Standard Comics was a

comic book A comic book, also called comicbook, comic magazine or (in the United Kingdom and Ireland) simply comic, is a publication that consists of comics art in the form of sequential juxtaposed panel (comics), panels that represent individual scenes. ...

imprint of American publisher Ned Pines, who also published

pulp magazines Pulp magazines (also referred to as "the pulps") were inexpensive fiction magazines that were published from 1896 to the late 1950s. The term "pulp" derives from the cheap wood pulp paper on which the magazines were printed. In contrast, magazine ...

(under a variety of company names that he also used for the comics) and

paperback A paperback (softcover, softback) book is one with a thick paper or paperboard cover, and often held together with glue rather than stitches or staples. In contrast, hardcover (hardback) books are bound with cardboard covered with cloth, le ...

books (under the Popular Library name). Standard in turn was the parent company of two comic-book lines: BetterBetter
at the Grand Comics Database. and Nedor Publishing.Nedor Publishing
at the Grand Comics Database. Collectors and historians sometimes refer to them collectively as "Standard/Better/Nedor".

History

In business from 1939 to 1956, Standard was a prolific publisher during the

Golden Age of comic books The Golden Age of Comic Books describes an era of American comic books from 1938 to 1956. During this time, modern comic books were first published and rapidly increased in popularity. The superhero archetype was created and many well-known cha ...

. Its best-known character, initially published under the Better imprint, is the Black Terror. In June 1949, the Better and Nedor imprints were consolidated as the Standard Comics line, with a "Standard Comics" flag-like cover logo. The titles previously had no publisher logo. In 1956, Standard ended, and only two titles continued, published by Pines Comics. This last venture also incorporated several titles from the defunct St. John Publications. Most titles went to other publishers after the company folded in 1959. Beginning in the 1980s, Standard/Better/Nedor characters have been revived by other publishers. Publisher Bill Black used many of them in his 1980s imprint Americomics (later shortened to AC Comics). Many of the female heroes are members of the AC Comics superhero team Femforce. In the 2000s, Standard/Better/Nedor characters have appeared in writer

Alan Moore Alan Moore (born 18 November 1953) is an English author known primarily for his work in comic books including ''Watchmen'', '' V for Vendetta'', ''The Ballad of Halo Jones'', ''Swamp Thing'', ''Batman:'' ''The Killing Joke'', and ''From Hell ...

's comic book series '' Tom Strong'' and its spin-off '' Terra Obscura''.

Marvel Comics Marvel Comics is an American comic book publisher and the flagship property of Marvel Entertainment, a divsion of The Walt Disney Company since September 1, 2009. Evolving from Timely Comics in 1939, ''Magazine Management/Atlas Comics'' in 19 ...

used the names American Eagle, Grim Reaper, and Wonder Man for its own, different characters. The eight-issue

miniseries A miniseries or mini-series is a television series that tells a story in a predetermined, limited number of episodes. "Limited series" is another more recent US term which is sometimes used interchangeably. , the popularity of miniseries format ...

'' Project Superpowers'' #0–7 (Jan.–Oct. 2008), published by Dynamite Entertainment, resurrected a number of Golden Age superheroes, including those originally published by Fox Feature Syndicate, Crestwood Publications, and Standard/Better/Nedor, many of which are assumed to be in the public domain but may not be.

Titles

Superheroes

* American Crusader * American Eagle * Black Terror * Captain Future (not to be confused with the pulp hero) *

Cavalier The term Cavalier () was first used by Roundheads as a term of abuse for the wealthier royalist supporters of King Charles I and his son Charles II of England during the English Civil War, the Interregnum, and the Restoration (1642 – ). It ...

* Doc Strange (Tom Strange) * Fighting Yank * Four Comrades *

Ghost A ghost is the soul (spirit), soul or spirit of a dead Human, person or animal that is believed to be able to appear to the living. In ghostlore, descriptions of ghosts vary widely from an invisible presence to translucent or barely visibl ...

(also known as Green Ghost) *

Grim Reaper Death is frequently imagined as a personified force. In some mythologies, a character known as the Grim Reaper (usually depicted as a berobed skeleton wielding a scythe) causes the victim's death by coming to collect that person's soul. Other b ...

Judy of the Jungle Judy of the Jungle is a fictional character from the Golden Age of Comics; she appeared in comic books published by Nedor Comics. She first appeared in print in ''Exciting Comics'' #55 (May 1947). Judy is raised by her naturalist father in the A ...

Kara the Jungle Princess Standard Comics was a comic book imprint of American publisher Ned Pines, who also published pulp magazines (under a variety of company names that he also used for the comics) and paperback books (under the Popular Library name). Standard i ...

* Lance Lewis, Space Detective *

Liberator Liberator or The Liberators or ''variation'', may refer to: Literature * ''Liberators'' (novel), a 2009 novel by James Wesley Rawles * ''The Liberators'' (Suvorov book), a 1981 book by Victor Suvorov * ''The Liberators'' (comic book), a Britis ...

* Lone Eagle * Magnet * Major Mars * Mask (based on the Black Bat) * Masked Rider * Mechano * Miss Masque * Mystico * The Oracle * Phantom Detective (based on the pulp hero) * Phantom Soldier * Princess Pantha *

Pyroman Pyroman is a fictional superhero that appeared in comic books published by Nedor Comics. His first appearance was in ''Startling Comics'' #18 (December 1942), with art by Jack Binder. This character was later revived by both AC Comics and Ameri ...

* Red Mask * Rick Howard, Mystery Rider * Scarab * Silver Knight * Spectro * SupermouseSupermouse, The Big Cheese
at Don Markstein's Toonopedia
Archived
from the original on January 1, 2018. * Thesson (Nedor) * The Woman in Red * Wonder Man

References

External links

* Nolan, Michelle
"Exciting, Startling and Thrilling Comics"
"Nolan's Niche" (column), ''CGC E-Newsletter'' vol. 2, #5, May 2003

* Nolan, Michelle

"Nolan's Niche" (column), ''CGC E-Newsletter'' vol. 3, #10, October 20034

{{Comic book publishers in North America navbox Nedor Comics Defunct comics and manga publishing companies 1936 establishments in New York City