Some of the rarest "American" EC Comics

[Defiant1]

I don't scan comics, but I do make checklists featuring some comics people didn't know exist. I'm all for sharing the knowledge about comics.

I believe these to be some of the rarest "American" EC related comics. Export Newspaper Services Inc. (An American publisher) published Spanish language versions of a couple of the EC titles for Spanish language countries.  The titles were  Piracy and Valor. GCD lists them, but they only show one cover image between both titles. I've gone ahead and posted some images of low grade copies I've located online. I've finally got images for the entire run of Valor.

For your consideration...
http://comiclist.000webhostapp.com/ENS/Export_Newspaper_Services_EC_Reprints.html

It should be noted that Valor continued with the same EC logo another 15+ issues. After issue #5, it appeared to publish Charlton stories.
I don't fully understand the EC/Charlton connection, but I know Charlton did the 1st printing of Impact #1. It can be identified easily because it has a white logo. The second and far more common printing had a yellow logo. To my knowledge, all the Gaines file copies are of the second printing. I own the Charlton white logo version and I also own a pre-code Charlton comic bound with a Valor #2 cover. I bought it because it was unusual. At first I assumed it was a cover "married" to the incorrect interior at some point in the post-publishing phase. I'm leaning now towards the belief that it was a production error and Charlton may have printed more comics for EC than just Impact #1. Charlton was almost put out of business in 1955 after two hurricanes caused extensive flooding in their area. I'm wondering if Export Newspaper Services Inc. was a joint venture between EC and Charlton to get sales outside of the US. The Valor title moved it's publishing to La Prensa in Mexico after the EC content ceased.  I don't know how far in advance a February 1956 cover date was printed, but it would be interesting if Charlton's printing facility had printed these prior to the flood. I'm just throwing out speculation because I truly don't know.

I also discovered that Kurtzman's Humbug series was distributed by Charlton.  The connections are interesting.

[OtherEric]

I'm somewhat skeptical that the EC/ Charlton relationship continued very long, since most reports claim the reason for the later printing of Impact #1 was because Gaines felt the printing on the Charlton version was too poor to release, particularly on "Master Race".  My copy of the issue is the Yellow logo version.

Still, interesting discoveries.

[Defiant1]

I'm somewhat skeptical that the EC/ Charlton relationship continued very long, since most reports claim the reason for the later printing of Impact #1 was because Gaines felt the printing on the Charlton version was too poor to release, particularly on "Master Race".  My copy of the issue is the Yellow logo version.

Still, interesting discoveries.

I was skeptical also, but the industry was in a tailspin at the time. With EC comics not getting displayed at many locations, Charlton's distribution network may have given them a better shot. Again, I'm just speculating because strange facts are coming out of that era and they don't fit together as easily as they should.

Max Gaines and his family had some connection to Connecticut. Evidently, the Bridgeport Herald published his newspaper inserts...
http://comiclist.comuf.com/EC/Picture_Stories_From_the_Bible/PSFTB_OT_Sunday_Herald.html

and people were claiming Max Gaines was involved with the publication of Picture News & The Gumps with that newspaper.  The company formed to publish those ceased to exist around the time Max Gaines died. Marie Severin said that in the 50's, color separations were done in Bridgeport.

According to Google maps, Bridgeport & Derby are only 15 minutes apart from one another.

Charlton was gobbling up many of the publishers that were struggling in the 50's. Then the floods crippled them.

I'm not sure if there are any strings tying all of that together,  but I suspect there are. Charlton may have negotiating to buy EC like they'd done with many other publishers.
The floods along with the success of Mad magazine could have been what prevented it.