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Publisher: Bell Features
Years in Operation: 1941 - 1953
Disclose Detail
Country: Flag Canada Web Site: Brands: 12 Indicia Publishers: 3 Series: 259 Printings: 1084 (1079 Issues) Disclose Notes: Company known as Commercial Signs of Canada from 1939-1942, though their first comics weren't published until 1941. Canadian Golden-Age publisher of original material and then of reprints of American comics from various publishers.

Bell's output can be divided into 4 time periods.

The first, and arguably the most important, period is from 1941 to early 1946. During this time Bell produced 100% Canadian comics, known popularly as Canadian Whites (even though a few of the early ones were actually in full colour).

The second period is a very short time in 1946 when Bell was producing comics for the British market. These normally had an original Canadian cover with a reprint of a contemporary U.S. comic inside.

After this was the third period where Bell reprinted U.S. comics with covers from the U.S. comics themselves. Comics from Archie, Marvel, Quality and other U.S. publishers were common. Sometimes the comic being reprinted had the correct cover, sometimes it didn't. This period was from approximately 1948 to 1951.

The fourth period is after 1951. Bell continued to reprint U.S. comics but mostly under different titles and covers from the original U.S. comics. Splash pages were modified to serve as covers or illustrations from one company were combined with logos from another and some of the titles and logos from the Canadian Whites were revived.

