Helen Meyer

Background

Meyer, Helen was born on December 4, 1907 in Brooklyn. Daughter of Bertolen and Esther (Greenfield) Honig.

Education

Graduate public schools.

Career

Meyer began working at Dell Publishing only two years after its creation, and was influential in building up both the traditional book publishing arm and the popular Dell Comics imprint. As the first women to head a major American publishing house, Meyer inspired many other women who were breaking into publishing in the forties and fifties, and more generally shaped American publishing through her leadership of Dell. Early Life and After working at Popular Science and McCall"s magazines, she joined Dell Publishing as a clerk in 1923, aged 16.

While Dell Publishing initially focused on pulp magazines, Meyer pushed an expansion to paperbacks and comic books

Meyer then further expanded Dell Publishing into hardcover books with Delacorte Press, and signed authors such as Kurt Vonnegut and James Baldwin. Referencing Meyer in a 1980s interview, Delacorte said, "I"m a great believer in hiring women.

If you hire a capable man and your competitors know about it, they"ll start propositioning him. Women are more loyal."

Dell Comics

Meyer was asked to head the Dell Comics imprint by Delacorte, and became a driving force in the imprint"s success.

Through its use of licensed characters and family-friendly stories, Dell Comics became the world"s largest comics publisher by 1953.

In particular, Meyer spear-headed the licensing of Disney characters and directly selected material for publication, including Lobo, the first comic series with an African-American headlining character. In 1954, Meyer testified before the United States Senate on juvenile delinquency and their relation to comics. At the time, Meyer claimed that Dell Comics was publishing 15% of America"s comics, while making a third of America"s comic sales.

In her testimony, Meyer went strongly on the offensive against Doctor Fredric Wertham"s accusation that comic book violence was corrupting America"s youth.

Besides questioning Wertham"s agenda and fact-checking ability, Meyer also argued that Dell Comics were wholesome and family friendly. Specifically, that "Dell comics are good comics." This became a slogan for Dell Comics, as well as part of their broader marketing strategy.

Despite Dell Comics" association with "wholesomeness," Meyer refused association with the Comics Code, probably because it would have put Dell Comics in an alliance with its competitors. Instead, Dell Comics focused on a personalized campaign relying on Meyer"s "good comics" slogan.

Later life

Dell Publishing was sold to Doubleday & Company in 1976.

After the sale, Meyer worked as a consultant for Doubleday until 1982, and then worked as a literary agent at Foreign Rights Incorporated. James Clavell was one of her most prominent clients, and in 1986 Meyer obtained a $5 million advance for Clavell. Meyer was inducted into the Publishers Hall of Fame in 1986.

Meyer died in 2003, aged 95, in Livinston, New Jersey.

Helen Meyer was married to Abraham J. Meyer for 64 years, until his death in 1993. They had two children: Doctor Adele Brodkin and Robert Meyer.

Achievements

• Helen Meyer has been listed as a noteworthy editorial consultant by Marquis Who's Who.

Membership

Board of directors United Cerebral Palsy. Member Association American Publications (director).

Connections

Married Abraham J. Meyer(deceased 1993), September 1, 1929. Children– Adele Meyer Brodkin, Robert L.

Father:

Bertolen Honig

Mother:

Esther (Greenfield) Honig

Spouse:

Abraham J. Meyer

child:

Robert L. Meyer

child:

Adele Meyer Brodkin Meyer