Holyoke Publishing
Founded | 1942 |
---|---|
Defunct | 1948 |
Country of origin | Comic books |
Fiction genres | Superhero, war, humor |
The Holyoke Publishing Company was an American magazine and
Holyoke is sometimes confused with companies owned by Frank Z. Temerson, including Helnit, Et-Es-Go, and Continental; with Worth Carnahan's Bilbara Publishing Company; and with Temerson's art director L. B. Cole's packaging clients Narrative Publishers and Aviation Press.
Publication history
Holyoke Publishing originated with Sherman Bowles, who had taken over his family's
The two titles acquired from Heinit reverted to Temerson's new company Et-Es-Go Magazines (later Continental Magazines) following Holyoke's Cat-Man Comics vol. 3, #7, the overall 17th issue, and Captain Aero Comics vol. 2, #4, the overall 10th issue (both Jan. 1943).[4][5] Later that year, Fox won Blue Beetle back in a lawsuit;[2] Holyoke's final issue was #30 (Feb. 1944).[9]
By 1949, Holyoke Publishing was based in Springfield, Massachusetts and published The Open Road for Boys magazine.[10][11] Holyoke Publishing leased commercial space at 1475 Broadway in Manhattan in April 1944.[12]
Confusion with Temerson titles
Because of incomplete documentation of the early days of the American comic book, some sources misstate Holyoke's role. One common resource, for example, erroneously refers to Holyoke "imprints including Et-Es-Go Mags, Continental Magazines, Helnit Publishing Co. and Tem Publishing Co."[13] The book The Comic Book in America erroneously states that Holyoke "entered the comic-book superhero business with Crash Comics (May 1940)....",[14] though Crash Comics Adventures was a Temerson title predating Holyoke.[15] That book also erroneously claims Temerson as the Holyoke founder, writing, "Temerson also changed his company's name to Holyoke Publishing," and additionally claims, "By 1943, Holyoke was known as Continental Publishing."[16] Howard Keltner's Golden Age Comic Index 1935-1955 (Revised Edition) groups Bilbara, Tem, Helnit, Et-Es-Go, Narrative Publishers and Aviation Press with Holyoke.[17] Narrative and Aviation were both clients of Temerson's art director, L. B. Cole, giving their publications a similar look.[3]
As well, notes the standard reference the Grand Comics Database, the Bilbara Publishing Company, one of publisher Worth Carnahan's companies, "has often been erroneously tied to Holyoke and to Frank Z. Temerson's companies because [artist] Charles Quinlan was involved in this and other Carnahan ventures, and took the character name 'Volton' (but not any other aspect of the character) with him to Helnit/Holyoke. Also, Bilbara's Cyclone Comics (featuring a character called Tornado Tom) appeared at the same time that one of Temerson's earlier companies produced Whirlwind Comics (featuring a character called Cyclone)."[18]
Creators
Among comics creators who did some of their earliest work at Holyoke are
Sherman Bowles
Sherman Hoar Bowles was the scion of three generations of men named Sam Bowles who ran the
Bowles later also became an official of the Atlas Tack Company in
Bowles died March 3, 1952, age 61,
Titles
Comic books[2]
- Blue Beetle — 19 issues, #12-30 (June 1942 – Feb. 1944)
- Captain Aero Comics — 9 issues, vol. 1, #8 (2) - vol. 2, #4 (10) (Feb. 1942 – Jan. 1943)
- Cat-Man Comics — 12 issues, vol. 1, #11 (6) - vol. 3, #7 (17) (Jan. 1942 - Jan. 1943)
- Sparkling Stars — 32 issues, #1-33 (no #32 published) (June 1944 - March 1948)
Uncertain:
