View source for Harvey Comics

{{short description|American comic book publisher}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Harvey Comics
| logo = Harvey Joker Head II.svg
| logo_size = 250px
| logo_caption = Logo used as of 1994
| former_name = Harvey Publications
| type = 
| slogan = 
| predecessor = Brookwood Publications
| foundation = {{start date and age|1941}}
| founder = [[Alfred Harvey]]
| defunct = {{end date and age|2002}}
| fate = Folded Into [[The Harvey Entertainment Company]]
| location = [[New York City]], [[New York (state)|New York]], U.S.
| parent = [[DreamWorks Classics]] ([[NBCUniversal]])
| owner = 
| industry = [[Comic books]]
| homepage = 
| successor = [[The Harvey Entertainment Company]]
}}

'''Harvey Comics''' (also known as '''Harvey World Famous Comics''', '''Harvey Publications''', '''Harvey Comics Entertainment''', '''Harvey Hits''', '''Harvey Illustrated Humor''', and '''Harvey Picture Magazines''') was an American [[comic book]] [[publisher]], founded in [[New York City]] by [[Alfred Harvey]] in 1941, after buying out the small publisher '''Brookwood Publications'''<!--boldface per WP:R#PLA-->. His brothers, Robert B. and Leon Harvey, joined shortly after. Though the company was founded to publish original comics, by the 1950s, it was focused on licensed content, largely from [[Paramount Pictures]]' ''[[Noveltoons]]'' series. The artist [[Warren Kremer]] was closely associated with the publisher. 

Harvey Comics' most notable characters are [[Casper the Friendly Ghost]] and [[Richie Rich (character)|Richie Rich]]. Harvey's [[mascot]] is named Joker, a [[harlequin]] [[jack-in-the-box]] character. Originally, he was the mascot of the cartoon shorts series ''[[Noveltoons]]'', which originated many of Harvey Comics' key characters; he also appeared as a cameo in the ending scene of the film ''[[Who Framed Roger Rabbit]]'', alongside many other famous cartoon characters.

==History==
{{more citations needed|section|date = November 2019}}
Harvey Comics was founded by the Harvey brothers—Alfred, Leon and Robert—in the 1940s after first acquiring an existing—faltering—title from Brookwood Publications, ''Speed Comics''. The title's headliners were [[Shock Gibson]] and [[Captain Freedom]], a patriotic hero like The Shield. Harvey added more anthologies, including Champion Comics and Pocket Comics. From the new titles only one would stay around for a while: [[Black Cat (Harvey Comics)|The Black Cat]], a Hollywood starlet-superhero, which was published into the 1950s.<ref name=dmt>{{cite web|last1=Markstein|first1=Don|title=Harvey Comics|url=http://toonopedia.com/harvey.htm|website=Don Markstein's Toonopedia|publisher=Don Markstein|access-date=August 5, 2016}}</ref>

Harvey began a shift to licensed characters when in 1942 it took over as the radio hero [[Green Hornet]]'s publisher from Holyoke after six issues. Harvey added additional titles, such that most of their titles were licensed. Licensed characters included [[Joe Palooka]], [[Blondie (comic strip)|Blondie]], [[Dick Tracy]], and other newspaper strip characters.<ref name=dmt/>

The company ultimately became best known for characters it published in comics from 1950s onward, particularly those it licensed from the animation company [[Famous Studios]], a unit of [[Paramount Pictures]], starting in 1951.<ref>{{Cite web |last=B. |first=Cat |date=October 25, 2024 |title=Nostalgic Showcase Presents: Harvey Comics/Famous Studios! |url=https://blogs.westlakelibrary.org/2024/10/nostalgic-showcase-presents-harvey-comics-famous-studios/ |website=Westlake Porter Public Library}}</ref> These include [[Little Audrey]], [[Casper the Friendly Ghost]], [[Baby Huey]], and [[Herman and Katnip]].<ref name=dmt/> Harvey also licensed popular characters from newspaper [[comic strips]], such as ''[[Mutt and Jeff]]'' and ''[[Sad Sack]]''.<ref>Mike Kelley. ''Minor histories: Statements, Conversations, Proposals'', [[The MIT Press]], 2004, p. 19 n. 4. {{ISBN|0-262-61198-8}}, {{ISBN|978-0-262-61198-5}}</ref> In addition, Harvey developed such original properties as [[Richie Rich (comics)|Richie Rich]], [[Little Dot]]<ref name=dmt/> and [[Little Lotta]].
While the company tried to diversify the comics it published, with brief forays in the 1950s and 1960s into superhero, suspense, horror, western and other forms in such [[imprint (trade name)|imprints]] as [[Harvey Thriller]] and [[Thrill Adventure]], [[children's literature|children's comics]] were the bulk of its output.

