Comic books March 1953

Cover by Reed Crandall. Stories by Robert Bernstein and unknown. Art by Leo Morey, Paul Gustavson, Charles Sultan & unknown and Reed Crandall. Can Two Gun Lil keep the Doc from murdering Pop Lodge? Find out in "The Fiend In Knee Pants"! Plus: Ricardo Portego joins ranks with Blue Flame to take over Fort Jennings because he wants the land and the silver he could mine from it in an untitled Arizona Raines story. Also: Johnny Lash (the Whip) heads for the bank to cash a check when he learns that Lupo Dorish and his men have just cleaned every penny out of the bank, killing the Sheriff and one other, in "The Dead Shot"! And: Cal Kimball wants Bob Allen, Frontier Marshal deader than a doornail for messing up his plans in "Rattlesnake Pete's Revenge"! Plus: Mary Emmett needs Arizona Raines' help to keep George Whitfield alive in 1-page text story "Draw Against Death"! 32 pages, full color. Cover price $0.10.

Volume 6, Issue 3 - March, 1953. Cover art by Howard Dodd. Stories include "Thirty Days to Live", "Wrong Road to Freedom" and "Lay Down Your Guns". Profusely illustrated with photographs. 8 1/2-in. x 11-in., 74 pages, black and white. Cover price $0.25.

Cover by Lou Morales. Stories and art by Lou Morales, Dick Giordano, Frank Frollo, and Stan Campbell. Pre-Code crime comics from Charlton, sometimes published under its short-lived Capitol or Law and Order imprints. Mr. Chase introduces a tale of intrigue with the following: "You readers may think that because this is a comic book, all these stories are dreamed up by haggard looking writers pounding fiction out of a typewriter until the wee hours of the morning...Well, you're right!" An insurance investigator arranges a pardon for a convicted bank robber, in hopes of finding the loot he stashed away before he was caught. Ex-con Frankie gets a job at a munitions plant and falls in with a plan to rob the place of its payroll. Bondage cover by Lou Morales. So... You Want to Be a Detective???; Mr. and Mrs. Chase: Alias Gregori; Full Pardon!; The Thirteenth Victim; Radio Patrol: Steal a Million; Killer, Come Home. 32 pages, Full Color. Cover price $0.10.

Cover by Fred Kida. Stories and art by Frank Bolle, Jack Keller, Al Wenzel, and Charles Biro. A companion series to Crime Does Not Pay from the same publisher, slightly less violent and with more emphasis on police work. The Boland brothers escape prison and go on a cross-country spree of robbery, kidnapping and murder. Washed-up gambler Charley is marked for death after he squeals, but his redheaded wife Sally knows the score. A small-time hood sees dollar signs when he meets his exact duplicate, a wealthy jeweler. Also featuring Lev Gleason Comics Picture Trading Cards. The Wrong Road; They'll Get You; Boomerang. 32 pages, Full Color. Cover price $0.10.

Cover by Charles Biro. Stories and art by George Tuska, Fred Guardineer, Dick Rockwell, and Charles Biro. The title that launched the crime comics genre, Crime Does Not Pay was noted for its violent pre-Code content and lurid tales of underworld life. The history of the Brady Gang that terrorized Maine, and their bloody finish. The Whyos Gang terrorizes 1880s New York with murder-for hire schemes, in a story featuring some whimsical art. A hood on the lam is marked for death after he threatens to report on his old mob. Also featuring a vintage ad for "Lev Gleason Comics picture trading cards." The Brady Gang; Cut Rate Murder; Swindler's Paradise; Strange Criminals; Crime Oddities; The Assassination of Big Angie. 32 pages, Full Color. Cover price $0.10.

Cover by Myron Fass. Crime and adventure comics featuring detective heroes. Dr. Lance Storm seeks an escaped convict who is loose in the wax museum. Chinese-American scientist Dr. Foo investigates the strange case of the fluttering death. Hollywood starlet and amateur detective Queenie Starr uncovers a crime of passion in Tinseltown. Mark of the Doomed; The Fantastic Dr. Foo: Fluttering Death; Jerry Jasper: Death Comes To Tea; Queenie Starr: Primeval Passions. 32 pages, Full Color. Cover price $0.10.

