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.

Jump to issue:
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   NotesWriterArtist

#1

  10/1/1941
  $0.10
  $3,400.00
1 copy available for $650.00 		  Alexandre DumasGeorge Evans

#1 - 2nd printing

 
  $0.00
  $330.00
No copies available 		 HRN #10Alexandre DumasGeorge Evans

#1 - 3rd printing

 
  $0.00
  $135.00
No copies available 		 HRN #15Alexandre DumasGeorge Evans

#1 - 4th printing

 
  $0.00
  $100.00
No copies available 		 HRN #18Alexandre DumasGeorge Evans

#1 - 5th printing

 
  $0.00
  $90.00
No copies available 		 HRN #21Alexandre DumasGeorge Evans

#1 - 6th printing

 
  $0.00
  $75.00
No copies available 		 HRN #28Alexandre DumasGeorge Evans

#1 - 7th printing

  4/1/1947
  $0.00
  $35.00
No copies available 		 HRN #36Alexandre DumasGeorge Evans

#1 - 8th printing

 
  $0.00
  $24.00
No copies available 		 HRN #60Alexandre DumasGeorge Evans

#1 - 9th printing

 
  $0.00
  $20.00
No copies available 		 HRN #64Alexandre DumasGeorge Evans

#1 - 10th printing

 
  $0.15
  $18.00
No copies available 		 HRN #78Alexandre DumasGeorge Evans

#1 - 11th printing

 
  $0.15
  $18.00
No copies available 		 HRN #93Alexandre DumasGeorge Evans

#1 - 12th printing

 
  $0.00
  $15.00
No copies available 		 HRN #114Alexandre DumasGeorge Evans

#1 - 13th printing

 
  $0.15
  $17.00
No copies available 		 HRN #134Alexandre DumasGeorge Evans

#1 - 14th printing

 
  $0.15
  $15.00
No copies available 		 HRN #143Alexandre DumasGeorge Evans

#1 - 15th printing

 
  $0.15
  $15.00
No copies available 		 HRN #150Alexandre DumasGeorge Evans

#1 - 16th printing

  3/1/1959
  $0.15
  $60.00
1 copy available for $4.99 		 HRN #149Alexandre DumasGeorge Evans

#1 - 17th printing

 
  $0.15
  $13.50
No copies available 		 HRN #167Alexandre DumasGeorge Evans

#1 - 18th printing

  4/1/1964
  $0.15
  $10.00
No copies available 		 HRN #167Alexandre DumasGeorge Evans

#1 - 19th printing

  1/1/1965
  $0.15
  $10.00
No copies available 		 HRN #167Alexandre DumasGeorge Evans

#1 - 20th printing

  3/1/1965
  $0.15
  $10.00
No copies available 		 HRN #167Alexandre DumasGeorge Evans

#1 - 21th printing

  1/1/1967
  $0.15
  $10.00
No copies available 		 HRN #167Alexandre DumasGeorge Evans

#1 - 22nd printing

  3/1/1969
  $0.25
  $6.50
No copies available 		 HRN #166; Spring 1969Alexandre DumasGeorge Evans

#1 - 23rd printing

  3/1/1971
  $0.00
  $17.00
1 copy available for $2.25 		 HRN #169; Spring 1971Alexandre DumasGeorge Evans

#1 - 24th printing

 
  $9.99
  $9.99
No copies available 		 Introduction by William B. Jones Jr.; ca. 2007Alexandre DumasGeorge Evans

