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Issue: Sad Sack Comics #1
Publication Date: September 1949
 
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Title:
Variant: unnamed
Rating: [no rating]
Publisher: FlagHarvey
Brand: Harvey Comics HView Brand Images2
Indicia Publisher: Harvey Publications Inc.
On Sale Date: 07/01/1949
Volume: 1
Pages: 36
ISBN:
UPC/EAN: none
Price: $0.10 USD
Indicia Frequency:
Content Items: 28 (19 stories, 1 cover)
Editor(s):  
Disclose Notes: Golden Age pre-Comics Code Authority
This first issue was printed for Harvey Publications, Inc. by Curtis-Way Company at their printing, bookbinding, and electrotyping firm within the 3-story brick Curtis-Way print shop building located at 163 Pratt Street, Meriden, Connecticut*† 06450-4250.

* Indicia. Sad Sack Comics (Harvey, 1949 Series), v1#1, page 2.
† Mills Making Places of Connecticut. Online historic narrative. Preservation Connecticut. 2021.
https://connecticutmills.org/find/details/curtis-way-co
Last retrieved January 26, 2021.
  Does this data need corrections? Become an editor.
Disclose Format
Publication Type: Comic Book
Color: color
Dimensions: standard Golden Age US; then standard Silver Age US; then standard Modern Age US
Paper Stock: newsprint
Binding: saddle-stitched
Publishing Format: was ongoing series
Format Notes:  
Disclose Reprinted In16
reprinted 2 times as Content Items in other Issues.
Some/all of Issue reprinted as 14 Content Items in other Issues:
Disclose Reprinted From0
There is currently no data for this Issue being reprinted from anywhere.
Disclose Images1
Cover, Front
Original Artwork
Digital Edition
Adult Image
Title Page
Indicia on this Page
 
 
Assets0
 
Disclose Issue Images
Sad Sack Comics

Illustration  on  Cover, Front
Credits
?
typeset
Subject Matter
humorous
Sad Sack
Sad Sack; Daily Bugle salesman
Scram, Bub! You're on my corner!
Sad Sack is kicked off a competing paper salesman's corner scattering several Sad Sack Comics 1st issues in this famous infinity cover.
Reprinting
FlagSad Sack Comics #1 published October 1949
as [untitled] [Illustration on Cover, Front]
FlagHarvey Collectors Comics #16 published September 1979
as Sad Sack Comics No. 1 [Cover Reprint (on Interior Page) on Interior Page(s)]
 
Miscellaneous
1
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Sad Sack

Foreword, Introduction, Preface, Afterword  on  Interior Page(s)
Credits
typeset
Subject Matter
humorous
Sad Sack
George Baker and the Sad Sack
First two-thirds of page is a brief biography of cartoonist George Baker and his 'Sad Sack' creation which by Summer 1949 was already an immensely popular character from World War II beginning with its first appearance in Yank, the Army Weekly of June 17, 1942 through several printings in book form of collected wartime Sad Sack comic strip reprints by Simon and Schuster from 1944 through 1946. Last third of page has table of contents listing ten featured Sad Sack comic stories and also Li'l Dot and Winnie [the WAC] by Vic Herman.
Reprinting
 
Miscellaneous
1
Reproduction of a pen and ink original drawing of Technical Sergeant George Baker by his very good friend Sergeant Gregor Duncan, signed and dated at Anzio [Italy] - Apr. 26, 1944, reprinted from: Baker, George. The Sad Sack. Simon and Schuster, New York, NY. 1944, afterword, n.p.

Winnie was reconstituted as Winnie the Waitress (now a civilian) after World War II by its creator, artist Victor J. Herman, who had originally created the female character as Winnie the WAC. See online article dated March 4, 2015 by R.C. Harvey in The Comics Journal.
http://www.tcj.com/winnie-the-wac/
Last accessed January 26, 2021
Disclose
Dog-napper

Story  on  Interior Page(s)
Credits
?
Subject Matter
humorous
Sad Sack
Sad Sack; dog catcher; boy; policeman
Sad Sack is wrongfully accused of stealing a boy's dog after paying to rescue it from the pound.
Reprinting
 
Miscellaneous
1
[pantomime; no dialogue]
Assumed title taken from theme of strip.
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Wheaties

Advertisement (Comic Format)  on  Interior Page(s)
Credits
?
?
?
?
typeset
Leon Harvey ?
Subject Matter
opinion, sports
Hal Newhouser; Wheaties
Hal Newhouser; Prince Hal; Hal's Pals Clubs; random boys
Says he doesn't need to warm up ... had his Wheaties!
Comics-form advertising with Detroit Tigers Champion Pitcher Hal Newhouser endorsing Wheaties "Breakfast of Champions" cereal on behalf of General Mills, Inc.
Reprinting
 
