A Legacy of Adventure, Imagination, and Innovation

Gold Key Comics was founded in 1962 by Western Publishing, marking the start of a new era in comic book storytelling. Emerging from the golden age of newsstand comics, Gold Key became known for its vivid painted covers, high production values, and unforgettable stories that captured the imagination of generations.

From the beginning, Gold Key carved its own path — publishing both original creations and licensed adventures inspired by film and television. Titles such as Magnus, Robot Fighter, Doctor Solar, Man of the Atom, and Turok, Son of Stone stood alongside beloved adaptations of Star Trek, The Twilight Zone, Dark Shadows, and Tarzan. These comics defined a visual style and tone that were uniquely Gold Key: cinematic, colorful, and boldly imaginative.

The Golden Era (1960s–1970s)

During the height of its influence, Gold Key published hundreds of titles across genres — from sci-fi and adventure to westerns and mysteries. Its partnership with entertainment giants like Disney, Hanna-Barbera, Warner Bros., and King Features made it one of the most widely read publishers in the world.

The company’s signature painterly cover art became iconic, gracing newsstands with scenes of drama and wonder that stood out from every other comic of the day. For readers, a Gold Key cover meant imagination delivered.

Transitions and Transformation (1980s–2000s)

As the comic industry shifted toward superheroes and the direct market, Gold Key’s print presence waned. By 1984, Western Publishing had exited comics altogether, but the Gold Key name — and its characters — continued to live on.

In the decades that followed, Valiant Comics, Dark Horse, Dynamite Entertainment, and others licensed and reimagined Gold Key heroes for new generations. Turok became a video game icon. Magnus and Solar found new life in modern storylines. The brand’s impact never faded — it simply evolved.

The Modern Revival (2020s and Beyond)

In 2021, a new team of creators and entrepreneurs formed Gold Key Entertainment LLC, reclaiming the historic Gold Key name and trademark. Their mission: to revive the spirit of the original Gold Key — visionary, creative, and creator-driven — for a new era of readers.

Through projects like Boris Karloff’s Gold Key Mysteries, developed in partnership with the Boris Karloff Estate, and other upcoming original titles, Gold Key once again champions stories that blend classic imagination with contemporary craft.

Today, Gold Key stands as both a revival and a renaissance — honoring its past while building new worlds that capture the same magic that first made the key turn in 1962.

Legacy

From painted covers to timeless characters, Gold Key Comics remains a symbol of creativity, quality, and the enduring power of storytelling.

A Few Classic Titles & Legacy

At the Earth’s Core, Beany and Cecil, Bedknobs and Broomsticks, Benji, Big Red, Bonanza, Boris Karloff Tales of Mystery, Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, Bugs Bunny, Bugs Bunny’s Christmas Funnies, CHiPs, Candleshoe, Chilly Willy, Chip ’n’ Dale, Clash of the Titans (1981 film), Daffy Duck, Dagar the Invincible, Daisy and Donald, Daktari, Dark Shadows, Deputy Dawg, Doctor Solar, Man of the Atom, Donald Duck, Donald Duck Beach Party, Dragnet 1968, Dynomutt, Dog Wonder, Elmer Fudd, Escape to Witch Mountain, Fantastic Voyage, Flash Gordon (1980 film), Follow Me, Boys!, Frankenstein Jr. and The Impossibles, Freaky Friday, George of the Jungle, Goofy, Grandma Duck’s Farm Friends, Grimm’s Ghost Stories, Gunsmoke, Gus, Gyro Gearloose, Hanna-Barbera TV Stars, Happy Days, Heckle and Jeckle, Help!… It’s the Hair Bear Bunch!, Herbie Goes Bananas, Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo, Hondo, Hong Kong Phooey, Huckleberry Hound, Ironside, Jabberjaw, Journey to the Center of the Earth (TV), Junior Woodchucks, Kimba the White Lion, Laff-A-Lympics, Land of the Giants, Laredo, Lippy the Lion and Hardy Har Har, Lost in Space, M.A.R.S. Patrol Total War, Magilla Gorilla, Magnus, Robot Fighter, Mannix, McHale’s Navy, Mickey Mouse, Midnight Madness, Mighty Samson, Mister Magoo, Moby Dick and Mighty Mightor, Moon Pilot, Mork & Mindy, Napoleon and Samantha, No Deposit, No Return, Now You See Him, Now You Don’t, One of Our Dinosaurs Is Missing, Oswald the Rabbit, Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm, Perils of Penelope Pitstop, Pete’s Dragon, Pixie and Dixie and Mr. Jinks, Pluto, Porky Pig, Prince Valiant, Quick Draw McGraw, Return from Witch Mountain, Ripley’s Believe It or Not!, Road Runner Comics, Samson & Goliath (HB), Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!, Secret Squirrel, Shazzan, Smokey Bear, Snagglepuss, Snowball Express, Space Family Robinson, Space Ghost, Star Trek, Stingray, Super Goof, Supercar, Superdad, The Adventures of Bullwhip Griffin, The Adventures of Gulliver, The Apple Dumpling Gang, The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again, The Barefoot Executive, The Beagle Boys, The Big Valley, The Black Hole, The Black Stallion, The Boatniks, The Brady Kids, The Castaway Cowboy, The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes, The Doris Day Show, The F.B.I., The Flintstones, The Fox and the Hound, The Herculoids, The High Chaparral, The Hillbilly Bears, The Invaders, The Jetsons, The Land That Time Forgot, The Lone Ranger, The Love Bug, The Magic of Lassie, The Misadventures of Merlin Jones, The Monkey’s Uncle, The New Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, The Occult Files of Doctor Spektor, The People That Time Forgot, The Phantom, The Rat Patrol, The Rescuers, The Rifleman, The Roman Holidays, The Twilight Zone, The Wild Country, The World’s Greatest Athlete, Those Calloways, Thunderbirds, Top Cat, Touche Turtle and Dum Dum, Tragg and the Sky Gods, Treasure of Matecumbe, Turok, Son of Stone, Tweety, UFO Flying Saucers, Uncle Scrooge, Unidentified Flying Oddball, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, Wacky Races, Wally Gator, Walt Disney Comics Digest, Walt Disney Showcase, Walt Disney Vacation Parade, Walt Disney’s Christmas Parade, Walt Disney’s Comics and Stories, Where’s Huddles?, Yakky Doodle, Yogi Bear, Yogi Bear and Friends, Zorro

Disclaimer:All comic book titles, characters, and trademarks referenced here are the property of their respective copyright and trademark owners. Gold Key Entertainment LLC is an independent company and makes no claim of ownership or endorsement. This list and all related materials are presented solely for historical and educational reference to celebrate the creative legacy of classic Gold Key and Whitman publications. No commercial use or reproduction is intended.