In July 1958,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://cartoonresearch.com/index.php/paramount-cartoons-1958-59/|title=Paramount Cartoons 1958–59 |publisher=Cartoon Research |access-date=April 23, 2017}}</ref> Harvey purchased the October 1950–December 1959 Famous Studios cartoons (including character rights and rights to the cartoon shorts, but excluding [[Popeye the Sailor (film series)|Popeye]]). The Famous cartoons were repackaged and distributed to [[television]] as [[The Harveytoons Show|Harveytoons]], and Harvey continued production on new comics and a handful of new cartoons produced for television. [[Casper the Friendly Ghost]], who had been Famous' most popular original character, now became Harvey's top draw. Associated characters such as [[Spooky the Tuff Little Ghost]], The [[Ghostly Trio]], Casper's horse Nightmare, [[Hot Stuff the Little Devil]], and [[Wendy the Good Little Witch]] were added to the Harvey line. In 1963, when Paramount entered into a $78,000 agreement with Harvey to produce ''[[The New Casper Cartoon Show]]'', they also sold their pre-March 1962 library of cartoons to Harvey for $1.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://cartoonresearch.com/index.php/paramount-cartoons-1963-64/|title=Paramount Cartoons 1963–64 |publisher=Cartoon Research |access-date=October 18, 2024}}</ref>

===1980s decline and sale===
By the early 1980s, [[Marvel Comics]] was in negotiations with Harvey Comics to assume publication of some of their characters. Harvey editor [[Sid Jacobson]], along with the other Harvey staff, were interviewed by Mike Hobson, Marvel's group vice-president of publishing (de facto publisher). As part of the process, Jacobson created several new characters which were well received by Hobson and effectively sealed the deal. Marvel Editor-in-Chief [[Jim Shooter]] appointed editor [[Tom DeFalco]] as executive editor to coordinate with the Harvey staff, who were hired by Marvel. On the day Marvel was set to take over the Harvey publications, Harvey Comics pulled out of the deal due to an internal disagreement among the two remaining Harvey brothers, Alfred and Leon. Harvey would cease publishing its comics in [[1982 in comics|1982]].<ref name=bi77>{{cite journal|last1=Ceimcioch|first1=Marck|title=Marvel for Kids: Star Comics|journal=Back Issue!|date=December 2014|issue=77|url=http://issuu.com/twomorrows/docs/backissue77preview/21?e=2241656/9118616|access-date=November 20, 2014}}</ref>

In summer 1984, [[Steve Geppi]] (owner of [[Diamond Comic Distributors]] and [[Geppi's Comic World]]) paid $50,000 for, among other properties, Harvey's entire archive of original art from the Harvey comic ''[[Sad Sack]]''. Geppi made this agreement with [[Steve Harvey (comics)|Steve Harvey]], who at the time was president of Harvey Publications Inc., as well as president of '''Sad Sack Inc.''', a wholly owned subsidiary of Harvey Publications, Inc.<ref name="Geppi">"Newswatch: Geppi: I Had Legal Title to Both the Pre and Post-1955 Harvey Original Art", ''The Comics Journal'' #229 (December 2000), pp. 7–8.</ref>

In 1985 the Marvel imprint [[Star Comics]] published a title called ''[[Royal Roy]]''. Harvey sued Star for copyright infringement, claiming that Roy was a blatant copy of [[Richie Rich (comics)|Richie Rich]].<ref>"Harvey Sues Marvel Star Comics, Charges Copyright Infringement", ''The Comics Journal'' #105 (Feb. 1986), pp. 23–24.</ref> Veteran Harvey writer-artist Lennie Herman had created ''Royal Roy'' for Star Comics. Herman died in 1983<ref>"Harvey Veteran Lenny [''sic''] Herman Dies", ''The Comics Journal'' #87 (December 1983), p. 21.</ref> before the first issue of ''Royal Roy'' was published. The ''Royal Roy'' comic ended after six issues and the lawsuit was dropped.<ref name=bi77/>

In 1986, Harvey resumed publication<ref>"From the Ashes: Charlton and Harvey to Resume Publishing This Spring", ''The Comics Journal'' #97 (April 1985), pp. 15–16.</ref> under the leadership of Alan Harvey (Alfred's oldest son), focusing on a few core titles, [[digest size|digests]], and reprints.

