Notable events of 1939 in comics.
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
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. Funny Pages (1939 series) #3 (26) - Centaur Publications More Fun Comics #42 – National Periodical Publications Movie Comics (1939 series) #1 – National Periodical Publications Star Comics (1939 series) #3 - Centaur Publications Star Ranger Funnies (1939 series) #2 - Centaur Publications
May May 20: In Floyd Gottfredson's Mickey Mouse comic strip the villain Phantom Blot and the policeman Chief O'Hara make their debut; in the story Outwits the Phantom Blot. 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. Funny Picture Stories (1939 series) #3 - Centaur Publications, Final Issue More Fun Comics #43 – National Periodical Publications Movie Comics #2 – National Periodical Publications Star Comics (1939 series) #4 - Centaur Publications Wonder Comics #1 - Fox Feature Syndicate
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 Funny Pages (1939 series) #4 (27) - Centaur Publications More Fun Comics #44 – National Periodical Publications Movie Comics #3 – National Periodical Publications Star Comics (1939 series) #5 - Centaur Publications Star Ranger Funnies (1939 series) #3 - Centaur Publications Superman (1939 series) #1, cover dated Summer – National Periodical Publications Wonder Comics #2 - Fox Feature Syndicate
July 1 July: Fox Feature Syndicate renames Wonder Comics to Wonderworld Comics starting with issue #3. Ace Comics #28 – David McKay Publications Action Comics #14 – National Allied Publications Adventure Comics #40 – National Allied Publications. In this issue Gardner Fox, Bert Christman, Ogden Whitney and Creig Flessel's The Sandman makes his debut. All-American Comics #4 – All-American Publications Amazing Mystery Funnies #11 – Centaur Publications Detective Comics #29 – National Allied Publications. In this issue Gardner Fox introduces Batman's utility belt in Batman by Bill Finger and Bob Kane. Feature Comics #22 – Quality Comics Funny Pages (1939 series) #5 (28) - Centaur Publications More Fun Comics #45 – National Periodical Publications Movie Comics #4 – National Periodical Publications Star Comics (1939 series) #6 - Centaur Publications The Magic Comic #1 – D. C. Thomson & Co. Wonderworld Comics #3 - Fox Feature Syndicate, Will Eisner and Jerry Iger's The Flame makes his debut.
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 Funny Pages (1939 series) #6 (29) - Centaur Publications 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 Star Comics (1939 series) #7 - Centaur Publications, Final Issue Star Ranger Funnies (1939 series) #4 - Centaur Publications Smash Comics #1 (1939 series) – Quality Comics Wonderworld Comics #4 - Fox Feature Syndicate
September : on Le Petit Vingtième, first chapter of Land of Black Gold by Hergé; the story will be unfinished because the war. 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. In this issue Gardner Fox introduces the Batarang in Batman by Bob Kane and Bill Finger. Feature Comics #24 – Quality Comics Four Color Series 1 (1939 series) #1 – Dell Publishing First comic-book appearance of Dick Tracy, who was already a popular feature in newspaper comics since 1931. Funny Pages (1939 series) #7 (30) - Centaur Publications More Fun Comics #47 – National Periodical Publications Movie Comics #6 – National Periodical Publications, Final Issue 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 Wonderworld Comics No. 5 - Fox Feature Syndicate
October October 15: Dorothy Urfer and Virginia Krausmann's Annibelle ends its run after a decade of publication. October: Russell Keaton's Flyin' Jenny makes its debut. It will run until 1946. 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 Funny Pages (1939 series) #8 (31) - Centaur Publications 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 Star Ranger Funnies (1939 series) #5 - Centaur Publications Wonderworld Comics #6 - Fox Feature Syndicate
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,One copy with a color cover has been proven to be a hoax. with the contents pulled from Action Comics No. 2.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. Feature Comics #26 – Quality Comics Funny Pages (1939 series) #9 (32) - Centaur Publications 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 Wonderworld Comics #7 - Fox Feature Syndicate
December Will Eisner leaves the comics studio Eisner & Iger. 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) Fantastic Comics (1939 series) #1 - Fox Feature Syndicate Feature Comics #27 – Quality Comics – In this issue Will Eisner and Lou Fine's Doll Man makes his debut. Funny Pages (1939 series) #10 (33) - Centaur Publications 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 Wonderworld Comics #8 - Fox Feature Syndicate
Specials New York World's Fair (1939 series) #1 – National Periodical Publications Mutt & Jeff (1939 series) #1 – All-American Comics
Specific date unknown The first episode of Arthur Warden's Tuffy and his Magic Tail is published. Lev Gleason founds the comic book company Lev Gleason Publications. 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.
Births March March 27: Jo Teodorescu, Romanian illustrator and comics artist (Aventurile profesului Parbriz), (d. 2014).
April April 10: Shinji Mizushima, Japanese manga artist (Yakyū-kyō no Uta, Dokaben, Abu-san), (d. 2022).
Deaths