1939 in comics

Last updated October 20, 2025

Events and publications

January

Ace Comics (1937 series) #22 – David McKay Publications
Action Comics (1938 series) #8 – National Allied Publications
Adventure Comics (1938 series) #34 – National Allied Publications
Amazing Mystery Funnies (1938 series) #5 – Centaur Publications
Detective Comics (1937 series) #23 – National Allied Publications
Feature Funnies (1937 series) #16 – Comic Favorites, Inc.
Funny Picture Stories (1939 series) #1 - Centaur Publications
More Fun Comics (1936 series) #39 – National Periodical Publications
Star Ranger Funnies (1939 series) #1 - Centaur Publications

February

Ace Comics #23 – David McKay Publications
Action Comics #9 – National Allied Publications
Adventure Comics #35 – National Allied Publications
Amazing Mystery Funnies #6 – Centaur Publications
Detective Comics #24 – National Allied Publications
Feature Funnies #17 – Comic Favorites, Inc.
Funny Pages (1939 series) #1 (24) - Centaur Publications
More Fun Comics #40 – National Periodical Publications
Star Comics (1939 series) #1 - Centaur Publications

March

15 March: DC Comics files a lawsuit against Fox Feature Syndicate for copyright infringement of Superman by Fox’s character Wonder Man first appearing in Wonder Comics #1 (May 1939). In 1940 DC won the suit and Fox was forced to stop using the Wonder Man character. He only appeared in Wonder Comics #1. In 1964 Marvel Comics would introduce their Wonder Man with no association with Fox’s character.
Ace Comics #24 – David McKay Publications
Action Comics #10 – National Allied Publications
Adventure Comics #36 – National Allied Publications
Amazing Mystery Funnies #7 – Centaur Publications
Detective Comics #25 – National Allied Publications
Feature Funnies #18 – Comic Favorites, Inc.
Funny Pages (1939 series) #2 (25) - Centaur Publications
Funny Picture Stories (1939 series) #2 - Centaur Publications
More Fun Comics #41 – National Periodical Publications
Star Comics (1939 series) #2 - Centaur Publications

Specific date unknown

The first episode of Arthur Warden's Tuffy and his Magic Tail is published.^[7]
Lev Gleason founds the comic book company Lev Gleason Publications.^[8]
A boom year for the burgeoning American comic book industry, as Archie Comics, Fawcett Comics, Fox Feature Syndicate, Lev Gleason Publications, Marvel Comics/Timely Comics, Nedor Comics, and Quality Comics all begin publishing.
The Serbian comic strip Zigomar by writer Branko Vidić and artist Nikola Navojev begins publication.^[9]

Births

March

March 27: Jo Teodorescu, Romanian illustrator and comics artist (Aventurile profesului Parbriz), (d. 2014).^[10]

April

April 10: Shinji Mizushima, Japanese manga artist ( Yakyū-kyō no Uta , Dokaben , Abu-san ), (d. 2022).^[11]

Deaths

January

January 18: Carl E. Schultze, American comics artist ( Foxy Grandpa ), dies at age 72.^[12]
January 20: Victor Bergdahl, Swedish animator and comics artist (Kapten Grogg), dies at age 60.^[13]^[14]

June

June 28: Joz De Swerts, Belgian illustrator, political cartoonist and comics artist (worked for Zonneland ), dies at age 49.^[15]

July

July 4: Louis Wain, British painter and illustrator (illustrations starring anthropomorphic cats), dies at age 78.^[16]
July 25: A.E. Hayward, American comics artist ( Somebody's Stenog ), dies at age 55.^[17]

August

August 14: T.E. Powers, American comics artist (Our Moving Pictures, Mr. Nobody Holme), dies at the age of 69.^[18]

September

September 8: Elie Smalhout, Dutch graphic artist, illustrator and comics artist (made text comics for De Notenkraker ), dies at age 49.^[19]
September 23: Frits Van den Berghe, Belgian painter, illustrator and comic artist (Jan Van Plan, Pikkel en Duim, Edmund Bell), dies at age 56. ^[20]
September 29: Luc Lafnet, aka Davine, Visnet, O. Lucas, Pol, Luc, Belgian-French comics artist (Bizouk et Pélik, Zizette, assisted on Spirou et Fantasio , Bibor et Tribar), dies at age 40 from pancreatic cancer.^[21]

October

October 10: Benjamin Rabier, French comics artist, illustrator, animator and advertising artist (Gédéon, Tintin-Lutin, designed La Vache Qui Rit ), dies at age 74.^[22]
October 12: Llorenç Brunet i Forroll, Spanish caricaturist, painter and comics artist, dies at age 67.^[23]
October 18: Carl Olof Petersen, Swedish illustrator, painter and comics artist, dies at age 59.^[24]
October 29: Zane Grey, American novelist and comic writer (scripted King of the Royal Mounted ), dies at age 67.

