Issue: #1
Published: July 1940, Price: 0.10 USD, Pages: 68, Editing: Will Eisner
Color: Color Dimensions: Standard Golden Age US Paper Stock: Glossy Cover; Newsprint Interior Binding: Saddle-stitched Publishing Format: Was Ongoing Series
Notes: On sale date from the fanzine, Fantasy News, dated April 14, 1940 (on page 3). The comic was scheduled for release during the week of April 14-20, 1940. Information shared by Bart Bush through the Comics History Exchange page on Facebook (4 October 2016).
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Comic Story (9 pages) |
The Coming of Uncle Sam |
Featuring: |
Uncle Sam |
Synopsis: |
Andel Cobra tries to organize American dust bowl refugees into his own version of Hitler's Brown Shirts, called the Purple Shirts. The Purple Shirts manage to kidnap President Roosevelt, and later Uncle Sam. But Sam's rhetoric stirred some of the recruits, inciting them to rebel against the Purple Shirts. Unfortunately, these "terrorists" killed the father of young Buddy Smith, whom Uncle Sam adopted as his sidekick. |
Credits: |
Script: Will Eisner; Dave Berg | Pencils: Will Eisner (layouts); Dave Berg | Inks: Will Eisner |
Genre: |
Superhero |
Characters: |
Uncle Sam (introduction) Buddy Smith (introduction) Ezra Smith (Buddy's Father, Introduction, Death) President Franklin D. Roosevelt Andel Cobra (villain, Introduction) Scar (villain, Introduction) Snyle (villain, Introduction) Gatch Gozan (villain, Introduction) The Purple Shirts (villains, Introduction For All) |
Comic Story (7 pages) |
The Origin of Merlin |
Featuring: |
Merlin the Magician |
Synopsis: |
English playboy Jock Kellog learns that he is a descendant of Merlin, the ancient wizard of Camelot, and that he is being bequeathed Merlin's cloak, imbued with considerable magical power. His first foe is Mars, who had chained the goddess of peace. Kellog, calling himself Merlin, defeats Mars's minions (Hunger and Poverty) and then wrestles the god of war himself, achieving victory. |
Credits: |
Script: ? [as Lance Blackwood] (signed) | Pencils: Dan Zolnerowich [as Lance Blackwood] (signed) | Inks: Dan Zolnerowich [as Lance Blackwood] (signed) |
Genre: |
Superhero |
Characters: |
Merlin The Magician [Jock Kellog] (introduction, Origin) Jock's Un-named Uncle (introduction, Death) Peace (introduction) Mars (villain, Introduction, God Of War) Hunger (villain, Introduction) Poverty (villain, Introduction) |
Comic Story (6 pages) |
The Boy from the Meteor |
Featuring: |
Wonder Boy |
Synopsis: |
When Wonder Boy's home planet Viro is destroyed he comes to Earth. However no one believes his story and he is put in an orphanage, where no one bothers to give him a name. However after he defeats a Mongolian invasion of Europe he is named Wonder Boy. |
Credits: |
Script: Toni Blum [as Jerry Maxwell] | Pencils: John Celardo ? | Inks: John Celardo ? |
Genre: |
Superhero |
Characters: |
Wonder Boy (first Appearance Origin) The Mongolians (first Appearance Villains) |
Comic Story (2 pages) |
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Featuring: |
Windy Breeze |
Credits: |
Script: Bill Newcombe (signed) | Pencils: Bill Newcombe (signed) | Inks: Bill Newcombe |
Genre: |
Humor |
Characters: |
Windy Breeze (first Appearance) |
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