Classics Illustrated (Gilberton)

    (Gilberton, 1941-1971, 2004-2006)
™ 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.

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		Notes	Writer	Artist
	#1 Date:  10/1/1941 Cover Price:  $0.10 NM Guide:  $2,975.00 No copies available		Alexandre Dumas	George Evans
	#1 (2nd printing) Date:  Cover Price:  $0.00 NM Guide:  $330.00 No copies available	2nd printing; HRN #10	Alexandre Dumas	George Evans
	#1 (3rd printing) Date:  Cover Price:  $0.00 NM Guide:  $135.00 No copies available	3rd printing; HRN #15	Alexandre Dumas	George Evans
	#1 (4th printing) Date:  Cover Price:  $0.00 NM Guide:  $100.00 No copies available	4th printing; HRN #18	Alexandre Dumas	George Evans
	#1 (5th printing) Date:  Cover Price:  $0.00 NM Guide:  $90.00 No copies available	5th printing; HRN #21	Alexandre Dumas	George Evans
	#1 (6th printing) Date:  Cover Price:  $0.00 NM Guide:  $75.00 No copies available	6th printing; HRN #28	Alexandre Dumas	George Evans
	#1 (7th printing) Date:  4/1/1947 Cover Price:  $0.00 NM Guide:  $35.00 No copies available	7th printing; HRN #36	Alexandre Dumas	George Evans
	#1 (8th printing) Date:  Cover Price:  $0.00 NM Guide:  $24.00 No copies available	8th printing; HRN #60	Alexandre Dumas	George Evans
	#1 (9th printing) Date:  Cover Price:  $0.00 NM Guide:  $20.00 No copies available	9th printing; HRN #64	Alexandre Dumas	George Evans
	#1 (10th printing) Date:  Cover Price:  $0.15 NM Guide:  $18.00 No copies available	10th printing; HRN #78	Alexandre Dumas	George Evans
	#1 (11th printing) Date:  Cover Price:  $0.15 NM Guide:  $18.00 No copies available	11th printing; HRN #93	Alexandre Dumas	George Evans
	#1 (12th printing) Date:  Cover Price:  $0.00 NM Guide:  $15.00 No copies available	12th printing; HRN #114	Alexandre Dumas	George Evans
	#1 (13th printing) Date:  Cover Price:  $0.15 NM Guide:  $17.00 No copies available	13th printing; HRN #134	Alexandre Dumas	George Evans
	#1 (14th printing) Date:  Cover Price:  $0.15 NM Guide:  $15.00 No copies available	14th printing; HRN #143	Alexandre Dumas	George Evans
	#1 (15th printing) Date:  Cover Price:  $0.15 NM Guide:  $15.00 No copies available	15th printing; HRN #150	Alexandre Dumas	George Evans
	#1 (16th printing) Date:  3/1/1959 Cover Price:  $0.15 NM Guide:  $60.00 1 copy available for $4.99	16th printing; HRN #149	Alexandre Dumas	George Evans
	#1 (17th printing) Date:  Cover Price:  $0.15 NM Guide:  $13.50 No copies available	17th printing; HRN #167	Alexandre Dumas	George Evans
	#1 (18th printing) Date:  4/1/1964 Cover Price:  $0.15 NM Guide:  $10.00 No copies available	18th printing; HRN #167	Alexandre Dumas	George Evans
	#1 (19th printing) Date:  1/1/1965 Cover Price:  $0.15 NM Guide:  $10.00 No copies available	19th printing; HRN #167	Alexandre Dumas	George Evans
	#1 (20th printing) Date:  3/1/1965 Cover Price:  $0.15 NM Guide:  $10.00 No copies available	20th printing; HRN #167	Alexandre Dumas	George Evans
	#1 (21th printing) Date:  1/1/1967 Cover Price:  $0.15 NM Guide:  $10.00 No copies available	21st printing; HRN #167	Alexandre Dumas	George Evans
	#1 (22th printing) Date:  3/1/1969 Cover Price:  $0.25 NM Guide:  $8.00 1 copy available for $1.00	22nd printing; HRN #166; Spring 1969	Alexandre Dumas	George Evans
	#1 (23th printing) Date:  3/1/1971 Cover Price:  $0.00 NM Guide:  $17.00 1 copy available for $2.25	23rd printing; HRN #169; Spring 1971	Alexandre Dumas	George Evans
