Number 2555: An all-wet drama

Navy Jones was a character inspired by Sub-Mariner. He was created as an undersea dweller through surgery, despite being a great-great-grandson of Davy Jones. The artwork, by Bert Whitman, who also created the character for Victor Fox’s line of comic books, is okay as an artist, but not exceptional. Jack Kirby appears in this particular issue, and there is a Joe Simon cover, so Navy Jones, done by Whitman, appears in the company of fair to excellent artists. Styles and drawing ability were all over the place in a typical Fox Features comic published over 80 years ago. Comic book fans eight decades ago could flip through the pages of a comic book like Science Comics and and not feel that anything was too far removed from that of other publishers.

I admit to being interested in the Navy Jones story because I like the villains of the tale, which include a huge one-eyed octopus. Its master, the evil and ugly prime minister, says to Navy Jones and his princess sweetheart, “The octopus will strangle you to death and drink the blood out of your crushed body.” A dire threat. But never fear, Navy Jones has a pepper shaker handy to fend off the octopus. That sounds somewhat original. Really. I kid you not.

From Science Comics #4 (1940):

Number 2524: He’s in the Army now

The Eagle first appeared in Science Comics #1, a Fox Features publication. The Eagle went through some costume changes over time, even the name of his sidekick, who was originally known as Daredevil Boy. 

The Eagle looked like this in his first appearance in Science Comics. The Public Domain Super Heroes site informs us that Eagle could not fly, but he had an “anti-gravity solution he soaked his cape in.”

This is how he looked for Science Comics #2. Perhaps his shirt and pants were still at the laundry.

His own title, The Eagle #1, came out in 1941, on the heels of the success of Timely Comics’ super-hit, Captain America #1. That first issue sold so well that Timely Comics publisher Martin Goodman went back to press for more copies to keep up with the demand. That would probably be enough to get Victor Fox, publisher, to turn The Eagle into a soldier, and even include that young friend. Captain America had Bucky, The Eagle had Buddy. The Eagle’s costume was changed (again), this time with a red-striped cape for both Eagle and Buddy, reminding one of an American flag.

No writer or artist attributions by the Grand Comics Database. From The Eagle #1: