Standard Comics was a

comic book A comic book, comic-magazine, or simply comic is a publication that consists of comics art in the form of sequential juxtaposed panel (comics), panels that represent individual scenes. Panels are often accompanied by descriptive prose and wri ...

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 until around 1955. The term "pulp" derives from the wood pulp paper on which the magazines were printed, due to their cheap nature. ...

(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, also known as wrappers, and often held together with adhesive, glue rather than stitch (textile arts), stitches or Staple (fastener), staples. In contrast, ...

books (under the Popular Library name). Standard in turn was the parent company of two comic-book lines: Better PublicationsBetter
at the Grand Comics Database. and Nedor PublishingNedor 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 in the history 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 ma ...

. 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 three 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 AC Comics (formerly known as Paragon Publications and Americomics) is a comic book publishing company started by Bill Black.

). 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 (comic book), ''Swamp Thing'', ''Batman: The Killing Joke' ...

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

Marvel Comics Marvel Comics is a New York City–based comic book publishing, publisher, a property of the Walt Disney Company since December 31, 2009, and a subsidiary of Disney Publishing Worldwide since March 2023. Marvel was founded in 1939 by Martin G ...

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

miniseries In the United States, a miniseries or mini-series is a television show or series that tells a story in a predetermined, limited number of episodes. Many miniseries can also be referred to, and shown, as a television film. " Limited series" is ...

'' Project Superpowers'' #0–7 (Jan.–Oct. 2008), published by

Dynamite Entertainment Dynamite Entertainment is an American comic book publisher founded in 2004 by Nick Barrucci in Mount Laurel, New Jersey, known for publishing comic book adaptations of licensed feature film properties, such as ''Army of Darkness'', '' Terminator ...

, resurrected a number of Golden Age superheroes, including those originally published by

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. ...

Crestwood Publications Crestwood Publications, also known as Feature Publications, was a magazine publisher that also published comic books from the 1940s through the 1960s. Its title ''Prize Comics'' contained what is considered the first ongoing horror comic-book fea ...

, and Standard/Better/Nedor, many of which are assumed to be in the public domain but may not be.

Titles

Superheroes

American Crusader The American Crusader is a superhero who originally appeared in '' Thrilling Comics'' #19 ( Better Publications, Aug 1941). He appeared in almost every issue until #41 (April 1944). The character was revived in the Modern Age in '' Femforce'' #59 ...

* 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 Charles I of England and his son Charles II of England, Charles II during the English Civil War, the Interregnum (England), Int ...

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

Ghost In folklore, a ghost is the soul or Spirit (supernatural entity), spirit of a dead Human, person or non-human animal that is believed by some people to be able to appear to the living. In ghostlore, descriptions of ghosts vary widely, from a ...

(also known as Green Ghost) * Grim Reaper * Judy of the Jungle * Kara the Jungle Princess * Lance Lewis, Space Detective * Liberator * Lone Eagle * Magnet * Major Mars * Mask (based on the Black Bat) * Masked Rider * Mechano * Miss Masque * Mystico * The Oracle * The Phantom Detective (based on the pulp hero) * Phantom Soldier * Princess Pantha * Pyroman * Red Mask * Rick Howard, Mystery Rider * Scarab * Silver Knight * Spectro * SupermouseSupermouse, The Big Cheese
at

Don Markstein's Toonopedia Don Markstein's Toonopedia (subtitled A Vast Repository of Toonological Knowledge) is an online encyclopedia of print cartoons, comic strips and animation, initiated February 13, 2001. Donald D. Markstein, the sole writer and editor of Toonopedi ...

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