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Victor Fox |
Fox titles with blue background 01/28/2014 |
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1920 |
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| July |
July 2, 1920 Crystal Coal Company plans to export coal to Italy, France and Scandinavia. This company is owned by Victor S. Fox, who also owns the Consolidated Maritime ; which has 22 vessels in its fleet. (Rowe)
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| Oct |
October 4, 1920 control of 12 ships sold to Victor Fox on installment plan removed by federal government. (Rowe)
October 5, 1920 Victor S. Fox and William Kaiser charged with conspiracy to defraud the United States due to false accounts with their buying of several steamships (Rowe)
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| Dec |
Fox was the Fox who owned the Consolidated Maritime Lines in the 1920s (which seems to
be shipping); which would mean he's the guy with the Victor S. Fox Co,
and various other steamship companies (see various government
documents in the late 1920s for the precise connection (see Tomorrows
book) Rowe
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July 2, 1921 the ship Monongahela, which arrived in Seattle on May 22 is to be sold at public auction.; boat seized from Victor S. Fox by US government to pay the crew.
July 11, 1921 Steamship, Moshulu, is being held at anchorage in Oakland, CA, after arriving from Manilla a week ago. Crew unpaid. Fox had bought that ship, Chilicothe, and the Monongahela from the shipping board. These were captured German ships. The other two boats are seized or to be seized and sold at public auction. Fox not having finished paying for them (or making recent payment).
July 16 1921 the Moshulu is to be sold, it left Oakland on May 11, 1920 returning July 5, 1921. The crew is owed $13,000. Boat is to be sold by the government to ensure wages paid. Monongahela sold a few days ago. Other boat still in Manilla. (Rowe) |
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April 20, 1922 Board announces the prices of the two steamships sold to the Victor S. Fox company (rowe)
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1929 |
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| Nov | Fox was indicted on November 27,1929 for mail fraud and a “boiler room” “sell and switch” stock scheme- a scheme where good stocks were sold for bad and purchases made of “unissued” stocks which were not delivered (Berk) | |
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1934 |
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| Paul Clancy publishes Astrology Magazine and starts a new Astrology fad | ||
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1936 |
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1937 |
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| Jan | ||
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Mar
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Fox publishes first magazine- World Astrology- jumping onto an existing fad. The magazine is distributed by Donenfeld and Liebowitz's Independent News. Donenfeld owns 50% of the magazine. (Image from Phantom Lady Archives vol2. Digital Comics Museum) |
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1938 |
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In early 1938, they absorb ROSE DAWN'S MODERN ASTROLOGY which
ran in 1937. ROSE DAWN did this magazine to promote herself -
she was a star of XER, the Mexican border radio station that was
at one time the most listened to station in the US.
(Feldman)
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| April | Jerry Iger visits Max Gaines' office at McClure and obtains copies of all the comics magazines they are currently printing- including Action #1. (according to Sheldon Mayer's testimony). Iger is interested in publishing his own comic magazine. | |
| June | DC's Action Comics #1- (Cover dated- on sale April 18th). | |
| Victor Fox, as a client of Independent News, has access to sales reports kept in the Independent News offices while viewing his own sales reports for World Astrology. | ||
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1939 |
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| Feb | Victor Fox speaks to Jack Liebowitz about publishing a comic
book magazine. Feb 11, 1939. Bruns Publications serves notice to Independent News that they are changing distribtuors to Kable News. |
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| May | Wonder Comics #1 featuring material prepared by the Iger/Eisner
shop including Will Eisner's Wonder Man. First Fox comic Bruns Publications 480 Lexington Ave
Cover dated May 1939 means that Wonder Comics #1 appeared in March 1939. DC obtained a preliminary injunction (a legal procedure to order a stop an act in order to prevent “irreparable harm”) March 16 followed by a permanent injunction hearing on April 6 which quashed there ever being a second appearance of Wonderman. As produced, Wonder Comics #2 contained no Wonderman, but Yarko the Great. (Berk) |
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| Jul |
Wonderworld #3 starring the Flame 29 Worthington St (Phelps Publishing Co.) Springfield Mass |
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| Aug | Mystery Men #1 featuring Blue Beetle and Green Mask (29 Worthington ST) |
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| Sep
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Mystery Men #2 1st Fox Publications issue | |
| Nov | ||
| Dec |
SCOTT, BILL Editor: FOX c1940
Blue Beetle #1- mostly reprints Fantastic Comics #1
Dec 2, 1939 real time. Eisner -Iger shop splits with Fox over non-payment. Fox advertises for artists to replace them. (Berk) Joe Simon responds to the ad and becomes the new editor.
