New Fun #4
☆ Be the first to review + Add to your collection — Join freeNew Fun #4 (cover-dated May 1935, on sale April 12, 1935) is a living artifact of the very birth of the American comic book industry — the fourth installment of the first publication ever to consist entirely of original, non-reprint material, produced by the company that would eventually become DC Comics. Within the six-issue run of the New Fun tabloid series, issue #4 marks the last under the editorial stewardship of Lloyd Jacquet, making it a quiet turning point: the issue that closed the founding chapter before publisher Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson himself stepped in as editor with #5. Several of its creative changes — including the debut of the 'Charley Fish' strip by Vincent Sullivan and Leo O'Mealia's assumption of art duties on the Barry O'Neill feature — introduced talent and characters that would anchor DC's output for years to come. As one of only six issues ever published under the New Fun banner before the title evolved into More Fun Comics, every issue in the run is a cornerstone document of how the modern anthology comic book came to be.
In "The Gavonian Affair, Part 4," the mystery of the enigmatic Gavonian civilization deepens as the story continues to unfold with crisp art by Dick Loederer, whose distinct line work brings the adventure’s tension to life. This 1935 issue, part of a series that blends pulp intrigue with early comic storytelling, features a cover by Jack A. Warren that captures the era’s dramatic flair.
In this brief, whimsical tale from 1935’s New Fun #4, modern-day kids Bobby and Binks find themselves stranded in ancient Egypt, where Bobby’s quick thinking during a Pharaoh’s assassination attempt earns them unexpected hero’s acclaim.
Oswald, freshly bathed and feeling quite the dandy in his stylish getup, strides confidently out of the tub—only to slip on a rogue soap bar and land right back where he started. A classic splash of slapstick charm from New Fun #4, 1935.
In "Indian Ambush, Part 4," Jim and Pete barely escape a surprise attack by Indians, but their relief is short-lived as Jim presses on toward the wagon train. From a high rock vantage point, he spots the camp’s sentry asleep and a group of Indians creeping toward it—his only hope is to rouse the guard before it’s too late.
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We Buy Collections ▸History
The first four issues of New Fun were produced under a consistent editorial and production team: publisher Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson, editor Lloyd Jacquet, art director Dick Loederer, and circulation manager Rexford L. May, with distribution handled by the S-M Newsstand Distribution Co. and printing done through the Brooklyn Daily Eagle's presses. Issue #4 was the last to carry Jacquet's name on the masthead; after an unexplained three-month gap following its April 12, 1935 newsstand date, Wheeler-Nicholson himself took over editorial duties for #5, labeling that issue the 'Vacation Number.' The tabloid format — color covers, largely black-and-white interiors — remained consistent across all four Jacquet-edited issues, and the cover of #4 featured Jack A. Warren's humorous Western strip 'Loco Luke' in color, diagonally stamped with the 'All Original' banner that signaled the magazine's founding ambition.
Trivia · 8 facts
- Published on April 12, 1935, with a cover date of May 1935; it was the fourth of only six issues published under the New Fun title before the series was retitled More Fun Comics.
- Issue #4 was the last edited by Lloyd Jacquet — future founder of Funnies, Inc. — who helmed all four of the series' first issues before Wheeler-Nicholson took over editorial control starting with #5.
- First appearance of the humor strip 'Charley Fish,' written and drawn by Vincent Sullivan, who was already contributing 'Spike Spalding' and 'Pincus' to the series and would go on to become a major figure in DC's early history.
- Leo O'Mealia took over art duties on the ongoing adventure feature 'Barry O'Neill' — considered DC's first action hero — beginning with this issue, a run he continued throughout Wheeler-Nicholson's era.
- Monroe Eisenberg began illustrating both 'Sandra of the Secret Service' and 'Magic Crystal of History' with this issue, while Raymond Perry took over art on the 'Ivanhoe' adaptation.
- The ongoing serial 'Jolly Roger' was renamed 'Midshipman Dewey' beginning with this issue, reflecting the kind of character and title reshuffling common in this early experimental period of serialized comic storytelling.
- The 'Loco Luke' strip by Jack A. Warren ended its run with this issue, wrapping a four-part comedic Western story; the cover of #4 featured that strip in full color.
- Select stories from New Fun #4 — including the debut 'Charley Fish' installment — were later reprinted in The Big Book of Fun Comics (1935), DC's first annual, a tabloid-sized compilation drawn from New Fun #1–4 and sold through F.W. Woolworth stores rather than newsstands.
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Reprints
Reprinted in The Big Book of Fun Comics #1 (1935)
Key issues in New Fun
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