1935-1940: The GOLDEN AGE of Golden Age

[Forbush-Man]

By all means, keep posting those scans Jon & Esquire! (especially Catman Comics if you have them, please. )

 

 

The Catman first appeared in Crash Comics 4 with the first (and in my opinion best) cover appearance on .........Jon

 

Beautiful book, Jon. I have this issue in restored VG/F myself. Now, if I could just find a # 4,........

 

I get tickled by the Crash Comics Catman's: He looks like a cross between Batman (The hood/mask) and Fred Flintstone (the lion clothe he wears).

 

Thankfully, he's totally redone by the time he gets his own title.

[Larryw7]

By all means, keep posting those scans Jon & Esquire! (especially Catman Comics if you have them, please. )

 

 

The Catman first appeared in Crash Comics 4 with the first (and in my opinion best) cover appearance on .........Jon

 

 

Incredible book!

 

Jon, do you have the three issue SUPERWORLD run? I seem to remember an article about those that you wrote in CBM. I would love to see 'em, I love those books!

[CentaurMan]

Man, I love that Crash 5. Very nice!

 

I just picked up a very solid Superworld #1, which has one of the greatest covers I've ever seen, but unfortunately I haven't scanned it yet. It's all right, I'm sure Jon's is in much better condition.

 

Speaking of great covers, here's my copy of Adventure Comics #37:

 

[Larryw7]

just picked up a very solid Superworld #1, which has one of the greatest covers I've ever seen, but unfortunately I haven't scanned it yet.

I would love to see it when you can scan it. Is it slabbed? I think that there are only two slabbed copies in the census.

[CentaurMan]

just picked up a very solid Superworld #1, which has one of the greatest covers I've ever seen, but unfortunately I haven't scanned it yet.

I would love to see it when you can scan it. Is it slabbed? I think that there are only two slabbed copies in the census.

 

I'll scan it tonight. It's not slabbed, no. Looks nice, but has hidden tape repair to some interior pages at the edges. Otherwise unrestored as far as I can tell. I was very happy to snag it, as I think the cover is just fascinating.

[Larryw7]

I'll scan it tonight. It's not slabbed, no. Looks nice, but has hidden tape repair to some interior pages at the edges. Otherwise unrestored as far as I can tell. I was very happy to snag it, as I think the cover is just fascinating.

 

I agree, I love the covers to all three. I just sold my #2 because the condition was too crummy(even for me!), but I'd love to find three decent copies of this run.

[jbcomicbox]

"Jon, do you have the three issue SUPERWORLD run? I seem to remember an article about those that you wrote in CBM. I would love to see 'em, I love those books!"

 

Actually I do and here they are. Least you wonder how I have alot of this stuff, I focused on collecting short-lived titles of the GA....3-5 issues. For all you old timers, I use to do a column for CBM called the "Comicbox" (get it??? Jon Berk?....JBComicbox)...any way...focusing on these short-lived titles.....so here are the Superworlds

 

This is the Comstock copy

 

 

 

 

Number 2....restored

 

 

....and the ever elusive #3...toughest of most titles with three books.....

 

[jbcomicbox]

Years ago, a family was cleaning out a shed in the back in which their dad had accumated many newpapers....they took a pile to the dump and returned....knocking over a pile they spied comics....layered in the piles of newspaper would be "a comicbook"......These are #1s and brought to the market by Mark Wilson and then Ernie Gerber (but that is a whole other story)....Fantastic condition, the way to tell them is that there is a large 'date stamp' on the rear of the book...Here is the one for the Superworld 1 which blue glows in the dark.....

 

[dgillock]

Man o man... I'm a huge fan of Frank R. Paul. That's a dream set.

[mrwoogieman]

Years ago, a family was cleaning out a shed in the back in which their dad had accumated many newpapers....they took a pile to the dump and returned....knocking over a pile they spied comics....layered in the piles of newspaper would be "a comicbook"......These are #1s and brought to the market by Mark Wilson and then Ernie Gerber (but that is a whole other story)....Fantastic condition, the way to tell them is that there is a large 'date stamp' on the rear of the book...Here is the one for the Superworld 1 which blue glows in the dark.....

