Tuesday, April 1, 2008

Madam Fatal, first cross-dressing superhero

Madam Fatal began running in Crack Comics #1 (May 1940), a creation of Art Pinajian. Fatal debut six months before DC's cross-dressing Red Tornado in Scribbly. Madam's final appearance was in Crack Comics #22 (March 1942) . Pinajian drew the series until the end.

Madam Fatal was really retired actor Richard Stanton. When his daughter was kidnapped, he set about making a new life for himself as an old woman. His foes now underestimated his speed and strength, and he easily topped them. No one knew of his secret but his pet bird, a parrot named Hamlet.
Stanton does save his daughter, but continues fighting crime as an old woman. Though now, instead living only as her, he swishes between identities.

Fatal shows up once in the modern era as part of the DCU. At the funeral of Wes Dodds, Wildcat (Ted Grant) mentions Madam Fatal's funeral, where no one showed up but he traveling cast of La Cage aux Folles (JSA #1). Stanton is buried in Valhalla Cemetery.

Read the Origin from Crack Comics #1 here! [Link fixed 06/2012]

At someone point Golden Age Comic Book Stories had “The Secret of the Rex” from Crack Comics #8 on the site, but the link no longer works. I've linked to it in hopes it will come back someday.

Gold Nuggets: Madam Fatal...Drag Queen of Justice! looks at some panels from Crack Comics #11

Read her final story at Crack Comics #22. [Dead link - I'll post the story at a later date 06/2012]

For more info on Madam Fatal....
Toonopedia article on Madam Fatal
Madam Fatal Profile on International Hero
Gay League - Madame Fatal

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

You can find some comic scans from Madam Fatal as well as Hooded Justice and other work by the creator Arthur Pinajian at www.ArtPinajian.com There is also some of his other work including some paintings on canvas. Interesting stuff worth looking at.

Daniel [oeconomist.com] said...

The original link will not come back at Golden Age Comic Book Stories, but (on past experience) Mr Door Tree will eventually repost the content; and (on past experience) later the newer entry will be removed as well.

BTW, one or more of my previous comments to your 'blog were caught in the spam inbox that Blogger quietly introduced.