Amph 1001 Comic Books You Must Read: 280. "Superboy" #49

38. Master Comics #22

[image=http://d1466nnw0ex81e.cloudfront.net/iss/400w/743/207431/885721.jpg]

Writer(s): William Woolfolk (likely)

Artist(s): Mac Raboy

Fawcett(January 1942 c. 1942 Fawcett Publications, Inc.)

"Crippled after being attacked by Captain Nazi, Freddie Freeman is given new life and power by Billy Batson and the wizard Shazam. Freddy becomes Captain Marvel, Jr., and teams with Bulletman to stop his assailant and other enemies of freedom."

 

I've never heard of him, but Bulletman looks to be one of the more pointless characters, even for comics. He looks like the type of character someone would come up with for a parody of comic books.

And looking at his info, he seems even more silly. Using his knowledge of chemistry, he gave himself greater muscle mass and brain power, along with his Gravity Regulator Helmet, which allows him to fly and deflect bullets... Although there is no actual reason why it is specifically bullet shaped.

And why wouldn't Captain Marvel Jr team up with Captain Marvel?

 

Greater muscle mass and brain power? So they have a guy with a name that screams "Super Speed" and they make him as generic as possible.

Dammit, Fawcett, you're supposed to be the poor, shafted woobie of the Golden Age, not a bunch of guys who can't figure out what powers a chap named Bullet Man should have.

 

Maybe because every time he says his name name he gets hit by a magical lightning-bolt and loses his powers?

 

39. Sensation Comics #1

[image=http://media.comicvine.com/uploads/0/77/454947-sensation_comics_1_super.jpg]

Writer(s): William Moulton Marston, Bill Finger

Artist(s): Harry G. Peter, Irwin Hasen

DC(January 1942 c. 1941 J.R. Publishing, Inc.)

"Wonder Woman arrives in man's world and gets top billing. The tittle also star Wildcat, Mr. Terrific, Little Boy Blue, the Black Pirate, and the cheerful Gay Ghost, who was, nonetheless, renamed the Grim Ghost when the was reprinted in the 1970s."

 

Ah, the issue that launched a thousand bondage fantasies.

... No, seriously, WM Marston's original version of the character lost her powers when she was bound, and so it showed up. A lot. Although, from what I've read, he was a bigamist rather than someone who was into bondage.

 

40. Sheena, Queen of the Jungle #1

[image=http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_uKUJj9VMJpA/S7IHTAnTHBI/AAAAAAAAHk8/M4HGZtf-b0Q/s1600/sh1+%280%29fc.jpg]

Writer(s): uncredited

Artist(s): Robert Webb

Fiction House(Spring 1942 c. 1941 Real Adventures)

"It takes a lot to rule the jungle, but Sheena looks the part with her flowing blonde hair and skimpy leopardskin outfit. Her mate Bob Reynolds in a big-game hunter, but he is mostly there to get rescued and look hunky."

 

41. Action Comics #47

[image=http://www.coverbrowser.com/image/action-comics/47-1.jpg]

Writer(s): Jerry Siegel

Artist(s): John Sikela

DC(April 1942 c. 1942 Detective Comics)

"An ancient gem from another world--the Powerstone--gives Lex Luthor the super-strength to duke it out with Superman. The evil scientist had now firmly established himself as the Man of Steel's arch-nemesis , an enmity that shows no sings of abating."

 

That's a story I'd like to read. I didn't realize that Lex became Superman's arch-nemesis as far back as 1942.

But it does make you wonder how many decades worth of magic gems, power suits, and evil plots Lex would try against Superman before simply sitting back and becoming an accountant or something.

 

42. Boy Comics #3

[image=http://goldenagecomics.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/boycomics3.jpg]

Writer(s): Charles Biro

Artist(s): Charles Biro

Lev Gleason(April 1942 c. 1942 Comic House, Inc.)

"Teenager Chuck Chandler becomes Crimebuster after his dad is murdered Nazi agent Iron Jaw. His "costume" is a hockey jersey and his sidekick is a monkey. When he ran out of Nazis to bust, Chuck hunted more common criminals."

Win a Free Live Monkey? And does he look male to you?