SIMON, JOE Editor: FOX 1940-41
Fox produces in Dec '39 a Sunday comics supplement of his features (said by researchers to be simply reprints), and also offered 4 original daily strips, including Blue Beetle & Green Mask (Murray) |
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1940 |
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| Jan | Jack Kirby begins work for Fox on the Blue Beetle comic strip. Mystery Men 6 Wonderworld 9 |
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| Feb |
Mystery Men 7 Science #1 |
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| Mar |
Mystery Men 8 Science 2 (Holyoke) |
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| April |
Spring '40, Fox offers a Spirit-style 16-page comic book insert, "Weekly Comic Magazine" headlined by Blue Beetle & Molly O'Day. (Murray) Rex Dexter of Mars comic strip drawn by Dick Briefer
Mystery Men 9 Weird #1 |
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| May
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Simon covers begin to appear May 15,1940 Blue Beetle radio show begins (Berk) Runs through September. Mystery Men #10 Weird #2 (Holyoke) Fantastic #6 (Worthington)
May 2, 1940 Fox loses the Detective vs. Bruns case on appeal. (Alter Ego 101) |
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| June
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Flame #1 8 Lord ST Buffalo, NY
Green Mask #1 (Buffalo) Blue Beetle 2 Mystery Men 11
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| July | Mystery Men #12 29 Worthington ST |
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| Aug |
Weird 5 (Holyoke)
Blue Beetle 3
Mystery Men 13 features the Lynx with Blackie the Mystery Boy with art by Jim Mooney under the name Norton Kingsley. Detective Comics again files suit, this time alleging infringement upon Batman. The case was settled in 1942 with Fox once again having to pay damages and court costs. (Alter Ego 101). The Lynx ran until Mystery Men 31 in February 1942, the last issue. |
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| Sept
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Mystery Men 14 | |
| Oct |
Mystery Men 15 Wonderworld 18 (Springfield) |
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| Nov |
Samson #1 (Holyoke) Rex Dexter of Mars #1 |
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| Dec
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Big 3 #2 and Flame #3 published at 1 Appleton St Holyoke MA . Other titles continue to list Worthington St address. According to the Springfield Sunday Union and Republican for Oct. 21, 1928, Phelps and Bowles have a joint operating agreement for their printing business. |
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1941 |
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| Feb | CN distribution symbol on Mystery Men 19. Colonial News owned by Victor Fox? |
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| Mar |
SUNDELL, ABNER Editor: FOX Mar 41-42 dates uncertain (Bails) |
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| Apr | Mystery Men 21 lists 247 Park Ave as editorial offices | |
| June
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Flame #5 lists 1 Appleton St Holyoke as printer 247 Park Ave NYC as editorial offices Worthington St address continues to appear. |
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| July | The Eagle #1 |
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| Aug
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Swank Magazine- 1-7 thru March 1942 Grin and Swank (due to Kooba Kola ads), and Fox also did Wink and Dash (Snyder) Green Mask 6 (Holyoke) |
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| Nov | US Jones #1 |
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| Dec
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1942 |
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| Jan |
last Flame (#8) V Comics #1 |
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| Feb
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Sherman Bowles, publisher of 4 Springfield Mass newspapers and
