Golden Reading

Campus Loves

2012-02-13T10:33:00.000-05:00

THE QUALITY COMICS BOSS: We need a new romance comics!

BILL WARD: I can draw pretty ladies in there underwear.

THE QUALITY COMICS BOSS: Okay you're on art! Now remember, women go to college to pick up men.

I think that's how it might have gone.

Campus Loves (Quality Comics, 1949) is a series of four books that was yet another attempt by Quality to jump on the coming romance fad of the fifties. They followed this up with Diary Loves November 1949 - April 1953, Broadway Romances (January 1950 - September 1950), Brides Romances (November 1953 - December 1956), and Exotic Romances October 1955 - November 1956.

Here you can read the first story from issue #1. (Read by scrolling here)

Campus Loves #1 03 //04 //05 //06 //08 //09 //10 //11

Pictorial Romances #17 (and #9)

2012-02-12T16:25:00.000-05:00

Running 21 issues, Pictorial Romances was in press from January 1950 to March 1954.

A warning to feminist readers, punching your screen will not make it any better.

Thanks to the Romance Comics Reading Room you can look though Pictorial Romances 9 (Matt Baker cover and story art)

Before you do that check out a story from #17, "Sharecropper's Daughter" Art by Matter Baker.

003 // 004 // 005// 006// 007// 008// 009// 010

I hope to be adding a lot of Matt Baker's work soon. ♥

My Real Love #5 Highlight Reel!

2012-02-11T20:30:00.000-05:00

Kicking off the weekend of love we have 1950's My Real Love #5, highlight reel!

The cover (see left) stars David Wayne & Gloria DeHaven from "Down Among the Sheltering Palms." It has little to do with the content of the comic.

If you have a link to a missing section, please post it in the comments.

"In Love with Love" Art by Art Saaf- Read it here!

"Too Much Family!" Art byGeorge Tuska

"Love on the 5:15" (1 pg, text story) story byMadeline Mines -Read it here

"Good-Time Girl!" Art by Nick Cardy -Read it here!

"He's My Boss" - Read it here!

"Shattered Dream!" Pencils by Alex Toth, Inks by John Celardo -Read it here!

"No Regrets" (1 pg text story )Script by Patty Hendryx -Read it here!

"I Ran from Romance" Are byVernon V. Greene -Read it here!

"The Second Look" - Read it here!

Military Man: Johnny Doughboy

2012-02-05T00:36:00.010-05:00

Johnny is not a newcommer to this blog. The name Bernard Dibble is. He started on newspaper strips in the 1920s. He best know for Iron Vic (see left) who he created for United Features Syndicate in 1940. He stayed in the comics game until the 1950s, when he began work as a Park Employee with the New York City Dept. of Parks.

Today, I share with you some of his work on John Doughboy from Military Comics #33, #17, and #34. (Please note that 34 contains some racist content.)

#17

#33

#34

You can read Bezzey Bubble, a short from Crack Comics, here.

For more checkout...

Comic creator: Bernard Dibble

Bernard Dibble

BERNARD DIBBLE - The Wooly Art and Cute Girls

From Crack Comics #39.

New Look and Fresh Links!

2012-02-05T00:02:00.006-05:00

As you can see the page has gotten a make over! After fighting with blogger over a layout we can agree on, it has come to this. Feedback would be much appreciated.

I've also taken the time to do some more link fixing. All theses stories are back up"

“Dixie Dugan”

Avon's The Unknown Man (1951)

Miss Victory Returns

2011-08-01T16:02:00.000-04:00

It might not be July anymore, but that's no reason not to wear red, white, and blue.

At least that's true if you're a superhero. Follwing up July 4th's post, here is Miss Victory with two more stories.

First up, strannik01 has posted a story from Captain Aero #9 . Check it out, if only to see the sheer glee on Miss V's face as she beats up the bad guys. While you're there you can admire the gaping plot holes this story has.

Now from Captain Aero #15...

Read smaller scans in the post on scans_daily or read it in HQ page by page below.

09 // 10// 11 // 12 // 13 //14 // 15

Believe it to not, Nazi Gorillas are more common in comics than you might think. I may even have to do a post on them.

Miss Victory - Public Domain Super Heroes

UPDATES

I was asked on another site about it, so I'll address it here too. Original scans of Veri Best Sure Fire Comics #1 are available via digitalcomicmuseum. I had the scans of the reprints, so I used those. You can go see it in all its original glory. She also appeared in Holyoke One-Shot #5 in a reprint from Captain Fearless #2.

I've updated the Betty Bates, Lady at Law page. You can now read the story again!

Miss Victory Steps In!

2011-07-04T11:59:00.000-04:00

Washington D.C., August 1941...

Taking her cue from the August 1941 explosion of superheroines, Miss Victory dons some patriotic tights in hope of cleaning up Washington D.C. She has the clout of being called the first patriotic superheroine.

She has superhuman strength and some invulnerability. She can survive explosions, break down most anything in her way. To the best of my knowledge it is never addressed how she came by these powers, but hey, if you can punch though bricks, why put on a cape and punch bad guys too?

She is a creation of an unknown author at Helnit (who would soon be Holyoke Publishing Co [Wiki] ). Her staring artist and regular artist was Charles Quinlan of Cat-Man fame. Her debut comic, Captain Fearless #1, only lasted two issues. She was moved along with the rest of the characters form the tittle to Captain Aero (Dec. 1941) where she stayed until its end at #26 (Aug. 1946).

Now, introducing Joan Wayne, stenographer...

To read the whole Captain Fearless #1 go to digitalcomicmuseum.com, but you can check out Miss Victory's #1 right here. (These scans are great. I didn't edit at all!)

