Re: collected
Posted: 19 Aug 2016, 17:44
We might have to be a bit wary of sweeping statements such as this from Lew,
"If it had 36 pages of story that's the exception rather than the rule. If you mean 36 pages including ads and covers, that's been the standard format since the 1950s."
Some of the biggest producers of comics in the '50's and '60's, e.g. Dell, had most of the time, 34 pages of comic strip in a 36 page comic. Actually, right up to the mid '60's, Dell had 32 pages of comics in a 36 page issue. Gilbertson's Classics Illustrated ran 52 page comics with 48 pages of comic strip. And the Berkeley editions of the late'80's and '90's were also 52 page editions. Additionally, in the mid '60's, some companies went to giant issues - Tower, 68 pages for 25 cents. also the "split" Cap. Marvel, admittedly a smaller publisher, who had giant issues for 25 cents. But DC for a long period dating from early? '60's produced an awful lot of Giant issues ranging from 100 pages down - great value. As did Marvel, including titles with new material - the origin of Captain Marvel for instance.
ACG in the '6o's had 26 pages of comic strip plus a letters page, usually 2, in a 36 page comic.
Gold Key in the '60's featured 32 pages of comic strip in a 36 page title for 12 cents - no adds, apart from sometimes on the back cover, a bit like Dell.
All the above, apart from the Split publishers were important comic companies and sold piles every month and they didn't conform to the "standard format" and we haven't looked at Charlton yet, who also, I just remembered, went to 52 page issues for a few months in the mid '60's, probably having had a look at the success of Tower.
So there was the 36 page comic and other size issues but the amount of comic strip inside varied a lot, and, it could be argued, some of these titles were much better values than others. Dell, particularly, used some seriously good writers and artists and their production values were quite high.
Excuse my pedantry, please
"If it had 36 pages of story that's the exception rather than the rule. If you mean 36 pages including ads and covers, that's been the standard format since the 1950s."
Some of the biggest producers of comics in the '50's and '60's, e.g. Dell, had most of the time, 34 pages of comic strip in a 36 page comic. Actually, right up to the mid '60's, Dell had 32 pages of comics in a 36 page issue. Gilbertson's Classics Illustrated ran 52 page comics with 48 pages of comic strip. And the Berkeley editions of the late'80's and '90's were also 52 page editions. Additionally, in the mid '60's, some companies went to giant issues - Tower, 68 pages for 25 cents. also the "split" Cap. Marvel, admittedly a smaller publisher, who had giant issues for 25 cents. But DC for a long period dating from early? '60's produced an awful lot of Giant issues ranging from 100 pages down - great value. As did Marvel, including titles with new material - the origin of Captain Marvel for instance.
ACG in the '6o's had 26 pages of comic strip plus a letters page, usually 2, in a 36 page comic.
Gold Key in the '60's featured 32 pages of comic strip in a 36 page title for 12 cents - no adds, apart from sometimes on the back cover, a bit like Dell.
All the above, apart from the Split publishers were important comic companies and sold piles every month and they didn't conform to the "standard format" and we haven't looked at Charlton yet, who also, I just remembered, went to 52 page issues for a few months in the mid '60's, probably having had a look at the success of Tower.
So there was the 36 page comic and other size issues but the amount of comic strip inside varied a lot, and, it could be argued, some of these titles were much better values than others. Dell, particularly, used some seriously good writers and artists and their production values were quite high.
Excuse my pedantry, please