Number 901
The Skyman and the killer rain
As promised, this is the Skyman story from Sparky Watts #1, 1942.
The Skyman, written and co-created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Ogden Whitney, had a good run during the 1940s. I think the Skyman was a cut above many of the heroes of the time, and it was because of the creative crew. Idea-wise, the Skyman is a mixture of several aviation strips with that rich playboy-as-hero we saw so much of in early comic books.
I like these early Skyman adventures because of Whitney's clear ink line, his careful composition and above-average drawing. He kept his distinctive style his whole career, as any Herbie fan will tell you. Whitney's life was something of a tragedy; he was reputed to be an alcoholic, and when his wife died he went around the bend and was evicted from his apartment. The widow of ACG editor Richard Hughes said Whitney died in the early 1970s.
In an issue of Skyman,I think it is number three,but don't trust that,there is a cross over between comic character Brass Knucles and The Skyman.Really fun and funny,the art is both by whomever did Brass,and Ogden Whitney did the Skyman parts.Maybe you could find and reprint it here sometime?
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