Tom Corbett, Roger Manning and Astro continue their training
at the Space Academy as detailed by two major comic book publishers of the
1950s. In 1952 the first Tom Corbett, Space Cadet comic book was published
by Dell as part of their Four
Color tryout series. Dell was the leader in adapting popular series
from the radio, movies and the "new" kid on the block, television,
to the four color publications sold for a mire tenth of a dollar!!.
Most Dell comic titles began in their Four Color tryout series. If the title was a success (i.e. a money maker), Dell would publish the title as a regular series, starting the numbering system of the new series with the actual published number of the book. In the case of Tom Corbett, the series started with # 4 and ended with issue #11. Many collector's would go slowly mad looking for the "first" three issues of the Dell series without success. The first three Tom Corbett Four Color issues (378, 400, 421) were illustrated by Alden McWilliams (wrap around cover and interior art) and the covers of the remaining regular issues ( 4 - 11 ) of the series. John Lehti and Frank Thorne provided the interior artwork for the eight regular Dell comics in the series.
The art in issues 9,10, and 11 bare a strong
resemblance to Ray Bailey's artwork from the syndicated Tom
Corbett newspaper strip. In 2011 The Grand Comics Database (GCD) noted
that Frank Thorne had imitated Ray Bailey style by coping from the Tom Corbett
strip. Ray Bailey assisted Caniff on the comic page of
STEVE CANYON and worked on some of the Steve Canyon Dell comics the Four-Color
Series. He also adapted the BRUCE GENTRY aviation comic strip for the Dell
series, a strip he syndicated from 1948 to 1951 until he was recruited to illustrate
the Tom Corbett strip scripted by Paul S. Newman.
Comicbook Marketplace's January 1997 issue named Paul S. Newman as the author of the syndicated newspaper strip and several of the Dell TC comics. A review of Paul's record's confirmed he had written issues 4,5,6,7 of the regular Dell series and the March of Comics # 102.
The 36 page format for the Tom Corbett series was 34 pages of art, 1 photo page, a painted cover and no ads. The storyline for each issue was one long adventure. The inside front cover contained candid photos of Academy life (Space Academy The University of the Planets) with pictures of the cadets in their various activities as Space Cadets, providing a privileged look into our favorite cadets daily activities. The back inside cover continued the story action in black and white and the back cover, returning to color, completed the storyline.
In 1953 Western Publishing (Dell's publisher) and K.K Giveaway
published a 32 page promotional give-away (March Of Comics 102 )
featuring Tom Corbett . Copies were printed with blank spaces for local sponsor
stamps on the back and major Department store logos (Red Goose Shoes,
a sponsor for the Tom Corbett show,Sears, etc.) on the front as advertising
give-a-ways for special events and store publicity.
As the Tom Corbett TV series popularity decreased, along with comic sales, Dell dropped the title and Prize Comics picked up the option in 1955. Prize published three issues primarily drawn by Mort Meskin, with art and scripting contributions from Marvin Stein and Joseph Greene.
The 36 page format of the Prize comic, consisted of three major Space Cadet stories, "space" fillers ( Space Academy Test, Space News, Time Portal etc), ads, and a two page companion adventure Captain Quick and the Space Scouts. The fillers and Captain Quick stories were scripted as educational storylines related to space or space travel. The last issue of the comic was dated, September - October 1955 with the Tom Corbett program lasting only a few months longer.
World Distributors (United Kingdom) - Reprinted all 11 Dell issues. Cadets from Canada to Australia have emailed the Solar Guard Academy with their memories of these reprints. The comic had black and white interior art and the original Dell covers in color. A few of the covers have been scanned for the The Grand Comics Database (GCD) but many are missing. According to some of the cadets' memories, the comics were still in circulation in the late 1960s.
In 1990 Eternity Comics (Malibu) published a revival comic based loosely on the Tom Corbett series (4 issues in book 1 and 4 issues in book 2) and a reprint of the Ray Bailey newspaper strip (5).
Another revival in 2009 from Bluewater Productions published 4 issues. Neither of these revivals are included on this page. Covers and information about these revival comics can be found on the GCD web site.
EDITOR'S NOTE 2013-Since the last update to this page, 12 years ago, additional information from several Internet sources have corrected and added information for the current update to this page. The academy would like to thank the following for their information and continued work in their research and archival efforts in the comic book field:
1-The Grand Comics Database (GCD), an ongoing international project to build a detailed comic-book database.
2-The Digital Comics Museum (DCM) for one of the best sites for downloading FREE public domain Golden Age Comics.
I would encourage all cadets to support these sites with updated information and financial support. Use the links in each Tom Corbett comic to visit the above sites to download a digital copy or for more information.
