Obscene and Indecent Publications Act

Love Was Not For Me (Approved Publications, 1955?): Magazine Management produced comics under many publisher names.

Censorship laws created a list of comic publishers in NSW between 1955 (when the Government substantially amended the Obscene and Indecent Publications Act) and the start of the 1970s (when the law was again reshaped).

The early 1950s saw restrictions on popular literature, driven by a mix of moral panic, international trends, cultural protectionism and vested corporate interests. At the opening of NSW Parliament in August 1954, the Governor told the legislators that “present legislation relating to the control of obscene and indecent publications is considered…inadequate and a measure to enable publications of this nature to be dealt with more effectively will be submitted to you.”¹

The amended law ironically came into force on April Fools' Day 1955.² Its focus was a new registration requirement that led companies, especially Gordon and Gotch, to self-censor to avoid material that could lead to deregistration. It also provided companies with an incentive to have multiple subsidiary entities for different publications so that a censorship problem with one publication did not risk the group's entire output.

Registration was simple and cheap, costing one pound in 1955 and changing to $2 in 1967.³ With specific exemptions, the law covered all companies publishing printed matter in NSW and all companies distributing printed matter in NSW, no matter what its origin (section 20(1)). It required the name of individuals, partners, trading names and addresses, with changes reported within fourteen days. It also required the companies to print details on all distributed material "in capital letters, at eight point type or larger, and located on the cover, title page or verso".⁴

Importantly, the legislation required the register to be published annual in the Government Gazette (section 21(4)-(5)). Unfortunately, the list appears to be unreliable with defunct companies kept on the list and few updates. Over time, the legislation appears to have been less rigorously enforced. It also seems likely that smaller publishers were able to fly under the radar if there were no complaints.⁵

Below is a list of all identifiable comics and comics-related publishers on the register, sorted by parent company if there is more than one entity in the publisher group.⁶

While the legislation aimed to cover comic publishers, the list is not complete. The most significant reason is that certain publications are exempted, generally on the assumption that they could not be 'obscene or indecent'. The exemptions included publications such as maps, children's activity books, cook books, music books and travel books.⁷

Beginning on 9 December 1955, a series of further publications were exempted, mainly special interest, hobby, sport and industry magazines. A number of comics gained this exemption—Walt Disney Character Magazines, The Australian Boy, The Potts Annual, and Wally and the Major Annual.

Some notable companies missing from the list are Barmor Publications Pty. Ltd., Cleveland Press companies, Crestwood Publications, Tricho Publications Pty. Ltd. and all Yaffa/Page companies.

Walt Disney Comics (WG Publications, 1946 series): All "Walt Disney Character Magazines" were exempt from registration requirements

Registered Distributors of Comics (and Comics-Related) Publications in NSW 1955-1975

Angus and Robertson

89 Castlereagh Street, Sydney; updated to 66 King Street, Sydney in 1970.

• Angus and Robertson Limited – registered 3 November 1955. Note: a book publisher that published some graphic novels.

Associated Newspapers

60-70 Elizabeth Street, Sydney; listed as 235-243 Jones Street, Broadway by 1968.

• Associated Newspapers Limited – registered 2 November 1955. Note: primarily a newspaper publisher, this company's comics were produced by Magazine Management.
• Sungravure Limited – registered 21 October 1955. Note: primarily a printer, which printed comics for other companies.

Avon

16 Bridge Street, Sydney.

• Avon Publications – registered 19 September 1955.

The Australian Boy (Standard Newspapers, 1952 series): The Australian Boy was exempt from registration requirements.

Calvert

26 Calvert Avenue, Killara.

• Calvert Publishing Co. Pty. Limited – registered 19 September 1955.

Catholic Press

104-106 Campbell Street, Surry Hills.

• The Catholic Press Newspaper Co. Limited – registered 10 November 1955.

Consolidated Press

168-174 Castlereagh Street, Sydney.

• Consolidated Press Limited – registered 6 October 1955.
• Hyde Distributing Co. Pty. Limited – registered 6 October 1955. Note: not a comic publisher, but distributed some comics
• Shakespeare Head Press Pty. Limited – registered 6 October 1955.
• Victorian Magazine Distributors Pty. Limited – registered 6 October 1955. Note: not a comic publisher, but distributed some comics.

Elmsdale

Teenage Love (Barmor, 1952 series): Barmor was never registered in NSW and had several series banned in Qld in 1954.

19 Bridge Street, Sydney.

• Elmsdale Publications Pty. Ltd. – registered 1 November 1955.

Edwards

153 Walker Street, North Sydney.

• Action Comics Pty. Ltd. – registered 31 October 1955.
• Archie Publications Pty. Ltd. – registered 31 October 1955.
• H. John Edwards Publishing Co. Pty. Ltd. – registered 31 October 1955.
• Fiction Publications Pty. Ltd. – registered 31 October 1955. Note: not currently known to be a comic publisher, but could have been the publisher of Edwards' Fiction House reprints.
• Popular Publications Pty. Ltd. – registered 31 October 1955.

Frew

70 Bathurst Street, Sydney.

• Blue Diamond Publishing Company – registered 19 September 1955.
• Frew Publications Pty. Ltd. – registered 19 September 1955.
• Magazine Enterprises – registered 19 September 1955.

15 Park Street, Sydney

• Magazine Productions Pty. Ltd. – registered 31 October 1955. Note: this address was used by Crestwood Publications, but is also used by Frew. The nature of the association is unknown.

Is My Slip Showing? (Angus & Robertson, 1959): While not generally a comic publisher, Angus & Robertson produced a classic series of Emile Mercier's cartoons.