owner of Holyoke Press takes over Catman with #12(7) and
Captain Aero with #8. Quinlan and Temerson? go with them. Temerson is not a part owner of Holyoke, but may be an employee. Last Fox Blue Beetle 11. Last Mystery Men #31 still at 29 Worthington ST |
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| Mar | Fox was forced into [in]voluntary bankruptcy on March 6, 1942 by a number of his creditors including, Bulkley, Dunton & Co.[Paper], Phelps Publishing [of Springfield, MA], and Chemical Photo Engraving Inc [color separations]. with monies owed in excess of $100,000. (This was due, probably, in no small part to the fact its distributor, Colonial News, Inc. went under, owing Fox Publishing $173,551.) Berk |
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| Jun |
Holyoke takes over Blue Beetle (#12) Charles Quinlan takes over editorial and art with #13. 52 Vanderbuilt Ave NYC |
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| Jul | ||
| Aug | Blue Beetle 13 | |
| Sept | Blue Beetle 14 | |
| Oct | Blue Beetle 15 | |
| Nov | Blue Beetle 16 | |
| Dec | Blue Beetle 17 | |
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1943 |
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| Jan |
last Holyoke issue of Catman (17) Blue Beetle 18 |
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| Feb | ||
| Mar | Blue Beetle 19 | |
| Apr |
New Blue Beetle (20) Chas Quinlan Ed. statement of Ownership |
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| May | Blue Beetle 21 | |
| Jun | Blue Beetle 22 | |
| Jul
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Temerson forms Et-Es-Go and resumes publication of Catman 220 W 42nd ST Printed in St. Louis Blue Beetle 23 |
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| Aug | last Quinlan Blue Beetle story (24) BB still at Vanderbuilt Ave- still printed in Holyoke. Produced by Ferstadt studios? |
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| Sept | Blue Beetle 25 |
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| Oct | Blue Beetle 26 | |
| Nov | Blue Beetle 27 | |
| Dec
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Blue Beetle 28 | |
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Fox starts a paperback line, printed and distributed by Larkin,
Roosevelt and Larkin in Chicago. 133 North Jefferson ST, Chicago,
IL. The second volume was published by R.W. Voight. By volume 5 It was Green Publishing, still with the Fox head on the cover. Dating is uncertain. http://bookscans.com/Publishers/digestindex/Pages/Digest%20Publisher.pdf After the war, Larkin would launch a series of "Who's Who" volumes, which appears to be their only product. This was a profitable operation that lasted at least into the 1960s.
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1944 |
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| Jan | Blue Beetle 29 | |
| Feb
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Blue Beetle 30
On
February 15, 1944 Fox filed a petition to emerge from [in]voluntary
bankruptcy by proposing to “pay creditors 33 1/3% of net proceeds of
the magazine Blue Beetle.” Continuing as Fox Feature
Syndicate, Inc., Fox started a
new line of comics and wrested Blue Beetle Comics back
from
Holyoke Publishing Co. with issue 31, cover dated June
1944
Court action against Holyoke continued into 1945. |
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| undated |
Fox funnels a lot of material through surrogate publishers who have access to paper allotments under WW2 restrictions.
The Bouncer (R W Voight Chicago)- copyright by Fox Features by Bob Kanigher. E.C. Stoner cover. Distributed by Fawcett. (FDC) Rocket Kelley (Larkin, Roosevelt and Larkin, Chicago) also FDC.
Real Hit Comics (reprints BB#25- Savings Bond Premium- probably Temerson, not Fox?)
Fox also puts out a string of giant comics through surrogate publishers. Many of these books contain stories of Fox continuing characters, including Joan Mason, Blue Beetle's girl friend, but no Blue Beetle stories himself. V-Man mysteriously becomes the Puppeteer. The Green Mask is replaced with a new version.