November

November 22: Walter Hoban, American comics artist ( Jerry on the Job ), dies at age 49.^[25]

December

December 18: Bruno Liljefors, Swedish painter and comics artist, dies at age 79.^[26]

Specific date unknown

Paul Augros, French illustrator and comics artist, dies at age 58.^[27]
Louis de Lajarrige, French illustrator, painter, comics artist and writer, dies at age 66.^[28]
E. Nicolson, French illustrator and comics artist (Les Aventures du Chien Brownie, Bambochard et Trémolo), dies at an unknown age.^[29]

First issues by title

All-American Comics (April, All-American Publications)
Amazing Man Comics (September, Centaur Publications) Issues No. 1 through 4 were not published.
Double Action Comics (December, National Periodical Publications) The first issue was an ashcan copy, published but not distributed or sold.
Fantastic Comics (December, Fox Feature Syndicate)
Four Color (Dell Publishing)
Marvel Comics (October, Timely Comics)
Movie Comics (April, National Periodical Publications)
Mutt & Jeff (Summer, All-American Comics)
Mystery Men Comics (August, Fox Feature Syndicate)
New York World's Fair (National Periodical Publications)
Silver Streak Comics (December, Rhoda Publications)
Smash Comics (August, Quality Comics)
Star Comics Volume 2 (February, Centaur Publications)
Star Ranger Funnies Volume 2 (January, Centaur Publications)
Superman (Summer, National Periodical Publications ^[1])
The Magic Comic (July, D. C. Thomson & Co.)
Wonder Comics (May, Fox Feature Syndicate)

Renamed titles

Feature Comics renamed Feature Funnies as of the June cover date.
Marvel Comics renamed Marvel Mystery Comics as of the December cover date.
Wonder Comics renamed Wonderworld Comics starting with issue #3 with a cover date of July.

Initial appearances by character name

Batman (Earth-Two) in Detective Comics No. 27 (May), created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane, published by National Allied Publications ^[30]
Bozo the Iron Man in Smash Comics No. 1 (August), created by George Brenner, published by Quality Comics.
Commissioner Gordon in Detective Comics No. 27 (May) created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane, published by National Allied Publications
Dan Garret (Blue Beetle) in Mystery Men Comics No. 1 (August), created by Charles Nicholas, published by Fox Feature Syndicate.
Doctor Death (character) in Detective Comics No. 29 (July), created by Bob Kane, published by National Periodical Publications
Doll Girl in Feature Comics No. 27 (December), created by Will Eisner, Published by Quality Comics.
Doll Man in Feature Comics No. 27 (December), created by Will Eisner, Published by Quality Comics.
Green Mask (Michael Shelby) in Mystery Men Comics No. 1 (August), created by Walter Frame, Published by Fox Feature Syndicate.
Human Torch in Marvel Comics No. 1 (October) created by Carl Burgos, published by Timely Comics
Invisible Hood in Smash Comics No. 1 (August), created by Art Pinajian, published by Quality Comics.
Joe Chill in Detective Comics No. 33 (November), created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane.
Monk (comics) in Detective Comics No. 31 (September), created by Gardner Fox and Bob Kane, published by National Periodical Publications
Namor The Sub-Mariner in Marvel Comics #1 (October) created by Bill Everett, published by Timely Comics
Samson in Fantastic Comics #1 (December) created by Will Eisner and Alex Blum
Sandman (Wesley Dodds) in New York World's Fair Comics No. 1, created by Gardner Fox and Bert Christman, published by National Periodical Publications.
The Flame (Gary Preston) in Wonderworld Comics No. 3 created by Will Eisner and Lou Fine, published by Fox Feature Syndicate.

Ultra-Humanite in Action Comics No. 13 (June), created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, published by National Periodical Publications.
Ultra-Man in All-American Comics No. 8 (November), created by Jon L. Blummer, published by National Periodical Publications

