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Classics Illustrated (Gilberton)

    (Gilberton, 1941-1971, 2004-2007, 2010)
™ and © Gilberton

In 1941, Albert E. Kanter introduced Classic Comics, later renamed Classics Illustrated. Kanter’s idea was to use the comic form to make great literature accessible to readers who might never otherwise make the effort. Whether his idea represented a watering down of the classics, as some critics claimed, it was an amazingly popular move. Each of the 169 comics in this series were reprinted numerous times, with 23rd printings being relatively common. Their popularity even extended to schools, where the colorful, well-written adaptations must have seemed a welcome alternative to reading lengthy texts.

Kanter later introduced Classics Illustrated Junior, adapting children’s literature for younger readers. The series also gave rise to numerous imitations over the years.

For collectors, their popularity is particularly problematic, since the various reprintings were not clearly marked. The best clue to figuring out which printing you had of a given issue was to note the highest reorder number (HRN) from the series order form on the back of each comic.

We’d like to extend our thanks to Classics Illustrated authority Dan Malan, who has painstakingly determined the distinguishing characteristics of each printing, and who has generously allowed us to use this information here. If you’d like to learn more about this remarkable series, we would encourage you to refer to his definitive “The Complete Guide to Classics Collectibles,” available in four volumes from:

Malan Classical Enterprises
7519 Lindbergh Drive
St. Louis, MO 63117
(314) 781-2319

In later years, several other publishers would reprint issues of this series, usually with new covers or coloring.
Jump to issue:
Page 1 of 16 Next »
  • 1
    #1
    Line-drawing cover by Malcolm Kildale
    Oct 1941
    Cover: $0.10
    W: Alexandre Dumas  ·  A: Malcolm Kildale
    No HRN; 64 pages
    No copies available
  • 1-2
    #1 - 2nd printing
    Line-drawin cover by Malcolm Kildale
    Apr 1943
    W: Alexandre Dumas  ·  A: Malcolm Kildale
    HRN #10; 64 pages
    No copies available
  • 1-3
    #1 - 3rd printing
    Line-drawin cover by Malcolm Kildale
    Nov 1943
    W: Alexandre Dumas  ·  A: Malcolm Kildale
    HRN #15; 64 pages
    No copies available
  • 1-4
    #1 - 4th printing
    Line-drawin cover by Malcolm Kildale
    Apr 1944
    W: Alexandre Dumas  ·  A: Malcolm Kildale
    HRN #18/20; 64 pages
    No copies available
  • 1-5
    #1 - 5th printing
    Line-drawin cover by Malcolm Kildale
    Jul 1944
    W: Alexandre Dumas  ·  A: Malcolm Kildale
    HRN #21; 64 pages
    No copies available
  • 1-6
    #1 - 6th printing
    Line-drawin cover by Malcolm Kildale
    Jun 1946
    W: Alexandre Dumas  ·  A: Malcolm Kildale
    HRN #28; 64 pages
    No copies available
  • 1-7
    #1 - 7th printing
    First edition with Classics Illustrated title
    Apr 1947
    W: Alexandre Dumas  ·  A: Malcolm Kildale
    HRN #36; 64 pages
    1 copy for $94.99
  • 1-8
    #1 - 8th printing
    Line-drawin cover by Malcolm Kildale
    Apr 1949
    W: Alexandre Dumas  ·  A: Malcolm Kildale
