Centaur Publications

One of the earliest American comic book publishers, Centaur Publications was born through the amalgamation of several lesser companies.

One, Comics Magazine Company Inc, named after the first title it launched, began publishing in May 1936. They have the distinction of publishing the first masked comic book hero (though there had been masked heroes prior to this, they hadn't been in American comics), the Clock, in November 1936. Meanwhile Star Comics was launched in February 1937 by Harry A.Chesler (who would later launch Dynamic Comics). Star Comics was soon bought out by Ultem Publications; Comics Magazine Company Inc followed suit in September 1937, bringing both former lines under the Ultem banner.However Ultem soon ran into problems of its own; it sold some of its products, including the Clock, to Quality Comics (who began appearing in his new home in December 1937), but by January 1938 they were bought out entirely. The new owners, Joe Hardie and Fred Gardner, used this base to create Centaur Comics, which began publishing in March of 1938. Four years later, in 1942, they ceased publication, mainly due to poor distribution, but in that brief period they created several colourful characters.

The Centaur characters have apparently moved into the public domain. In the early 1990's Malibu Comics used the characters as the basis of a new hero team (and short-lived line of comics), the Protectors, while a few years later A.C. Comics began reprinting many of the Golden Age stories.

Thanks to Chris Carroll for corrections.

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