In 1987, Harvey sued [[Columbia Pictures]], for $50 million, claiming that the ghost in the logo of the film ''[[Ghostbusters]]'' was too reminiscent of [[Ghostly Trio|Fatso]] from the Casper series. The court ruled in Columbia's favor,<ref>"Harvey Loses $50 Million Ghostbusters Suit to Columbia Pictures", ''The Comics Journal'' #117 (September 1987), p. 21.</ref> due to Harvey's failure to renew the copyrights on early Casper stories and the "limited ways to draw a figure of a cartoon ghost".

===Later History===
{{main|The Harvey Entertainment Company}}
In 1989, Harvey Comics was sold to Jeffrey Montgomery's HMH Communications and was renamed as [[The Harvey Entertainment Company|Harvey Comics Entertainment]], later named The Harvey Entertainment Company.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-08-09-fi-182-story.html|title=Reviving Classics: A young entrepreneur has big plans for an old comic book publisher.|last=WHITE|first=GEORGE|date=1989-08-09|work=Los Angeles Times|access-date=2018-12-19|language=en-US|issn=0458-3035}}</ref> located in [[Santa Monica, California]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.circlesmagazinelasvegas.com/2016/05/12/isssue-23-circles-magazine-tribute-to-harvey-comics/|title=Isssue #23 – Circles Magazine Tribute To Harvey Comics|date=2016-05-12|website=Circles Magazine Las Vegas|language=en-US|access-date=2018-12-19}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1994/07/06/obituaries/alfred-harvey-comics-publisher-80.html|title=Alfred Harvey; Comics Publisher, 80|agency=Associated Press|date=1994-07-06|work=The New York Times|access-date=2018-12-19|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> Under the new ownership, the company emphasized on re-syndicating their properties for both television and in press.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Comics through Time: A History of Icons, Idols and Ideas|publisher=ABC-CLIO|year=2014|isbn=978-0313397516|editor-last=Booker|editor-first=M. Keith|pages=613}}</ref>

Following the initial wave of syndicating the Harvey catalogue, Harvey began producing their own original programs including ''[[The Baby Huey Show]]'' and ''[[Richie Rich (1996 TV series)|Richie Rich]]'', as well as producing feature-length films under an agreement with [[Universal Pictures]], including ''[[Richie Rich (film)|Richie Rich]]'' and ''[[Casper (film)|Casper]]'', later outsourcing the production of [[direct-to-video]] material for both franchises over to [[Saban Entertainment]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Harvey announces video deals - UPI Archives |url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/1996/05/29/Harvey-announces-video-deals/7782833342400/ |access-date=August 15, 2024 |website=UPI |language=en}}</ref>

Montgomery was ousted from the company in March 1998, and following various acquisitions and expansions to add content outside of the Harvey Classics including the purchase of [[PM Entertainment]], Harvey was close to going into liquidation. In February 2001, The Harvey Entertainment Company announced that it would sell the entire Harvey catalogue over to [[Classic Media]],<ref>Arnold, Mark. "Blood and Thunder: Harvey Seeks SWM W/$$$", ''The Comics Journal'' #230 (February 2001), p. 3.</ref> a deal of which would close by June 2001.<ref>{{Cite web|last=DiOrio|first=Carl|date=2001-05-10|title=Harvey sale a Classic|url=https://variety.com/2001/film/news/harvey-sale-a-classic-1117799021/|access-date=2021-12-25|website=Variety|language=en-US}}</ref>
<ref>Janoff, Barry. [http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising/harvey-sells-casper-changes-classic-brand-name-50098 "Harvey Sells Casper, Changes Classic Brand Name"], ''[[Adweek]]'', June 26, 2001. [https://web.archive.org/web/20101012020214/http://www.allbusiness.com/marketing-advertising/4114775-1.html WebCitation archive].</ref>