    HRN #60; 64 pages; April-June 1949
    1 copy for $9.99
  • 1-9
    #1 - 9th printing
    Line-drawin cover by Malcolm Kildale
    Oct 1949
    W: Alexandre Dumas  ·  A: Malcolm Kildale
    HRN #64; 64 pages
    No copies available
  • 1-10
    #1 - 10th printing
    Line-drawin cover by Malcolm Kildale
    Dec 1950
    Cover: $0.15
    W: Alexandre Dumas  ·  A: Malcolm Kildale
    HRN #78; 64 pages
    1 copy for $9.99
  • 1-11
    #1 - 11th printing
    Line-drawin cover by Malcolm Kildale
    Mar 1952
    Cover: $0.15
    W: Alexandre Dumas  ·  A: Malcolm Kildale
    HRN #93; 64 pages
    1 copy for $9.99
  • 1-12
    #1 - 12th printing
    Line-drawin cover by Malcolm Kildale
    Dec 1953
    W: Alexandre Dumas  ·  A: Malcolm Kildale
    HRN #114; 64 pages
    1 copy for $9.99
  • 1-13
    #1 - 13th printing
    New painted cover
    Sep 1956
    Cover: $0.15
    W: Alexandre Dumas  ·  A: Malcolm Kildale
    HRN #134; 64 pages
    1 copy for $9.99
  • 1-14
    #1 - 14th printing
    Painted cover
    Mar 1958
    Cover: $0.15
    W: Alexandre Dumas  ·  A: Malcolm Kildale
    HRN #143; 64 pages
    1 copy for $7.98
  • 1-15
    #1 - 15th printing
    Painted cover
    May 1950
    Cover: $0.15
    W: Alexandre Dumas  ·  A: George Evans
    HRN #150; 48 pages
    No copies available
  • 1-16
    #1 - 16th printing
    Painted cover
    Jun 1961
    Cover: $0.15
    W: Alexandre Dumas  ·  A: George Evans
    HRN #149; 48 pages; Summer-Fall 1961
    1 copy for $9.98
  • 1-17
    #1 - 17th printing
    Painted cover
    Cover: $0.15
    W: Alexandre Dumas  ·  A: George Evans
    HRN #167; 48 pages; Spring-Summer 1963
    No copies available
  • 1-18
    #1 - 18th printing
    Painted cover
    Apr 1964
    Cover: $0.15
    W: Alexandre Dumas  ·  A: George Evans
    HRN #167; 48 pages
    1 copy for $2.75
  • 1-19
    #1 - 19th printing
    Painted cover
    Jan 1965
    Cover: $0.15
    W: Alexandre Dumas  ·  A: George Evans
    HRN #167; 48 pages
    No copies available
  • 1-20
    #1 - 20th printing
    Painted cover
    Mar 1966
    Cover: $0.15
    W: Alexandre Dumas  ·  A: George Evans
    HRN #167; 48 pages
    No copies available
  • 1-21
    #1 - 21th printing
    Painted cover
    Nov 1967
    Cover: $0.15
    W: Alexandre Dumas  ·  A: George Evans
    HRN #166; 48 pages
    1 copy for $7.98
  • 1-22
    #1 - 22nd printing
    Painted cover; Stiff covers
    Mar 1969
    Cover: $0.25
    W: Alexandre Dumas  ·  A: George Evans
    HRN #166; 48 pages; Spring 1969
    1 copy for $7.98
  • 1-23
    #1 - 23rd printing
    Painted cover; Stiff covers
    Mar 1971
    W: Alexandre Dumas  ·  A: George Evans
    HRN #169; 48 pages; Spring 1971
    1 copy for $9.98
  • 1-24
    #1 - 24th printing
    Painted cover
    Dec 2007
    Cover: $9.99
    W: Alexandre Dumas  ·  A: George Evans
    Introduction by William B. Jones Jr.; Published by Jack Lake Productions
    No copies available
  • 2
    #2
    Line-drawing cover by Malcolm Kildale
    Dec 1941
    Cover: $0.10
    W: Walter Scott  ·  A: Edd Ashe, Ray Ramsey
    No HRN; 64 pages
    No copies available
  • 2-2
    #2 - 2nd printing
    Line-drawing cover by Malcolm Kildale
    Apr 1943
