I have looked through the comics you sent me and I am much encouraged. They seem to be closer to the original conception of comic books than the things that DC is putting out today. Their stuff is too elaborate to suit me. Most of yours retain the simple panel-by-panel approach to storytelling instead of using the jigsaw-puzzle page layouts favoured by many of today's comics illustrators.
--C.C. Beck
Golden Age Captain Marvel artist
INTRODUCTION: During 1986 and 1987, I was the publisher of the black and white line of ACE COMICS. They were sold in comic book stores and distributed through various direct sales companies, including Diamond, Capitol City, Glenwood, Bud Plant, Heroes World, and several others.
This was a curious period of comics history. For a short period of time over one hundred different publishers produced comic books in a black and white format. For a time, they were quite popular among collectors. There were several highly successful titles, including
Teen-Age Mutant Ninja Turtles, and Cerebus.
When I began publishing ACE COMICS, I instituted an editorial policy to not imitate titles and characters produced by other publishers.
I preferred to publish comics featuring unique tales and unusual ideas, using the best possible story and art. Instead of working with amateurs, I had the pleasure of working with such notable professionals as Steve Ditko, Pat Boyette, Joe Gill, Frank McLaughlin, Jerry De Fuccio, Jack Bradbury, Bob Clarke, Pete Morisi, and Alex Toth. who rank among the finest creative talent that the comics industry has ever produced.
Despite this remarkable talent, many of the ACE COMICS titles were lost in the explosion of black-and-white comics published in the late 1980s. During this period of proliferation racks in comic book stores bulged with new titles. There were more titles published than what the existing market could hope to sustain. Quite frankly, there were too few buying dollars chasing too much product.
Distribution became a major problem. In a six month period, a half-dozen major distributors filed for bankruptcy. They went out of business owing me and many other publishers thousands of dollars. In my own instance, I was forced to write off $25,000 in bad debt. I am sad to say that I lacked the necessary cash reserves to sustain that kind of a loss and remain in business. Much to my chagrin, I was forced to stop publishing.
On a more positive note...during the past year, I have been pleased to learn that some of the issues I published have become sought after by collectors. For the first time, I am presenting a complete list of the titles I published along with the credits. Hopefully, future comic book collectors and historians may find this information of value. Just for fun, I have included some critical reviews, letters of comment, and original advertising copy.
However, I would like to make a point of one matter: I am in NO way, associated with a publisher calling themselves ACE Comics, located in New York City. It is my sincere hope that no one will confuse the comics I published with their product, such as it may be.
Warmest regards,
Ron Frantz
August 15, 2000
Cover art by Steve Ditko. Color by Janice Cohen.
Inside front cover: Article by Jerry De Fuccio, "A Tribute to Jack Cole."
Lead story: Daredevil Battles the Claw. Art by Jack Cole, recreated by C.C. Beck from Silver Streak #7; 1940.
Second story: Article: "Perspective: The Art of Jack Cole." Contains various magazine illustrations and previously unpublished photographs of Jack Cole.
Third Story: Silver Sreak, reprinted from Silver Streak #10; 1940.
"Every serious collector should have this comic in their collection."
--The Comics Buyer's Guide
Cover art by Dave Bennett. Color by Janice Cohen.
First story: Butch O'Sparrow; reprinted from Coo Coo Comics #25; May 1946.
Second story: Bagshaw Bear; reprinted from Coo Coo Comics #37; January 1948.
Third story: Tuffy; reprinted from Coo Coo Comics #37; May 1947.
Fourth story: Supermouse; script by Richard Hughes. Reprinted from Coo Coo Comics #37; January 1948.
Inside back cover: "The Daisy Test." reviously unpublished cartoon by Jack Kent.
Cover art by Alex Koda. Color by Janice Cohen.
Inside front cover: Introduction by Ron Frantz
First story: Bob and Swab; reprinted from Military Comics, circa 1942. Reproduced from the original art.
Second story: Klaus Nordling letter to Jerry De Fuccio; January 21, 1982. Contains previously
unpublished photographs of Nordling.
Third story: The Barker; reprinted from National Comics, circa 1946.
Fourth story: Bob and Swab; reprinted from Military Comics, circa 1942. Reproduced from the original art.
Inside back cover: Listing of "non-comics" credits; courtesy of Klaus Nordling
Cover art by Alex Koda. Color by Janice Cohen.
Inside front cover: Article by Bart Bush, "The Lou Fine Story."
First story: Hack O'Hara; reprinted from Crack Comics #23. Reproduced from the original art.