 

 

Jon,

 

Wasn't there a more recent find that mirrored the 'comics in stacks of newspapers' story up in Canada, Vancouver maybe, but without many early keys? Or is that what you're referring to?

[Larryw7]

"Jon, do you have the three issue SUPERWORLD run? I seem to remember an article about those that you wrote in CBM. I would love to see 'em, I love those books!"

 

Actually I do and here they are. Least you wonder how I have alot of this stuff, I focused on collecting short-lived titles of the GA....3-5 issues. For all you old timers, I use to do a column for CBM called the "Comicbox" (get it??? Jon Berk?....JBComicbox)...any way...focusing on these short-lived titles.....so here are the Superworlds

 

This is the Comstock copy

 

 

 

 

Number 2....restored

 

 

....and the ever elusive #3...toughest of most titles with three books.....

 

 

Those are absolutely beautiful, John!

 

Thanks for posting them!

[batman_fan]

Incredible book! I think some of the pre-hero Adventures have excellent covers, 37 being on of the best.

[Forbush-Man]

Thanks for posting the Superworld run, beautiful books. You just have to love those Paul covers. I have a number of his early Amazing Stories Pulps. He was amazing!

[batman_fan]

There was a "LIFE" magazine collection out on southern CO that ended up at a Salt Lake City comic shop. Now I know people are think "who cares about LIFE magazine", well inside each Life mag was a comic. I saw the collection shortly after it was found by chance (in Salt Lake for and interview for a few days). This was probably in 1998. All books were Golden Age, I saw Wonder Woman 1, Star Spangled 7 (really wanted to buy it), a lot of Batmans, Supermans, World's Finest, etc.

[jbcomicbox]

Unfortunately the CGC paperwork is angled so that it creates a reflection, but a great book nonetheless.

 

 

More info than one could want on Circus Comics coming up....jon

 

CIRCUS THE COMIC RIOT

 

The late 1930s and early 1940s were full of companies attempting to carve a niche in the fast-growing comic industry. Some titles (and publishers for that matter) vanished before readers even knew they existed. It is time to dust off the old comic box to review another short-lived title. This time, we take a quick look at Circus The Comic Riot published for only three issues by the Globe Syndicate from June 1938 through August 1938.

Publishers were still groping for a formula that worked. That formula was not too far off as Action 1 and “Superman” appeared on the newsstand at the same time as the first issue of Circus. However, Circus was too early (and died too soon) to latch on to the genre of costume crimefighters that were about to burst onto the scene. Like many of the titles of the day, Circus contained one, two and four page humor and adventure strips. Unlike many comic publishers that realized the importance of comic covers to grab the attention of the buying public on an increasingly crowded newsstand, the covers of Circus were uninspired, and, frankly, boring. And, in fact, many of the strips within were the common fare that was being churned out by many publishers. So why waste any more ink on these books?

Suppose that in today’s marketplace a comic contained, in one volume, the first work by MacFarlane, Lee and Byrne? Certainly, such a book (if it existed) would be a collectable to many of today’s younger collectors. Okay, suppose a comic had the first work in one volume of Kirby, Ditko and Kubert? Such a book (if it existed) would appeal to silver age collectors. Well, suppose a comic contained some of the first work of Jack Cole, Basil Wolverton, Bob Kane, William Eisner and throw in Fred Schwab for good measure? Such a book does exist and it is Circus The Comic Riot.

The first work in comics for Jack Cole appeared in a feature called “PeeWee Throttle in Fuzzyland”. Not suprisingly, this strip had a humorous bent which was to be the benchmark of Cole’s work. After Circus, Cole proceeded to create further humor strips for Centaur Publication before he worked on “Daredevil” and his arch nemesis, “The Claw”, in Silver Streak Comics. Although in his short tenure on “Daredevil” he played it fairly straight, his irrepressible humorous side resurfaced for his new publisher, Everett Arnold and Quality Comics. There he created “Midnight” (a “Spirit”-like character with a talking monkey for a side-kick) in Smash Comics and, his most famous creation, “Plastic Man” in Police Comics.

