WELCOME TO PS ARTBOOKS
From the company that has received plaudits from the World Fantasy, World Horror and Bram Stoker Organisations and many more, and which has consistently taken home the British Fantasy Society rosette for Best Specialist Press for seven years (before it withdrew itself from further consideration and initiated the PS Publishing Award for excellence in Specialist Publishing) comes PS Artbooks!
Yes, fourteen years and over 1000 titles in the making, PS Artbooks is a marriage of words and pictures like nothing previously available... choice volumes of artwork-based material (sometimes simply paintings or posters, sometimes the sequential work produced by the pioneers of the four-color comic industry, and sometimes an overview of the work of one artist or writer) produced in collectible but affordable limited editions designed and printed to the highest standards currently achievable in the industry.
OUR MISSION
PS Artbooks are dedicated to keeping iconic stories from the Golden Age and Silver Age of comic books alive. Our mission is restoring, reprinting and supplying the world with these incredible stories and works of art to new and old audiences alike. We want to share our passion and love for comic books with the world and introduce these stories to people who never had the luxury of reading them in their original conditions.
Our restored comics range from as early as 1938 to as late as the 1970's with an abundance of comic book legends and artists such as Steve Ditko, Jack Kirby, Mac Raboy and many more!
OUR EDITIONS
PS Artbooks' Trade Paperback Editions bring together multiple issues of classic comics in a single, affordable collection. These softcover volumes offer a convenient way to enjoy vintage stories, all beautifully restored and reprinted for modern readers. Perfect for fans and collectors alike, each edition delivers timeless artwork and storytelling in a budget-friendly format.
THE PROCESS
A PS Artbooks publication is inspired, and each started with a seed of an idea. The seed can be planted from any number of people from within or outside PS Artbooks. The next question is asked....
Just how does PS Artbooks take the planted seed and make it grow, harvest and deliver it to all the hungry eyes of the Artbook and Sequential Art marketplace?
These next three steps will hopefully tell you the story…
THE GOLDEN AGE
1938 - 1956
The Golden Age of Comic Books (1938–1956) was a groundbreaking era that gave rise not only to superheroes but to a diverse range of genres and publishers beyond DC and Marvel (then known as National and Timely). While Superman may have launched the superhero craze, the real heart of the Golden Age lay in the explosion of creativity from smaller, independent publishers who filled the newsstands with every kind of story imaginable.
Companies like Quality Comics, Fawcett Publications, Fiction House, Lev Gleason, EC Comics, and Harvey Comics flourished during this time. Fawcett's Captain Marvel (later known as Shazam) famously outsold even Superman at his peak. Quality introduced heroes like Plastic Man and The Spirit (created by Will Eisner), while Fiction House delivered action-packed adventures starring jungle queens, aviators, and space explorers—often with strong female leads like Sheena, Queen of the Jungle.
EC Comics redefined the horror and crime genres with beautifully illustrated, morally complex stories in titles like Tales from the Crypt, Crime SuspenStories, and Weird Science, pushing boundaries and influencing generations of artists and writers. Meanwhile, publishers like Lev Gleason dared to explore gritty realism in books like Crime Does Not Pay, a forerunner of the true crime genre.
Romance, war, westerns, sci-fi, and humor flourished, proving that comics were more than just capes and tights. These titles reached a broad and eager readership, with millions of copies sold every month, shaping mid-century American culture and imagination.
Though the Golden Age came to a close with the advent of the Comics Code Authority, the era's contributions from these trailblazing publishers continue to be celebrated for their artistry, innovation, and cultural impact.
THE SILVER AGE
1956 - 1970
The Silver Age of Comic Books (roughly 1956–1970) is often remembered for the superhero revival led by DC and Marvel, but beyond the big two, a rich and diverse world of comic publishing was thriving. Independent and mid-sized publishers explored bold ideas, experimental art styles, and niche genres that expanded the boundaries of the medium.
Charlton Comics carved out a unique space with its offbeat superhero, horror, and science fiction titles—books like Blue Beetle, Captain Atom, The Question, and Space Adventures brought a raw, unpolished energy that stood apart from the more polished fare of the major publishers. These characters would later be absorbed into the DC Universe, but in their original Charlton forms, they had an underground, cult-like appeal.