01 // 02// 03 // 04 // 05

I don't normally do reprints here, but for the 4th, I'm making the exception. Here is another Miss Victory story, a reprint of her story in Veri Best Sure Fire Comics #1 (1945, only lasted one issue) from Femforce #119.

01 // 02 // 03 //04 //05 //06 // 07

You just have to love the glee on her face here. Also not the costume change, but that will become clearer in the next post later this month.

Miss Victory Links...

Don Markstein's Toonopeida: Miss Victory

Comic Book DB - Charles Quinlan

The major of the links I crossed were for the "reimagined" hero by AC Comics.

Also I've fixed up the Captain Battle page. The whole story has been reposted. I'll be fixing some of the other broken links later this month.

Falling in Love #4

2011-06-27T16:22:00.000-04:00

Lost love has never been particularly romantic to me. Keep that in mind when I tell you the I found the story of Abelard and Heloise out of place in Dc's Falling in Love. Falling in Love normally sports melodramatic plots, happing endings, and female POVs (there are exceptions). Tragic love doesn't seem to eve play in to the plots in the end, so the two page side story in an oddity to me.
This comics start in 1955, but issue #4 is dated Apil 1956. It ran 143 issues, ending in November 1973. I meant to post from #1, but the collector in me can't seem to put it on the scanner. So, let's pretend #4, is golden age!...Please? Come on I have no romance comics up at all...
Check out Mike's Amazing World of DC Comics-DC Reprint Guide for more on Falling in Love reprints. Information on this comics is scare, but dccomics40 has more coverage on individual issues. For more on the history of the story see Abelard and Heloise.
From DC Comics' Falling in Love #4

Page 01 // Page 02
On a whim here is an Ad from the issue. http://i51.tinypic.com/2z883lt.jpg
For a site to bookmark, see comicallyvintage on tumblr. They also have a face book page for all you social networkers out there. Be prepared though, if you are like me the lack of sources will drive you crazy.

...Rise!

2011-05-08T14:38:00.001-04:00

It has become clear that I won't simply be able to restore my posts that has content on scans daily. Due to a lack of time and my research efforts going to television projects, I'm not even going to try.

I will continue this blog, but on no more than a monthly posting basis. For some more comics love check out my other blog, Misty Geek.

Expect a little romance coming up soon!

2010-08-02T16:41:00.000-04:00

This site has not really been abandoned, but the loss of scans_daily, and the power box on my computer have dented it for this time. In the next few months I will be fixing the broken links here and adding new pages!

Fox's Phantom Lady

2009-03-04T12:13:00.000-05:00

Thought jinx!
After losing her spot in Quality's Police Comics, Phantom Lady went to Fox. Here Sandra Knight got a redesign to how she as known today by the hands of Matt Baker and Ruth Roche.

Fox's Phantom Lady #13 (Aug. 1947) story #1

Page 01 //02 //03//04 //05//06//07//08//09//10//11

Still Kickin'

2009-03-01T23:21:00.000-05:00

For all members of scans_daily, February 7, 2009 was a sad day. Scans_Daily has been suspended by its host LiveJournal.There is a a backup comm on insanejournal (here), but the site is still gone.

Since many of the post of this site are linked to post I made on scans daily, I have some real work to do. I have copies of all of them, including those who had not yet earned pages. I'll work to fix these or replace them.

Mr. Muscles and the Carnies

2008-09-25T01:38:00.000-04:00

Remember Mr. Muscles? I know, you tried to forget. I'm only bring the bad feelings back. But you have yet to head the tale of Mr. Muscles in...

Page One // Two // Three // Four // Five (From Mr. Muscles #23)

Check the tags for More of this Grea-Okay Comic!

Avon's The Unknown Man (1951)

2008-09-11T22:51:00.001-04:00

Facing someone who says they can't stand golden age comics because of the writing? It is time to start pulling out the Avon one shots. Like this one...

The Unknown Man (1951, art by Louis Ravielli) "The strange, bewildering tale of a man on trail for his life, and the man who hold it--and justice--in his hand!"

...An eye for eye, a tooth for tooth, and that killeth that man shall be put to death...

The link only has the main story in the book. The
second story is "The Nightclub Swindel" by Lesile Charteris and A. Chollingsworth.

“Dixie Dugan”

2008-09-10T17:46:00.001-04:00

"A man is never too young to become a cartoonist. John Striebel, who draws the widely popular “Dixie Dugan” cartoon strip, won national prominence at the age of fourteen when he was recognized as the youngest front-page cartoonist in the country." -- Modern Mechanix: Dixie Dugan’s Fathers

Much has been said about Dixie Dugan, so I will not rehash it here. For More information on this multi-media comic strip girls see the links at the bottom.

Image via The blog of Joakim Gunnarsson

I've collected several “Dixie Dugan” strips, including some pages from Big Shot Comics. Check out this post to read them.

Dixie Dugan Links...

Toonopedia

Lambiek: John Henry Striebel

Dixie Dugan

Mr. Muscles!

2008-09-09T17:22:00.001-04:00

Brett Carson suffered from polio, but through determination and hard work he was able to become the most prefect man on earth--Mr. Muscles!
Mr. Muscles came to be from the mind of Jerry Siegel in March 1956. Charlton threw in the towel on Blue Beetle (1955), and kept the numbering from his magazine as they replaced him with Mr. Muscles. Bill Fraccio was the artist for the first issue, #22. For the second and last issue, Charles Nicholas and John Forte were in charge of the art with Siegel still doing all the stories.
It is important to point out this is the ad in the front of the comic. Both issues are full of ads just like these, making it seems like a big advisement.
Not only did Mr. Muscles have a sidekick, but there was a Miss Muscles too! She only lasted two pages in issue #22.
You can read the origin story from #22 on scans_daily along with Miss Muscles' story (with a backup link here). You can read the story of Kid Muscle and Mr. Muscles vs. Jake Armbuster page by page on Sharepic or on dreamwith.

