Top-Notch Comics #1

(December 1939)

[The Pearl Harbor Peril] (Table of Contents)

Wizard / comic story / 11 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

Will Harr?

Pencils:

Edd Ashe

Inks:

Edd Ashe

Colors:

?

Letters:

?

Content Information

Genre:

Superhero

Characters:

The Wizard [Blane Whitney] (introduction and origin); Wizard I [Blane Whitney] (called "Steven", introduction); Capt. Ambrose Whitney; Maj. Thomas Whitney; James Whitney; Thomas Whitney, Jr.; John Whitney; Grover Whitney (Wizard's brother); Jatsonians (villain, introduction)

[humor filler] (Table of Contents)

Laughing At Life / filler / 1 page (report information)

Credits

Script:

Jack Cole?

Pencils:

Jack Cole?

Inks:

Jack Cole?

Colors:

?

Letters:

?

Content Information

Genre:

humor

In the Worlds of Time (Table of Contents)

Scott Rand / comic story / 6 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

Otto Binder (Eando Binder)

Pencils:

Jack Binder

Inks:

Jack Binder

Colors:

?

Letters:

?

Content Information

Genre:

Science Fiction

Characters:

Scott Rand (introduction); Dr. Joel Meade; Thor (a Viking); Princess Elda

[Murder By Sock] (Table of Contents)

Swift of the Secret Service / comic story / 6 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

?

Pencils:

Charles Biro

Inks:

Charles Biro

Colors:

?

Letters:

?

Content Information

Genre:

Spy

Characters:

Rex Swift (introduction); Mr. Swift (his father); Aubrey J. Snite (Dies); Jack Snite (villain, introduction)

Indexer Notes

The faces and the thin shading inklines, and hands, chins and noses look very much like Biro on Steel Sterling in Zip Comics #1.

To-nite! Saved From the Flames! (Table of Contents)

Jungle Town Show Boat / comic story / 2 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

Dick Ryan (signed)

Pencils:

Dick Ryan (signed)

Inks:

Dick Ryan (signed)

Colors:

?

Letters:

?

Content Information

Genre:

Funny Animals

Characters:

Billy Hippo

Indexer Notes

only appearance

[Vendetta With Von Schiller] (Table of Contents)

Air Patrol (Wings Johnson) / comic story / 5 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

Joe Blair

Pencils:

Irv Novick

Inks:

Irv Novick

Colors:

?

Letters:

?

Content Information

Genre:

Aviation; War

Characters:

Ben "Wings" Johnson (introduction and origin); Mrs. Johnson (Wings's mother, introduction in flashback); Capt. Von Schiller (villain, introduction); Nazis

Indexer Notes

Originally credited to Ed Smalle, but artwork is identical to Novick's signed first story in this feature, issue #2.

Murder Rap (Table of Contents)

Lucky Coyne / text story / 4 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

Ken Fitch

Pencils:

?

Inks:

?

Colors:

?

Letters:

typeset

Content Information

Genre:

Crime

Characters:

Lucky Coyne

[The Bat and the Bull] (Table of Contents)

Lucky Coyne / comic story / 5 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

Ken Fitch

Pencils:

?

Inks:

?

Colors:

?

Letters:

?

Content Information

Genre:

Crime

Characters:

Lucky Coyne; Bat Yardley (inmate); Jean Markham [Louella] (introduction); The Bull and his gang (villains, introduction for all)

Synopsis:

Lucky Coyne posing as Bat Yardley, jewel thief in prison.

Indexer Notes

Lucky Coyne called "Bat Yardley" in this story.

[humor filler] (Table of Contents)

Lonesome Luke / filler / 1 page (report information)

Credits

Script:

Jack Cole

Pencils:

Jack Cole

Inks:

Jack Cole

Colors:

?

Letters:

?

Content Information

Genre:

humor

Characters:

Lonesome Luke (introduction and only appearance)

[The Fortune Teller's Revenge] (Table of Contents)

Mystic [Kardak] / comic story / 5 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

Harry Shorten?

Pencils:

C. A. Winter

Inks:

C. A. Winter

Colors:

?

Letters:

?

Content Information

Genre:

Occult

Characters:

Kardak (a magician, introduction); Kardak's fiancee; Chuck and his gang (villains, introduction for all)

[Kornell Goes To West Point] (Table of Contents)

West Pointer / comic story / 5 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

Harry Shorten?

Pencils:

?

Inks:

?

Colors:

?

Letters:

?

Content Information

Characters:

Keith Kornell [the West Pointer] (introduction and origin); Sen. Crockett (introduction); Uncle Joe; John Kornell (Keith's father, cameo in flashback); Ned Norton

Indexer Notes

Originally credited to Ed Wexler, but compared with his signed story in #3, this is not him. Faces, layout and inking are all different. Looks more like the Wizard story, credited to Ed Ashe in this issue, but uncertain.

[The Ice Cream Cone] (Table of Contents)

Impy / comic story / 1 page (report information)

Credits

Script:

Winsor McCay (signed)

Pencils:

Winsor McCay (signed)

Inks:

Winsor McCay (signed)

Colors:

?

Letters:

?

Content Information

Genre:

Fantasy

Characters:

Impy

Indexer Notes

features Impy from the LITTLE NEMO strip

Case 1: Master Forgers (Table of Contents)

Manhunters / comic story / 6 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

Jack Cole (signed)

Pencils:

Jack Cole (signed)

Inks:

Jack Cole (signed)

Colors:

?

Letters:

?

Content Information

Genre:

crime

Reprints:

• in Authentic Police Cases (St. John, 1948 series) #5 (October 1948)

Indexer Notes

true-crime story; story packaged by the Harry Chesler shop