The Federal Men start the new year (January 1937) by taking a bite out of drugs, or something like that. Steve Carson takes on a “dope” ring and is captured and threatened with becoming an addict. Of course he escapes and arrests the ring leader. New Adventure Comics #13 also features a 12-page story “Foe […]
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The science fiction angle continues for Siegel and Shuster in this Federal Men tale from December 1936. In it, this four page “imaginary tale” from the futuristic year 2000 shows federal agent Jor-L fighting bandit queen Nira-Q. The name Jor-L was of course re-used for Superman’s father on Krypton. This issue also shows the title […]
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Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster continue to lean heavy into the sci-fi angle for their comic strips. In October 1936, New Comics #10 features Steve Carson, an FBI agent infiltrating a secret criminal organization and then heroically commandeering an out-of-control giant robot. I really love the art here by Joe Shuster, the use of the […]
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It’s pretty clear that by mid-1936, Siegel & Shuster were trying to make their strips more exciting and fantastical. In September 1936, “Federal Men” took a turn from its G-Man roots towards science fiction when Steve Carson made his way on to a submersible in order to infiltrate the “Invisible Empire”, resulting in a costume […]
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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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David McKay Publications started publishing their own newspaper reprint comic, King Comics, in 1936. In King Comics #4, they start including Mandrake the Magician. Mandrake is considered by many historians as the first costumed superhero. In other news, Doctor Occult takes on a werewolf over in More Comics:
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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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