Atlas Publications
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Publishing |
| Founded | 1947 |
| Founder | Jack Bellew, George Warnecke, Clive Turnbull |
| Defunct | 1958 |
| Headquarters | Clifton Hill, Victoria, Melbourne , Australia |
| Products | Magazines, popular fiction, adventure comics |
Atlas Publications was an Australian publishing firm that operated between 1948 and 1958, headquartered in Clifton Hill, Victoria, Melbourne. The company focused on magazines and popular fiction, gaining particular recognition for its adventure comic titles. It had no affiliation with the American Atlas Comics active during the same period.
History
Established in 1947 by former journalists Jack Bellew and George Warnecke from The Daily Telegraph, alongside Clive Turnbull, a Melbourne-based writer and art critic for Herald, Atlas was overseen by Peter Ryan. Warnecke characterized the initiative as an "Intelligent Young Man's Guide to Capitalism."
The company’s most prominent achievement was the 1948 launch of Captain Atom, with artwork by Arthur Mather and scripts mainly penned by Bellew under the alias "John Welles." This Australian comic book hero developed its own merchandise line and a dedicated fan club. Initially printed in full color, Atlas reverted to black-and-white production after two years due to printing expenses; nonetheless, Captain Atom maintained a successful run spanning 64 issues over six years. Many of Atlas’s comics consisted of reprints or Australian adaptations of British and American strips such as Sergeant Pat of the Radio Patrol and Brenda Starr, illustrated by Yaroslav Horak. However, it was best known for original Australian creations like Keith Chatto’s Western series The Lone Wolf and Terry Trowell’s mystery title Grey Domino.
In 1955, Atlas introduced its science fiction periodical, Science Fiction Monthly, which published 18 issues until 1957. While predominantly featuring reprinted material from overseas magazines—including stories by A. Bertram Chandler—the magazine also showcased original fiction such as Wynne Whiteford’s "Ancestral Home" and genre essays authored by Forrest J Ackerman. During the mid-1950s, Warnecke and Bellew acquired Frank Packer’s share in the women’s magazine Family Circle, subsequently releasing it under the Atlas banner. Additional publications comprised Miss Young Romance comics, Heart-Throb photo novels, Western-themed novelettes, a racing guide, as well as men’s magazines including Zowie, Fun, and Frolic. In 1954, Queensland authorities banned these men’s titles due to content involving sexuality and nudity. Through its imprint Western & United Publishing, Atlas also produced reprints aimed at teenage girls, such as the 1952 publication How To Get Along With Boys.
Operations at Atlas concluded in 1958 following the death of Jack Bellew in 1957 and George Warnecke’s move to Ireland. Rights to some Atlas comic series like Sergeant Pat of the Radio Patrol were acquired by Page Publications, which continued their distribution into the 1960s. Clive Turnbull remained active in Melbourne as a writer specializing in biographies, Australian history, and art literature.
Further reading
- Lindesay, V. (1979). The Inked-in Image: A social and historical survey of Australian comic art. Hutchinson.
- Ryan, J. (1979). Panel by Panel: A History of Australian Comics. Cassell.
External links
- Atlas Publications at comics.org
- "Flynn of the FBI: Case Closed!", "Profile: Terry Trowell - Comic Book Artist", and "Captain Atom - The First Million!" featured on Kevin Patrick's blog Comics Down Under