Turok
During the 1930s through the 1960s, Dell Comics was primarily known as a publisher of creations from Disney, King Features, Warner Bros, and licenses from other media. One of the most enduring of Dell's original creations is Turok, Son of Stone. Turok first appeared in 1954 in Four Color Comics #596 (a collection series that included Woody Woodpecker). In 1956, Turok got his own series.
Turok and his friend Andar fall into a large valley surrounded by impassable cliffs. Various types of dinosaurs inhabit the valley. For a quarter of a century, we read about their attempts to escape from the valley.
Like most of Dell's titles, Turok was published under the name of Western Printing and Publishing, the owner of Turok. In 1962, Western ended its relationship with Dell and started Western's label, Gold Key Comics. The first Gold Key issue of Turok was #30 (1962). The series concluded with #130 (1982).
Western Printing and Lithographing exited the comic industry in 1984. The rights to Turok (and also to Dr. Solar) were sold to Valiant.
Solar
Gold Key Comics introduced its first new original hero in October 1962 (cover date).
After being disintegrated in a nuclear accident, the hero, Dr. Phillip Solar (a scientist), successfully reintegrated himself. Initially, he wore his regular civilian clothing during his adventures, emitting a green glow to indicate his superpowers.
It wasn't until #5 that he donned his superhero costume. The series ended in 1969.
Magnus
Inspired by Edgar Rice Burroughs, Russ Manning created a futuristic Tarzan: Magnus, Robot Fighter, 4000 AD. Raised and trained by robot 1A, Magnus could easily defeat steel villains with his bare hands. He had a built-in transmitter in his head to intercept robot-to-robot signals.
The first issue was in February 1963.
Magnus did well during the heyday of superheroes but declined afterward. Manning's last issue was #21. In the 1970s, sporadic issues were still published. In 1977, at #46, they threw in the towel.
Samson
In 1964, the series Mighty Samson began. It was the only post-apocalyptic series of that time in the 1960s. Samson was a solitary warrior in the jungle/city of N'Yark, filled with various radioactive mutated creatures and people. Samson was also a mutant, large and strong thanks to radioactivity.
The series ran until 1969, continued briefly in the mid-1970s, and had its final issue in 1982. In total, the series consisted of 32 issues.
Robinsons
In December 1962, one of Gold Key Comics' most well-known and long-running series began: Space Family Robinson.
It is claimed that Carl Barks suggested the idea of setting the Swiss Family Robinson (Disney film) in space.
Father and scientist Craig, scientific mother June, son Tim, daughter Tam, dog Clancy, and parrot Yakker lived in the year 2002 (!!) on space station K-7, which was hurled far into the universe by a cosmic storm. Throughout the series, they tried to find their way back home.
In 1965, the TV series Lost in Space began, secretly based on the comic but with different names for the main characters. Gold Key didn't pursue legal action but happily profited from it.
With #15 (January 1965), they changed the name of the series to "Space Family Robinson Lost in Space."
The comic outlasted the TV series and ran until #36 (October 1969). Four years later, they returned as "Space Family Robinson on Space Station One," continuing until November 1978.
In total, 59 issues were published.
The Legal Stuff: All pictures, logos and characters are Trademarks of their respective owners and are used without permission. Use of said trade marks, characters and logos does not constitute a violation of statutory rights, since they are not used for commercial purposes. Users of this site are requested to respect this tenet.