	#1 (24th printing) Date:  Cover Price:  $9.99 NM Guide:  $9.99 No copies available	24th printing; Introduction by William B. Jones Jr.; ca. 2007	Alexandre Dumas	George Evans
	#2 Date:  12/1/1941 Cover Price:  $0.10 NM Guide:  $1,075.00 No copies available		Sir Walter Scott
	#2 (2nd printing) Date:  Cover Price:  $0.00 NM Guide:  $250.00 No copies available	2nd printing; HRN #10	Sir Walter Scott
	#2 (3rd printing) Date:  Cover Price:  $0.00 NM Guide:  $190.00 No copies available	3rd printing; HRN #15	Sir Walter Scott
	#2 (4th printing) Date:  Cover Price:  $0.00 NM Guide:  $100.00 No copies available	4th printing; HRN #18	Sir Walter Scott
	#2 (5th printing) Date:  Cover Price:  $0.00 NM Guide:  $90.00 No copies available	5th printing; HRN #21	Sir Walter Scott
	#2 (6th printing) Date:  Cover Price:  $0.00 NM Guide:  $16.00 No copies available	6th printing; HRN #28	Sir Walter Scott
	#2 (7th printing) Date:  Cover Price:  $0.00 NM Guide:  $35.00 No copies available	7th printing; HRN #36	Sir Walter Scott
	#2 (8th printing) Date:  Cover Price:  $0.00 NM Guide:  $27.00 No copies available	8th printing; HRN #60	Sir Walter Scott
	#2 (9th printing) Date:  Cover Price:  $0.00 NM Guide:  $20.00 No copies available	9th printing; HRN #64	Sir Walter Scott
	#2 (10th printing) Date:  Cover Price:  $0.15 NM Guide:  $18.00 No copies available	10th printing; HRN #78	Sir Walter Scott
	#2 (11th printing) Date:  Cover Price:  $0.15 NM Guide:  $16.00 No copies available	11th printing; HRN #89	Sir Walter Scott
	#2 (12th printing) Date:  Cover Price:  $0.15 NM Guide:  $15.00 No copies available	12th printing; HRN #106	Sir Walter Scott
	#2 (13th printing) Date:  7/1/1954 Cover Price:  $0.15 NM Guide:  $15.00 No copies available	13th printing; HRN #121	Sir Walter Scott
	#2 (14th printing) Date:  Cover Price:  $0.15 NM Guide:  $15.00 No copies available	14th printing; HRN #136	Sir Walter Scott
	#2 (15th printing) Date:  Cover Price:  $0.15 NM Guide:  $10.00 No copies available	15th printing; HRN #142	Sir Walter Scott
	#2 (16th printing) Date:  Cover Price:  $0.15 NM Guide:  $10.00 No copies available	16th printing; HRN #153	Sir Walter Scott
	#2 (17th printing) Date:  3/1/1959 Cover Price:  $0.15 NM Guide:  $18.00 No copies available	17th printing; HRN #149	Sir Walter Scott
	#2 (18th printing) Date:  Cover Price:  $0.15 NM Guide:  $10.00 No copies available	18th printing; HRN #167	Sir Walter Scott
	#2 (19th printing) Date:  5/1/1964 Cover Price:  $0.15 NM Guide:  $8.00 No copies available	19th printing; HRN #167	Sir Walter Scott
	#2 (20th printing) Date:  1/1/1965 Cover Price:  $0.15 NM Guide:  $10.00 No copies available	20th printing; HRN #167	Sir Walter Scott
	#2 (21th printing) Date:  3/1/1966 Cover Price:  $0.15 NM Guide:  $10.00 No copies available	21st printing; HRN #167	Sir Walter Scott
	#2 (22th printing) Date:  9/1/1967 Cover Price:  $0.15 NM Guide:  $9.50 1 copy available for $3.00	HRN #166 (Tigers and Traitors)	Sir Walter Scott
	#2 (23th printing) Date:  Cover Price:  $0.25 NM Guide:  $17.00 No copies available	R/68	Sir Walter Scott
	#2 (24th printing) Date:  12/1/1969 Cover Price:  $0.25 NM Guide:  $13.00 1 copy available for $4.26	Winter 1969	Sir Walter Scott
	#2 (25th printing) Date:  12/1/1971 Cover Price:  $0.00 NM Guide:  $10.00 No copies available	Winter 1971	Sir Walter Scott
	#2 Variation A (22th printing) Date:  9/1/1967 Cover Price:  $0.00 NM Guide:  $10.00 No copies available	September, 1867	Sir Walter Scott
	#2 Variation A (23th printing) Date:  Cover Price:  $0.25 NM Guide:  $15.00 No copies available	HRN 166; Twin Circle edition; R/68	Sir Walter Scott