All Top (Wise) (1) All Good (Voight) (2) All Your (Voight) (3)
Book of Comics (Wise)(4) All Great (Wise) (5) Everybody's Comics (Wise) (6)
Most of this work is produced by the Ferstadt studio and signed with fake names: BACHLE, LEO unconfirmed BROWNER, HERMAN (pen/ink/) 1945 > 45 COLE, LEONARD B. (pen/ink/) c1942-c43 > 42 43 DA VOREN, EARL (pen/ink/) c1943 possibly later known as WALTER DAVOREN > 43 FERSTADT, LOUIS (own/dir/) 1942-45 > 42 43 44 45 FREEDMAN, SOPHIE (wr/) 1945 > 45 GREGG, GEORGE unconfirmed KURTZMAN, HARVEY (pen/ink/) 1942-43 > 42 43 MADDEN, BILL unconfirmed O., F. [unknown?] (pen/ink/) mid-1940s > 44 45 46 S., N. [unknown?] (pen/ink/) mid-1940s > 44 45 46 S., R. [unknown?] (pen/ink/) mid-1940s > 44 45 46 SNIBBE? [EBBINS?] (pen/ink/) c1945 unconfirmed > 45 TARAS, MARTIN (pen/ink/) c1942 (Who's Who) |
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| March
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Fox's right hand man, Robert Farrell puts out his own comic line, Four Star Publications starting with Captain Flight. Packaged by L.B. Cole? |
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| undated | Four Star published Hi-Ho- packaged by L. B. Cole? Undated
but advertised in Captain Flight #1 Packaged by L. B. Cole.
Three issues- 1944?, 1945? and 1946. |
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| Jun
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Fox wins Blue Beetle back from Holyoke and resumes publication with #31- Blue Beetle #31 is printed in Akron, Ohio.
Blue Beetle now has super powers, including flying, super strength and size changing and Joan Mason works for the Daily Planet! Art is provided by the Ferstadt studio, including this cover by EC Stoner.
Holyoke begins Sparkling Stars to replace all the titles it lost. 33 issues through 1948. Produced by Ferstadt Studios? Basically Blue Beetle without the lead feature. |
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| Jul
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Blue Beetle 32 |
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| Aug | Blue Beetle 33 has FDC
(Fawcett)
distributor symbol- Captain Marvel appears on back cover selling
Mechanics Illustrated
Fox Feature Syndicate 10 E 43rd St NYC Mailing at NY, NY
Green Mask 10 -This Green Mask is a new character, the son of the previous version.
Swank returns as a digest |
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| Sept
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Bouncer #11- Printed in Buffalo Blue Beetle 34 |
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| Oct |
Blue Beetle 35 Bouncer 12 |
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| Nov
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Blue Beetle 36- Printed in Buffalo Green Mask 11 Bouncer 13 |
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| Dec | ||
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1945 |
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| Undated
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All Great Comics (Chicago Nite Life) Book of All-Comics (Chicago Nite Life) Ribtickler (Chicago Nite Life)
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| April | Spring 45 last Bouncer #14 Green Mask #1 -E. C. Stoner cover |
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| May | Blue Beetle 37 (6 month gap) | |
| Jun | ||
| Aug | Blue Beetle 38 | |
| Sept | ||
| Oct |
Green Mask 3- Printed in PA 221 Conyngham St Wilkes-Barres PA (Central Color Printing- owned by Fox?) ED-60 E 42nd ST NYC |
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| Nov | Blue Beetle 39 |
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| Dec |
Krazy Life #1 begins a new trend into funny animal and humor comics. Features Loop O'Day (actually a war strip) and Gilbert the Gentle Gorilla. L.B. Cole cover?
Rocket Kelly #2
Blue Beetle #40 |
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| no date | Ribtickler #1, features Icky, Flash Lyte, Pussy Katnip and Jerry Jingle |
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1946 |
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| Jan |
Green Mask #4- now distributed by ANC (American News) |
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| Feb | ||
| Mar | Blue Beetle 41 |
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| Spring |
The humor flood begins. All Top #1 starring Cosmo Cat and Flash Rabbit- no Fox symbol on cover All Good #1 All Your #1 Jo Jo #1 Zoot #1 Ribtickler #2(?) |
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| Summer |
Nuttylife #2 (formerly Krazy Life) L. B. Cole cover ? 221 Conyngham St Wilkes-Barres PA (Central Color Printing- owned by Fox?) Editorial 60 E 42 St NYC |
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| Jul
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Blue Beetle 42 Cosmo Cat #1 L. B. Cole cover ? Ribtickler #3 |
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| Aug | Nuttylife becomes Wotalife (#3) |
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| Sept |
Blue Beetle 44 (no 43)(Stoner cover) Cosmo Cat #2 Ribtickler #4 |
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| Nov |
Cosmo Cat #3 Ribtickler #5 |
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| Dec |
Zoot Comics #4 All Great #1 Everybody's Comics #1 Lil Pan #6 (Rocket Kelly) |
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1947 |
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| Jan |
Zoot #5- changes format from funny animal to teen humor.
