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Four Color Dell #0001 - #1354 (1942 - 1962) Series


Four Color

Dell, 1942 Series
Published in English (United States) United States

Publication Dates:
    1942 - April-June 1962 
Number of Issues Published:
    1331 (#1 - Little Joe - #1354 - Calvin and the Colonel) 
Color:  Color 
Dimensions:
    Standard Golden Age U.S.; Standard Silver Age U.S. 
Paper Stock:    Glossy Cover; Newsprint Interior 
Binding:    Saddle-stitched 
Publishing Format:   Was Ongoing Series 
Publication Type:   magazine 
Pages  68         Indicia frequency  ?

Tracking:
numbering continues from Four Color (Dell, 1939 series)

 Notes:
- One of the earlier issues of Four Color (#9 from October 1942), featuring Walt Disney's Donald Duck in Donald Duck Finds Pirate Gold. 

-  Four Color title below the price.

- Series II. Early issues have "Four Color Comic" on the cover. Last with this notation is #101. The following issues were apparently never published: 1217, 1228, 1277, 1292, 1314-1327, 1329 (believed to have instead been published as Gyro Gearloose (1962 series) #01329-207), 1331, 1334, 1338-1340, 1342-1347, 1351-1353. There are ad and non-ad versions for many issues from #693 to the end.

AUTHORS:

Script:
    Harold Gray,Carl Ed,  V. T. Hamlin, Bill Holman, 
    Milton Caniff, Arthur E. Jameson 

Pencils:
    Harold Gray; Robert Leffingwell,Carl Ed, V. T. Hamlin, George Kerr, Bill Holman,  
Frank Willard, Otto Mesmer, Chester Gould,  Till Goodan ?
    Milton Caniff, Arthur E. Jameson 

Inks:
    Harold Gray; Robert Leffingwell, Carl Ed,  V. T. Hamlin, George Kerr, Bill Holman,   
  Frank Willard, Otto Mesmer,    Chester Gould,  Till Goodan ?
    Milton Caniff, Arthur E. Jameson 


Four Color, also known as Four Color Comics and One Shots, was an American comic book anthology series published by Dell Comics between 1939 and 1962. The title is a reference to the four basic colors used when printing comic books (cyan, magenta, yellow and black at the time).

More than 1,000 issues were published, usually with multiple titles released every month. An exact accounting of the actual number of unique issues produced is difficult because occasional issue numbers were skipped and a number of reprint issues were also included. Nonetheless, the Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide lists well over 1,000 individual issues, ending with #1354. It currently holds the record for most issues produced of an American comic book;its nearest rival, DC's Action Comics, reached the 1,000-issue milestone in 2018. The first 25 issues are known as "series 1"; after they were published, the numbering began again and "series 2" began. Four Color published many of the first comics featuring characters licensed from Walt Disney.




History

Unlike most comic book series of the day, which were either devoted to one character, or were anthologies with collections of stories starring the cartoon characters of a particular studio, Four Color instead devoted each individual issue to different characters. One issue might feature a popular cartoon character, while the next might be an adaptation of a popular movie or TV series. Thus the phrase "one shot" which was used in the publisher's code in the first interior page of the first story. For example, issue 223 (1949) was denoted DDOS 223 which translates as Donald Duck One-Shot #223. Most Four Color titles featured licensed properties; relatively few original characters were created for the line. The first Four Color comic featured comic strip and movie serial hero Dick Tracy; the last (issue number 1,354, series 2, dated April–June 1962) was based upon the TV series Calvin and the Colonel.

The primary purpose behind Four Color was as a try-out showcase for potential new Dell Comics series. For example, Tarzan and Little Lulu in early 1948 launched their own titles (starting with no. 1) after proving themselves via a number of Four Color try-out issues. However, during the 1940s, the transition was not always so prompt, as a number of prominent funny animal characters starred in 20–30 issues of Four Color (these include Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck and Porky Pig).[2] Comic book historian Michael Barrier notes that by the early 1950s, Dell seemed to be giving more emphasis to subscription sales (promoted via premium giveaways as part of the Dell Comics Club), which necessitated stable series instead of one-shots.

 At one point in 1951, some issues of Four Color were double-numbered, reflecting the issuances for particular characters; thus issues 318 and 328, featuring Donald Duck, carried the notation "nos. 1–2" on the cover underneath the Four Color series number. This may indicate thought at that point was being given to the eventual transition of these characters from one-shots to their own titles. Indeed, beginning in the early 1950s, it became more prevalent than previously for Four Color titles, if they proved popular enough, to become ongoing, independent series. In some cases, the issue numbering of these spin-offs took into account any previous Four Color issues (albeit sometimes miscounting the one-shots; Donald Duck started with #26 despite the publication of twenty-nine Four Color issues with the character preceding it).

Identifying Four Color comics can be a challenge, as only issues published between c.1940 and 1946 actually carried the title Four Color Comics on the cover.

