''Space Adventures'' (sometimes cover-titled ''Science Fiction Space Adventures'', ''Space Adventures Presents Rocky Jones'' and other variations for particular issues) is an American

science-fiction Science fiction (often shortened to sci-fi or abbreviated SF) is a genre of speculative fiction that deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts. These concepts may include information technology and robotics, biological manipulations, sp ...

anthology In book publishing, an anthology is a collection of literary works chosen by the compiler; it may be a collection of plays, poems, short stories, songs, or related fiction/non-fiction excerpts by different authors. There are also thematic and g ...

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 ...

series that was published sporadically by

Charlton Comics Charlton Comics was an American comic-book publishing company that existed from 1945 to 1986, having begun under a different name: T. W. O. Charles Company, in 1940. It was based in Derby, Connecticut. The comic-book line (comics), line was a divi ...

from 1952 to 1979. Its initial iteration included some of the earliest work of industry notables

Steve Ditko Stephen John Ditko. Page contains two reproductions from school yearbooks. A 1943 Garfield Junior High School yearbook excerpt lists "Stephen Ditko". A 1945 Johnstown High School yearbook excerpt lists "Stephen J. Ditko" under extracurricular ac ...

Dick Giordano Richard Joseph Giordano (; July 20, 1932 – March 27, 2010) was an American comics artist and editor whose career included introducing Charlton Comics' "Action Heroes" stable of superheroes and serving as executive editor of DC Comics. Ear ...

, and

Tony Tallarico Anthony F. Tallarico (September 20, 1933 – January 6, 2022) was an American comic book artist, and children's book illustrator and author. Often paired in a team with his generally uncredited penciler, Bill Fraccio, Tallarico drew primarily fo ...

, and at least one story by

EC Comics E.C. Publications, Inc., (doing business as EC Comics) is an American comic book publisher. It specialized in horror fiction, crime fiction, satire, military fiction, dark fantasy, and science fiction from the 1940s through the mid-1950s, nota ...

mainstay

Bernard Krigstein Bernard Krigstein (; March 22, 1919 – January 8, 1990) was an American illustrator and gallery artist who received acclaim for his innovative and influential approach to comic book art, notably in EC Comics. His artwork usually displayed the si ...

. In 1960, a second iteration introduced the

superhero A superhero or superheroine is a fictional character who typically possesses ''superpowers'' or abilities beyond those of ordinary people, is frequently costumed concealing their identity, and fits the role of the hero, typically using their ...

Captain Atom Captain Atom is the name of several superheroes appearing in American comic books, initially owned by Charlton Comics before being acquired in the 1980s by DC Comics. All possess some form of energy-manipulating abilities, usually relating to nuc ...

by writer

Joe Gill Joseph P. Gill (July 13, 1919 – December 17, 2006)Social Security Death Inde ...

and artist Ditko, shortly prior to Ditko's co-creation of

Spider-Man Spider-Man is a superhero in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, he first appearance, first appeared in the anthology comic book ''Amazing Fantasy'' #15 (August 1962) in ...

for

Marvel Comics Marvel Comics is a New York City–based comic book publishing, publisher, a property of the Walt Disney Company since December 31, 2009, and a subsidiary of Disney Publishing Worldwide since March 2023. Marvel was founded in 1939 by Martin G ...

Publication history

First series

''Space Adventures'', a

from the

Derby, Connecticut Derby is a city in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States, approximately west-northwest of New Haven, Connecticut, New Haven. It is located in southwest Connecticut at the confluence of the Housatonic River, Housatonic and Naugatuck River ...

-based

, was initially published for 21 issues (

cover-date The cover date of a periodical publication is the date displayed on the cover, which is not necessarily the true date of publication (the on-sale date or release date); later cover dates are common in magazine and comic book publishing. More unusu ...

d July 1952 - Aug. 1956). Issues #9-12 (Winter 1954 - Aug. 1954) were cover-titled ''Science Fiction Space Adventures''. The following two issues were cover-billed ''Space Adventures Presents The Blue Beetle'', and featured reprints of the defunct publisher

Fox Comics Fox Feature Syndicate (also known as Fox Comics, Fox Publications, and Bruns Publications, Inc.) was a comic book publisher from early in the period known to fans and historians as the Golden Age of Comic Books. Founded by entrepreneur Victor S. ...