Besides a few of the very early Canadian Whites, a few of the British exports and a couple of the earliest U.S. reprints, Bell did not include dates in the comics. The estimated dates are based, primarily, on the earliest possible date based on what is being reprinted. The estimated dates of other issues in the series are also taken into account as well as the existence of date stamps. It is quite possible that some comics were actually published months or even a year or two after our estimated date.
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Series Name Years in Print Issues (Printings)
4Most {Comic Books} 1949 - ? 3
Ace Comics {Comic Books} 1950 - ? 0
Active Comics {Comic Books} Disclose
Note: The first three issues were published under 'Commercial Signs of Canada' name. Issues #1 to #28 of this series contain original Canadian created content and are classed as 'Canadian White' editions. Issues #29 and #30 date from 1946 and contain U.S. reprints in colour, but with original covers. The series restarts circa 1950, ignoring previous numbering (#96 is currently the earliest known) consisting entirely of reprints of U.S. comics, also in colour. Other issues may exist.
1942 - 1950 38
Adventures of the Dover Boys [Archie Series] {Comic Books} Disclose
Note: Canadian reprint of Archie series. Series name may actually be Archie Series, as the numbering of other Bell Features comics with the same "brand" appears scattered.
1950 - 1
All Great {Comic Books} Disclose
Note: Canadian reprint of Fox comics: Zago, Jungle Prince (Fox, 1948 series). Possibly includes other unrelated comics.
1949 - ? 2
All Top {Comic Books} 1952 - 2
All True Crime Cases Comics {Comic Books} Disclose
Note: Canadian edition of Marvel comic: All True Crime Cases (Marvel, 1948 series). "All-True Crime Cases" (with a hyphen and no "Comics") on cover and "All True Crime Cases Comics" (without a hyphen and with "Comics") in indicia.
1948 - 1949 11
Amazing Animals {Comic Books} 1951 - 1951 4
Amazing Mysteries {Comic Books} Disclose
Note: Canadian reprint of Marvel comic: Amazing Mysteries (Marvel, 1949 series). Other issues may exist. Note that the US series continued the numbering of Sub-Mariner (Marvel, 1941 series) and that the Sub-Mariner comics were published in Canada by Superior Publishing Limited. It is possible that this series belongs under Superior instead.
1949 - 3
Amazing Spy Adventures {Comic Books} 1951 - 4
Amazing Western Adventures {Comic Books} 1952 - 1952 3
Animal 'Ventures {Comic Books} Disclose
Note: Canadian reprint of U.S. comic.
1952 - 1952 2
Animal Toons {Comic Books} 1952 - 1
Annie Oakley Comics {Comic Books} Disclose
Note: Canadian reprint of Marvel comic: Annie Oakley (Marvel, 1948 series). Other issues may exist.
1948 - 2
Archie Comics {Comic Books} Disclose
Note: Canadian reprint of Archie comic: Archie Comic (Archie, 1942 series). Other issues may exist.
1948 - 1950 16
Archie's Girls, Betty and Veronica {Comic Books} Disclose
Note: Other issues likely exist. Canadian reprints of US comic.
1950 - 3
Archie's Pal Jughead Comics {Comic Books} 1949 - 3
Archie's Rival Reggie {Comic Books} Disclose
Note: Canadian reprint of American Archie comic. Possibly part of a larger series called "Archie Series". Indicia for issue 20 seen does not have comic title, but cover has both Archie's Rival Reggie and Archie Series.
1950 - 4
Asia {Comic Books} Disclose
Note: Canadian reprint of US comic.
1948 - 3
Astonishing {Comic Books} Disclose
Note: Canadian reprint of Marvel comics: Astonishing (Marvel, 1951 series) and possibly others. Other issues may exist.
1951 - 4
Astounding Jungle Adventures {Comic Books} 1950 - 1
The Barker {Comic Books} 1950 - ? 1
Best Love {Comic Books} 1951 - 5
Best Western {Comic Books} 1949 - 3
Black Rider {Comic Books} 1950 - 1951 6
Blackhawk {Comic Books} Disclose
Note: Canadian reprints of Quality Comics comic: Blackhawk (Quality Comics, 1944 series). Other issues likely exist. Also see Skyhawk (Bell Features, 1950 series) for other (probably later) Canadian reprints of Blackhawk.
1949 - 1950 9
Blonde Phantom Comics {Comic Books} Disclose
Note: Canadian reprint of Marvel comic: Blonde Phantom Comics (Marvel, 1946 series).
1948 - 1949 6
Boots & Saddle {Comic Books} Disclose
Note: Canadian reprints of U. S. Marvel (Timely/Atlas) comics. Other issues may exist.
1951 - 5
Boy's Adventure {Comic Books} 1950 - ? 1
Boy's Adventures {Comic Books} 1950 - 2
