Pendulum Press
# Pendulum Press

Pendulum Press was a publishing company based in West Haven, Connecticut, that operated from 1970 to 1994, producing the bulk of their material in the 1970s. The company is most well known for their comic book adaptations of literary classics. The Pendulum Now Age Classics series published black-and-white paperback adaptations of more than 70 literary classics, such as Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, The War of the Worlds, and Moby-Dick. These stories were later widely reprinted by other publishers (including by Marvel Comics) well into the 2000s. Pendulum also published a line of historical comics, a line of comic book biographies, and a line of comic book adaptations of inspiring stories and morality tales.

Founded by David Oliphant as a division of Academic Industries, Inc., Pendulum's comics division was overseen by veteran creator/editor Vincent Fago. The company received Title One funds from the U.S. government to produce comics with an educational focus.

## History

### Pendulum Illustrated Classics

In 1970, Vincent Fago, the former editor-in-chief of Timely Comics, was hired by Pendulum to produce the Pendulum Now Age Classics series, which were black-and-white paperback adaptations of literary classics. Specifically designed for classroom use, the series used set type instead of hand lettering, vocabulary appropriate for grade levels, and included word lists and questions at the back.

Acting as a publisher from his studio in Bethel, Vermont, Fago edited and handled production on the nearly one hundred titles in the series. Adaptations were handled by writers like Otto Binder, Naunerle Farr, Kin Platt, Irwin Shapiro, and Fago's son John Norwood Fago.

After having difficulty finding American artists to illustrate the comics, Fago turned to Filipino artist Nestor Redondo, who offered to help recruit some of his fellow Filipino comics artists — these artists ended up illustrating almost every comic Pendulum produced. In addition to the work of Redondo, who illustrated more than 20 books in the series, the Pendulum Illustrated Classics featured the artwork of Alex Niño, Gerry Talaoc, Vicatan, Rudy Nebres, Jun Lofamia, Nestor Leonidez, and E. R. Cruz. (Redondo's brothers Virgilio and Frank also illustrated books in the series.)

Comics in the series were published from 1973 to 1980; the series ended with a selection of Shakespeare plays adapted into comics form.

**Ancillaries and reprints**

From 1976–1981, Fago produced a multimedia read-along program for the series, called New Matter Sounds. Each packet contained a reading booklet, a student activity booklet, a sound cassette, and an answer key sheet. Some of the packets contained a narrated film strip along with the other materials.

Many of the early issues in the Pendulum Illustrated Classics series were reprinted, in color with new covers, in 1976 by Marvel Comics as Marvel Classics Comics.

In 1984, Pendulum's parent company Academic Industries reprinted a number of the Illustrated Classics (as well as other Pendulum comics) in a smaller format.

In 1984–1988, Pendulum and the Indian publisher Pai and Company (Paico) co-published series as Paico Classics in various Indian languages (as well as the original English). Paico republished the series in 1998–2000.

In 1990–1991, Pendulum itself reprinted a selection of Pendulum Illustrated Classics, retitled Pendulum's Illustrated Stories, in colorized versions with new painted covers. Originally planned to run 72 issues, the company only produced six issues before abandoning the project.

In 1994, Pendulum reprinted its 1974 adaptation of The Hunchback of Notre-Dame, colorized in a prestige format comic under the banner of the Phonics Classic Achievement Series. It announced more titles but these were also abandoned when the company closed down.

Also in 1994, Lake Illustrated Classics (a division of AGS Secondary) reprinted many of the Pendulum Illustrated Classics under their own banner.

Since 2006, Saddleback Educational Publishing has reprinted many of the Pendulum Illustrated Classics under their own banner, using the 1990-91 cover format.

### Other publications

In 1976, to tie in with America's bicentennial, Pendulum published a line of historical comics called the Basic Illustrated History of America. This line was edited by Vince Fago's wife, D'ann Calhoun, and written by Naunerle Farr.