Add to cart CGC 4.5 $364.00 View scans Paper: Off white to white Label #4427465023 Consignment. 3% buyer's premium charged at checkout. Other items consigned by Poka

Add to cart GD+ 2.5 $189.95 or Best Offer View scans 3" spine split from top. Cover coming loose at one staple. Cover oxidation. Consignment. 3% buyer's premium charged at checkout. Graded by MCS, not consignor. Other items consigned by humble cow

Add to cart PR 0.5 $57.00 View scan Interior is complete. Full length spine split. Staple rust with migration. Consignment. 3% buyer's premium charged at checkout. Graded by MCS, not consignor. Other items consigned by Bud Plant

Cover by Myron Fass. Stories and art by Robert Leslie Bellem, Tony Tallarico, Ray McClelland, Pierre Charpentier, John C. Mitchell, Bill Fraccio, William Grew and H. C. Kiefer. Despite the title, not true "crime" comics, but mystery comics featuring detective heroes. The ol' "injury-to-the-eye motif" returns, as Dan Turner seeks a killer who fires poison darts into his female victims' eyes! This story also features a deadly Punch & Judy show, hilarious Dan Turner tough-guy dialogue, and a villainous puppet-master who resembles Marvel's Puppet Master. Gail Ford goes undercover at a costume party to catch a wealthy man's killer, in a story with plentiful action-girl art. Sally the Sleuth and "The Chief" are mystified when an executed killer seemingly returns from the dead...for revenge. Gail Ford, Girl Friday; Ray Hale: Murder at First Base; Sally the Sleuth: Back From the Dead; Steve Wilder: Stuck With Murder; Dan Turner Hollywood Detective: The Poisoned Puppet. Final issue under this title; series continues as Crime Mysteries (1952-1954 Trojan Magazines) #7, while the numbering continues with Secret Mysteries (1954) #16. 32 pages, Full Color. Cover price $0.10.

Spanish Language.

36 pages, full color. Cover price $0.10.

March 1, 1953. 10.5" x 14", 42 pages, B&W.

36 pages, full color. Cover price $0.10.

Cover by Pete Morisi. Stories and art by Tech. Sgt. C. F. X. Houts, Pete Morisi and Don Heck. Tales of men's adventure, similar to the magazines that were then becoming a burgeoning market unto themselves. Former street racer Jim becomes a pro racecar driver, but tough guy Trask challenges him on the track. Navy divers are the only chance for a stranded submarine crew at the bottom of the ocean. A test pilot learns his jet's designer has a secret agenda, and must decide if he's a communist spy. Featuring art by future Marvel legend Don Heck. Also featuring a memoir purportedly from a military photographer. Speed; Nitro-Glycerine; Combat Photographer; Deep Death; Jet Test. 36 pages, Full Color. Cover price $0.10.

Volume 1, Issue 3 - March 1953. Men's interest magazine focusing on Military, Politics, celebrities and showgirls. 4-in. x 6-in., 68 pages, B&W Cover price $0.10.

Cover by Charles Biro. Stories and art by Charles Biro, Norman Maurer, and William Overgard. This boys' adventure title was one of the comics that made publisher Lev Gleason a major player during the Golden Age. The Little Wise Guys discover an old diary that tells a tale of warfare and tragedy in the Old West. Dilly Duncan and his rival Gruesome Jones go out for boxing and wind up facing each other in the ring. Slugger's photography skills win the Little Wise Guys a trip on an African safari, but a haughty hunter wants them off the tour. Also featuring Lev Gleason Comics Picture Trading Cards: Famous Fighting Planes. Little Wise Guys: That's a Lot of Oil; Dilly Duncan of Dorset High: Battling Duncan and K.O. Jones; It's A Small World; Crimebuster: The Tables Turned; Little Wise Guys: The Elephant's Paw; Lev Gleason Trading Cards. 32 pages, Full Color. Cover price $0.10.

