Toby Press
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Comic books |
| Founded | 1949 |
| Founder | Elliott Caplin |
| Defunct | 1955 |
| Fate | Ceased publication due to anti-comics sentiment and Senate hearings |
| Headquarters | United States |
Key people | Elliott Caplin (founder) |
| Products | Comic books including Li'l Abner reprints, John Wayne Adventure Comics, Felix the Cat, war, romance, Western, horror genres |
Toby Press was a U.S.-based comic book publisher that operated between 1949 and 1955. Established by Elliott Caplin, who was both a seasoned comic strip writer and the sibling of cartoonist Al Capp, the firm concentrated on reprinting Capp's Li'l Abner strips, producing licensed-character comics such as those featuring John Wayne and Felix the Cat, as well as original series spanning multiple genres like romance, war, Western, and adventure. Some issues were released under the Minoan imprint, and certain covers bore the ANC logo, representing the American News Company, which was then the leading distributor for newsstands.
This company is distinct from the Toby Press book publisher acquired by Amazon.com in 2010.
History
Before founding Toby Press, Elliott Caplin worked as editor of True Comics. He launched Toby Press initially with reprints of his brother Al Capp's well-known Li'l Abner newspaper strip. The publisher’s inaugural title was Al Capp's Li'l Abner, beginning at issue #70 (May 1949), continuing the numbering sequence from Harvey Publications. This series ran for 28 issues up to #97 (January 1955). Additional Al Capp-related publications included Al Capp's Dogpatch Comics (#71, #2–3, 1949), which featured earlier strip reprints; Al Capp's Shmoo Comics (#1–5, 1949–1950); and Al Capp's Wolf Gal (#1–2, 1951–1952). Toby also created small-format one-shots as promotional giveaways for Oxydol and Dreft detergents.
Among Toby’s prominent titles was John Wayne Adventure Comics, which spanned 31 issues from Winter 1949/50 to May 1955, frequently showcasing photographic covers derived from Wayne’s movies. This series also led to a premium pocket comic titled John Wayne: The Cowboy Trouble-Shooter!. Other promotional comics included characters like Archie and Paul Terry’s Terry-Toon Comics.
The publisher’s catalog encompassed a wide range of genres: humorous animal comics with a 42-issue run of Felix the Cat (1951–June 1955), continuing numbering from Dell Comics; Western-themed works such as the one-shot Gabby Hayes Western and the 29-issue series Billy the Kid Adventure Magazine; war comics including Tell It to the Marines (15 issues) and Monty Hall of the U.S. Marines (6 issues); romance titles like Great Lover Romances; horror with Tales of Horror; medieval adventure in The Black Knight; and even a brief two-issue series starring Tootsie Roll candy’s mascot, Captain Tootsie.
The company ceased publication in 1955 due to the widespread anti-comics sentiment sparked by Dr. Fredric Wertham’s Seduction of the Innocent and subsequent Senate hearings addressing juvenile delinquency. The final issue released was Felix the Cat #61 (June 1955).
Minoan
Under the Minoan' label, identifiable by a Minotaur head emblem, Toby Press issued several titles including a four-issue romance comic titled Dr. Anthony King, Hollywood Love Doctor, a seven-issue Western series called Return of the Outlaw, and a 13-issue horror series named Tales of Horror. Additionally, Minoan published a digest-sized single-panel cartoon series entitled Bust Out Laffin.
Titles published
Sources:
Toby Press
- A-Laff-A-Minnit #1-2 (circa 1953–1954) / renamed to A-Laugh-A-Minnit #3-14 (circa 1954–1956). Issues #15-16 were released under Minoan.
- Al Capp's Dogpatch Comics #71 (June 1949), followed by #2–3 (Aug. & Dec. 1949). These were reprints of comic strips.
- Al Capp's Li'l Abner, issues #70–97 (May 1949 – Jan. 1955), continuing numbering from Harvey Publications' run.
