Number 2496: That was no lady, that was my phantom

I am muttering in my beard today, because I am showing you another Phantom Lady story. I am muttering because I know I have beat the subject to death, but I’ll get it out of my system anyway: how come when Phantom Lady is in costume, not even wearing a mask, no one, including family members, knows her?

[Shrugs shoulders.] All part of the magic of the comics, I suppose.

This is an early entry in the Phantom Lady canon, which went on when the character ended up in Fox comic books, drawn much more sexy than this early episode. On second thought, I do like the way Arthur Peddy draws Phantom Lady in her skimpy costume. Until now Peddy is an artist who has escaped my notice. I have seen his name for years when associated with other features in comics, but have not paid attention. I am paying attention now, and will find the time to go back and take another look at his work. Peddy is obviously an artist who fit into the Eisner-Iger shop, making Quality Comics stand out for their...er...quality!

From Police Comics #5  (1941). 

Phantom Lady is introduced. Just click on the thumbnail. 

Number 2114: Human Bomb’s explosive origin

The Human Bomb (Roy Lincoln, a scientist helping his dad develop a super explosive for national defense) debuted in Police Comics #1, in 1941. Roy has another of those superhero origins, where what does not kill him gives him powers. In his case, he can blow things up with his touch. (I think of him as a suicide bomber who doesn’t blow himself up with his targets.) I don't remember ever reading a Human Bomb story before. Probably because his bomb suit is visually uninteresting to me, although the artwork by Paul Gustavson (as Paul Carroll) is dynamic and well drawn. Those early Quality Comics under the aegis of the Eisner and Iger shop were noticeably better drawn, not to mention more colorful* than most of the competition.

Creator Gustavson was born in Finland, and at age five came with his family to the U.S. He did several successful comic book features over the years, but in later life did what a couple of other artists I have mentioned before did. He went to work for the government. In his case as a surveyor and civil engineer for New York State. Gustavson, born in 1916, died in 1977 at age 60.

*Quality publisher, Everett “Busy” Arnold, although color blind, insisted on a lot of color in his comics. Later on they toned down the vibrant hues, but those early Quality Comics had a scorched eyeball effect.

Number 2107: Phantom Lady is introduced

Phantom Lady, who went on to infamy, had a modest beginning at Quality Comics in 1941. Arthur Peddy signed the first Phantom Lady appearance in Police Comics #1, which I am presenting today.

Peddy co-created the character (writer unknown) for the Eisner-Iger studios, which supplied the contents of early Quality Comics. Her gimmick, besides being a United States senator’s daughter, was the “flashdark,” a portable black light, putting crooks literally in the dark.

Peddy went in the Army, and Phantom Lady was turned over to Frank Borth, before disappearing from Quality. She reappeared for Fox, when Jerry Iger revived the character. Along with Rulah, Phantom Lady was one of the mainstays of Fox’s late forties’ sexy comic book heroines.

Number 2091: Plastic Man finalizes his look

In the past couple of months we have looked at early Plastic Man from the first few issues of Police Comics. Plas’s costume changed slightly each issue until he achieved his final look in Police #4. I am showing the two-parter from issues #4 and 5 (1941). Plas alone faces Madam Brawn and her Crime School for Delinquent Girls. (Woozy Winks has not yet made his appearance)

The first part has my favorite panel to snicker over. The line of Madam Brawn’s, “I’ve got the toughest molls on spike heels!! Any one of ‘em can lick two men at the same time!! makes me laugh every time I read it. It triggers my still close-to-the-surface adolescent mind. Did Cole sneak that past the editor and get away with something? I dunno. But I bet it got a few laughs from readers in 1941, also.

This was brought to my attention recently. Marty Murphy's Plastic Man cartoon appeared in the April 1999 issue of Playboy. Murphy drew Plas in his original costume. Copyright © 1999 by Playboy.

Number 2081: Plastic Man in transition

Last month I showed the Jack Cole Plastic Man story from Police Comics #2. Plastic Man was still wearing the costume from his origin story in Police #1. In Police Comics #3 (1941), which is where our story today appeared, Plas’s costume has evolved past the boots, one bare arm, one sleeved arm top to two sleeves. But one side of his top still has that strange black shading, which I have yet to figure out. By Police Comics #5 the costume that Plastic Man wore for the rest of his career was fully intact.

That in itself was not unusual in the artistic development of a character, but Plastic Man went further. His former identity as criminal Eel O’Brian was mostly never mentioned or shown, and he appeared to live 24/7 in his costume. In that way he avoided those sorts of clumsy plots found in most comics, where the hero was trying to keep his secret identity secret. Instead, Cole could get Plas right into the fun stuff.

In 2013 I showed a story which explained that Plastic Man’s face was deliberately changed from Eel’s. Just click on the thumbnail.

Number 2067: Plastic Man sans shirtsleeve

Plastic Man’s origin was published in Police Comics #1 (1941), and immediately stood out because of creator Jack Cole’s writing and artwork. Cole was a guy with a sometimes twisted sense of humor, a great cartoonist working in comic books, injecting his stories with his gift of comic exaggeration.

There were some minor changes after Police Comics #'s 1 and 2. As a design, Plastic Man’s costume just did not work; Plas wore a top with only one sleeve, and some odd-looking black boots. By Police Comics #3 the boots were gone and a sleeve added. I mention it because the story today is from Plastic Man #2 (1941), and features the original costume.

Of all the characters created for early comics, most never went on to the great popularity of Plastic Man. He was a great success, going from backup feature to headliner. He earned a couple of one-shot issues during the war, and got his own regular title to go along with his Police Comics appearances after the war ended.