1940 in comics

Years in comics
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1920s
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1930s
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1940s
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1950s
1950 · 1951 · 1952 · 1953 · 1954 1955 · 1956 · 1957 · 1958 · 1959
1960s
1960 · 1961 · 1962 · 1963 · 1964 1965 · 1966 · 1967 · 1968 · 1969
1970s
1970 · 1971 · 1972 · 1973 · 1974 1975 · 1976 · 1977 · 1978 · 1979
1980s
1980 · 1981 · 1982 · 1983 · 1984 1985 · 1986 · 1987 · 1988 · 1989
1990s
1990 · 1991 · 1992 · 1993 · 1994 1995 · 1996 · 1997 · 1998 · 1999
2000s
2000 · 2001 · 2002 · 2003 · 2004 2005 · 2006 · 2007 · 2008 · 2009

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Notable events of 1940 in comics. See also List of years in comics.

Events and publications

This literature-related list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

January

• Ace Comics (1937 series) #34 - David McKay Publications
• Action Comics (1938 series) #20 - DC Comics
• Adventure Comics (1938 series) #46 - DC Comics
• All-American Comics (1939 series) #10 - DC Comics
• Amazing Mystery Funnies (1938 series) #17 - Centaur Publications
• Detective Comics (1937 series) #35 - DC Comics
• Double Action Comics (1939 series) #2 - National Periodical Publications
• Feature Comics (1939 series) #28 - Quality Comics
• Flash Comics (1940 series) #1 - National Periodical Publications
• More Fun Comics (1936 series) #51 - National Periodical Publications
• Smash Comics (1939 series) #6 - Quality Comics

February

• Ace Comics (1937 series) #35 - David McKay Publications
• Action Comics (1938 series) #21 - DC Comics
• Adventure Comics (1938 series) #47 - DC Comics
• All-American Comics (1939 series) #11 - DC Comics
• Detective Comics (1937 series) #36 - DC Comics
• Feature Comics (1939 series) #29 - Quality Comics
• Flash Comics (1940 series) #2 - National Periodical Publications
• More Fun Comics (1936 series) #52 - National Periodical Publications
• Smash Comics (1939 series) #7 - Quality Comics

March

• Ace Comics (1937 series) #36 - David McKay Publications
• Action Comics (1938 series) #22 - DC Comics
• Adventure Comics (1938 series) #48 - DC Comics
• All-American Comics (1939 series) #12 - DC Comics
• Amazing Mystery Funnies (1938 series) #18 - Centaur Publications
• Detective Comics (1937 series) #37 - DC Comics
• Feature Comics (1939 series) #30 - Quality Comics
• Flash Comics (1940 series) #3 - National Periodical Publications
• Master Comics (1940 series) #1 - Fawcett Publications
• More Fun Comics (1936 series) #53 - National Periodical Publications
• Smash Comics (1939 series) #8 - Quality Comics
• Superman (1939 series) #4 cover dated Spring - National Periodical Publications

April

• Ace Comics (1937 series) #37 - David McKay Publications
• Action Comics (1938 series) #23 - DC Comics
• Adventure Comics (1938 series) #49 - DC Comics
• All-American Comics (1939 series) #13 - DC Comics
• Amazing Mystery Funnies (1938 series) #19 - Centaur Publications
• Detective Comics (1937 series) #38 - DC Comics
• Feature Comics (1939 series) #31 - Quality Comics
• Flash Comics (1940 series) #4 - National Periodical Publications
• Master Comics (1940 series) #2 - Fawcett Publications
• More Fun Comics (1936 series) #54 - National Periodical Publications
• Smash Comics (1939 series) #9 - Quality Comics

May

• Ace Comics (1937 series) #38 - David McKay Publications
• Action Comics (1938 series) #24 - DC Comics
• Adventure Comics (1938 series) #50 - DC Comics
• All-American Comics (1939 series) #14 - DC Comics
• Amazing Mystery Funnies (1938 series) #20 - Centaur Publications
• Detective Comics (1937 series) #39 - DC Comics
• Doc Savage Comics (1940 series) #1 - Street & Smith Publications
• Feature Comics (1939 series) #32 - Quality Comics
• Flash Comics (1940 series) #5 - National Periodical Publications
• More Fun Comics (1936 series) #55 - National Periodical Publications
• Smash Comics (1939 series) #10 - Quality Comics

June

• June 2: first publication of Will Eisner's "The Spirit Section", featuring debuts of the series The Spirit, Lady Luck and Mr. Mystic.^[1]
• Ace Comics (1937 series) #39 - David McKay Publications
• Action Comics (1938 series) #25 - DC Comics
• Adventure Comics (1938 series) #51 - DC Comics
• All-American Comics (1939 series) #15 - DC Comics
• Amazing Mystery Funnies (1938 series) #21 - Centaur Publications
• Detective Comics (1937 series) #40 - DC Comics
• Feature Comics (1939 series) #33 - Quality Comics
• Flash Comics (1940 series) #6 - National Periodical Publications
• Master Comics (1940 series) #3 - Fawcett Publications
• More Fun Comics (1936 series) #56 - National Periodical Publications
• Smash Comics (1939 series) #11 - Quality Comics
• Superman (1939 series) #5 cover dated Summer - National Periodical Publications