- Al Capp's Li'l Abner Joins the Navy #1 (1951)
- Al Capp's Shmoo Comics #1–5 (July 1949 – April 1950)
- Al Capp's Wolf Gal #1–2 (1951–1952)
- Barney Google and Snuffy Smith #1-4 (June 1951 - Feb. 1952)
- Belly Laffs #1-6 (1955 - 1956)
- Big Tex #1 (June 1953)
- The Big Top Comics #1-2 (1951)
- Billy the Kid Adventure Magazine #1-29 (Oct. 1950 – June 1955)
- One-shot: The Black Knight (May 1953)
- Comic-strip reprints: Buck Rogers #100-101, #9 (Jan., May & June 1951)
- Digest series: Bust Out Laffin' #1-15 (1954 - 1955)
- Two-issue series: Captain Tootsie, #1-2 (Oct.–Dec. 1950)
- Danger Is Our Business! #1-3 (Dec. 1953 - April 1954)
- Single issue: Dick Wingate of the United States Navy #1 (Jan. 1951), also issued in a U.S. Navy recruitment edition without Toby branding.
- Giveaway: Dogpatch Styles Presents Li'l Abner (circa 1949)
- Continuing Dell numbering: Felix the Cat #20–61 (May 1951 – June 1955), including summer annuals in 1953 and winter annuals in 1954.
- Special edition: Felix the Cat 3D Comic Book (1953)
- Series: Felix the Cat and His Friends #1-3 (Dec. 1953 - July 1954)
- War comics: Fighting Leathernecks #1-6 (Feb.-Dec. 1952)
- One-shot Western: Gabby Hayes Western #1 (Dec. 1953)
- Romance titles: Great Lover Romances (March 1951 – May 1955); issues #3-4 appeared as Young Lover Romances
- Short run: He-Man #1-2 (May–July 1954)
- Adventure series: John Wayne Adventure Comics #1-31 (Winter 1949/50 – May 1955)
- Single issue detective comic: Johnny Danger Private Detective #1 (Aug. 1954)
- One-shot: Jon Juan #1 (Spring 1950)
- Single issue: Judy Joins the Waves #1 (1951)
- One-shot: Kokey Koala #1 (May 1952)
- Giveaway: Mammy Yokum and the Great Dogpatch Mystery (1956)
- Series: Meet Merton #1-4 (Dec. 1953 - June 1954)
- War-themed series: Monty Hall of the U.S. Marines #1-11 (Aug. 1951 - April 1953)
- Single issue humor comic: Pin-Up Pete #1 (1952)
- Single issue adventure comic: Ramar of the Jungle #1 (1954)
- Western series under Minoan imprint: "Return of the Outlaw" starting at issue #107 (Feb. 1953 - 1955)
- One-shot adventure: "Sands of the South Pacific" #1 (Jan. 1953)
- Single issue romance comic: "Sorority Secrets" #1 (July 1954)
- Short-run comedy series: "Super Brat" #1-4 (Jan.-July 1954)
- Series titled "T.N.T." with issues numbered from #1 to #10 between years 1954 to 1956
- Horror series continuation under Toby Press imprint: "Tales of Horror" issues #10-13 (April-Oct. 1954), with earlier issues (#1-9) published by Minoan
- Single issue horror comic: "Tales of Terror" #1 (1952)
- War-themed title "Tell It to the Marines" running for fifteen issues from March 1952 to July 1955
- Short-lived magazine "True Movie and Television" with four issues released between August 1950 and March 1951
- Humor comics featuring woodpecker character "Two-Bit the Wacky Woodpecker" in three issues from circa early '51 to May '53
- Single issue featuring characters "Washable Jones and Schmoo" (#1, June 1953)
- Two-part war publication "With the Marines on the Battlefronts of the World" (#1-2, between '53 and March '54)
- Promotional giveaway titled "Yo' Bets Yo' Life!" issued in '55
Promotional digest one-shots produced for Oxydol and Dreft detergents in circa 1950 included:
- ’’Al Capp's Daisy Mae in Ham Sangwidges also Cousin Weakeyes’’
- ’’Al Capp's Li'l Abner in The Mystery o' the Cave!!’’
- ’’Al Capp's Shmoo in Washable Jones' Travels’’
- ’’Archie in Mask Me No Questions’’
- ’’John Wayne: The Cowboy Trouble-Shooter!’’
- ’’Paul Terry's Terry-Toon Comics’’
Minoan Publishing
References:
- A-Laugh-A-Minnit issues 15-16 (1956). The first four editions were published by Toby Press.
- Dr. Anthony King, Hollywood Love Doctor, volumes 1 through 4 (January 1952 – May 1954)
- The Purple Claw, editions 1 to 3 (January to May 1953)
- Tales of Horror, issues 1 to 9 (June 1952 - February 1954). Subsequent issues 10 to 12 were released by Toby Press.
- Wise Cracks, editions 1 through 12 (1955 - 1956)