Second story: Lou Fine index and Golden Age cover gallery.
Third story: The Ray; reprinted from Smash Comics, circa 1942.
Cover art and color by Pat Boyette
Inside front cover: Article by Jerry De Fuccio, "The Genesis of Spencer Spook: From movie animation to animated comic books."
First story: The Comicaper Con. Script by Joe Gill. Art, inks, and letters by Pat Boyette. Plot and editing by Ron Frantz.
If you look carefully, you will find cameo appearances by John Byrne, Alex Toth, Jim Shooter, Dick Giordano, Clint Eastwood, The Three Stooges, and many well-known comics characters. Lots of fun from start to finish. Highly recommended!
Second story: Spencer Spook story reprinted from Giggle Comics #77, June 1951. Art by Lynn Karp.
Third story: Previously unpublished Spencer Spook story, originally planned for Spencer Spook #102; 1955. Script by Richard Hughes. Art by Irving Spector. Note: At time of publication art was incorrectly credited to Owen Fitzgerald.
That Spencer Spook was great! Pat has a nice humor touch. It had a crowded content material, a convention, but he kept nicely to the essentials, the main ideas. It made everything clear and smooth flowing. I thought
Wally Wood was the master of this kind of presentation in comics. I'm ready to make Pat the new king.
-- Steve Ditko
Cover art and color by Pat Boyette
Inside front cover: Article by Jerry De Fuccio,
"The Mouse that Soared: A Tribute to Walt Disney."
Lead story: Wrassle Hassle. Script by Joe Gill. Art, inks, and lettering by Pat Boyette. Plot and editing by Ron Frantz.
Second story: Hector the Specter. Reprinted from Funny Films, circa 1954. Script by Richard Huges. Art by Ken Hultgren.
Third story: Spencer Spook. Reprinted from Giggle Comics #66, July 1949. Art by Jack Bradbury.
Cover art and color by Pat Boyette
Lead story: The Kremlin Kaper. Script by Joe Gill. Art, inks, and letters by Pat Boyette. Plot and editing by Ron Frantz.
Second story: Spencer Spook. Reprinted from Giggle Comics #80, November 1951. Art by Lynn Karp.
Filler page: Skool Yardley. Script by Jerry De Fuccio. Art by Bob Clarke.
"It's Pandemonium at the Politburo! Clear the road for action when that irrepressible Golden Age specter tangles with the super-powered "Super-sov" in a thriller-diller tale of international intrigue! It's another comic masterpiece by artist Pat Boyette and writer Joe Gill.
--original ad copyl
Cover art by Irving Specter and Pat Boyette. Adapted from a previously unpublished 1955 cover. Color by Boyette.
Inside front cover: Interview with Jack Bradbury, conducted by Dave Bennett; October 18, 1986.
Lead story: Script by Jack Bradbury. Art, inks and lettering by Dave Bennett.
Second story: Spencer meets Dracula. Reprinted from Giggle Comics #58, October 1948. Art by Jack Bradbury.
Third story: Spencer Spook. Reprinted from Giggle Comics #59, November 1948. Script and art by Jack Bradbury.
Fourth story: Christmas with Spencer Spook.
Reprinted from Giggle Comics #49, January 1949. Art by Jack Bradbury.
Cover art and color by Pat Boyette.
Lead story: Boo Boo! Script by Richard Hughes, adapted from 1955 issue of Giggle Comics. Art, inks, and letters by Pat Boyette.
Second story: Spencer Spook. Reprinted from Giggle Comics #95, May 1954. Script by Richard Hughes. Art by Ken Hultgren.
Third story: Spencer Spook. Reprinted from Giggle Comics #97, September 1954. Script by Richard Hughes. Art by Ken Hultgren.
Fourth story: Spencer Spook. Reprinted from Giggle Comics #98, November 1954. Script by Richard Hughes. Art by Ken Hultgren.
Cover art by Dave Bennett. Color by Pat Boyette.
Inside front cover: Interview with Ken Champin: "Tell them Charlie sent ya." Conducted by Ron Frantz; July 15, 1987.
First story: First appearance of Spencer Spook. Script by Hubie Karp. Art by Ken Champin. Edited by Jim Davis. Reprinted from Giggle Comics #21; August 1945.
Second story: Spencer Spook. Reprinted from Giggle Comics #22, September 1945. Script by Hubie Karp. Art by Ken Champin.
Third story: Spencer Spook. Reprinted from Giggle Comics #23, October 1945. Script by Hubie Karp. Art by Ken Champin.
