Events and publications

Year overall

• Another boom year for the burgeoning American comic book industry, as Ace Comics, Columbia Comics, Farrell Publications, Holyoke Publishing, Novelty Press, and Street & Smith Comics all begin publishing.

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
• Daring Mystery Comics (1940 series) #1 - Timely Comics
• Detective Comics (1937 series) #35 - DC Comics
• Double Action Comics (1939 series) #2 - National Periodical Publications, consisting entirely of black and white reprints from early issues of More Fun Comics. How many were printed is unknown, but with only seven copies known to exist, it s the rarest DC comic book of all time.
• Feature Comics (1939 series) #28 - Quality Comics
• Flash Comics (1940 series) #1 - National Periodical Publications
• Marvel Mystery Comics (1939 series) #3 - Timely Comics
• 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
• Daring Mystery Comics (1940 series) #2 - Timely Comics
• Detective Comics (1937 series) #36 - DC Comics
• Feature Comics (1939 series) #29 - Quality Comics
• Flash Comics (1940 series) #2 - National Periodical Publications
• Marvel Mystery Comics (1939 series) #4 - Timely Comics
• More Fun Comics (1936 series) #52 - National Periodical Publications
• Smash Comics (1939 series) #7 - Quality Comics
• Whiz Comics #2, the first appearance of Captain Marvel Fawcett

Spring

• Batman (1940 series) #1 - DC 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
• Marvel Mystery Comics (1939 series) #5 - Timely Comics
• Master Comics (1940 series) #1 - Fawcett Publications
• Mystic Comics (1940 series) #1 - Timely Comics
• More Fun Comics (1936 series) #53 - National Periodical Publications
• Silver Streak Comics (1939 series) #3 title acquired by Lev Gleason 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
• Daring Mystery Comics (1940 series) #3 - Timely Comics
• Detective Comics (1937 series) #38 - DC Comics
• Feature Comics (1939 series) #31 - Quality Comics
• Flash Comics (1940 series) #4 - National Periodical Publications
• Marvel Mystery Comics (1939 series) #6 - Timely Comics
• Master Comics (1940 series) #2 - Fawcett Publications
• More Fun Comics (1936 series) #54 - National Periodical Publications
• Mystic Comics (1940 series) #2 - Timely Comics
• 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
• Daring Mystery Comics (1940 series) #4 - Timely Comics
• 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
• Marvel Mystery Comics (1939 series) #7 - Timely Comics
• More Fun Comics (1936 series) #55 - National Periodical Publications
• Smash Comics (1939 series) #10 - Quality Comics

Summer

• All Star Comics (1940 series) #1 - DC Comics
• Batman (1940 series) #2 - DC 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
• Daring Mystery Comics (1940 series) #5 - Timely Comics
• Detective Comics (1937 series) #40 - DC Comics
• Feature Comics (1939 series) #33 - Quality Comics
• Flash Comics (1940 series) #6 - National Periodical Publications
• Marvel Mystery Comics (1939 series) #8 - Timely Comics
• Master Comics (1940 series) #3 - Fawcett Publications
• More Fun Comics (1936 series) #56 - National Periodical Publications
• Mystic Comics (1940 series) #3 - Timely Comics
• 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
• Marvel Mystery Comics (1939 series) #9 - Timely Comics
• Master Comics (1940 series) #4 - Fawcett Publications
• More Fun Comics (1936 series) #57 - National Periodical Publications
• Mystic Comics (1940 series) #4 - Timely Comics
• 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
• Marvel Mystery Comics (1939 series) #10 - Timely Comics
• Master Comics (1940 series) #5 - Fawcett Publications
• More Fun Comics (1936 series) #58 - National Periodical Publications
• Red Raven Comics (1940 series) #1 - Timely Comics
• Smash Comics (1939 series) #13 - Quality Comics

Fall

• All Star Comics (1940 series) #2 - DC Comics
• Batman (1940 series) #3 - DC 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
• Daring Mystery Comics (1940 series) #6 - Timely Comics
• Detective Comics (1937 series) #43 - DC Comics
• Feature Comics (1939 series) #36 - Quality Comics
• Flash Comics (1940 series) #9 - National Periodical Publications
• Marvel Mystery Comics (1939 series) #11 - Timely Comics
• 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
• Human Torch (1940 series) #2 - Timely Comics
• Marvel Mystery Comics (1939 series) #12 - Timely Comics
• 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
• Marvel Mystery Comics (1939 series) #13 - Timely Comics
• 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

Winter

• All Star Comics (1940 series) #3 - DC Comics
• Batman (1940 series) #4 (DC Comics) first appearance of Gotham City

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
• Marvel Mystery Comics (1939 series) #14 - Timely Comics
• Master Comics (1940 series) #9 - Fawcett Publications
• More Fun Comics (1936 series) #62 - National Periodical Publications
• Smash Comics (1939 series) #17 - Quality Comics

Specials

• Mutt & Jeff (1939 series) #2 - All-American Comics
• New York World's Fair Comics (1939 series) #2 - National Periodical Publications

First issues by title

• All Star Comics, cover-dated Summer, published by All-American Publications.
• Batman, cover-dated Spring, published by DC Comics.
• Big Shot Comics, cover-dated May, published by Columbia Comics.
• Daring Mystery Comics, cover-dated January, published by Timely Comics.
• Doc Savage Comics published by Street & Smith Publications.
• Flash Comics cover dated January, published by National Periodical Publications.
• Green Hornet, cover-dated December, published by Helnit.
• Jackpot Comics, cover-dated Spring, published by MLJ Magazines, Inc.
• Master Comics, cover-dated March, published by Fawcett Publications.
• Red Raven Comics, cover-dated August, published by Timely Comics.
• Shield-Wizard Comics, cover-dated Summer, published by MLJ Magazines, Inc.
• Walt Disney's Comics and Stories, cover-dated October, published by Dell Comics.
• Wow Comics, cover-dated Winter, published by Fawcett Comics.
• Zip Comics, cover-dated June, published by MLJ Magazines, Inc.

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.
• Robin in Detective Comics #40 (June), created by Jerry Robinson (concept), Bill Finger, and Bob Kane, published by DC Comics.
• Silver Streak in Silver Streak Comics #3 (March), created by Joe Simon, published by Lev Gleason Publications.

References

fr:1940 en bande dessin e sq:1940 n strip sv:Serie ret 1940