The Goodman Family of Marvel Comics fame

18 April 2011

So who are the 1940s Goodmans?  Ah, here's the answer - to at least some - of your questions.

Abraham Goodman (c1913- ) brother of Martin Goodman ; manging editor of Marvel Comics from 1939-c1948,  then took over the Humorama line up to around the end.
   business manager of at least Snap Magazine in 1940

Arthur Goodman (c1918- ) youngest brother of Martin Goodman;; in charge of colonists 1941-1945;
editor of Goodman's Crossword Puzzle Books

Chip Goodman (Charles)     son of Martin Goodman,  in charge of the 1970s Atlas comics. Later publisher of Swank.



David Goodman  (C1914- )  co-owner of Goodman company in 1952;  Lt. in World War 2
   Publisher and owner of Snap Magazine in 1940

Evelyn Goodman -  no kin, wrote for DC and Classics Illustrated

Jean Goodman (nee Jean Davis)    married Martin Goodman, listed as co-owner 1952
 listed as editor 1944-1947; credited to text stories in 1946-1947; mother of Chip; related to Stan Lee and Larry  Lieber

Martin Goodman (c1909 -1992 ) 7th child, but first boy in his family;  worked for Eastern Distribution from
 1927-1931 (Paul Sampliner, later co-founder of IND and DC comics);  magazine publisher from 1931-
 mid 1970s, first with Louis Silberkleit (later of Columbia and MLJ / Archie) and  most notably a 40 year run as owner and publisher of Magazine Management and Marvel Comics.
  "Martin" was not his birth name.

Sidney "Charles" Goodman (c1916- 1937) editor for Goodman
    editor of Best Sports 1937, Complete Sorts 1937, Two-Gun Western 1937 -1938, Western Novelets 1936

There are beliefs that one or two of Martin Goodman's 7 sisters married someone that Martin put to work.
but this isn't substantiated - yet.     Obviously a close family.
Speculation is  that Robert Solomon was Goodman's brother-in-law, and Stan Lee's Uncle.
Robert Erisman (1908-1995) does not appear to be married to a Goodman sister, he is (some say)
married to Adele Goodman.

updated October 6, 2011

Pre-Gleason: Picture Scoop, Inc. (1942 - 1946)

This is  everything that is  known about Picture Scoop, Inc.  Including a list of all known publications.  Picture Scoop is  usually affiliated  by comic fans with Lev Gleason,  however he doesn't show up in 1942

PICTURE SCOOP, INC.

114 East 32nd St.  

 April 1942 (real time)  - February 1946 (cover date)

Arthur Bernard:  President 1942,  Publisher 1944
Morris S. Latzen:   Treasurer 1942,  general manager 1944   nick name "Murray"
Clement J. Wyle:  Editor of Picture Scoop  #1 - 3,  1942
Joseph Chasin:   Art Director:  1942
Leverett S. Gleason:  Editor of  Reader's Scope:  1944
E. A. Piller:  Managing Editor  of Reader's Scope 1944

comic books:  

Captain Battle Comics #5   (Summer 1943)   There was no #4 - previous issue was by Harry  'A' Chesler.       This issue  reprints Captain Battle Comics #1 (Summer 1941) from New Friday, Inc.

Magazines:  

Picture Scoop #1 (October 1942) - v2#1  (Feb 1944)  -  becomes Reader's Scope with the July issue.

Reader's Scope   v2 #2   (July 1944)  - v3 #9  (Feb. 1946 )  Next issue is by Reader's Scope, Inc.

True Crime Detective  #4  (June 1944) ; #1 is said to be by Magazine House and #5  (September 1944) is  by Your Guide.

Best True Fact Detective Cases    circa 6/1944   First issue circa Fall 1943.  Published by Newsbook as of  May 1946 

The above ran house ads  for  Scoop Detective Cases  (ads from April 1942 to September 1942 known). Published by Magazine House, Inc.

They also ran house ads for Special Detective Cases, in 1942.  issues from 1942-1943 published y Magazine House, Inc.  v2#2 (January 1943) published by Magazine House, Inc.  published by Detective House by at  least 1948.  The May 1942 - September 1942 issues  have the Magazine Village "policeman" emblem.   First issue was August 1941.

paperback book:

Sabotage!  The Secret War Against America  by Michael Sayers and Albert E. Kahn

        1944 stapled, reprints the 1942 Harper & Brothers hardback edition

Bernard and Latzen worked together up to circa 1948.
Clement  J. Wyle  (c1903 - 1991) was the editor of Picture Scoop  #1-3 in 1942. Under his birth name of Alex J. Whynman, he was active in Zionist activities in the 1920s.  In 1946, he and his wife started a PR firm,  They also wrote radio and TV shows.

Picture Scoop was looking for material for it's first (October) issue as early as April 11 1942.  At that time, they were using the stationary of Magazine House, Inc.  By the end of April they were using Picture Scoop, Inc letterhead, but used Magazine House occasionally.   The Post Office declared the second issue obscene (it might rate a PG-13 these days, or maybe just a PG,  so smut-hounds will be disappointed). The 4th issue (March 1943) was an inventory job.



2012-02-03

update 4 September 2012.  22 December  2014.  10 June 2025

sweeping and mopping the floors

OK, let me finish the clean-up work here, on this the new improved blog, where basically I just
chat about the history of comics - mostly golden age, nothing newer than 1970. My focus in on the creators and not the creation.  It's on the product and not the "universe".  The folks who created these 10-15 cent comics were human beings, worthy of respect.
  I read my first comic book around 1960 - It was an I Go Pogo, right after that it was Classics Illustrated and Classics Illustrated Juniors, followed by the World Around Us.  And every couple of months, we'd get the new
March of Comics and the (forgettable) Wrangler Rodeo Comics.  Around 1964, it was Dennis the Menace and Disney comics, followed by other Gold Keys, and then in 1966: Batman Pop Tart Comics

Marvel comics in 1968, and comics fandom in 1969.

Wrote for fanzines in the 1970s on, members of various APAs,
senior editor of the Who's Who of American Comic Books
and now here.