Miscellaneous
1
Assumed title taken from breakfast cereal advertised by General Mills.
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Tries to Explain

Story  on  Interior Page(s)
Credits
?
Subject Matter
humorous
Sad Sack
Sad Sack; woman; policeman
Sad Sack steps back onto grass to take a photo of a lady and policeman but gets arrested afterward because of a sign that states, "Keep Off Grass Under Penalty of Law"
Reprinting
 
Miscellaneous
1
[pantomime; no dialogue]
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Cautious Soul

Story  on  Interior Page(s)
Credits
?
Subject Matter
humorous
Sad Sack
Sad Sack; Policeman
Sad Sack takes too long to cross a street from observing all the regulatory signs and traffic light, only to be arrested by a policeman for disregarding a 'no loitering' sign.
Reprinting
 
Miscellaneous
2
[pantomime; no dialogue]
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Day at the Beach

Story  on  Interior Page(s)
Credits
?
Subject Matter
humorous
Sad Sack
Sad Sack; beach-going kids; male sunbather; policeman
Sad Sack unwittingly sells a hot dog that's been sprinkled with sand from kids jumping over his vendor basket to a man at the beach. The man takes out his wrath on Sad Sack by slamming the basket of hot dogs over Sad Sack's head. To add insult to injury, Sad Sack gets arrested for littering.
Reprinting
 
Miscellaneous
2
[pantomime; no dialogue]
Disclose
Playful Kids

Story  on  Interior Page(s)
Credits
?
Subject Matter
humorous
Sad Sack
Sad Sack; two boys
Bang Bang Bang
Sad Sack pretends to be shot dead by two mischievous boys playing with wooden toy guns only to be actually thrown off a pier by them.
Reprinting
 
Miscellaneous
2
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Foul Play

Story  on  Interior Page(s)
Credits
?
Subject Matter
humorous, sports
Sad Sack
Sad Sack; Ace Baseball team; Sox Baseball team; baseball players
Playing for the Aces, Sad Sack hits a triple but while trying to steal home he gets slammed backward to a Sox third baseman by a line-drive foul ball and called out.
Reprinting
 
Miscellaneous
2
[pantomime; no dialogue]
Disclose
Visit to the Zoo

Story  on  Interior Page(s)
Credits
?
Subject Matter
humorous
Sad Sack
Sad Sack; monkey; tiger; women; children; zoo keeper; policeman
[pantomime; no dialogue]
Sad Sack saves women and children from an escaped tiger at the zoo only to be hauled off to jail for annoying animals.
Reprinting
 
Miscellaneous
2
[pantomime; no dialogue]
Disclose
The Temperamental Mule

Text Story  on  Interior Page(s)
Credits
?
typeset
Subject Matter
drama, nature
Maudeen the mule; Pete Moore; Farmer Brown; farm hands
Pete Moore, aged eighteen, was tired of city life and quit his city job.
18-year-old Pete Moore tires of city life, quits his city job, then takes a train to the countryside where he finds a job on a farm but knows nothing of feeding pigs or farming. Despite being teased by the other farm hands, he quickly wins approval of Farmer Brown after cleverly getting Maudeen the stubborn mule to mind.
Reprinting
 
Miscellaneous
1
Only art is a tiny pen and ink drawing of a mule in upper right corner accompanying text story.
Disclose
Captain Tootsie to the Rescue!

Advertisement (Comic Format)  on  Interior Page(s)
Credits
?
Subject Matter
superhero
Tootsie Roll
Captain Tootsie; beach going children; young lady
Any volunteers to help bring down the rest of the things from the car?
Captain Tootsie saves a young lady from drowning at the ocean then suggests Tootsie Roll and Tootsie Pop candies are packed with the energy kids need to play.
Reprinting
 
Miscellaneous
1
CT-1
Job number "CT-1" (Captain Tootsie-1) is lettered in upper right of title panel at top of page 17.
Disclose
Super Salesman

Story  on  Interior Page(s)
Credits
?
Subject Matter
humorous
Sad Sack
Sad Sack; salesman
Sad Sack faces off with a pushy salesman.
Reprinting
 
Miscellaneous
2
[pantomime; no dialogue]
Disclose
Beating the Best at the Fair

Advertisement (Comic Format)  on  Interior Page(s)
Credits
?
?
typeset
Subject Matter
adventure, teen
Tom and teen fellas
Tom; teen fellas
Fellas, we'll have to put on some speed if we're going to get to the country fair in time to enter the bicycle obstacle race...
Teen boy, Tom--and his fellow teen guy friends--race their bicycles to the county fair to enter a bicycle obstacle race and after Tom wins the prize of a brand new bike he endorses Gillette bicycle tires.
Reprinting
 
