Centerförlaget
A Swedish comics publisher active from 1948 to 1970 and an early leader in the country's translated comic-book market.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
Centerförlaget was a Swedish comic-book publishing company that operated from 1948 until 1970. It is generally regarded as Sweden's first comics publisher and played a formative role in establishing the country's market for regularly issued comic magazines. The company began under the name Seriemagasinet Förlag, taking its initial identity from its principal title, Seriemagasinet. Around 1956 it adopted the name Centerförlaget, by which point it had become a substantial part of the Swedish magazine business and was reported to control approximately 30 percent of the Swedish comics market. The publisher's business was built primarily on translated material rather than a large internally developed Swedish comics stable. Its sources included comics originally published in the United Kingdom, France, Belgium, Italy, and the United States. This international licensing and translation model allowed Centerförlaget to offer Swedish readers a broad range of genres, including superhero, adventure, Western, romance, war, humor, and funny-animal comics. The catalogue combined high-profile American properties with European adventure and romance material, creating a periodical portfolio designed for repeated, low-cost newsstand sales. Seriemagasinet, launched in 1948, was the company's first title and became its most enduring publication. It ultimately ran for more than 818 issues through 1970 and was later continued by Semic Press. Centerförlaget also published long-running Western magazines such as Min melodi, Cowboy, Vilda västern, and Prärieserier. These titles were among the company's principal circulation vehicles and demonstrate the importance of Western fiction within the mid-century Swedish comics market. The company also introduced Swedish editions of important DC/National comic-book properties. Superman, published as Stålmannen, began in 1949; Batman, initially presented as Läderlappen och Robin and later as Läderlappen, began in 1951; and Superboy, published as Stålpojken, began in 1959. The Western title Tomahawk was also launched in the Swedish market in 1951. In 1969, Williams Förlags AB, the Swedish publishing division associated with Warner Communications and the corporate owner of DC at the time, reacquired and continued those titles. This separated the DC-related portfolio from the remainder of Centerförlaget's catalogue near the end of the company's independent existence. Centerförlaget ended as an independent publisher in 1970, when it was acquired by Semic Press. Semic cancelled most of the inherited titles, while retaining or continuing selected publications, including Seriemagasinet, Hacke Hackspett, Buster, and Serie-nytt. The later transfer of Williams Förlags AB to Semic in 1975 helped consolidate several strands of the Swedish comics-publishing market, including DC and Western titles that had originated with Centerförlaget. Although the company itself is defunct, its publishing history is significant because it helped normalize translated comics as a mass-market Swedish periodical format and introduced durable Swedish editions of internationally recognized characters.
History
Centerförlaget's history began in 1948 with the creation of Seriemagasinet Förlag, a Swedish publishing operation associated with the magazine entrepreneur T. Armas Morby's Press & Publicity AB. Its first major publication was Seriemagasinet, a translated comics magazine launched in 1948. The title became one of the most durable comic periodicals in Sweden, eventually exceeding 818 issues and continuing beyond the lifetime of the original publisher. The company's early development coincided with the emergence of comics as a regular Swedish mass-market publishing category. Rather than concentrating primarily on original domestic productions, the publisher assembled a catalogue of translated material from several established comics markets. Its sources included the United Kingdom, France, Belgium, Italy, and the United States. This approach gave the company access to recognizable genres and characters while allowing it to publish a varied schedule of inexpensive, recurring magazines. Around 1956, Seriemagasinet Förlag changed its name to Centerförlaget. By that time it was reported to control about 30 percent of Sweden's comic-book market. Its catalogue covered several distinct readerships. Western titles included Min