Editing Archie Comics (section)

=====1939–1946: early years=====
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[[Maurice Coyne (publisher)|Maurice Coyne]], [[Louis Silberkleit]], and [[John L. Goldwater]] formed M.L.J. Magazines, Inc., and started publishing in September 1939. The company name was derived from the initials of the partners' first names.<ref name=top>[http://arquivo.pt/wayback/20091016104033/http://www.toonopedia.com/mlj_arch.htm Archie (MLJ) Comics] at [[Don Markstein's Toonopedia]]. From the original on April 13, 2013.</ref>

Coyne served as M.L.J.'s bookkeeper and [[Chief Financial Officer|CFO]]. Coyne and Silberkleit had been partners in [[Columbia Publications]], a [[Pulp magazine|pulp]] company that published its last issue in 1960. Silberkleit had a college degree from [[St. John's University (New York)|St. John's University]], was a licensed and registered pharmacist, and had a law degree from [[New York Law School]]. His efforts were focused on the business, printing, separating, distribution and financial ends of the company. John Goldwater served as editor-in-chief. Goldwater was one of the founders of the [[Comics Magazine Association of America]], and he served as its president for 25 years. (The Comics Magazine Association of America is best known to comic fans for its [[Comics Code Authority]].) Goldwater was also a national commissioner of the [[Anti-Defamation League]].<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.nytimes.com/1999/02/28/classified/paid-notice-deaths-goldwater-john-l.html | work=The New York Times | title=Paid Notice: Deaths: Goldwater, John L. | date=February 28, 1999}}</ref>

M.L.J.'s first comic book, published in September 1939 (with a November cover date), was ''[[Blue Ribbon Comics]]'' with the first half full color and the last half in red and white tints. The first issue featured [[Rang-a-Tang the Wonder Dog]]. In November 1939 (with a January 1940 cover date), ''Pep Comics'' debuted with the [[Shield (Archie Comics)|Shield]], the first US patriotic comic book hero, created by writer and managing editor [[Harry Shorten]] and designed by artist [[Irv Novick]]. ''[[Top Notch Comics]]'' was launched in December 1941. Until March 1944, the cover feature of ''Pep'' was the Shield when Archie took over the cover. The Shield was a forerunner for [[Joe Simon]]'s and [[Jack Kirby]]'s [[Captain America]], being published 13 months earlier.<ref name=bl/><ref name=icsh>{{cite web|title=The Shield|url=http://www.internationalhero.co.uk/s/shield.htm|work=An International Catalogue of Superheroes|publisher=internationalhero.co.uk|access-date=April 19, 2013}}</ref>