How to find collections of old comics

[mollywobbles17]

Hi friends! I'm doing a research paper on race and representation in the golden age of comics but I'm looking specifically for old Timely and whatever DC used to be. I'm trying to see how characters of color were portrayed in the 30's-40's but I'm having trouble finding popular superheroes like Superman and Batman on here. Any suggestions for this site or others where I can find big collections of mainstream comics from that time period? Thank you!!

[movielover]

You won't find any Timely or DC here as those books had their copyright renewed and are not public domain

[mollywobbles17]

Ah, I see. Any ideas where I can find them online somewhere else?

[Yoc]

Sorry Molly.  DC and Timely books are firmly Not in the public domain so you will never find them here.
You might want to look into this blog that talks about the first black female to have her own comic strip that we know of - Torchy Brown in From Dixie to Harlem which started May 8, 1937, predating Superman by over a year.   -   http://goldendames.com/comics/14/

There are some blogs out there that share individual stories that likely could help.
I'd suggest you try these -
http://thehorrorsofitall.blogspot.ca/  -focused on 40+50s horror titles.  A search for Atlas there would show you a lot.
http://pappysgoldenage.blogspot.ca/   -a much more general but very good blog.  A search for Timely/Atlas and National/DC would show you something.
http://timely-atlas-comics.blogspot.ca/   -Dr. Michael J. Vassallo, the acknowledged authority on Timely/Atlas and Martin Goodman's other publishing.
http://comicbookattic.blogspot.ca/   -has several posts on Timely and good links to others - be sure to look here.
http://malcolmwheelernicholson.com/   -this blog is devoted to the original owner of National before it was taken over just before Action Comics #1 came out.

Good luck,
-Yoc

[mollywobbles17]

Thank you!! This is awesome. Turns out Stanford's library has a big collection too, which is very helpful.

[Kracalactaka]

if you are not completely "hell bent" on using Just Timely/Atlas(Marvel) and DC there is a ton of material right here on DCM and over at CB+

of historical note:

Negro Romance 2     http://comicbookplus.com/?dlid=58739

All Negro Comics 1   http://comicbookplus.com/?dlid=37543

Negro Heroes 1  http://comicbookplus.com/?dlid=60241

we also have scans of comics about Joe Louis, Willie Mays & Jackie Robinson

you would also be remiss if you did not take a look at several issues of Will Eisner's "The Spirit"

http://comicbookplus.com/?cid=1324   and   http://comicbookplus.com/?cid=1325

You would also do well to peruse the pages of Black Terror/Exciting Comics, Rangers Comics, Wings, Fight Comics and Pep Comics, Top-Notch Laugh Comics & Laugh Comix  all of which are on DCM & CB+

I would suggest that if you want to just download the comics for viewing on your device DCM is better (faster downloads), but if you want to view them from the website I would suggest that CB+ is a better online viewing experience. Often there is creator and publication info accompanying the comic on CB+ (which you will need for your citations) and there are more options for navigating the pages and titles.

 
and I almost forgot, checking out the "Jungle" genre of comics should shed some light on your project. CB+ has them all gathered up here: http://comicbookplus.com/?cbplus=jungle

[mollywobbles17]

Jungle and The Spirit comics are definitely the kind of thing I'm looking for. Thank you!!

[darkmark (RIP)]

And don't forget Voodah, who in the early issues of CROWN COMICS was a black jungle lord.

[Kracalactaka]

And don't forget Voodah, who in the early issues of CROWN COMICS was a black jungle lord.

Yes, but only for the 1st appearance. after that they took Matt Baker off the art duties (to promote him to doing the cover and feature story) and made Voodah a white character as I recall.  See below pics showing Voodah as he 1st appeared in Crown Comics 3 and then in his next appearance in Crown Comics 4

[erwin-k]

MLJ Comics (later Archie Comics) only rarely had characters of color. Some that did appear would be low on the offensive scale. In one Bob Phantom story a young "Negro" character gives considerable help to the hero. He is portrayed as brave and smart. He is drawn fairly realistically, but his speech could use a bit of work. The most offensive thing about him, in my older white-guy opinion, is his name: Snowball.

On the other hand, early stories of the Hangman contained a character known as Anthracite (as in coal) who was off the charts offensive. It is had to believe just how offensive he was. Let's just say he was drawn less human looking than Donald Duck. Those stories would be in Pep Comics starting about issue #18.

Ebony White in The Spirit strip started out as an adult licensed cab driver. Eventually he youthened to maybe thirteen years old. Whatever you think of how Ebony was drawn, or how he spoke, he was portrayed as a very brave character. No matter how scared he was, Ebony always tried to save the Spirit, or anyone else in trouble.

[Kracalactaka]

Archie's Suzie Comics 76 has a strip depicting Ferdie's uncle in a vaudeville scene that has some of what would be considered an offensive way to depict black people, interestingly a few years ago Archie republished this particular story and made noticeable Changes to the aforementioned panel (See below)

another thing to look at along this subject line is the various treatments of Hispanics, Asians and Native Americans   Senor Siesta from various of MLJ/Archie's Mixed Bag books comes ready to mind and there is one Black Terror story where he and his side kick venture to Mexico and have an adventure with their Mexican "counterparts".  It's pretty much a given that most of the comics from the WWII era depicted Japanese (and Germans for that matter) very unfavorably.  Similarly (though to my eyes, not quite as badly) with the North Korean & Chinese enemy soldiers depicted in Korean War comic stories. 

[Yoc]

Archie's 'Senor Banana' in Zip Comics #36 to 46 from 1940 is not their finest moment either.

[SuperScrounge]

Pep Comics #23 (Archie's second appearance) has the only appearance of the Andrews' maid, Pearl.

The Cheerio Minstrels (Centaur Comics), which seems to start in Funny Picture Stories vol.2 #3 and continued through the name change to Funny Pages (although it may have appeared in other books as well) starts off with a general blackface/mushmouf look, but as time goes by they start coloring them pink instead of brown.

[johndesmarais]

Hi friends! I'm doing a research paper on race and representation in the golden age of comics but I'm looking specifically for old Timely and whatever DC used to be. I'm trying to see how characters of color were portrayed in the 30's-40's but I'm having trouble finding popular superheroes like Superman and Batman on here. Any suggestions for this site or others where I can find big collections of mainstream comics from that time period? Thank you!!

Your best bet for Golden Age DC & Marvel comics is the large number of reprint volumes both publishers have produced over the years.  Check out a used book store and you can usually find them.

[Yoc]

I'd suggest checking your local library system as well.