In the early Golden Age, superheroes helped the "little guy"...
...when sleazeballs took advantage of honest citizens' dire financial straits!
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Showing posts with label 1930s. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 1930s. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Reading Room: BLUE BEETLE "Loan Shark Racket"
Friday, June 1, 2012
Reading Room: BLUE BEETLE "Armored Car Robbery"
The Blue Beetle dons his blue chain-mail costume for the first time...
...and displays the BeetleMobile in it's only appearance, ever!
(Lucky for him no one recognized him as policeman Dan Garret!)
Next issue he gains the mask, and by his fourth appearance the long-sleeved look he was to keep for the remainder of his career.
This story from Fox's Mystery Men Comics #2 is credited to the the pen-name "Charles Nicholas", but was written by Will Eisner and illustrated by Charles Nicholas Wojtkoski, who later used the name for all his comic work until he retired.
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Sunday, April 29, 2012
Reading Room: BLUE BEETLE "Debut"
Last time, we presented his final tale...
...now, from Mystery Men Comics #1 (1939), is the very first appearance of the decidedly-different Blue Beetle!
As you can see, it's not an origin story, since it's apparent that the Beetle's been operating for some time as of this tale.
(His origin won't be covered until the first issue of his own title, a year from now.
Even then, the full story won't be told.)
Also note the Green Hornet-inspired suit, fedora, and mask along with liberal use of a symbol to scare criminals and gas to knock them out.
It's the only time in his career he wears that particular ensemble.
With the next issue of Mystery Men Comics, you'll see the Blue Beetle begin the transition to the hero he was known as throughout the Golden Age as he dons the blue chain-mail costume.
(Oddly, when his origin is told in Blue Beetle #1, Garret is shown using the chain mail armor from the beginning of his career.)
Credited to the the pen-name "Charles Nicholas", this story was written by Will Eisner, illustrated by Charles Nicholas Wojtkoski, who later used the name for all his comic work until he retired.
(His origin won't be covered until the first issue of his own title, a year from now.
Even then, the full story won't be told.)
Also note the Green Hornet-inspired suit, fedora, and mask along with liberal use of a symbol to scare criminals and gas to knock them out.
It's the only time in his career he wears that particular ensemble.
With the next issue of Mystery Men Comics, you'll see the Blue Beetle begin the transition to the hero he was known as throughout the Golden Age as he dons the blue chain-mail costume.
(Oddly, when his origin is told in Blue Beetle #1, Garret is shown using the chain mail armor from the beginning of his career.)
Credited to the the pen-name "Charles Nicholas", this story was written by Will Eisner, illustrated by Charles Nicholas Wojtkoski, who later used the name for all his comic work until he retired.
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Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Reading Room: NOT WHO YOU THINK: "Wonder Man" Conclusion
During a visit to Tibet, electronics expert Fred Carson is given a ring by an elderly monk which imbues him with superhuman strength, speed, limited flight, enhanced vision and audio abilities, and invulnerability.
Returning to the USA, he is sent by his employer to the war-torn country of Tatonia to test his new long-range television transmitter, as well as chaperoning the boss' daughter who is serving as a Red Cross nurse.
When the Red Cross field hospital is attacked, Carson becomes Wonder Man and battles the enemy.
Meanwhile, the boss' daughter is captured...
Returning to the USA, he is sent by his employer to the war-torn country of Tatonia to test his new long-range television transmitter, as well as chaperoning the boss' daughter who is serving as a Red Cross nurse.
When the Red Cross field hospital is attacked, Carson becomes Wonder Man and battles the enemy.
Meanwhile, the boss' daughter is captured...
Nope, there wasn't "another action filled Wonder Man adventure"!
When the second (and last) issue of Wonder Comics came out, Wonder Man was nowhere to be found.
DC Comics' lawyers had immediately leaped into action when Wonder Comics #1 hit the newsstands, suing Fox Publications with a copyright infringement lawsuit.