Documenting the extent of the Four Color series was among the bibliographic tasks undertaken in the early 1960s by emerging comic book fandom. Fans Donald and Maggie Thompson took the lead in this endeavor and, in 1968, finally issued A Listing of Dell Special Series Comic Books (and a Few Others) as Bibliographic Supplement no. 1 to their fanzine Comic Art. In its 35 pages, it listed not only individual titles of comic books published in the Color/Four Color series, but those in these series: Black and White, Large Feature, United Feature Single Series, Comics on Parade, McKay Feature Books, Stories by Famous Authors Illustrated, and Classics Illustrated (Classic Comics). 


References





http://comicbookplus.com/?dlid=37931




 Posts Links: https://old-fashionedcomics.blogspot.com/search/label/Four%20Color

 Links to MEGA packages:

                                           Four Color 01-25 [old-fashionedcomics.blog].



https://mega.nz/#!m7wznCKR!AiqyVU8RVGhuu7eOUsqNn_kv7M8N00-3ohQmYiHZ6jY

                                               Four Color 26-50 [old-fashionedcomics.blog].rar


https://mega.nz/#!OqZXBSoJ!PyYStFcae3UqSNy2Kd5x7OxmgZM9qO2cXu8LFr-ZNZA

                                             Four Color 51-75 [old-fashionedcomics.blog].rar
https://mega.nz/#!PjoRwaAI!_tqc52Y_m9R64VoS4LXu5Sw6LaMFmhVfSGXNk9iQOx0

                                      Four Color 76-100 [old-fashionedcomics.blog].rar

https://mega.nz/#!76JjWCRL!03AxgXVcM6KTFtslkjxs7exY7z-EbazSshWEQxPeZIA


 Four Color 101-125 [old-fashionedcomics.blog].rar

https://mega.nz/#!q6xTnArL!MyFmuFtKq6JIJcy_T7hJTD5tHBdx5-QPbnBgyDF6xEE

Four Color 126-150 [old-fashionedcomics.blog].

 https://mega.nz/#!ayRGnYpC!7iXIT695i67S4CUlVJipKohK50qEPOH_1NYWpyBBJo8

Four Color 151-175 [old-fashionedcomics.blog].

 https://mega.nz/#!mjQSgQYD!FvUedgXQCa4NpiSTtdeV_aVB-KOWMHxmZtuv60gcMVU

 Four Color 176-200 [old-fashionedcomics.blog].

 https://mega.nz/#!7rwxwa7L!TdXr3_UKh5SQqRiCO2FM04brRJCjBE96oX4ArBOKafk


Four Color 201-225 [old-fashionedcomics.blog]

https://mega.nz/#!WmxUkK5J!mt2U9Mwvqi5urNWiIlwlmXMn0OXuygF98sv85yr0I_Y

Four Color 226-250 [old-fashionedcomics.blog]

 https://mega.nz/#!j6pmSKTI!4tsmQysZppbV1HELkLajjK95z1riO2781sPsorS-qTA

Four Color 251-275 [old-fashionedcomics.blog]

 https://mega.nz/#!qypQ1aRT!w-yH_UEWgh2sp7UDay82jE_CuIEwH5pzxiWzYcHRqDE

Four Color 276-300 [old-fashionedcomics.blog]

 https://mega.nz/#!K3500apD!07QGY-YaRKVY-nz6uI9VKvM1I38u_gPPI4suSa3FaCE

Four Color 301-325 [old-fashionedcomics.blog]

https://mega.nz/file/XmgA0KLZ#OZxAuZ3K4UrLDvgCjnLqK6pLyUCD_V--ymLdLJAJCQ0

Four Color 326-350 [old-fashionedcomics.blog]

https://mega.nz/file/23oQkS4S#zGuGmxI4T8sJlJVZA2-6r0U0fxn0lOAZlWi4cKscPz8

Four Color 351-375 [old-fashionedcomics.blog].rar

 https://mega.nz/file/LWg3zSgJ#b_GbWvyjEF5p_vRqEkLyQz7b1jvZyn7LrrkXWGDaUME


 Four Color 376-400 [old-fashionedcomics.blog].rar

https://mega.nz/file/yb4nnIgQ#Vj8uGI9oQRHLfB-U2X7eNEkXACPokLyMp_Chy4Ta3PM


Four Color 401-425 [old-fashionedcomics.blog].rar365.0 MB

Four Color 426-450 [old-fashionedcomics.blog].rar376.2 MB

Four Color 451-475 [old-fashionedcomics.blog].rar417.0 MB
Four Color Dell 1942-1962 [#0501-#0525]

https://mega.nz/file/7OxV3SiC#dC7tlHQZ1QSPc9XCBkIEkwxZ3nMNMSGF8mzhnCpy6PM

Four Color Dell 1942-1962 [#0526-#0550]

https://mega.nz/file/fHp3RQ4K#sVTF1y1Op_POuZ8mGe3OLcWo148Rok_PxbpLj2wGF9g


Four Color Dell 1942-1962 [#0551-#0575]

