Dimension X

Something very unique for children in the 1930's-50's, was to be a member of a club associated with a favorite Radio Show, Comic Book, or Pulp Magazine Character...The offerings were fantastic & imaginative, like beautifully produced Brass Rings with secret compartments, decoder badges, colorful certificates, & many other varieties of what collectors call "Premiums"...A Comic or Radio show gave messages to their fans on how to use these premiums to interact with their favorite heroes. This is something missing from todays world & the youth are becoming more anti-social with the digital & computer age. All in all, the premiums I am posting here shows a time when kids were thanked for being true fans of this enjoyable medium.


This Collection shows what are probably the "Very" 1st Premium/Club "Pinbacks & Badges" offered by DC Comics, back when they were originally known as Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholsons, "National Allied Publishing". Nicholson produced the very first Comic Book to feature "All-New" material, when other publishers just licensed & reprinted the popular Newspaper Strips. This historic issue was titled, "NEW FUN" & premiered in February 1935. By January 1936, the title was changed to "MORE FUN" with it's 7th Issue. Sometime in 1935, the title offered it's readers a membership to the "New Fun Club", which included this laughing gnome character, "JOLLY BILL", on the pinback & certificate. Both are Rare, & the pinback has faded, making unreadable it's proud message of "Clean Comics", rounding the edges.

The second title Nicholson published in December 1935, was "NEW COMICS". To avoid confusion with "NEW FUN", "NEW COMICS" was changed to "NEW ADVENTURE COMICS" in June 1937. These Books featured the very first works of SUPERMAN Creators, JERRY SEIGEL & JOE SHUSTER. Their strip, "FEDERAL MEN" featuring "STEVE CARSON", was popular enough to warrant a Fan Club which lasted for 3 years, offering Pinbacks & Certificates. The above "Junior Federal Men Club" pinback was one of the first offered in 1937.

Another 1937 Seigel & Shuster "Junior Federal Men Club" Pinback from "NEW ADVENTURE COMICS". There was one more pinback variant offered in 1939. All 3 are extremely diffucult to find, especially the certificates & shipping envelope.

By 1937 Wheeler-Nicholson was so deep in debt, he partnered with his business associates, JACK LIEBOWITZ & HARRY DONENFELD. They premiered a new title, "DETECTIVE COMICS" in March 1937, & by the following year, NICHOLSON was bankrupt & gone from the company. Harry & Jack stuck with it & prospered, especially when they published a new title, "ACTION COMICS", in June 1938. It featured a unique & untried original concept by Jerry Seigel & Joe Shuster,...SUPERMAN! The Super-Hero was born & was an immediate and overnight success for it's publishers, selling out & going into multiple printings.

The above 1939 Pinback is the very 1st to feature the new character of SUPERMAN by Co-Creator/Artist, Joe Shuster. There is no current information of how this pinback was offered & made available to the public...though it's possible it was sent to readers who mailed in "reader survey" clippings from the early "ACTION COMICS" issues...

By 1939, "ACTION COMICS" was such a phenominal success, the SUPERMAN character recieved it's own title. In the 1st issue was a centerspread ad for the "SUPERMEN OF AMERICA CLUB". For 10 cents, readers would recieve the above Pinback, Certificate & Code Book. The Club was so popular it lasted until 1961.

By 1940, SUPERMAN was a household name, being featured everywhere from Animated Theatrical Shorts, Syndicated Newspaper Strips, a Radio Show, & mass merchandising on a par with then monster successes, "MICKEY MOUSE" & "POPEYE". Liebowitz & Donenfeld had also changed the company name to "Detective Comics, Inc.", & then shortened to the initials, "DC".

By 1942, the Logo was changed again to read, "DC-A Superman Publication", referring to the company mascot & million dollar seller...

The above 1940 Cap for "Roberts' Milk" was collected & in return for the 12 variations, the neighborhood grocery store owner would present a beautiful figural brass badge of Superman holding a flag that reads, "SUPERMAN/AMERICAN"...

Besides Superman, there were other characters finding their way into the hearts of the youth. HOP HARRIGAN was a Teenage Pilot who flew missions to battle terrorists & saboteurs. This beautiful 1940 brass badge was part of the "ALL-AMERICAN FLYING CLUB".

MC GAINES, the father & publisher of the very 1st Comic Book ever, had passed on publishing "Superman", & gave it to Liebowitz & Donenfeld, who made millions. He cursed himself for that mistake til the day he died. So he went into a sister partnership with "DC". He started his own imprint, "ALL-AMERICAN PUBLICATIONS" in 1939. The titles were distributed & even crossed over with DC & it's characters. Among the titles he published with Artist/Editor, SHELDON MAYER, were,..."FLASH COMICS"(with Flash, Hawkman, Johnny Thunder), "SENSATION COMICS"( with Wonder Woman, Mr Terrific, Wildcat), "WONDER WOMAN", "GREEN LANTERN", "ALL STAR", & "ALL-AMERICAN" (with Hop Harrigan, Green Lantern, Red Tornado, The Atom)...

HOP HARRIGAN was so popular, he recieved his own Radio Series(1942-48), & even a 1946 Columbia Pictures Serial.

MC GAINES eventually sold out to "DC", & formed a new company, "E.C. Publications". But it was his son, WILLIAM M. GAINES, that turned "EC COMICS" into an empire, with their "TALES FROM THE CRYPT" & "MAD".

This Pinback was attached to the cover of copies of SUPERMAN #18, 1942. They were supplied overseas to soldiers fighting in the second World War, & possibly sent to readers who took part in "reader surveys".

This 1942 SUPERMAN "Junior Defense League" Brass Badge was acquired when a child collected "Saylors Bread" Superman Defense Stamps. He then would trade the stamps in at the local grocery store for this beautiful figural badge.

The 1942 "JUNIOR JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA CLUB" was most likely the most exciting club for a comic fan to be part of. From the pages of "ALL STAR COMICS", which featured adventures of "DC" & "ALL-AMERICAN" characters teaming up to battle the worlds villiany. Even SUPERMAN & BATMAN were honorary members who sometimes joined their fellow heroes, like, Starman, Hawkman, The Atom, Hourman, Wonder Woman, Johnny Thunder, Black Canary, Mr Terrific, Flash, Wildcat, & others. A great kit was offered with a beautiful certificate featuring the heroes, & a decoder to decipher comic book messages. The Club lasted til 1948 with variations of the merchandise offered. Here above, is the 1942 first year Silvered Brass Badge.

In the May 1942 issue of "SENSATION COMICS", readers were offered this beautiful full color Pinback of the Amazon Princess, "WONDER WOMAN". Only 1000 were said to have been made. A Rare gem.

This "FLASH" Pinback was sent to the first 1000 readers who filled out & sent in a survey coupon, found in the Sept./Oct. 1942 Issue of "ALL-FLASH COMICS". Equally as beautiful as the WONDER WOMAN, & even twice as scarce.

Here is the final version of the "SUPERMEN OF AMERICA CLUB" Pinback, from 1961.