Number 2005: Wonderman: Anthrozoons say “Ge-Yak! Yakka yakka!”

Oh, wonderful Wonderman. As I explained in 2013 in another post (see link below), this character has grown on me over the years. I have either seen the light behind the madness of the Wonderman stories, or dementia is overtaking me and the stories now make sense.

Dr. Voodoo, Lilith, the vacuum spiral...the smiley-faced Immortal Emperor, the reptilian anthrozoons...all included in a plot hatched in some fever dream.

Drawn by Bob Oksner, with no scripter listed by the Grand Comics Database. Cover by Alex Schomburg. From Wonder Comics #9 (1946).

Another Wonderman story, originally posted in 2013:

Number 1934: By vacuum spiral to Mars

A “secret current” has turned Brad Spencer into Wonderman. Any good superhero needs a villain, and Wonderman’s main villain is Dr Voodoo. Dr Voodoo has invented a “vacuum spiral” for instant travel to other planets.

Since I haven’t read Wonderman’s origin story I’m not sure what any of it means or how it works, but in the 1940s someone did. Wonderman appeared in the four issues of Nedor’s Mystery Comics, and then Wonder Comics. The art is by a young Bob Oksner, who went on to comics fame with funny comic books published by DC, Jerry Lewis, Bob Hope, and others.

In this story, from Mystery Comics #3 (1943) a race of primitive Martian dullards had a genius born amongst them “thousands of years ago.” The genius, Yondok, looked at Earth through his atomic telescope and decided to duplicate the climate and atmosphere. After that this particular group of primitive Martians evolved into humans, and by the time Brad and his girlfriend arrive on Mars the Martian/humans not only speak English (!!) but have subjugated the unevolved Martians. I’m not sure I how any of that works, either. In the main no one cares, and certainly not Brad, because in best comic book fashion Wonderman handles the problem the way he knows best, mano a mano. In comic books there is no time for diplomacy; every problem is handled wth guns or fists.

It’s not a scene from the story, but the nifty cover is by the master of action covers, Alex Schomburg.

I showed another Brad Spencer Wonderman story in 2013. Just click on the thumbnail.

Number 1316: Pappy's tastes change, and oh, the Wonder of it all

As part of my ongoing growth as a Golden Age comic book fan, Wonder Comics #11 (1947) fits in. I bought it in 1978 (paid about $6.00 as I recall), and hated it. I bought it for the Graham Ingels cover, and noticed there was a Graham Ingels face on the girl (right side of the “Wonderman” double-page spread), but the rest of the comic seemed dopey to me; also goofy, silly, stupid...

But that was then and this is now, and I don’t even have to go back as far as 1978 for the change. It has happened recently, within the past couple of years, when I saw the things that formerly offended me now pleased me. I like Wonder Comics #11 for exactly the same reasons I hated it 34 years ago.

Personally, I now like a comic book where an outer space villain, Dr. Voodoo, wears a string tie. I like that another character looks like a smiley-face with a strangely shaped head. I like that the method of planet-hopping isn't by rocket ship, but by something called a “Vacuum Spiral.” Perhaps my change in tastes is that I am still evolving as a comic book reader — or, based on your opinions of my personal tastes, devolving.

I showed another oddball story from this issue in Pappy's #1090 in January, 2012, “Dick Devens of Futuria.”

Art by Bob Oksner.

Number 266


Wonderman


"Hordes Of The Immortal Emperor" is from Wonder Comics #16. I've posted stories from this issue before in Pappy's #158 and Pappy's #166.

Someone needs to collect all of the Wonderman stories. We're seeing part of a longer continuity, and what a continuity! A city, Pyropolis, on the sun! A villain named Dr. Voodoo! An "immortal emperor" (page 3) who looks like a smiley face caught in a vise! This is pretty crazy stuff, very entertaining.

The Grand Comics Database has mistakenly listed the contents of this issue, #16, under #15. It also lists the artist of Wonderman as Bob Oksner. Even Oksner's wonderful art doesn't detract from this being a screwball comic classic.