Basil Wolverton was another unique talent who first premiered his work in Circus. He actually introduced two strips, “Disk-Eyes the Detective” and “Spacehawks”. The former was a bizarrely humorous strip while the latter was a space adventure. These types of strips were archetypal of the material he would create in the golden age. The humorous strip would reach its ultimate refinement for Wolverton in “Powerhouse Pepper” who first appeared in Joker Comics 1. “Spacehawks” would reappear in various forms such as “ “Space Patrol” in Amazing Mystery Funnies and as “Spacehawk” for Target Comics. However whatever the reincarnation these space strips featured the infamous Wolverton “intestinal art”. While “Spacehawks” carried his name, “Disk-Eyes” was written under the pseudonym of “Dennis Langdon”. (This was a common practice to make it appear that a magazine had a large staff. I’m sure the practice of using a pseudonym in a magazine for this purpose has long been abandoned.)

Although not his absolute first published work, Circus contained early features by Bob Kane. (Earlier work had appeared in Wow What a Magazine! and Jumbo Comics). “Van Bragger” and “Side Streets of New York” (written under the pseudonym of Robert Kaye) were one page humor strips. The former reflected the antics of two rich kids while the latter was the adventures of kids from the other side of the tracks. Of course Kane would go onto fame for his creation of “The Batman” in the next year.

Also contributing work for the first and third issues was William Eisner who produced art for a “picture novel”. Eisner was a ubiquitous creator and producer of comics and comic characters from the earliest moments of the goldern age. Whether it is his adventure strips for Wow, or his detective stories, with his unique layouts, for Detective Picture Stories, or doing the finished art or the layout for early covers of Planet, Jungle, Wonderworld and other titles (which would often be finished by Lou Fine), Eisner left his indeliable imprint on the golden age. His most memorable creation was “The Spirit”.

Finally, Fred Schwab contributed “Lopey Luke” for the third issue. This character was similar to the humorous cowboy strips he did for Star Ranger Comics. Schwab’s strips could be found in the many of the earliest comicbook titles including Motion Picture Funnies Weekly.

So, if you need a dose of esoteria and would like a title that has importance in its own unimportant fashion, Circus The Comic Riot is the title for you.

c. Jon Berk 7/23/94

[jbcomicbox]

For those who have interest, this is what is inside these books.....jon

 

SUPERWORLD COMICS

 

The late 1930s and early 1940s were full of companies attempting to carve a niche in the fast-growing comic industry. Some titles (and publishers for that matter) vanished before readers even knew they existed. It is time to dust off the old comic box again. This time around we take a look at Superworld Comics, which not only was a shortlived title- three issues- but was the only title produced by famed science fiction pulp publisher, Hugo Gernsback. The books in the series were all oversized which increased their eye appeal.

Published in 1940, this title appeared in April, May and August of that year. This title tried to carve out a niche in the comicbook marketplace by proudly proclaiming in its opening editorial:

 

Here at last is a new and different kind of comic magazine. Having noted the trend of the present-day magazines in the field we believe that parents and educators will welcome this new monthly which, while admittedly a comic, yet is geared to give much valuable and educational information to the reader. Let it be understood at once that nothing will ever be printed in this magazine that is downright impossible.

All features are based on present-day science, and practically all of them are of an educational trend. The young reader is not confused and befuddled with impossibilities which can never come about, but at best give him an erroneous idea of man’s inherent capabilities. Whatever scientific material is presented- or whatever kinds of machines are used- all are within the realm of possibility.

No superhuman feats impossible of accomplishment are printed. These can serve only to give totally wrong ideas of man’s prowess.

Well, following this pitch to the parents about the scientific “reality” of this new comic, the first story is “Mitey Powers Battles Martians on the Moon”. This inaugural tale is drawn (as is each of the covers) by Frank R. Paul, famed science fiction pulp illustrator (who also drew the cover to Marvel Comics 1). This tale finds Mitey Powers building a space flyer in order to prove to the world that the mysterious bombardments destroying cities on Earth are actually being shot by Martians from a base on the moon. Powers travels to the moon in his spaceship (named “Nina” after his girlfriend). Needless to say, although initially captured by the Martians, who use an “electric paralyzing ray” encasing him and his cohorts in a green-like bubble (the scene depicted on the terrific cover to this first issue), Powers escapes to direct Earth’s space armada which finally destroys the Martian super-gun.