Greendale/Fairway

17 Margaret Street, Sydney.

• Greendale Publishing Company – registered 15 September 1955.

c/- A. Jacusiel, Accountant, 76 Pitt Street, Sydney.⁸ (In the comics, listed at 17 Margaret Street, Sydney.)

• Fairway Publications Pty. Ltd. – registered 15 September 1955

Herald and Weekly Times

15 Hamilton Street, Sydney.

• Colorgravure Publications – registered 1 September 1955. Note: not a comic publisher.
• The Herald and Weekly Times Limited – registered 1 September 1955.
• Herald-Sun Readers Book Club registered 1 September 1955. Note: not a comic publisher.
• The Sun News Pictorial – registered 1 September 1955.
• United Press Book Division – registered 1 September 1955. Note: not a comic publisher.

Hollywood

66 City Road Chippendale N.S.W.

Topix (Catholic Press, 1954): Catholic Press produced only one comic series.

• Scanlen’s Food and Confectionery Co. Ltd., trading as “Hollywood Comics.” – registered 15 April 1959.

Horwitz

c/- Robt. Mitchell & Co., A.M.P. Building, 40 Miller Street, North Sydney.

• Associated General Publications Pty. Ltd. – registered 20 October 1955.
• C.B.S. Gazette Pty. Ltd. – registered 20 October 1955. Note: not a comic publisher.
• Horwitz Publications Inc., Pty. Ltd. – registered 20 October 1955.
• Maritime Press & Publishing Co. Pty. Ltd. – registered 20 October 1955. Note: not a comic publisher.
• Stag Publishing Co. – registered 9 July 1964. Note: erotic magazines, not a comic publisher.
• Town and Country Bookshop Pty. Ltd. – registered 20 October 1955. Note: not a comic publisher.
• Transport Publishing Co. Pty. Ltd. – registered 20 October 1955.

Room 2, Prudential Building, 39-49 Martin Place, Sydney; 32 Martin Place in 1968.

• Grahame Book Company Pty. Limited – registered 20 October 1955. Note: acquired by Horwitz in 1959, later published comics as the merged entity Horwitz Grahame Books Pty Ltd.

Horwitz Publications Inc. Pty. Ltd., 39 Martin Place, Sydney.

• Squire Magazines – registered 9 July 1964. Note: not a comic publisher

Invincible Press

MacDonell House, 321 Pitt Street, Sydney.

The Panther (Youngs, 1957): While Young's Merchandising ceased publication in 1963, it remained on the list of registered publishers.

• Invincible Press – registered 3 November 1955

Magazine Management

6th Floor, 149 Castlereagh Street, Sydney.

• American Medical Publications – registered 4 December 1956. Note: not a comic publisher.
• Approved Publications – registered 2 November 1955.
• Champion Publications – registered 2 November 1955.
• Hitchcock Publications – registered 4 December 1956. Note: not a comic publisher.
• Illustrations Pty. Ltd. – registered 2 November 1955. Note: this is assumed to be Illustrated Publications.
• Jubilee Publications Pty. Ltd. – registered 3 November 1955.
• The Original Novels Foundation – registered 19 June 1956. Note: not a comic publisher.
• The Red Circle Press Pty. Ltd. – registered 2 November 1955.
• Regal Publications – registered 4 December 1956.
• Rosnock Pty. Ltd. – registered 2 November 1955.

New Century Press

3 North York Street, Sydney.

• New Century Press Pty. Ltd. – registered 26 September 1955. Note: also printer for many publishers
• Northyork Publishing Co. Pty. Ltd. – registered 27 September 1955. Note: not a comic publisher.

Publishers Holdings Ltd. (KG Murray)

56 Young Street, Sydney.

• Adam Magazine Pty. Ltd. – registered 6 September 1955.
• Cavalcade Magazine Pty. Ltd. – registered 6 September 1955. Note: not a comic publisher.
• Colour Comics Pty. Ltd. – registered 6 September 1955.
• Literary Publications Pty. Ltd. – registered 6 September 1955. Note: not a comic publisher. Note: not a comic publisher.
• Man Junior Magazine Pty. Ltd. – registered 6 September 1955.
• The K. G. Murray Publishing Co. Pty. Ltd. – registered 6 September 1955.
• Man Magazine Pty. Ltd. – registered 6 September 1955. Note: not a comic publisher.
• Periodical Publications Pty. Ltd. – registered 6 September 1955. Note: not a comic publisher.
• Photoplay Magazine Pty. Ltd. – registered 6 September 1955.
• Sport Magazine Pty. Ltd. – Note: registered at 153 Walker Street, North Sydney on 31 October 1955, which seems to be incorrectly used from Edwards' publications.
• True Romance Magazine Pty. Ltd. – registered 6 September 1955. Note: not a comic publisher, but magazine issues include some comic stories.
• True Story Magazine Pty. Ltd. – registered 6 September 1955. Note: not a comic publisher.

Priscilla's Pop (Hollywood Comics, 1957?): canlen's, most known for sweets and trading cards, also traded as Hollywood Comics.

Young's Merchandising Company

5th Floor, 6 Spring Street, Sydney.

• Young’s Merchandising Company – registered 1 November 1955.

Also of interest…

81 Campbell Street, Sydney.

• Commercial Printing Company Pty. Limited — registered 4 November 1955. Note: not a comic publisher, but printed some comics.

Cnr. Clarence and Barrack Streets, Sydney.

• Gordon and Gotch (A/asia) Limited – registered 4 November 1955. Note: the dominant Australian distributor, not a comic publisher.

41 Druitt Street, Sydney

• John Sands Pty. Limited – registered 3 November 1955. Note: previously published a few comics, but probably not at this time.