Thrilling Publications, also known as Beacon Magazines (1936–37), Better Publications (1937–43) and Standard Magazines (1943–55), was a pulp magazine publisher run by Ned Pines, publishing such titles as Startling Stories and Thrilling Wonder Stories.
Pines became the president of Pines Publications in 1928. Pines folded most of his magazines in 1955 but continued to lead the company until 1961.
Cover artists
Pines' cover artists included Earle K. Bergey, John Parker, George Rozen, and Rudolph Belarski.
Paperbacks
In 1942 Pines started Popular Library, a paperback publishing house, and devoted himself to that company after closing his other ventures. Popular reprinted materials from the pulps.
Characters
Bill Dawe (The Sky Devil) (by Harold F. Cruickshank)
The Black Bat
Captain Danger
Captain Future (a separate comic book character, unrelated to the pulp character, also existed)
Crimson Mask
Green Ghost (also appeared in comics)
Masked Detective
Masked Rider (purchased from Martin Goodman's Ranger Publications after the first three issues; Better Publications' numbering started with v01n01)
Olak, the White Phantom (by Harold F. Cruickshank)
The Phantom Detective
The Purple Scar
The Rio Kid
Titles
Air War
Army Navy Flying Stories
Black Book Detective
Captain Future (1940–1944; 17 issues)(the series was continued with several novels and short stories in Startling Stories)
Detective Book Magazine
Detective Novels
Everyday Astrology
Exciting Detective
Exciting Love
Exciting Football
Exciting Western
Fantastic Story Quarterly / Fantastic Story Magazine (1950-1955, 23 issues)
G-Men
The Lone Eagle
Masked Detective (1940–1943, 12 issues)
Masked Rider Western (1934–1953; 100 issues)
Mobsters
The Phantom Detective
Popular Detective
Popular Love
Popular Sports Magazine
Popular Western
RAF Aces
Range Riders Western (1938–1953; 72 issues)
Rio Kid Western
Rodeo Romances
Sky Fighters
Space Stories (1952-1953, 5 issues)
Startling Stories (1939–1955; 99 issues)(Following the cancellation of Captain Future in 1944 due to wartime paper restrictions, several CF novels appeared in this magazine immediately, and several short stories in the early 50s)
Strange Stories (1939-1941, 13 issues)
The Rio Kid Western (1939–1953; 76 issues)
Texas Rangers
Thrilling Adventures (1931–1943)
Thrilling Baseball
Thrilling Detective (1931–53; 213 issues)
Thrilling Football
Thrilling Love
Thrilling Mystery
Thrilling Ranch
Thrilling Sports