Broadway Romances {Comic Books} Disclose
Note: Canadian edition of the Quality comics title.
1950 - 2
Bronco Busters {Comic Books} 1950 - 3
Buccaneers {Comic Books} Disclose
Note: Apparently issues match the US Quality, 1950 series where Canadian #1 is US #19, Canadian #3 is US #21, etc. Issue and date range yet to be determined.
1950 - 5
Campus Comics {Comic Books} Disclose
Note: Canadian reprints of American comics.
1950 - 5
Campus Loves {Comic Books} 1950 - ? 3
Candy {Comic Books} Disclose
Note: Canadian reprint of Quality Comics: Candy (Quality Comics, 1947 series). Other issues may exist.
1949 - 1949 3
Captain Science {Comic Books} 1950 - 1
Cartoon Capers {Comic Books} Disclose
Note: Canadian reprint of Marvel series: My Friend Irma (Marvel, 1950 series) Also reprints from one of the following for at least the cover of issue 24: Frisky Animals (Star Publications, 1951 series) Jo-Jo Comics (Fox, 1946 series) Ribtickler (Fox, 1949 series)
1951 - 3
Cartoon Funnies {Comic Books} 1948 - ? 3
Casey - Crime Photographer {Comic Books} Disclose
Note: Canadian reprint of Marvel comic: Casey - Crime Photographer (Marvel, 1948 series). Other issues may exist. US series continued as Two Gun Western, which was also reprinted by Bell Features.
1949 - 3
Circus of Fun {Comic Books} 1950 - 1
Colossal Comics {Comic Books} Disclose
Note: Six random Bell Features comics bound into one-volume. Contents vary.
1945 - 5
Colossal Comics {Comic Books} Disclose
Note: All issues may have been published simultaneously since the back cover ads on issues 2 and 6 include other issues as being on sale at the same time. Each issue has a cover logo as well as the Collosal Comics one. There is no book name in the indicia. Canadian reprints of contemporary American comics.
1951 - 8
Comedy {Comic Books} Disclose
Note: Reprints of American comics.
1950 - 3
Comic Crimes {Comic Books} Disclose
Note: Produced in Canada for distribution in the United Kingdom.
1946 - 2 (4)
Comic Toons {Comic Books} 1949 - 3
Commando Comics {Comic Books} 1942 - 1946 22
Congo {Comic Books} Disclose
Note: Canadian reprints of various Fox jungle comics including All Top Comics (Fox, 1946 series) and Jungle Lil (Fox, 1950 series). Other issues may exist.
1949 - 1952 3
Corral Comics {Comic Books} Disclose
Note: Canadian reprints of U.S. comics.
1951 - 4
Cowboy 'Ventures {Comic Books} 1951 - 1
Cowboy Romances {Comic Books} 1950 - ? 1
Cowboy Trails {Comic Books} 1949 - 1951 5
Crack Adventures {Comic Books} 1952 - 1952 4
Crack Western {Comic Books} 1950 - 1951 6
Crimefighters Comics {Comic Books} Disclose
Note: Canadian reprint of Marvel comic: Crimefighters (Marvel, 1948 series). Other issues may exist. Issues 1,3,4 have cover logo as Crimefighters. Issues 5-8 have cover logo as Crime Fighters. Issue 9 has cover logo as Crime-Fighters. Indicia on issue #7 reads "Crimefighters Comics".
1948 - 1949 8
Darling Love {Comic Books} Disclose
Note: Canadian reprint of US series: Darling Love (Archie, 1949 series). Other issues likely exist.
1949 - 1950 4
Darling Romance {Comic Books} Disclose
Note: Canadian imprint of an Archie (MLJ Publications; Close-Up) publication.
1950 - 4
Diary Loves {Comic Books} Disclose
Note: Other issues may exist. Canadian reprint of Quality series. Issue 7 seen on eBay in June 2008 (cover matches issue 7 of US series).
1950 - 4
Dime Comics {Comic Books} 1942 - 1952 34 (35)
Dime Comics {Comic Books} Disclose
Note: Copyright date listed as 1946. Cover says New Dime Comics, but the indicia says Dime Comics. Comic lists United Kingdom distribution by World Distributors, Inc, Manchester (England). This matches several other 1946 titles Bell also distributed to the UK market. So this appears to be a continuation of the Dime Comics (Bell Features, 1942 Series), though a later issue #30 would be published by Bell circa 1950.
1946 - 1
Doll Man {Comic Books} Disclose
Note: Canadian reprint of Quality Comics comic: Doll Man (Quality Comics, 1941 series). Other issues may exist.
1949 - 1950 11
Egbert {Comic Books} Disclose
Note: Reprint of Quality Comics comic.
1949 - 1
Elsie the Cow Comics {Comic Books} 1950 - 3
F.B.I. Comics {Comic Books} 1946 - 1
Feature Comics {Comic Books} Disclose
Note: Canadian reprint of U.S. comic: Feature Comics (Quality, 1939 series). Other issues may exist.
1949 - 1950 10
Flaming Love {Comic Books} 1949 - ? 2
Forbidden Love {Comic Books} Disclose
Note: Canadian reprints of Quality Comics comic: Forbidden Love (Quality Comics, 1950 series).
