[Guardian7]

I thought having a space on here to discuss Centaur stuff as a whole is a decent idea (instead of a bunch of little posts - nothing wrong with that mind you - FEEL FREE! LOL).
I have also been thinking of making a Website dedicated to CENTAUR COMICS (Centaur Publishing and Comics Magazine Company, Inc.).
Since this is the first Golden Age PD area I discovered I figured I would start this here. As it was this site and the downloads that only enhanced my curiosity of this long lost company.

I think I will start this off with a question of...

Where can I find the most concise history of the company itself?
Have one of the Posters here done something on that?
May I quote them? (I will acknowledge any and all who I quote and detail the source of the information).
I am not as UP on the "actual History" of the company as I probably should be. Doing this I aim to correct that.
If anyone can give me a heads up and a point in the right direction... I would be eternally grateful.

I am also looking for some missing characters and in some cases stories to fill the historical gaps of some of the Centaur Characters (many of which I now know - primarily because of this wonderful site).

Okay. Well this works for an intro.
There will be more you can be sure.

Cya guys!
G7 or Les (take your pick).

[Guardian7]

Okay. Here is more.

These are the Centaur Characters or Stories of Interest.

Images, back-stories or even scans of these would be appreciated.
If you can point me in the right direction that would be of just as much help.

Anyhow... here is I think the shortlist (Wait til I get to the Detectives, police and Agents!)
COMIC (plus v=volume #=Issue Number) - Character or Story.

AMAZ ADV FUNNIES #2 - Sand Hog (reprinted)

DET EYE #2 - Don Rance and the Mysticape

MASKED MARVEL #1 - Gentlemen of Misfortune

MASKED MARVEL #2 - Kardo, the Monster Maker (reprinted)

MASKED MARVEL #2 - The Vampire (reprinted)

FUNNY PICTURE STORIES v1 1 - The Floating City (also appears in AMAZING MYSTERY FUNNIES v1 #4).

FANTOM #3 Zomba [hero gorilla?]

FUNNY PAGES v2 #5 - The Case of the Millionaire Playboy, Solved by The Master Mind.

FUNNY PAGES v4 #35 - Pluton the Great, the Earth Driller

COMIC PAGES v1 #2  - The Monster
Man

COMIC PAGES v1 #5 - Jay Douglas, in a Prehistoric World.
Jay Douglas also appears in reprint AMAZING MYSTERY FUNNIES v1 #4. It is also wholly possible the Jay Douglas stories that appeared in AMC may be broken up reprints.


COMIC PAGES v1 #6 - The Isle of Mystery

FUNNY PICTURE STORIES / COMIC PAGES v3 #4 - In Quest of the Zozosaurus

STAR COMICS v2 #7 - Jungle Queen

KEEN DETECTIVE FUNNIES v2 #4 - The Master Mind (Possible this is a reprint from FP v2#5)

AMAZING MYSTERY FUNNIES v2 #10 - Crime tracking Televisor

KEEN KOMICS v2 #1 - Bob Phantom (I assume this is a comedy thing... but you never know. The Clock didn't have a huge page count when it ran in Funny Pages).

KEEN KOMICS v2 #2 - The Forbidden Idol of Machu Picchu

MASKED MARVEL #2 - Kardo, the Monster Maker

Sorry if I replicated anything in the above list. just go with the flow people.
ANY and all help is appreciated.

Then hopefully I can get as definitive of a CENTAUR Web-site going as I can.

Thanks people!
Keep it Four Colors always!

G7/Les

[Guardian7]

Just a bit of an update on this.

Took me a bit longer to figure out exactly how I wanted to do a Centaur Site and even longer on how I was going to configure it or have the layouts appear (especially considering I am using a free site, Which means I actually have to be stuck with in some cases some uncreative layouts).
I Have got the initial stuff done and prepped. Hoping to have at least 20 characters listed on it before I hand out the website addy.

