Atlas / Marvel Comics introduced a new comic book in March 1961: Amazing Adventures. It’s just another fantasy book, but what’s there are a couple interesting things about this book. First, the creators decided to introduce its first ongoing character since Jimmy Woo and the Yellow Claw: Dr. Droom and this character sticks around in […]
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While the Phantom Stranger has so far steered clear of actual paranormal activity, we get much closer in Phantom Stranger #4 (December 1952). A man experimenting with a book of spells has apparently summoned hairy demons and then has disappeared. The Phantom Stranger investigates and discovers strange hairy creatures. He captures one and convinces it […]
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The Phantom Stranger makes his debut in DC’s Phantom Stranger #1 (June 1952) and was created by John Broome and Carmine Infantino. The character is unnamed and not given an origin, simply appearing across 3 different stories of people encountering supernatural events. In each story, he debunks the supernatural aspects as hoaxes and solves the […]
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We have seen Lois as Superwoman before, but that was just a fever dream. Superman #45 (January 1947) features the return of Lois-as-Superwoman when Hocus and Pocus, two magicians, grant her Superman’s powers. Hocus and Pocus are two clueless, recurring comic relief characters with no actual powers, but somehow Superman is always forced into performing […]
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In More Fun Comics #72 (August 1941), Doctor Fate suddenly changes his helmet to only cover half of his face, in what I’m assuming is a continuing attempt to humanize Kent Nelson, a trend that began earlier this year. No in-story explanation is given for this change, but according to Wikipedia this was later retroactively […]
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Sargon the Sorceror debuts in All-American Comics #26 (March 1941). Wikipedia describes him as a “second string mystic”, though his turban, ruby and cape make him pretty distinctive. Sargon is really David Sargent, just a regular guy, who learns he has powers to shape reality to his whim through the Ruby of Life – maybe […]
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After a year with no background, the mysterious Doctor Fate decides to unmask himself to Inza and his readers, in More Fun Comics #66 (February 1941), in what I can only assume is an attempt by the writers to humanize him and make him more interesting. Though not named in this issue, he is Kent […]
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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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The first superheroine is largely considered to be Fantomah, a woman with supernatural powers who appears in Jungle Comics #2 (January 1940). She leads these ivory raiders to their deaths, so she is more of an anti-hero in my opinion.
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Johnny Thunder(bolt) also debuted in Flash Comics #1 (November 1939). Like the other two heroes he shared the book with (Flash and Hawkman), Johnny Thunder was a one-gimmick wonder. This time, the gimmick was that he didn’t know he was a hero. Most of this time, this played like somewhat unfunny comedy. In this first […]
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