Orbit Publications
Orbit Publications, also known as Orbit-Wanted, was an American comic-book publisher active during the Golden Age of Comic Books from 1945 to 1955.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
Orbit Publications, also known as Orbit-Wanted, was an American comic-book publishing house that operated during the Golden Age of Comic Books. The company was led by Ray Herman, a female publisher, editor, and cartoonist, and was co-owned by Herman and Marjorie May. May was the niece of Roswell Messing Sr., an owner of World Color Press, linking Orbit to a family with established connections in the comic-book printing and production business. The company began publishing in 1945 and remained active until 1955. Its catalogue covered several of the genres that defined the postwar American comics market, including crime, Western, romance, humor, funny-animal, and general adventure-oriented material. Orbit's publishing identity was not built around one continuous flagship character or a single genre. Instead, it maintained a portfolio of titles aimed at distinct audience segments. The longest-running publications included Wanted Comics, a crime title; The Westerner, a Western comic featuring Wild Bill Pecos; and Love Diary, a romance series that ran for 48 issues from 1949 through 1955. Orbit also absorbed or continued selected series that had originated with other publishers. Patches, a Western title, and Taffy Comics, a funny-animal title, continued numbering or publication histories associated with Rural Home Publications, while Toytown Comics continued a series associated with B. Antin. This practice reflected the fluid structure of the period's independent comics market, in which publishers sometimes acquired, revived, or continued established series rather than launching every title from a new number. Orbit's publication list also included Love Journal, a second romance title, and the crime series Wanted Comics. The company's books featured work by artists who later became notable in American comics, including John Buscema, Syd Shores, Bernard Krigstein, and Mort Leav. Their participation places Orbit within the broader network of freelance writers, artists, editors, printers, and distributors that supported Golden Age comics publishing. Orbit's output was commercially oriented genre publishing, but its contributor roster gives the company historical relevance beyond the size of its catalogue. Orbit was also involved in industry self-regulation. It was a founding member of the Association of Comics Magazine Publishers, an organization created to address concerns about comics content and public criticism. The association was a forerunner of the Comics Magazine Association of America. Herman served as the association's secretary and as a board director, giving Orbit and its publisher a role in the institutional development of the American comics industry. Orbit ceased operations in 1955. Its surviving titles and contributor credits are chiefly of interest to comic-book historians and collectors studying the Golden Age, independent publishers, romance and Western comics, and the evolution of industry standards. No current corporate operations, successor ownership, public listing, or active website are identified in the available reference material.
History
Orbit Publications was an American comic-book publishing house associated with the Golden Age of Comic Books. It operated from 1945 until 1955 and was also known as Orbit-Wanted. Ray Herman served as the company's publisher, editor, and cartoonist, while Marjorie May was a co-owner. May was the niece of Roswell Messing Sr., identified in the reference material as an owner of World Color Press. The ownership structure therefore connected Orbit with established commercial printing interests, although the available material does not document a larger corporate group or a later successor. Orbit's publishing programme reflected the genre diversity of mid-century American comics. It issued crime, Western, romance, humor, and funny-animal titles. Several series had publication histories that continued from other publishers or earlier numbering sequences. Patches, a Western comic, and Taffy Comics, a funny-animal title, continued titles associated with Rural Home Publications. Toytown Comics continued a series connected with B. Antin. Orbit later used the numbering sequence from Toytown for Wanted Comics, illustrating the numbering and title-continuity practices common among smaller comics publishers of the era. The company's principal long-running series were Wanted Comics, The Westerner Comics, and Love Diary. Wanted Comics ran for 45 issues from September–October 1947 through April 1953 and focused on crime stories. The Westerner Comics ran for 28 issues from June 1948 through December 1951 and featured the Western character Wild Bill Pecos. Love Diary was Orbit's longest-running listed title, reaching 48 issues between July 1949 and September–October 1955. Orbit also published the romance title Love Journal, which ran for 16 issues from October 1951 through July 1954. A number of artists who contributed to Orbit publications later became recognized figures in comics history. The identified contributors include John Buscema, Syd Shores, Bernard Krigstein, and Mort Leav. Their work demonstrates Orbit's participation in the freelance production system that characterized the period, in which publishers assembled stories and artwork through networks of editors and independent creators. Orbit also took part in efforts to organize and regulate the comics-publishing sector. It was a founding member of the Association of Comics Magazine Publishers, an industry organization that preceded the Comics Magazine Association of America. Herman held leadership responsibilities in that body as secretary and board director. The association's formation reflected the industry's response to criticism and pressure concerning comic-book content, although the available reference does not provide a detailed account of Orbit's specific policies or individual publications within that process. The company ended operations in 1955. Its historical importance rests on its representative Golden Age catalogue, its continuation of titles from other publishers, the artists who worked for it, and Herman's role in early comics-industry organization. Available information does not establish a continuing brand, modern owner, headquarters city, or corporate successor.
