1939 in comics

Updated on Apr 25, 2026

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Notable events of 1939 in comics. See also List of years in comics.

Year overall

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.

Serbian comic strip Zigomar begins publication

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.

More Fun Comics (1936 series) #39 - National Periodical 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.

More Fun Comics #40 - National Periodical Publications

March

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.

More Fun Comics #41 - National Periodical Publications

April

Ace Comics #25 - David McKay Publications

Action Comics #11 - National Allied Publications

Adventure Comics #37 - National Allied Publications

All-American Comics #1 - All-American Publications

Amazing Mystery Funnies #8 - Centaur Publications

Detective Comics #26 - National Allied Publications

Feature Funnies #19 - Comic Favorites, Inc.

More Fun Comics #42 - National Periodical Publications

Movie Comics (1939 series) #1 - National Periodical Publications

May

Ace Comics #26 - David McKay Publications

Action Comics #12 - National Allied Publications

Adventure Comics #38 - National Allied Publications

All-American Comics #2 - All-American Publications

Amazing Mystery Funnies #9 - Centaur Publications

Detective Comics #27 - National Allied Publications - First appearance of Batman

Feature Funnies #20 - Comic Favorites, Inc.

More Fun Comics #43 - National Periodical Publications

Movie Comics #2 - National Periodical Publications

June

Ace Comics #27 - David McKay Publications

Action Comics #13 - National Allied Publications

Adventure Comics #39 - National Allied Publications

All-American Comics #3 - National Allied Publications

Amazing Mystery Funnies #10 - Centaur Publications

Detective Comics #28 - National Allied Publications

Feature Comics (previously Feature Funnies) #21 - Quality Comics

More Fun Comics #44 - National Periodical Publications

Movie Comics #3 - National Periodical Publications

Superman (1939 series) #1, cover dated Summer - National Periodical Publications

July

Ace Comics #28 - David McKay Publications

Action Comics #14 - National Allied Publications

Adventure Comics #40 - National Allied Publications

All-American Comics #4 - All-American Publications

Amazing Mystery Funnies #11 - Centaur Publications

Detective Comics #29 - National Allied Publications

Feature Comics #22 - Quality Comics

More Fun Comics #45 - National Periodical Publications

Movie Comics #4 - National Periodical Publications

The Magic Comic #1 - D. C. Thomson & Co.

August

Ace Comics #29 - David McKay Publications

Action Comics #15 - National Allied Publications

Adventure Comics #41 - National Allied Publications

All-American Comics #5 - All-American Publications

Amazing Mystery Funnies #12 - Centaur Publications

Detective Comics #30 - National Allied Publications

Feature Comics #23 - Quality Comics

More Fun Comics #46 - National Periodical Publications

Movie Comics #5 - National Periodical Publications

Mystery Men Comics #1 (1939 series) - Fox Feature Syndicate - First appearance of Blue Beetle

Smash Comics #1 (1939 series) - Quality Comics

September

Newspaper strip Ben Bowyang by Alex Gurney begins publication

Ace Comics #30 - David McKay Publications

Action Comics #16 - National Allied Publications

Adventure Comics #42 - National Allied Publications

All-American Comics #6 - All-American Publications

Amazing Man Comics (1939 series) #5 - Centaur Publications

Amazing Mystery Funnies #13 - Centaur Publications

Detective Comics #31 - National Allied Publications

Feature Comics #24 - Quality Comics

Four Color Series 1 (1939 series) #1 - Dell Publishing

First comic-book appearance of Dick Tracy, previously seen in comic strips beginning 1931

More Fun Comics #47 - National Periodical Publications

Movie Comics #6, last issue - National Periodical Publications

Mutt and Jeff (1939 series) #1 - National Periodical Publications

Mystery Men Comics #2 - Fox Feature Syndicate

Smash Comics #2 - Quality Comics

Superman #2, cover dated Fall - National Periodical Publications

October

Ace Comics #31 - David McKay Publications

Action Comics #17 - National Allied Publications

Adventure Comics #43 - National Allied Publications

All-American Comics #7 - All-American Publications

Amazing Man Comics #6 - Centaur Publications

Amazing Mystery Funnies #14 - Centaur Publications

Detective Comics #32 - National Allied Publications

Feature Comics #25 - Quality Comics

Four Color Series 1 #2 - Dell Publishing

Marvel Comics (becomes Marvel Mystery Comics) (1939 series) #1 - Timely Comics

More Fun Comics #48 - National Periodical Publications

Mystery Men Comics #3 - Fox Feature Syndicate

Smash Comics #3 - Quality Comics

November

Ace Comics #32 - David McKay Publications

Action Comics #18 - National Allied Publications

Adventure Comics #44 - National Allied Publications

All-American Comics #8 - All-American Publications

Amazing Man Comics #7 - Centaur Publications

Amazing Mystery Funnies #15 - Centaur Publications

Blue Beetle #1 - Fox Feature Syndicate

Detective Comics #33 - National Allied Publications

Double Action Comics #1 — National Allied Publications. Released only in New York City newsstands, Double Action Comics was most likely an “ashcan”, a limited-run publication produced simply to register the title. It had a black-and-white cover, with the contents pulled from Action Comics #2.

