Price: 18.95 USD; 21.95 CAD
Pages: 212
Editing: Joe Simon (credited) (co-editor); Jim Simon (credited) (co-editor)
Cover Thumbnail for The Comic Book Makers (Crestwood / II Publications, 1990 series) Edit Cover
Cover Gallery 

Issue Data

Series Data

  • Color: color cover; black and white interior with small color section
  • Dimensions: 8.25 in. x 10.5 in.
  • Paper Stock: bond paper with stiff glossy cover stock
  • Binding: squarebound soft cover
  • Publishing Format: one-shot
  • Publication Type: book

Indexer Notes

Library of Congress Number: 90-83473. A mostly autobiographical account of the life of Joe Simon and his work in comics. Includes many illustrations and several reprinted comic stories.

The Laughing Hyena
(Table of Contents: 1)

Boy Explorers / comic story / 11 pages

Script:
Pencils:
Inks:
Letters:
?
  • Genre:adventure; science fiction
Characters:
Commodore Sindbad; Boy Explorers [Mister Zero; Gadget; Smiley; Gashouse]; The Dean; Smedley (dinosaur)
Synopsis:
The Boy Explorers and Commodore Sindbad find an uncharted island inhabited by dinosaurs and a savage tribe that intends to use the dinosaurs to rule the world.

Indexer Notes

An unpublished story found when the Harvey warehouse was sold in the 1980s. The splash page was unfinished and is printed in reduced size. No credits on the story, but a splash page of another Boy Explorers story is printed with "by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby" on it, so this is likely the same. Unknown who did what as far as story and art.

The Jig-Saw Puzzle Mystery, Episode 8
(Table of Contents: 2)

Minute Movies / comic story / 0.5 page

Script:
Pencils:
Inks:
Letters:
  • Genre:detective-mystery; adventure; drama; humor
  • First Line of Dialogue or Text:When Sergt. Cassidy had gone, Mame Taylor and Anson discussed the strange and sudden death of their employer.
Reprints (0)
  • from Minute Movies (George Matthew Adams Syndicate) xxxx-04-28

Sun and Sand, Episode 15
(Table of Contents: 3)

Minute Movies / comic story / 0.5 page

Script:
Pencils:
Inks:
Letters:
  • Genre:adventure; drama; humor
  • First Line of Dialogue or Text:On the morning of the arrival of the freighter at Algiers, Gerald Crawford and Phil McCann decide to quit the boat.
Reprints (0)
  • from Minute Movies (George Matthew Adams Syndicate)

Military Bearing; Sex Hygiene; The Bayonet; The Top Kick; Old Pal; Latrine Orderly; K. P.; Snack; The Goldbrick
(Table of Contents: 4)

Sad Sack / comic story / 4.5 pages

Script:
Pencils:
Inks:
Letters:
  • Genre:humor; military
Characters:
Sad Sack
Reprints (0)
  • from Yank Magazine

Indexer Notes

Seven episodes of "Sad Sack" by Sgt. George Baker, reprinted from Yank Magazine.

Dick Tracy #75 Cover
(Table of Contents: 5)

Dick Tracy / cover reprint (on interior page) / 0.33 page

Pencils:
Inks:
  • Genre:crime; detective-mystery
Characters:
Dick Tracy
Reprints (1)

Indexer Notes

Covers from Harvey Dick Tracy comics "ghosted" by Joe Simon. #75 has full cover, minus the vignette of Dick Tracy from under the Harvey Brand. Covers from Dick Tracy 72, 117, and 137 just show the black and white art, without the logo.

My City Is No More
(Table of Contents: 6)

His Highness The Duke of Broadway / comic story / 8 pages

Script:
Pencils:
Inks:
Letters:
  • Genre:adventure
Characters:
The Duke of Broadway [Dan Dandy]; Apple Annie; Red; Adolph Gebhart (villain)
Synopsis:
The Duke must find a nuclear warhead hidden in the city before it goes off.
Reprints (1)

Indexer Notes

Art ID by Joe Simon.

2 pages removed? Original story is 10 pages.

Blue Bolt #7 Cover
(Table of Contents: 7)

Blue Bolt / cover reprint (on interior page) / 0.25 page

Pencils:
Inks:
Colors:
?
Letters:
?
  • Genre:superhero
Characters:
The Blue Bolt [Fred Parrish]
Reprints (1)

Indexer Notes

May be recolored.

Sick V3, #14 [18] Cover
(Table of Contents: 8)

cover reprint (on interior page) / 1 page

Pencils:
Jack Davis (signed as JACK DAVIS) (painting)
Inks:
Jack Davis (signed as JACK DAVIS) (painting)
Colors:
Jack Davis (signed as JACK DAVIS) (painting)
  • Genre:satire-parody
Characters:
Hoss Cartright; Huckleberry Fink
Reprints (1)

Indexer Notes

Reprint of the original cover painting without the logo and trade dress.

