Bell Features
- Country:
- Canada
- Indicia / Colophon Publishers:
- 3
- Brand Groups:
- 3
- Brand Emblems in Use:
- 15
- Total Number of Series:
- 256
- Total Number of Issues:
- 1089
- Show Covers by Month:
- using on-sale date or using publication date
- Show Issues by Month:
- using on-sale date or using publication date
- Creator Checklist:
- via linked story records
- Notes:
- Company known as Commercial Signs of Canada from 1939-1942, though their first comics weren't published until 1941. Canadian Golden-Age publisher of original material and then of reprints of American comics from various publishers.
Bell's output can be divided into 4 time periods.
The first, and arguably the most important, period is from 1941 to early 1946. During this time Bell produced 100% Canadian comics, known popularly as Canadian Whites (even though a few of the early ones were actually in full colour).
The second period is a very short time in 1946 when Bell was producing comics for the British market. These normally had an original Canadian cover with a reprint of a contemporary U.S. comic inside.
After this was the third period where Bell reprinted U.S. comics with covers from the U.S. comics themselves. Comics from Archie, Marvel, Quality and other U.S. publishers were common. Sometimes the comic being reprinted had the correct cover, sometimes it didn't. This period was from approximately 1948 to 1951.
The fourth period is after 1951. Bell continued to reprint U.S. comics but mostly under different titles and covers from the original U.S. comics. Splash pages were modified to serve as covers or illustrations from one company were combined with logos from another and some of the titles and logos from the Canadian Whites were revived.
Besides a few of the very early Canadian Whites, a few of the British exports and a couple of the earliest U.S. reprints, Bell did not include dates in the comics. The estimated dates are based, primarily, on the earliest possible date based on what is being reprinted. The estimated dates of other issues in the series are also taken into account as well as the existence of date stamps. It is quite possible that some comics were actually published months or even a year or two after our estimated date.
Editing
| Series | Year | Issues | Covers | Published |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4Most [m] | 1949 | 3 issues (0 indexed) | Gallery | 1949 ? - ? |
| Active Comics [m] | 1942 | 38 issues (29 indexed) | Have 36 (Need 3) | February 1942 - [circa 1952] |
| Adventures of the Dover Boys [Archie Series] [m] | 1950 | 1 issues (0 indexed) | Gallery | [circa late 1950] |
| All Great [m] | 1949 | 2 issues (0 indexed) | Gallery | [circa February 1949] - ? |
| All Top [m] | 1952 | 2 issues (2 indexed) | Gallery | [circa February 1952] - [circa April 1952] |
| All True Crime Cases Comics [m] | 1948 | 11 issues (3 indexed) | Have 10 (Need 1) | [circa Spring 1948] - [circa December 1949] |
| Amazing Animals [m] | 1951 | 4 issues (1 indexed) | Have 2 (Need 3) | [circa February 1951] - 1951 ? |
| Amazing Mysteries [m] | 1949 | 3 issues (0 indexed) | Have 2 (Need 1) | 1949 - [circa June 1949] |
| Amazing Spy Adventures [m] | 1951 | 4 issues (1 indexed) | Gallery | [circa July 1951] - 1951? |
| Amazing Western Adventures [m] | 1952 | 3 issues (0 indexed) | Gallery | [circa 1952] - [circa 1952] |
| Animal 'Ventures [m] | 1952 | 2 issues (0 indexed) | Have 1 (Need 1) | 1952 ? - [circa 1952] |
| Animal Toons [m] | 1952 | 1 issues (0 indexed) | Gallery | [circa 1952] |
| Annie Oakley Comics [m] | 1948 | 2 issues (1 indexed) | Have 2 (Need 1) | [circa 1948] - [circa December 1948] |
| Archie Comics [m] | 1948 | 16 issues (1 indexed) | Have 14 (Need 2) | 1948 - [circa December 1950] |
| Archie's Girls, Betty and Veronica [m] | 1950 | 3 issues (0 indexed) | Have 2 (Need 1) | 1950 - 1950 |
| Archie's Pal Jughead Comics [m] | 1949 | 3 issues (1 indexed) | Gallery | 1950 - [circa January 1951] |