1950 - 1950 2
Frankie and Lana Comics {Comic Books} Disclose
Note: Canadian reprint of Marvel comic: Frankie and Lana Comics (Marvel, 1948 series). Other issues may exist. The US series continued its numbering from Frankie Comics which was also reprinted by Bell. Unknown at this time if all issues exist to connect the two series in Canada as well.
1949 - 3
Frankie Comics {Comic Books} Disclose
Note: Canadian reprint of Marvel comic: Frankie Comics (Marvel, 1946 series). Other issues may exist. The US series continues as Frankie and Lana Comics which Bell also reprinted. Unknown if all issues exist to connect the series together.
1948 - 2
Frankie Fuddle {Comic Books} Disclose
Note: Canadian reprint of Marvel comic: Frankie Fuddle (Marvel, 1949 series). Other issues may exist. The US comic continues its numbering from Frankie and Lana Comics which was also reprinted by Bell Features. Unknown at this time if all the issues exist in Canadian editions to link the two series up.
1949 - ? 1
The Frontier Marshal {Comic Books} Disclose
Note: Canadian reprints of American comics. Years of publication are estimated based on original publication dates.
1951 - 1952 4
Fun Parade {Comic Books} 1952 - 1952 3
Fun Parade Comics {Comic Books} 1952 - 1952 1
The Funny Comics {Comic Books} Disclose
Note: All issues feature Dizzy Don; issues #1 to #4 as 'Dizzy Don Detective'
1942 - 1946 20
Gallant {Comic Books} 1951 - 1952 6
Georgie and Judy {Comic Books} 1949 - ? 1
Georgie Comics {Comic Books} Disclose
Note: Canadian reprint of Marvel series.
1950 - 1951 9
Ginger {Comic Books} 1952 - ? 1
Girl Comics {Comic Books} Disclose
Note: Canadian reprint of Marvel comic: Girl Comics (Marvel, 1949 series). Other issues likely exist.
1949 - 1951 5
The Gunhawk {Comic Books} Disclose
Note: Canadian reprint of Marvel comic: The Gunhawk (Marvel, 1950 series). Other issues likely exist.
1950 - 1951 4
Guns Over the Prairies {Comic Books} Disclose
Note: Cover of #10 states "replacing Comic 'Toons" but the numbering is not continued.
1951 - 1951 1
Heart Throbs {Comic Books} Disclose
Note: Canadian reprint of U.S. comic series: Heart Throbs (Quality Comics, 1949 series). Other issues likely exist.
1949 - 1950 4
Hedy De Vine {Comic Books} 1949 - ? 2
Hedy of Hollywood {Comic Books} 1950 - ? 2
Henry {Comic Books} Disclose
Note: Canadian reprint of Dell series.
1953 - 1
Hi-Comics {Comic Books} Disclose
Note: Canadian reprint of Marvel comics.
1951 - 4
Hickory {Comic Books} Disclose
Note: Canadian reprint of Quality comic: Hickory (Quality, 1950 series). Other issues may exist.
1950 - 3
Hit Comics {Comic Books} Disclose
Note: Canadian reprint of U.S. comic: Hit Comics (Quality Comics, 1940 series). Other issues may exist.
1950 - 4
Hollywood Diary {Comic Books} Disclose
Note: Canadian reprint of U.S. series: Hollywood Diary (Quality, 1949 series). Other issues may exist.
1950 - 4
Hollywood Secrets {Comic Books} Disclose
Note: Canadian reprint of American (Quality Comics) series. Other issues may exist.
1950 - 3
Honeymoon Romances {Comic Books} 1952 - 1952 2
Humdinger {Comic Books} 1950 - 2
Indian Fighter {Comic Books} Disclose
Note: Canadian reprint of Youthful comic: Indian Fighter (Youthful, 1950 series). Some previous issues were reprinted in Canada by Export Publishing.
1951 - 1
It's a Duck's Life {Comic Books} Disclose
Note: Canadian reprint of It's a Duck's Life (Marvel, 1950 series).
1951 - 2
Jeanie Comics {Comic Books} Disclose
Note: Canadian reprint of Marvel comic: Jeanie Comics (Marvel, 1947 series). Other issues may exist.
1948 - 2
Jet-Man Comics {Comic Books} Disclose
Note: Canadian edition reprint of U.S. Punch Comics (Chesler/Dynamic, 1941 Series) #16 (January 1946, 36 pages), with an original cover by Fred Kelly. Most copies have a diamond shaped '1/- World Dist. Inc' price label affixed (World Distributors; UK Shilling), as this comic was to be sold in United Kingdom, in immediate post World War II period (1939-1945). See also Jetman (Bell Features, 1951? series).
1946 - 1
Jetman {Comic Books} Disclose
Note: see also Jet-Man Comics (Bell Features, 1946 series)
1951 - 1952 4
Jo-Jo {Comic Books} 1949 - 1949 2
Johnny Canuck {Comic Books} 1946 - 2
Joke Comics {Comic Books} Disclose
Note: Issues #27 & #28 are not listed in John Bell's Canuck comics; the former was spotted on eBay in July 2009 by Dennis Ray.
1942 - 1946 28

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