Before focusing on superheroes, Marvel published eleven crime-related titles including Justice Comics, Official True Crime Cases, All-True Crime, Crime Cases, Crime Can't Win, Crime Must Lose, and Crime Exposed. Of these, Fantagraphics has selected Police Action which features a run of noir-ish morality plays, pitting the police against the criminal element, and was produced by the cream of the Atlas freelance roster. Rounding the volume off is Police Badge #479, a snapshot of the industry's attempts to adapt to the new Comics Code.

Creators:
Joe Maneely, Gene Colan
Joe Maneely, Gene Colan, Joe Maneely Please sign in to be able to order this item

Continuing Fantagraphics' project to reprint Marvel Comics' 1950s genre titles, this volume compiles the first of what became the industry's largest line of war books. Produced by veterans of WWII, the eight issues here feature future mainstream comics stalwarts such as Gene Colan, Russ Heath, Joe Maneely, and more. Forged in the crucible of the Korean War, and produced by veterans of the Second World War, this volume's eight issues present the brutality and grimness of armed combat by some of Atlas' most notable war artists and future comics stars including Gene Colan, Russ Heath, Joe Maneely, Dave Berg, Jay Scott Pike, Mike Sekowsky, Vern Henkel, Allen Bellman, Pete Morisi and Norman Steinberg. Propaganda abounds from the very first story, published in War Comics #1 in September 1950: "Peril in Korea," a primer explaining why the U.S. joined the conflict. Other highlights include Colan's "The Chips are Down" and "Victory," Heath's "Alone" and "No Survivors," Maneely's "Stormy Weather," Henkel's "Total Destruction," and Berg's "The Infantry's War." Originally a trial spun off from the publisher's "Men's Adventure" publications, in the nine years to follow Atlas went on to produce 533 comic book issues with war content, across 34 different titles. War Comics is where it all began, unseen in decades, scanned from the original books, restored, and packaged as one large, beautiful hardcover volume.

Creators:
Various,
Various,,

The 1950s boom in horror comics saw Atlas Comics' entrée into the genre. Beginning in March 1952, Amazing Detective Cases began detailing cases where justice was served in supernatural fashion and beginning in May 1953, the adventures in Men’s Adventures were taken over by ghosts, murderous revenge, and psychological terror. The cream of Atlas’ artistic line-up — including recent EC stars and future Marvel staples – rose to the grisly challenge of the horror genre. Each issue is crammed with four condensed tales of creeping dread, ironic comeuppance, or startling twists, all from a different artist or team.Among the short, sharp shocks included in this volume are the mini masterpieces "The Eerie Escape" by B. Krigstein, "The Torture Master!" by Russ Heath, The Drowning Witch" by Reed Crandall and "The 3rd Corpse" by Bill Everett. Stories by Gene Colan, John Romita, Joe Sinnott, Dick Ayers, Jim Mooney, Paul Reinman and George Tuska, all of whom remained through the shift to Marvel Comics, additionally fill out these issues, along with Atlas regulars Fred Kida, Mort Lawrence, Mike Sekowsky and Myron Fass. Notably included is the first appearance of "Gorilla Man" by Robert Q. Sale, a character brought back in Marvel's contemporary Agents of Atlas series, and part of their ongoing continuity.Collecting Amazing Detective Cases #11-14 and Men’s Adventures #21-26, Shiver As You Read! is a perfect companion to Adventures Into Terror, Venus, and the other titles of the Atlas Comics Library.

Creators:
Stan Lee
Bill Everett, Bill Everett