 

Boy Comics sounds . . . weird.

 

Eh, about 46 years.

As for Boy Comics, the monkey sounds more captivating than the actual crime fighter.

 

Win a Free Live Monkey?

Seriously....I'd like to see the actual offer inside of the comic book. Even back in the 40's, I could imagine that a company would deliver a live monkey to some kid's door. Since comics were famous for overstating the value of the items in their offers, I hope that once you bought the issue and read what the actual prize that was listed on "page 13," it turned out to be something like "hey kids! We're adopting a monkey in your name at your local zoo.."


And does he look male to you?

He looks like Charlize Theron's Aeon Flux from that movie to me-just add the hockey jersey:

[image=http://www.scottdstrader.com/blog/resources/aeon-flux.jpg]

 

at Felix!

 

Heh. Well, that works too I suppose.

 

43. Joker Comics #1

[image=http://d1466nnw0ex81e.cloudfront.net/iss/400w/167/351671/712341.jpg]

Writer(s): Harry Douglas, Basil Wolverton

Artist(s): Harry Douglas, Basil Wolverton

Marvel(April 1942 c. 1942 Photo Story Corp.)

"Publisher Martin Goodman's first all-humor comic book featured Stuporman, one of the first super-hero parodies, and the debut of Powerhouse Pepper, a dim-witted, good-hearted boxer who possessed super-strength. Pepper's slapstick adventures appeared in several other Goodman titles, as well."

 

Is that notable in a "must read" sense? Of course, the publisher, Martin Goodman's company would become what is now known as Marvel Comics. Goodman gave Stan Lee his first job in the industry, and Lee would be an assistant during the time this issue was published.

But I don't think any of the characters in this issue achieved any level of fame, or went on to become famous characters.

 

It doesn't even look like the Joker is in that one.

 

Not to mention that whoever thought "Stuporman" was a witty name needs to be punched.

 

Not punched...Stuporfied

I wonder how much of a parody against DC Comics that character was, if it was at all? Was Stuporman able to crawl under short buildings? or run faster than a sleeping tortise? Those types of comedy gems?

 

44. Star-Spangled Comics #7

[image=http://www.coverbrowser.com/image/star-spangled-comics/7-1.jpg]

Writer(s): Joe Simon, Joe Kirby

Artist(s): Joe Kirby, Joe Simon

DC(April 1942 c. 1942 Detective Comics,Inc.)

"Leaving Captain American after publisher Martin Goodman failed to pay them royalties, Simon and Kirby launched a new feature at DC. The Newsboy Legion consists of smart, tough kids making their way on their own. Policeman Jim Harper is their costumed "Guardian".

 

45. Wonder Woman Comics #1

[image=http://www.coverbrowser.com/image/wonder-woman/1-1.jpg]

Writer(s): William Moulton Marston

Artist(s): Henry G. Peter

DC(Summer 1942 c. 1942 Wonder Woman Publishing Company,Inc.)

"Mere months after her debuts in "All-Star" and "Sensation Comics", Wonder Woman received her own book wherein she preached both female empowerment and loving submission to authority while countering the schemes of saboteurs and spies. You go, girl!"

 

Okay, is it just me, or is Henry G. Peter's artwork distractingly bad? I mean, this cover isn't terrible, but from what I've seen of old WW interiors... there's a lot of room for improvement.

 

Oh, I don't know, I think the cover is decent. (I'm not familiar with the actual inside story artwork) Compare that WW cover to the "Newsboy Legion" cover right above it. Both came out in 1942, mere months apart, but the WW cover is like a Van Gogh in comparison.

Now, Wonder Woman's original writer, Marston, has volumes written about him. He was an...eh...unique fellow.

 

46. Bill Barnes, American Ace Comics #7

[image=http://d1466nnw0ex81e.cloudfront.net/iss/400w/345/333451/846061.jpg]

Writer(s): William B. Gibson

Artist(s): uncredited

Street & Smith (July 1942 c. 1942 Street & Smith)

"Years before Hiroshima, Barnes virtually wipes out Japan with a &-235 bomb. The story is remarkable for its eerie prophecy, its callousness toward the deaths of millions, and the subsequent visit to the publisher's offices by the FBI."