The final story in issue #23 is call "Steeple Jack," but more on him in another post.

In the way of more information...there isn't much....

International Catalog of Superheroes: Mr. Muscles
Oddball Comics - Mr. Muscles

Johnny Doughboy

2008-09-06T20:59:00.003-04:00

Staring in Military Comics #14 Bernard Dibble's" Johnny Doughboy", knocked "Inferior Man" out for the humor filler spot. Johnny Doughboy fit the military them more the the parody-superhero.

Johnny lasted as long as the title Military Comics did. His final appearance is #43.

From Military Comics #28...

Star Pirate

2008-07-08T11:20:00.000-04:00

He is only known as Star Pirate. No one knows from where he hails, only that he captains the ship "Revenge" and has yet to meet his match.

Star Pirate began in Planet Comics #12, and lasted till #64, when reprints started. (But he's in #65, #67, 68 and 70 of the reprints.) His original wrier used the pen name "Leonardo Vinci." The owner is unknown, but the artist for most of the strips signs. The original was Al Gabriele, but later the title sported Maurice Whitman, Leonard Starr, and Joe Kubert. It was young artist Murphy Anderson, along with writer "Len Dodson," who handled the largest part of the run, staring in #33.

Star beings and ends his adventures being thrown up against one gorgeous female villain after another. For the first part of his career it is done along side his purely loyal first mate, Trodelyte or Trody. Trody only make it to #31, where he is replaced by Star's "Martian-pal" Gura. Gura only makes it to #35.

But in #36, Star picks up the pirate that will stay with him to the end of his run.

Once a enemy, Blackbeard joins with Star to escape the rival band of pirates.You can read the story here. #36 also is when Star Pirate becomes a comic for laughs over serious drama.

Below a story from from Planet Comics #41. Star takes a spaceship of male colonists to a forgotten world populated only by women.

Page 01//Page 02//Page 03//Page 04//Page 05//Page 06//Page 07

UK monthly, Planet Stories (Atlas, 1961-62), reprints some of the Planet Comics titles, including Star Pirate.

Series info for Planet Comics.

Murphy Anderson essay by Michel Vance

More Star Pirate on the way!

Peterkin Pottle

2008-06-20T11:32:00.000-04:00

Peterkin Pottle is a life guard, a early American hunter, and an all around great hero. Peterkin Pottle is a high imaginative little boy.

In real life Peterkin goes to a school where he has to sit in back of the class for being stupid. He is consetly teased by the other kids, except for the lovely Patty.

Peterkin Pottle is one of the earliest original creations of John Stanley. He started appering in 1949 and issues #32 to #38 of Raggedy Ann and Andy star Pottle on the cover.

Peterkin Pottle gave John Stanley a chance to show off his dark humor and really start to play with one of his favorite themes, social alienation.

From Raggedy Ann and Andy #33 you can read this Peterkin Pottle story on The John Stanley website.

Below is the story from Raggedy Ann and Andy #38.

38-03.jpg//38-04.jpg// 38-05.jpg//38-06.jpg//38-07.jpg//38-08.jpg//38-09.jpg//38-10.jpg//38-11.jpg//38-12.jpg

The Comet

2008-05-08T11:30:00.000-04:00

Jack Cole is remembered for his creation of Plastic Man, but the stretchy superhero wasn't his first super powered savior.

Scientist John Dickering discovers a gas 50 times lighter than hydrogen. By inject this gas into his blood he gained he the ability jump high into the air, achieving near flight. After his experiments continue he finds that by crossing his eyes he can focus beams to desegregate whatever is in his path. Knowing what this could do in the wrong hands, John destroys the formula and picks up a costume to become The Comet.

Meet John Dickering, The Comet!

The Comet ran trough Pep Comics #17, but Jack Cole was only the writer as far as #5. Before Cole left he had John meet reporter Thelma Gordon, who remained his girlfriend till the end of his series.

Shortly before he meets Thelma, he is hypnotized into stealing and killing a police officer, becoming a fugitive. Thelma believes he is innocence and falls in love with him. For a while the two work together, by #17 she is asking him to turn himself in so they can live normally.

Read the story arc "Pencils of Doom" from Pep Comics #11 and #12 here.

In #17 John's brother Bob is introduced and soon would become a big player in Pep Comics.

For More Information...

The Comet - Don Markstein's Toonopedia

The Comet (International Superhero)

Unca Cheeks Silver Age Comics Site: Crusaders 1

Dangerous Origins, part 2

The Mighty Crusaders (The Comet was a member when revived later in comics)

Be sure to check the tags for more on The Comet.

Lil' Eightball

2008-05-03T22:07:00.000-04:00

Three "Lil EightBall" cartoons were produced and distributed through Universal Pictures in 1939. Black Like Me: The History Of Black Comic Book Heroes Through The Ages Part One 1900-1968 by Dart Adams makes mention of one of the Lil Eight Ball cartoons and give a short background on the character with pictures. "A-Haunting We Will Go" provides more screen shots for the last of the cartoons with a light background.

Dell took the short-lived, animated character from 1939 and dropped him into the pages of New Funnies. Lil' EightBall is a black boy growing up in the rural south. It has all the racist stereotypes one might expect with that setting.

From New Funnies #106 (Dec 1945)

page 01 // page 02 // page 03 //page 04//page 05 //page 06 // page 07//

More information...

Lil' Eightball (Big Cartoons Database)

Der Captain give his thoughts on Lil Eightball after seeing "A-Hunting We Will Go"

Here is the story of Lil Eight Ball B-17G-35-DL 42-107215 from the 709th Bomb Squadron which featured the character as it's nose art.

