TRAILER MOVIE COMIC VOL. 1 NO. 1 - WHISPERING SMITH - PARAMOUNT PICTURES - CIRCA 1940S

OVERVIEW:
A RARE AUSTRALIAN-PRINTED MOVIE COMIC ADAPTATION FEATURING THE PARAMOUNT PICTURES FILM 'WHISPERING SMITH' STARRING JACK HOLT, BRENDA MARSHALL, AND ROBERT PRESTON. THIS IS VOLUME 1, NUMBER 1 OF THE TRAILER MOVIE COMIC SERIES, PUBLISHED BY THE MARKET PRINTERY IN SYDNEY. THE COMIC REPRESENTS A FASCINATING INTERSECTION OF HOLLYWOOD CINEMA PROMOTION AND AUSTRALIAN PUBLISHING DURING THE 1940S, WHEN SUCH TIE-IN PUBLICATIONS WERE USED TO PROMOTE MAJOR FILM RELEASES TO LOCAL AUDIENCES.

SPECIFICATIONS:
- TITLE: TRAILER MOVIE COMIC VOL. 1 NO. 1
- FEATURED FILM: WHISPERING SMITH (PARAMOUNT PICTURES)
- CAST: JACK HOLT, BRENDA MARSHALL, ROBERT PRESTON
- PUBLISHER: THE MARKET PRINTERY PTY. LTD., 372A PITT STREET, SYDNEY
- COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: AUSTRALIA
- PERIOD: CIRCA 1940S
- FORMAT: SADDLE-STITCHED COMIC BOOK FORMAT
- COVER PRICE: 6 PENCE (VISIBLE ON FRONT COVER)
- PAGES: ILLUSTRATED THROUGHOUT WITH COLOUR LITHOGRAPHIC PRINTING

THE COVER FEATURES VIBRANT ORANGE AND CREAM TONES WITH PERIOD ARTWORK DEPICTING A DRAMATIC WESTERN SCENE WITH MOUNTED COWBOYS AND ACTION SEQUENCES. THE MASTHEAD DISPLAYS CHARACTERISTIC 1940S TYPOGRAPHY WITH DECORATIVE WHEEL MOTIFS FLANKING THE TITLE. ADDITIONAL CONTENT INCLUDES 'THE MOVIE REPORTERS' EDITORIAL SECTION FEATURING DOREEN AND PETER, AND PROMOTIONAL MATERIAL FOR OTHER PARAMOUNT PICTURES RELEASES INCLUDING 'A YANKEE IN KING ARTHUR'S COURT,' 'STREETS OF LAREDO,' 'SORROWFUL JONES,' 'ALIAS NICK BEAL,' AND 'BRIDE OF VENGEANCE.'

THE BACK COVER CONTAINS THE PUBLISHER'S MARK AND THE TAGLINE 'IF IT'S A PARAMOUNT PICTURE, IT'S THE BEST SHOW IN TOWN,' REFLECTING THE STUDIO'S MARKETING CONFIDENCE OF THE ERA.

CONDITION ASSESSMENT:
FAIR CONDITION CONSISTENT WITH AGE. THE COVER EXHIBITS EXPECTED WEAR FROM EIGHT DECADES OF STORAGE, INCLUDING SURFACE CREASING, FOXING, AND NATURAL COLOUR FADING. THE SPINE SHOWS CREASING FROM HANDLING AND STORAGE. INTERIOR PAGES REMAIN INTACT AND FULLY READABLE. THE SADDLE-STITCH BINDING IS SECURE. PAPER IS AGED AND BRITTLE BUT STRUCTURALLY SOUND WITH NO TEARS OBSERVED. THIS IS AN AUTHENTIC PERIOD ARTEFACT SHOWING GENUINE USE AND AGE RATHER THAN RESTORATION OR ARTIFICIAL AGEING.

SIGNIFICANCE:
THIS COMIC REPRESENTS A RARE SURVIVING EXAMPLE OF AUSTRALIAN-PRODUCED CINEMA TIE-IN PUBLISHING FROM THE 1940S. THE MARKET PRINTERY'S PRODUCTION OF SUCH MATERIALS DEMONSTRATES THE LOCAL PUBLISHING INDUSTRY'S ENGAGEMENT WITH HOLLYWOOD PROMOTION DURING THE POST-WAR PERIOD. THE PRESENCE OF 'THE MOVIE REPORTERS' SECTION WITH NAMED COLUMNISTS DOREEN AND PETER SUGGESTS THIS WAS PART OF A BROADER EDITORIAL VENTURE, MAKING SURVIVING COPIES INCREASINGLY SCARCE. AUSTRALIAN-PRINTED MOVIE COMICS OF THIS ERA ARE SELDOM ENCOUNTERED IN THE MARKET, MAKING THIS AN IMPORTANT PIECE OF AUSTRALIAN PUBLISHING AND CINEMA HISTORY.

Item Size: Height: 20cm, Width: 18cm, Depth: 2cm, Weight: 0.3Kg

Condition: Fair

656544+16

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