Famous Funnies

    (Famous Funnies, 1934-1955)
©1951 The Eastern Color Printing Company

Famous Funnies has the distinction of being the first modern comic book title. Its first regular issue, May, 1934’s Famous Funnies #1, was reputedly the first monthly comic book. That issue reprinted newspaper strips such as Mutt & Jeff, Joe Palooka, and other popular dailies. With issue #3, Famous Funnies kicked off a Buck Rogers strip that was to last throughout most of its two-decades-long run.

A typical issue of Famous Funnies alternated gag strips like Oaky Doakes and Bobby Sox with serial adventure strips such as Steve Roper or headliner Buck Rogers. Clearly, the newspaper strip was the model being followed, although later issues, particularly the Frank Frazetta covers on issues #209–216, had more of a true “comic book” feel. Other art highlights include the first professional work by Al Williamson on an interior ad that ran in issues #169–170.
Jump to issue:
  NotesWriterArtist
#105

April, 1943
Cover Price: $0.10
1 copy available for $77.95 		 Dick Calkins
#118

May, 1944
Cover Price: $0.10
2 copies available from $3.00 		  
#119

June, 1944
Cover Price: $0.10
1 copy available for $15.95 		Clifford McBrideClifford McBride
#156

July, 1947
Cover Price: $0.10
1 copy available for $59.95 		  
#164

March, 1948
Cover Price: $0.10
1 copy available for $140.00 		  
#211

May, 1954
Cover Price: $0.10
1 copy available for $650.00 		 Frank Frazetta, Rick Yager