 5, 1924 in the New York Daily News...
(1947) - Magic Comics (1939–1950)
- Popeye (1935)
- The Romance of Flying (circa late 1942)
- They'll Do It Every TimeThey'll Do It Every TimeThey'll Do It Every Time was a single-panel newspaper comic strip, created by Jimmy Hatlo, which had a long run over eight decades. It first appeared on February 5, 1929 and continued until February 2, 2008. The title of the strip became a popular catchphrase, still used today by many people who...
(by Jimmy HatloJimmy HatloJames Cecil Hatlo , better known as Jimmy Hatlo, was an American cartoonist who created in 1929 the long-running comic strip and gag panel They'll Do It Every Time, which he wrote and drew until his death in 1963...
, 1939) - Conquest of Peru - Prescot