Cover by Joseph Szokoli. Stories and art by Doug Wildey, Stephen Kirkel and Vince Colletta. Tales of love and heartbreak, with a twist: in-story appearances by real-life musicians of the era. Betty wants musician boyfriend Hal to get a "real job" and asks real-life bandleader Sammy Kaye to convince him, but the opposite happens, in a story with early art by Doug Wildey. Reed and Miss Hadley have an African Queen-style adventure and romance while fleeing river pirates in southeast Asia. Glenna falls for handsome doctor Hal while helping injured orphan Bruce, but her dark secret is that she's the one who injured him. Plus a profile and photo of Hollywood and music legend Louis Jourdan. Cover features a photo of Sammy Kaye. So You Want to Lead a Band; Jungle Interlude; Louis Jourdan; My Guilty Heart; Feet of Clay. 32 pages, Full Color. Cover price $0.10.

Stories by Henry Boltinoff, Sam Brier and unknown. Art by Henry Boltinoff, Sam Brier and unknown. Television and radio's coast-to-coast favorite! In this issue: Three untitled A Date with Judy stories. Plus: A Date with Judy 2-page story "Sob Story"; untitled Jerry the Jitterbug 1-pager by Henry Boltinoff; untitled Stevie half-pager by Sam Brier; Date Duds -- And a Date Dream! 2-pager "Office Talk"; untitled Randolph story; and untitled Rusty story. Plus: Teen Teasers activity half-pager by Martin Naydel, and Superboy talks about..."The Holiday Spirit!" in a 1-page public service announcement by Jack Schiff and Win Mortimer. 44 Pages, Full Color. Cover price $0.10.

Add to cart GD/VG 3.0 $23.00 View scans 1.5" Cumulative spine split.

100 Pages, Full Color. Cover price $0.25.

Add to cart CBCS 3.5 $430.00 View scans Paper: Off white to white Label #20-0B772B0-008

Add to cart CGC 4.5 $730.00 or Best Offer View scans Paper: Off white Label #4377473001 Consignment. 3% buyer's premium charged at checkout.

Add to cart PR 0.5 $279.95 or Best Offer View scans Interior is complete. Full length spine split. Consignment. 3% buyer's premium charged at checkout. Graded by MCS, not consignor. Other items consigned by humble cow

Cover by Win Mortimer. Stories by David Vern and unknown. Art by Bob Kane, Lew Sayre Schwartz, Charles Paris, Leonard Starr, Ruben Moreira and unknown. Batman and Robin make headlines in "The Joker's Journal!" by David Vern, Bob Kane, Lew Sayre Schwartz and Charles Paris. Plus: Pow-Wow Smith, Indian Lawman in "The Double Life of Pow-Wow Smith" with art by Leonard Starr; Robotman in "The Super Magnet!"; and Impossible -- But True! tale "Roy Raymond's Rival!" (featuring Roy Raymond) with art by Ruben Moreira. Also: Casey the Cop half-pager by Henry Boltinoff; Varsity Vic half-pager by Boltinoff; and 2-page text piece "Caging the Counterfeiters" by Jack Miller. 44 pages, full color. Cover price $0.10.

Vol. 1, No. 3 - March 1953. 7" x 9", 114 pages, B&W. Cover price $0.25.

Mexican series. Stories and art by Chester Gould. 36 pages, full color, 7.25" x 10.5", Spanish language.

Cover art by Joe Simon (as Chester Gould). "Dick Tracy and the Case of the Murderer's Mask," script by Chester Gould, art by Joe Simon (splash panel) and Chester Gould; Believing that he has shot Talcum Freely, B. O. Plenty goes into hiding and attempts suicide; Tracy and Sam discover the actual weapon used in the shooting and begin searching for the real murderer; Gravel Gertie, Sparkle, and Heyyou mourn B. O.'s disappearance. Space Squadron house ad. "Designer of Death," script and art by Chester Gould; While Gravel Gertie and Sparkle lament the loss of B. O., Tracy and Sam trace the gun that killed Talcum Freely to orchestra leader Spike Dyke, who points them to sound engineer Sketch Paree; The trail leads to an abandoned ice house, where Sam unwittingly grabs a live electric wire. "Blade of Death" text story; A man is electrocuted in his bathtub. One-page untitled Girl Friday story; Myra solves a shipboard murder. "Operation: Murder" text story; A patient is strangled in her hospital bed. Minit Mystery Starring the Count; Boris responds to a friend's plea for help. 36 Pages, Full Color. Cover price $0.10.

Digest sized humor book with tons of single-page gags. 5" x 7", 66 pages, B&W. Cover price $0.25.

Volume 1, Issue 2 - March, 1953. 7" x 10", 130 pages, B&W. Cover price $0.25.