Fourth story: Spencer Spook. Reprinted from Giggle Comics #28, March 1946. Script by Hubie Karp. Art by Ken Champin.
Note: Issue reprints first four Spencer Spook stories in order of orginal appearance, all drawn by noted Warner Bros animator, Ken Champin.
Cover art and color by Frank McLaughlin
Inside front cover: Introduction by Ron Frantz, includes pictures of actual band members.
Feature length story: Wrestle-Maniacs. Story and art by Frank McLaughlin, with an assist by Win Mortimer. Lettering by Wayne Truman.
It's time to meet the boys in the band...Billy Dee, Artie, Flash, and Gonzo! The joint really starts to jump when the boys get their big break playing a gig at the video arcade! Their success is short lived when local gangsters sabotage all the machines. The action never stops when our heroes stumble into the wrestling arena to cheer on their fabulous drummer Gonzo, while he tangles with the fearsome "Angel of Death" for a $10,000 prize!
--original ad copy
Cover painting by Pat Boyette.
First story: Script and art by Wallace Wood.
Introduction, inks, and letters by Pat Boyette.
Note: This was the last science fiction story drawn by Wood prior to his death in 1981.
Second story: Tonango's Folly. Story and art by Pat Boyette.
Third story: Perts vs Experts. Story and art by Alex Toth.
Fourth story: Fatal Evolution. Story and art by
Mike Himes.
Fifth story: Science-fiction. Script and art by Fred Himes.
Sixth story: Of Gods and Bondage. Story and art by Pat Boyette.
Cover art by Pete Morisi. Color by Janice Cohen.
Inside front cover: Skool Yardley. Script by Jerry De Fuccio. Art by Bob Clarke.
First story: Killers from Outer Space. Art by George Tuska. Previously unpublished story circa 1955; Lev Gleason/Buster Crabbe.
Second story: Fatoma, Mystery Woman of the Jungle. Art by Fletcher Hanks, reproduced by C.C. Beck. Reprinted from Jungle Comics, circa 1940.
Third story: Devil of the Deep. Art by Fred Guardineer.
Fourth story: Seeds of Death. Art by Rocke Mastroserio. Previously unpublished story, circa 1955; Lev Gleason/Buster Crabbe.
Fantastic Adventures #1 was great! There definitely needs to be more books
spotlighting Golden Age and Silver Age stories. They need to be reprinted for new
generations of comic collectors to discover these forgotten stories.
--Paul Williams
Cover by Gus Ricca, recreated from Detective Picture stories, 1937. Color by Janice Cohen.
First story: Mark Montage. Art by Joe Kubert. Reprinted from Little Audrey Sumer Special, 1950.
Second story: Mr. Mystic. Art by Bob Powell.
Third story: American Super Hero Convention.
Script by Jerry De Fuccio. Art by Al Jaffee.
Fourth story: Clue in a Poker Hand. Reprinted from Crime Does Not Pay #47, 1949.
Fifth story: Flat Top Terror. Art by Ross Andru. Reprinted from Exciting War #9, November 1954.
Cover art by Tony Di Prita. Color by Janice Cohen.
First story: The Score Board Kid. Baseball parody. Script by Jerry De Fuccio. Art by Tony Di Prita.
Second story: Patch of Hell. Art by Tony Di Prita. Reprinted from American Air Forces, February 1945.
Third story: The Gunner and the Kid. Art by Bill Martin. Reprinted from Tell it to the Marines #10, 1955. Reproduced from the original art.
Fourth story: Zippo, The Motor Man on Wheels. Text by Jerry De Fuccio. Art by Tony Di Prita. Reproduced from Hillman Comics, circa 1948.
Fifth story : Outlaws of Owlhoot Trail. Art by Doug Wildey. Previously unpublished story circa 1955, Lev Gleason/Buster Crabbe.
Cover art by Frank McLaughlin. Color by Janice Cohen.
First story: Streets of Terror. Script by Joe Gill. Art by Dan Carroll. Inks by Frank McLaughlin. Letters by Chic (Dan Clowes) Chumley. Plot and editing by Ron Frantz
Second story: Judo Joe and the Championship Bout. Reprinted from Judo Joe #1 (Jay-Jay), 1953.
Third story: Origin of Judo Joe. Reprinted from Judo Joe #1 (Jay-Jay), 1953.
Note: Credits for reprinted stories are Dr. Barney Gosnick and Paul W. Stoddard. Due to a similarity of style, it is suspected that Joe Sinnott may be the artist.
