David McKay Company

David McKay Company
Biographical information
Founded:	1882
Country:	USA / English
Website:	{{{Website}}}

David McKay Publications (also known as David McKay Company) was an American book publisher which also published some of the first comic books, including the long-running titles such as "Ace Comics", "King Comics" and "Magic Comics" as well as collections of such popular comic strips as "Blondie", "Dick Tracy", and "Mandrake the Magician". McKay was also the publisher of the Fodor's travel guides.

History

David McKay was born in Dysart, Scotland, on June 24, 1860 and came to the United States with his parents in 1871. He began working for J. B. Lippincott & Co., learning the bookselling trade, before to be placed in charge of the catalog of books by publisher Rees Welsh who later was offered to sell his publishing firm to McKay.

In September 1882, after borrowing money, he began his own publishing company in Philadelphia and published the first collected set of Shakespeare’s works in the United States before to absorb many rival publishing houses into his own and having published in almost every popular genres.

In 1935, the company recognized the potential of the comic book medium and began selling collections of such popular strips as "Henry" and "Popeye". In 1936 they began publishing collections of "King Features Syndicate" strips in "King Comics", and in 1937 followed with the "Ace Comics" with the first appearance of "The Phantom" in comic-book domain.

McKay’s son Alexander would follow in his father’s shoes by taking over the house to go on to publish Walt Disney’s first "Mickey Mouse" comics, the "Blondie" and Dagwood comic series. David McKay Publications ceased publishing comics in 1950.

David McKay publications with Mandrake

Title	Years
King Comics	1936-1949
Magic Comics	1939-1949
Feature Book	1937-1948

Various Documentation

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