History
MLJ Magazines: the Golden Age superhero publisher that became Archie
MLJ Magazines was founded in 1939 by Maurice Coyne, Louis Silberkleit and John Goldwater (the initials) and published Golden Age superheroes — the Shield in Pep Comics #1 (January 1940), the first patriotic hero, and Steel Sterling in Zip Comics #1 (February 1940). Archie Andrews debuted in Pep Comics #22 (December 1941) and so outsold the heroes that the company renamed itself Archie Comic Publications in 1946.
Updated Oct 11, 2026