| Archie's Rival Reggie [m] | 1950 | 4 issues (1 indexed) | Have 4 (Need 1) | 1950 - [circa late 1951] |
| Asia [m] | 1948 | 3 issues (0 indexed) | Gallery | [circa Spring 1948] - [circa June 1949] |
| Astonishing [m] | 1951 | 4 issues (1 indexed) | Have 3 (Need 1) | 1951 - [circa September 1951] |
| Astounding Jungle Adventures [m] | 1950 | 1 issues (0 indexed) | Gallery | circa 1950 |
| The Barker [m] | 1950 | 1 issues (0 indexed) | Gallery | 1950 ? |
| Best Love | 1951 | 5 issues (1 indexed) | Have 3 (Need 2) | 1951 - [circa 1951] |
| Best Western [m] | 1949 | 3 issues (0 indexed) | Have 2 (Need 1) | [circa September 1949] - 1949 |
| Black Rider [m] | 1950 | 6 issues (1 indexed) | Have 6 (Need 2) | [circa July 1950] - 1951 ? |
| Blackhawk [m] | 1949 | 9 issues (2 indexed) | Gallery | [circa Spring 1949] - [circa late 1950] |
| Blonde Phantom Comics [m] | 1948 | 6 issues (3 indexed) | Gallery | [circa late Spring 1948] - [circa Summer 1949] |
| Boots & Saddle [m] | 1951 | 5 issues (5 indexed) | Have 4 (Need 1) | [circa Summer 1951] - [circa early to mid 1952] |
| Boy's Adventure [m] | 1950 | 1 issues (0 indexed) | Gallery | 1950 ? |
| Boy's Adventures [m] | 1950 | 1 issues (0 indexed) | Add | 1950 |
| Broadway Romances [m] | 1950 | 2 issues (0 indexed) | Gallery | [circa Spring 1950] - 1950 |
| Bronco Busters [m] | 1950 | 3 issues (1 indexed) | Gallery | [circa March 1951] - [circa July 1951] |
| Buccaneers [m] | 1950 | 5 issues (2 indexed) | Gallery | [circa February 1950] - 1950 |
| Campus Comics | 1950 | 5 issues (1 indexed) | Have 5 (Need 1) | [circa late 1950] - [circa 1950] |
| Campus Loves [m] | 1950 | 3 issues (0 indexed) | Gallery | 1950 - [circa September 1950] |
| Candy [m] | 1949 | 3 issues (0 indexed) | Gallery | [circa July 1949] - 1949 ? |
| Captain Science [m] | 1950 | 1 issues (0 indexed) | Gallery | [circa December 1950] |
| Cartoon Capers [m] | 1951 | 3 issues (0 indexed) | Have 3 (Need 1) | [circa May 1951] - [circa late 1951] |
| Cartoon Funnies [m] | 1948 | 3 issues (0 indexed) | Have 2 (Need 1) | 1948 ? - ? |
| Casey - Crime Photographer [m] | 1949 | 3 issues (0 indexed) | Gallery | [circa September 1949] - 1949 |
| Circus of Fun [m] | 1950 | 1 issues (0 indexed) | Add | circa 1950 |
| Colossal Comics | 1945 | 5 issues (0 indexed) | Have 5 (Need 3) | 1945 - 1945 |
| Colossal Comics [m] | 1951 | 8 issues (1 indexed) | Have 8 (Need 3) | [circa September 1951] - [circa September 1951] |
| Comedy [m] | 1950 | 3 issues (2 indexed) | Have 3 (Need 2) | [circa July 1950] - [circa November 1950] |
| Comic Crimes [m] | 1946 | 2 issues (1 indexed) | Gallery | February-March 1948 - 1946 |
| Comic Toons [m] | 1949 | 3 issues (0 indexed) | Have 3 (Need 1) | [circa 1949] - circa 1949 |
| Commando Comics [m] | 1942 | 22 issues (22 indexed) | Gallery | [circa September 1942] - [circa March 1946] |
| Congo [m] | 1949 | 3 issues (1 indexed) | Gallery | [circa June 1949] - [circa late 1950] |
| Corral Comics [m] | 1951 | 4 issues (2 indexed) | Have 3 (Need 2) | [circa April 1951] - [circa December 1951] |
| Cowboy 'Ventures [m] | 1951 | 1 issues (0 indexed) | Gallery | [circa September 1951] |
| Cowboy Romances [m] | 1950 | 1 issues (0 indexed) | Gallery | [circa January 1950] |
| Cowboy Trails [m] | 1949 | 5 issues (1 indexed) | Gallery | [circa 1949] - 1949 |
| Crack Adventures [m] | 1952 | 4 issues (1 indexed) | Gallery | [circa 1952] - [circa 1952] |
| Crack Western [m] | 1950 | 6 issues (2 indexed) | Have 5 (Need 1) | [circa 1950] - [circa 1951] |
| Crimefighters Comics [m] | 1948 | 8 issues (2 indexed) | Gallery | [circa May 1948] - [circa October 1949] |
| Darling Love [m] | 1949 | 4 issues (0 indexed) | Have 3 (Need 3) | [December 1949] - [circa November 1950] |
| Darling Romance [m] | 1950 | 4 issues (0 indexed) | Have 3 (Need 2) | [circa October 1949] - [circa June 1950] |
| Diary Loves | 1950 | 4 issues (0 indexed) | Have 3 (Need 1) | [circa December 1949] - [circa 1950] |
| Dime Comics [m] | 1942 | 34 issues (30 indexed) | Have 34 (Need 2) | February 1942 - [circa 1950] |
