Publishers / DC / Adventure Comics (1938) / #40
40July 1939
$0.10

Adventure Comics #40

DC · July 1939 · on sale 1939-06-10

First appearance: The TarantulaFirst appearance: Mr. Crossart
How to read this file
  • Every claim on this page traces to a public bibliographic record; the sources are listed at the bottom of the file.
  • A first-appearance badge means this is the earliest non-flashback appearance on record in this database.
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Identification plate

Series
Adventure Comics (DC, 1938 series)
Issue
#40
Publication date
July 1939
Key date
1939-07-00
On-sale date
1939-06-10
Indicia publisher
Detective Comics 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 The Tarantula - the earliest non-flashback appearance on record for this character.

First appearance of Mr. Crossart - 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.

Contents

SeqStoryTypePagesCreditsCharacters
0-cover1pencils: Creig Flessel; inks: Creig FlesselWesley Dodds, The Sandman
1Action Comics; Detective Comics; More Fun Comicspromo (ad from the publisher)1
2The Tarantula Strikescomic story6script: Larry Dean; pencils: Larry Dean; inks: Larry DeanMr. Crossart First, Wesley Dodds, The Sandman, The Tarantula First
3-comic story1script: Fred Schwab; pencils: Fred Schwab; inks: Fred Schwab; letters: Fred SchwabTiny
4The Suicide of Major Duval, Part 3comic story6script: Ed Winiarski; pencils: Win; inks: WinBarry O'Neill; Count Guniff (villain, death)
5-comic story4script: Jerry Siegel; pencils: Joe Shuster, Joe Shuster; inks: Joe Shuster, Joe ShusterSteve Carson, The Chief
6-in-house column1script: ? (in character as Steve Carson); letters: typeset
7James Cagney, Mickey Rooney, Groucho Marxcartoon1script: Sheldon Moldoff; pencils: Sheldon Moldoff; inks: Sheldon Moldoff
8Wolf Ruckson's Trap, Part 2comic story4script: Jim Chambers; pencils: Jim Chambers; inks: Jim ChambersJack Woods; Wolf Rucker (villain, death)
9-text article1.4letters: typeset
11Captured By Col. Benback, Part 2comic story6script: Ed Winiarski; pencils: Win; inks: WinCaptain Desmo; Colonel Benback (villain)
12A Playboy In King Arthur's Court, Part 3comic story2script: Fred Schwab; pencils: Fred Schwab; inks: Fred Schwab; letters: Fred SchwabDan Coyote; William Shakespeare (guest appearance)
13Slow Motion's Doublecomic story6script: Bart Tumey; pencils: Bart Tumey; inks: Bart TumeyBulldog Martin (introduction); Palfry (villain, introduction); Hefty (villain, introduction)
14Money Makers [Part 2]text story1.9script: Frank Thomas
17The Flying Dutchman, Part 1comic story6script: Koppy; pencils: Koppy; inks: KoppySocko Strong (introduction, a boxer); Jerry Indutch; The champ (villain); his manager (villain); gun-runners (villain)
18The Kidnapping of Donna Carnochancomic story6script: Tom Hickey; pencils: Tom Hickey; inks: Tom HickeySkip Schuyler; Anthony Carnochan (introduction); Donna Carnochan (introduction)
19The Pirate Ship, Conclusioncomic story4script: Bill Finger; pencils: Bob Kane; inks: Bob Kane; letters: Bob KaneRusty; Duchess (guest star); Ichabod Slade (villain, death)
20Taurus the Bullcomic story6script: Bart Tumey; pencils: Bart Tumey; inks: Bart TumeyTaurus the Bull
21Constructed and Flew the First Balloon - 1783cartoon1script: Terry Gilkison; pencils: Terry Gilkison; inks: Terry GilkisonJoseph Montgolfier; Etienne Montgolfier; Lincoln Beachey; Walter Hinton; Ernest Udet; John Wise
22Movie Comics; All-American Comicspromo (ad from the publisher)1letters: typeset

Plus 1.7 pages of advertisements and other matter across 4 sequences, as published.

Where to read it

CollectionYear
Justice League of America #941971On eBay ›
Golden Age Sandman Archives #1
ISBN 1-4012-0155-5
2004On 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

Sources

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