Centerförlaget (first known as Seriemagasinet Förlag) was a Swedish

comic book A comic book, comic-magazine, or simply comic is a publication that consists of comics art in the form of sequential juxtaposed panel (comics), panels that represent individual scenes. Panels are often accompanied by descriptive prose and wri ...

publishing company that operated from 1948 to 1970. It is considered the first Swedish comics publisher. A division of the Swedish magazine king T. Armas Morby's company Press & Publicity AB,Patrick, Kevin. ''The Phantom Unmasked: America's First Superhero'' (University of Iowa Press, 2017), p. 88. the company mainly published translated versions of American and European comics. The company's first title, and one of its longest-lasting, was '' Seriemagasinet'' (''The Comic Strip Magazine''), launched in 1948 and running more than 818 issues. Other long-running titles included the Western titles ''Min melodi'' (''My Melody'') (534 issues, 1949–1962), ''Cowboy'' (659 issues, 1951–1970), ''Vilda västern'' (''Wild West'') (863 issues, 1952–1969), and ''Prärieserier'' (''Prairie Series'') (767 issues, 1953–1968). Most of these comics were originally published in the United Kingdom, France, Belgium, and Italy. Seriemagasinet Förlag changed its name to Centerförlaget 1956; by this time the company controlled 30% of Sweden's comic book market.Gustafsson, Karl Erik and Per Rydén. ''A History of the Press in Sweden'' (Nordicom-Sverige, 2010), p. 262. The company published translated versions of the DC/National superhero titles ''

Superman Superman is a superhero created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, which first appeared in the comic book ''Action Comics'' Action Comics 1, #1, published in the United States on April 18, 1938.The copyright date of ''Action Comics ...

'' (launched in 1949), ''

Batman Batman is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. Batman was created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger, and debuted in Detective Comics 27, the 27th issue of the comic book ''Detective Comics'' on M ...

'' (1951), and ''

Superboy Superboy is an identity used by several fictional superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. These characters have been featured in several eponymous comic series, in addition to ''Adventure Comics'' and other series ...

'' (1959), as well as the Western title ''

Tomahawk A tomahawk is a type of single-handed axe used by the many Native Americans in the United States, Indian peoples and nations of North America, traditionally resembles a hatchet with a straight shaft. Etymology The name comes from Powhatan langu ...

'' (1951). In 1969, Williams Förlags AB, the Swedish comics and magazines publishing division of

Warner Communications Warner Media, LLC (doing business as WarnerMedia) was an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate owned by AT&T. It was headquartered at the 30 Hudson Yards complex in New York City. It was established as Time Warner ...

— at that time the corporate owner of DC — re-acquired and continued publishing those titles. In 1970 Centerförlaget was acquired by

Semic Press Semic Press is a Swedish comic book publishing company that operated from 1963 to 1997. Known for original comics as well as translated American and European titles, Semic was for a long time the country's largest comic book publisher. For many ...

; most titles were cancelled but a few were continued by Semic, including ''Hacke Hackspett'' (''

Woody Woodpecker Woody Woodpecker is a cartoon character that appeared in theatrical short films produced by the Walter Lantz Productions, Walter Lantz Studio and Universal Animation Studios, Universal Animation Studio and distributed by Universal Pictures sinc ...

''), '' Buster'', ''Serie-nytt'', and the long-running ''Seriemagasinet''. (In 1975, Semic acquired Williams Förlags AB, continuing the DC superhero/Western titles Centerförlaget had launched in the 1950s.)

Titles published (selected)

''Titles with at least 100 issues published''

Adventure/superhero

* ''Läderlappen och Robin'' (''

and Robin'') / ''Läderlappen'' (''Batman'') (212 issues, 1951–1969) — changed title in 1956; continued by Williams Forlag; later acquired by

* ''Seriemagasinet'' (818 issues, 1948–1970) — continued by Semic Press * ''Stålmannen'' (''

'') (398 issues, Sept. 1949–1969) — continued by Williams Forlag; later acquired by Semic Press * ''Stålpojken'' (''

'') (139 issues, 1959–1969) — continued by Williams Forlag; later acquired by Semic Press

Funny animal/humor

* ''Hacke Hackspett'' (''

'') (455 issues, 1954–1970) — continued by Semic Press * ''Vicky'' (275 issues, 1956–1969) * ''Vicky-biblioteket'' (115 issues, 1959–1963)

Romance/girls' comics

* ''Fickbiblioteket'' (163 issues, 1961–1969) * ''Min melodi'' (534 issues, 1949–1962) — Western/romance * ''Min melodis hjärtebibliotek'' / ''Hjärtebiblioteket'' (401 issues, 1953–1969) — changes title in 1959 * ''Nicky-biblioteket'' (130 issues, 1963–1969) * ''Tony'' (216 issues, 1960–1969)

War

* ''Kommandoserien'' (176 issues, 1962–1969) * ''Seriebiblioteket'' (233 issues, 1959–1969) * ''Spion 13'' (126 issues, 1964–1970) — continued by Semic Press

Western titles

* ''Cowboy'' (659 issues, 1951–1970) * ''Prärieserier'' (767 issues, 1953–1968) * ''

'' (222 issues, 1951–1969) — continued by Williams Forlag; later acquired by Semic Press * ''Trio'' (153 issues, 1960–1963) * ''Vilda västern'' (863 issues, 1952–1969)

References

Notes

Sources

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Centerforlaget Defunct comics and manga publishing companies Privately held companies of Sweden Publishing companies established in 1948 Publishing companies of Sweden Swedish comics Swedish companies established in 1948