https://mega.nz/file/DHoBVSZQ#8FevIX8vU1z79GlQfy-tSn1KDuzpUgftVxCUTJ0Fvdc

Four Color Dell 1942-1962 [#0575-#0600]


https://mega.nz/#!yGQl1SQT!UUhmbpCGDjpFdig3rb3TbUmSpRN5eeagizrSkJB5x4k

Four Color 601-625 

Four Color 626-650

Four Color 651-675


Four Color 676-700 [old-fashionedcomics.blog].rar



Four Color 701-725


Four Color 726-750[old-fashionedcomics.blog].rar


Four Color 751-775[old-fashionedcomics.blog].rar

Four Color 776-800 [old-fashionedcomics.blog].rar


Four Color 801-825 

https://mega.nz/file/LLgGRSiI#tl5Oxz4S3AqIxDMaXMP8JlO4nJq_i-1ojzGfScejKx8

Four Color 826-850 [old-fashionedcomics.blog].rar


Four Color 926-950 [old-fashionedcomics.blog].rar


Four Color 951-975 [old-fashionedcomics.blog].rar


Four Color 976-1000 [old-fashionedcomics.blog].rar


Four Color 1001-1025 [old-fashionedcomics.blog].rar


Four Color 1026-1050 [old-fashionedcomics.blog].rar




Four Color 1051-1075 [old-fashionedcomics.blog]


Four Color 1076-1100 [old-fashionedcomics.blog]



Four Color 1101-1125 [old-fashionedcomics.blog]



Four Color Dell  [#1126-#1150]


Four Color Dell  [#1151-#1175]


Four Color Dell  [#1176-#1200]


Four Color Dell  [#1201-#1225]


Four Color Dell  [#1226-#1250]


Four Color Dell  [#1251-#1275]




Four Color Dell [#1276-#1300]




Four Color Dell [#1301-#1354]  [Final Issues)



18 comments:

  1. Jomarch24 September 2019 at 20:27

    Hi
    Do you know when remaining of this series (from 601 to 1354) will be posted?

    Big thanks

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous9 November 2019 at 10:56

    Thanks! What a collection this is. Amazing to be able to see all the old cover art let alone read the comics. Incredible stuff!

    ReplyDelete
  3. jazzmandan5031 October 2020 at 03:43

    i was checking my downloads of four color comics and i noticed that 826-850 was missing rest of the comic files. can you repair or replace it . please let me know thanks

    ReplyDelete
  4. jazzmandan5031 October 2020 at 04:06

    p.s. also four color 851-875,876-900,and 901-925. if i find any more i will let you know thanks

    ReplyDelete
  5. Bob30 March 2021 at 19:16

    Thank you very much!!! :-)

    ReplyDelete
  6. Andrew Wallace2 April 2021 at 12:01

    You are welcome

    ReplyDelete
  7. Bob21 April 2021 at 06:19

    Morning, Andrew! :-)

    Any chance to fulfill the collection untill nr. 1354 soon?

    Thank you anyway for all your work - always checking your site and awaiting surprises while I am drinking my morning coffee. :-)

    Big regards,
    Bob

    ReplyDelete
  8. rinso22 April 2021 at 22:56

    Looking forward to the rest of the set, Andrew. I thank you for what you have uploaded already!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Bob10 May 2021 at 19:58

    Hello, Andrew!

    I dont wanna be a "bothering guy", but I would be very happy, when you would post again smth from "Four Color" Collection. :-)

    Anyway, evth you post here is just magnificent! Thank you!!

    Best reagrds,
    Bob

    ReplyDelete
  10. rinso8 November 2021 at 02:16

    Thanks, Andrew! Eagerly awaiting 1301-1354 to be uploaded!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Jimy5 February 2022 at 13:36

    Thank you very much for all this comics. Very, very good.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Blakeney17 April 2022 at 10:52

    hi there,
    I thought you'd want to know the link for 1101-1125 seems to have died.

    Also, I was wondering, is the absence of 1226-1250 by accident or design?

    ReplyDelete
  13. Anonymous6 May 2023 at 02:38

    Please... 1101-1125 and 1226-1250? Thanks for all!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Anonymous13 January 2024 at 03:05

    Hello! This is amazing! Thank you so much for doing this. FYI - the link for 1001-1025 downloads 1101-1126 instead. And then the actual link for 1101-1126 is empty.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Andrew Wallace30 January 2024 at 08:25

      Links rectified and completed!! Thanks for the warning

      Delete
  15. Anonymous28 January 2024 at 20:35

    thanks .....I have the missing numbers...I can share them here

    ReplyDelete
  16. Andrew Wallace30 January 2024 at 08:15

    What great news!! The blog email is andrew.wallace1956@gmail.com, if you wish you can send them to me.
    Thank you very much in advance

    ReplyDelete
  17. Anonymous7 February 2024 at 02:13

    This is absolutely amazing. Thank you!

    ReplyDelete

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