The second issue finds the Martians having deposed the leaders responsible for the attack on Earth. Powers accepts an invitation to be Earth’s first emissary to the “superworld” Mars. While marvelling at the wonders of this superworld, Powers learns of a plot to destroy Earth by the deposed leaders. By judicious use of “subelectronic guns” and space beams, Powers once again saves the Earth.

It is with issue three that “reality” strikes home, as Powers saves not only Earth, but Mars from the diabolical machinations of the “Super Giants of Jupiter”. On Mars, the Martians receive a message from Jupiter demanding the Martians turn over all their radium. A similar demand is made of Earth which Powers states will be the doom of each planet. He decides to journey to Jupiter to determine if they will negotiate a resolution. Even before he can get there, the Jovians drive his spaceship off stating that they don’t want to negotiate.

Powers returns to Mars where he hatches a new plot. After conversations with his Martian friends he brings a small iron chest onto his spaceship which he has painted black so to avoid detection by the Jovians.

Apparently this ploy is successful because his second attempt to reach Jupiter is uneventful. He avoids the thousand feet tall Jovians and sneaks his way into the palace of one of the Jovian head honchos. He comes upon the sleeping official and releases the contents of his chest which contains Martian poisonous gnats. The gnats puncture the skin of the sleeping giant and lay thousands of eggs breeding more gnats which quickly spread to the Jovian populace killing most of them. Following this act of genocide, Powers returns to Mars a hero where he is heard from no more as the title ceased publication.

Okay, maybe the editors pushed the reality thing a little far in their first feature. The second feature of this title firmly yanked the reader back to terra firma -”Buzz Allen The Invisible Avenger”. This is a feature about a young boy who is a radio ham enthusiast whose father was killed by protection racketeers. One day, while installing a “super-electron tube” to boost the power of his radio, Buzz notes it makes his radio invisible. Adopting the tube for use with a belt he and his friend, Will Lawrence, take on the racketeers and crooks in rather lackluster tales. Their third and final adventure has them vacationing in Alaska, following light beams back to the hidden city of Atlantis. (Are you following me?) There the city’s leader, “Phatso”, captures the boys and informs them he is going to take over America. The boys do in Phatso’s diabololical plans by use of their electron guns which have escaped the detection of their captors because they were collapsible.

Okay, okay lets avoid “superhuman feats” that are impossible. This dose of “reality” is supplied by “Hip Knox The Super Hypnotist”. Professor Knox is driven by the belief that he can change the world by endowing a human with super hypnotic powers. As fate would have it an infant is abandoned on his doorstep. Although seemingly dead from exposure to the elements, Knox revives the infant with a secret operation to the heart head and eyes. As the boy grows, he has exceptionally large eyes and head.

The boy can seemingly hypnotize man or beast with but a single gaze. The Professor nicknames the boy, “Hip”, (which the reader is told is short for hypnotism.) Boyhood bullys don’t bother Hip; the last bully was left on the sidewalk in a “cataleptic hypnotic position” (say what!).

At twenty-one Prof. Knox gives the boy a sporty outfit (essentially a skin tight body suit with a large eye on the chest and, what appears to be a bathing cap type headwear. It looks real nifty with his itsy-bitsy moustache.). Hip solemnly pledges, “I swear never to use my hypnotic powers to do evil on this earth”. Hip immediately dedicates himself to fighting crime and is able to “sense” crime.

Well, as it turns out there lives in the city one Eric MacFadden, mortal enemy of the Knox family who has long dedicated himself to resisting being subjected to any hypnotic power. He discovers if he wears quartz lenses while his head is encased in a mesh cage (honest!) that he cannot be hypnotized. Their pointless confrontations come to a head in the third issue when McFadden captures Hip as he sleeps. He is bound and tied into a rocket plane which McFadden aims to land in the ocean. The plane overshoots its mark and Hip is able to escape his binds. The ship has no controls, but he hypnotizes millions of condors to fly into and under the rocket plane so to slow it down and cushion its fall. Stories would end with McFadden imparting a “curse” as he escapes, “I’ll get you yet”.

