The truth about Captain Truth is I know nothing about Captain Truth. Beyond the obvious and what the Grand Comics Database tells me, that is. He originally appeared in a 128-page giant comic called
Gold Medal Comics (1945), edited by the Bernard Baily Studio. The story may have been written by Bruce Elliott (whose name appears with a
? after it); it was drawn by Bob Fujitani.
It was reprinted in a standard 36-page comic called
Great Action Comics (1958), one of those three-for-25¢ bagged comics published by IW Comics.
Another truth I don’t know is why Captain Truth wore a foppish cavalier hat, red trunks, yellow cape and buccaneer boots, and was otherwise bare. When John Severin was hired to do the cover for this comic he put more standard superhero tights on him to make him look just a bit less of an exhibitionist.
The last truth I don’t know is if this was Captain Truth’s only appearance. He may have been a one-hit wonder, twice-printed.
8 comments:
Ha! This must be the Dumbest Nazi Plan of Sabotage of them all (at least in comics)! Surely was not devised by Reinhard Heydrich, chief of Sicherheitdienst - Amt 6 (SS intelligence).
Anyway, some of their real plans of sabotage in the U.S. were quite clumsily developed like the "Operation Pastorius", (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Pastorius), but this was entirely devised by the Abwehr (military intelligence) headed by Wilhelm Canaris.
Now the whole "steal light bulbs for their tungsten" thing makes me wonder if the Swedish Chef from the Muppet Show was indeed a fake identity adopted by an ex Nazi Intelligence officer after the war!
Then I just look at "Captain Truth" and think about "Zorro: the Gay blade"!
We can always use some good laugh!
Thanks and Merry Christmas to you all.
The sources at which I've looked claim that Captain Truth was a one-shot. Gold Medal Comics itself had only one issue, 128 pages,with no issue number on its cover. I imagine that it were sort-of thrown together to make a quick buck. (Beyond, that is, the normal extent to which comic books were thrown together to make quick bucks.)
As I've said elsewhere, I feel obliged to note that urban renewal projects, like that which cost Ken Elliot his home, built significantly fewer units than they demolished, so that the urban poor were forced to compete for an ever-shrinking supply. Prices generally rose, quality generally declined. Degradation and violence generally increased.
Every time he changed into costume, I got the song "YMCA" in my head. He certainly looked like a Chippendale. But where did he hide that big damn hat when he was in his civvies?
Loved the cameo by Uncle Sam. Did Quality Comics sue?
Since the hero doesn't wear a mask, shouldn't Slug recognize Captain Truth when he's Ken Elliott? And shouldn't he be Private Truth? He's just a kid!
"This is my ration card...and here comes a flock of points!" Great line.
P.S. Either there was a grammatical error on page 2, or I want to know what a "light bulb boy" is.
Another fun one, Pap!
On second thoughts ...
I gave another look at the story. Why, this is in truth a very nice Christmas story, with Cap. Truth acting as the ghost of present-past-future Xmas to Mr. nazi helper Arthur "Slug" Warner who plays a sort of Ebenezer Scrooge...
Don't know if it was intentional, but your timing is perfect, Mr. Pappy.
Forget the silly parts, just concentrate on the warm, comfortable message of this surrealist, dream - like tale (the relationship between the two kids, the flying, the inexplicable appearence of the gipsy woman) and you'll have the perfect (well, more or less) wartime Christmas story! Poetry! Now I'm a fan of Cap Truth!
Maybe on December 26 I'll think it's crap ... again ...
P.S.: I still think of George Hamilton looking at that costume.
this is a strange story.It's like a combination of Captain Marvel Jr.and all those Superman stories where Superman makes some supernatural thing seem real,but it isn't,combined with the WW2 idealism of The Green Lama.The part where the kid sees that the crook has a home life is good,but this is still one of the dumbest golden age stories that I have ever read.And that costume,ugh!
Cheryl, read Ryan Anthony's note...especially the part about getting the song "YMCA" in his head when Captain Truth changes into his costume. Or J D La Rue's comment on "Zorro the Gay Blade." I'm not saying there was any intent on the part of the designer of this costume, but it does not exactly knock me out with masculinity.
Well, Daniel...I am having enough of a time keeping track of what I have posted in the past to worry about what other guys are posting. Had I known this story had been shown just a few months ago I would not have shown it. Your comments are still welcomed, though.
Pappy, I don't think that any of the 'bloggers who provide us with these stories should worry about what the others are doing. Few if any people follow all these 'blogs (and I for one now follow very few, having cut-back to have more time for work). Plus, many readers value your particular take on things: we'd read those even if all the 'blogs posted the same stories at the same time.
Post a Comment