    W: Walter Scott  ·  A: Edd Ashe, Ray Ramsey
    HRN #10; 64 pages
    No copies available
  • 2-3
    #2 - 3rd printing
    Line-drawing cover by Malcolm Kildale
    Nov 1943
    W: Walter Scott  ·  A: Edd Ashe, Ray Ramsey
    HRN #15; 64 pages
    No copies available
  • 2-4
    #2 - 4th printing
    Line-drawing cover by Malcolm Kildale
    Apr 1944
    W: Walter Scott  ·  A: Edd Ashe, Ray Ramsey
    HRN #18/20; 64 pages; April-May 1944
    No copies available
  • 2-5
    #2 - 5th printing
    Line-drawing cover by Malcolm Kildale
    Jul 1944
    W: Walter Scott  ·  A: Edd Ashe, Ray Ramsey
    HRN #21; 64 pages
    No copies available
  • 2-6
    #2 - 6th printing
    Line-drawing cover by Malcolm Kildale
    Jun 1946
    W: Walter Scott  ·  A: Edd Ashe, Ray Ramsey
    HRN #28; 64 pages
    No copies available
  • 2-7
    #2 - 7th printing
    Line-drawing cover by Malcolm Kildale
    Apr 1947
    W: Walter Scott  ·  A: Edd Ashe, Ray Ramsey
    HRN #36; 64 pages
    No copies available
  • 2-8
    #2 - 8th printing
    Line-drawing cover by Malcolm Kildale
    Apr 1949
    W: Walter Scott  ·  A: Edd Ashe, Ray Ramsey
    HRN #60; 64 pages; April-June 1949
    2 copies from $2.12
  • 2-9
    #2 - 9th printing
    Line-drawing cover by Malcolm Kildale
    Oct 1949
    W: Walter Scott  ·  A: Edd Ashe, Ray Ramsey
    HRN #64; 64 pages
    No copies available
  • 2-10
    #2 - 10th printing
    Line-drawing cover by Malcolm Kildale
    Dec 1950
    Cover: $0.15
    W: Walter Scott  ·  A: Edd Ashe, Ray Ramsey
    HRN #78; 64 pages
    No copies available
  • 2-11
    #2 - 11th printing
    Line-drawing cover by Malcolm Kildale
    Nov 1951
    Cover: $0.15
    W: Walter Scott  ·  A: Edd Ashe, Ray Ramsey
    HRN #89; 64 pages
    1 copy for $7.99
  • 2-12
    #2 - 12th printing
    Line-drawing cover by Malcolm Kildale
    Apr 1953
    Cover: $0.15
    W: Walter Scott  ·  A: Edd Ashe, Ray Ramsey
    HRN #106; 64 pages
    1 copy for $7.99
  • 2-13
    #2 - 13th printing
    Line-drawing cover by Malcolm Kildale
    Jul 1954
    Cover: $0.15
    W: Walter Scott  ·  A: Edd Ashe, Ray Ramsey
    HRN #121; 64 pages
    1 copy for $5.99
  • 2-14
    #2 - 14th printing
    New painted cover
    Jan 1957
    Cover: $0.15
    W: Walter Scott  ·  A: Norman Nodel
    HRN #136; 48 pages; New interior art
    1 copy for $4.99
  • 2-15
    #2 - 15th printing
    Painted cover
    Jan 1958
    Cover: $0.15
    W: Walter Scott  ·  A: Norman Nodel
    HRN #142; 48 pages
    1 copy for $3.99
  • 2-16
    #2 - 16th printing
    Painted cover
    Nov 1959
    Cover: $0.15
    W: Walter Scott  ·  A: Norman Nodel
    HRN #153; 48 pages
    1 copy for $4.99
  • 2-17
    #2 - 17th printing
    Painted cover
    Jun 1961
    Cover: $0.15
    W: Walter Scott  ·  A: Norman Nodel
    HRN #149; 48 pages; Summer-Fall 1961
    2 copies from $3.98
  • 2-18
    #2 - 18th printing
    Painted cover
    Cover: $0.15
    W: Walter Scott  ·  A: Norman Nodel
    HRN #167; 48 pages; Spring-Summer 1963
    1 copy for $5.99
  • 2-19
    #2 - 19th printing
    Painted cover
    May 1964
    Cover: $0.15
    W: Walter Scott  ·  A: Norman Nodel
    HRN #167; 48 pages
    No copies available
  • 2-20
