Number 2441: The Triple Threat

Triple Threat Comics was a one-shot publication by a company called Special Action Comics, which came out in 1945. Paper was still being rationed and one-shot (either by design or company failure) publishers with paper rations popped up here and there.

The comic also includes a Beau Brummel and King O’Leary story, but I am showing only three stories (to go with the “triple” in Triple Threat): The Duke of Darkness, The Menace, and The Magnificent Epod. (Spell Epod backwards. The late Don Thompson used to say that comic book fans learned early to read backwards.)

“Duke of Darkness” is drawn by John Giunta under the name Jay Gee; “The Menace” is drawn by Louis Ferstadt, who had his own comic art studio (including at one time, Harvey Kurtzman); “Magnificent Epod” is credited to August Froelich (?) and Charles Voight (?), question marks meaning the art spotter isn’t sure.

Number 2159: Harvey K. lashes that lightning!

A couple of days ago I was comparing wannabe satirical comic books to Mad, and noted what the imitators lacked was Mad creator Harvey Kurtzman. Today I have a very early example of Kurtzman’s comic book work. I mean wayyyy early; Kurtzman was born in 1924, and this episode of “Lash Lightning” was published in 1942, which made Harvey about 18.

Kurtzman worked for Louis Ferstadt, a WPA artist* who took up drawing comic books in their early days. I have shown some early Kurtzman before, but when I checked it against the Grand Comics Database I saw they had “Harvey Kurtzman ?” for pencil and inking credits. They just aren’t sure. Can I be 100% sure? No, but I am leaning strongly toward Kurtzman being the artist. One, his initials are on the tombstone on the right hand side of the splash panel. It is hard to read, but it is an H.K. The other thing I noticed immediately is a youthful appropriation of Jack Kirby’s style for exaggerated action. Kirby was a master of action poses, and I visualize a young Harvey at a drawing board with copies of open Jack Kirby comic books.

This would have been a great school for Kurtzman, working against deadlines, drawing superheroes in action. He was drafted, served, came home, re-entered the comic book business, and by then had developed his own style.

*WPA — Works Progress Administration