- Holyoke One-Shot — A series of 10 comics, individually titled but sequentially numbered, are listed under this name in the Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide. Published in 1944 and possibly 1945, they consist of reprints of prewar material originally published by Frank Z. Temerson companies. Undated, they contain no publishing information and it is unclear who published them.[26]
- Veri Best Sure Fire — The Grand Comics Database notes, "Exact publication date is unknown. Several stories are continued in Captain Aero #11. Thus, this is most likely a renamed inventory issue of Captain Aero Comics with hitherto unpublished stories."[27] "Same as Veri Best Sure Shot Comics?"[28]
- Veri Best Sure Shot — As noted above under Veri Best Sure Fire
Characters
Originated at Holyoke
- Ali Baba
- Blackout (continued at Frank Temerson's companies)
- Boxie Weaver
- Gargoyle
- Hell's Angels
- Phantom Falcon
- Red Cross (continued at Frank Temerson's companies)
- Tiger Squadron
- Volton (unrelated to Bilbara's Volton the Human Generator (Guy Newton))
Originated at Frank Z. Temerson companies
- Alias X
- Captain Aero
- Cat-Man
- Commandos of the Devil Dogs
- Deacon
- Flagman
- Hood)
- Miss Victory
- Pied Piper (published by Helnit and Holoyoke only)
- Ragman (unrelated to Ragman)
- Solar (last published by Holyoke before Temerson reclaimed characters)
Originated at Fox Publications
Appearing in Temerson titles and Holyoke One Shot
References
- ^ Lewiston Evening Journal. March 3, 1952. p. 2.
- ^ a b c d "Holyoke (1942-1946) at the Grand Comics Database
- ^ a b Temerson / Helnit / Continental (1940 - 1950) at the Grand Comics Database
- ^ a b Cat-Man Comics (Holyoke, 1942 Series) at the Grand Comics Database
- ^ a b Captain Aero Comics (Holyoke, 1942 Series) at the Grand Comics Database
- ^ "Worth Carnahan (1939-1940) at the Grand Comics Database
- ^ Fox Feature Syndicate at Don Markstein's Toonopedia
- ^ Fox Publications at the Grand Comics Database
- ^ a b Blue Beetle (Holyoke, 1942 Series) at the Grand Comics Database
- United States Patent Office. 1949. p. 350.
- ^ Printers' Ink, Volume 243. Printers' Ink Publishing Company. 1953. p. 10.
- ^ "WFA Is Expanding Broadway Space" (PDF). The New York Times. April 28, 1944.
- ^ Holyoke at An International Catalogue of Superheroes
- ISBN 0-87833-659-1.
- ^ Crash Comics Adventures (Temerson / Helnit / Continental, 1940 Series) at the Grand Comics Database
- ^ Benton, p. 129
- ^ "Golden Age Comics Index 1935-1955 (Revised Edition)" (PDF). TwoMorrows Publishing. pp. 277–288. Retrieved 28 May 2012.
- ^ Worth Carnahan : Bilbara Publishing Co., Inc. (Indicia Publisher) at the Grand Comics Database
- Lambiek Comiclopedia
- ^ Dan Barry at the Lambiek Comiclopedia
- Two Morrows Publishing. p. 18.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "Sherman Bowles, Publisher, Was 61" (PDF). The New York Times. March 4, 1952.. Abstract.
- ^ "New Directors for Reo Motors" (PDF). The New York Times. May 20, 1943.
- ^ "Alliance Company Elects" (PDF). The New York Times. March 15, 1952.
- ^ "Amy Slade to Web Philip Wheaton" (PDF). The New York Times. October 20, 1974.
- ^ [Holyoke One-Shot] (Holyoke, 1944) at the Grand Comics Database
- ^ Veri Best Sure Fire Comics #1 ([circa 1943]) Holyoke, 1943 Series at the Grand Comics Database
- ^ Veri Best Sure Fire Comics (Holyoke, 1943) at the Grand Comics Database
External links
External videos | |
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The Lost Heroes of Holyoke, FizzPop via Youtube |
- Cat-Man and Kitten at Don Markstein's Toonopedia
- Hughes, Bob, ed. (March 25, 2012). "Frank Temerson". Who's Whose in DC Comics / DCComicsArtists.com. Archived from the original on June 4, 2011. Retrieved May 28, 2012. (fan site)