I am not sure who owns it now, but New Funnies is not in the Public Domain. It is safe to say Lil Eightball will never be re-printed, but you can still find the cartoons running around and unadvertised episodes on Walter Lantz's Cartoons DVDs.

Betty Bates, Lady at Law

2008-04-29T00:33:00.000-04:00

Staring in Hit Comics #4, Betty Bates finds danger everywhere she turns. Sometimes she jumps into trouble, sometimes it grabs her and runs. Either way "Betty Bates, Lady at Law" was one of the better back-up in Hit Comics, outlasting it's cover stars: Neon the Unknown, The Red Bee, Kid Eternity, and Hercules.

Betty Bates, Lady at Law (later called Attorney at Law, then just Betty Bates) has no side kick or repeating cast for most of her run. As Hit Comics began to cut some of its length, only becoming five or six stories and issue, Betty picks up Larry. Larry is a Police reporter who clearly has a crush on Betty, the new District Attorney.

Larry is often used as comic relief, but never falls to being the consent funny man or the annoying side kick. He backs Betty up in her out of office adventures, but he never has to save her. The strip is not degraded by the additions of a side kick like many other strips have been.

Betty was created by the name she is usually credited to, "Stanley Charlot." Stanley Charlot, a pen named used only on Hit Comics, is credited to Bob Powell by The Grand Comics Database (Hit Comics) and Lambiek Comiclopedia (Comic creator: Bob Powell). Some Hit Comic readers give credit to Al Bryant, who later did all the art for the strip. Artists Nick Cardy also worked on the title before Al Bryant came in, but is never credited with writing it. Alice Kirkpatrick is credited with the art on some of the last issues.

Betty Bates sometimes has alight, funny story, and sometimes a darker of crime. Below you will find a light one.

From Hit Comics #12 "One Hamburger with Trouble!" Art by Al Bryant

Click here to read and be sure to come back for more Betty Bates!

Klaus Nordling and Lt. Drake of the U.S. Naval Intelligence

2008-04-26T17:39:00.000-04:00

Writer and artist Klaus Nordling, famous for his work on Lady Luck, started his career in 1939. His first work is Baron Munchausen, a Sunday strip comic. Soon he was working with Fox Comics on "Spark Stevens" and "Lt. Drake of the U.S. Naval Intelligence."

F. Klaus, who singed the first panel of the comic below, is really Nordling. He did do the pencil work here, if not the writing. The writer is is marked as unknown by the Grand Comics Database, but Nordling did the writing on a number of strips.Now to see some early work! Here is Mystery Men #12 (July 1940)"The Stuffed Fish Smugglers"

pg38 //pg39 //pg40 //pg41 //pg42

More more infomation on Klaus Nordling:

Klaus Nordling (Artist Profile)

Nordling, Klaus (Who's Who Bio; A few of his pen names, and a list of known works)

The Mouthpiece

2008-04-25T11:21:00.000-04:00

"A newly elected district attorney, Young Bill Perkins, draws the ridicule of older officials because of his alert action methods. When out after first-hand evidence, Bill wears a mask and to the evasive figures beyond the law he brings terror and grim respect--to them he is...The Mouthpiece!"

The above is from Mouthpiece's first story, and it is the only introduction creator Fred Guardineer ever gives. Mouthpiece is yet another 1940s, blue suited lawyer tired of the red tape. He stands out from look a likes The Sprit and Midnight because he is played complete straight. His comics are darker, more violent, and generally not as good.

Mouthpeice only lasted until Police Comics #13. In modern times, he has shown up as part of the DC Universe in Dr. Mid-Nite #1. Not as a crime fighter, but as a law advisor to Dr. Mid-Nite who lost his family to AIDS.

From Police Comics #1 (August 1941), here is his first story.
Page 1//page 2//page 3//page 4//page 5//page 6

For more infomation...
Mouthpiece (Wikipedia)

Check the Tags for more Mouthpiece!

Blaze Barton and The World of the Future

2008-04-22T01:37:00.000-04:00

In 50017 A.D. the Earth is spiraling towards the sun. Professor Solis and his daughter Betty (Avis by #3) create a great, heat-proof city for the best and brightest. The rest of the humans dies, and in their place the creatures from the center of the Earth have crawled out to live.

Blaze Barton (dropping "and The World of the Future" after issues #1) ran for 13 issues of Hit Comics. Information of the creator is unknown, but artist for the first story was Henry Kiefer. Blaze goes though a lot of artist and a lot of gal pals.

You're set to read Blaze Barton now. That's all you really need know.

Hit Comics #1 "Doomsday and Afterwards" Writer Unknown; Pencils Henry Kiefer

Page 01//Page 02//Page 03//Page 04//Page 05//

More Information...

Unused Quality Comics Characters

Earth X Timeline

Stories By Famous Authors Illustrated

2008-04-16T23:28:00.000-04:00

Stories By Famous Authors illustrated was a 1950s, 13 issues series of adaptations from literature. Stories were usually 32 pages with two or three text stories at the end of the issue. Issues #1 through #5 were reprints of Fast Fiction with different covers, put out a year earlier. Stories By Famous Authors has some great history (and covers) on it's front page,

"This series was first produced by Seaboard Publishing as Fast Fiction and provided competition for the more well known series, Classics Illustrated. The series used some of the same artists as that series, including the well known and very well regarded Henry Carl Keifer. Clearly Albert Kanter, the Father of the Classics Illustrated series wasn’t impressed to have another publisher muscling in on his idea and was also angered that Keifer was also churning out some of the Seaboard stories - Hamlet and She refer - and so Kanter bought the upstart in 1951...In fact, if you own The Red Badge of Courage, number 98 in the Classics Illustrated series, then you have what was planned to be number 14 in the series from Stories by Famous Authors and was purchased by Gilberton at the same time as the purchase of the publishing rights for the 13 issued. That is why The Red Badge is only 32 pages long..."