The rights to [[Sad Sack]], [[Black Cat (Harvey Comics)|Black Cat]], and certain other Harvey characters are still owned by Alan Harvey, and have been published under the names of '''Lorne-Harvey Publications''' and '''Re-Collections'''. In late 2000, Alan Harvey sued Steve Geppi over his 1984 acquisition of the ''Sad Sack'' original art,<ref>Dean, Michael. "Newswatch: Sad Sack vs. Steve Geppi", ''The Comics Journal'' #228 (November 2000), p. 35.</ref> charging that Geppi had plundered Harvey's warehouses.<ref>Dean, Michael. "Newswatch: Geppi Accused of Plundering Harvey Warehouse", ''The Comics Journal'' #229 (December 2000), pp. 5–6.</ref> Geppi countersued, claiming that he had legal title to the original art.<ref name="Geppi" /> The suit was settled in late 2002; at the time of the settlement, the [[New York Supreme Court]] had dismissed Harvey's claims against Geppi. The settlement agreement allowed Geppi to keep the art, with no money changing hands.<ref>Dean, Michael. "Newswatch: Sad Sack Suit Against Geppi; Countersuit Settled", ''The Comics Journal'' #249 (December 2002), p. 28.</ref><ref>[http://www.icv2.com/articles/news/1528.html "Geppi and Harvey Settle Suit Over Sad Sack Art"], ICv2.com (June 19, 2002).</ref>

== Distribution of cartoons ==
{{unreferenced section|date = December 2010}}
For years, the television distribution rights to the ''Harveytoons'' library were licensed to [[Worldvision Enterprises]]. Worldvision would hold distribution rights to many earlier [[Famous Studios]] cartoons (plus most of the cartoons by [[Fleischer Studios]]) for a short time, until being absorbed by the [[Paramount Television|television division]] of [[Paramount Pictures]], which originally distributed the cartoons.

[[Universal Pictures|Universal Studios]], which owns the pre-1950 Paramount sound features through its [[Universal Television|television division]], once held video rights to the Harvey-owned cartoons, until 2001 when Classic Media obtained the animated catalog. In 2016, rights to the Harvey Comics properties returned to Universal when they acquired Classic Media's parent company, [[DreamWorks Animation]], who later produced ''Harvey Street Kids'' (later renamed ''[[Harvey Girls Forever!]]'') based on Harvey Comics characters.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Comcast |date=28 April 2016 |title=NBCUniversal Announces DreamWorks Animation Acquisition |url=https://corporate.comcast.com/news-information/news-feed/nbcuniversal-announces-dreamworks-animation-acquisition |access-date=30 April 2025 |website=Comcast}}</ref>

==Harvey characters==
<!--
[[Image:Casper-theresgoodboostonight1948.jpg|thumb|250px|right|Harvey's character [[Casper the Friendly Ghost]] in ''There's Good Boos To-Night'' (1948).]]
-->

===Harvey Girls===
* [[Little Audrey]]
* [[Little Dot]]
* [[Little Lotta]]

=== Casper and his friends ===
* [[Casper the Friendly Ghost]]
* [[Spooky the Tuff Little Ghost]]
* Pearl ("Poil") (Spooky's girlfriend)
* The [[Ghostly Trio]]: Stretch, Fatso and Stinkie (Casper's uncles, originally as Lazo and Fusso)
* [[Nightmare the Galloping Ghost]] (Casper's horse)
* [[Hot Stuff the Little Devil]]
* Princess Charma (Hot Stuff's girlfriend)
* Aunt Clinker (Hot Stuff's aunt)
* [[Wendy the Good Little Witch]]
* Witch Sisters: Thelma, Velma and Zelma (Wendy's aunts)

===Richie Rich and his friends===
* [[Richie Rich (comics)|Richie Rich]], the Poor Little Rich Boy
* Reginald "Reggie" Van Dough Jr. (Richie's antagonistic cousin)
* Cadbury (Richie's butler)
* Mr. Rich (Richie's father)
* Mrs. Rich (Richie's mother)
* [[Richie Rich (comics)#Richie's friends|Mayda Munny]]
* Gloria Glad (Richie's girlfriend)
* Irona (Richie's robot maid)
* Dollar (Richie's dog)
* Freckles and Pee-Wee (Richie's best friends)
* [[Jackie Jokers]] the Clown Prince of Show Biz
* Billy Bellhops
* Timmy Time