melodi, Cowboy, Vilda västern, and Prärieserier, many of which achieved several hundred issues. Adventure and superhero publications included Swedish editions of Superman, Batman, Superboy, and Tomahawk. The company also issued funny-animal and humor titles such as Hacke Hackspett and Vicky, romance and girls' titles such as Fickbiblioteket, Min melodis hjärtebibliotek, Nicky-biblioteket, and Tony, and war or adventure series including Kommandoserien, Seriebiblioteket, and Spion 13. The company's relationship with DC-related properties changed near the end of the 1960s. Centerförlaget had published Swedish editions of Superman from 1949, Batman from 1951, Superboy from 1959, and Tomahawk from 1951. In 1969 Williams Förlags AB, the Swedish comics and magazine publishing division of Warner Communications, reacquired those titles and continued publishing them. This development reflected the corporate interests surrounding DC and removed some of Centerförlaget's most prominent licensed properties from its direct catalogue. In 1970 Semic Press acquired Centerförlaget. The transaction ended Centerförlaget as an independent publishing company. Semic discontinued most of the inherited periodicals, but retained selected lines, including Seriemagasinet, Hacke Hackspett, Buster, and Serie-nytt. The later acquisition of Williams Förlags AB by Semic in 1975 further consolidated titles that had passed through the Centerförlaget and Williams publishing systems. Centerförlaget's importance lies less in a continuing corporate identity than in its role in the formation of Swedish comics publishing. It was an early specialist publisher, operated at significant market scale, and helped establish the translated comic magazine as a durable commercial format. Its long-running titles also provided a distribution and readership foundation for later Swedish publishers, while its editions of internationally known superhero characters connected the Swedish market to the wider American comics industry.
- 1975
Semic acquires Williams Förlags AB
[1]Semic acquires Williams Förlags AB, consolidating additional superhero and Western titles previously linked to Centerförlaget.
- 1970
Semic Press acquires Centerförlaget
[1]Semic Press acquires the company, cancels most of its titles, and continues a selected group of publications.
- 1969
Williams Förlags AB takes back DC-related titles
[1]Williams Förlags AB reacquires and continues Centerförlaget's Swedish editions of Superman, Batman, Superboy, and Tomahawk.
- 1959
Stålpojken begins publication
[1]Centerförlaget launches the Swedish edition of Superboy under the title Stålpojken.
- 1956
Company renamed Centerförlaget
[1]Seriemagasinet Förlag changes its name to Centerförlaget around this time and is reported to hold about 30 percent of the Swedish comics market.
- 1951
Batman and Tomahawk titles launch
[1]The company begins publishing the Swedish Batman title, initially Läderlappen och Robin, as well as the Western title Tomahawk.
- 1949
Swedish Superman edition begins
[1]Centerförlaget publishes Stålmannen, the Swedish edition of Superman.
- 1948
Seriemagasinet Förlag launches Seriemagasinet
[1]The company's first known title, Seriemagasinet, begins publication and later becomes its longest-running series.
Products and positioning
A mass-market Swedish comics publisher focused on recurring periodicals and translated American and European comic material.
comic magazine · 1948
Seriemagasinet
Centerförlaget's first and most enduring periodical, launched in 1948 under the company's original name, Seriemagasinet Förlag. The magazine ultimately ran for more than 818 issues through 1970 and was subsequently continued by Semic Press. Its longevity made it a central vehicle for the publisher's translated comics programme.
superhero comic · 1949
Stålmannen
The Swedish-language edition of Superman, launched by Centerförlaget in 1949. It became one of the company's principal American licensed properties and was published through 1969 before Williams Förlags AB took over its continuation.
superhero comic · 1951
Läderlappen och Robin / Läderlappen
Centerförlaget's Swedish Batman publication began in 1951 under the title Läderlappen och Robin and changed to Läderlappen in 1956. It reached 212 issues through 1969, after which Williams Förlags AB continued the title.
Western comic · 1951
Tomahawk
A Swedish Western title launched in 1951. Centerförlaget published 222 issues through 1969, after which Williams Förlags AB continued the property and it was later absorbed into Semic's publishing portfolio.
