Number 2592: The thrilling Bill Everett draws the thrilling action for the thrilling Amazing Man

In the early days of comic fandom (early 1960s) a man* had a letter published in a fanzine with an article telling why Amazing Man was so amazing. Amazing Man (or John Aman, taking a test by some Tibetans who had raised him) could fight a cobra with his hands tied behind his back, and he could survive knives being thrown into his body. The writer of the letter called those events "thrilling." 

It took me a couple of decades before I was able to see the origin story of Amazing Man, and I guess those panels are thrilling. (I was impressionable in those days.)

Bill Everett, who created, wrote and drew this origin story, moved on after a while. Centaur, the publisher of Amazing Man, went out of business, and Everett went on to other comic book character, including Sub-Mariner. 

Everett died young, but in his time he was a “thrilling” good artist, just as that long ago comics fan claimed.

*The letter writer's name I don't remember. It was a long, very long time ago.

From Amazing Man Comics #5 (actual issue #1, 1939):

Number 2427: Shot through the heart

The Arrow was a very early entry into the comic book costumed heroes club. His exploits began in Funny Pages Vol. 2 No. 10 (1938) as an anonymous archer in disguise. Like many of his ilk, the Arrow doesn’t mind going around the law, bringing some old-fashioned vigilante justice. In one panel of today’s story he shoots a crook in the heart with his “glittering arrow.” Beyond a good aim, he has no super powers.

The Arrow was created by Paul Gustavson. I am showing you the fifth story from the series, in the form of a reprint published in The Arrow #1 (1940). Like most good costumed heroes, the Arrow knows where the evil doings are done, and as if by magic he appears on the scene to wreak justice. Also like magic, his cloak changes to yellow in the splash panel and all of page 5.

Early come, early go...Arrow lasted until 1942, when the publisher, Centaur, went out of business.

Number 2403: The phantom Fantoman

Fantoman was originally called The Fantom of the Fair, which is catchy, but it meant the Fantom’s raison d'être was to protect the 1939 New York World’s Fair. Once that was over it was time for a name change. Maybe the publishers of the Centaur line of comic books thought the character would only last until the Fair was over.

There is more information about Fantom of the Fair and his publishing history in a previous Pappy’s posting, which you can see by going to the link on the bottom of this post.

Centaur is known as the first comic book company to go out of business, and I don’t know why, but it could have been any number of things. Perhaps when they were originally publishing there was not as much competition. As soon as other publishers joined in and began pumping out super heroes it might have squeezed Centaur too much.

This Fantoman story, reprinted from Amazing Mystery Funnies #18, is shown here in scans taken from Fantoman #4 (1940); the last issue of that title. The story is drawn, and possibly written, by Paul Gustavson.

An earlier Fantom of the Fair story. Just click on the thumbnail.

Number 2395: He and his shadow...

I think the character, Nightshade, was originally inspired by the Shadow. The creator of Nightshade might have thought, what if my version of the the Shadow wasn't a man, but an actual shadow? So “scientist Howard Hall is able to bring his shadow to life” (from Public Domain Super Heroes). He has a way of doing it with flashlights strapped to his ankles which cause him to cast a shadow. I don’t see those flashlights. He puts his hand on his trouser cuff but that’s all we see. Damn it! Show us the flashlight, Howard!

Nightshade, appearing as he did in Centaur’s Amazing Man Comics (numbers 24-26), did not last long. Centaur closed shop, and Amazing Man #26 was the last issue. I give the character of Nightshade a Pappy pat on the head award for being one of the more off-the-wall super heroes I have seen.

This shady story is from Amazing Man Comics #26 (1942). The Grand Comics Database credits Charles Verral with the script, and Homer Fleming for the artwork.

Number 2204: Give Mighty Man a great big hand!

I like the splash panel for this adventure of Mighty Man from. It tells us Mighty Man’s powers: He can grow! He can shrink! He can change his features! I especially like the big hand he can produce to get to his enemies. It reminds me of Plastic Man, but without the plastic. I like what Don Markstein’s Toonopedia says about Mighty Man: “Mighty Man was such an early jumper-on to the Superman bandwagon, it was still possible to give him a generic name, one that, like Wonder Man or Amazing-Man, says nothing about the character except ‘I'm a super guy.’”

The episode is evidently part of a longer story, but is full of Mighty Man’s tricks on a villain called the Witch, whose witch powers apparently give her the appearance of a normal looking young woman. (What? No broom?) I also like that Mighty Man can become Mighty Kid. I guess that is where one of the promises of the splash panel comes in: He can change his features!

Grand Comics Database attributes both story and art to Martin Filchock. Filchock is the creator of Mighty Man, according to Public Domain Super Heroes. The story appeared in Centaur’s Stars and Stripes Comics #2 (1941).

Number 2258: Beneath the sea with Chuck Hardy and his gal

Years ago I read about comic artist Frank Thomas, that his comic book career was only four years, from 1939 to 1943. It was likely he was drafted or joined up for duty during World War II. He was born in 1914, so would have been 29 in '43, within the age group of men accepted for military service. Thomas’s style was perfect for the era. After his comic book days were done he was working on his own newspaper comic strips, and ghosting others.

Along with the Eye, the Owl, and Billy and Bonny Bee, Thomas created and drew the feature “Chuck Hardy in the Land Beneath the Sea,” which appeared in Amazing-Man Comics for Centaur. The two episodes I have today are from Amazing-Man #5, but actually #1, and Amazing Man #6, actually #2, both from 1939. Thanks to those folks who collected the Frank Thomas Archives now on Digital Comics Museum and Comic Book Plus, making Thomas’s work available online for free.