Sick V4, #2 [24] Cover
(Table of Contents: 9)

cover reprint (on interior page) / 1 page

Pencils:
Jack Davis (signed as JACK DAVIS) (painting)
Inks:
Jack Davis (signed as JACK DAVIS) (painting)
Colors:
Jack Davis (signed as JACK DAVIS) (painting)
  • Genre:humor
Characters:
Huckleberry Fink
Reprints (1)

Indexer Notes

Reprinted from original cover painting without logo or trade dress.

Sick V3, #2 [16] Cover
(Table of Contents: 10)

cover reprint (on interior page) / 1 page

Pencils:
Jack Davis (signed as JACK DAVIS) (painting)
Inks:
Jack Davis (signed as JACK DAVIS) (painting)
Colors:
Jack Davis (signed as JACK DAVIS) (painting)
  • Genre:satire-parody
Characters:
Ben Casey; Frankenstein's Monster
Reprints (1)

Indexer Notes

Reprinted from the original painting, without logo or trade dress.

[no title indexed]
(Table of Contents: 11)

cover reprint (on interior page) / 0.8 page

Pencils:
Inks:
Colors:
Letters:
  • Genre:romance
  • First Line of Dialogue or Text:Designed for the More Adult Readers of Comics
Reprints (1)

Indexer Notes

Colors on this reprint do not match those of the GCD cover scan of the original issue. Penciller revision from Joe Simon to Jack Kirby by Craig Delich 4-5-08. Verified on page 24 of Alter Ego #76.

The Love Fakers
(Table of Contents: 12)

cover reprint (on interior page) / 0.33 page

Pencils:
Inks:
Letters:
  • Genre:romance
Reprints (1)

Indexer Notes

Cover blurb: "The Original Young Romance Group"

[The Police Line-Up]
(Table of Contents: 13)

cover reprint (on interior page) / 0.8 page

Pencils:
Inks:
  • Genre:crime
Characters:
Ben Oda (caricature); Joe Simon (caricature); Joe Genalo (caricature); Mort Meskin (caricature); Jack Kirby (caricature)
Reprints (1)

Indexer Notes

The five suspects in the line-up are caricatures of artists Ben Oda, Joe Simon, Joe Genola, Mort Meskin and Jack Kirby.

Are You a Red Dupe?
(Table of Contents: 14)

comic story / 1 page

Script:
Pencils:
Inks:
Letters:
?
  • Genre:advocacy; satire-parody
Characters:
Melvin Blizunken
Synopsis:
This editorial illustrated page purports that the Communists are the ones trying to destroy the comic magazine industry, citing the Soviet "Daily Worker" newspaper and Dr. Frederick Wertham.
Reprints (1)

Indexer Notes

Inside front cover from several E.C. Comics in summer 1954. Tongue in cheek editorial parody in an attempt to link efforts to destroy comics to Communists.

Writer credits from Lyle Stuart himself, during an interview by Bill Spicer in Squa Tront (Fantagraphics, 2002 series) #12 (2007); and from Grant Geissman's book, Tales of Terror!: The EC Companion (Fantagraphics, 2000 series), who lists the writer as Bill Gaines; as well as Frank Jacobs' The MAD World of William M. Gaines (Carol Publishing Group, 1973 series) notes that Gaines worked with Stuart on the piece.

[no title indexed]
(Table of Contents: 15)

Pogo / comic story / 0.2 page

Script:
Walt Kelly (credited)
Pencils:
Walt Kelly (credited)
Inks:
Walt Kelly (credited)
Letters:
Walt Kelly (credited)
  • Genre:anthropomorphic-funny animals
  • First Line of Dialogue or Text:Sorry I fell overboard tryin' to deliver you' mail, Pogo
Characters:
Pogo; Porky Pine; Chug Chug Curtis
Synopsis:
The mailman tries to deliver a catfish to Pogo.
Reprints (0)
  • from The New York Star 1949-01-28

Indexer Notes

Episode of Pogo from the last issue of "The New York Star" newspaper.

Beautiful Freak
(Table of Contents: 16)

cover reprint (on interior page) / 1 page

Script:
?
Pencils:
Inks:
Letters:
  • Genre:horror-suspense
Reprints (1)

The Greatest Horror of Them All !
(Table of Contents: 17)

comic story / 5 pages

Script:
?
Pencils:
Inks:
Letters:
  • Genre:horror-suspense
Characters:
Tom; Fritz; Sing; Johnny Parker; Elena; Doc Lowry; Felix
Synopsis:
Johnny lives in Sanctuary where other deformed people live free from the prying eyes of the public. He falls in love with Elena, the lovely secretary, until he learns her secret.
Reprints (1)

Human Fly #1 (I.W.) Cover
(Table of Contents: 18)

Blue Beetle / cover reprint (on interior page) / 0.3 page

Pencils:
Inks:
Letters:
? (logo)
typeset
  • Genre:superhero
Reprints (1)

Indexer Notes

Burgos credits per Nick Caputo, April 2011. Cover reprinted in grayscale.