I think I modified the Amazing Man page about six times, before I finally landed on a design that I liked.
I am still writing the history bit on Centaur and it is also taking quite a while (It seems kinda complex to me for some reason). Kinda hard not to sound like everyone else that has done a write up on Centaur.
With this site I want to focus on the characters and not so much the creators except in the history part (and then again not so strongly). I don't have time to do write ups on all the Golden Age Writers and Artists (Though I do think there is a site that does indeed list many of the Golden Age creators that I might just ask permission to put links too - Which I can't see being a problem).

It is difficult to write on some of the characters.
Like Amazing Man, Fantom, Arrow etc... has a pretty full history with Aman at least or minimal of 33 stories that I am aware of. So listing his every adventure is kinda hard and would likely take a personal site dedicated to him - But who knows... maybe as time goes on. I can just simply expand on it once I am satisfied with the vast array of characters that appear in the other Centaur Features.
Whereas doing a write up on Blue Lady or characters with less stories (Electric Ray, Rainbow, Solarman etc) is pretty simple (Blue Lady appeared in the final three issues of Amazing Man Comics #24-26).

I will do stuff on the characters I have visuals for first. Which is plenty... but I would never turn down an offer of seeing more or all of them - the last post listed some Characters, Places or possible events that sound interesting.

The Making of this Centaur Site is competing with doing my comic on Centaur Characters. Which is the primary reason I haven't posted here in a bit (So sorry for the lack of a status update).

My Comic is going to be an Anthology of stories (just like actual Centaur Comics was) and I will try to fit in shorter stories of the happenings of other heroes besides which every two I decide to feature in the longer running ones (likely 12 pages for each lead - 5 to 7 for back up features).

Status on that is:
1) Amazing Man is partially designed and written (still tweaking it though - Lots of big ole brawling in it).

2) Solarman story is completely written and all the thumbnails are ready to be laid out on actual pages.

3)Black Panther and Blue Lady appear in a feature together (called AMAZING TEAM-UPS!) and that is completely written and most of the thumbnails are done.

I am having a bit of a internal battle with the 4th feature. As I have several stories all ready to go.
Likely contender is going to be Vapo-Man (just cause he has a bad ass costume!... plus his Golden age story was never completed).

The 5th feature may well be a Villain feature (Which I have been strongly considering). Likely short (3-4 pages). but there are so many Centaur Heroes that need to see the light of Day (such as one of my personal favorites - Plymo the Rubber Man, Shark, Mighty Man (with Super-Ann), Minimidget, Iron Skull... blah blah blah... lol).
BUT... with only Five features (plus whatever pin-ups I decide to do),. that only leaves so much room.

Anyhow that is an UPDATE of sorts.

Cya
G7/Les

[josemas]

Where can I find the most concise history of the company itself?

Lee Boyette did a three part (very well illustrated) look at Centaur and its predecessors that appeared in Alter Ego magazine #85, 87 & 91.  I've just been rereading them.  Well worth checking out if you're interested in Centaur.

Best

Joe

[Roygbiv666]

It is difficult to write on some of the characters.
Like Amazing Man, Fantom, Arrow etc... has a pretty full history with Aman at least or minimal of 33 stories that I am aware of. So listing his every adventure is kinda hard and would likely take a personal site dedicated to him - But who knows... maybe as time goes on. I can just simply expand on it once I am satisfied with the vast array of characters that appear in the other Centaur Features.

www.comics.org has pretty good info on character appearances. For example, Amazing-Man: http://www.comics.org/character/name/amazing-man/sort/chrono/

Just use the Search for character by date at the top of the page.

[Roygbiv666]

Where can I find the most concise history of the company itself?

Lee Boyette did a three part (very well illustrated) look at Centaur and its predecessors that appeared in Alter Ego magazine #85, 87 & 91.  I've just been rereading them.  Well worth checking out if you're interested in Centaur.

Best

Joe

Which can likely be ordered online: http://twomorrows.com/

[Guardian7]

Yes... Alter Ego does an outstanding job. They really are good people.
I have actually thought about asking Jon Berk if I can use his article--

Harry "A" Chesler, Jr.: Comic Book Entrepreneur
by Jon Berk
The Rise of Original Comic Book Material.

He seems like such a wonderful guy.
I of course would give him full credit and since he is a Centaur Comics Guru... he does know his stuff and there would be no doubt from this direction about the validity of what he wrote and would come from one of the best experts on "All things Centaur".

