Well here we are closing out the tenth year of comic-book-dom and Captain Marvel continues to keep things light in the super-heroics department in Whiz Comics #61 (December 1944). Unlike Superman, his DC counterpart, Fawcett’s Captain Marvel had almost zero regular supporting cast, love interests, recurring villains, backstory, or continuity. The stories always stayed far […]
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As the Superman writers begin to cast about for fresh ideas, I am sure they were heavily influenced by the Captain Marvel Family and wanted to capture the young reader fantasy like Captain Marvel Jr and Mary Marvel did. Superboy debuts for the first time in More Fun Comics #101 (November 1944). This Superboy is […]
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For the second time in two years, Superman loses his memory in Superman #32 (November 1944). This time, it’s a new brain tissue analysis machine and Superman, wishing to further science, volunteers only to discover too late that his brain is actually vulnerable. This is the first time Superman tries to piece together his own […]
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Although he is a far cry from his Silver Age counterpart, the Golden Age Psycho-Pirate makes his debut in All-Star Comics #23 (November 1944). Charles Halstead, a frustrated linotyper, commits crimes based on emotions and challenges the Justice Society of America. He has no powers and would not merit a mention in this blog if […]
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In Batman #26 (October 1944), a story was featured about a man taking up the mantle of Batman and inspiring the next generation to fight for their independence from Saturn invaders… It featured a twist in that the man who becomes the Batman from the Year 3000 is actually a direct descendant of Bruce Wayne.
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I had to laugh at this super-clunky advertisement that I came across in Captain America #43 (October 1944). I guess it’s pretty clear what kind of audience that Timely Publications believed they had: 98-pound weaklings, greasy teens, and wannabe radio technicians. That actually sounds about right…
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In Sensation Comics #36 (October 1944), Wonder Woman is beset by a league of her villains all at once. From left-to-right we have Giganta, the Duke of Deception, Blakfu of the Mole Men, Cheetah, Queen Clea of Atlantis, Doctor Psycho, and the ringleader of this story – a jealous actor named Bedwin Footh.
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Timely Comics (aka Marvel Comics these days) introduced a new female character in Miss America Comics #2 (September 1944): Patsy Walker. Although the Patsy Walker feature was in the “teen humor” genre, like Archie, I did learn from Wikipedia that she is an important character for Marvel because she one of the few that bridged […]
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Lois continues to fly solo in her own strip. In Superman #31 (August 1944), Perry White admits that Lois Lane is one of the best reporters he’s ever worked with.
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Speaking of rogues galleries of villains, one popular DC character that did not have one for many years was the Golden Age Green Lantern. That finally changed in All-American Comics #61 (August 1944) with the introduction of Solomon Grundy – an evil spirit encased in a physical body made of swamp matter.
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