Sad Sack Comics

Harvey, 1949 Series
Published in English (United States) United States
 
Random Cover from Series #269
July 1979
Cover Gallery 
Publication Dates:
September 1949 - October 1982
Number of Issues Published:
287 (#v1#1 - #287)
Color:
color
Dimensions:
standard Golden Age US; then standard Silver Age US; then standard Modern Age US
Paper Stock:
newsprint
Binding:
saddle-stitched
Publishing Format:
was ongoing series
Publication Type:
magazine
Keywords
Fred Rhoads; George Baker; Jack O'Brien; Joe Dennett; Jorge Pacheco; Paul McCarthy; Sad Sack; Warren Kremer
Series Details:
Tracking:
Notes
Golden Age pre-Comics Code Authority; v1#1 (cover dated Sep. 1949) through v1#43 (Feb. 1955).
Golden Age post-Comics Code Authority from v1#44 (cover dated Mar. 1955, on sale Jan. 1, 1955).
Sad Sack art (Script, Pencils, Inks, Letters) by George Baker; v1#1 through v1#21 civilian issues.
Sad Sack art (Script, Pencils, Inks, Letters) by George Baker; v1#22 through v1#29 military issues.
George Baker's story art waned as Harvey Publications solicited artists to begin bulk of Sad Sack interior comic story art (see one panel each by five guest artists featured in v1#30 p.8).
Last interior Sad Sack comic art by George Baker printed in v1#34 (on sale March 1, 1954).
Paul McCarthy began early interior Sad Sack comic art, imitating George Baker's style but lengthening Baker's short Sad Sack pantomimes into full-feature comic stories that included dialogue balloons.
In late 1953, cartoonist Fred Rhoads began a trial period at Harvey Publications doing Sad Sack art* with his artwork first appearing in v1#31 (Cover dated Feb. 1954; on sale December 1, 1953).
George Baker continued to intermittently illustrate covers through 1958 after which he sold his interest† to Harvey Publications; retaining royalties and an agreement requiring facsimiles of his signature plus Sad Sack thumbnail sketches as 'postage stamps' affixed to Sad Sack-titled comics.

*Bails, Jerry G, and Hames Ware, editors. The Who's Who of American Comic Books, v3. 1st ed. Detroit, MI: J. Bails, 1975 p. 220.

†Mike Kelley. Minor histories: Statements, Conversations, Proposals, The MIT Press, 2004 p.19 n.4.

Index Status


Cover Status


Image Resources Status