I.W. Publications (also known as Super Comics) was a short-lived comic book publisher in the late 1950s and early 1960s. The company was part of I.W. Enterprises, and named for the company's owner, Israel Waldman. I.W. Publications was notable for publishing unauthorized reprints of other publishers' properties. Usually these companies were already out of business — but not always. I.W. Publications published comics in a wide variety of genres, including crime, science fiction, Western,

horror Horror may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Genres *Horror fiction, a genre of fiction ** Japanese horror, Japanese horror fiction **Korean horror, Korean horror fiction * Horror film, a film genre *Horror comics, comic books focusing o ...

, war and romance comics, as well as

cartoon animal Talking animals are a common element in mythology and folk tales, children's literature, and modern comic books and animated cartoons. Fictional talking animals often are anthropomorphic, possessing human-like qualities (such as bipedal walkin ...

and

superhero A superhero or superheroine is a stock character that typically possesses ''superpowers'', abilities beyond those of ordinary people, and fits the role of the hero, typically using his or her powers to help the world become a better place, ...

titles. The company was known for its low-budget products: most of I.W.'s comics were sold in

grocery A grocery store ( AE), grocery shop ( BE) or simply grocery is a store that primarily retails a general range of food products, which may be fresh or packaged. In everyday U.S. usage, however, "grocery store" is a synonym for supermarket, an ...

and discount stores, often in "three comics for a quarter" plastic bags.Arndt, Richard J
''Horror Comics in Black and White: A History and Catalog, 1964-2004''
(McFarland, 2013), p. 162. The numbering of most of the company's titles is misleading, often not starting at issue #1 and skipping issue numbers. Incredibly, the company produced 118 separate titles, but only 332 individual issues — many titles only published a single issue. The company published one comic book with original material: ''Marty Mouse'' #1 (1958), featuring talking animal stories by Vincent Fago, among others. Some I.W./Super Comics titles used original cover art: illustrators included

Jack Abel Jack Abel (July 15, 1927 – March 6, 1996)
at the Lambiek Comiclopedia. November 24, 2009. was an United States of Amer ...

Ross Andru Ross Andru (; born Rostislav Androuchkevitch, June 15, 1927 – November 9, 1993) Part 1: Animation: We Leave the Army", p. 21. In 1948, Andru's first professional work as a comic strip illustrator was drawing layouts for the ''Tarzan (comics), T ...

Sol Brodsky Soloman Brodsky (April 22, 1923 – June 4, 1984) was an American comic book artist who, as Marvel Comics' Silver Age production manager, was one of the key architects of the small company's expansion to a major pop culture conglomerate. He ...

Carl Burgos Carl Burgos (; born Max Finkelstein ; April 18, 1916 – March 1, 1984) Note: Gives only month and year of death. was an American comic book and advertising artist best known for creating the original Human Torch in ''Marvel Comics'' #1 (Oct. 193 ...

, Mike Esposito, and John Severin, with lettering by Ben Oda.

History

Following the publication of

Fredric Wertham Fredric Wertham (; born Friedrich Ignatz Wertheimer, March 20, 1895 – November 18, 1981) was a German-American psychiatrist and author. Wertham had an early reputation as a progressive psychiatrist who treated poor black patients at his Lafargue ...

's '' Seduction of the Innocent'' and the 1954 comic book hearings of the United States Senate Subcommittee on Juvenile Delinquency, many comic book publishers closed down shop in the years 1954–1956. Other than I.W., no new publishers debuted in 1958. Comics historian Don Markstein explained the company's methods: The company started publishing in 1958, with comics originally published by

Avon Comics Avon Publications is one of the leading publishers of romance fiction. At Avon's initial stages, it was an American paperback book and comic book publisher. The shift in content occurred in the early 1970s with multiple Avon romance titles reach ...

, Fiction House, Magazine Enterprises, and others. Many of these comics had the tagline "A Top Quality Comics." After releasing a great quantity of comics in 1958, the company went on hiatus until 1963, when it again released a number of comics up into 1964. The latter half of the company's existence, it published comics under the Super Comics name. Many of these titles were reprints of Toby Press, Avon, Magazine Enterprises, and Quality Comics. Many of these titles had the tagline "Super Comics Seal of Quality." I.W. Publications went out of business in 1964. Waldman would later be involved with the short-lived black-and-white comics magazines publisher

Skywald Publications Skywald Publications was an American publisher of black-and-white comics magazines, primarily the horror anthologies ''Nightmare'', ''Psycho'', and ''Scream''. It also published a small line of comic books and other genre magazines. Skywald's or ...

in the 1970s.

