Western Publishing

Western Publishing, also known as Western Printing and Lithographing Company, was a firm in Racine, Wisconsin responsible for publishing the Little Golden Books. Its Golden Books Family Entertainment division also produced children's books, family-related entertainment products and comic books. The company had editorial offices in New York City and Los Angeles, California. In 1997 Western Publishing was absorbed into the Golden Books Publishing Company.

Golden Books Family Entertainment's assets were acquired by Classic Media Inc. and Random House in a bankruptcy auction for $84.4 million on August 16, 2001. Classic gained the rights to Golden Books' film and TV library as well as the production, licensing and merchandising rights for Golden Books' characters, while Random House gained Golden Books' book publishing properties.

On July 23, 2012, Classic Media was purchased by DreamWorks Animation for $155 million. On July 1, 2013, Random House merged with the Penguin Group, forming a new company called Penguin Random House.

Western Publishing published several issues of the classic Popeye comic books from October 1962 through May 1966 and May 1978 through March 1984 under the Gold Key and Whitman brands. They also published a safety promotional comic book in 1977.

These classic Popeye comic book issues were preceded by Dell Publishing.

Oct 1962 - May 1966

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Issue	Story Titles/Taglines	Issue Date
#66	"Witch Ship!" "We Is Goin, Too" or "Don't Leave Us On Dry Land" "Dumb Vulture" "Uncle Elmo's Eight-Legged Friend" "Ship's Cook" "Popeye on Giggle Island" "Big Brain on an Island with Sappo" "Sea Bath!" Popeye Pin-Up No. 1	Oct 1962
#67	Seven Ghoskly Tales "Patcheye, the Pirate!" "Phantom Boy Friend" "Ghosts Don't Pay Rent" "The Sad Return" "Spooked Vulture!" "Ghosk Mountain" "Ghostly Traits" "Spirit Boss" "Spook Cave" "Spookburger" Popeye Pin-Up No. 2	Jan 1963
#68	"Keys of Knowledge" "Pet Trouble" "Modern Monsters" "Canyon Beasks" "Lucky!" "The Great Baby Sitter War!!" Popeye Pin-Up No. 3	May 1963
#69	"Space Egg" "Striking Out Sis" "The Ol' Swimming Hole!!" "Sailors' Rights" ("Ya is all disgustipatin'!!")	Aug 1963
#70	"Interplanetary Weapon" "Operation -- Fitness U.S.A." "Sappo Strikes Back" or "Sticks or Stones!" or "Say It Again, Sappo!" or "I Like You Too, Pal!" or "Your Words Are Like Music!" or "You Say the Sweetest Things!" "The Hamburger Cure!" "Popeye's Physical Fitness Program" (Part 2)	Nov 1963
#71	"No Ball Playing!" or "Keep Your Ball Off My Island!" "The Big Chill!" "A Fishy Story" "Thanks, Pal!" "Bath Day" ("I yam ashamed of ya!")	Feb 1964
#72	"Popeye and the Sea Hag's Gorilla Army" "Blackmail" or "Shud Up!" "Bernard?" "Mythical Monsters" "Swee'pea and the Black Monsker"	May 1964
#73	"Build a Better Mousetrap!" or "Monster Builder!" "Legendary Creatures" ("Phooey!" "Drat!") "The Big Shot War" or "Boom"	Aug 1964
#74	"The Great Spinach Robbery" "Fishes Are Fantastic" "An Easy Million!" (The Nail) ("Success!!")	Nov 1964
#75	"Misermites!" or "I'd Rather Have Termites!" ("Wow!") ("Wow! Hot dorg!") "Hot Air" "Ouch!" or "Don't Hit Him - He's a Human!!" ("Oh, you fantastic genius!!") ("Gorsh! What a pretty river!") "People of Asia, Number 4: The Japanese"	Feb 1965

Issue	Stories	Issue Date
#76	"Physical Fitness, Number 13: Co-ordinator" "Pirate!" or "The Fist Mus' Be Mightier Than the Sword!" or "The Seven Seas Ain't Big Enough to Hold Both of Us!" "A Long Tail!" "Drip! Drip!" ("Swee'Pea, go clean yer room!") ("Good heavens!?! What have I contacted?") (Butterfly Net)	May 1965
#77	("I can't reach it!") "Weed Shortage" or "Pass the Spinach!" "Indian Water!" "Cow?" ("What Did He Say?") ("Get the ball, Birdseed!") Popeye Pin-Up	Aug 1965
#78	"Moon Rocket!" or "Every Man To His Own Hobby!" "Rabbit Holes!" "Sparkles!" "A Friend to Man" or "Be Kind to Sappo Week!"	Nov 1965
#79	("Swee'Pea, go trim the hedge!") "Monskers!" "Girl Guard!" "The Lollipop Bush!" "Specks" ("Ah! All clear") ("I want a cookie!")	Feb 1966
#80	("Dinner is on the table") "The Boo-Bird!" "The Invasion of the Spinach Trees!" "Ol' Blabber Mouth!" ("Oh, you beautiful, intelligent brain!") ("Hello, Popeye, how are you today?")	May 1966

These classic Popeye comic book issues were followed by King Features Comics.

1977

Issue	Lead Story Title	Cover Date
N/A	Popeye Kite Fun Book	1977

These classic Popeye comic book issues were preceded by King Features Comics.

May 1978 - Mar 1984

Issue	Lead Story Title	Cover Date
139	On the Trail of the Lonesome Prospector	May 1978
140	The Swamp County Meteorite Site Heavyweight Fight	Jul 1978
141	The Maddening Myskery of the Disappearing Daredevils of the Colossal Carnival Circus	Sep 1978
142	Wimpy's Old Flame	Nov 1978
143	Topsy Turvy Land	Jan 1979
144	Popeye's Birthday Party	Mar 1979
145	Spinach Soap	Apr 1979
146	Oscar's Lack of Foresight	May 1979
147	Popeye's Cafe	June 1979
148	The Myskery of the Magic Marble	July 1979
149	Schooner Scuttled by Seagoing Ghosks!	August 1979
150	The Most Official (Unofficial) Rugby Match Ever Almost Played Anywhere	Sep 1979
151	...Everywhere a Chick Chick!	Oct 1979
152	The Cactus Caper	Nov 1979
153	The Secrek, Puzzling and Myskerious Riddle of - THE BOX	Dec 1979
154	Pappy's Treasure Hunt	Jan 1980
155	The Horse Race	Feb 1980
156	The Plot to Kill Popeye	Mar 1980
157	Western Railroading	May 1980
158	The Moodue	Sep 1980
159	J. Wellington Wimpy: A Moocher Turned Mogul	Nov 1980
160	Popeye and Olive Oyl: Splitsville	Mar 1981
161	Snow, Snow, Snow	Jun 1981
164	Popeye is the Firsk and Lask Person to use Dinosaur Glue	Oct 1981
165	The Return of Alice the Goon	Nov 1981
166	Popeye the Sailor Meets Sinbad the Sailor	Feb 1982
167	Super Soup	Mar 1982
168	The Sea Hag torpedoes Popeye's fishing plans	Jun 1983
169	Spookers	May 1983
170	The Mountain That Talked Back	Dec 1983
171	Popeye and Brutus battle it out with bats ... balls and gloves	Feb 1984