MAPLE LEAF PUBLISHING Co. Location: 849 Homer Street, Vancouver.
Contributor: Bert Bushnell, Derrick, Ley Fortune, Hall & Walker, Hal Kerr, Vernon Miller, Vim Pearson, Ted Ross, Jon Stables,
Character: Bill Speed, Black Out Patrol, Brok Windsor, Circus Girl, Deuce Granville, Honourable Freddy, Iron Man, Professor Miles & Bobby, Rags, Rocket Man, Señorita Marquita, Tiger Tex,
Feature: Astounding Facts Denny’s Page: We the Readers get together with Denny, Flags Contest, Magic For Everyone, Odd Facts, Pen Pal’s Page, Prize Puzzle Page, Prize Winner’s Page, “Well Want Do You Know: Questions & Answers.
Maple Leaf of Vancouver launched its first title Better Comics in February/March 1941, initially the interior was in colour but then changed to black & white. It was followed by Lucky Comics, June/July 1941, then Bing Comics and Rocket Comics both November/December 1941.
At the beginning of 1946, with American coloured comics entering the market, Maple Leaf Publishing made a short attempt to publish coloured interiors but returned to black & white possibly because the expense was too great for their sales volume, since the effort appeared to be technically successful. Maple Leaf Publications ended production with the Bing Bang issue November December 1946.
Just before the end, Harry Smith organized Maple Leaf Syndicate to sell Maple Leaf Publishing characters like Callaghan and “Bill Speed” as strips to newspapers. It was an effort like to Ted McCall’s attempt to syndicate “Freelance”. The attempt was not successful. As far as is known the only paper to accept a Maple Leaf Syndicate character was The Coastal Weekly News, which published “Bill Speed”.
PRODUCT:
PERIODICAL GRAPHIC ANTHOLOOGY:
Better Comics, Editor, Vernon Miller. Colour cover, black & white interior. | |||
2-1, Apr.-May 1942.
2-5, Dec.-Jan.1942. |
3-2, Feb.-Mar. 1944.
3-6, Oct.-Nov. 1944. 3-7, Dec.-Jan. ‘44/’45. |
4-8, Feb.-Mar. 1945.
5-9, Apr.-May 1945. 5-10, June – July 1945. |
6-1, Aug.-Sept. 1945. |
Big Bang Comics, Colour cover, black & white interior. | ||||
Lucky Comics, Colour cover, black & white interior. | |||
1-6, Feb./Mar. 1942.
2-2, Feb./Mar. 1943. |
2-4, June/July 1943.
4-1, Aug./Sept. 1944. |
4-2, Oct./Nov. 1944.
4-3, Dec./Jan. 1945. |
6-1, June/July 1946. |
Rocket Comics, Colour cover, black & white interior. | |||
1-4 May-June 1942.
1-5 July-Aug. 1942. 1-8 Jan.-Feb. 1942. |
2-10 Sept.-Oct. 1944. | 3-1 Nov.-Dec. 1944. | 5-4 May-June 1945.
5-5 July-Aug. 1945. 5-6 Sept.-Oct. 1945. |
SOURCE:
Article book:
Guardians of the North: The National Superhero in Canadian Comic-Book Art Writ., Writ., John Bell. National Archives of Canada, 1992. A catalogue for the exhibit of the same name.
Brok Windsor 1944-1946. Ed., Hope Nicholson. Bedside Press, 2015: “The John St. Ables Story”. Peter Hansen: 216-223. “The Maple Leaf Publications Comics” Writ., Ivan Kocmarek: viii-xi