As is also typical of many other masked heroes or heroines, once she donned the mask it seemed beyond the people who knew her best (her aunt, among them) to recognize her.
The Grand Comics Database has some guesses on the artwork, giving us Bob Oksner with a question mark and Paul Gattuso with a question mark for the penciling. I think I can tell based on how Gattuso drew faces and figures in action that it is more likely to be the former, Bob Oksner. Oksner had a way with pretty girls, and went on for the rest of his career, spent at DC Comics, proving it. The GCD also equivocates when choosing an inker, giving us three guesses, including Lin Streeter and Paul Gattuso, along with Oksner.
The cover is by Alex Schomburg, signing himself Xela, who gave Miss Masque a leggy pin-up pose. It is from America’s Best Comics #25 (1948):
8 comments:
"She strikes terror to the heart of the underworld"? How, with her deadly bare midriff? Her lethal thighs? The only thing Miss Masque is terrorizing is good fashion sense. And speaking of her disguise, besides the fact that she's wearing the same color Diana was wearing, it doesn't help things that she's a blonde, a rarer hair color than brown, which means she's more likely to be identified correctly as the also-blonde Diana. And I don't think I want to know where MM keeps the gun and flashlight when not in hand; I didn't see any pockets or utility belt. One thing I will say in her favor as a superhero: boy, is she strong! Throwing people across the room! Whew! Yeah, she really earned that stellar reward of tea with Diana's aunt! Oh, and one more thing: I've never seen a museum with so many sarcophagi in my life.
OMG I luv her outfits yo OMG #ELAGENCE It loox like Bob Oxner inkeded by a L8Y
A young, crime-fighting tigress in a provocative, show-biz outfit! This is why comics earned their 10¢ over and over.
Were I to write an impressive orchestral work, I don't think I could have a better climax than to sound a gong with a pistol shot by a lady dressed as Miss Masque. A visual as well as a sonic wonder. Hard on the gong and the ricochet puts the orchestra at a disadvantage, though...
Bob Oksner seems likely as the artist to me. What a fine comics artist. Thanks, Pappy.
7f7, when you write your impressive orchestral work, I would love to hear it, especially if it includes such a climax. It probably wouldn't match the thrills of cannon fire as heard in the 1812 Overture by Tchaikovsky, but a hot chick shooting the gong would definitely wake up anyone whose attention might be flagging.
Ryan, I admit, a deadly bare midriff and lethal thighs will terrorize me. My tongue will stick to the roof of my mouth, and while my eyes want to stay, my mind is screaming to get out before it's too late.
And as you can see, you and Alicia have different ideas of Ms Masque's fashion sense.
I don't disagree about the blonde/brunette thing. Ms Masque could probably have a mousy hairstyle in her civilian identity and flashy blonde style for her alter ego, but using my wife as an example, it could take any extra 40 minutes for her to get ready to be seen in public.
Alicia, I do like looking at the fashions of the forties, both men and women. In those days people dressed up to go to town. If my father had lived into this era he would call the way people dress nowadays as "bums." I'm one of those bums, but it doesn't stop me from admiring the way people dressed in the day.
Was there anything Oksner couldn't draw??
Tmdess, my response to that is no, Oksner could do anything. Yesterday looked through some of my treasured Bob Oksner-drawn issues of Jerry Lewis and Bob Hope comics from DC. These are sort of lost masterpieces.
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