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Crime Does Not Pay is a crime thriller comic book series published between 1942 and 1955 by Lev Gleason Publications. The series recounted the deeds of gangsters such as Baby Face Nelson and Machine Gun Kelly, often in ultra gory detail, and was the first non-humor comic to rival superhero comics in sales, and by the early 1950s, publisher Lev Gleason turned his few comic books into a publishing empire! There are those who think that a major factor in the creation of the Comics Code was specifically to put Lev Gleason and Bill Gaines (publisher of EC Comics) out of business, and if so, they succeeded! Note that the numbering continues from Silver Streak Comics (to save money on postal regulations), so the very first issue is #22.

Artist: Charles Biro

Important Added Info: Note that we have never before auctioned this comic book, which the 2023/2024 Overstreet Price Guide described as "#5 on the list of top 10 crime comics in terms of value appreciation and investment potential"!

Contents: Cover by Charles Biro. Stories and art by Rudy Palais, Dick Wood, Dick Briefer, Bob Wood, and Charles Biro. The title that launched the crime comics genre, Crime Does Not Pay was noted for its violent pre-Code content and lurid tales of underworld life. A woman is dubbed a "female Bluebeard" after doing away with her husbands, in a story with art by Dick Briefer. The story of Nolan the Notorious features early art by pioneering African-American artist Alvin Hollingsworth. The murderer of Mary Lawson is revealed by a burnt match, in a tale with art by Dick Briefer. Also featuring a vintage PSA for wartime paper drives, an early recycling program. Career of Carrington Hill; Four Crooks and a Coffin; Female Blue Beard; Murder Master; Angel Face of Crime; The Case of the Missing Monster; Nolan the Notorious; Whodunnit? Who Murdered Beautiful Mary Lawson?; A Crimebuster Special. 52 pages, Full Color. Cover price $0.10.

Please note that we don't use a "comic guide" grading system, and OUR grading scale is completely different from standard comic book grading. Our "very good" is completely different from a comic book graded "very good". Note that this comic book will be sent to the winning bidder in a brand new Mylite4 protective sleeve and a full-back 100% acid-free backing board.

Note: We have 27 images of this comic book, but due to a space limitation, only TEN of the 27 images are displayed above. However, there is a "supersize" link to the right of those images that lets you see the other 17.

Note that due to the greater interest in this comic we have pictured EVERY single page of this comic, which means that you can see EVERY defect the comic has, AND get a good sense of its condition. While we gave the comic an overall condition grade (and sometimes describe the defects in words) please rely on the actual images of the comic to help you decide what YOU think its condition is, and then bid or not bid based on what you are seeing in the images. And if you have ANY doubt as to what the condition of the comic is, or whether you want it in the condition it is is, then please do not bid, as we do not want any retracted bids or returns if at all possible. If in doubt, do not bid!.

Our address for UPS or FedEx only is:
Bruce Hershenson,
306 Washington Avenue, West Plains, MO 65775