In 1978 Pendulum also published a primer on the value of comics as an education tool.

In 1978–79, Pendulum published a line of comic book biographies under the series title Pendulum Illustrated Biography Series. The books were flip books — half the book would feature one notable person, and then the reader would flip the book over to read the biography of the other featured notable.

In 1978–79, Pendulum published the series Contemporary Motivators, a line of comic book adaptations of inspiring stories and morality tales like Banner in the Sky, God Is My Co-Pilot, Guadalcanal Diary, The Diary of Anne Frank, and Lost Horizon; as well as a rough adaptation of Star Wars. Like the Illustrated Classics series, these comics were specifically designed for classroom use, with typeset instead of hand lettering, vocabulary appropriate for grade levels, and word lists and questions at the back.

In 1979, the company introduced the Pendulum Illustrated Original series, mostly featuring the new superhero Solarman, created by Pendulum founder and president David Oliphant. Solarman was later revived by Marvel Comics in a 1989 series.

Pendulum also published a small line of prose books, by authors such as David M. Kennedy, Bertram Wyatt-Brown, and Joseph Payne Brennan, including biographical, sociology, and poetry titles.

## Titles

### Comics

**Pendulum Illustrated Classics**

| Title | Pub. date | Adaptation | Artist(s) | Notes |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea | 1973 | Otto Binder | Romy Gaboa & Ernie Patricio | hardcover book collecting a version which had been previously serialized in Weekly Reader magazine. Later reprinted in Marvel Classics Comics #4 (1976), in 1991 by Pendulum, with a new painted cover, and in 2010 by Saddleback Publishing as part of their Illustrated Classics series. |
| Black Beauty | 1973 | Naunerle Farr | Rudy Nebres | Reprinted in Marvel Classics Comics #5 (1976) |
| The Call of the Wild | 1973 | Kin Platt | Fred Carrillo | Reprinted as #6 in 2006 by Saddleback Publishing as part of their Illustrated Classics series. |
| Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde | 1973 | Kin Platt | Nestor Redondo | Reprinted in Marvel Classics Comics #1 (1976); colorized and reprinted by Pendulum in 1990 with a new painted cover |
| Dracula | 1973 | Naunerle Farr | Nestor Redondo | Reprinted in Marvel Classics Comics #9 (1976) |
| Frankenstein | 1973 | Otto Binder | Nardo Cruz | Reprinted as #15 in 2006 by Saddleback Publishing as part of their Illustrated Classics series. |
| Huckleberry Finn | 1973 | Naunerle Farr | Frank Redondo | Reprinted as #8 in 2006 by Saddleback Publishing as part of their Illustrated Classics series. |
| Moby-Dick | 1973 | Irwin Shapiro | Alex Niño & Dan Adkins | Reprinted in Marvel Classics Comics #8 (1976); colorized and reprinted by Pendulum in 1990 with a new painted cover |
| The Time Machine | 1973 | Otto Binder | Alex Niño | Reprinted in Marvel Classics Comics #2 (1976) |
| Tom Sawyer | 1973 | Irwin Shapiro | E. R. Cruz | Reprinted in Marvel Classics Comics #7 (1976) |