Ribtickler #6 |
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| Feb |
All Top #5 Jo Jo #5 Lil Pan #7 |
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| Mar |
Zoot #6 Ribtickler #7 |
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| Apr |
All Top #6 Jo Jo #6 Lil Pan #8 |
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| May | ||
| June |
Fox moves away from Funny Animal titles into "Good Girl" art. The Ferstadt shop is replaced by the Iger shop.
Blue Beetle 45 (long gap) (Stoner cover?) Zoot #7 Ribtickler #8 |
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| July |
Blue Beetle 46 Jack Kamen cover JoJo Congo King 07 change in direction |
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| Aug |
Phantom Lady 13- first issue (Wotalife) cover by Matt Baker Blue Beetle 47 Ribtickler #9 (last issue)
Farrel's Four Star converts Captain Flight into Daffy Tunes #12 Printed at Central Color Printing in Wilkes-Barres PA One issue Also Brenda Starr (2 issues) |
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| Sept |
Junior #9 (Lil Pan) Al Feldstein produces Fox version of Archie Blue Beetle 48 |
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| Oct | Central Color Printing of Wilkes-Barre and Victor Fox buy a
paper mill (Oct 23, 1947) Berk All Great #14 Blue Beetle 49 Phantom Lady 14
October 23, 1947 Postdam, NY: Postdam paper Mill sold to Fox Features Syndicate. Produces newsprint and cover stock. Uses material from Central Color in Wilke-Barres Pa (Rowe)
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| Nov | All Top changes direction (#8)- Rulah Jungle Princess
cover Blue Beetle 50 |
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| Dec |
Everybody's Comics Sunny #11 (Cosmo Cat) Blue Beetle 51 Phantom Lady 15 |
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1948 |
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| Jan |
According to Jim Vadeboncouer, Matt Baker leaves the Iger shop about this time. Most Fox work after this point that looks like Baker, probably isn't.
Fox enters the crime market Murder Inc #1 Blue Beetle 52
Bruce Gentry: last 4 Star comic from Farrell until the 50's |
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| Feb |
Blue Beetle 53 Dagar 14 (All Great) Phantom Lady 16 |
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| Mar | Meet Corliss Archer #1 Blue Beetle 54 BB shoved off his own cover for "The Vanishing Nude" |
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| Apr |
Blue Beetle 55 Phantom Lady 17 Dagar 15 |
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| May | Blue Beetle 56 |
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| Jun |
Famous Crimes #1 Phantom Lady 18 Dagar 16 |
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| Jul |
Blue Beetle 57 last issue Women Outlaws #1 |
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| Aug |
Tegra #1 Phantom Lady 19 |
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| Sep |
My Life #4 (Corliss Archer) Western Killers #60 (Blue Beetle?) Western Outlaws #17 (Junior) |
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| Oct |
Famous Crimes #3 Zegra #2 (Tegra) Phantom Lady 20 |
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| Nov | ||
| Dec |
Famous Crimes #4 Phantom Lady 21 |
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1949 |
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| Fox begins combining four unsold comics under a new cover and issuing random collections as 132 page giants. The same cover may contain different stories. Also, since Fox printed the first page of the opening story on the inside front cover, many stories are incomplete. | ||
| Feb | Phantom Lady 22
Feb 8 1949 Postdam Mill (of Utica NY) declares bankrputcy, hopes to remain in business. Fox is president, treasurer and director. Caroline B. Fox is sole stockholder. company founded in October 1947 (Rowe)
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| Apr | Last Phantom Lady #23 |
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| Jun |
Fox leaps wholesale into the romance comics boom just in time for it to go bust.
