1940 in comics

==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
===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
* 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
===June===
* June 2: first publication of Will Eisner's "The Spirit Section", featuring debuts of the series The Spirit, Lady Luck and Mr. Mystic.
* 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
===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
===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===
* All Star Comics (1940 series) #1 cover dated Summer - DC Comics
* All Star Comics (1940 series) #2 cover dated Fall - DC Comics
* All Star Comics (1940 series) #3 cover dated Winter - DC Comics
* Batman (1940 series) #1 cover dated Spring - DC Comics
* Batman (1940 series) #2 cover dated Summer - DC Comics
* Batman (1940 series) #3 cover dated Fall - DC Comics
* Mutt & Jeff (1939 series) #2 - All-American Comics
* New York World's Fair Comics (1939 series) #2 - National Periodical Publications
==First issues by title==
*Batman cover dated Spring, published by DC Comics.
*All Star Comics cover dated Summer, published by DC Comics.
*Doc Savage Comics published by Street & Smith Publications.
*Flash Comics cover dated January, published by National Periodical Publications.
*Master Comics cover dated March, published by Fawcett Publications.
==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, created by Jerry Robinson (concept), Bill Finger, and Bob Kane, published by DC Comics.
==References==
Category:1940