' superhero, from 1939. Issues #15-18 (March-Sept. 1955) carried the rubric ''Space Adventures Presents Rocky Jones'', and featured that

children's television Children's television series (or children's television shows) are Television show, television programs designed specifically for Child, children. They are typically characterised by easy-going content devoid of sensitive or adult themes and are ...

character in licensed TV spin-off stories. These were primarily illustrated by

penciler A penciller (or penciler) is an artist who works on the creation of comic books, graphic novels, and similar visual art forms, with a focus on the initial pencil illustrations. In the American comic book industry, the penciller is the first step ...

Ted Galindo and inked by, variously,

Ray Osrin Raymond Harold Osrin (October 5, 1928 – April 3, 2001) was an American comics artist, comic book artist and cartoonist. He was most notable for his work in the Golden Age of Comic Books. Later, he took a position as the editorial cartoonist for ...

, or Galindo himself. Giordano penciled at least one "Rocky Jones" story, "Gravity-Plus", inked by

Jon D'Agostino John P. D'Agostino Sr., generally credited as Jon D'Agostino (June 13, 1929November 28, 2010) was an Italian-American comic-book artist best known for his Archie Comics work. As well, under the pseudonym Johnny Dee, he was the letterer for the ...

, in issue #18. Issues #19 and #21 reverted to ''Space Adventures'', interspersed with another licensed tie-in, ''Space Adventures Presents First Trip to the Moon'' — a retitled reprint of writer

Otto Binder Otto Oscar Binder (; August 26, 1911 – October 13, 1974) was an American author of science fiction and non-fiction books and stories, and comic books. He is best known as the co-creator of Supergirl and for his many scripts for '' Captain Ma ...

, penciler Dick Rockwell and inker Sam Burlockoff's adaptation of the movie '' Destination Moon'', from

Fawcett Comics Fawcett Comics, a division of Fawcett Publications, was one of several successful comic book publishers during the Golden Age of Comic Books in the 1940s. Its most popular character was Captain Marvel, the alter ego of radio reporter Billy Bats ...

' 1950 one-shot of that name.''Space Adventures'' (Charlton, 1952 series)
at the

Grand Comics Database The Grand Comics Database (GCD) is an Internet-based project to build a database of comic book information through user contributions. The GCD project catalogues information on creator credits, story details, reprints, and other information use ...

''Space Adventures'' #10-11 (Spring-June 1954) contained two of

's first half-dozen comic-book covers. Issue #16 (May 1955) features a six-page story, "Jealousy on Kano", by artist

, one of

' acclaimed creators in one of his small handful of non-EC stories during that publisher's 1954-55 heyday.

Second series

The numbering for ''Space Adventures'' was taken over by the Charlton war comics series ''War at Sea'', which ran from #22-42 (

d Nov. 1957 - June 1961). ''Space Adventures'' began again with issue #23, skipping the number #22, after taking over the numbering of the Charlton version of the former Fawcett series '' Nyoka the Jungle Girl''.''Space Adventures'' (Charlton, 1958 series)
at the Grand Comics Database This second series ran 37 issues (#23-59, May 1958 - Nov. 1964). The first issue only was cover-titled ''Space Adventures Presents Space Trip to the Moon'' and contained a second reprinting of Fawcett's 1950s movie adaptation '' Destination Moon'', this time with the first page deleted. Subsequent issues showcased much work by artist

, and at least one story by

veteran

John Severin John Powers Severin (; December 26, 1921 – February 12, 2012) was an American comics artist noted for his distinctive work with EC Comics, primarily on the war comics '' Two-Fisted Tales'' and ''Frontline Combat''; for Marvel Comics, e ...