    #2 - 20th printing
    Painted cover
    Jan 1965
    Cover: $0.15
    W: Walter Scott  ·  A: Norman Nodel
    HRN #167; 48 pages
    1 copy for $6.00
  • 2-21
    #2 - 21th printing
    Painted cover
    Mar 1966
    Cover: $0.15
    W: Walter Scott  ·  A: Norman Nodel
    HRN #167; 48 pages
    1 copy for $9.98
  • 2-22
    #2 - 22nd printing
    Painted cover
    Sep 1967
    Cover: $0.15
    W: Walter Scott  ·  A: Norman Nodel
    HRN #166; 48 pages
    No copies available
  • 2-23
    #2 - 23rd printing
    Painted cover
    Cover: $0.25
    W: Walter Scott  ·  A: Norman Nodel
    HRN #166; 48 pages; ca. 1968
    No copies available
  • 2-24
    #2 - 24th printing
    Painted cover; Stiff covers
    Dec 1969
    Cover: $0.25
    W: Walter Scott  ·  A: Norman Nodel
    HRN #169; 48 pages; Winter 1969
    1 copy for $3.98
  • 2-25
    #2 - 25th printing
    Painted cover; Stiff covers
    Dec 1971
    W: Walter Scott  ·  A: Norman Nodel
    HRN #169; 48 pages; Winter 1971
    1 copy for $5.98
  • 2-26
    #2 - 26th printing
    Painted cover
    Cover: $9.99
    W: Walter Scott  ·  A: Norman Nodel
    Published by Jack Lake Productions; ca. 2011
    No copies available
  • 2/A-22
    #2 Variation A - 22nd printing
    Painted Cover A
    Sep 1967
    W: Walter Scott  ·  A: Norman Nodel
    48 pages
    No copies available
  • 2/A-23
    #2 Variation A - 23rd printing
    Painted Cover A
    Cover: $0.25
    W: Walter Scott  ·  A: Norman Nodel
    HRN 166; 48 pages; R/68
    No copies available
  • 2/B-22
    #2 Variation B - 22nd printing
    Painted Cover B
    Sep 1967
    Cover: $0.15
    W: Walter Scott  ·  A: Norman Nodel
    HRN #166; 48 pages; Variation: Center ad for Children’s Digest & Young Miss
    No copies available
  • 3
    #3
    Mar 1942
    Cover: $0.10
    W: Alexandre Dumas  ·  A: Ray Ramsey, Allen Simon, Vivian Lipman
    No HRN; 64 pages
    No copies available
  • 3-2
    #3 - 2nd printing
    Apr 1943
    W: Alexandre Dumas  ·  A: Ray Ramsey, Allen Simon, Vivian Lipman
    HRN #10; 64 pages
    No copies available
  • 3-3
    #3 - 3rd printing
    Nov 1943
    W: Alexandre Dumas  ·  A: Ray Ramsey, Allen Simon, Vivian Lipman
    HRN #15; 64 pages
    No copies available
  • 3-4
    #3 - 4th printing
    Apr 1944
    W: Alexandre Dumas  ·  A: Ray Ramsey, Allen Simon, Vivian Lipman
    HRN #18/20; 64 pages; April-May 1944
    No copies available
  • 3-5
    #3 - 5th printing
    Jun 1944
    W: Alexandre Dumas  ·  A: Ray Ramsey, Allen Simon, Vivian Lipman
    HRN #20; 64 pages
    No copies available
  • 3-6
    #3 - 6th printing
    Jul 1944
    W: Alexandre Dumas  ·  A: Ray Ramsey, Allen Simon, Vivian Lipman
    HRN #21; 64 pages
    No copies available
  • 3-7
    #3 - 7th printing
    Jun 1946
    W: Alexandre Dumas  ·  A: Ray Ramsey, Allen Simon, Vivian Lipman
    HRN #28; 64 pages
    No copies available
  • 3-8
    #3 - 8th printing
    Apr 1947
    Cover: $0.15
    W: Alexandre Dumas  ·  A: Ray Ramsey, Allen Simon, Vivian Lipman
    HRN #36; 64 pages
    No copies available
  • 3-9
    #3 - 9th printing
    Apr 1949
    W: Alexandre Dumas  ·  A: Ray Ramsey, Allen Simon, Vivian Lipman
    HRN #60; 64 pages; April-June 1949
    No copies available
