Reading Room: PHANTOM LADY "Meanest Men in the World"

If the story seems familiar...

...it's because this is another re-write of a story presented in the Fox Comics version of Phantom Lady several years earlier!

The first version of this tale appeared in Phantom Lady #15 (1947) as shown HERE, but the idea of crooked real estate agents ripping off returning veterans worked just as well in Ajax/Farrell's Phantom Lady #4 (1955), just changing the war (Korea instead of World War II) the vets were returning from!

Script in both versions probably by Ruth Roche.

However, this time the art is not by Matt Baker, and though adequate, is no match for the original!

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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.

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Reading Room: PHANTOM LADY "Yankee Doodle Luck"

Though Phantom Lady may have been forced to lose her cleavage...

...politically-incorrect racial stereotypes still abounded even after the Comics Code took hold.

Note: may be NSFW!

Formosa is now known as Taiwan, or the Republic of China.
When the Communist Party took control of mainland China after World War II, the deposed government and it's supporters moved to the island of Formosa off the China coast.
These days, when most people refer to "China", they're talking about the People's Republic of China which controls the vast area traditionally-known as "China".
At the time of this story in Phantom Lady #3 (1955), Formosa was officially-considered to be "China" by the United Nations.
Since 1971, though, mainland China has become the "China" recognized by the UN and Formosa/Taiwan is no longer an official member of the international organization, though most countries maintain diplomatic relations and the US still has military bases there.
The artist (or artists) of this tale are unknown, but the writer is probably editor Ruth Roche, as usual.

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The Spin-Off Blog from this one...HEROINES!

The femme entries here at Hero (& Heroine) Histories™ have proven so popular, we've decided to spin-off the women into their own weekly blog.
The first entry, posted now, features the relatively-unknown character Aurora of Jupiter...

...who only appeared once, in the HTF Captain Rocket #1 (1951)!
Note: We're continuing the ongoing Phantom Lady and Jet Dream strips here, but any other femme-oriented material is now slated for Heroines™!
And, when we finish Phantom Lady & Jet Dream, this blog's name will change to Hero Histories™.
Check Heroines™ every Friday from now on!
This Friday: comics' first Desi (Indian subcontinent) heroine...from 1944!

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Reading Room: JET DREAM "Set-Up Sultan"

When your bodyguards are Jet Dream and her team...

...you would want bodies like those as close to you as possible! (Wink, wink, nudge nudge)

Script for this tale from Man from U.N.C.L.E. #15 (1967) by Dick Wood, art by Joe Certa.

Unfortunately, Certa has problems differentiating women, and uses hairstyles to tell them apart.

(I didn't know one of them was Pacific Islander Ting-A-Ling until Jet mentioned it on page 4!)

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