Obviously, the editors saw that the magazine needed a greater dose of reality so they introduced in the second issue, “Marvo 1-2 Go, the Super Boy of the year 2680-prodigy-mastermind-explorer and adventurer”. Marvo is the son of one of the world’s greatest scientists. Heredity had given Marvo a powerful brain and magnificent intelligence. Government registered names are used instead of the confusing last names of the 25th century. Marvo is but 15 years old, but has the knowledge of “an average scientist of 40”. The government has given Marvo the great “+ “sign, which has only been given to 10 men. This “+” sign entitles Marvo to use the super-hyponobioscope which teaches him while he sleeps.

Marvo’s most “interesting” adventure (there were only two) has him flying off to intercept a strange planet which is on a collision course with Earth. Reaching what appears to be a dead planet, Marvo discovers an entrance to an inner world where he meets, and is captured by antmen of (what else) Antar. The Antarenes have travelled from their dead sun in search of a new one. Their plan is to displace the Earth. While seemingly acquiescing to his captivity, Marvo escapes and destroys the machine that would have destroyed the Earth.

The rest of the issues are rounded out by a detective feature, “Detective Crane”, various pages of magic tricks, science facts, humor strips (“Alibi Alice”, “Smarty Arty”, etc.) and essays by Gernsback. To put the finishing touches on this eclectic title, several pages of “Little Nemo in Dreamland” by Windsor McKay are presented in each issue.

Neither this title nor publisher went very far in the heyday of the golden age. However, if one seeks something decidedly different from the standard super hero fare of the day, with some terrific cover illustrations, Superworld Comics is a must.

 

c. JSB 5/8/95

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Jon, do you have the three issue SUPERWORLD run? I seem to remember an article about those that you wrote in CBM. I would love to see 'em, I love those books!"

 

Actually I do and here they are. Least you wonder how I have alot of this stuff, I focused on collecting short-lived titles of the GA....3-5 issues. For all you old timers, I use to do a column for CBM called the "Comicbox" (get it??? Jon Berk?....JBComicbox)...any way...focusing on these short-lived titles.....so here are the Superworlds

 

This is the Comstock copy

 

 

 

 

Number 2....restored

 

 

....and the ever elusive #3...toughest of most titles with three books.....

 

 

Those are absolutely beautiful, John!

 

Thanks for posting them!

[CentaurMan]

Hmmm, it appears I scanned my copy a bit too late. Oh well, not wanting to waste it, here it is:

 

 

I'd call it a G+/VG-, thanks to the interior tape I mentioned earlier.

[Forbush-Man]

Hmmm, it appears I scanned my copy a bit too late. Oh well, not wanting to waste it, here it is:

 

 

I'd call it a G+/VG-, thanks to the interior tape I mentioned earlier.

 

 

I'd be happy to have it, I don't have a single Superworld comic!

[lou_fine]

Years ago, a family was cleaning out a shed in the back in which their dad had accumated many newpapers....they took a pile to the dump and returned....knocking over a pile they spied comics....layered in the piles of newspaper would be "a comicbook"......These are #1s and brought to the market by Mark Wilson and then Ernie Gerber (but that is a whole other story)....Fantastic condition, the way to tell them is that there is a large 'date stamp' on the rear of the book...Here is the one for the Superworld 1 which blue glows in the dark.....

 

 

Jon;

 

Does the large date stamp on the back cover of the book show up on ALL of the Comstock copies or only on some of them? If so, would the stamp always be located on the back exterior cover?

 

Thanks

[jbcomicbox]

Years ago, a family was cleaning out a shed in the back in which their dad had accumated many newpapers....they took a pile to the dump and returned....knocking over a pile they spied comics....layered in the piles of newspaper would be "a comicbook"......These are #1s and brought to the market by Mark Wilson and then Ernie Gerber (but that is a whole other story)....Fantastic condition, the way to tell them is that there is a large 'date stamp' on the rear of the book...Here is the one for the Superworld 1 which blue glows in the dark.....

 

 

Jon;

 

Does the large date stamp on the back cover of the book show up on ALL of the Comstock copies or only on some of them? If so, would the stamp always be located on the back exterior cover?

 

Thanks

 

I can not answer that. Mark could. On the four I have/had ALL have the date stamp (plus are in stunning condition)......