Feature Comics #26 - Quality Comics

More Fun Comics #49 - National Periodical Publications

Mystery Men Comics #4 - Fox Feature Syndicate

Smash Comics #4 - Quality Comics

Superman #3 - National Allied Publications - Winter Issue

December

Ace Comics #33 - David McKay Publications

Action Comics #19 - National Allied Publications

Adventure Comics #45 - National Allied Publications

All-American Comics #9 - All-American Publications

Amazing Man Comics #8 - Centaur Publications

Amazing Mystery Funnies #16 - Centaur Publications

Detective Comics #34 - National Allied Publications

Double Action Comics (1939 series) #1 - National Periodical Publications (ashcan copy, distributed only in New York City newsstands)

Feature Comics #27 - Quality Comics

Marvel Mystery Comics (previously Marvel Comics) #2 - Timely Comics

More Fun Comics #50 - National Periodical Publications

Mystery Men Comics #5 - Fox Feature Syndicate

Smash Comics #5 - Quality Comics

Specials

New York World's Fair (1939 series) #1 - National Periodical Publications

Mutt & Jeff (1939 series) #1 - All-American Comics

Deaths

January 18: Carl E. Schultze, American comics artist (Foxy Grandpa), passes away at age 72.

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

October 10: Benjamin Rabier, French comics artist, illustrator, animator and advertising artist (Gédéon, Tintin-Lutin, designed La Vache Qui Rit), passes away at age 74.

November 22: Walter Hoban, American comics artist (Jerry on the Job), passes away at age 49.

First issues by title

All-American Comics cover dated April, published by All-American Publications

Amazing Man Comics cover dated September, published by Centaur Publications. Issues #1 through 4 were not published.

Double Action Comics cover dated December, published by National Periodical Publications. The first issue was an ashcan copy, published but not distributed or sold.

Fantastic Comics, cover-dated December, published by Fox Feature Syndicate

Four Color Series 1 published by Dell Publishing

Marvel Comics cover dated October, published by Timely Comics

Movie Comics cover dated April, published by National Periodical Publications

Mutt & Jeff cover dated Summer, published by All-American Comics

Mystery Men Comics cover dated August, published by Fox Feature Syndicate

New York World's Fair published by National Periodical Publications

Silver Streak Comics cover dated December, published by Rhoda Publications

Smash Comics cover dated August, published by Quality Comics

Superman cover dated Summer, published by National Periodical Publications

The Magic Comic cover dated July, published by D. C. Thomson & Co.

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.

Initial appearances by character name

Batman (Earth-Two) in Detective Comics #27 (May), created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane, published by National Allied Publications

Bozo the Iron Man in Smash Comics #1 (August), created by George Brenner, published by Quality Comics.

Commissioner Gordon in Detective Comics #27 (May) created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane, published by National Allied Publications

Dan Garret (Blue Beetle) in Mystery Men Comics #1 (August), created by Charles Nicholas, published by Fox Feature Syndicate.

Doctor Death (comics) in Detective Comics #29 (July), created by Bob Kane, published by National Periodical Publications

Doll Girl in Feature Comics #27 (December), created by Will Eisner, Published by Quality Comics.

Doll Man in Feature Comics #27 (December), created by Will Eisner, Published by Quality Comics.

Human Torch in Marvel Comics #1 (October) created by Carl Burgos, published by Timely Comics

Invisible Hood in Smash Comics #1 (August), created by Art Pinajian, published by Quality Comics.

Monk (comics) in Detective Comics #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

Sandman (Wesley Dodds) in New York World's Fair Comics #1, created by Gardner Fox and Bert Christman, published by National Periodical Publications.

Ultra-Humanite in Action Comics #13 (June), created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, published by National Periodical Publications.

Ultra-Man in All-American Comics #8 (November), created by Jon L. Blummer, published by National Periodical Publications

References

1939 in comics Wikipedia

(Text) CC BY-SA

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