===Other characters===
* [[Baby Huey]]
* [[Boys' Ranch]] (created and owned by [[Joe Simon]] and [[Jack Kirby]])
* [[Bunny (Harvey Comics)|Bunny]] (teen girl)
* [[Buzzy the Crow]]<ref name=toonopedia-buzzy>[http://toonopedia.com/buzzycro.htm Buzzy the Crow] at [[Don Markstein's Toonopedia]]. [https://archive.today/20150405221724/http://toonopedia.com/buzzycro.htm Archived] from the original on April 5, 2015.</ref>
* [[The Cowsills]] (based on the rock group)
* Flat-Top
* [[Herman and Katnip]]
* Mama Duck (Baby Huey's mother)
* Mazie
* Melvin (Little Audrey's boyfriend)
* [[Modern Madcaps]] (assorted characters)
* [[New Kids on the Block]] (based on the boy band)
* Papa Duck (Baby Huey's father)
* Rags Rabbit
* [[Sad Sack]]
* [[Stumbo the Giant]]
* Tommy Tortoise and Moe Hare


[[Category:American mascots]]

==Harvey superheroes==
===Golden Age===
* [[Black Cat (Harvey Comics)|Black Cat]] (owned by the Harvey estate, not to be confused with the [[Black Cat (Marvel Comics)|Marvel Comics character of the same name]])
* Black Orchid (not to be confused with the [[Black Orchid (character)|DC Comics character of the same name]])
* Blazing Scarab
* Blonde Bomber
* [[Captain 3-D]] (owned by Simon and Kirby)
* [[Captain Freedom]]
* Clown
* Firebrand (not to be confused with the [[Firebrand (DC Comics)|DC Comics character of the same name]])
* Fly-Man (created by [[Sam Glanzman]])
* Girl Commandoes (a multinational team of women soldiers consisting of two American (Captain Pat Parker aka War Nurse and Penelope "Penny" Kirk), one British (Lieutenant Ellen Billing), one Russian (Tanya) and one Chinese (Mei Ling) introduced in Harvey's Speed Comics; they were portrayed fighting Nazi and Japanese soldiers in World War II).
* [[Shock Gibson]]
* Barry Kuda
* Human Meteor
* Neptina
* Night Hawk
* Pat Parker
* Phantom Sphinx
* Red Blazer
* Red Demon
* Scarlet Arrow
* Scarlet Nemesis
* Scarlet Phantom
* [[Spirit of '76 (Harvey Comics)|Spirit of '76]]
* Spitfire (Mahon)
* Stuntman (owned by [[Joe Simon]] & [[Jack Kirby]])
* White Mask
* Zebra

===Silver Age (Harvey Thriller)===
* [[Bee-Man]]
* Captain Flower
* [[Fighting American]] (a revival of the [[Prize Comics]] character, owned by [[Joe Simon]] & [[Jack Kirby]])
* Fruitman (owned by Warren Harvey)
* Glowing Gladiator
* Jack Q. Frost
* [[Jigsaw (Harvey Comics)|Jigsaw]] (owned by [[Joe Simon]])
* Magic Master
* Man in Black
* Miracles, Inc
* Pirana (owned by [[Joe Simon]])
* Sooper Hippie
* [[Spyman]] (owned by [[Joe Simon]])
* Tiger Boy (owned by [[Joe Simon]])
== Titles ==
{{Main article|List of Harvey Comics publications}}

==See also==
* [[List of television series and films based on Harvey Comics publications]]

== References ==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==Further reading==
* {{Cite book|title=The Best of The Harveyville Fun Times!|last=Arnold|first=Mark|author-link= Mark Arnold (historian)|year=2006|isbn=9781847283689|publisher=[[Lulu.com]]}}{{self-published source|date=February 2020}}
* {{Cite book|title=The Harvey Comics Companion|last=Arnold|first=Mark|year=2017|isbn=9781629331737|publisher=BearManor Media}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}

* [https://www.comics.org/publisher/76/ Harvey Comics] at [[Grand Comics Database]]
* [http://www.toonopedia.com/harvey.htm Toonopedia: Harvey Comics]

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[[Category:Harvey Comics| ]]
[[Category:American companies established in 1941]]
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