View source for Frank Z. Temerson

{{Infobox comics creator

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| birth_name    = Frank Zelig Temerson<ref name=Saunders />
| birth_date    = {{birth date|1890|07|04}}
| birth_place   = [[Warsaw]], Poland
| death_date    = {{death date and age|1963|07|25|1890|07|04}}
| death_place   = [[Birmingham, Alabama]], U.S.
| nationality   = naturalized American
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| area          = Comic book publishing
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| notable works = {{unbulleted list| Ultem Publications | Helnit Publishing | Et-Es-Go Magazines | Continental Magazines}}
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'''Frank Z. Temerson''' (1890–1963)<ref name=Saunders>Saunders, David. [https://www.pulpartists.com/Temerson.html "FRANK Z. TEMERSON,"] Field Guide to Wild American Pulp Artists. Accessed July 15, 2018.</ref> was a comic book publisher from the [[Golden Age of Comic Books]]. Temerson's imprints included '''Ultem Publications''', '''Helnit Publishing''', '''Et-Es-Go Magazines''', and '''Continental Magazines'''.

Notable titles published by Temerson included ''Captain Aero Comics'', ''[[Cat-Man Comics]]'', and ''Suspense Comics''; notable characters included [[Cat-Man and Kitten]] and [[Miss Victory]]. [[L. B. Cole]] worked as an art director for many of Temerson's earliest comics; other notable creators associated with Temerson included [[Tony DiPreta]], [[Irwin Hasen]], [[Gil Kane]], [[Don Rico]], and Charles M. Quinlan.

Temerson often used the names of family members and associates as proxies for companies which he actually owned and operated.

== Biography ==
Temerson was born in [[Warsaw]], [[Poland]], the third child of Jacob (a [[dry goods]] merchant) and Mindel Temerson. In 1892, when Frank was two years old, his family moved to the United States, settling in [[Birmingham, Alabama]]. Frank's parents subsequently had four additional children, including Frank's younger sisters Esther, Goldie, and Ethel. The family were members of Birmingham's [[Temple Emanu-El (Birmingham, Alabama)|Temple Emanu-El]] [[synagogue]], whose founding president was  businessman, poet, and humanitarian [[Samuel Ullman]].<ref name=Saunders />

Temerson finished school after the eighth grade, going to work at his father's dry goods store. In 1913, despite never having gone to high school or college, Temerson was enrolled at the [[Chattanooga College of Law]], which was not an accredited law school but which offered courses in legal studies. In 1914 Temerson was working as a "lawyer" (although he never graduated from the Chattanooga College of Law or passed the state bar exam).<ref name=Saunders /> Temerson worked as an attorney in Birmingham for a couple of years before moving to [[Detroit]] in 1917. Shortly thereafter he registered with the draft board (where he was described as "short, stout, with brown eyes, brown hair, and partly bald").<ref name=Saunders /> Temerson served overseas with the Army during [[World War I]] from 1918 to 1919.<ref name=Saunders />

Returning to Birmingham after the war, he soon connected with his old synagogue's president's nephew, I. W. (Isaac Wise) Ullman (1873–1947), who was also in the distribution business. Temerson and Ullman became business partners, moving into [[pulp magazine]] printing and distribution. Companies they jointly owned, under the name '''Ultem Publications''' (a combination of the first syllables from both names, Ullman and Temerson),<ref name=Saunders /> included Vamos Color Printing and Inspirational Publications. By 1935, Ultem was headquartered in New York City, at 381 Fourth Avenue, and in 1937 the company was located at 404 Fourth Avenue. Ultem published ''Modern Movies'', ''Movie Stars Handies'', ''Movie Humor'', ''High Heel Magazine'', and ''Silk Stocking''.<ref name=Saunders />

In 1937, Ultem moved into the burgeoning comic book business. That year Ultem bought out [[Harry "A" Chesler]]'s comic book titles ''Star Comics'' and ''Star Ranger''. In September 1937, Ultem acquired the [[Comics Magazine Company]]'s titles ''Funny Pages'' and ''Funny Picture Stories'', retaining Chesler as the packager for both his own previous titles and the two that were continued from the Comics Magazine Co.<ref name=gcd-ultem>[http://www.comics.org/publisher/7631/ "Ultem (1937-1938)] at the [[Grand Comics Database]]</ref> Financial difficulties forced Ultem to sell some of its properties, including [[The Clock (comics)|The Clock]], to [[Everett M. "Busy" Arnold]]'s [[Quality Comics]]. By January 1938, Ultem was bought out by [[Centaur Publications]].

Beginning in  1939, Temerson went solo, publishing comics during the period 1939–1941 under the names '''Tem Publishing''',<ref>[http://www.comics.org/publisher/129/indicia_publishers/ Temerson / Helnit / Continental indicia publishers] at the Grand Comics Database</ref>  '''Nita Publishing''', and, most prominently, '''Helnit Publishing'''. Helnit published six issues of ''[[Green Hornet|Green Hornet Comics]]'', with the writing attributed to [[Fran Striker]], starting in December 1940. Assets from Helnit — including the [[superhero]] series ''[[Cat-Man and Kitten|Cat-Man Comics]]'' and the [[war comics]] series ''Captain Aero Comics'' — were acquired by [[Holyoke Publishing]] in late 1941, with comics [[cover-date]]d January 1942<ref name=catman>[http://www.comics.org/series/255/ ''Cat-Man Comics'' (Holyoke, 1942 Series)] at the Grand Comics Database</ref> and February 1942.<ref name=aero>[http://www.comics.org/series/269/ ''Captain Aero Comics'' (Holyoke, 1942 Series)] at the Grand Comics Database</ref> Temerson's staff, including artist Charles Quinlan, continued to produce both series.<ref name=gcd-holyoke>[http://www.comics.org/publisher/92/ "Holyoke (1942-1946)] at the [[Grand Comics Database]]</ref>