Gold Key Comics (an imprint of Western Publishing) was another major player, producing beautifully painted covers and publishing a wide array of titles including Doctor Solar, Magnus Robot Fighter, Turok: Son of Stone, and licensed properties like Star Trek and The Twilight Zone. Their storytelling was often more restrained and cerebral, with a focus on sci-fi, adventure, and supernatural tales.
Dell Comics, one of the best-selling publishers of the time, continued to dominate with licensed titles like Lone Ranger, Tarzan, and Uncle Scrooge, with Carl Barks' work on Disney characters becoming legendary. These all-ages books were often overlooked by superhero fans but reached a massive readership.
Warren Publishing took the spirit of pre-Code horror and revived it in magazine form to bypass the Comics Code Authority. Creepy, Eerie, and later Vampirella became havens for sophisticated horror and fantasy storytelling, with stunning artwork by legends like Frank Frazetta and Wally Wood.
Meanwhile, underground comix were just beginning to stir by the end of the Silver Age, with artists like Robert Crumb pushing comics into raw, adult, and often controversial territory—setting the stage for the revolution of the 1970s.
The Silver Age wasn't just a rebirth of superheroes—it was a golden opportunity for genre experimentation, artistic risk-taking, and the rise of publishers who dared to color outside the lines. These comics enriched the medium and offered readers something truly different from the mainstream capes and cowls.
PRE-CODE COMICS
PRE-1954
The Comic Code Authority (CCA) was established in 1954, marking one of the most dramatic turning points in the history of American comic books. It arose during a time of rising concern over juvenile delinquency and growing scrutiny of popular media, with comic books squarely in the crosshairs.
The backlash began in earnest with the publication of Dr. Fredric Wertham's controversial book Seduction of the Innocent (1954), which claimed that comic books were a leading cause of youth violence and moral corruption. Wertham particularly criticized crime and horror comics, suggesting they glamorized violence and even hinted at inappropriate themes—such as hidden sexual subtext in superhero stories and overt gore in horror tales.
The U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Juvenile Delinquency soon held public hearings, where comic publishers were grilled about their content. One moment that shocked the public came when EC Comics publisher Bill Gaines defended a story titled "Judgment Day!"—a sci-fi tale ending with the reveal that the protagonist was a Black astronaut. Although the story was a progressive commentary on racism, it was cited by the CCA as problematic, highlighting how even thoughtful narratives were stifled.
Under growing pressure, the industry created the Comic Code Authority—a self-regulatory body designed to clean up comic content. Publishers who adhered to the Code would display the official CCA seal on their covers, reassuring parents and retailers.
The CCA guidelines were strict and deeply conservative. Among many restrictions:
-
"Scenes dealing with, or instruments associated with walking dead, torture, vampires and vampirism, ghouls, cannibalism, and werewolfism are prohibited."
-
"Crime shall never be presented in such a way as to create sympathy for the criminal."
-
"Illicit sex relations are neither to be hinted at nor portrayed."
-
"In every instance good shall triumph over evil."
The impact was immediate and severe. EC Comics, known for brilliant but gruesome horror titles like Tales from the Crypt, The Vault of Horror, and Crime SuspenStories, was forced to cancel nearly all of its line. Only Mad survived, by transforming into a magazine format that didn’t require CCA approval.
Other publishers followed suit or closed down entirely. Many genres—especially horror, crime, and romance—were gutted, replaced by tamer superhero stories or humor comics. This led to a creative stagnation in the late 1950s and early 1960s, even as superheroes began their resurgence in the Silver Age.
Over the decades, the Code softened, but it remained a dominant force in shaping comic book content until the 1980s. By the early 2000s, most major publishers, including Marvel and DC, had abandoned it entirely. In 2011, the CCA was officially defunct.
Despite its restrictive nature, the CCA era is a pivotal chapter in comic book history. It stifled innovation in some areas while indirectly inspiring others to push boundaries through alternative means—such as underground comix, magazines, and eventually the rise of independent publishers. Its legacy remains a cautionary tale about censorship, creativity, and the power of storytelling.