One other bit of data in support of my "theory": Triple Threat indicia says that the comic is "Published at Holyoke, Mass by Special Action...". Not one of the prior issues of either Yellowjacket or Zoo Funnies mentions Holyoke. Around April of 1946, the name begins to pop up in the indicias, as the town where they applied for 2nd class mailing privileges for Marvels of Science.
Now I'll stop talking. Here is the sound of me walking away from the can of worms... squeak... squeak... squeak... ...
Peace, Jim (|:{>
Actually, Marvels of Science #3 and #4 mentions Holyoke, Mass. as being the primary location just like Triple Threat.
The only "facts" so far have are the clues left in the inidicas, and based solely upon the evidence at hand, the book was published by Special Action which used the same address as all the Charlton titles up to that point. Whether or not it was a contract job submitted by Baily or material purchased outright by Santangelo/Levy would seem to be a secondary point (JVJ supporting the former and myself supporting the later). I recall someone on the Charlton Yahoo group mentioning what had turned up in the Charlton files (which included a few books printed by Charlton Press but the publisher was a third-party, Courage Comics if I recall correctly); I wonder if Triple Threat was in those files? Not that it would matter one way or another...
I'd love to learn more about Universal (Rural Home, et. al.) and Wanted (Orbit, et. al.). I've found several cases of overlap where the same people show up as owners or part-owners to companies under different "groups", in particular Evangeline L. Angel who was tied to Centaur (Comic Corp. of America, Centaur Publishing) as well as to Ace (Ace Periodicals, Current Books, Periodical House). Not to mention the Friedmans and the whole Youthful, Story, and Premier entanglement.
There is a "first layer" where titles are linked to publishing Groups, then there is a more complex "second layer" which involve what Mike Feldman calls the "money men." For the sake of simplicity I tend to tie things together by the "first layer", which may not be the reality of a situation, but it is the way things were documented in the indicias and statements of ownership. Trying to organize things by the "second layer" allows for too much by way of speculation, hearsay, and rumor (not to mention starting arguments like some of the large ones found in some of the Yahoo groups).
Both issues of Marvels of Science appear the year AFTER Triple Threat and AFTER the move from 49 Hawkins St to 17 Elizabeth St. So, yes, Holyoke does come into the picture, but the 1 Appleton St. address in Holyoke is the old address of Holyoke, the comic company. It was also used later by Youthful. Does ANYONE know WHY Holyoke Mass. seems to be a common thread in so MANY comic companies? Is THIS another Printer/Publisher? And why would Charlton, who had their own presses, be registering their comics to be mailed 70 miles away in a different state?
Anyway, getting back to what we can learn from the indicias. I maintain that there is a significant difference in the wording of the Charlton books and the Special Action title.
Here is what the indicias of EVERY single comic published by TCTWBC says up to the end of 1945:
"Office of Publication 49 Hawkins St. Derby Conn."
Here is what the indicia of Triple Threat says.
"Triple Threat is published at Holyoke Mass, by Special Action Comics, Inc., 49 Hawkins St. Derby Conn."
There is a QUALITATIVE difference in those statements. How you interpret that difference is a subjective decision on your part, but there IS a difference. And when Holyoke is mentioned in Marvels of Science #1 (which also is the first, if my memory serves, mention of the "Office of Publication 17 Elizabeth St. Derby Conn.", it is in this context: "Application for entry as second class matter pending at Holyoke..." Again, this is AFTER the "published at Holyoke" statement in Triple Threat and makes no mention of "Published at" - which is the topic under discussion. This "Published at Holyoke..." statement DOES occur, as you point out, in Marvels of Science #3, at least six months after the Triple Threat indicia statement.
I understand the need to simplify the groupings of publishers, but we shouldn't ignore evidence contrary to the simplest answer. Everything TCTWBC published up to and immediately after Triple Threat was produced in the Jacquet Shop (or at Jason Comic Art). Baily produced Triple Threat. The indicias indicate a different reference to 49 Hawkins St. The books look different, the art looks different, and TCTWBC was a printer. Occam's Razor is usually a good tool, but it is not infallible.
As for Continental/Rural Home/Orbit - this is a project I would dearly love to tackle, but it's not on my priority list. Should you ever delve deeply into the indicias AND ownership Statements, call me and we can discuss it. But revisiting the project 25 years after my initial forays and risking becoming trapped in the morass again (and having my head explode) is simply not in my immediate future.
It's been a fascinating discussion, Archiver, and I understand your position on this. And I thank you and Yoc for pointing me towards the Charlton sites so I could get the facts right. I simply think that there is too much evidence pointing to Triple Threat NOT being a Charlton title. If you disagree, c'est la vie. I have always maintained that there is a tremendous amount of history we will never know for certain.
Peace, Jim (|:{>
(and now I really MUST get back to work. I'm writing a "Great Unknowns" column for Roy Thomas on Emil Gershwin and trying to work with Hames Ware and Doc V. on credits for the next Marvel Masterworks volumes of Sub-Mariner and Daring Mystery, as well as trying to prepare the next issue of ImageS. This discussion has been like a bright shiny object distracting me from what I should be doing. Please carry on, but without me for a while....)
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Topic: Publisher Groupings on the Download Site. (Read 41100 times)
