Top Notch Comics #1 for Sale - First Appearance of Blane Whitney - Where to Buy

Identification plate

Series: Top Notch Comics (Archie, 1939 series)
Issue: #1
Publication date: December 1939
Key date: 1939-12-00
On-sale date: 1939-10-25
Indicia publisher: M. L. J. Magazines Inc.
Price: $0.10
Pages: 68

Match the book in your hand against this plate before paying an edition-specific price.

Why this issue matters

First appearance of Blane Whitney - the earliest non-flashback appearance on record for this character.

First appearance of The Wizard - the earliest non-flashback appearance on record for this character.

First appearance of Rang-A-Tang - the earliest non-flashback appearance on record for this character.

First appearance of Rex Swift - the earliest non-flashback appearance on record for this character.

The evidence

Claims here come from the story records for this issue, listed under Sources at the bottom of the file. Character hubs with full evidence tables are coming to this site.

Seq	Story	Type	Pages	Credits	Characters
0	-	cover	1	pencils: Edd Ashe; inks: Edd Ashe	Blane Whitney First, The Wizard First
1	Meet Rang-A-Tang the Wonder Dog	promo (ad from the publisher)	1	pencils: Irv Novick; inks: Irv Novick	Rang-A-Tang First
2	The Pearl Harbor Peril	comic story	11	script: Will Harr; pencils: Edd Ashe; inks: Edd Ashe	Blane Whitney First, The Wizard First
3	-	cartoon	1	pencils: Jack Cole; inks: Jack Cole
4	-	comic story	6	script: Eando Binder; pencils: Jack Binder; inks: Jack Binder	Scott Rand (introduction); Dr. Joel Meade; Thor (a Viking); Princess Elda
5	Joe Louis	comic story	1	pencils: Irwin Hasen; inks: Irwin Hasen	Joe Louis; Lou Nova; "Two ton" Tony Galento
6	Murder by Sock	comic story	6	pencils: Charles Biro; inks: Charles Biro	Rex Swift First
7	To-nite! Saved from the Flames!	comic story	2	script: Dick Ryan; pencils: Dick Ryan; inks: Dick Ryan; letters: Dick Ryan	Billy Hippo
8	Vendetta with Von Schiller	comic story	5	script: Joe Blair; pencils: Irv Novick; inks: Irv Novick	Ben "Wings" Johnson (introduction and origin); Mrs. Johnson (Wings's mother, introduction in flashback); Capt. Von Schiller (villain, introduction); Nazis
9	Murder Rap	text story	4	script: Ken Fitch	Lucky Coyne; Harry Green; Arnold Cardona; Lou Cardona; Mat Ganz; Giza Vidu; Dotty Wright; Captain Sullivan
10	-	cartoon	1	pencils: Bob Wood; inks: Bob Wood	Charles "Zimmy" Zimmerman
11	The Bat and the Bull	comic story	5	script: Ken Fitch; pencils: Frank Frollo; inks: Frank Frollo	Lucky Coyne; Bat Yardley (inmate); Jean Markham [Louella] (introduction); The Bull and his gang (villains, introduction for all)
12	-	comic story	1	script: Jack Cole; pencils: Jack Cole; inks: Jack Cole	Lonesome Luke
13	The Fortune Teller's Revenge	comic story	5	script: Harry Shorten; pencils: Chuck Winter; inks: Chuck Winter	The Mystic [later Kardak] (a magician, introduction); Kardak's fiancee; Chuck (villain); Chuck's gang (villains, introduction for all); Mazie
14	Puzzlettes	activity	1		Billy the Goat; Jocko
15	Kornell Goes to West Point	comic story	5	script: Harry Shorten	Keith Kornell [The West Pointer] (introduction and origin); Senator Crockett (introduction); Uncle Joe; John Kornell (Keith's father, cameo in flashback); Ned Norton
16	The Ice Cream Cone	comic story	1	script: Bob McCay; pencils: Bob McCay; inks: Bob McCay; colors: Bob McCay; letters: Bob McCay	Impy
17	Speaking of Sports	comic story	1	pencils: Bob Wood; inks: Bob Wood	Max Schmeling; Joe Louis; Henry Armstrong
18	Case 1: Master Forgers	comic story	6	script: Jack Cole; pencils: Jack Cole; inks: Jack Cole	Roy; Connor; Torren; Arthur Wick; Joseph Sukup
19	-	comic story	1	script: Dick Ryan; pencils: Dick Ryan; inks: Dick Ryan; letters: Dick Ryan	Pokey
20	Spouting Wings	text article	1	pencils: various; inks: various; letters: typeset	Rex Swift First, Blane Whitney First, The Wizard First

Plus 2 pages of advertisements and other matter across 2 sequences, as published.

Where to read it

Collection	Year
Punch Comics #10	1944	On eBay ›
Authentic Police Cases #5	1948	On eBay ›
The Golden Age Firsts of MLJ Comics: Volume 1 ISBN 978-1721232918	2018	On eBay ›
Top Notch Comics: Volume 1 ISBN 979-8519810548	2021	On eBay ›

Reading the story costs a fraction of owning the issue. Both routes are on every file.

Before you buy

Golden-age paper is brittle. Ask about page suppleness and check edges for chips in the photos.
Check for trimmed edges, married covers, and clipped coupons - all common on books this old.
Confirm the indicia matches this plate; many golden-age titles changed names mid-run.

Series context

1 of 27#2 ›

Sources

Grand Comics Database, issue record (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Found an error in this file? corrections@comicrecord.com