- 1955
Orbit Publications ends operations
[1]The publisher's operating period ends; Love Diary's final listed issues appear in September–October 1955.
- 1951
Love Journal begins
[1]Orbit adds Love Journal to its romance catalogue; the series runs for 16 issues through 1954.
- 1949
Love Diary begins
[1]Orbit launches Love Diary, a romance title that becomes the company's longest-running listed series.
- 1948
The Westerner Comics launches
[1]Orbit introduces The Westerner Comics, a Western title featuring Wild Bill Pecos.
- 1947
Wanted Comics launches
[1]Orbit begins the crime-comics run of Wanted Comics, whose numbering continues from Toytown Comics and ultimately reaches 45 issues.
- 1946
Taffy Comics and Toytown Comics enter the catalogue
[1]Orbit publishes Taffy Comics and Toytown Comics, continuing series associated with earlier publishers.
- 1945
Orbit Publications begins operations
[1]Orbit Publications starts operating as an American comic-book publisher during the Golden Age of Comic Books.
- 1945
Patches continues under Orbit
[1]Orbit publishes Patches, a Western title continued from a Rural Home Publications series.
Products and positioning
An independent Golden Age American comic-book publisher with a diversified genre catalogue spanning crime, Western, romance, humor, and funny-animal comics.
Crime comics · 1947
Wanted Comics
Wanted Comics was Orbit's principal crime-comics title. Its listed run comprised 45 issues published from September–October 1947 through April 1953. The series continued the numbering associated with Toytown Comics, reflecting the reuse and continuation of comic-book titles that was common among independent publishers during the Golden Age. It was one of Orbit's longest-running and most identifiable publications.
Western comics · 1948
The Westerner Comics
The Westerner Comics was Orbit's Western title, published for 28 issues from June 1948 through December 1951. The series featured Wild Bill Pecos and occupied a genre central to the postwar American comics market. Alongside crime and romance titles, it illustrates Orbit's strategy of maintaining a varied catalogue rather than concentrating exclusively on one audience or format.
Romance comics · 1949
Love Diary
Love Diary was Orbit's longest-running listed series, with 48 issues published from July 1949 through September–October 1955. It was a romance comic and remained in the catalogue until the end of the publisher's operating period. The title represents Orbit's sustained participation in the romance-comics market, which was an important segment of American comics publishing in the postwar era.
Romance comics · 1951
Love Journal
Love Journal was Orbit's second identified romance title. It ran for 16 issues from October 1951 through July 1954, complementing Love Diary and broadening the company's presence in romance comics. The available reference material identifies its issue count and publication span but does not provide further details about recurring characters, creators, or editorial themes.
Western comics · 1945
Patches
Patches was a Western title published by Orbit from approximately July 1945 through December 1947, for 11 issues. The series had originated with Rural Home Publications and was continued by Orbit. Its inclusion shows how Orbit used inherited or continued properties as part of its early catalogue while building a broader publishing operation.
Funny-animal comics · 1946
Taffy Comics
Taffy Comics was a funny-animal title associated with Orbit's 1946–1948 output. It ran for 10 issues through February 1948 and continued a series connected with Rural Home Publications. The title gave Orbit exposure to the humorous and animal-character segment of the comics market, alongside its more prominent crime, Western, and romance publications.
Humor comics · 1946
Toytown Comics
Toytown Comics was a humor title published for five issues from August 1946 through May 1947. It continued a series associated with B. Antin. After its listed run, its numbering was continued by Wanted Comics, making Toytown part of the publication lineage of one of Orbit's better-known crime titles.
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