115 – Fire v Water
As promised the previous month, Marvel Mystery Comics #8 (April 1940), brings the Sub-Mariner and the Human Torch together in one battle that spans two stories in that issue.
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114 – Two New Bat-Rogues
Before the introduction of Robin only one month earlier, Batman’s rogues gallery consisted of only three villains: Doctor Death, the Mad Monk, and Hugo Strange. In April 1940, DC released Batman #1, its second comic book dedicated to just a single superhero. In it, they recount the Batman’s origin and then feature not one, but […]
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113 – S is for Symbol
Up until now, Superman‘s insignia has usually drawn as an inverted yellow-bordered triangle surrounding an ‘S’ of first yellow, then red. Action Comics #25 (April 1940) shows the final major iteration of this symbol to a red-bordered diamond shape that is now recognized the world over. Note that the Wikipedia article on this states that […]
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112 – Doctor Fate!
Only a couple months after introducing the Spectre to More Fun Comics, DC introduces readers to Doctor Fate, another magic-wielding superhero in More Fun #55 (April 1940). Doctor Fate was Golden Age creation by the prolific Gardner Fox (writer) and Howard Sherman (artist). Doctor Fate had a love interest, Inza, but no other background for […]
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111 – Beetleproof
In Mystery Men Comics #10 (March 1940), the Blue Beetle reveals that his costume is actually bullet-proof. Maybe Dr. Franz, the drug store owner / sidekick who helps Dan Garret, made this happen? Or maybe Fox wanted to make their hero as exciting as Superman?
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110 – The First Cross-over!
Timely Comics (the company that later became Marvel Comics) continued to innovate by inventing the first superhero crossover. The above panel in Marvel Mystery Comics #7 (March 1940) is the first time comic book characters from different “strips” have hinted at a shared universe. The Human Torch and Namor, the Sub-Mariner would clash in the […]
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109 – Robin, the Boy Wonder!
In Detective Comics #38 (March 1940), Batman gains a youthful sidekick as he rescues the newly orphaned Dick Grayson and trains him to become Robin, the Boy Wonder. Robin was co-created by Bob Kane, Bill Finger and inker Jerry Robinson. This issue marks the start of shift to a lighter tone for Batman, one in […]
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108 – The Spectre Stays Doomed
In More Fun Comics #54 (March 1940), the Spectre‘s powers continue to be revealed: allowing bullets to pass through him, projecting a duplicate, turning invisible, exploding bullets. In this story, a voice from the afterlife relents and gives the Spectre a chance at eternal rest… of course Jim Corrigan refuses in order to save his […]
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107 – Beautia Meets Shazam
In Whiz Comics #3 (February 1940), Doctor Sivana gains a new ally, Beautia from the planet Venus. This story also marks the first time that Sivana learns that Billy Batson is Captain Marvel.
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106 – Luthor!
February 1940 also brought another major character to the DC Universe with the introduction of Luthor, probably Superman‘s greatest villain. First appearing in Action Comics #23 (February 1940), Luthor was a mad scientist bent on world domination that used hypnotism to keep his lackeys in check. Later on in the month he also appeared in […]
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