Posted in: Comics, Heritage Sponsored, Vintage Paper | Tagged: archie, canadian comics

F.E. Howard's Unusual Archie Comics in Super Comics, Up for Auction

Canadian publisher F.E. Howard did some unusual Archie Comics reprints in Canada during WWII, which remain highly sought-after today.

We've discussed a number of Golden Age Canadian publishers about which little is known during our recent posts on Canadian comic books, including Al Rucker, Lou Ruby, Morris Ruby, and Pioneer Publications of London Ontario.  We've talked a little bit about Frank E. Howard as well, whose struggles to get the Super Duper Comics #3 into the U.S. ended up in a court proceeding, all of which likely helped make that issue the last Golden Age Mr. Monster and Nelvana.  Aside from that issue of Super Duper Comics, Howard's best-known releases were his unusual Super Comics reprints of Archie and other MLJ material.

Howard was a salesman for the Toronto Type Foundry prior to entering publishing himself.  The first sign of Howard's publishing activities is 1942's Step Lively, which appears to be a digest-sized cartoon pin-up and gag book the likes of which were common during WWII. Howard then published a small range of short-lived titles 1943-1948.  Lasting for six issues, Super Comics was by far the most successful of these.

The Super Comics story begins with Montreal entrepreneur Louis H. Citren's Citren News Company, which published a single issue 1941 Super Comics, a black-and-white reprint of Pep Comics #22, the first appearance of Archie, and with the Shield's costume on the cover modified to feature the Union Jack.  While exceptions could be granted, this comic book (and most of those that would follow) probably violated the War Exchange Conservation Act.  It's unknown what, if any, connection Frank E. Howard had with Louis H. Citren, but Howard picked up the Super Comics title and concept, reprinting stories from Pep Comics including Archie, along with altered covers and possibly altered interiors.  Howard also published single-issue MLJ reprint titles Archie Comics, Captain Commando Comics, and Black Hood.

Super Comics may have been ended by lack of paper access.  In September 1945, Howard was fined by the Canadian government for the overuse of 62.65 tons of paper in the printing of Super Comics and three other comics.  Howard had the dubious distinction of being caught up in the U.S. War Production Board's early 1945 "war against the black market in paper" that same year.

Frank E. Howard exited the comic book publishing business around 1949-1950, but his unusual Super Comics issues featuring early Archie reprints in Canada remain highly sought-after by Archie collectors today.  There are three issues of F.E. Howard's Super Comics, including the highest-graded issue V2 #1, up for auction at the 2025 March 13 Canadian Golden Age Comics Showcase Auction #40290.

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