Vol. 3 #48 - Mar. 6, 1953. Contents include Dan Dare, P.C. 49, Riders of the Range, Eagle Cutaway centerfold, Luck of the Legion, Adventures of the Crown, In Her Majesty's Lifetime, Harris Tweed Extra Special Agent, Man of Courage begins. Plus text stories and articles. 10 1/2-in. x 13 1/2-in., 14 pages, B&W and full color.

Vol. 3 #49 - Mar. 13, 1953. Contents include Dan Dare, P.C. 49, Riders on the Range, Eagle Cutaway centerfold, Luck of the Legion, Adventures of the Crown, In Her Majesty's Lifetime, Harris Tweed Extra Special Agent, Man of Courage. Plus text stories and articles. 10 3/4-in. x 13 1/2-in., 14 pages, B&W and full color.

Vol. 3 #50 - Mar. 20, 1953. Contents include Dan Dare, P.C. 49, Riders on the Range, Eagle Cutaway centerfold, Luck of the Legion, Adventures of the Crown, In Her Majesty's Lifetime, Harris Tweed Extra Special Agent, Man of Courage. Plus text stories and articles. 10 1/2-in. x 14 1/2-in., 14 pages, B&W and full color.

Vol. 3 #51 - Mar. 27, 1953. Contents include Dan Dare, P.C. 49, Riders on the Range, Eagle Cutaway centerfold, Luck of the Legion, Adventures of the Crown, In Her Majesty's Lifetime, Harris Tweed Extra Special Agent, Man of Courage. Plus text stories and articles. 10 1/2-in. x 14 1/2-in., 14 pages, B&W and full color.

Volume 25, Issue 1 - March, 1953. 6.75" x 9", 116 pages, B&W. Cover price $0.25.

Vol. 3, No. 3. March 1953. Men's interest magazine with articles and glamour photos. 5.25" x 7.5". 130 pages. B&W. Cover price $0.25.

Add to cart FN+ 6.5 $70.00 View scans Paper: Off white Staple rust: Slight.

Add to cart VG+ 4.5 $41.00 View scans Paper: Off white

Volume 15, Issue 3 - March, 1953. Cover by Frank Novarro. Stories include "Gambit of Ganymede" by Alexander Blade, "The Beast" by Ivar Jorgensen, "Woman's World" by Ted Taine, "Ceti Was A Whale" by Noel Loomis, "Boy Meets Tree" by Tedd Thomey, and "Projection From Epsilon" by Gordon MacCreagh. Illustrations by Dick Francis, Frank Novarro, Dotzenko, and George Olesen. 7-in. x 9.75-in.; black and white; 134 newsprint pages. Cover price $0.25.

Add to cart FN/VF 7.0 $78.00 View scans Paper: Cream to off white Water damage: Slight. Staple rust: Slight.

Add to cart VG+ 4.5 $48.00 View scans Paper: Off white to white Back cover detached 5%. Water damage: Slight.

Add to cart Very Good $43.00 View scans Paper: Off white Back cover detached 10%. Staple rust: Slight.

Volume 5, Issue 2 - March, 1953. Cover by Alex Schomburg. Stories by Leigh Brackett, L. Sprague de Camp, Henry Kuttner, Horace L. Gold, Carl Jacobi, Richard Matheson and Joseph Slotkin. A book-length science-fiction classic: "Shadow Over Mars" by Leigh Brackett - How would Rick fulfill the prophecy that linked his name with the destiny of a dying world? He was a man without a planet, and he owed allegiance to nothing -- except his lust for power! Other classic stories: "The Best Laid Scheme" by L. Sprague de Camp - A gardener and a poet run a cloak-and-dagger race through Time; "Baby Face" (a novelet) by Henry Kuttner - The tough Marine sergeant swapped places with a diapered demon; "Hero" by Horace L. Gold - They flung roses -- and loneliness -- everywhere along his path; and "The War of the Weeds" by Carl Jacobi - They'd all go mad before they could stop this weird influence. New stories: "Death Ship" by Richard Matheson - The captain had lost all authority over his men, over the ship; and "Too Bad You Died" by Joseph Slotkin - When you're born, you cry -- and when you leave, we cry for you! Plus features: Cosmic Encores and Have You Heard -- ? Softcover, 7-in. x 9-in., 148 pages, B&W. Cover price $0.25.