-----------------------------------------------------------

Oh I have a great chronological listing for every single character that ever appeared in Centaur. That isn't a problem and with the exception of missing a bunch of Fantom, Arrow, Masked Marvel and Eye stories. I certainly have enough info on the last four named characters to do a decent enough webpage on them.
Otherwise, I have all the other Heroes that appear in Centaur - Still missing Fantom #3 and Arrow #2 which really don't have any characters I absolutely need at this time - Detective Eye #2 with Don Rance and the Mystic ape & Ken Traymore and the Invisobox is a different story. the those final two characters I know absolutely nothing about.

I have the final part of the 7 page story of the Jack Strand feature (involves the undersea Kingdom of Milo) from FUNNY PICTURE STORIES v2 9, But I wouldn't mind a knowing a bit more about the Kingdom of Milo from either FPS v2 7 - v2 8 (since Jack Strand stories appear to run in three comic arcs - Just an assumption on my part right now). A decent look at the citizens would certainly help as well.

The one I am seeking disparately is the elusive FUNNY PICTURE STORIES v1 1:  The 8 page Dick Kent feature of him in The Floating City (also appears in as a reprint in AMAZING MYSTERY FUNNIES v1 #4). I want that city and the story behind it. What the natives look like too it... and why it is floating. Then I think I will have all the special locations in the Centaur Universe that I am aware of (Of which I will have a locations section besides the characters listings).

Here is what I have and I have already pulled HUNDREDS of images from these comics with totally accurate listings of where they come from. I only have to finishing locking down and editing images from the final three issues of Stars and Stripes and I am good to go (well having the complete final issue of Stars & Stripes #6 would be nice - only have the Iron Skull one for now).

Anyhow... here is what I have as of this writing.

AMC
5-26 (Though I only just recently got the actual Aman story from # 26. Not sure if there were TWO AMAN features in that issue and the one that it came with was from S&S #6 or not). My listings do not show there being two Aman stories in #26 (unlike #23).

AMF
v2/3, v2/7-8, v3/1 and 20

ARROW
1 & 3

CMO
1-2 (Though as we discussed my #1 is obviously missing some pages).

DETECTIVE PICTURE STORIES
4 (Muss em up only) and 5

FANTOM
2 & 4

COMICS MAGAZINE
1

COMICS MAGAZINE (FUNNY PAGES)
3-5

FUNNY PAGES
v1/6, 8-11, v2/1-4 & 10 (Arrow only), v3/10 (B&W) and v4/1 (I am going to download v1 7 tonight).

COCOMALT
1

FUNNY PICTURE STORIES
v1/1 (Clock Only), v2/3 & 9, v3/1

KDF
v2/6 + 11-12, 19, 21 & 24

LIBERTY SCOUTS
2-3

MoW
1-2

S&S
2-3, 4, 5, 6 (MightyMan & Iron Skull only)

SUPER SPY
1

WHAM
1-2

I still have enough to work with what I do have at the present time. But the ones I mentioned above are of KEEN INTEREST to me. SO if anyone can help out. It would really be appreciated.

Les/G7

[josemas]

Harry Chesler used to come around the Kubert School quite a bit during my first year there (1979-80).  He lived not far from the school which was then in the old mansion at 45 Lehigh St. in Dover.  He seemed old as dirt to my young eyes (I believe he was actually in his early 80s).  
I didn't know who he was then as the majority of comics history I had read up until then covered mostly the bigger publishers (and E.C.).  Joe Kubert always treated Chesler with great respect when he was visiting there or when he spoke of him (as he did of all of his early employers and mentors) and I soon came to learn from Big Joe that Chesler had been a publisher back in "the early days of comics."

Even at that age Chesler still retained an interest in publishing and had hired former Kubert student Jon Totleben to provide illustrations for an edition of The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam that he planned to publish.  Jon used to come around the school to show us the illustrations as he finished them and I can tell you that they were beautiful, done in a Frazetta-esque style.  When Jon had them all finished in the Spring of 1980 they had a show of them at Farleigh Dickinson University.  After that we waited anxiously for the published edition.  It never appeared and Chesler stopped coming around the school during my second year.  I later learned that he had fallen ill and passed away sometime around 1980-81.  I've often wondered whatever happened to those wonderful illustrations of Jon's.