Miscellaneous
1
Disclose
Double Trouble

Story  on  Interior Page(s)
Credits
?
Subject Matter
humorous
Sad Sack
Sad Sack; brunette woman; blonde woman; heavy set gentleman
Sad Sack offers to assist a brunette who's carrying packages cross the street but gets punched in his left eye when he causes her to trip at opposite curb.
Reprinting
 
Miscellaneous
1
[pantomime; no dialogue]
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Costume Ball

Story  on  Interior Page(s)
Credits
?
Subject Matter
humorous
Sad Sack
Dressed as a police officer, Sad Sack mistakenly arrests a real police officer dressed as an inmate.
Reprinting
 
Miscellaneous
2
[pantomime; no dialogue]
Disclose
Goes to the Movies

Story  on  Interior Page(s)
Credits
?
Subject Matter
humorous
Sad Sack
Sad Sack; box office cashier; woman movie goer; random cinema patrons
Sad Sack finds an empty seat next to a brunette in red dress at a theater featuring a horror flick.
Reprinting
 
Miscellaneous
2
[pantomime; no dialogue]
Disclose
Bakes a Cake

Story  on  Interior Page(s)
Credits
Alfred Harvey
?
typeset
Subject Matter
childrens, humorous
Li'l Dot
Li'l Dot [Dorothy Polka] (1st appearance); Mama Polka (1st appearance)
Mama, what's that white powder you just put in the cake?
Li'l Dot learns to bake a cake but misconstrues Mama's explanation of baking powder.
Reprinting
 
Miscellaneous
2
First appearance of "Li'l Dot" as back pages filler material for Sad Sack Comics v1#1 (Sep. 1949). Later, Harvey Publications, Inc. would publish her as a restyled house character named "Little Dot" in her own comic book (Harvey, 1953 series, #1 cover dated Sep. 1953, on sale July 1, 1953), despite Harvey promising, "Li'l Dot appears in a comics all her own--on sale Aug. 10th" at bottom of p. 27.
Disclose
Horseback Riding

Story  on  Interior Page(s)
Credits
?
typeset
Subject Matter
humorous, romantic, teen
Winnie & Maisie
Winnie; Maisie; Ted Fetlock; Wally
What's the matter, Maisie? You look as if you'd lost your best boy friend!
Teen waitresses Winnie and Maisie go on a horseback riding double date with Ted and Wally.
Reprinting
 
Miscellaneous
2
Disclose
Fleer's Dubble Bubble Gum

Advertisement (Comic Format)  on  Interior Page(s)
Credits
?
typeset
Subject Matter
childrens
Dubble Bubble Gum
Pud; Pud's Pals; Pud and pals
We'll never make a goal against these big guys unless we cook up some strategy!
Four panels of comics-form advertising for Frank Henry Fleer Corporation's Fleer's Dubble Bubble Gum features Pud and his pals blowing large bubbles as a strategy to thwart big guys in a game of hoops.
Reprinting
 
Miscellaneous
0.5
Appearance of this upper half-page ad in Sad Sack v1#1 (On sale July 1, 1949) helps narrow debate as to when Ray Thompson started being a regular artist at Fleer Corporation. His initials "R.T." are inked at base of tree with hoop attached in panel 4.

See "Comics in Remote Corners: Miniature Bubble-gum Strips" in The Comics Decoder, Issue 10, Winter 2017-18, online article by R. W. Watkins for further discussion.
https://sites.google.com/site/thecomicsdecoder2/home/issue-10-winter-2017-18/comics-in-remote-corners-miniature-bubble-gum-strips
Last retrieved January 26, 2021
Disclose
Joe and Milferd in the Cave

Promotional Material (from Publisher)  on  Interior Page(s)
Credits
?
typeset
Subject Matter
adventure
Joe Palooka
Joe Palooka; Milferd; Gregory (the dog); Bob; Sarah; Ben; Humphrey; Little Max
We musn't be cowards, Milferd... Jist think of how our parents are worried ... Milferd ... Didja hear that ... Milferd!
Lower half of page 30 is comics-form ad/preview of Joe Palooka (Harvey, 1945 series) #37 (Oct. 1949, on sale August 12, 1949) & added attractions: 1 Funsational Humphrey, 2 Lovable Little Max, 3 Sport Thrills. Includes full-color reproduction of front cover to Joe Palooka #37 plus a 4-panel teaser strip wherein Joe and his friend Milferd narrowly escape a cave thanks to the dog Gregory.
Reprinting
 
Miscellaneous
0.5
Tagline - Special Preview: Joe as a Boy
Disclose
Insulting Ransom

Story  on  Interior Page(s)
Credits
?
?
?
?
typeset
Subject Matter
humorous
Snoopy
Snoopy; Baby de Murph; Grappa Mob; Madame
Baby de Murph, Society Heiress, Has Been Kidnapped!
Detective Snoopy fights with kidnapping mob, negotiates a ransom of 250,000.00 USD; an amount considered an insult to the kidnapped baby girl's mother and high society Madame.
Reprinting
 
Miscellaneous
0.5
Assumed title taken from theme of strip.
Disclose
Medal or Tag?