| Dime Comics [m] | 1946 | 1 issues (1 indexed) | Gallery | [circa 1948?] |
| Doll Man [m] | 1949 | 11 issues (0 indexed) | Have 11 (Need 1) | [circa February 1949] - [circa October 1950] |
| Egbert | 1949 | 1 issues (1 indexed) | Gallery | [circa May 1950] |
| Elsie the Cow Comics [m] | 1950 | 3 issues (0 indexed) | Have 3 (Need 1) | [circa January 1950] - [1950] |
| F.B.I. Comics [m] | 1946 | 1 issues (0 indexed) | Gallery | October-November 1946 |
| Feature Comics [m] | 1949 | 10 issues (3 indexed) | Have 9 (Need 2) | [circa August 1949] - [circa 1950] |
| Flaming Love [m] | 1949 | 2 issues (0 indexed) | Gallery | 1949 - ? |
| Forbidden Love [m] | 1950 | 2 issues (0 indexed) | Have 1 (Need 1) | 1950 ? - [circa June 1950] |
| Frankie and Lana Comics [m] | 1949 | 3 issues (0 indexed) | Gallery | [circa January 1949] - 1949 |
| Frankie Comics [m] | 1948 | 2 issues (0 indexed) | Have 1 (Need 1) | [circa 1948] - [circa September 1948] |
| Frankie Fuddle [m] | 1949 | 1 issues (0 indexed) | Gallery | [circa September 1949] |
| The Frontier Marshal [m] | 1951 | 4 issues (1 indexed) | Gallery | [circa February 1951] - [circa Spring 1952] |
| Fun Parade [m] | 1952 | 3 issues (1 indexed) | Have 3 (Need 1) | 1952 ? - [circa 1952] |
| Fun Parade Comics [m] | 1952 | 1 issues (0 indexed) | Gallery | [circa 1952] |
| The Funny Comics [m] | 1942 | 20 issues (19 indexed) | Have 20 (Need 1) | 1942 - 1946 |
| Gallant [m] | 1951 | 6 issues (0 indexed) | Gallery | [circa May 1951] - [circa March 1952] |
| Georgie and Judy [m] | 1949 | 1 issues (0 indexed) | Gallery | [circa April 1949] |
| Georgie Comics [m] | 1950 | 9 issues (0 indexed) | Have 5 (Need 5) | [circa Summer 1948] - 1951 |
| Ginger [m] | 1952 | 1 issues (0 indexed) | Gallery | 1952 |
| Girl Comics [m] | 1949 | 5 issues (0 indexed) | Gallery | [circa November 1949] - [circa October 1951] |
| The Gunhawk [m] | 1950 | 4 issues (2 indexed) | Gallery | [circa late 1950] - [circa July 1951] |
| Guns Over the Prairies [m] | 1951 | 1 issues (0 indexed) | Have 1 (Need 1) | [circa 1951] |
| Heart Throbs [m] | 1949 | 4 issues (1 indexed) | Gallery | [circa September 1949] - [circa November 1950] |
| Hedy De Vine [m] | 1949 | 2 issues (0 indexed) | Have 2 (Need 1) | 1949 - [circa November 1949] |
| Hedy of Hollywood [m] | 1950 | 3 issues (0 indexed) | Have 2 (Need 2) | 1948 - ? |
| Henry [m] | 1953 | 1 issues (0 indexed) | Have 1 (Need 1) | [circa April 1953] |
| Hi-Comics | 1951 | 4 issues (3 indexed) | Have 4 (Need 1) | [circa 1951] - [circa 1952] |
| Hickory [m] | 1950 | 3 issues (1 indexed) | Have 2 (Need 2) | 1950 - 1950 |
| Hit Comics [m] | 1950 | 4 issues (0 indexed) | Have 4 (Need 1) | [circa February 1950] - [circa August 1950] |
| Hollywood Diary [m] | 1950 | 4 issues (0 indexed) | Have 3 (Need 2) | 1950 - 1950 |
| Hollywood Secrets [m] | 1950 | 3 issues (1 indexed) | Gallery | [circa early 1950] - 1950 |
| Honeymoon Romances [m] | 1952 | 2 issues (0 indexed) | Have 1 (Need 1) | [circa 1952] - 1952 ? |
| Humdinger [m] | 1950 | 2 issues (1 indexed) | Gallery | 1950 - [circa 1950?] |
| Indian Fighter [m] | 1951 | 1 issues (0 indexed) | Gallery | [circa December 1950] |
| It's a Duck's Life [m] | 1951 | 2 issues (0 indexed) | Gallery | 1951 - [circa March 1951] |
| Jeanie Comics [m] | 1948 | 4 issues (0 indexed) | Have 4 (Need 3) | [circa April 1948] - 1948 |
| Jet-Man Comics [m] | 1946 | 1 issues (1 indexed) | Gallery | October-November 1946 |
| Jetman [m] | 1951 | 4 issues (1 indexed) | Gallery | [circa 1951] - [circa early 1952] |
| Jo-Jo [m] | 1949 | 2 issues (1 indexed) | Gallery | [circa Summer 1949] - [circa October 1949] |
| Johnny Canuck [m] | 1946 | 2 issues (0 indexed) | Have 1 (Need 1) | 1946 - September-October 1946 |
| Joke Comics [m] | 1942 | 28 issues (23 indexed) | Have 27 (Need 4) | [circa March 1942] - [circa September 1946] |
| Joker Comics [m] | 1948 | 7 issues (1 indexed) | Have 7 (Need 1) | [circa late Spring 1948] - [circa June 1950] |
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