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