References

1 2 Wallace, Daniel (2010). "1930s". In Dolan, Hannah (ed.). DC Comics Year By Year A Visual Chronicle. Dorling Kindersley. p. 25. ISBN 978-0-7566-6742-9. Superman's runaway popularity as part of Action Comics earned him his own comic. This was a real breakthrough for the time, as characters introduced in comic books had never before been so successful as to warrant their own titles.
1 2 3 "Gardner Fox".
1 2 3 "Will Eisner". lambiek.net. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
↑ Morales, Alisande (July 17, 2013). "Wonder Women: On and Off Paper". Ali's Alley. Alisande Morales-Caraballo. Archived from the original on October 5, 2016. Retrieved July 30, 2016.
↑ One copy with a color cover has been proven to be a hoax.
↑ The first mention of Double Action Comics No. 1 is in The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide No. 10 (Robert M. Overstreet, 1980). Additional information regarding Double Action can be found on page A-19 of the market report, which notes that, "four more copies of Double Action turned up and sold for record prices. All of these copies were in excellent condition with white cover and pages. Even a No. 1 was included in the four, the rest being No. 2's." The existence of a Very Good copy has been confirmed by both Robert Overstreet and John K. Snyder III.
↑ "Arnold Warden".
↑ Keith Booker, M. (2014-10-28). Comics through Time: A History of Icons, Idols, and Ideas [4 volumes]: A History of Icons, Idols, and Ideas. ISBN 9780313397516.
↑ "Nikola Navojev". lambiek.net. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
↑ "R.A. Kosasih". lambiek.net. Retrieved October 30, 2020.
↑ "Shinji Mizushima". Lambiek.net. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
↑ "Carl Emil Schultze".
↑ "Victor Bergdahl".
↑ Bendazzi, p. 45
↑ "Joz de Swerts".
↑ "Louis Wain".
↑ "A. E. Hayward".
↑ "T. E. Powers".
↑ "Elie Smalhout".
↑ "Frits van den Berghe".
↑ "Luc Lafnet".
↑ "Benjamin Rabier".
↑ "Llorenç Brunet i Torroll".
↑ "Carl Olof Petersen".
↑ "Walter C. Hoban".
↑ "Bruno Liljefors".
↑ "Augros". lambiek.net. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
↑ "Louis Lajarrige".
↑ "E. Nicolson".
↑ Wallace "1930s" in Dolan, p. 24: "DC's second superstar debuted in the lead story of this issue, written by Bill Finger and drawn by Bob Kane, though the character was missing many of the elements that would make him a legend."

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[Wallace-1] 1 2 Wallace, Daniel (2010). "1930s". In Dolan, Hannah (ed.). DC Comics Year By Year A Visual Chronicle. Dorling Kindersley. p. 25. ISBN 978-0-7566-6742-9. Superman's runaway popularity as part of Action Comics earned him his own comic. This was a real breakthrough for the time, as characters introduced in comic books had never before been so successful as to warrant their own titles.

[lambiek.net-2] 1 2 3 "Gardner Fox".

[auto-3] 1 2 3 "Will Eisner". lambiek.net. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

[4] Morales, Alisande (July 17, 2013). "Wonder Women: On and Off Paper". Ali's Alley. Alisande Morales-Caraballo. Archived from the original on October 5, 2016. Retrieved July 30, 2016.

[5] One copy with a color cover has been proven to be a hoax.

[6] The first mention of Double Action Comics No. 1 is in The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide No. 10 (Robert M. Overstreet, 1980). Additional information regarding Double Action can be found on page A-19 of the market report, which notes that, "four more copies of Double Action turned up and sold for record prices. All of these copies were in excellent condition with white cover and pages. Even a No. 1 was included in the four, the rest being No. 2's." The existence of a Very Good copy has been confirmed by both Robert Overstreet and John K. Snyder III.

[7] "Arnold Warden".

[8] Keith Booker, M. (2014-10-28). Comics through Time: A History of Icons, Idols, and Ideas [4 volumes]: A History of Icons, Idols, and Ideas. ISBN 9780313397516.

[9] "Nikola Navojev". lambiek.net. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

[10] "R.A. Kosasih". lambiek.net. Retrieved October 30, 2020.

[11] "Shinji Mizushima". Lambiek.net. Retrieved January 27, 2022.

[12] "Carl Emil Schultze".

[13] "Victor Bergdahl".

[14] Bendazzi, p. 45

[15] "Joz de Swerts".

[16] "Louis Wain".

[17] "A. E. Hayward".

[18] "T. E. Powers".

[19] "Elie Smalhout".

[20] "Frits van den Berghe".

[21] "Luc Lafnet".

[22] "Benjamin Rabier".

[23] "Llorenç Brunet i Torroll".

[24] "Carl Olof Petersen".

[25] "Walter C. Hoban".

[26] "Bruno Liljefors".

[27] "Augros". lambiek.net. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

[28] "Louis Lajarrige".

[29] "E. Nicolson".

[30] Wallace "1930s" in Dolan, p. 24: "DC's second superstar debuted in the lead story of this issue, written by Bill Finger and drawn by Bob Kane, though the character was missing many of the elements that would make him a legend."

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1939 in comics

Contents

Events and publications

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

Specials

Specific date unknown

Births

March

April

Deaths

January

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

Specific date unknown

First issues by title

Renamed titles

Initial appearances by character name

References