The Little People
(Table of Contents: 19)

Dynamic Man (Chesler / Dynamic) / cover reprint (on interior page) / 0.25 page

Script:
?
Pencils:
Joe Simon (credited)
Inks:
Joe Simon (credited)
Letters:
? (logo)
typeset
  • Genre:superhero
Characters:
Dynamic Man (Chesler / Dynamic)
Reprints (1)

Indexer Notes

Credit from The Comic Book Makers.

Snapshot Girl
(Table of Contents: 20)

cover reprint (on interior page) / 0.25 page

Script:
?
Pencils:
Joe Simon (credited)
Inks:
Joe Simon (credited)
Letters:
typeset
  • Genre:romance
Reprints (1)

Indexer Notes

Simon credit per The Comic Book Makers.

Secret Kisses
(Table of Contents: 21)

cover reprint (on interior page) / 0.25 page

Script:
?
Pencils:
Joe Simon (credited)
Inks:
Joe Simon (credited)
Letters:
  • Genre:romance
Reprints (1)

Indexer Notes

Simon credit per The Comic Book Makers.

Menace of the Metal Monsters
(Table of Contents: 22)

The Spirit / cover reprint (on interior page) / 0.25 page

Script:
?
Pencils:
Joe Simon (credited)
Inks:
Joe Simon (credited)
Letters:
  • Genre:superhero
Characters:
The Spirit
Reprints (1)

Indexer Notes

Cover art credits from The Comic Book Makers.

The New Age of Comics
(Table of Contents: 23)

comic story / 3 pages

Script:
Joe Simon (credited)
Pencils:
Angelo Torres (credited)
Inks:
Angelo Torres (credited)
Letters:
typeset
  • Genre:satire-parody
  • First Line of Dialogue or Text:The Big News in publishing circles is the return to pupularity of comic books.
Characters:
Sam Me; Dripko; Shirley; Plotsky; Captain American
Synopsis:
A parody of the Marvel editorial office staff in the 1960s.
Reprints (1)

Indexer Notes

According to the introduction, Joe Simon showed the script to Stan Lee in advance and got the comment "very funny."

Introducing Spider Man
(Table of Contents: 24)

Spider-Man / cover reprint (on interior page) / 0.33 page

Script:
Pencils:
Inks:
Letters:
  • Genre:superhero
  • First Line of Dialogue or Text:Though the world may mock Peter Parker, the timid teenager... it will soon marvel at the awesome might of... Spider-Man!
Characters:
Spider-Man [Peter Parker]
Reprints (1)

Indexer Notes

Also prints Steve Ditko original unpublished version of the cover in side-by-side comparison.

Editing
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Issue at my.comics.org
View Change History
Table of Contents ToC
    Table of Contents
  1. The Laughing Hyena
    Boy Explorers
  2. The Jig-Saw Puzzle Mystery, Episode 8
    Minute Movies
  3. Sun and Sand, Episode 15
    Minute Movies
  4. Military Bearing; Sex Hygiene; The Bayonet; The Top Kick; Old Pal; Latrine Orderly; K. P.; Snack; The Goldbrick
    Sad Sack
  5. Dick Tracy #75 Cover
    Dick Tracy
  6. My City Is No More
    His Highness The Duke of Broadway
  7. Blue Bolt #7 Cover
    Blue Bolt
  8. Sick V3, #14 [18] Cover
  9. Sick V4, #2 [24] Cover
  10. Sick V3, #2 [16] Cover
  11. ["Designed for the More Adult Readers of Comics"]
  12. The Love Fakers
  13. [The Police Line-Up]
  14. Are You a Red Dupe?
  15. ["Sorry I fell overboard tryin' to deliver you' mail, Pogo"]
    Pogo
  16. Beautiful Freak
  17. The Greatest Horror of Them All !
  18. Human Fly #1 (I.W.) Cover
    Blue Beetle
  19. The Little People
    Dynamic Man (Chesler / Dynamic)
  20. Snapshot Girl
  21. Secret Kisses
  22. Menace of the Metal Monsters
    The Spirit
  23. The New Age of Comics
  24. Introducing Spider Man
    Spider-Man
Related Links
Issue was modified by
  • Merlin Haas
  • Andrew Krieg
  • Hyju Rocket
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