Number 2274: “As one Blue Beetle to another...have some fist!”

Don Markstein’s Toonopedia has three listings for Blue Beetle: the original 1939 character from Fox, plus the two incarnations from Charlton in the sixties. The story today is the 1939 B.B., from a story published in 1948 by Fox, and drawn by the Iger Shop, which means various artists were involved.

Dan Garret, who is a cop, is involved in a puzzling case where people are burning down their own houses. It was published at a time when there was a postwar housing shortage in the United States, and the characters make mention of that. I assume someone thought the housing shortage would make a good springboard for the plot. Dan is also the Blue Beetle, although as Don Markstein mentions, his best friends don’t realize the Blue Beetle is actually Dan Garret. To double the trouble, a fake Blue Beetle shows up to make the original Blue Beetle look bad. In “The Lady Firebug” Blue Beetle looks into the eyes of a beautiful woman and is hypnotized. Because it’s done by the Iger gang, and because it is published by Fox, this Blue Beetle adventure contains sex appeal for eye candy.

From Blue Beetle #57:

Number 1869: Blue Beetle and the Madam Fang Gang

Patrolmen Dan Garret and Mike Mannigan are with their young friend, Sparkington (“Sparky”) Northrup, on their way to extradite a criminal, Rod Rutter. That prisoner, whose name would fit a seventies porn star (and yes, friends, that is symptomatic of the gutter my mind floats down) is part of a sabotage group, led by Madam Fang.

This story, drawn in the first year of America’s combat involvement in World War II, has “Jappies” and “Japanazis” as villains. Madam Fang is supposed to be Japanese, but artist Chas Quinlan apparently didn’t use any reference material for her appearance, and she has a sort of nondescript look. ( Patrolman Mike does describe her as “kind of Chinee (sic) looking, but a fine woman.”) Just another comic book of its time. It’s from Blue Beetle #15 (1942).

For the second time in a week (check out the Supermouse story from March 16), the word “spalpeen” appears in a story.

Here is another Blue Beetle story by Quinlan, which I showed in 2014. Just click on the thumbnail:

Number 1634: Boys in blue: Blue Beetle

We have yet another theme week; three stories this week featuring blue-clad heroes. (Well, one of them actually has “black” in his name, but his uniform is blue. You’ll see why on Wednesday.)

First up, Blue Beetle, who has a long history in comics for a character who bounced around in different titles over different eras, eventually appearing in the sixties in the more-than-capable hands of Steve Ditko (the high-water mark of Blue Beetle for me). But here Blue Beetle is featured in an anthology comic from Fox, co-starring with Phantom Lady, Rulah the Jungle Goddess and Jo-Jo the Congo King. Blue Beetle doesn’t even merit a mention on the cover. But what interested me about this installment is the art. It's by Jack Kamen, who turned out reams of work for the Iger Shop before landing a position at EC Comics. Personally, I enjoy these early stories by Kamen. This one has action and some cheesecake, something Fox was marketing despite objection from the folks who were upset about comics featuring such material.

From All Top Comics #13 (1948):

Number 1606: Chas. M. Quinlan — Green skull, Red Robe, Blue Beetle

Chas. M. Quinlan, who drew this episode of Blue Beetle, was one of the older artists who began work in comics during the early days of the industry. He had a son, Charles Quinlan, Jr. According to some information Quinlan, Jr, while in high school, helped his father by writing scripts for him. A reference to his father in Quinlan Jr's 2011 obituary claims Quinlan Sr at one time was a rodeo star.

These are just tantalizing bits of information about the elder Quinlan, who left a body of work in comic books, but about whom very little seems to be known. If any family members read this I hope they will supply some information.

Quinlan’s distinctive action-packed art style shows in this otherwise typical WWII Nazi saboteur story from Blue Beetle #14 (1942).