Famous Comics (1934, Zain-Eppy)

Famous Comics ran for 9 issues (1934–1935). Publishing format: was ongoing series. Possibly the second US comic book series. Giveaway comic, often with club stickers on covers. Just as Famous Funnies, Series 1 and Famous Funnies #1 were largely reprints of the earlier reprint books, Famous Comics were reprints of the Famous Funnies series. (Note that some of the strips appeared in more than one issue of Famous Comics.) While some of the Famous Comics material first appeared (as the following list shows) in Funnies on Parade, Carnival of Comics, Century of Comics and Famous Funnies, Series 1, the reprints of Famous Comics track the Famous Funnies series. The significance of this is to note just how closely early comic book production was tied. Further indication of this is the fact that Favorite Comics, another give-away of this time period also reprinted the early Famous Funnies. Favorite Comics, Book No. 1 is primarily Famous Funnies #2; containing most of the same contents as the "Fire Engine" and "Tiger" books as listed below. Book No. 2 is primarily derived from Famous Funnies #3 with the rest of the contents derived from Famous Funnies #2 and #4 while the contents of Book No. 3 is derived primarily from Famous Funnies #5 with the rest of the contents derived from Famous Funnies # 4 and #2 with one "Joe Palooka" strip being reprinted from Famous Funnies Series 1. It would appear that Famous Comics was the second comic book series. The contents of Famous Comics are derived primarily from Famous Funnies #1-6. The contents are so derivative that Famous Comics could be dubbed "Famous Funnies, Jr." It is interesting to note, however, that Famous Comics did not include the Famous Funnies features of "Toonerville Folks", "Mutt and Jeff", "Ben Webster", "Tailspin Tommy" or "Reg'lar Fellars". Information from Jon Berk, transcribed by John P. Selegue.