	#2 Variation B (22th printing) Date:  9/1/1967 Cover Price:  $0.15 NM Guide:  $9.50 No copies available	22nd printing; HRN #166; Variation: Center ad for Children’s Digest & Young Miss	Sir Walter Scott
	#3 Date:  3/1/1942 Cover Price:  $0.10 NM Guide:  $1,225.00 No copies available		Alexandre Dumas	Allen Simon
	#3 (2nd printing) Date:  Cover Price:  $0.00 NM Guide:  $240.00 No copies available	2nd printing; HRN #10	Alexandre Dumas	Allen Simon
	#3 (3rd printing) Date:  Cover Price:  $0.00 NM Guide:  $125.00 No copies available	3rd printing; HRN #15	Alexandre Dumas	Allen Simon
	#3 (4th printing) Date:  Cover Price:  $0.00 NM Guide:  $100.00 No copies available	4th printing; HRN #18	Alexandre Dumas	Allen Simon
	#3 (5th printing) Date:  Cover Price:  $0.00 NM Guide:  $90.00 No copies available	5th printing; HRN #20	Alexandre Dumas	Allen Simon
	#3 (6th printing) Date:  Cover Price:  $0.00 NM Guide:  $120.00 No copies available	6th printing; HRN #21	Alexandre Dumas	Allen Simon
	#3 (7th printing) Date:  Cover Price:  $0.00 NM Guide:  $75.00 No copies available	7th printing; HRN #28	Alexandre Dumas	Allen Simon
	#3 (8th printing) Date:  Cover Price:  $0.15 NM Guide:  $24.00 No copies available	8th printing; HRN #36	Alexandre Dumas	Allen Simon
	#3 (9th printing) Date:  Cover Price:  $0.00 NM Guide:  $24.00 No copies available	9th printing; HRN #60	Alexandre Dumas	Allen Simon
	#3 (10th printing) Date:  Cover Price:  $0.00 NM Guide:  $20.00 No copies available	10th printing; HRN #62	Alexandre Dumas	Allen Simon
	#3 (11th printing) Date:  Cover Price:  $0.00 NM Guide:  $18.00 No copies available	11th printing; HRN #71	Alexandre Dumas	Allen Simon
	#3 (12th printing) Date:  Cover Price:  $0.00 NM Guide:  $16.00 No copies available	12th printing; HRN #87	Alexandre Dumas	Allen Simon
	#3 (13th printing) Date:  11/1/1953 Cover Price:  $0.15 NM Guide:  $97.00 No copies available	13th printing; HRN #113	Alexandre Dumas	Allen Simon
	#3 (14th printing) Date:  11/1/1956 Cover Price:  $0.15 NM Guide:  $23.00 No copies available	14th printing; HRN #135	Alexandre Dumas	Allen Simon
	#3 (15th printing) Date:  Cover Price:  $0.15 NM Guide:  $14.50 1 copy available for $4.99	15th printing; HRN #143	Alexandre Dumas	Allen Simon
	#3 (16th printing) Date:  Cover Price:  $0.15 NM Guide:  $10.00 No copies available	16th printing; HRN #153	Alexandre Dumas	Allen Simon
	#3 (17th printing) Date:  Cover Price:  $0.15 NM Guide:  $10.00 No copies available	17th printing; HRN #161	Alexandre Dumas	Allen Simon
	#3 (18th printing) Date:  Cover Price:  $0.15 NM Guide:  $10.00 No copies available	18th printing; HRN #167	Alexandre Dumas	Allen Simon
	#3 (19th printing) Date:  7/1/1964 Cover Price:  $0.15 NM Guide:  $10.00 No copies available	19th printing; HRN #167	Alexandre Dumas	Allen Simon
	#3 (20th printing) Date:  7/1/1965 Cover Price:  $0.15 NM Guide:  $10.00 No copies available	20th printing; HRN #167	Alexandre Dumas	Allen Simon
	#3 (21th printing) Date:  7/1/1966 Cover Price:  $0.15 NM Guide:  $10.00 No copies available	21st printing; HRN #167	Alexandre Dumas	Allen Simon
	#3 (22th printing) Date:  Cover Price:  $0.25 NM Guide:  $9.50 No copies available	R/68	Alexandre Dumas	Allen Simon
	#3 (23th printing) Date:  12/1/1969 Cover Price:  $0.25 NM Guide:  $11.00 1 copy available for $18.00	Winter 1969	Alexandre Dumas	Allen Simon
	#4 Date:  8/1/1942 Cover Price:  $0.10 NM Guide:  $1,175.00 No copies available		James Fenimore Cooper	John Severin
