Standard/Better/Nedor Archives

The Yowp Hanna-Barbera blog contains some incredible detail on the series.  But it might just be that the ultimate influences for The Jetsons are many, and sometimes obvious.  Certainly, one can point to a legion of pulp and magazine stories and illustrations where such ideas had been seen before.  Even so, it's almost impossible to look[...]

Along with the Black Terror, the Fighting Yank was among publisher Standard/Better/Nedor's most popular superheroes.  The character first appeared in an origin story in Startling Comics #10 (cover-dated September 1941) from publisher Standard/Better/Nedor, by writer/editor Richard E Hughes and artist Jon L Blummer, and with a cover by Elmer Wexler.  Long considered an important key[...]

As a glimpse at the Ned Pines Standard/Better/Nedor line that could have been, Exciting Comics #1 is quite a bit more important than many collectors realize.  The first issue of the third comic book series that Pines launched seemed to indicate that he would use this title to debut some of his pulp characters into[...]

One of the earliest and rarest comic book series from Ned Pines' Standard/Better/Nedor, Best Comics features the historically important Adventures of the Red Mask.  A little-known character due to the difficulty in obtaining the source material and the mystery behind his creator, the Red Mask was a Pacific Islander who defended the people of the island[...]

Debuting in Exciting Comics #9 with a May 1941 cover-date and a February 18, 1941 release date, the Black Terror is perhaps the most popular and best-remembered superhero character from Ned Pines' Standard/Better/Nedor comic book line.  The character soon garnered his own series as well as appearances in the anthology title America's Best Comics, and[...]

The iconic cover artist Alex Schomburg created over 240 Golden Age covers for publisher Standard/Better/Nedor, among them a group of Miss Masque covers on Exciting Comics, America's Best Comics, and Fighting Yank during the late Golden Age.   Created by artist Lin Streeter, Miss Masque was a sign of the times in comic book in this[...]

While entering a field that had already become competitive with patriotic superheroes by 1942, American Eagle still managed to be unique — in powers and appearance, if not in name.  As explained in his origin and first appearance in America's Best Comics #2, his powers came from being "accidentally endowed with the strength and buoyancy[...]

His cover of Wonder Comics #3 (cover-dated November 1944), with Standard/Better/Nedor character the Grim Reaper punching a Nazi is a classic Schomburg example.  Featuring an early Grim Reaper story and the origin of the character Spectro, Wonder Comics #3 is a stand-out example of the history of its moment in time.  There's a Wonder Comics[...]

The Ned Pines Standard/Better/Nedor empire is full of mysteries and obscurities.  The rarity of the handful of pulp material that Ned and Robert Pines produced in the first few years after their 1927 incorporation of Better Publications.  The little-known origins of the formation of Syndicated Features Corp in 1936 by Benjamin Sangor and former New[...]

Such is the case with the Lance Lewis & Marna covers for Startling Comics #44-46, from the legendary artist Graham Ingels for publisher Standard/Better/Nedor These three issues, cover-dated March-July 1947, feature the beginning of Startling Comics' transition from a superhero title that had featured Pyroman and Fighting Yank covers, to a science fiction title with[...]

In 1948-1949, he teamed up with his close friend Mort Meskin on several stories for Standard/Better/Nedor and Prize Publications, and the two part Black Terror story featuring Lady Serpent is an excellent example of this work.  These two issues also feature covers by the legendary Alex Schomburg There's a Black Terror #23 (Nedor, 1948) Condition: GD/VG[...]

Manhattan of Watchmen fame.  But this is actually the origin of American Crusader, who debuted in Thrilling Comics #19 in 1941.  There's a CGC FN- 5.5 copy of Thrilling Comics #19 (Better Publications, 1941) up for auction in the 2024 September 26 – 27 Heroes of the Golden Age Comics Showcase Auction #40265 at Heritage Auctions. Thilling Comics[...]

While not among the early wave of the Standard/Better/Nedor superheroes, the electrically-charged superhero Pyroman made his debut in Startling Comics #18 and quickly took over Captain Future's share of the title's covers, alternating with Fighting Yank.  Jack Binder's Startling Comics #20 cover, featuring Pyroman taking on a Nazi snake cult, is one of his best[...]

A comic book including work by three comic book legends in Sheldon Moldoff, Alex Schomburg and Frank Frazetta?  Sign me up.  The hidden gem in question is Black Terror #22, a March 1948 cover-dated classic from Ned Pines' Standard/Better/Nedor This issue features a "Xela" cover by Schomburg, a Black Terror science fiction story by Moldoff,[...]

As a comic book artist, Mandel contributed to publishers including Standard/Better/Nedor, Novelty/Premium/Curtis, MLJ, Marvel, Harvey, Ace Periodicals, Lev Gleason and Charlton during the early Golden Age Mandel also contributed to an early draft of 1967 Bond film Casino Royale, via his longtime association with Catch-22 author Joseph Heller. Heller had been brought in by producer Charles[...]

Anthology titles combining stories featuring a publisher's best characters was a standard practice of the Golden Age.  DC Comics had World's Finest Comics and All-Star Comics, Fox Feature Syndicate had Big 3, and Marvel/Timely had All-Winners Comics, for example.  In 1942, Ned Pines' Standard/Better/Nedor followed suit by launching America's Best Comics, featuring the Black Terror,[...]

Thrilling Comics #1 from Ned Pines' Better Publications debuted a Doc Savage-inspired character named Dr. Strange in the Golden Age.

Schomburg created around 40 airbrushed covers for Ned Pines's Standard/Better/Nedor titles during the period of 1947-1948, and these are often referred to as the "Xela" covers due to Schomburg signing his work from this time frame using his first name spelled backward The iconic airbrushed Schomburg cover for Startling Comics #49 has become one of[...]