| Treasure Island | 1973 | John Norwood Fago | Nardo Cruz | Colorized and reprinted by Pendulum in 1990 with a new painted cover and Reprinted as #40 in 2006 by Saddleback Publishing as part of their Illustrated Classics series. |
| Sir Arthur Conan Doyle: The Great Adventures of Sherlock Holmes | 1974 | Kin Platt (as Nick Tall) | Nestor Redondo | Reprinted as #25 in 2006 by Saddleback Publishing as part of their Illustrated Classics series. |
| Gulliver's Travels | 1974 | John Norwood Fago | E. R. Cruz | Reprinted in Marvel Classics Comics #6 (1976) |
| The Hunchback of Notre-Dame | 1974 | Naunerle Farr | Jun Lofamia | Reprinted in Marvel Classics Comics #3 (1976); colorized and reprinted by Pendulum in 1994 (the first [and only] issue of the Phonics Classic Achievement Series) |
| The Invisible Man | 1974 | Otto Binder | Alex Niño | Reprinted as #2 in 2006 by Saddleback Publishing as part of their Illustrated Classics series. |
| Robert Louis Stevenson: Kidnapped | 1974 | Kin Platt] (as Nick Tall) | Frank Redondo | Reprinted as #33 in 2006 by Saddleback Publishing as part of their Illustrated Classics series. |
| The Mysterious Island | 1974 | Otto Binder | E. R. Cruz | Reprinted in Marvel Classics Comics #11 (1976) |
| The Red Badge of Courage | 1974 | Irwin Shapiro | E. R. Cruz | Reprinted in Marvel Classics Comics #10 (1976) |
| Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter | 1974 | Naunerle Farr | Virgilio Redondo | Reprinted as #22 in 2006 by Saddleback Publishing as part of their Illustrated Classics series. |
| The Story of My Life, by Helen Keller | 1974 | C. N. Douglas | Tony DeZuniga | |
| A Tale of Two Cities | 1974 | Naunerle Farr | Alfredo Alcala | Reprinted as #5 in 2006 by Saddleback Publishing as part of their Illustrated Classics series. |
| The Three Musketeers | 1974 | Naunerle Farr | Alex Niño | Reprinted in Marvel Classics Comics #12 (1976) |
| The War of the Worlds | 1974 | Naunerle Farr | Alex Niño | Reprinted as #28 in 2006 by Saddleback Publishing as part of their Illustrated Classics series. |
| A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court | 1976 | John Norwood Fago | Frank Redondo | Reprinted as #31 in 2006 by Saddleback Publishing as part of their Illustrated Classics series. |
| Journey to the Center of the Earth | 1976 | Naunerle Farr | Val Calaquian | |
| White Fang | 1976 | Naunerle Farr | Fred Carrillo | |
| Around the World in Eighty Days | 1977 | D'ann Calhoun | Frank Redondo | part of New Matter Sounds multimedia packet, including a student activity book by Gerald Dackerman and Marcia Sohl and filmstrip narration by Jan Leighton |
| The Best of Poe | 1977 | Naunerle Farr | Gerry Talaoc, Nestor Redondo, Noly Zamora, and E. R. Cruz | Reprinted as #41 in 2006 by Saddleback Publishing as part of their Illustrated Classics series. |
| The Best of O. Henry | 1977 | John Norwood Fago | Antonio Caravana a.k.a. Tony Caravana | part of New Matter Sounds multimedia packet with filmstrip narration by Chris Davala |
| Captains Courageous | 1977 | John Norwood Fago | Leonardo Patricia | part of New Matter Sounds multimedia packet |
| The Hound of the Baskervilles | 1977 | John Norwood Fago | E. R. Cruz | |