#2

  12/1/1941
  $0.10
  $1,075.00
No copies available 		  Sir Walter Scott 

#2 - 2nd printing

 
  $0.00
  $250.00
No copies available 		 HRN #10Sir Walter Scott 

#2 - 3rd printing

 
  $0.00
  $190.00
No copies available 		 HRN #15Sir Walter Scott 

#2 - 4th printing

 
  $0.00
  $100.00
No copies available 		 HRN #18Sir Walter Scott 

#2 - 5th printing

 
  $0.00
  $90.00
No copies available 		 HRN #21Sir Walter Scott 

#2 - 6th printing

 
  $0.00
  $16.00
No copies available 		 HRN #28Sir Walter Scott 

#2 - 7th printing

 
  $0.00
  $35.00
No copies available 		 HRN #36Sir Walter Scott 

#2 - 8th printing

 
  $0.00
  $27.00
No copies available 		 HRN #60Sir Walter Scott 

#2 - 9th printing

 
  $0.00
  $20.00
No copies available 		 HRN #64Sir Walter Scott 

#2 - 10th printing

 
  $0.15
  $18.00
No copies available 		 HRN #78Sir Walter Scott 

#2 - 11th printing

 
  $0.15
  $16.00
No copies available 		 HRN #89Sir Walter Scott 

#2 - 12th printing

 
  $0.15
  $15.00
No copies available 		 HRN #106Sir Walter Scott 

#2 - 13th printing

  7/1/1954
  $0.15
  $15.00
No copies available 		 HRN #121Sir Walter Scott 

#2 - 14th printing

 
  $0.15
  $15.00
No copies available 		 HRN #136Sir Walter Scott 

#2 - 15th printing

 
  $0.15
  $10.00
No copies available 		 HRN #142Sir Walter Scott 

#2 - 16th printing

 
  $0.15
  $10.00
No copies available 		 HRN #153Sir Walter Scott 

#2 - 17th printing

  3/1/1959
  $0.15
  $18.00
No copies available 		 HRN #149Sir Walter Scott 

#2 - 18th printing

 
  $0.15
  $10.00
No copies available 		 HRN #167Sir Walter Scott 

#2 - 19th printing

  5/1/1964
  $0.15
  $8.00
No copies available 		 HRN #167Sir Walter Scott 

#2 - 20th printing

  1/1/1965
  $0.15
  $10.00
No copies available 		 HRN #167Sir Walter Scott 

#2 - 21th printing

  3/1/1966
  $0.15
  $10.00
No copies available 		 HRN #167Sir Walter Scott 

#2 - 22nd printing

  9/1/1967
  $0.15
  $9.50
1 copy available for $3.00 		 HRN #166 (Tigers and Traitors)Sir Walter Scott 

#2 - 23rd printing

 
  $0.25
  $17.00
No copies available 		 R/68Sir Walter Scott 

#2 - 24th printing

  12/1/1969
  $0.25
  $11.00
1 copy available for $4.00 		 Winter 1969Sir Walter Scott 

#2 - 25th printing

  12/1/1971
  $0.00
  $10.00
No copies available 		 Winter 1971Sir Walter Scott 

#2 Variation A - 22nd printing

  9/1/1967
  $0.00
  $10.00
No copies available 		 September, 1867Sir Walter Scott 

#2 Variation A - 23rd printing

 
  $0.25
  $15.00
No copies available 		 HRN 166; R/68Sir Walter Scott 

#2 Variation B - 22nd printing

  9/1/1967
  $0.15
  $9.50
No copies available 		 HRN #166; Variation: Center ad for Children’s Digest & Young MissSir Walter Scott 

#3

  3/1/1942
  $0.10
  $1,225.00
No copies available 		  Alexandre DumasAllen Simon

#3 - 2nd printing

 
  $0.00
  $240.00
No copies available 		 HRN #10Alexandre DumasAllen Simon

#3 - 3rd printing

 
  $0.00
  $125.00
No copies available 		 HRN #15Alexandre DumasAllen Simon

#3 - 4th printing

 
  $0.00
  $100.00
No copies available 		 HRN #18Alexandre DumasAllen Simon

#3 - 5th printing

 
  $0.00
  $90.00
No copies available 		 HRN #20Alexandre DumasAllen Simon

#3 - 6th printing

 
  $0.00
  $120.00
No copies available 		 HRN #21Alexandre DumasAllen Simon

#3 - 7th printing

 
  $0.00
  $75.00
No copies available 		 HRN #28Alexandre DumasAllen Simon

#3 - 8th printing

 
  $0.15
  $24.00
No copies available 		 HRN #36Alexandre DumasAllen Simon

#3 - 9th printing

 
  $0.00
  $24.00
No copies available 		 HRN #60Alexandre DumasAllen Simon

#3 - 10th printing

 
  $0.00
  $20.00
No copies available 		 HRN #62Alexandre DumasAllen Simon

#3 - 11th printing

 
  $0.00
  $18.00
No copies available 		 HRN #71Alexandre DumasAllen Simon

#3 - 12th printing

 
  $0.00
  $16.00
No copies available 		 HRN #87Alexandre DumasAllen Simon

#3 - 13th printing

  11/1/1953
  $0.15
  $97.00
No copies available 		 HRN #113Alexandre DumasAllen Simon

#3 - 14th printing

  11/1/1956
  $0.15
  $23.00
No copies available 		 HRN #135Alexandre DumasAllen Simon