Famous Authors Illustrated #1 The Scarlet Pimpernel

Famous Authors Illustrated #2 Captain Blood

Famous Authors Illustrated #3 She, art by Vincent Napoli

Famous Authors Illustrated #4 The 39 Steps

Famous Authors Illustrated #5 Beau Geste adaptation by Dick Davis; art by Henry C. Kiefer.

Famous Authors Illustrated #6 Macbeth, adapted by Danna E. Dutch; art by Henry C. Kiefer

Famous Authors Illustrated #7 The Window (text story: The Boy Who Cried Wolf)

Famous Authors Illustrated #8 Hamlet, adapted by Danna E. Dutch; art by Henry C. Kiefer (see it here) (Text stories: The Christophers, The Skeets calls for Skill, and Everyday expressions)

Famous Authors Illustrated #9 Nicholas Nickleby

Famous Authors Illustrated #10 Romeo and Juliet, adapted by Danna E. Dutch; art by Henry C. Kiefer

Famous Authors Illustrated #11 Ben Hur (text stories: The Word of Law, Te Cheating of Hadschi, Escape from War Prison)

Famous Authors Illustrated #12 la Svengali (text stories: William Tell, The First Commandos, The Rajah Takes A Census)

Famous Authors Illustrated #13 Scaramouche

For more info...

Stories By Famous Authors Illustrated (GCBDB)

If you know of any other links, please leave it in the comments!

Patty O'Day and English Eddie

2008-04-14T09:46:00.000-04:00

Here is a quick spy story, featuring reoccurring character the suave "English Eddie" (or is it Lord Mike?).

From Wonderworld Comics #4 "The case of English Eddie" by Adolphe Barreaux

Page 01 // Page 02 // Page 03 // Page 04 // Page 05 // Page 06

Patty O'Day

2008-04-11T12:19:00.000-04:00

Newsreel reporter Patty O'Day with her camera man/ever loyal bodyguard, Ham, investigates and adventures her way to her stories. Patty first showed up in Wonderworld #3, written and drawn by Adolphe Barreaux.

Patty is fairly athletic, and something of a of an actor. She has been know to dress up in disguise to get information.

(Image to the left from Wonderworld Comics #8 "Action in Switzerland," drawn by Clarie S. Moe.)

Read some Patty O'day here!
Wonderworld #30

page 01 // page 02 // page 03 // page 04 // page 05 // page 06 // page 07 // page 08

Find out more...

Comic creator: Adolphe Barreaux

Comic creator: Claire S. Moe - signing her work "Vic Todd" (See the story above) and Orville Wells.

See the tags for more Patty Comics!

Crack Comics #10 "Madam Fatal Meets The Jester."

2008-04-09T00:14:00.000-04:00

Art and Story by Art Pinajian.

Page 53 // Page 54 // Page 55 // Page 56. // Page 57

This comic happens before Smash Comics #22, the first story of the Jester. If it isn't him, that means that there are three Jesters running around. One villain (who sticks to Madam Fatal stories) and two good Jesters (one of which never shows up again). If it is him, he found reason to change his name to Chuck Lane.

Shock SuspenStories

2008-04-07T23:56:00.001-04:00

Shock SuspenStories features a mixture of horror, crime, and war stories.

"We've tried to satisfy every one of you readers who have written us insisting that E.C. increase its output! Many of you wanted another science-fiction mag... you horror fans wanted another horror book... and you suspense readers wanted a companion mag to Crime SuspenStories! We decided, therefore, to make this new mag an "E.C. Sampler" ...and to include in it an S-F yard, a horror tale, a Crime SuspenStory, and... for you readers of Frontline Combat and Two-Fisted Tales... a war story! Although there was a wide variance in the types of mags requested, all of you fans seemed to agree on one thing: all of you wanted the stories to have the usual E.C. SHOCK endings! So what could be more natural than to call the magazine SHOCK SUSPENSTORIES?" -- Shock SuspenStories

The war stories don't make it past issue one, but some stories are social issue-based. In fact the comic often tries to teach moral lessons with it's twist endings.

The magazine start in 1952 an ran till 1955, putting out 18 issues in all.

Shock SuspenStories has seen reprints. A black and white collection was put out in the early 1980s. Reprints of all 18 issues were reprinted in the early 1990s. They can still be found running around. Recently, the series has been collected in great full color sets. You'll find links to those below.

If you enjoy shows like Tales From the Crypt, this is a comic for you.

Now for a sneak peek from the individual 90s reprints...

From issues #2 "The Patriots!" by Jack Davis

Page 01 / Page 2 / Page 03 / Page 04 / Page 05 /

Shock SuspenStories #1 "The Rug" by Graham Ingels - [Link Down]

Shock SuspenStories #1 "A Neat Job!" by Jack Kamen - Read it here!

Shock SuspenStories #1 "Yellow" - Read it here

Shock SuspenStories #9 "The October Game" by Jack Kamen - Enjoy it here

Shock SuspenStories #12 "The Monkey" by Joe Orlando -See it here

Shock SuspenStories #15 "Raw Deal" - See it here

Shock SuspenStories #15 "Well Trained" by George Evans. - Read it here

Shock SuspenStories #16 "The Hazing" by Joe Orlando - Read it here (Also see the famous "Are You a Red Dupe?" ad.)

More info....

GCD :: Series - Shock SuspenStories

Shock SuspenStories

The Regular artist/writers...

Comic creator: George Evans

Comic creator: Jack Kamen

Comic creator: Joe Orlando

Comic creator: Wallace Wood (Wally Wood)

Pick it up today!

Gemstone - Shock SuspenStories: Volume One

Shock Suspenstories Vol. 1 : Books from Overstock.com

Ebay is good to check too. Especially if you are only looking for one story, or just want to test them out.