My Love Life #6 (1st issue) continues from Zegra My Love Secret #24 (Phantom Lady) |
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| Jul |
Last All Top #18 My Love Affair #1 My Secret Life #22 (Western Outlaws) My True Love #65 (Western Killers) |
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| Aug |
My Confession #7 (Western True Crime) My Past Thrilling Confessions #7 (Western Thrillers) Women In Love #1 My Desire 30 (Jo-Jo Comics) |
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| Sep |
My Love Story #1 My Experience #19 (All Top) |
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| Oct |
My Love Life #8 (Zegra) My Desire #31 My Great Love #1 |
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| Nov |
My Love Memoirs #9 (Women Outlaws) |
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| Dec |
My Great Love #2 |
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1950 |
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| Apr |
Blue Beetle 58 series returns My Great Love #4 My Secret Romance #1 |
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| Jun |
My Love Life #12 Martin Kane, Private Eye #4(#1) Blue Beetle 59 |
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| July |
Hunted #13 (#1) Inside Crime #3 (#1) March of Crime #7 (#1)
Fox Feature Syndicate forced to file a voluntary petition for bankruptcy on July 15, 1950 along with its wholly owned subsidiary, Central Color Printing in an attempt to obtain protection from its creditors. (Berk) |
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| Aug |
Blue Beetle 60 last issue
Murder Incorporated #2 |
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| Sep |
Famous Crimes #19 Inside Crime #2 March of Crime #2 Spectacular Stories #3 Colossal Features #3 Hoot Gibson #3 Judy Canova #3 Range Busters #1 Cody of the Pony Express #1 Frank Buck #3 Hunted #2 |
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| Oct |
No more titles issued until Aug 51 |
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| Nov |
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| Dec |
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1951 |
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| Mar |
Fox tries to rearrange its debts via petition dated March 27, 1951. (Berk) |
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| Apr |
Robert Farrell gets back into publishing with The Lone Rider #1. 26
issues through 1955. Printed at 2 Main St. Bridgeport CT. |
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| May | ||
| Jun | ||
| July | Listing debts of $775,000 versus assets of only $30,000 as of July 31, 1951, a bankruptcy receiver was appointed for the company on August 2, 1951. (Berk) | |
| Aug |
Fox's last gasp. 7 comics published in 1951.
Crime Incorporated #3 Famous Crimes #20 Murder Incorporated #3 |
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| Sept |
My Love Life #13B March of Crime #3 My Secret Life #27 Rocket Ship X #1
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1952 |
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| May | The company was unable to emerge from bankruptcy, and Fox himself declared personal bankruptcy on May 29, 1952. (Berk) | |
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1953 |
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| Nov | L. B. Cole brings back Cosmo Cat as Super Cat (3 issues) |
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1954 |
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| Oct |
Charlton brings back the Blue Beetle in Space Adventures 13- mostly reprints 2 issues plus 4 issues of his own title |
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| Dec |
Robert Farrell, Fox's friend and oftentimes collaborator brings back a very toned down Phantom Lady as part of his Ajax comics line. 4 issues
Robert Farrell, the right hand business “associate” of Victor Fox brought back reworked versions of The Flame and Samson in his short-lived Ajax-Farrell titles that joined the brief- the very brief- golden age super hero resurgence in 1954-1955. (Farrell even recycled the name Fantastic Comics for a similar brief period.) .(Berk) |
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1955 |
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| April | Samson 12 |
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| May | Wonder Boy 17 from Ajax Farrell. 2 issues. Includes Phantom Lady back-ups |
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1957 |
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| July |
7/3/57 Victor Fox dies. |
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| Aug | Ajax-Farrell brings back Cosmo Cat again but only on the covers. 4 issues. |
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(Berk)
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