	#4 (2nd printing) Date:  Cover Price:  $0.00 NM Guide:  $240.00 No copies available	2nd printing; HRN #12	James Fenimore Cooper	John Severin
	#4 (3rd printing) Date:  Cover Price:  $0.00 NM Guide:  $125.00 No copies available	3rd printing; HRN #15	James Fenimore Cooper	John Severin
	#4 (4th printing) Date:  Cover Price:  $0.00 NM Guide:  $100.00 No copies available	4th printing; HRN #20	James Fenimore Cooper	John Severin
	#4 (5th printing) Date:  Cover Price:  $0.00 NM Guide:  $90.00 No copies available	5th printing; HRN #21	James Fenimore Cooper	John Severin
	#4 (6th printing) Date:  Cover Price:  $0.00 NM Guide:  $75.00 No copies available	6th printing; HRN #28	James Fenimore Cooper	John Severin
	#4 (7th printing) Date:  Cover Price:  $0.00 NM Guide:  $40.00 No copies available	7th printing; HRN #36	James Fenimore Cooper	John Severin
	#4 (8th printing) Date:  Cover Price:  $0.00 NM Guide:  $12.00 No copies available	8th printing; HRN #60	James Fenimore Cooper	John Severin
	#4 (9th printing) Date:  Cover Price:  $0.00 NM Guide:  $320.00 1 copy available for $7.99	9th printing; HRN #64	James Fenimore Cooper	John Severin
	#4 (10th printing) Date:  Cover Price:  $0.15 NM Guide:  $18.00 No copies available	10th printing; HRN #78	James Fenimore Cooper	John Severin
	#4 (11th printing) Date:  Cover Price:  $0.15 NM Guide:  $16.00 No copies available	11th printing; HRN #89	James Fenimore Cooper	John Severin
	#4 (12th printing) Date:  Cover Price:  $0.15 NM Guide:  $15.00 No copies available	12th printing; HRN #117	James Fenimore Cooper	John Severin
	#4 (13th printing) Date:  Cover Price:  $0.15 NM Guide:  $15.00 No copies available	13th printing; HRN #135	James Fenimore Cooper	John Severin
	#4 (14th printing) Date:  Cover Price:  $0.15 NM Guide:  $17.00 No copies available	14th printing; HRN #141	James Fenimore Cooper	John Severin
	#4 (15th printing) Date:  Cover Price:  $0.15 NM Guide:  $12.00 No copies available	15th printing; HRN #150	James Fenimore Cooper	John Severin
	#4 (16th printing) Date:  Cover Price:  $0.15 NM Guide:  $10.00 No copies available	16th printing; HRN #161	James Fenimore Cooper	John Severin
	#4 (17th printing) Date:  Cover Price:  $0.15 NM Guide:  $9.00 No copies available	17th printing; HRN #167	James Fenimore Cooper	John Severin
	#4 (18th printing) Date:  6/1/1964 Cover Price:  $0.15 NM Guide:  $10.00 No copies available	18th printing; HRN #167	James Fenimore Cooper	John Severin
	#4 (19th printing) Date:  8/1/1965 Cover Price:  $0.15 NM Guide:  $10.00 No copies available	19th printing; HRN #167	James Fenimore Cooper	John Severin
	#4 (20th printing) Date:  8/1/1966 Cover Price:  $0.15 NM Guide:  $15.00 No copies available	20th printing; HRN #167	James Fenimore Cooper	John Severin
	#4 (21th printing) Date:  Cover Price:  $0.25 NM Guide:  $9.50 1 copy available for $3.00	R/67	James Fenimore Cooper	John Severin
	#4 (22th printing) Date:  3/1/1969 Cover Price:  $0.25 NM Guide:  $1.50 No copies available	22nd printing; HRN #169; Spring 1969	James Fenimore Cooper	John Severin
	#4 (23th printing) Date:  Cover Price:  $9.99 NM Guide:  $9.99 No copies available	23rd printing; Introduction by William B. Jones Jr.; ca. 2007	James Fenimore Cooper	John Severin
	#5 Date:  9/1/1942 Cover Price:  $0.10 NM Guide:  $58.00 No copies available		Herman Melville	Norman Nodel
	#5 (2nd printing) Date:  Cover Price:  $0.00 NM Guide:  $235.00 No copies available	2nd printing; HRN #10	Herman Melville	Norman Nodel
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