Reading Room: PHANTOM LADY "Introduction"

Here's the very first appearance of Phantom Lady, in Police Comics #1 (1940)

...with a somewhat more demure look (and different color scheme) than we're used to!

The writer is unknown, but the artist is Arthur Peddy, a journeyman with credits at almost every Golden Age comic publishing house.
Next week: we begin the complete run of the Ajax/Farrell Phantom Lady!

Support Small Business!

Visit our

"Naughty" 

Phantom Lady

Collectibles Shop

featuring goodies emblazoned with cover art that Fredric Wertham railed against in Seduction of the Innocent.

Reading Room: JET DREAM "Splash-Down to Death"

Usually we see Jet in action solo or with the entire team...

...but here we get to see her kicking evildoer butt with just one of the team at her side.

Script for this short, but effective, tale from Man from U.N.C.L.E. #14 (1967) by Dick Wood, with art by Joe Certa.

The one problem I had with the story is that Certa has difficulty visually-differentiating Jet and Ting, who look very similar (almost generic) in most panels!

Mike Sekowsky was able to make their faces different enough in Ting's intro tale (as seen HERE) to make it easy, even the group shots, to see who was who.

Support Small Business!

Visit our

Jet Dream and her StuntGirl CounterSpies

Comics Collectible Store!

Reading Room: PHANTOM LADY "Mystery of the Monkey Cult"

 It's been over fifty years since this story was first published...

...and we're still almost at war with North Korea, as shown in Phantom Lady's final Fox Comics appearance!

Credits for this tale from All Top Comics #17 (1949) are: script probably by Ruth Roche, pencils by Matt Baker, and inks by Baker and another artist.

Though All Top Comics went on for one more issue, this was Phantom Lady's last appearance in the Fox Comics line, which folded only a couple of months later.

One Phantom Lady reprint appeared in, of all titles, Jungle Thrills, published by Star Publications, in 1952.

In 1954, Ajax/Farrell published a Phantom Lady title featuring new stories, also by Iger Studios, who packaged the earlier Fox Comics books.

While Ruth Roche continued to edit (and probably write) the strips, Matt Baker had moved on to other publishers including St John, and the art was not up to the high standards Baker set.

Next week: the very first Phantom Lady story from Quality Comics' Police Comics #1!
Then, we begin the complete run of the Ajax/Farrell Phantom Lady!

Support Small Business!

Visit our

"Naughty" 

Phantom Lady

Collectibles Shop

featuring goodies emblazoned with cover art that Fredric Wertham railed against in Seduction of the Innocent.

Reading Room: ONE-SHOT HEROES The Wrath of...The Researcher

Next to "The Listener" or "The Watcher", the least frightening name for a comic hero is...

...however, this guy could make the name synonymous with "action hero"!

Who is The Researcher?

We never learn his real name.

Everyone calls him "Researcher", even his girlfriend.

Where did he get the money for his kool weaponry and equipment?

Is he independently-wealthy or does he bill clients?

He hob-nobs with the upper crust, including diplomats, politicians and rich businessmen.

Many are the mysteries surrounding...The Researcher!

Unfortunately, this short strip from Green Giant Comics #1 (1940) was his only appearance anywhere!

Pity, since he has a lot of potential.

Frank Thomas, the writer/artist behind this strip created a number of detective-themed characters in the Golden Age including The Eye, The Owl, and Dr Hypno.

Support Small Business!

Visit our

Collectibles Store!

Reading Room: PHANTOM LADY "Saturnalia of Sin"

With a title like that, how can anyone say comics aren't educational?

(A "Saturnalia" is a major-level party, a shindig people will talk about for years to come)

Seems like a kool way to close out the final tale from the final Fox issue of Phantom Lady!

The final story from Phantom Lady #23 (1949) is by writer Ruth Roche and artist Jack Kamen.
Next week, the final Fox Comics tale from All Top Comics #17!
After that, the very first Phantom Lady story from Police Comics #1!
Then, we begin the complete run of the Ajax/Farrell Phantom Lady!

Support Small Business!

Visit our

"Naughty" 

Phantom Lady

Collectibles Shop

featuring goodies emblazoned with cover art that Fredric Wertham railed against in Seduction of the Innocent.