#3 - 15th printing

 
  $0.15
  $14.50
1 copy available for $4.99 		 HRN #143Alexandre DumasAllen Simon

#3 - 16th printing

 
  $0.15
  $10.00
No copies available 		 HRN #153Alexandre DumasAllen Simon

#3 - 17th printing

 
  $0.15
  $10.00
No copies available 		 HRN #161Alexandre DumasAllen Simon

#3 - 18th printing

 
  $0.15
  $10.00
1 copy available for $3.50 		 HRN #167Alexandre DumasAllen Simon

#3 - 19th printing

  7/1/1964
  $0.15
  $10.00
No copies available 		 HRN #167Alexandre DumasAllen Simon

#3 - 20th printing

  7/1/1965
  $0.15
  $10.00
No copies available 		 HRN #167Alexandre DumasAllen Simon

#3 - 21th printing

  7/1/1966
  $0.15
  $10.00
1 copy available for $9.99 		 HRN #167Alexandre DumasAllen Simon

#3 - 22nd printing

 
  $0.25
  $9.50
No copies available 		 R/68Alexandre DumasAllen Simon

#3 - 23rd printing

  12/1/1969
  $0.25
  $11.00
1 copy available for $7.50 		 Winter 1969Alexandre DumasAllen Simon

#4

  8/1/1942
  $0.10
  $1,175.00
No copies available 		  James Fenimore CooperJohn Severin

#4 - 2nd printing

 
  $0.00
  $240.00
No copies available 		 HRN #12James Fenimore CooperJohn Severin

#4 - 3rd printing

 
  $0.00
  $125.00
No copies available 		 HRN #15James Fenimore CooperJohn Severin

#4 - 4th printing

 
  $0.00
  $100.00
No copies available 		 HRN #20James Fenimore CooperJohn Severin

#4 - 5th printing

 
  $0.00
  $90.00
No copies available 		 HRN #21James Fenimore CooperJohn Severin

#4 - 6th printing

 
  $0.00
  $75.00
No copies available 		 HRN #28James Fenimore CooperJohn Severin

#4 - 7th printing

 
  $0.00
  $40.00
No copies available 		 HRN #36James Fenimore CooperJohn Severin

#4 - 8th printing

 
  $0.00
  $12.00
No copies available 		 HRN #60James Fenimore CooperJohn Severin

#4 - 9th printing

 
  $0.00
  $320.00
1 copy available for $7.99 		 HRN #64James Fenimore CooperJohn Severin

#4 - 10th printing

 
  $0.15
  $18.00
No copies available 		 HRN #78James Fenimore CooperJohn Severin

#4 - 11th printing

 
  $0.15
  $16.00
No copies available 		 HRN #89James Fenimore CooperJohn Severin

#4 - 12th printing

 
  $0.15
  $15.00
No copies available 		 HRN #117James Fenimore CooperJohn Severin

#4 - 13th printing

 
  $0.15
  $15.00
No copies available 		 HRN #135James Fenimore CooperJohn Severin

#4 - 14th printing

 
  $0.15
  $17.00
No copies available 		 HRN #141James Fenimore CooperJohn Severin

#4 - 15th printing

 
  $0.15
  $12.00
No copies available 		 HRN #150James Fenimore CooperJohn Severin

#4 - 16th printing

 
  $0.15
  $10.00
No copies available 		 HRN #161James Fenimore CooperJohn Severin

#4 - 17th printing

 
  $0.15
  $9.00
No copies available 		 HRN #167James Fenimore CooperJohn Severin

#4 - 18th printing

  6/1/1964
  $0.15
  $10.00
No copies available 		 HRN #167James Fenimore CooperJohn Severin

#4 - 19th printing

  8/1/1965
  $0.15
  $10.00
No copies available 		 HRN #167James Fenimore CooperJohn Severin

#4 - 20th printing

  8/1/1966
  $0.15
  $15.00
1 copy available for $9.99 		 HRN #167James Fenimore CooperJohn Severin

#4 - 21th printing

 
  $0.25
  $9.50
No copies available 		 R/67James Fenimore CooperJohn Severin

#4 - 22nd printing

  3/1/1969
  $0.25
  $1.50
No copies available 		 HRN #169; Spring 1969James Fenimore CooperJohn Severin

#4 - 23rd printing

 
  $9.99
  $9.99
No copies available 		 Introduction by William B. Jones Jr.; ca. 2007James Fenimore CooperJohn Severin

#5

  9/1/1942
  $0.10
  $58.00
No copies available 		  Herman MelvilleNorman Nodel

#5 - 2nd printing

 
  $0.00
  $235.00
No copies available 		 HRN #10Herman MelvilleNorman Nodel
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