As a sidebar I also got a chance to visit Chesler's home (again during my first year at the Kubert School).  Sometimes when Chesler would come around the school he would talk to us students (Oh if I only knew back then the questions I'd love to ask him now!) and when he learned that some of us were becoming quite interested in the older illustrators he invited us to his home.  The walls inside the house were literally covered with gorgeous original magazine paintings from old pulp and slick magazines.  There was no rhyme or reason as to how he had them hung though.  I can remember how odd it seemed to me to see some wonderfully garish pulp crime cover hanging next to some grand J. C. Leyendecker painting!

Best

Joe

[Guardian7]

Josemas

Wow what a wonderful story that was.
I (once upon a time) had aspirations of going to the Joe Kubert School of Art. Life got in the way. But I too would have loved to have possibly met any and all the Golden Age Greats that might have appeared.

I know this is a bit of a derail... but you didn't happen to ever meet the amazingly talented Dick Dillion (of JLA fame) or Irv Novak (From Flash) did you?
Those two are my all time favorite artists.
Dillion could do the most wonderful faces... and Novak drew the Flash like nobody's tomorrow! Plus Novak is the only artist that I honestly feel captured Flash's wife Iris (West) Allen the best.

Anyhow... Thank you for sharing that. Again a wonderful bit of added history to the man that helped hammer out Centaur and it's beginnings.

Cya
Les/G7

[Roygbiv666]

Josemas

Wow what a wonderful story that was.
I (once upon a time) had aspirations of going to the Joe Kubert School of Art. Life got in the way. But I too would have loved to have possibly met any and all the Golden Age Greats that might have appeared.

I know this is a bit of a derail... but you didn't happen to ever meet the amazingly talented Dick Dillion (of JLA fame) or Irv Novak (From Flash) did you?
Those two are my all time favorite artists.
Dillion could do the most wonderful faces... and Novak drew the Flash like nobody's tomorrow! Plus Novak is the only artist that I honestly feel captured Flash's wife Iris (West) Allen the best.

Anyhow... Thank you for sharing that. Again a wonderful bit of added history to the man that helped hammer out Centaur and it's beginnings.

Cya
Les/G7

Wow, a Dick Dillin fan! Not great, but I think he's under-rated, particularly with faces.

He's no Mike Sekowsky!

[josemas]

I never had the chance to meet either Irv Novick or Dick Dillin.

Dillin passed away rather suddenly back during my first year at the Kubert School.  I remember quite well the buzz around school when that happened.  He had a very long tenure on the JLA which is where most of my classmates knew him from (although I prefer the work he did with Chuck Cuidera on Blackhawk prior to his JLA days).

In addition to the Flash I liked Novick's work on the Batman too.  He was a pretty adaptable artist.  His Batman took on some of the aspects of Neal Adams' redefining of the character during that period (without losing his own style).  Prior to that he had done a lot of war comics work for DC which at times evoked a Joe Kubert feel.

Best

Joe

[JVJ]

and it's always nice to SPELL correctly the names of the artists you like, G7. It helps you find them in the Who's Who, too.

Peace, Jim (|:{>

[Guardian7]

Sorry I was TIRED when I wrote that.

G7

[gorillamydreamz]

I'm excited for your Centaur comic and website and wish all the best for the project. I can understand why the comic is taking precedence. If you're not focused that stuff never gets done. Let us knwo when it's coming out!

[fox_centaur]

Sounds like a fun project!  While there's no reason to change the scope of your project because of this, you might want to keep in mind that the earlier comics often referred to as "Centaur" weren't really published by Centaur at all.  Centaur just bought Ultem's four titles, and Ultem had in turn bought those titles from several sources.  In many ways, the books published and/or edited by Chesler have more in common with Dynamic Publications and other later Chesler ventures than Centaur proper.  Indeed, Chesler reprinted a bunch of stories from his early Star Comics in issues he published near the end of WWII.

For more info check out http://www.comics.org/publisher/58/

Good luck with the web site!