July

• Ace Comics (1937 series) #40 - David McKay Publications
• Action Comics (1938 series) #26 - DC Comics
• Adventure Comics (1938 series) #52 - DC Comics
• All-American Comics (1939 series) #16 - DC Comics
• Amazing Mystery Funnies (1938 series) #22 - Centaur Publications
• Detective Comics (1937 series) #41 - DC Comics
• Doc Savage Comics (1940 series) #2 - Street & Smith Publications
• Feature Comics (1939 series) #34 - Quality Comics
• Flash Comics (1940 series) #7 - National Periodical Publications
• Master Comics (1940 series) #4 - Fawcett Publications
• More Fun Comics (1936 series) #57 - National Periodical Publications
• Smash Comics (1939 series) #12 - Quality Comics

August

• Ace Comics (1937 series) #41 - David McKay Publications
• Action Comics (1938 series) #27 - DC Comics
• Adventure Comics (1938 series) #53 - DC Comics
• All-American Comics (1939 series) #17 - DC Comics
• Amazing Mystery Funnies (1938 series) #23 - Centaur Publications
• Detective Comics (1937 series) #42 - DC Comics
• Feature Comics (1939 series) #35 - Quality Comics
• Flash Comics (1940 series) #8 - National Periodical Publications
• Master Comics (1940 series) #5 - Fawcett Publications
• More Fun Comics (1936 series) #58 - National Periodical Publications
• Smash Comics (1939 series) #13 - Quality Comics

September

• Ace Comics (1937 series) #42 - David McKay Publications
• Action Comics (1938 series) #28 - DC Comics
• Adventure Comics (1938 series) #54 - DC Comics
• All-American Comics (1939 series) #18 - DC Comics
• Amazing Mystery Funnies (1938 series) #24, last issue - Centaur Publications
• Detective Comics (1937 series) #43 - DC Comics
• Feature Comics (1939 series) #36 - Quality Comics
• Flash Comics (1940 series) #9 - National Periodical Publications
• Master Comics (1940 series) #6 - Fawcett Publications
• More Fun Comics (1936 series) #59 - National Periodical Publications
• Smash Comics (1939 series) #14 - Quality Comics
• Superman (1939 series) #6 - National Periodical Publications

October

• Ace Comics (1937 series) #43 - David McKay Publications
• Action Comics (1938 series) #29 - DC Comics
• Adventure Comics (1938 series) #55 - DC Comics
• All-American Comics (1939 series) #19 - DC Comics
• Detective Comics (1937 series) #44 - DC Comics
• Feature Comics (1939 series) #37 - Quality Comics
• Flash Comics (1940 series) #10 - National Periodical Publications
• Master Comics (1940 series) #7 - Fawcett Publications
• More Fun Comics (1936 series) #60 - National Periodical Publications
• Smash Comics (1939 series) #15 - Quality Comics

November

• Ace Comics (1937 series) #44 - David McKay Publications
• Action Comics (1938 series) #30 - DC Comics
• Adventure Comics (1938 series) #56 - DC Comics
• All-American Comics (1939 series) #20 - DC Comics
• Detective Comics (1937 series) #45 - DC Comics
• Feature Comics (1939 series) #38 - Quality Comics
• Flash Comics (1940 series) #11 - National Periodical Publications
• Master Comics (1940 series) #8 - Fawcett Publications
• More Fun Comics (1936 series) #61 - National Periodical Publications
• Smash Comics (1939 series) #16 - Quality Comics
• Superman (1939 series) #7 - National Periodical Publications

December

• Ace Comics (1937 series) #45 - David McKay Publications
• Action Comics (1938 series) #31 - DC Comics
• Adventure Comics (1938 series) #57 - DC Comics
• All-American Comics (1939 series) #21 - DC Comics
• Detective Comics (1937 series) #46 - DC Comics
• Feature Comics (1939 series) #39 - Quality Comics
• Flash Comics (1940 series) #12 - National Periodical Publications
• Master Comics (1940 series) #9 - Fawcett Publications
• More Fun Comics (1936 series) #62 - National Periodical Publications
• Smash Comics (1939 series) #17 - Quality Comics

Specials

• All Star Comics (1940 series) #1 cover dated Summer - DC Comics
• All Star Comics (1940 series) #2 cover dated Fall - DC Comics
• All Star Comics (1940 series) #3 cover dated Winter - DC Comics
• Batman (1940 series) #1 cover dated Spring - DC Comics
• Batman (1940 series) #2 cover dated Summer - DC Comics
• Batman (1940 series) #3 cover dated Fall - DC Comics
• Mutt & Jeff (1939 series) #2 - All-American Comics
• New York World's Fair Comics (1939 series) #2 - National Periodical Publications

First issues by title

• Batman cover dated Spring, published by DC Comics.
• All Star Comics cover dated Summer, published by DC Comics.
• Doc Savage Comics published by Street & Smith Publications.
• Flash Comics cover dated January, published by National Periodical Publications.
• Master Comics cover dated March, published by Fawcett Publications.

Initial appearances by character name

• Catwoman in Batman #1 (Summer), created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane, published by DC Comics.
• The Flash (Jay Garrick) in Flash Comics #1 (January), created by Gardner Fox and Harry Lampert, published by National Periodical Publications.
• Hawkman (Carter Hall) in Flash Comics #1 (January), created by Gardner Fox and Dennis Neville, published by National Periodical Publications.
• The Joker in Batman #1 (Summer), created by Jerry Robinson (concept), Bill Finger, and Bob Kane, published by DC Comics.
• Justice Society of America in All Star Comics #3 (Winter), created by Sheldon Mayer and Gardner Fox, published by DC Comics.

References