| The House of the Seven Gables | 1977 | Naunerle Farr | Domy Guitierez & Angel Trinidad | |
| Jane Eyre | 1977 | Naunerle Farr | N. Olimar | |
| The Last of the Mohicans | 1977 | Naunerle Farr | Fred Carrillo | |
| Two Years Before the Mast | 1977 | John Norwood Fago | E. R. Cruz | |
| Wuthering Heights | 1977 | Naunerle Farr | Jo Amongo | |
| Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ | 1978 | Naunerle Farr | Nestor Redondo | |
| A Christmas Carol | 1978 | Tom Fagen | Jun Lofamia | Colorized and reprinted by Pendulum in 1991 with a new painted cover |
| The Food of the Gods | 1978 | John Norwood Fago | Tony Caravana a.k.a. Antonio Caravana | part of New Matter Sounds multimedia packet |
| Ivanhoe | 1978 | Naunerle Farr | Gerry Talaoc | |
| The Man in the Iron Mask | 1978 | Naunerle Farr | Frank Redondo | part of New Matter Sounds multimedia packet |
| The Prince and the Pauper | 1978 | John Norwood Fago | E. R. Cruz | |
| The Prisoner of Zenda | 1978 | John Norwood Fago | Nestor Leonidez | |
| The Return of the Native | 1978 | D'ann Calhoun | Fred Carrillo | |
| Robinson Crusoe | 1978 | John Norwood Fago | E. R. Cruz | |
| The Sea-Wolf | 1979 | John Norwood Fago | Domy Guitierez & Angel Trinidad | |
| The Scarlet Pimpernel | 1978 | Naunerle Farr | Rudy Florese | |
| The Swiss Family Robinson | 1978 | Naunerle Farr | Fred Carrillo | part of New Matter Sounds multimedia packet |
| Billy Budd | 1979 | Stella Alico | Vicatan | |
| Crime and Punishment | 1979 | John Norwood Fago | Vicatan | part of New Matter Sounds multimedia packet |
| Don Quixote | 1979 | John Norwood Fago | Fred Carrillo | 64-page hardcover edition |
| Great Expectations | 1979 | Stella Alico | Angel Trinidad | part of New Matter Sounds multimedia packet |
| Heidi | 1979 | Sally Grindley | Pamela Venus | |
| The Iliad | 1979 | John Norwood Fago | E. R. Cruz | |
| Lord Jim | 1979 | John Norwood Fago | Frank Redondo | |
| The Mutiny on Board H. M. S. Bounty | 1979 | John Norwood Fago | Rudy Florese | part of New Matter Sounds multimedia packet |
| The Odyssey | 1979 | John Norwood Fago | Nestor Redondo | |
| Oliver Twist | 1979 | Stella Alico | Fred Carrillo | |
| Pride and Prejudice | 1979 | Naunerle Farr | Nestor Leonidez | |
| The Turn of the Screw | 1979 | Susan Conforti | Gerry Talaoc | part of New Matter Sounds multimedia packet |
| Romeo and Juliet | 1979 | Rich Margopoulous | Nestor Redondo | |
| As You Like It | 1980 | Naunerle Farr | Nestor Leonidez | |
| Julius Caesar | 1980 | Naunerle Farr | Vicatan | |
| King Lear | 1980 | Naunerle Farr | Gerry Talaoc | part of New Matter Sounds multimedia packet |
| Macbeth | 1980 | Rich Margopoulos | Vicatan | |
| A Midsummer Night's Dream | 1980 | John Norwood Fago | Fred Carrillo | Colorized and reprinted by Pendulum in 1991 with a new painted cover |
| Othello | 1980 | D'ann Calhoun | Vicatan | |
| The Tempest | 1980 | Rich Margopoulos | Gerry Talaoc | |
| Twelfth Night | 1980 | Naunerle Farr | E. R. Cruz | |
| The Merchant of Venice | 1980 | Naunerle Farr | Jun Lofamia | part of New Matter Sounds multimedia packet |
| The Taming of the Shrew | 1980 | Naunerle Farr | Fred Carrillo | |
| Hamlet | 1980 | Naunerle Farr | E. R. Cruz | |

