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 panels that represent individual scenes. Panels are of ...
imprint of King Features Syndicate, was an attempt by King Features to publish comics of its own characters, rather than through other publishers. A few King Comics titles were picked up from
Gold Key Comics
Gold Key Comics was originally an imprint of American company Western Publishing, created for comic books distributed to newsstands. Also known as Whitman Comics, Gold Key operated this way from 1962 to 1984. Currently, Gold Key Comics is owned b ...
. King Features placed former Gold Key editor Bill Harris in charge of the line.John Wells and Keith Dallas, ''American comic book chronicles: the 1960s,1965-1969'' Raleigh, North Carolina : TwoMorrows Publishing, 2014. (p. 141-5, 150-2)
The line ran for approximately a year and a half, with its series cover-dated from August 1966 to December 1967.Batton Lash,"Introduction" to ''Flash Gordon Comic-Book archives:Volume 2''. Milwaukie, Or. :Dark Horse Books, 2010. (p.6-7). The King Comics ''Flash Gordon'' title was well-received, winning three Alley Awards in 1966 and another in 1967. The series had distribution problems throughout its run. Several distributors refused to take the King Comics because their first issues lacked a
Comics Code Authority
The Comics Code Authority (CCA) was formed in 1954 by the Comics Magazine Association of America as an alternative to government regulation. The CCA allowed the comic publishers to self-regulate the content of comic books in the United States. ...
seal; King subsequently obtained a CCA seal on all later King Comics issues. King Features tried to overcome the distribution problem by selling its titles in special "King Paks" of three to variety stores and supermarkets. This tactic failed to gain more readers, and the King Comics line was discontinued.
Many stories created for King Comics were later published in the continuation of most of King's titles by
Charlton Comics
Charlton Comics was an American comic book publishing company that existed from 1945 to 1986, having begun under a different name: T.W.O. Charles Company, in 1940. It was based in Derby, Connecticut. The comic-book line was a division of Charlton ...
Beetle Bailey
''Beetle Bailey'' is an American comic strip created by cartoonist Mort Walker, published since September 4, 1950. It is set on a fictional United States Army post. In the years just before Walker's death in 2018 (at age 94), it was among the old ...
'' #54-65 (Aug. 1966 - Dec. 1967), continued from Gold Key, continued by Charlton with #67 (#66 sold overseas only by King)
* '' Blondie Comics'' #164-175 (Aug. 1966 - Dec. 1967), continued from
Harvey Comics
Harvey Comics (also known as Harvey World Famous Comics, Harvey Publications, Harvey Comics Entertainment, Harvey Hits, Harvey Illustrated Humor, and Harvey Picture Magazines) was an American comic book publisher, founded in New York City by A ...
, continued by Charlton with #177 (no #176 was published)
* '' Flash Gordon'' #1-11 (Sept. 1966 - Dec. 1967), continued by Charlton
* ''
Jungle Jim
Jungle Jim is the fictional hero of a series of jungle adventures in various media. The series began on January 7, 1934, as an American newspaper comic strip chronicling the adventures of Asia-based hunter Jim Bradley, who was nicknamed Jungle J ...
'' #5 (Dec. 67), reprinted
Dell Comics
Dell Comics was the comic book publishing arm of Dell Publishing, which got its start in pulp magazines. It published comics from 1929 to 1974. At its peak, it was the most prominent and successful American company in the medium.Evanier, Mark" ...
' issue #5, continued by Charlton using Dell's numbering
* '' Mandrake the Magician'' #1-10 (Sept. 1966 - Nov. 1967)
* ''
The Phantom
''The Phantom'' is an American adventure comic strip, first published by Lee Falk in February 1936. The main character, the Phantom, is a fictional costumed crime-fighter who operates from the fictional African country of Bangalla. The char ...
'' #18-28 (Sept. 1966 - Dec. 1967), continued from Gold Key, continued by Charlton
* ''
Popeye
Popeye the Sailor Man is a fictional cartoon character created by Elzie Crisler Segar.Ace Comics
* Disney comics
*
The Sunday Funnies
''The Sunday Funnies'' is a publication reprinting vintage Sunday comic strips at a large size (16"x22") in color. The format is similar to that traditionally used by newspapers to publish color comics, yet instead of newsprint, it is printed on ...