The Golden Age of Comic Books begins in May 1938 with the single most important comic book ever published: Action Comics #1 and the debut of the first full-fledged superhero: Superman. Crime fighter for justice. Crazy costume. Super powers. Secret identity. A supporting cast of two Daily Star employees: his un-named editor and his romantic […]
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I usually avoid humorous comic strips, because this blog is mostly supposed to be documenting interesting superhero moments, but I couldn’t resist this panel of “Ginger Snap” from More Fun Comics #31, April 1938 by Robert Kane (future creator of Batman). This looks like the first thing that Bob Kane created for DC Comics. Speaking […]
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Detective Comics brought not only lengthier stories, but also stories of a more graphic nature. April 1937 featured the continuation of “The Claws of the Red Dragon” by Tom Hickey. This series followed Bruce Nelson through a “Yellow Peril” story. Like other forms of period racism, reading these stories can make one uncomfortable. We are […]
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August 1936 creeps the industry ever-closer to a full-fledged superhero, with Doctor Occult meeting The Seven, donning a skin-tight uniform with a symbol on its chest and a red cape, and then flying through the ether to Egypt. Clearly Siegel and Shuster were playing with their crazy Superman idea in other strips. Note that this […]
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In More Comics #13 (July 1935), the Doctor Occult story featured a “next issue!” blurb. I think this is the first time I’ve seen the creators excited enough to tease the next issue storyline.
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In May 1936, Centaur Publications released Comic Magazine #2 containing a first in comic book history: a full 7-page comic book story. This was a departure from everything else being published in comic books at the time since it was also a self-contained story having a beginning, middle and end. It was by Tom Cooper, […]
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March 1936 brings three more companies into the comic book publishing game: Centaur Publications, United Features, David McKay. Centaur Publications was formed by two former employees of National Allied Publications, John Mahon and Bill Cook. Their flagship comic book is Comics Magazine #1, which includes a feature called “Dr. Mystic, Occult Detective”. The feature is […]
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New Comics #3 (February 1936) brought another adventure for Siegel & Shuster’s “Federal Men”. It also had the first contest to win original artwork of its hero Steve Carson. Eastern Color’s Famous Funnies #20 also featured a letter from a reader for the first time.
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In December 1935, New Comics #2 featured a 4-page story called “Federal Men” by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. Steve Carson was an FBI agent in the 1930s. The bad guy’s girl is named Kate Lane, she comes to her senses just in time for her villainous boyfriend, Walsh, to kill her in the heat […]
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November 1935 brought National Allied Publications’ second title, New Comics #1 – not to be confused with “New Fun Comics”, which was renamed to “More Fun Comics” in its next issue. New Comics featured several adventure strips like “The Strange Adventures of Mr. Weed” (a strip about an eccentric historian who does a bit of […]
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