Shock SuspenStories, unlike many EC tittles and comics on the blog, is not in public domain. If you like what you've seen here, be sure to pick it up.

Fight Comics #47 Highlight Reel

2008-04-07T20:31:00.000-04:00

See Señorita Rio drawn by Lily Renee! (See more of her here!)

See Rip Carson, a creation of "Rollin Bell" (Later written Rollin W. Bell) and artist Jack Kamen, staring Fighting Comics #19. Rip was a parachute trooper during WWII, later an ace fighter pilot in Korea. His run is Fight Comics #19 to 85, except #69 when they made the magazine shorter.

See Patty Pinup, a humor strip, by "Sista Swing."

See part of Kayo Kirby, originally a creation of Will Eisner, here by "Chuck Walker."

See Hateful Herman, a humor strip, by "Happy Larke."

See pirate captain "Captain Fight" who appeared in Fight Comics #44-69.

See Hooks Devlin, spy/detective.

See it all here!

711 and Destiny

2008-04-07T19:39:00.000-04:00

Daniel Dyce was an up and coming lawyer. When life long friend and look a like Jacob Horn commits an unspeakable crime, Daniel takes the rap just long enough for his friend to see his son born. On the way to the hospital Jacob Horn is killed in an accident, the truth passing with him.

Daniel Dyce will spend the rest of his life as prisoner #711.

Daniel eventually find a means of escape. He spends his time digging a tunnel past the jail walls. By the time he successes in digging out he no longer believes he can have a life beyond the jail walls, so he crawls back in. Daniel does deiced to use the tunnel by become a crime fighter though.

Leaving the jail to investigate tips he hear in it's halls by night, and retuning to jail life during the day. He takes his prisoner number as his costumed name.

711 began running in Police Comics #1 (Aug 1947), written and drawn by George Brenner

Read the Origin of 711 and 711 stories from Police Comics #8 and #9.

But Wait--There is more!

[Spoliers for 711]

711 only ran until Police Comics #15 (January 1943). His final fight is with a man called Oscar Jones, an escaped prisoner from the same jail that holds Daniel. Police Comics #15 tells the story of Oscar's life to the moment he shoots 711 down.

At the end of the comic a man is silhouetted in a dark archway as Oscar runs away. This man is to be Destiny.

Destiny is never given a name, but when we meet him is completely broke, only having enough for his next meal or the price of admission to a show where a drawing for $500 is taking place.

He picks the show, where he meets a performing physic that explains to him that he is able to rule the future of others. Not believing, he leaves, only to decide to try what the physic said. When his finds himself transported to another place, he comes to believe that he is Destiny.

Drawn to the scenes of crimes by a sixth sense, Destiny has transported himself to the office of a plastic surgeon being held up by Oscar Jones, 711's killer. Convinced Destiny is not human when he is faced with the story of how he killed 711, Oscar Jones jumps out a window, escaping.

Destiny's vow to bring Jones to justice is enough for the ghost of 711, who is now able to move on. Destiny spends the next two issues doing just that. Read right here in Police Comics #15-17

Find more info at...

711 (Quality Comics)

711 at internationalhero.co.uk

711 at Don Markstein's Toonopedia

Destiny at internationalhero.co.uk

The origin of 711 has been reprinted by DC in Police Comics # 1

"It's Smart to be Dumb" by George Tracy

2008-04-01T22:24:00.001-04:00

From Fight Comics #47...

Madam Fatal, first cross-dressing superhero

2008-04-01T17:41:00.000-04:00

Madam Fatal began in Crack Comics #1 (May 1940), a creation of Art Pinajian, six months before DC's Red Tornado in Scribbly. Madam's final appearance was in Crack Comics #22 (March 1942) . Pinajian drew the series as long as it lasted.

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.

Madam Fatal shows up once in the current time as pat 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!

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.

For more info on Madam Fatal....

Toonopedia article on Madam Fatal

Madam Fatal Profile on International Hero

Gay League - Madame Fatal

Señorita Rio

2008-03-30T22:42:00.000-04:00

Señorita Rio, Rita Farrar or Consuela Maria Ascencion De Las Vegas, was an American secret agent. She disguised herself as a Brazilian entertainer, taking advantage of her Latin background to go in to place other agents could blend in. She was often assigned to root out fascists Central and South America during World War II.

Senorita Rio appeared in #19-71 (1942 to 1951). The only exception is #69 when the comic dropped from 52 pages to 36. She has a lot of big name artist throughout her run: Nick Cardy, Lily Renee, Jack Kamen, and Bob Lubbers. Most notable due to the amount of time she spend on it is Lily Renee, see her interview with TCJ below.

Further info after the comics!

Fight Comics #19 (June 1942) "Swastika Web" [First appearance] Art by Nice Cardy Read it here

Fight Comics #47 (Dec. 1946) "Horror's Hacienda" Story by "Morgan Hawkins" (often used pen name, unknown owner); Art by Lily Renee Read it here with the rest of Fight Comics #47 or see the story alone on comics19-at flicker. (Note that the pages are backwards.)

Oddball Comics has a recap of “The Santo Bello Assignment” from Knockout Adventures #1

Links

Rio Rita (Toonpeida)

Rio Rita Profile (FenForce)

The Comics Journal - Lily Renée - An interview with the interesting woman who did so much of the art for the strip.

The Jester

2008-03-29T17:02:00.000-04:00

The Jester never made a single cover, but he made it into every issues from Smash Comics #22 (1941) to Smash Comics #85 (1949; Last issue). He was a creation of Paul Gustavson and an unknown writer (possible Gustavson too).