**Pendulum's Illustrated Stories**

**Colorized reprints of the Pendulum Illustrated Classics**

* Moby-Dick (1990)
* Treasure Island (1990)
* Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1990)
* 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (Mar. 1991)
* A Christmas Carol (1991)
* A Midsummer Night's Dream (1991)

**Basic Illustrated History of America**

**edited by D'Ann Calhoun with Lawrence Bloch**

* The New World, 1500-1750 (1976) — written by Naunerle Farr and illustrated by E. R. Cruz; part of New Matter Sounds multimedia packet
* The Fight for Freedom, 1750–1783 (1976) — written by Naunerle Farr and illustrated by Virgilio Redondo
* The United States Emerges, 1783–1800 (1976) — written by Naunerle Farr and illustrated by Fred Carrillo
* Problems of the New Nation, 1800-1830 (1976) — written by Naunerle Farr & Dennis Dostert, and illustrated by Jun Lofamia
* Americans Move Westward, 1800-1850 (1977) — written by Naunerle Farr and illustrated by Frank Redondo; 16 pp.
* Before the Civil War, 1830-1860 (1976) — written by Naunerle Farr & Dennis Dostert] and illustrated by E. R. Cruz
* The Civil War, 1850-1876 (1976) — written by Naunerle Farr and illustrated by Nestor Redondo; part of New Matter Sounds multimedia packet
* The Industrial Era, 1865-1915 (1976) — written by Naunerle Farr & Dennis Dostert, and illustrated by Fred Carrillo
* America Becomes a World Power, 1890-1920 (1977) — written by Naunerle Farr and illustrated by Resty Ronguillo
* The Roaring Twenties and the Great Depression, 1920–1940 (1976) — written by Naunerle Farr and illustrated by Tony Caravana
* World War II, 1940-1945 (1976) — written by Naunerle Farr and illustrated by N. E. Phillips
* America Today, 1945-1976 (1976) — written by Naunerle Farr and illustrated by Nardo Cruz

**Pendulum Illustrated Biography series**

* Houdini/Walt Disney (1978) — written by John Norwood Fago and illustrated by Eufronio Reyes
* Abraham Lincoln/Franklin D. Roosevelt (1979) — written by Naunerle Farr and illustrated by Nestor Redondo (Lincoln) and Jun Lofamia (Roosevelt)
* Babe Ruth/Jackie Robinson (1979) — written by Naunerle Farr and illustrated by Tony Caravana (Ruth) and Nardo Cruz (Robinson)
* Charles Lindbergh/Amelia Earhart (1979) — written by John Norwood Fago and Naunerle Farr, and illustrated by Vicatan
* Elvis Presley/The Beatles (1979) — adapted by Stella Alico and illustrated by E. R. Cruz (Elvis) and Ernie Guanlao (Beatles); the Beatles portion was included as part of Pendulum's High Motivation Reading Series sponsored by Radio Shack
* Jim Thorpe/Althea Gibson (1979) — written by John Norwood Fago and illustrated by Frank Redondo
* Madame Curie/Albert Einstein (1979) — written by Naunerle Farr and illustrated by Nestor Redondo
* Thomas Edison/Alexander Graham Bell (1979) — written by Naunerle Farr and illustrated by Gerry Talaoc (Edison) and Angel Trinidad (Bell)
* Vince Lombardi/Pelé (1979) — written by John Norwood Fago and illustrated by Tony Caravana (Lombardi) and Nardo Cruz (Pelé)

**Contemporary Motivators series**

* Star Wars adapted by Linda A. Cadrain and Charles Nicholas (1978)
* The Caine Mutiny
* Banner in the Sky
* God Is My Co-Pilot adapted by Linda A. Cadrain and Charles Nicholas
* Guadalcanal Diary (June 1978)
* Hiroshima
* Hot Rod (1978)
* Just Dial a Number by Edith Maxwell, adapted by Charles Nicholas
* The Diary of Anne Frank (1979)
* Lost Horizon adapted by Catherine Wichterman and Charles Nicholas (1978)

**Solarman (1979–1980)**

* Solarman #1: The Beginning (1979) — written by David Oliphant and M. Barbara O'Brien; adapted by Linda A. Cadrain and uncredited artist
* Solarman #2: Day or Nite (1980) — written by David Oliphant and illustrated by Dick Giordano
* Solarman: At the Earth's Core (1980)

### Books

* The American People in the Age of Kennedy, by David M. Kennedy (1973)
* The American People in the Antebellum South, edited by Bertram Wyatt-Brown (1973)
* A Sheaf of Snow Poems, by Joseph Payne Brennan (1973)
* The Illustrated Format: an Effective Teaching Tool (1978) ISBN 0883013487
