Shock Gibson vs an Army of the Dead in Speed Comics #1, Up for Auction

Speed Comics was the first and solely periodical title of any type ever put out by a forgotten writer named Brookwood. The firm is an element of a string of little-remembered publishers related to Frank Z. Temerson and Isaac W. Ullman. Ullman was primarily a enterprise investor who had come into publishing from the early movie business (amongst different endeavors), and he and Temerson had been fast to purchase and promote publishing belongings once they felt the state of affairs merited it. Historically, the best-remembered instance of that is their journal publishing firm Ulltem shopping for distressed Comics Magazine Company belongings in mid-1937, publishing them for 5 months, after which flipping them to Centaur. While this and different efforts by Ullman and/or Temerson have broadly been considered a failures in the comedian e book enterprise, taken in the context of Ullman’s profession, it might merely have been an extension of his enterprise technique. Centaur turned the Ulltem titles right into a stable and well-remembered comedian e book publishing firm. Ullman and Temerson jumped proper again into the enterprise lower than two years later with one other company shell and the made-for-the-moment title Speed Comics, put it out for 11 months, after which flipped it to Harvey. Harvey turned Speed Comics right into a profitable and traditionally necessary title that may go on to final for eight years. There’s a Speed Comics #1 (Harvey, 1939) Condition: VG and a bunch of different points of Speed Comics up for public sale in the 2022 August 28-29 Sunday & Monday Comic Books Select Auction #122235 at Heritage Auctions.

The April, 1940 Writer’s Digest defined the emergence of Brookwood for Speed Comics, spinning out of the comings and goings of Ulltem and different Temerson/Ullman publishing shells. “Lex Publications, 381 Fourth Avenue, which superseded Ultem and Resolute Publications, is in its turn out. Psychology and Psychology Digest have gone to new owners at Steinway Hall. The former continues publication with Miss Eldorado Field as editor, but is undergoing a change in policy and is not open to outside contributions now. Silk Stocking Stories, which was also put out by Lex, is out of the market, having enough paid-up material on ‘hand for months. But there are plans afoot for new pulps and some comics, under various new, corporation names. Brookwood Publishing Company is one of these, issuing Speed Comics. No outside market on this. Tem Publishing Company is another of the names to be used. The new corporations continue at 381 Fourth Avenue.”

Brookwood itself is called after a small city close to Birmingham, Alabama. While it was formally integrated in 1977, comics business pioneer Frank Z. Temerson thought of it his hometown when he graduated from the Chattanooga College of Law in 1913. Ullman was additionally from the space, and their households knew one another. Temerson will need to have had fond reminiscences of the place, as a result of he named the comedian e book writer he fashioned with Maurice Rosenfield and Maurice’s father J. A. Rosenfield Brookwood, after that small Alabama city. It’s broadly recognized that comics writer Et-Es-Go as an organization identify was impressed by shorthand for Temerson’s youthful sisters Ethel, Esther, and Goldie, and lesser recognized that writer Helnit is called after Temerson’s nieces, Helen and Anita. Temerson had yet one more imprint referred to as Nita as effectively. Temerson’s roots had been clearly necessary to him.

Speed Comics star Shock Gibson was a superhero in the Superman mould. An experiment involving chemistry and electrical energy went awry and reworked a scientist right into a superhuman. Shock Gibson had unimaginable power, however curiously, he couldn’t fly and appeared to have a restricted diploma of invulnerability. While the character was not significantly distinctive, he was used in ways in which made Speed Comics stand out. The title generated a quantity of nice covers, and tales akin to Shock Gibson preventing an military of zombies below the management of a mad scientist had been memorable. While the traditionally necessary comedian e book title Speed Comics is often related to Harvey Publications, the title really received its begin at Temerson and Ullman’s Brookwood. There’s a Speed Comics #1 (Harvey, 1939) Condition: VG and a bunch of different points of Speed Comics up for public sale in the 2022 August 28-29 Sunday & Monday Comic Books Select Auction #122235 at Heritage Auctions.

Speed Comics #1 (Harvey, 1939) Condition: VG. The Photo-Journal Guide to Comic Books charges this challenge a “7” (“scarce”) in its Scarcity Index. Origin and first look of Shock Gibson. Dick Briefer story and artwork. Bob Powell, Klaus Nordling, and George Tuska artwork. Piece lacking from cowl, backbone tear. Overstreet 2022 VG 4.0 worth = $918.