The Adventures of Big Boy

Marvel, 1956 Series
Published in English (United States) United States
 
Random Cover from Series #2 [East]
1956
Cover Gallery 
Publication Dates:
1956 - 1956
Number of Issues Published:
4 (#1 [East] - #2 [West])
Color:
color
Dimensions:
standard Silver Age U.S.
Paper Stock:
newsprint interior; newsprint cover
Binding:
saddle-stitched
Publishing Format:
was ongoing series; giveaway
Publication Type:
magazine
Series Details:
Publisher's Brands:
  • no publisher's brand (1 issue)
  • without publisher's brand information (3 issues)
Indicia Publishers:
Tracking:
Notes
Marvel, under the Timely Illustrated Features imprint, packaged material for the Webs Adventure Corporation.

All issues had two versions with different-looking Big Boy characters. The "West Coast" version of Big Boy is the version that was previously created for the original franchise--black hair, red and white checkered overalls, and no hat. The "East Coast" version had Red hair, red and white striped overalls, and a cook's hat.

Known and possible franchise co-branded variations (printed with franchise logo [or not] and region sold), that existed during the run of this series:
-Arnold's (Printed? - Folsom, Pennsylvania, dates of operation from 1955 to an unknown date. A sub-franchisee of Shoney's).
-Azar's (Known printed - Colorado and Northern Indiana, dates of operation from 1953 to 2020).
-Becker's (Printed? - Rochester and Buffalo, New York, dates of operation from 1956 to 1965. A sub-franchisee of Shoney's).
-Big Boy Drive-Inn (Printed? - North Dakota, dates of operation from 1954 to 1960. Would become known as McDowell's in 1960).
-Bob's (Known printed - Alaska, Arizona, California, Delaware, Hawaii, Maryland, Nevada, New Jersey, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, and Vermont. Also in Florida, Indiana, New York, Ohio, and Pennsylvania toll roads and airport locations. The Southeastern United States locations came into being after Shoney's left the national chain to start their own in the 1970s. Dates of operation from 1936 to present).
-Eat 'n Park (Printed? - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania-area, dates of operation from 1949 to 1975. Pittsburgh-area rights were transferred to Elby's in 1977).
-Elby's (Known printed - Eastern Ohio, Maryland, Northern West Virginia, and Pennsylvania, dates of operation from 1956 to 1984 and from 1988 to 2000. A one-time sub-franchisee of Shoney's).
-Elias Brothers (Known printed - Michigan, Northwestern Ohio, and Ontario (Canada), dates of operation from 1952 to 2000).
-Frejlach's (Printed? - Illinois, dates of operation from 1954 to sometime during the 1960s).
-Frisch’s (Known printed - Florida (until the 1990s), Kentucky, Northern Tennessee, Southern Indiana, Southern Ohio, dates of operation from 1947 to present).
-Lendy's and later Lendy’s Yoda's (Hand stamped? Also, printed? - Western Virginia, dates of operation from 1955 to 1964. A sub-franchisee of Shoney's. Merged with Yoda's at some point before 1964).
-Manner’s (Known printed - Northeastern Ohio, Cleveland area television market, dates of operation from 1954 to 1979).
-Shoneys (Known printed - Southeastern United States; North Carolina, South Carolina, Southern Tennessee, and Virginia, dates of operation from 1952 to 1984. Shoney's eventually left the Big Boy chain in order to overcome franchisee limitations and branch out to other territories in the position of other Big Boy franchises).
-Top's (Known printed - Illinois, perhaps Southern Wisconsin, dates of operation from 1956 to 1993. Chicago area stores became Marc's by 1974, and Top's continued in Central Illinois until its end).
-Tune's (Printed? - Philadelphia and Levittown, Pennsylvania, dates of operation from 1956 to 1963. A sub-franchisee of Shoney's. After 1963 remaining locations became Shoney's).
-Yoda's (Hand stamped, also printed? - Western Virginia, dates of operation unknown. Later would be merged with Lendy's to become Lendy's Yoda's. A sub-franchisee of Shoney's).

Known West: Abdow's; Bob's; Azar's; Eat 'n Park; Elias Brothers; JB's; Kips; Lendy's; Shoney's; and Top's. Others?

Known East: Azar's (as of 1962); Frisch's; and Manners. Others?

A Yoda's hand-stamped version exists with the Lakeside Yoda's location stamp. This indicates that there are blank back cover variations where co-branding is not printed, thus allowing for the use of store stamps.

Index Status

Indexed Partially Indexed Pending Approval Reserved Skeleton Data Only

Cover Status

Scan available Needs Replacement No Scan available

Image Resources Status

SoO and Indicia Indicia SoO No Scans