DC Comics acquired the Jester a long with a all the other Quality Comics characters in 1956, but has sparsely used him. He shows up in All-Star Squadron #31 and #60, most as face in the crowd. His only modern appearance was in Starman #46, where, in flashback, he teams with the first Starman angst Icicle, Fiddler, and the Gambler. He gives up being a costumed hero and becomes a normal cop. His final fate is unknown.

There is a lot of good info already out there on The Jester, and no need of me repeating it here. After his origin story below, you'll find links to the more informative pages on the funnyman hero.

From Smash Comics #22, the first appearance of the Jester...

page 1

page 2 // page 3 // page 4 // page 5

Be sure to check the tags for more of the Jester.

Links

The Jester - Don Markstein's Toonopedia

The Jester (Quality Comics) - Wikipedia

Comic Book DB - The Jester (DC)

Strange Fantasy #9 (Dec 1953) Highlight Reel

2008-03-27T17:13:00.001-04:00

Strange Fantasy 9 has an interesting history to check out.

Story One: "Dream of Horror" by unknown people. Read it here.

Story Two: laserpotato posts "Hair Yee-eeee" by Bruce Hamilton and Steve Ditko

Story Three: A text story called "Magic Formula"

Story Four: " Portrait of Doom" by unknown

Story Five: "Mirror of Death" by unknown

"Hopi Magic" by ?

2008-03-26T10:55:00.001-04:00

From Wonder Comics #11...

"Daffy and Deke."

2008-03-24T21:26:00.001-04:00

Staring in Smash Comics #41 (March 1943) Gill Fox began a humor strip called "Daffy and Deke." Daffy Dill is a lady wrestler, moved from a small town to find Deke Parsons. Deke is her crooked wrestling manager, who fled to the big city to escape people he owed money. You can check out their first story below.

After Gil Fox left to fight in World War II, Bart Tumey took over duties for the title. He continued to do the comic till Smash Comics #85 in 1949, the last issue. The writer is listed as Tumey by Comic Book DB for a number of issues after he starts his run, but it is a good bet that he continued to do them the rest of the run too. (Not proven, do not quote.)

As of Smash Comics #43 the comics was renamed to just be "Daffy." The comic underwent more changes in the coming years. Daffy stayed tall and strong, but slimed down and began to reflect the time more in dress and looks.

In Daffy size jokes are a consent, and many of the plots over the years are about losing weight.

If you're still looking for more Daffy check out Smash Comics - Daffy and Deke on Flicker for the story from #42

Captain Battle

2008-03-22T22:10:00.000-04:00

Thanks to and written by strannik01

"After being injured while fighting in World War I, John Battle swore that he would never let another world war happen again. To that end, he set up a mountaintop headquarters filled with weapons and gadgets of his own design. Most notably, he had a "curoscope" (which allowed him to see anywhere on Earth) a super-fast jet pack and a Dissolvo gun that, as one exposition box put it: "a color concentrate, the vibrations of which melt down nerve and bone tissue into a gelatinous mass." Using this and other plot-required episodic gadgets, John Battle fought spies, saboteurs and other enemies of America. When the World War did, in fact, happen in real life, he became a more generic superhero.

He also had the worst secret identity in the history of superhero comics."

Story taken from Captain Battle #5 (1943), Picture Scoop Inc.

Page1.jpg // Page2.jpg //Page3.jpg // Page4.jpg // /Page6.jpg // Page7.jpg // Page8.jpg // Page9.jpg //Page10.jpg

[Links fixed July 04 2011)

For More on Captain Battle....

Captain Battle and Captian Battle Jr's Profile page

Captain Battle on International Hero

Comic Book DB - Captain Battle

Blackhawk: The Man in the Iron Mask

2008-03-22T21:47:00.000-04:00

At a time when comics were mostly doing one shots Blackhawk started throwing in multi-part stories.

It starts in Military Comics #3 which introduces “Chop-Chop.” Why they chose this plot to go with that introduction, I will forever wonder.

Part 1

Part 2 (Military Comics #9)
Part 3 (Military Comics #10)

The Origin of Blackhawk

2008-03-22T21:43:00.001-04:00

History has proven that whenever liberty is smothered and men lie crushed beneath oppression there always rises a man to defend the helpless…liberate the enslaved and crush the tyrant…such a man is Blackhawk…out of the ruins of Europe and out of the hopeless mass of defeated people he comes, smashing the evil before him...

Read the Origin of Blackhawk here.

*Note: This is not a scan from the reprint.

Blue Beetle #10 Highlight Reel

2008-03-22T21:36:00.000-04:00

Looking at Fox's Blue Beetle #10 stories:

"The Case of the Burning Death" Story #1 Writer "Charles Nicholas"; Art by Ramona Patenaude.
"The Monster of the swamp" Story #4 Writer "Charles Nicholas"; Art by Ramona Patenaude.

Ramona Patenaude, a female artist, turned out most of the bondage covers for Fox titles. (Ramona Patenaude is not a house name.) Writer "Charles Nicholas" could be one of three people. This might be Jack Kirby here, I'm not sure.

Check them out here!

Jill Trent, Science Sleuth in Wonder Comics #13

2008-03-19T19:58:00.000-04:00

Wonder Comics #13 (August 1947)
Art by Al Camy

Edit: Trying it on Flicker his time. Blogger's cut tags are too hard.

Wonder Comics #13 Jill Trent's Story

X of the Underground

2008-03-14T11:31:00.000-04:00

Agent X was a female member of the European underground resistance movement. She worked undercover across the nations to perform acts of sabotage, create a network of people (mostly women) to help subvert the Naiz effort, and free people from Nazi tyranny.

X was created by Vernon Henkel (The Space Legion, Marvel titles during the early 1950s, mostly stuck to art after the 1940s). She had a short run in Military Comics, only appearing in six issues.