  • 3-10
    #3 - 10th printing
    Aug 1949
    W: Alexandre Dumas  ·  A: Ray Ramsey, Allen Simon, Vivian Lipman
    HRN #62; 64 pages
    No copies available
  • 3-11
    #3 - 11th printing
    May 1950
    W: Alexandre Dumas  ·  A: Ray Ramsey, Allen Simon, Vivian Lipman
    HRN #71; 64 pages
    No copies available
  • 3-12
    #3 - 12th printing
    Sep 1951
    W: Alexandre Dumas  ·  A: Ray Ramsey, Allen Simon, Vivian Lipman
    HRN #87; 64 pages
    1 copy for $5.99
  • 3-13
    #3 - 13th printing
    Nov 1953
    Cover: $0.15
    W: Alexandre Dumas  ·  A: Ray Ramsey, Allen Simon, Vivian Lipman
    HRN #113; 64 pages
    1 copy for $5.98
  • 3-14
    #3 - 14th printing
    New painted cover
    Nov 1956
    Cover: $0.15
    W: Alexandre Dumas  ·  A: Lou Cameron
    HRN #135; 48 pages; New interior art
    1 copy for $6.98
  • 3-15
    #3 - 15th printing
    Mar 1958
    Cover: $0.15
    W: Alexandre Dumas  ·  A: Lou Cameron
    HRN #143; 48 pages
    No copies available
  • 3-16
    #3 - 16th printing
    Nov 1959
    Cover: $0.15
    W: Alexandre Dumas  ·  A: Lou Cameron
    HRN #153; 48 pages
    No copies available
  • 3-17
    #3 - 17th printing
    Mar 1961
    Cover: $0.15
    W: Alexandre Dumas  ·  A: Lou Cameron
    HRN #161; 48 pages
    No copies available
  • 3-18
    #3 - 18th printing
    Cover: $0.15
    W: Alexandre Dumas  ·  A: Lou Cameron
    HRN #167; 48 pages; Spring-Summer 1963
    2 copies from $2.60
  • 3-19
    #3 - 19th printing
    Jul 1964
    Cover: $0.15
    W: Alexandre Dumas  ·  A: Lou Cameron
    HRN #167; 48 pages
    No copies available
  • 3-20
    #3 - 20th printing
    Jul 1965
    Cover: $0.15
    W: Alexandre Dumas  ·  A: Lou Cameron
    HRN #167; 48 pages
    No copies available
  • 3-21
    #3 - 21th printing
    Jul 1966
    Cover: $0.15
    W: Alexandre Dumas  ·  A: Lou Cameron
    HRN #167; 48 pages
    No copies available
  • 3-22
    #3 - 22nd printing
    Cover: $0.25
    W: Alexandre Dumas  ·  A: Lou Cameron
    HRN #166; 48 pages; ca. 1968
    1 copy for $4.98
  • 3-23
    #3 - 23rd printing
    Stiff covers
    Dec 1969
    Cover: $0.25
    W: Alexandre Dumas  ·  A: Lou Cameron
    HRN #169; 48 pages; Winter 1969
    1 copy for $9.98
  • 3-24
    #3 - 24th printing
    Cover: $9.99
    W: Alexandre Dumas  ·  A: Lou Cameron
    Published by Jack Lake Productions
    No copies available
  • 4
    #4
    Line-drawing cover by Ray Ramsey
    Aug 1942
    Cover: $0.10
    W: James Cooper  ·  A: Ray Ramsey
    No HRN; 64 pages
    No copies available
  • 4-2
    #4 - 2nd printing
    Line-drawing cover by Ray Ramsey
    Jun 1943
    W: James Cooper  ·  A: Ray Ramsey
    HRN #12; 64 pages
    No copies available
  • 4-3
    #4 - 3rd printing
    Line-drawing cover by Ray Ramsey
    Nov 1943
    W: James Cooper  ·  A: Ray Ramsey
    HRN #15; 64 pages
    No copies available
  • 4-4
    #4 - 4th printing
    Line-drawing cover by Ray Ramsey
    Jun 1944
    W: James Cooper  ·  A: Ray Ramsey
    HRN #20; 64 pages
    No copies available
  • 4-5
    #4 - 5th printing
    Line-drawing cover by Ray Ramsey
    Jul 1944
    W: James Cooper  ·  A: Ray Ramsey
    HRN #21; 64 pages
    No copies available
  • 4-6
