Crime Does Not Pay #34 (1944)

By Charles Biro
$141.95
Free Shipping, In-Stock, Condition: New

Print Sizes (see Frame Sizes for overall dims)
Frame Styles
Mat
Overall Frame Sizes

Below are each print size's approximate overall framed dimensions:

1: 11 5/16"H print = 17 x 20” overall

2: 22 5/8"H print = 25 x 31” overall

3: 27 1/8"H print = 28 x 35” overall

4: 33 7/8"H print = 33 x 42” overall

See the Frame Sizes section at the bottom of this page for a visual guide.

Frame Styles & Materials

Frames
Choose from three styles:

  • Ashford - Aluminum, powder coated with a slim ⅜” wide flat face
  • Durham - Modern wood, poplar with stained finish. 1” wide x 1 ¼” deep
  • Granby - Ornate wood, antique-gilded finish. 1 ⅜” wide flat face

Print
Premium smooth matte-finish art paper

Matting
Acid-free ⅛” white conservation board

Protection
Clear acrylic, 1.5mm thick, protects your art from 66% of UV light. It offers the clarity of the finest picture frame glazing at half the weight of glass and many times the impact resistance

Production & Shipping Time

Shipping is free!

Your custom handcrafted order is shipped in 8-10 business days, with fast free shipping taking another 1-7 days based on distance from our facility in Derby, Connecticut.

Return Policy

Because our products are custom-made just for you, all sales are final.

However, if your order arrives damaged or doesn’t meet quality standards, we’re happy to offer a replacement. For more details, check out our Return and Refund Policy.

Need to cancel? We’ll do our best to accommodate if production hasn’t started. Just contact us as soon as possible on our Contact page.

About the Art

This striking cover, illustrated by Charles Biro, exemplifies the visual dynamism of Golden Age crime comics. The dramatic perspective captures a man plummeting down an elevator shaft, his terror palpable as ropes twist and snap—a vivid metaphor for the consequences of criminal recklessness. The bold typography and stark red logo reflect wartime urgency, aligning with the era's moralistic media.

Published by Lev Gleason, Crime Does Not Pay was culturally significant as a pioneering "true crime" comic, blending sensational storytelling with cautionary tales. Biro’s innovative layouts and psychological tension elevated the genre, cementing its influence in mid-20th-century pulp entertainment.

Charles Biro

Charles Biro (1911–1972), a New York artist trained at Brooklyn Museum and Grand Central School of Art, pioneered gritty crime narratives with documentary realism. Defined Crime Does Not Pay, Daredevil, and Steel Sterling, while launching adult-oriented Tops (1949). His editorial vision shaped comics’ shift toward socially charged storytelling.

Comic Genres

From Superheroes to Jungle Warriors: A Universe of Genres Awaits

Frame Sizes

Below are each print size's approximate overall framed dimensions:

1: 11 5/16"H print = 17 x 20” overall

2: 22 5/8"H print = 25 x 31” overall

3: 27 1/8"H print = 28 x 35” overall

4: 33 7/8"H print = 33 x 42” overall

Frame Styles

A frame style for every interior, each in a variety of finishes:

  • Ashford -Aluminum, powder coated with a slim ⅜” wide flat face
  • Durham - Modern wood, poplar with stained finish. 1” wide x 1 ¼” deep
  • Granby - Ornate wood, antique-gilded finish. 1 ⅜” wide flat face

Comic Art, Elevated

Say goodbye to flimsy posters and awkward framing. Vaulted Press offers stunning, ready-to-hang comic art.

Vaulted Press:

  • Faithful reproductions
  • Custom printed, matted and framed to order
  • Many frame styles and color options from which to choose
  • Growing catalog featuring both renowned and obscure artists’ works.
  • Making comic art and artists accessible to broader audiences with museum quality information and attribution

Other Providers:

  • Poor reproductions, untrue color, AI artifacts
  • Awkward framing, without mat or style options
  • Limited selection, without history or attribution