Military Comics #8 (March 1942): Introducing X
Military Comics #9 (April 1942): The Berlin Express
Military Comics #10 (June 1942): A Brother's Betrayal
Military Comics #11 (August !942): The Cholera Serum
Military Comics #12 (October 1942): The Gestapo's Costume Ball
Military Comics #13 (November 1942): "There Are More than One Way To Skin A Cat"

You can read #8, #10, and #11 online here.

Check out Military Comics 12 here.

Military Comics #7 (February 1942) Text story!

2008-02-27T21:26:00.001-05:00

I will figure out a good way to do these pages yet.

Blackhawk text stories!

2008-02-26T22:36:00.000-05:00

From Military Comics #18 "The Giant of the Air" (1st Blackhawk text story)

Military Comics #20 "The Way of Blackhawk"

Military Comics #21 "Fate Fights For Freedom"

Women Outlaws #3 (Nov 1948) Highlight Reel

2008-02-26T20:07:00.000-05:00

A Fox Features Syndicate's Women Outlaws was created to take advantage of the popularity of comics featuring bad girls. The book earned a spot in Seduction of the Innocent.

Checkout the full story of "Cowboy Maggie Queen of the Barbary Coast" with run downs and clips from the other stories. Read more...

After eight issues the title continues as My Love Memories #9 (then to Hunted, into Western Outlaws, into two other changes). For more check it out on the Grand Comic-Book Database.

Inferior Man

2008-02-26T01:11:00.000-05:00

Inferior Man was a creation of MAD's Al Jaffee. This is long before the magazine and early in his career.
From Military Comics #11...

Dr. Fung —Super Sleuth of the Orient

2008-02-26T01:08:00.000-05:00

From the same company and time period that brought you Chen Chang, I give you Dr. Fung

Written and drawn by Bob Powell, under the pseudonym Arthur Dean, Dr. Fung started showing up in Wonderworld Comics in 1939. Dr. Fung is a old man with a hobby for solving mysteries around the world with his sidekick, Dan Barrister. They travel around, do detective stuff, and get attack by snakes a lot.

Scans from Wonderworld Comics #3, 13, 18, and 30.

This isn't nearly as bad you're probably thinking.

Chen Chang

2008-02-26T01:03:00.000-05:00

Fox Comics came out with some wacky things even in it's time. While I can't say "Chen Chang" from Mystery Men Comics comes close to topping the list it is...special.

Prepare yourselves for three tons of racism and random death traps.

Chen Chang Deals Out Death To The White Race!

Blackhawk - Zinda Blake

2008-02-26T00:54:00.000-05:00

"Zinda is an ace flyer, able to easily handle any type of aircraft. She is a fine markswoman, skilled in the use of a variety of weapons, and has superior abilities in hand-to-hand combat." -- Comic Book DB - Lady Blackhawk (01 - Zinda Blake)

For the first, offical appearance of Lady Blackhawk see Blackhawk #133 on Scans_daily!

Zinda shows up next in Blackhawk #140 where she is named an Honorary Member.

Now, to quote Wiki: " Military Comics #20 (July, 1943) featured a story about a woman who attempts to become the first woman member of the Blackhawks, who looks, sounds and behaves much like Zinda Blake, although she does not divulge her name, and never calls herself Lady Blackhawk. In the story, she flies to Blackhawk Island, declares herself part of the team, and helps the Blackhawks on a mission behind German lines. Ultimately, she rescues Blackhawk himself. Some say that this is Zinda Blake's true first appearance, but this has never been official."

Read Military Comics #20 The Blonde Bomber

Info links

Who's Who: Lady Blackhawk (Zinda Blake)

Cosmic Teams Profile that cover more of her history to today.

Zinda Blake on Wikipedia

Comic Book DB - Lady Blackhawk (01 - Zinda Blake)

Mystery Men Comics #13 (Aug 1940) Highlight Reel

2008-02-24T13:22:00.000-05:00

Showing the Stories of Blue Beetle, Lt. Drake of the U.S. Naval Intelligence (Klaus Nordling), and the first appearance of The Lynx and Blackie.

Blue Beetle will pwn you with ease...as long as you don't use a car.

Lt. Drake stars a Lady In Her Underwear.

Lynx and Blackie are the Shirtless-man and the pantsless boy wonder!

The Chen Chang story from this issue posted in here.

The Origin of Flame Girl

2008-02-23T14:26:00.000-05:00

When The Flame's popularity began to fade a attempt was made to refresh the Big 3 member with partner in Wonderworld #30 (Oct. 1941). Writer Basil Berold is actually Lou Fine. He took over all the work on the The Flame after Will Eisner left.Flame Girl has one of the most over dramatic introduction ads I have ever seen. I looked for the issue because of the ad.

Go check it whole story out on Scans_dayily.
The Flame lay there, on the ground, helpless, dying… and if he passed on, so would all those innocent people whom he had sworn to protect….But there was still one way could come to their rescue, by passing the secret of his flame powers on to the one person he could trust the most….Linda Dale…

The Black Terror & Tim

2008-02-23T14:22:00.000-05:00

When it was superhero chic to wear gold and purple one brave pharmacist would jump on to the scene dressed in black, a skull and crossbones across his chest.

The Black Terror hit the superhero boom in Exciting Comics #9 published by Standard Comics (to become Nedor). Six months after his introduction, he had his own comic. The only other character from the publisher to have the honor being the Fighting Yank.

Since his golden age run he has been echoed by others and revived to make a number of appearances. Most recently he is appearing in Project Superpowers. Since I made a post for Flame Girl, and I plan one for Miss Masque, I knew I had to make one for him and Tim. I wanted to show off how ~~much of a loser~~ interesting he was.

Now, you can see how it all got started, and see him get run over by a helicopter and attacked by plants.

Go read it on Scans_dayily!

2008-02-23T12:03:00.000-05:00

Well I have a blog everywhere else. Why not here too?