Publishers whose work was reprinted in I.W. Publications 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 of Comic Books. The title reprinted syndicated newspaper strips owned by King Features Syndicate, follow ...

(defunct, 1956) *

(defunct, 1956) * Baily Publishing Company (defunct, 1946) *

Cambridge House Publishers Cambridge ( ) is a university city and the county town in Cambridgeshire, England. It is located on the River Cam approximately north of London. As of the 2021 United Kingdom census, the population of Cambridge was 145,700. Cambridge bec ...

(defunct, 1945) * Chesler / Dynamic (defunct, 1946) *

Comic Media Comic Media was a short-lived comic book company owned by Allen Hardy that existed in the 1950s. Its titles were mainly action/adventure, western, and horror. Its most notable character was Johnny Dynamite, created by Pete Morisi. The main arti ...

(defunct, 1954) * Decker (defunct, 1957) * EC Comics (defunct as comics publisher, 1956) *

Farrell Publications Farrell Publications is the name of a series of American comic book publishing companies founded and operated by Robert W. Farrell in the 1940s and 1950s, including Elliot Publishing Company, Farrell Comic Group, and Excellent Publications. Farrel ...

Four Star Publications Farrell Publications is the name of a series of American comic book publishing companies founded and operated by Robert W. Farrell in the 1940s and 1950s, including Elliot Publishing Company, Farrell Comic Group, and Excellent Publications. Farrell ...

(defunct, 1958) * Fiction House (defunct, 1955) *

Fox Feature Syndicate Fox Feature Syndicate (also known as Fox Comics, Fox Publications, and Bruns Publications, Inc.) was a comic book publisher from early in the period known to fans and historians as the Golden Age of Comic Books. Founded by entrepreneur Victor S. ...

(defunct, 1950) * Green Publishing (defunct, 1957) * Iger Studios (defunct, 1955) * Key Publications (defunct, 1956) * Kiddie Kapers Company (defunct, 1945) * Magazine Enterprises (defunct, 1958) *

Mainline Publications Mainline Publications, also called Mainline Comics, was a short-lived, 1950s American comic book publisher established and owned by Jack Kirby and Joe Simon. Foundation With the 1950s backlash against comics, led by the psychiatrist Fredric Werth ...

(defunct, 1956) * Master Comics (defunct, 1955) * Medal Comics / Timor Publications (

Stanley Morse Key Publications was an American comic-book company founded by Stanley P. Morse that published under the imprints Aragon Magazines, Gillmor Magazines, Medal Comics, Media Publications, S. P. M. Publications, Stanmor Publications, and ...

) (defunct, 1956) * Nesbit (defunct, 1955) * Novack Publishing (defunct, 1945) * Novelty/Premium/Curtis (defunct, 1949) * Prize Comics * Quality Comics (defunct, 1956) * Reston Publications (defunct, 1955) *

Spark Publications Spark Publications was a short-lived comic book publisher in the mid-1940s, during the Golden Age of Comic Books. The company was established and owned by Ken Crossen, who was the creator and writer of the Green Lama. Most of their comics was ...

(defunct, 1946) *

St. John Publications St. John Publications was an American publisher of magazines and comic books. During the 1947-1958 existence of its comic-book division, St. John established several industry firsts. Founded by Archer St. John, the firm was located in Manhattan a ...

(defunct, 1958) * Stanhall Publishing (defunct, 1954) *

Star Publications Star Publications, Inc. was a Golden Age American comic book publisher, operating during the years 1949–1954. Founded by artist/editor L.B. Cole and lawyer Gerhard Kramer,

(defunct, 1954) * Superior Publishers Limited (defunct, 1956) * Timely Comics /

Atlas Comics Atlas Comics may refer to * Atlas Comics (1950s) Atlas Comics is the 1950s comic book, comic-book publishing label that evolved into Marvel Comics. Magazine and mass market paperback, paperback novel publisher Martin Goodman (publisher), Martin ...

/ Marvel Comics * Toby Press (defunct, 1955) * Youthful (defunct, 1954) *

Ziff-Davis Comics Ziff Davis, Inc. is an American digital media and internet company. First founded in 1927 by William Bernard Ziff Sr. and Bernard George Davis, the company primarily owns technology-oriented media websites, online shopping-related services, an ...

(defunct, 1953)

Titles

Notes

References

* * Brennan, T. Casey. "The Untold History of I.W. Comics," ''The Comics Journal'' #57 (June 1980), pp. 118–119. {{Authority control Comic book publishing companies of the United States Defunct comics and manga publishing companies