In 1943, the two titles acquired from Heinit reverted to Temerson's new company '''Et-Es-Go Magazines''' (likely named after Temerson's younger sisters Ethel, Esther, and Goldie),<ref name=Saunders /> which soon transitioned to '''Continental Magazines'''. Pioneering female publisher, editor, and cartoonist [[Ray Herman]] started her career as an assistant to Temerson in 1943.<ref name="herman">[http://www.bailsprojects.com/bio.aspx?Name=HERMAN,+RAE "Rae Herman,"] ''Who's Who of American Comic Book Artists, 1928–1999.'' Accessed Sept. 23, 2017.</ref> Other titles published by Temerson in the period 1943–1946 were ''Suspense Comics'' and ''Terrific Comics''.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.bipcomics.com/showcase/logos/index.cfm?data=continental |title=BIP Comics: Publisher Insignia and Indicia Data - Continental |access-date=2018-07-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110724151310/http://www.bipcomics.com/showcase/logos/index.cfm?data=continental |archive-date=2011-07-24 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Some sources indicate Temerson was behind '''Continental Publications''' in 1950.<ref>[https://www.comics.org/publisher/129/ "Temerson / Helnit / Continental: 1940 - 1950,"] Grand Comics Database. Accessed July 16, 2018: "''Foodini'', apparently published by 'Continental Publishing' from the same address used by Continental Magazines, Inc. This has not been verified from actual copies, but the link seems strong enough to include this series here."</ref>

Temerson died in 1963 at age 73.

== Comic book titles published ==
* ''[[Captain Aero Comics]]'' [Helnit, Et-Es-Go, Continental Magazines] (14 issues, Dec. 1941–Aug. 1946) — published by [[Holyoke Publishing]] in 1942–1943
* ''Captain Fearless Comics'' [Helnit] (2 issues, Aug.–Sept. 1941)
* ''[[Cat-Man Comics]]'' [Helnit, Et-Es-Go, Continental Magazines] (21 issues, May 1941–Aug. 1946) — published by [[Holyoke Publishing]] in 1942–1943
* ''Crash Comics Adventures'' [Tem] (5 issues, May–Nov. 1940)
* ''Foodini'' [Continental Publications] (4 issues, March–Aug. 1950)
* ''Funny Pages'' [Ultem] (5 issues, Sept. 1937–Jan. 1938) — taken over from [[Comics Magazine Company]]; continued by [[Centaur Publications]] 
* ''Funny Picture Stories''  [Ultem] (5 issues, Sept. 1937–Jan. 1938) — taken over from [[Comics Magazine Company]]; continued by [[Centaur Publications]]
* ''[[Green Hornet|Green Hornet Comics]]'' [Helnit] (6 issues, Dec. 1940–Aug. 1941) — continued by [[Harvey Comics]]
* ''Star Comics''  [Ultem] (3 issues, Oct./Nov. 1937–Jan. 1938) — taken over from [[Harry "A" Chesler|Chesler/Dynamic]]; continued by [[Centaur Publications]]
* ''Star Ranger''  [Ultem] (3 issues, Oct./Nov. 1937–Jan. 1938) — taken over from [[Harry "A" Chesler|Chesler/Dynamic]]; continued by [[Centaur Publications]]
* ''Suspense Comics'' [Et-Es-Go Magazines, Continental Magazines] (12 issues, Dec. 1943–Sept. 1946)
* ''Terrific Comics'' [Et-Es-Go Magazines, Continental Magazines] (6 issues, Jan–Nov., 1944)
* ''Whirlwind Comics'' [Nita] (3 issues, June–Sept. 1940)

== Comic book characters published by Temerson companies ==
* Alias X
*[[Captain Aero]]
* Captain Fearless
*[[Cat-Man and Kitten|Cat-Man]]
** [[Cat-Man and Kitten|Kitten]] 
*Commandos of the Devil Dogs
*Deacon
* Flagman
*[[Hood (Holyoke)|The Hood]] (unrelated to Marvel Comics' [[Hood (comics)|Hood]])
*[[Miss Victory]]<ref name=gcd>[http://www.comics.org/details.lasso?id=1574 Grand Comics Database: ''Captain Fearless'' #1] at the [[Grand Comics Database]]</ref>
*Pied Piper (published by Helnit and Holoyoke only)
*Ragman (unrelated to [[DC Comics]]' [[Ragman (comics)|Ragman]])
*Solar (last published by Holyoke before Temerson reclaimed characters)

== See also ==
* [[Holyoke Publishing]]

== References ==
=== Notes ===
{{reflist}}

=== Sources consulted ===
{{refbegin}}
* {{gcdb publisher|id=7631|title=Ultem}}
* {{gcdb publisher|id=129|title=Temerson / Helnit / Continental}}
* {{comicbookdb|type=publisher|id= 743 |title=Continental Magazines}}
{{refend}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Temerson, Frank Z.}}
[[Category:1890 births]]
[[Category:1963 deaths]]
[[Category:American magazine founders]]
[[Category:Comic book company founders]]
[[Category:Comic book publishers (people)]]