Magic Comics

    (David McKay, 1939-1949)
™ and ©1948 King Features Syndicate

Throughout the 1940s, readers could enjoy a month’s worth of Sunday comics pages of some of the best and most popular King Features newspaper strips thanks to Magic Comics. Features included Blondie by Chic Young, Mandrake the Magician by Lee Falk and Phil Davis, the astonishing storytelling of Roy Crane’s Buz Sawyer, Secret Agent X-9 (originally by Alex Raymond and Dashiell Hammett, later by Robert Storm), Thimble Theatres starring Popeye, and the illustrated adventures of the Lone Ranger. All were taken directly from the Sunday newspaper pages, which generally offered a higher standard of art and storytelling than comic books of the time. And in four-section chunks, readers could follow continuing stories more easily.
Jump to issue:
Page 1 of 2 Next »
  • 1
    Aug 1939
    Cover: $0.10
    1st appearance of Mandrake the Magician; 1st appearance of Secret Agent X-9
    No copies available
  • 2
    Sep 1939
    Cover: $0.10
    No copies available
  • 3
    Oct 1939
    Cover: $0.10
    No copies available
  • 4
    Nov 1939
    Cover: $0.10
    No copies available
  • 5
    Dec 1939
    Cover: $0.10
    No copies available
  • 6
    Jan 1940
    Cover: $0.10
    No copies available
  • 7
    Feb 1940
    Cover: $0.10
    No copies available
  • 8
    Mar 1940
    Cover: $0.10
    No copies available
  • 9
    Apr 1940
    Cover: $0.10
    No copies available
  • 10
    May 1940
    Cover: $0.10
    No copies available
  • 11
    Jun 1940
    Cover: $0.10
    No copies available
  • 12
    Jul 1940
    Cover: $0.10
    No copies available
  • 13
    Aug 1940
    Cover: $0.10
    No copies available
  • 14
    Sep 1940
    Cover: $0.10
    No copies available
  • 15
    Oct 1940
    Cover: $0.10
    No copies available
  • 16
    Nov 1940
    Cover: $0.10
    No copies available
  • 17
    Dec 1940
    Cover: $0.10
    No copies available
  • 18
    Jan 1941
    Cover: $0.10
    No copies available
  • 19
    Feb 1941
    Cover: $0.10
    No copies available
  • 20
    Mar 1941
    Cover: $0.10
    No copies available
  • 21
    Apr 1941
    Cover: $0.10
    No copies available
  • 22
    May 1941
    Cover: $0.10
    No copies available
  • 23
    Jun 1941
    Cover: $0.10
    No copies available
  • 24
    Jul 1941
    Cover: $0.10
    No copies available
  • 25
    Blondie/Dagwood covers begin
    Aug 1941
    Cover: $0.10
    No copies available
  • 26
    Sep 1941
    Cover: $0.10
    No copies available
  • 27
    Oct 1941
    Cover: $0.10
    W: Lee Falk, Fran Striker, Robert Storm, Carl Anderson, Chic Young, Clayton Knight  ·  A: Phil Davis, Robert Storm, Carl Anderson, Chic Young, Clayton Knight
    Reprints Blondie comic strip ca. 1940; Reprints Mandrake the Magician comic strip (Sundays) ca. 1940; Reprints Thimble Theater Starring Popeye comic strip (Sundays) ca. 1939; Reprints Tippie and Cap Stubbs comic strip; 64 pages
    No copies available
  • 28
    Nov 1941
    Cover: $0.10
    No copies available
  • 29
    Dec 1941
    Cover: $0.10
    No copies available
  • 30
    Jan 1942
    Cover: $0.10
    No copies available
  • 31
    Feb 1942
    Cover: $0.10
    No copies available
  • 32
    Mar 1942
    Cover: $0.10
    No copies available
  • 33
    Apr 1942
    Cover: $0.10
    No copies available
  • 34
    May 1942
    Cover: $0.10
    No copies available
  • 35
    Jun 1942
    Cover: $0.10
    No copies available
  • 36
    Patriotic/flag cover by Edgar Franklin Wittmack
    Jul 1942
    Cover: $0.10
    No copies available
  • 37
    Aug 1942
    Cover: $0.10
    No copies available
  • 38
    Sep 1942
    Cover: $0.10
    No copies available
  • 39
    Oct 1942
    Cover: $0.10
    No copies available
  • 40
    Nov 1942
    Cover: $0.10
    No copies available
  • 41
    Dec 1942
    Cover: $0.10
    No copies available
  • 42
    Jan 1943
    Cover: $0.10
    No copies available
  • 43
    Feb 1943
    Cover: $0.10
    No copies available
  • 44
    Mar 1943
    Cover: $0.10
    No copies available
  • 45
    Apr 1943
    Cover: $0.10
    No copies available
  • 46
    May 1943
    Cover: $0.10
    No copies available
  • 47
    Jun 1943
    Cover: $0.10
    No copies available
  • 48
    Jul 1943
    Cover: $0.10
    No copies available
  • 49
    Aug 1943
    Cover: $0.10
    No copies available
  • 50
    Sep 1943
    Cover: $0.10
