The story of Classics Illustrated is long and filled with the drama and adventure that made Classics Illustrated comics a household name. To find out how Albert Kanter took the remains of the Gilberton Corporation, a business that made chemistry sets, and made it into the large, successful publishing company that produced hundreds of much-loved books, we recommend you read Classics Illustrated: A Cultural History, Second Edition (2011, rev. 2017) © 2011 by William B. Jones Jr., and published by McFarland & Company, Inc. This book encompasses all the titles, the artists and other colorful characters involved in creating the books, and the evolution of the brand that started in the early 1940’s and continues to the present. It’s an indispensable reference for collectors, and an interesting perspective on part of comic book history.

In 1967, Gilberton sold the rights to the Classics Illustrated family of books to the Frawley Corporation. After publishing Classics Illustrated on its own, in the late 1980’s Frawley licensed the rights to publish Classics Illustrated to First Publishing, Inc. who, along with The Berkley Publishing Group, produced 27 iconic CI titles – some new, and some reimagined versions of Gilberton titles.

First Classics, Inc. was formed in 1989 to take over management of the Classics Illustrated rights licensed to First Publishing by the Frawley Corporation.

In 2002 First Classics enlisted Jack Lake Productions of Canada to produce Classics Illustrated and Classics Illustrated Junior books based on the original Gilberton lineup, many of them beautifully remastered by JLP.

In 2011 First Classics purchased the rights to the Classics Illustrated family of books from Frawley Corporation. Press Release

In 2020 First Classics and Jack Lake Productions settled their long-running dispute over the rights to Classics Illustrated. Some main outcomes of the settlement were that Jack Lake Productions and the artists involved with the CI book remastering will be cited in books that use the remastered art, and reaffirmation of First Classics as the rights holder to Classics Illustrated. Press Release

Through the years, First Classics has had the pleasure of working with Trajectory, Inc. to license Classics Illustrated throughout the world, and also to create and make available many titles in the Classics Illustrated family of books in ebook format.

In English printed format, First Classics is proud to have Classic Comic Store of the UK keeping the flame alive by publishing stunning versions of a large share of the Classics Illustrated lineup.

Other companies licensed by First Classics continue to publish Classics Illustrated in other languages, carrying on the tradition of bringing fine literature to young readers throughout the world.

Bradford W. Berger

President

First Classics, Inc.