Stand by for action! Weaklings and cowards have ten seconds to clear out! Things are gonna get rough! He's back...just when the world needs him most! He's comicdom's original martial arts hero! He is theone, and only...JUDO JOE !
--original ad copy
Cover art by Ogden Whitney. Background and color by Phil Normand.
Inside front cover: Article by Glen Johnson, "I Remember Skyman."
First story: Return of the Skyman. Script by Mort (Michael Delle-Femine) Todd. Art by Steve Ditko. Inks by Rick Altergott. Letters by Wayne Truman. Plot and editing by Ron Frantz.
Second story: Article by Ron Frantz. "Searching for Ogden Whitney."
Third story: Origin of the Skyman. Script by Gardner Fox. Art by Ogden Whitney. Edited by Vincent Sullivan. Reprinted from Skyman #1
(Columbia), 1942.
I just finished reading RETURN OF THE SKYMAN and thought I should drop you a note to let you know how much I enjoyed it. Skyman is one of the rare appearances of an old hereo that was well done; keeping the flavor of the original character instead of instantly unpdating to the 80s. Thanks for a good read.
--Bud Plant
Cover art and color by Pat Boyette.
Feature length story: Robin Red and the Lutins. Script, art, inks, and letters by Pat Boyette.
Inside back cover: Knight Shift. Previously unpublished cartoon, written and drawn by Jack Kent.
Where are the Lutins now--those idyllic creatures that filled our world with magic and strange talents?
Noe one seems to encounter them anymore! The Elves, The Trolls, the Brownies, etc. --
those immortal beings tht comprise the family Lutin, have plainly vanished!
They seduced our sensibilities and transported us to mystical adventures! And now, with some longing, we lament the day when our intellect wished them away!
So, we turn back in time, back to the epoch of
ROBIN RED and the LUTINS!
--original ad copy by Pat Boyette
Cover art and color by Pat Boyette.
Inside front cover: Skool Yardley. Script by Jerry De Fuccio. Art by Bob Clarke.
Feature length story: Robin Red and the Lutins. Script, art, inks, and letters by Pat Boyette
Cover painting by Richard Courtney.
Inside front cover: Skool Yardley. Script by Jerry De Fuccio. Art by Bob Clarke.
First story: The Ransomed City. Script by Joe Gill. Art by Steve Ditko. Inks by Frank McLaughlin. Lettering by Shelly Lefferman. Plot and editing by Ron Frantz.
Second story: The Two Bottles of Relish Adapted from short story by Lord Dunsany.
Art by Mart Bailey. Illustration by Pete Morisi.
Third story: First appearance of The FACE.
Script by Gardner Fox. Art by Mart Bailey. Edited by Vincent Sullivan. Reprinted from Big Shot Comics #1, May 1940.
Inside back cover: Article by Jerry De Fuccio,
"Twenty years beyond the deadline."
Meet the FACE...a mysterious figure as fearsome as a tormenting dream! Get set for a new kind of reading excitement when this master of macabre returns from the Golden Age in a new adventure series by artist Steve Ditko and writer Joe Gill! This is the big one!
--original ad copy
Cover painting by Dave Desforges
First story: The Death Factory. Script by Joe Gill. Art by Steve Ditko. Inks by Frank McLaughlin. Letters by Wayne Truman. Plot and editing by Ron Frantz.
Second story: Classic crime story by George Tuska. Reprinted from Crime Does Not Pay #47, 1949
Thanks for putting Ditko on a series that is suitable and liked by Ditko. Thanks for the inking of Frank McLaughlin. He's putting a better look on Ditko's art. Thanks for the writing of Joe Gill, who knows how to blend and merge Ditko's talents. Thanks for the whole package of wonderment and satisfaction.
--Donald G. Hawkins
Cover painting by Alex Toth.
First story: Script by Joe Gill. Art by Steve Ditko. Inks by Rick Altergott. Lettering by Wayne Truman. Plot and editing by Ron Frantz.
Second story: Classic crime story by Fred Guardineer. Reprinted from Crime Does Not Pay #47, 1949.
I've never seen a better ending for a villain. Even the death of Basil Rathbone in the MARK OF ZORRO takes second place to this! How vicious of the FACE! And how hypocritical for him to remark: "That's a terrible way to die!"
--Chester Cox
To order by mail, please send a check or money order to:
Ron Frantz
PO Box 1711
Mena, Arkansas 71953
Single copies are $2.00 each.
Please include $2.00 shipping and handling on all orders.
To order by credit card, please click on the link below:
