New Comics #4
☆ Be the first to review + Add to your collection — Join freeNew Comics #4 (cover-dated April 1936, on-sale March 15, 1936) is a genuine artifact of DC Comics' earliest formation, published when the company was still operating as National Allied Publications under founder Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson. As the fourth chapter of what would eventually evolve — through two title changes — into the long-running Adventure Comics, it captures the anthology format at its most experimental: a single issue debuting several features that would define the title for years. The issue is also a key instalment in the pre-Superman output of Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, whose 'Federal Men' strip — starring FBI agent Steve Carson — was, along with their other National features, the creative proving ground that would lead directly to Action Comics #1 in 1938.
"Episode 4" from New Comics #4 (1936) delivers a classic tale of chivalry and mystery set in the legendary halls of Camelot. Written, drawn, and inked by Rafael Astarita, the story follows Geraint as he rides with Guinevere and encounters a shadowy knight known only as The Sparrow Hawk, sparking a quest for honor and justice. The cover by Whitney Ellsworth captures the drama of the moment, a striking image of knight and dwarf against a backdrop of medieval intrigue.
In this lighthearted 1936 tale from *New Comics #4*, a group of boys face a disappointing swim when the water hole’s level is too low—until Chubby arrives and, with a bit of playful persuasion, helps raise the water just enough to make a splash.
In this 1936 jungle tale from *New Comics #4*, Jungle Boy rushes to save Bomba from a charging lion, but it’s Bomba’s older brother Par-Nak who finally takes the decisive action—leaping onto the beast’s back and driving his knife into its throat. As Par-Nak collapses, dazed, a new threat emerges: a leopard now stalks the clearing.
In "The Train Robbery, Part 3," Jane and Johnny vanish after a sudden abduction, leaving behind only a single glove—dropped deliberately to guide Captain Jim and Uncle Bob through the dusty trails of the frontier. As the trail leads them into open terrain, the tension mounts when a bullet whistles past, proving they’re not the only ones hunting the fugitives.
In a speculative 1936 tale from *New Comics #4*, weekend getaways to the Moon are suddenly advertised, turning celestial tourism into a reality. When a spaceship descends above the lunar surface, the Moon’s pop-eyed inhabitants flee in panic—leaving behind the quiet mystery of their world.
In a snowy 1936 misadventure, Andy’s failed olive jar escapade sends him on a trek through the storm to the store, where a clever device does the work for him—only to realize, back home, he’s brought the opener and not a single olive.
In the misty halls of Camelot, the hunt calls, and Jo rides with Guinevere and Geraint—until a masked knight and his silent dwarf servant appear, their presence cutting through the morning calm. When Geraint demands the knight’s name, he’s met with a whip’s sting, sparking a reckless charge into a hidden fortress where legend whispers of a champion known as The Sparrow Hawk. Now, with pride on the line and steel in hand, Geraint steps into the tourney lists, ready to face the man who dares to challenge Camelot’s honor.
In "The St. Pierre Mystery, Part 1," detective Maginnis is sent undercover to investigate a string of fur robberies in the St. Pierre Country. After being shot at while crossing the river, he seeks refuge with trapper Dubois and his daughter Yvonne—only to find a shadowy figure watching them from the window.
In "Submarine Terror," Steve Carson races against time to uncover a sabotage plot threatening the nation’s water supply, leading him to a hidden submarine in the harbor. When a map with a marked "X" surfaces, he dives in to stop a deadly scheme—just as a secret assassination attempt on President Roosevelt is set to unfold nearby.
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New Comics was edited by Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson and, for issue #4, the cover was provided by Vince Sullivan, one of the earliest staff artists at National Allied. The series ran as an 84-page anthology published by National Allied Newspaper Syndicate, Inc., at a cover price of ten cents. The title's editorial environment in early 1936 was deliberately eclectic — blending humor strips, adventure serials, literary adaptations, and proto-superhero action — reflecting Wheeler-Nicholson's strategy of filling a half-tabloid-sized format (the new standard comic size that New Comics itself helped establish) with a wide range of genres to find what readers wanted.
Trivia · 10 facts
- New Comics #4 carries a cover date of April 1936 and was published on March 15, 1936, edited by Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson with a cover by Vince Sullivan.
- The issue runs 84 pages and was published by National Allied Newspaper Syndicate, Inc. — the predecessor company that would become DC Comics.
- New Comics was the company's second continuing title and its first in the half-tabloid size that became the standard comic book format; it later evolved through two title changes into Adventure Comics.
- Steve Carson, the FBI agent protagonist of the 'Federal Men' strip by Jerry Siegel (writer) and Joe Shuster (artist), appears in this issue as part of his ongoing serial — his first appearance was in New Comics #2 (January 1936).
- Issue #4 marks the first appearances of several features that would continue through the run: Dale Daring (by Dick Ryan), Goofo the Great (by Russell Cole, signing as 'Alger'), Maginnis of the Mounties (by J.C. Leonard), and Ol' Oz Bopp (also by Russell Cole).
- The literary adaptation 'A Tale of Two Cities' begins its run in this issue, with its first installment covering Book One, Chapters One and Two of the Dickens novel.
- Issue #4 is also the final DC appearance of J. Worthington Blimp (by Sheldon Mayer) and The Strange Adventures of Mr. Weed (also by Mayer), both of which migrated to Centaur Publications' Comics Magazine.
- The issue is noted as the first DC comic book issue to feature a depiction of President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
- The Federal Men storyline in this issue — in which Steve Carson uses a massive tank to take down a criminal army — begins the loosely connected 'Submarine Terror' trilogy that runs through issues #4–10, an escalating series of high-tech threat stories that prefigure Siegel and Shuster's later science-fiction ambitions.
- Content from New Comics #4, including the Andy Handy strip (by Leo O'Mealia), was later reprinted in New Adventure Comics #25 (1938), showing the early editorial practice of mining the anthology's back catalogue.
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Reprinted in New Adventure Comics #25 (1938), Atomic Comics #1 (1946)
Key issues in New Comics
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