    W: Chic Young, Lee Falk, Edwina Dumm, Carl Anderson, Fran Striker, Bob Dunn, Les Forgrave, Joe Musial, Feg Murray, Robert Storm, E.C. Segar, Clayton Knight, Frank Miller, H.H. Knerr  ·  A: Chic Young, Phil Davis, Edwina Dumm, Carl Anderson, Charles Flanders, Bob Dunn, William Prince, Joe Musial, Feg Murray, Mel Graff, E.C. Segar, Clayton Knight, Frank Miller, H.H. Knerr
    No copies available
  • 51
    Oct 1943
    Cover: $0.10
    No copies available
  • 52
    Nov 1943
    Cover: $0.10
    No copies available
  • 53
    Dec 1943
    Cover: $0.10
    No copies available
  • 54
    Jan 1944
    Cover: $0.10
    No copies available
  • 55
    Feb 1944
    Cover: $0.10
    W: Phil Davis, Chic Young, Carl Anderson, Fran Striker, Dave Breger, Feg Murray, Clayton Knight, Robert Storm, Bob Dunn, H.H. Knerr  ·  A: Lee Falk, Chic Young, Carl Anderson, Fran Striker, Dave Breger, Feg Murray, Joe Musial, Mel Graff, Bob Dunn, H.H. Knerr, Clayton Knight
    No copies available
  • 56
    Mar 1944
    Cover: $0.10
    No copies available
  • 57
    Apr 1944
    Cover: $0.10
    No copies available
  • 58
    May 1944
    Cover: $0.10
    W: Clayton Knight, Joe Musial, Fran Striker, Feg Murray, Robert Storm, Bob Dunn, Dave Breger, Frank Miller, H.H. Knerr, Chic Young, Edwina Dumm  ·  A: Joe Musial, Charles Flanders, Feg Murray, Mel Graff, Bob Dunn, Carl Anderson, Dave Breger, Frank Miller, H.H. Knerr, Chic Young, Edwina Dumm
    Barney Baxter; Blondie; Dingle-Hoofer und his Dog; Henry; Jan and Aloysius; Lone Ranger; Mandrake the Magician; Popeye; Private Breger; Secret Agent X-9; Story of Lieutenant John C. Morgan, Congressional Medal of Honor recipient; Tippie and Cap Stubbs
    No copies available
  • 59
    Jun 1944
    Cover: $0.10
    No copies available
  • 60
    Jul 1944
    Cover: $0.10
    No copies available
  • 61
    Aug 1944
    Cover: $0.10
    No copies available
  • 62
    Sep 1944
    Cover: $0.10
    No copies available
  • 63
    Oct 1944
    Cover: $0.10
    No copies available
  • 64
    Nov 1944
    Cover: $0.10
    No copies available
  • 65
    Dec 1944
    Cover: $0.10
    No copies available
  • 66
    Jan 1945
    Cover: $0.10
    No copies available
  • 67
    Feb 1945
    Cover: $0.10
    No copies available
  • 68
    Mar 1945
    Cover: $0.10
    No copies available
  • 69
    Apr 1945
    Cover: $0.10
    A: Chic Young, Joe Musial, Roy Crane
    No copies available
  • 70
    May 1945
    Cover: $0.10
    No copies available
  • 71
    Jun 1945
    Cover: $0.10
    No copies available
  • 72
    Jul 1945
    Cover: $0.10
    No copies available
  • 73
    Aug 1945
    Cover: $0.10
    No copies available
  • 74
    Sep 1945
    Cover: $0.10
    No copies available
  • 75
    Oct 1945
    Cover: $0.10
    No copies available
  • 76
    Nov 1945
    Cover: $0.10
    A: Chic Young, Joe Musial, Roy Crane
    No copies available
  • 77
    Dec 1945
    Cover: $0.10
    No copies available
  • 78
    Jan 1946
    Cover: $0.10
    No copies available
  • 79
    Feb 1946
    Cover: $0.10
    No copies available
  • 80
    Mar 1946
    Cover: $0.10
    No copies available
  • 81
    Apr 1946
    Cover: $0.10
    A: Chic Young, Joe Musial, Roy Crane
    No copies available
  • 82
    May 1946
    Cover: $0.10
    No copies available
  • 83
    Jun 1946
    Cover: $0.10
    No copies available
  • 84
    Jul 1946
    Cover: $0.10
    No copies available
  • 85
    Aug 1946
    Cover: $0.10
    No copies available
  • 86
    Sep 1946
    Cover: $0.10
    W: Fran Striker  ·  A: Joe Musial, Roy Crane
    No copies available
  • 87
    Oct 1946
    Cover: $0.10
    No copies available
  • 88
    Nov 1946
    Cover: $0.10
    No copies available
  • 89
    Dec 1946
    Cover: $0.10
    A: Chic Young, Joe Musial, Roy Crane
    No copies available
  • 90
    Jan 1947
    Cover: $0.10
    No copies available
  • 91
    Feb 1947
    Cover: $0.10
    No copies available
  • 92
    Mar 1947
    Cover: $0.10
    No copies available
  • 93
    Apr 1947
    Cover: $0.10
    No copies available
  • 94
    May 1947
    Cover: $0.10
    No copies available
  • 95
    Jun 1947
    Cover: $0.10
    No copies available
  • 96
    Jul 1947
    Cover: $0.10
    No copies available
  • 97
    Aug 1947
    Cover: $0.10
    No copies available
  • 98
    Sep 1947
    Cover: $0.10
    No copies available
  • 99
    Oct 1947
    Cover: $0.10
    No copies available
  • 100
    Nov 1947
    Cover: $0.10
    No copies available
Page 1 of 2 Next »