CLASSIC COMICS ILLUSTRATED 34 MYSTERIOUS ISLAND O1stED

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CLASSIC COMICS ILLUSTRATED 34 MYSTERIOUS ISLAND O1st EDITION PRINTING HRN 35 VG SCARCE.. PLEASE SEE SCANS. SUPERB ART AND GRAPHICS UNIQUE OLD STYLE LINE DRAWN COVERS . CLASSICS COMICS LIBRARY This gorgeous series the Classics Illustrated were comic book adaptations from classic literature by a Russian -born Albert Lewis Kanter (1897-1973) They began in 1941 for Elliot Publishing.Philosophically speaking, we like to think of them as the romance of very fine art and literature in popular culture. But Practically speaking, they come in three basic chronological groups: 19th century literary works containing drawings, early 20th century literary works containing color prints of paintings, and for the last fifty years, comic-book adaptations of great works of literature. Our definition of a classical "comic" is a fully illustrated adaptation, usually abridged, with sequential superb art & graphics panels The first 12 issues had 64 pages, but wartime paper shortages forced Kanter to reduce each issue to 56 pages. In 1947, after the first 34 issues, Kanter changed the title from Classic Comics to Classics Illustrated, a logo with a high visibility over the next 15 years because Kanter, unlike other comic book publishers, kept his titles in print, going back to press with occasional reprintings. In 1948, rising paper costs resulted in a reduction from 56 pages to 48 pages. In addition to the illustrated adaptations, the books featured biographical profiles, educational fillers and house ads (but no outside advertising). This 48-page format continued throughout the run. Kanter also began several spin-offs, including The World Around Us and the 77-issue Classics Illustrated Junior with fairy tales and folk tales for younger readers. Almost all of the titles (169 of them) were reprinted, some up to 25 times. Originals of #1 through #34 were all produced as Classic Comics. With title #35,"The Last Days of Pompeii", the logo changed to Classics Illustrated, in March 1947.Editions are identified using HRN(Highest reorder number.) In l955 the Classics Illustrated Special Issues began with #129, "The Story of Jesus". The World Around Us series began in 1958. When #81 appeared in 1951, two changes occurred. The new price of fifteen cents appeared printed on the cover of all the following originals and reprints. Number 81 also had the first painted cover, as opposed to the rather "cartoonish" Line Drawn Covers of the early editions. After this no further line drawn covers were issued. Throughout the nineteen fifties the series flourished. W parents were unhappy with their children reading the sensational DC comics, they encouraged them to read Classics Illustrated as an educational aid. The series was very successful in the fifties, but, by a strange twist of fate, new CI title production stopped in the USA in 1961. Somehow Gilberton's distributor convinced them to stop publishing CI and publish a news magazine which then folded in a couple of months.It is from these beloved classic comics started becoming rare and some of them became very scarce. During most of the sixties only reprint editions of CI were published in the US. In 1967 Al Kanter sold the entire CI business to Patrick Frawley, a Californian businessman, who unsucessfully attempted to revive the series. Please see my other listings .Thanks read more

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