Add to cart VF+ 8.5 $19.50 View scans

Volume 6 - Issue 3, March 1953. Pulp magazine devoted to exploring the paranormal. This issue features the story "Three Girls, One Body", and asks Is America the Birthplace of Man? Softcover, 5 1/2-in. x 7 1/2-in., 130 page, Text (with B&W Illustrations and Photos). Cover price $0.35.

Cover by Otto Messmer. Stories and art by Otto Messmer, Joe Oriolo and A. W. Nugent. Comics adventures of the popular, long-running cartoon character; this series often featured art by the two men most associated with Felix, Otto Messmer and Joe Oriolo. While Felix is having fun with his new tape recorder, he accidentally records two bank robbers planning their next job. Homeless Felix is taken in by a poor but kindly woman and tries to help her out. Felix is hired to deliver a letter, leading to an adventure around the world. Felix Goes On Record; Donny Boy; Jimmy. 32 pages, Full Color. Cover price $0.10.

Articles and stories about fishing, hunting, arms and ammunition, conservation laws and much more. 8 1/2-in. x 11 1/4-in., 154 pages, B&W. Cover price $0.25.

Stories and art by Howard Alexander and Ed Goldfarb. Pre-Code tales of two-fisted criminals and the scales of justice from Story Comics. By this point, Fight Against Crime was edging away from crime stories to EC-style horror, as these stories demonstrate. A gangster blackmails a movie star into letting him realize his dreams of acting, which turns out to be a bad idea for all concerned. Killers abduct a carnival fortune-teller, who predicts their fiery deaths. A doctor who gets his patients hooked on morphine meets an ironic fate. Hollywood Death Trap!; Mountain Murder; Smart Cons Don't Talk; Fires of Death; The Big Dope. 32 pages, Full Color. Cover price $0.10.

Add to cart GD 2.0 $37.00 View scans 2" spine split from bottom. Centerfold detached at one staple. Cover oxidation.

Cover by Maurice Whitman. Edited by J. F. Byrne and Jerry Iger. Stories and art by John Belcastro, Dick Beck and Robert Webb. A combat-themed anthology from Fiction House that featured early work from many future comics legends (often uncredited) in the Eisner-Iger Shop. American paratroopers drop behind enemy lines in Korea and take an ancient ship into battle against modern guerrillas; The final Rip Carson adventure; The life of Attila the Hun, culminating with his unsuccessful attack on Rome. This is the first Fight Comics cover with a word balloon, possibly influenced by Harvey Kurtzman's EC war comics. Takusan Tough; Retreat!; Prison Break; Teamwork; Famous Fighters; Rip Carson. 32 pages, Full Color. Cover price $0.10.

Cover by Matt Baker. Stories and art by Gene Colan and John Tartaglione. Charlton's long-running series focused on the miliary exploits of the US Marines throughout the 20th century. In Korea, Leatherneck Jack tries to rescue vital supplies from a sunken transport, in a story with early art by future Marvel legend Gene Colan. Curly believes his high-school track medal is his lucky charm in battle. Cover by good-girl art legend Matt Baker. Leatherneck Jack: Bottoms Up or Die; Marine Oddities; Wire Tap; Comedy Column; Leatherneck Jack: The Green Squad at Red Ridge; Short Cut to Suicide; Gag Bag; Lucky Piece. Final issue published by St. John; Charlton resumed the series two years later with issue #14. 32 pages, Full Color. Cover price $0.10.

Add to cart VG- 3.5 $90.00 View scans 1" spine split from top. Cover oxidation. Water spotting.

Stories by unknown. Art by Iger Shop and unknown. Thrilling battle adventures! Private Jones is an artist, but can Sergeant Bragg turn him into a soldier? Find out in "Battle Hungry"! Plus: Jim Towne is an average guy who must shake his fear and become a soldier during his first beach landing in Korea in "Desperate Destination"; Sergeant Wilcox is ordered to take his recon patrol behind enemy lines and stop the Korean advance in "The Super Sergeant"; and two soldiers must spend the night on duty in a forward listening post in "Peril Patrol"! Also: 2-page text story "Tempting Targets"! 32 pages, full color. Cover price $0.10.