Will Eisner, who wrote and drew the story at the behest of publisher Victor Fox claimed for years that he testified in court that Wonder Man was a deliberate imitation of Superman (which was the truth).
However, as shown in court transcripts HERE, Eisner committed perjury on the stand (as instructed by Fox), claiming that the then-neophyte writer/artist had conceived the Wonder Man strip months before Action Comics #1 had been published!
Despite that, the court ruled in favor of DC, and the first Wonder Man never reappeared.
There have been several Wonder Men since then, including a super-powered futuristic hero who also used advanced weaponry, more of a Captain Future than Superman (and who was called "WonderMan")...
...and the Marvel Comics character introduced in Avengers #V1 N9 (1964).
I think not! ;-)
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Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Reading Room: NOT WHO YOU THINK: "Wonder Man" Part 1
Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's a lawsuit waiting to happen!
Wonder Man made only ONE appearance before the publishers of a certain mild-mannered reporter/superhero sued, claiming he was TOO similar to you-know-who!
A judge agreed, the character "retired", never to be seen again (until now) and Wonder Comics was retitled WonderWorld Comics!
A judge agreed, the character "retired", never to be seen again (until now) and Wonder Comics was retitled WonderWorld Comics!
Tune in tomorrow for the thrilling conclusion to the origin of Super...I mean Wonder Man.
Yeah, that's it!
Wonder Man!
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Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Reading Room: THE SHADOW "Night of the Avenger" Conclusion
When Last We Left Our Heroes...
 |
| Art by Mike Kaluta |
Somebody is assembling enough arms and men to form a small army.
Who?
A team of assassins lead by Smitty, one of The Avenger's aides, attempts to kill The Shadow.
Why?
Margo Lane, aide and confidante to The Shadow attempts to kill The Avenger.
Why?
Clues lead both The Shadow (and his aides) and The Avenger (and his aides) to a lonely stretch of New Jersey beachfront where a massive weapons cache is discovered.
When the two groups meet, each believes the arms depot belongs to the other, and...
Who?
A team of assassins lead by Smitty, one of The Avenger's aides, attempts to kill The Shadow.
Why?
Margo Lane, aide and confidante to The Shadow attempts to kill The Avenger.
Why?
Clues lead both The Shadow (and his aides) and The Avenger (and his aides) to a lonely stretch of New Jersey beachfront where a massive weapons cache is discovered.
When the two groups meet, each believes the arms depot belongs to the other, and...
In the 1970s, both Marvel and DC revived pulp characters whose paperback reprints were selling very well.
Marvel licensed Doc Savage, and DC grabbed both The Shadow and The Avenger.
Due to the fact Marvel had trademarked The Avengers, DC's Avenger book was titled Justice, Inc. (the name of The Avenger's organization.)*
The Shadow lasted 12 issues, Justice, Inc. only 4.
While some of the 1970s Shadow run have been reprinted in book form, this issue has not.
*Similarly, when a comic based on the British TV spy series The Avengers was done in the late 1960s, it was called John Steed & Mrs. Peel!
Due to the fact Marvel had trademarked The Avengers, DC's Avenger book was titled Justice, Inc. (the name of The Avenger's organization.)*
The Shadow lasted 12 issues, Justice, Inc. only 4.
While some of the 1970s Shadow run have been reprinted in book form, this issue has not.
*Similarly, when a comic based on the British TV spy series The Avengers was done in the late 1960s, it was called John Steed & Mrs. Peel!
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Monday, August 15, 2011
Reading Room: THE SHADOW "Night of the Avenger" Part 1
Recipe for mayhem; take two heroes, add one arch-villain...
...mix with assorted aides and assistants, stir, and serve HOT!
Don't Miss It!
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And, now a word from our sponsor (us)...
Check Out
Atomic Kommie Comics™
Pulp and Comic Collectibles
Labels:
1930s,
1970s,
AvengerPulp,
Bronze Age,
comic books,
DC Comics,
Denny ONeil,
E R Cruz,
Justice Inc,
Mike Kaluta,
pulp,
Reading Room,
retro,
The Shadow,
vintage
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