    #4 - 6th printing
    Line-drawing cover by Ray Ramsey
    Jun 1946
    W: James Cooper  ·  A: Ray Ramsey
    HRN #28; 64 pages
    No copies available
  • 4-7
    #4 - 7th printing
    Line-drawing cover by Ray Ramsey
    Apr 1947
    W: James Cooper  ·  A: Ray Ramsey
    HRN #36; 64 pages
    No copies available
  • 4-8
    #4 - 8th printing
    Line-drawing cover by Ray Ramsey
    Apr 1949
    W: James Cooper  ·  A: Ray Ramsey
    HRN #60; 64 pages; April-June 1949
    2 copies from $1.70
  • 4-9
    #4 - 9th printing
    Line-drawing cover by Ray Ramsey
    Oct 1949
    W: James Cooper  ·  A: Ray Ramsey
    HRN #64; 64 pages
    1 copy for $7.99
  • 4-10
    #4 - 10th printing
    Line-drawing cover by Ray Ramsey
    Dec 1950
    Cover: $0.15
    W: James Cooper  ·  A: Ray Ramsey
    HRN #78; 64 pages
    No copies available
  • 4-11
    #4 - 11th printing
    Line-drawing cover by Ray Ramsey
    Nov 1951
    Cover: $0.15
    W: James Cooper  ·  A: Ray Ramsey
    HRN #89; 64 pages
    1 copy for $5.99
  • 4-12
    #4 - 12th printing
    Line-drawing cover by Ray Ramsey
    Mar 1954
    Cover: $0.15
    W: James Cooper  ·  A: Ray Ramsey
    HRN #117; 64 pages
    1 copy for $5.99
  • 4-13
    #4 - 13th printing
    Painted cover
    Nov 1956
    Cover: $0.15
    W: James Cooper  ·  A: Ray Ramsey
    HRN #135; 64 pages
    1 copy for $6.98
  • 4-14
    #4 - 14th printing
    Painted cover
    Nov 1957
    Cover: $0.15
    W: James Cooper  ·  A: Ray Ramsey
    HRN #141; 64 pages
    1 copy for $4.98
  • 4-15
    #4 - 15th printing
    Painted cover
    May 1959
    Cover: $0.15
    W: James Cooper  ·  A: John Severin, L.B. Cole
    HRN #150; 48 pages
    1 copy for $4.98
  • 4-16
    #4 - 16th printing
    Painted cover
    Mar 1961
    Cover: $0.15
    W: James Cooper  ·  A: John Severin, L.B. Cole
    HRN #161; 48 pages
    No copies available
  • 4-17
    #4 - 17th printing
    Painted cover
    Cover: $0.15
    W: James Cooper  ·  A: John Severin, L.B. Cole
    HRN #167; 48 pages; Spring-Summer 1963
    No copies available
  • 4-18
    #4 - 18th printing
    Painted cover
    Jun 1964
    Cover: $0.15
    W: James Cooper  ·  A: John Severin, L.B. Cole
    HRN #167; 48 pages
    1 copy for $2.76
  • 4-19
    #4 - 19th printing
    Painted cover
    Aug 1965
    Cover: $0.15
    W: James Cooper  ·  A: John Severin, L.B. Cole
    HRN #167; 48 pages
    1 copy for $2.76
  • 4-20
    #4 - 20th printing
    Painted cover
    Aug 1966
    Cover: $0.15
    W: James Cooper  ·  A: John Severin, L.B. Cole
    HRN #167; 48 pages
    No copies available
  • 4-21
    #4 - 21th printing
    Painted cover
    Cover: $0.25
    W: James Cooper  ·  A: John Severin, L.B. Cole
    HRN #166; 48 pages; R/67; ca. 1967
    1 copy for $7.99
  • 4-22
    #4 - 22nd printing
    Painted cover; Stiff covers
    Mar 1969
    Cover: $0.25
    W: James Cooper  ·  A: John Severin, L.B. Cole
    HRN #169; 48 pages; Spring 1969
    1 copy for $6.98
  • 4-23
    #4 - 23rd printing
    Painted cover
    Cover: $9.99
    W: James Cooper  ·  A: John Severin, L.B. Cole
    Introduction by William B. Jones Jr.; ca. 2007
    No copies available
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