Story  on  Interior Page(s)
Credits
?
?
?
?
typeset
Subject Matter
humorous
Snoopy
Snoopy; Chief; Commissioner; Oscar the dog; Officer
Police parade or no police parade ... yer on duty!
Detective Snoopy defies Chief's orders to remain on duty and joins in a police parade with Oscar his dog.
Reprinting
 
Miscellaneous
0.5
Assumed title taken from theme of strip.
Disclose
Fun at the Fair

Text Story  on  Interior Page(s)
Credits
Alfred Harvey ?
typeset
Subject Matter
humorous
Jimmy & Billy & Pal
Boy Jimmy; Boy Billy; Pal the Fox Terrier; Pete the Half Man
The State Fair was in full swing.
Pal the Fox Terrier reveals secret of Pete the Half Man in circus exhibition at state fair.
Reprinting
 
Miscellaneous
1
Disclose
Chain of Champions

Advertisement (Comic Format)  on  Interior Page(s)
Credits
?
?
?
?
typeset
Subject Matter
sports, teen
Old Nick; Bit-O-Honey
Nick; 3 other boys
Get this Super Duper Chain of Champions Key Ring ...
Four boys, including Nick, admire Nick's Major League Baseball star key ring and want theirs, too.
Reprinting
 
Miscellaneous
1
Comics-form ad employs popularity of MLB stars Joe Di Maggio, Bob Feller, Ted Williams, Stan Musial, Jackie Robinson, and John Mize to promote sales of both Old Nick and Bit-O-Honey candy--through wrappers submitted--as well as key rings and bracelets priced at 0.15 USD each.

Assumed title taken from excerpt in first line of comics-form advertisement.
Disclose
Milk Man

Story  on  Interior Page(s)
Credits
?
Subject Matter
humorous
Sad Sack
Sad Sack; lady customer
Working for the Ace Milk Co, Sad Sack climbs to the 8th floor to find a sign 'No Milk Today' on door only to hear customer holler to him to come back after he's already descended to ground level.
Reprinting
 
Miscellaneous
1
[pantomime; no dialogue]
Assumed title inferred from theme of strip.
Ace Milk Company truck is numbered 13. This number would later become Ken Selig's secret signature.
Disclose
Are You a Sad Sack

Text Story  on  Interior Page(s)
Credits
typeset
Subject Matter
humorous
Charles C.; Alex R.; Joe P.; Peter G.; Dave C.
Do people ignore you? Are you always getting it in the end? Are you the butt of everyone's joke?
Five 'Sad Sack' fans from around the United States share their typical Sad Sack true experiences. Editors used this gimmick to conduct market research by encouraging readers to relate an experience, with the promise that the best contributions would be published.
Reprinting
 
Miscellaneous
1
Page 35 (B&W). Characters by reader submissions from Denver, CO; Chicago, IL; Washington DC; Clifton, NJ; and Texas, respectively

Harvey Publications encouraged 'Sad Sack' fans to write penny post cards and send them to:
Sad Sack Editor
1860 Broadway N.Y. 23, N.Y.

Right half is publisher's preview of Babe Ruth Sports Comics #4 (Harvey, 1949 series) cover dated Oct. 1949, on sale August 10th, with subscription coupon that could be clipped and mailed to:
Babe Ruth Sports
1860 Broadway
New York, 23, N.Y.
Disclose
Fame Instead of Shame

Advertisement (Comic Format)  on  Interior Page(s)
Credits
? (ad copy)
?
?
?
typeset
Subject Matter
drama
Charles Atlas
Annoying man; teen Joe; three sunbathing girls; random beach goers; Charles Atlas (photo)
Hey! Quit kicking that sand in our faces!
Back cover ad for the "Dynamic Tension" method of muscle building
Reprinting
 
Miscellaneous
1
Assumed title taken from excerpt of ad headline "How Joe's Body Brought Him Fame Instead of Shame".
Coupon for a free book, "Everlasting Health and Strength" could be clipped and mailed to:

Charles Atlas, Dept. 303 V
115 East 23rd St., New York 10, N.Y.

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