Western comic · 1951
Cowboy
One of Centerförlaget's major Western periodicals, published from 1951 to 1970 and reaching 659 issues. Its long run illustrates the importance of Western fiction to the company's Swedish newsstand catalogue.
Western comic · 1952
Vilda västern
A long-running Western magazine published from 1952 to 1969. With 863 issues, it was among Centerförlaget's most prolific titles and a significant part of its translated-genre publishing strategy.
Western comic · 1953
Prärieserier
A Western comics periodical issued from 1953 to 1968, with 767 issues. It formed part of Centerförlaget's extensive stable of recurring Western titles.
funny-animal comic · 1954
Hacke Hackspett
The Swedish Woody Woodpecker comic, published by Centerförlaget from 1954 to 1970 and reaching 455 issues. It was one of the selected titles continued by Semic Press after the acquisition.
superhero comic · 1959
Stålpojken
The Swedish edition of Superboy, launched in 1959. Centerförlaget published 139 issues through 1969 before the title moved to Williams Förlags AB.
romance comic · 1961
Fickbiblioteket
A romance-oriented pocket-library series published by Centerförlaget from 1961 to 1969, reaching 163 issues and serving the publisher's girls' and romance-comics segment.
war comic · 1962
Kommandoserien
A war-comics series issued from 1962 to 1969, with 176 issues. It represents the military-adventure strand of Centerförlaget's genre portfolio.
spy and adventure comic · 1964
Spion 13
A spy-themed series published from 1964 to 1970, reaching 126 issues. The title was among those continued by Semic Press after Centerförlaget's acquisition.
Brand decisions
1970
Acquisition by Semic PressM&ABackground
Centerförlaget had operated for more than two decades as a major Swedish comics publisher with a broad translated catalogue.
Action taken
Semic Press acquired Centerförlaget and reviewed its inherited portfolio.
Aftermath
Most titles were cancelled, while Seriemagasinet, Hacke Hackspett, Buster, Serie-nytt, and selected other publications continued under Semic.
1969
Transfer of DC and Tomahawk publishing rightsM&ABackground
Centerförlaget had published Swedish editions of several DC/National superhero titles and the Western title Tomahawk.
Action taken
Williams Förlags AB, the Swedish publishing division associated with Warner Communications, reacquired and continued those titles.
Aftermath
The affected properties moved away from Centerförlaget before the company's acquisition by Semic Press.
1956
Rename the publishing operation as CenterförlagetStrategyBackground
The publisher had expanded beyond its original Seriemagasinet identity and had built a sizeable portfolio of translated comic magazines.
Action taken
Seriemagasinet Förlag changed its name to Centerförlaget around 1956.
Aftermath
The renamed company was reported to control approximately 30 percent of Sweden's comic-book market.
Recent events
- 1975
Semic Press acquires Williams Förlags AB[1]
M&A
Semic later acquired Williams Förlags AB, bringing the DC superhero and Western titles that had been associated with Centerförlaget into the same broader publishing group.
- 1970
Semic Press acquires Centerförlaget[1]
M&A · Leadership change
Semic Press acquired Centerförlaget. Most titles were discontinued, while selected publications including Seriemagasinet, Hacke Hackspett, Buster, and Serie-nytt continued under Semic.
- 1969
Williams Förlags AB reacquires DC-related Swedish titles[1]
M&A
Williams Förlags AB, the Swedish publishing division of Warner Communications, took back and continued the Swedish editions of Superman, Batman, Superboy, and Tomahawk that Centerförlaget had introduced or published.
- 1956
Centerförlaget adopts its later name[1]
Other
Seriemagasinet Förlag changed its name to Centerförlaget around 1956, during a period when the company was reported to hold roughly 30 percent of Sweden's comics market.
- 1948
Seriemagasinet Förlag begins publishing Seriemagasinet[1]
Product launch
The company launched Seriemagasinet, the title that supplied its original corporate name and became its longest-running publication.
Sources2 sources
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