, as well as by such Charlton Comics regulars as Vince Alascia, Rocke Mastroserio, Charles Nicholas, and

Sal Trapani Salvatore A. "Sal" Trapani (April 30, 1927—July 14, 1999) was an American comic-book artist active from the 1940s Golden Age of comics through the 1960s Silver Age of comics, Silver Age and into the 1980s. He is best known as a journeyman ink ...

. Writer

Joe Gill Joseph P. Gill (July 13, 1919 – December 17, 2006)Social Security Death Inde ...

and artist Ditko introduced the space-age

in a nine-page story in issue #33 (March 1960). The character starred through issue #42 (Oct. 1961), except for skipping #41, with all stories drawn by Ditko except for two of the three in that final issue. The character would return later in the decade, and eventually be sold to

DC Comics DC Comics (originally DC Comics, Inc., and also known simply as DC) is an American comic book publisher owned by DC Entertainment, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery. DC is an initialism for "Detective Comics", an American comic book seri ...

after Charlton's 1980s bankruptcy; the version continues as a DC superhero as of 2010. ''Space Adventures'', which had continued all through the superhero's run to include anthological science-fiction stories, reverted to all-anthology for issues 43-59 (Dec. 1961 - Nov. 1964) — all without Ditko, who by now freelanced exclusively for at

, where from 1956 he had become an established presence on that company's science fiction/fantasy comics, and would, in 1963, co-create the popular superhero

One-shot publication

The title returned as a one-shot science-fiction anthology that continued the old series numbering and was published as ''Space Adventures Presents U.F.O.'' issue #60 (Oct. 1967). This featured early work by such later notables as writer

Denny O'Neil Dennis "Denny" Joseph O'Neil (May 3, 1939 – June 11, 2020) was an American comic book writer and editor, principally for Marvel Comics and DC Comics from the 1960s through the 1990s, and Group Editor for the Batman family of titles until h ...

(using the

pseudonym A pseudonym (; ) or alias () is a fictitious name that a person assumes for a particular purpose, which differs from their original or true meaning ( orthonym). This also differs from a new name that entirely or legally replaces an individual's o ...

Sergius O'Shaughnessy), and artists

Jim Aparo James N. Aparo (; August 24, 1932 – July 19, 2005) was an American comic book artist, best known for his DC Comics work from the late 1960s through the 1990s, including on the characters Batman, Aquaman, and the Spectre (DC Comics character), Sp ...

and Pat Boyette.

Third series

The next version began again with an issue #2, with Charlton considering the previous one-shot as the first issue of a relaunch. ''Space Adventures'' vol. 2, #2-8 (July 1968 - July 1969) featured work by writer O'Neil (again as O'Shaughnessy), and artists Alascia, Aparo, Boyette, Mastroserio, Nicholas, and a returning

who by now had left

and was concurrently freelancing for both Charlton and

. Artists

Sanho Kim Sanho Kim (born 1939 in Korea) is a South Korean comic book artist, considered the first artist working in a manhwa style to be published regularly in the United States. The bulk of Kim's American work was for Charlton Comics' horror comics, a ...

and Sam Glanzman each contributed at least one story. The series returned for five reprint issues, #9-13 (May 1978 - March 1979), the first four of which were all-Ditko reprints of, primarily,

stories. The final issue reprinted Charlton's ''Outer Space'' vol. 2, #1 (Nov. 1968), featuring Ditko and other artists.

Other publishers

The

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. * British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...

publisher L. Miller & Son reprinted an uncertain number of stories/issues in the U.K. in the 1950s.''Space Adventures'' (L. Miller & Son, 1953 series)
an
''Space Adventures'' (L. Miller & Son, 1959 series)
at the Grand Comics Database

External links

''Space Adventures''
#1-31 (public domain) at the

Digital Comic Museum Digital Comic Museum is a digital library of comic books in the public domain, established in 2010.Oliver Bünte. Die Welt der iPad Apps: Die besten Apps, Webapplikationen und Webdienste. .l. Hüthig Jehle Rehm, 2011. p. 210. 9783826691690 ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Space Adventures (Comics) Comics magazines published in the United States Defunct American comics Science fiction comics 1952 comics debuts 1977 comics endings Magazines established in 1952 Magazines disestablished in 1977