 Dell 4-Color # 378 ( # l ) February 1952 Cover artist: Alden McWilliams Inside cover: Picture of Space Academy Title:Titan Sabotage" Fearing the Solar Alliance is after their Uranium ore, the Titans sabotage Academy equipment. Note: Several Academy training devices are similar to devices found in RAH's SPACE CADET DCM --- GCD |
Dell 4-Color # 400 (#2) May 1952 Cover artist: Alden McWilliams Inside cover: Space Cadet Pledge Title: "Space Pirates" Art by Alden McWilliams-Capt Strong and Tom are captured by pirates working in the Asteroids. Note: Art work on cover appears on several Tom Corbett items made by Usealite. DCM --- GCD |
Dell 4-Color #421 (#3) Aug 1952 Cover artist: Alden McWilliams Inside cover: Academy Class room with Polaris crew & Alfie Title:"Colonist of Space Colony Lo" McKay almost destroys the IO colony when U235 is found at the colony site. Note: Similar storyline found in Grosset & Dunlap's SPACE PIONEERS. DCM --- GCD |
Dell TC series (# 4) Nov-Jan 1953 Cover artist: Alden McWilliams Inside artist: John Lehti Script : Paul S. Newman. Inside cover: "On the Job Training" Looking into the Polaris through the Space Port - Capt Strong instructing cadets . Title: "Lost Race of Assorians" Prof Thornton lost on Mars. Cadets and Martian Picpup search and find the Prof, a lost city and the outlaws of Bor Borito. DCM --- GCD |
Dell TC series (# 5) Feb-Apr 1953 Cover artist: Alden McWilliams Inside artist: John Lehti Script : Paul S. Newman Inside cover: "Blastoff checklist" Cadets receive final instructions from Capt Strong . Title: "The Smugglers of the Moon" Pirates using the moon as a hideout,capture the cadets. The cadets find a world within the Moon with people only 4 1/2 ft tall. DCM --- GCD |
 Dell TC series ( # 6) May-July 1953 Cover artist: Alden McWilliams Inside artist: John Lehti Script : Paul S. Newman Inside cover: The Cadets and Capt Strong suited up in Space suits. Title: "Blue Men of Tara" Alfie Higgins join the Polaris unit on Tara in Alpha Centuri system and discover a race of giant ants and blue caveman. DCM --- GCD |
Dell TC series (#7) Aug-Oct 1953 Cover artist: Alden McWilliams Inside artist: John Lehti Script : Paul S. Newman Inside Cover: "Gravity Lesson": Inside the Polaris with the cadets and Capt Strong floating in the Air trying to return to the wall of the Polaris Title: "The Space Traitor" Bob Keen is about to be commissioned into the Solar Guard, but helps his brother escape from a prison on the moon. DCM --- GCD |
Dell TC series (# 8) Nov-Jan 1954 Cover artist: Alden McWilliams Inside artist: John Lehti Script : Inside Cover: "Space Ship Design" Roger is showing a spaceship model to Astro while Tom looks on. Title: "Spaceship Graveyard" While patrolling the Saturn run the Polaris is wreaked by Space Junk and the cadets float to a planetoid with a magnetic graveyard. DCM --- GCD |
Dell TC series (# 9) Feb-Apr 1954 Cover artist: Alden McWilliams Inside Artist : Frank Thorne Script : Inside Cover: "Training with Dr Dale" Tom is at the controls of the Polaris while Capt Strong and Dr. Dale watch him go through some Astro-Navigation. Title: "The World of Deep Waters" Unknown code is received from the Sirius star system indicating no life was found on the 3rd planet, EARTH!!! DCM -- GCD |
Dell TC series (#10) May-July 1954 Cover artist: Alden McWilliams Inside Artist : Frank Thorne Script : Inside Cover: "Shipmates" The Polaris unit pose for a group picture. Title: "Asteroid Treasure Hunt" - A young orphan, Jimmy, is looking for uranium with Dr. Gulliber, only the Dr. is using the boy as a front for claim jumping. DCM -- GCD |
Dell TC series (#11) Sept-Nov 1954 Cover artist: Alden McWilliams Inside Artist : Frank Thorne Script : Inside Cover: "Solo Flight"- Roger watches as Astro and Tom prepare to blastoff on their first solo flight Title:"The Forbidden Forest" Spaceships are crashing because pilots have space blindness due to lack of Vita Q, an element harvested in the swamps of Venus. DCM -- GCD |
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 Prize TC Vol.2, #2 - July-Aug 1955
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March of Comics 102 - 1953 Cover artist: unknown Inside artist: John Lehti Script: Paul S. Newman Title: "Slavers of Space" While patrolling a Mars Orbit , the cadets find a ship adrift with captive people only 6"tall. DCM --- GCD |
Prize
TC Vol.2, #1- May-Jun 1955
Prize TC Vol.2,#3 - Sept-Oct 1955