Today we think of cross-dressing, but actually, it is an old stage tradition. Think Shakespeare in his era, as one example, when men dressed as women because no women worked on stage. (Stanton also had a parrot, Hamlet, who could recite Shakespeare.) However, Madam Fatal was another of those early comic characters who also met an early demise. This story, from Crack Comics #21 (1942), was M.F.’s next to last appearance. After #22 she, errrr, I mean he, retired and put the orthopedic shoes in the closet.
Drawn by Arthur Pinajian.
That's a really interesting plot! Normally these old super hero stories follow a pattern with the hero getting knocked out or hurt in the middle, but that doesn't happen. He pretty much just takes the gang out, only catching a bullet at the end.
ReplyDeleteHow the heck did the doctor know not to mention it's a disguise?
I like this one, it's compact and moves fast. The very static panel layout works, too. The dressed as an old lady gimmick didn't really have too much of a use here, though.
Outside of Richard Stanton and Norman Bates, I just don't encounter the combination of transvestism or transsexualism with an attempt to appear older, though I used to spend a lot of time in a coffee shop that welcomed marginalized people and in which a disproportionate share of the regulars were male transvestites or MtF transsexuals.
ReplyDeleteBut, as I've said in the past, Stanton, like Bruce Wayne, is an example of a superhero who dons a costume as a disguise but as a revelation.
The art here is fun. I especially appreciated speed lines and clouds of dust in 4:6.
Brian, perhaps the doctor was just being polite.
ReplyDeleteDaniel, I have probably gotten to the point where I don't really "see" speed lines and clouds of dust in comics. Thanks for pointing it out.