The Atlas Comics Library No. 10: Sports Action (The Fantagraphics Atlas Comics Library)

Baseball, boxing, football ― Marvel honored every sport by rendering short graphic biographies of the most prominent athletes of the time, including Sugar Ray Robinson, Knute Rockne, and Jackie Robinson― in the never-before-collected Sports Action.

In the summer of 1949, Marvel decided to bring its successful sports pulps to the Atlas comic-book line, launching Sport Stars #1, which became Sports Action with its second issue, the same name as one of his most successful sports pulps of the 1930s.

Across fourteen tumultuous issues, the artistic cream of the Timely/Atlas crop (Syd Shores, Joe Maneely, Bill Everett, Bob Powell, Gene Colan, George Tuska, Bernard Krigstein, and others) told biographical stories about sports heroes of the 1930s and 1940s in all the major sports: Knute Rockne (football), Hack Wilson (baseball), Man O’War (horse racing), Herman Sandow (physical culture), Bronco Nagurski (football), Ralph Kiner (baseball), Phil Rizzuto (baseball), Warren Spahn (baseball), Sugar Ray Robinson (boxing), Jackie Robinson (baseball), and Niles Kinnick, the 1939 Heisman Trophy winner of the Iowa Hawkeyes, among a score of others!

These never before collected stories add to the historical Timely/Atlas tapestry, providing another window into the variety and breadth of Marvel’s early history.

Full-color illustrations throughout

Bernard Krigstein (1919–1990) was trained as a classical painter, but early on he recognized the artistic potential of the comics medium. He worked for major publishers including Harvey, Fawcett, Atlas (Marvel) and National (DC), in 1952 he moved to EC Comics, where his work is widely recognized as among the most innovative in comics history.

Joe Maneely (1926–1958) blazed a trail through Marvel’s 1950s comic books that is unsurpassed in both quantity and quality. Maneely was revered as a lightning-fast talent, and he launched most of Marvel’s character features during that time, excelling at every genre ― westerns, horror, humor, and war. He is best remembered today for his signature character, The Black Knight. Maneely’s career was tragically cut short in June 1958 when, at the age of 32, he accidentally fell between the cars of a moving commuter train.

Eugene Jules Colan (1926-2011) illustrated many war comics for both Timely/Atlas and DC Comics. He flourished after Atlas became Marvel, with notable stints plotting and drawing on Daredevil and Captain America in the 1960s, before co-authoring Howard The Duck with Steve Gerber and Tomb of Dracula with Marv Wolfman.

Russell Heath Jr. (1926–2018) was an American artist best known for his comic book work, particularly his DC Comics war stories and his 1960s art for Playboy magazine's "Little Annie Fanny" feature. Heath was inducted into the Will Eisner Comic Book Hall of Fame in 2009.

Bernard Krigstein (1919–1990) was trained as a classical painter, but early on he recognized the artistic potential of the comics medium. He worked for major publishers including Harvey, Fawcett, Atlas (Marvel) and National (DC), in 1952 he moved to EC Comics, where his work is widely recognized as among the most innovative in comics history.. Joe Maneely (1926–1958) blazed a trail through Marvel’s 1950s comic books that is unsurpassed in both quantity and quality. Maneely was revered as a lightning-fast talent, and he launched most of Marvel’s character features during that time, excelling at every genre ― westerns, horror, humor, and war. He is best remembered today for his signature character, The Black Knight. Maneely’s career was tragically cut short in June 1958 when, at the age of 32, he accidentally fell between the cars of a moving commuter train.. Eugene Jules Colan (1926-2011) illustrated many war comics for both Timely/Atlas and DC Comics. He flourished after Atlas became Marvel, with notable stints plotting and drawing on Daredevil and Captain America in the 1960s, before co-authoring Howard The Duck with Steve Gerber and Tomb of Dracula with Marv Wolfman.. Russell Heath Jr. (1926–2018) was an American artist best known for his comic book work, particularly his DC Comics war stories and his 1960s art for Playboy magazine's "Little Annie Fanny" feature. Heath was inducted into the Will Eisner Comic Book Hall of Fame in 2009.