The illustration above is of the only giant-sized title in this Comical Wednesday series that wasn't from Marvel or DC! Issue #1-and-only of Fighting American was published by Harvey Comics, better known during the 1960s for such "kiddie" titles as (take a deep breath, here) Casper the Friendly Ghost, Playful Little Audrey, Spooky, Hot Stuff the Little Devil, Baby Huey, Little Lotta, Wendy the Good Little Witch, Sad Sack, Little Dot, as well as many others, including that horrifying example of capitalism-gone-wild, Richie Rich, who eventually (meaning, in the course of approximately thirty years) spawned over four dozen different titles!
Fighting American was a superhero. In fact, he was a very subtle parody of superheroes. And I am really embarrassed to admit that since nine-year-old David almost never read the text pages in comics (except for the DC and Marvel "Letters to the Editor" pages), he -- well, I -- didn't realize that these "Fighting American" stories were reprints from the 1950s! And even more embarrassing than that is the fact that I didn't recognize that these stories were created by the very same team that had crafted the early Captain America tales which I was devouring on a bi-monthly basis in Fantasy Masterpieces, namely Joe Simon and Jack Kirby!
In late 1966, Marvel released a one-shot "special" called Marvel Super-Heroes. This was an all-reprint title featuring the first issue of Daredevil, which I'd searched the newsstand racks for but missed, two years earlier. I almost had a crack at an original copy a few months after it came out, since I often traded various comics with my friend Kevin, and he had one! Unfortunately, the book was ruined because his older brother had... ummm... cut out several pictures of... ummm... half-naked, muscular men working out in a gym.
Fighting American was a superhero. In fact, he was a very subtle parody of superheroes. And I am really embarrassed to admit that since nine-year-old David almost never read the text pages in comics (except for the DC and Marvel "Letters to the Editor" pages), he -- well, I -- didn't realize that these "Fighting American" stories were reprints from the 1950s! And even more embarrassing than that is the fact that I didn't recognize that these stories were created by the very same team that had crafted the early Captain America tales which I was devouring on a bi-monthly basis in Fantasy Masterpieces, namely Joe Simon and Jack Kirby!
In late 1966, Marvel released a one-shot "special" called Marvel Super-Heroes. This was an all-reprint title featuring the first issue of Daredevil, which I'd searched the newsstand racks for but missed, two years earlier. I almost had a crack at an original copy a few months after it came out, since I often traded various comics with my friend Kevin, and he had one! Unfortunately, the book was ruined because his older brother had... ummm... cut out several pictures of... ummm... half-naked, muscular men working out in a gym.
Marvel Super-Heroes #1 also contained a reprint of Avengers #2. But the best treat for li'l ol' me was a story from the Golden Age, featuring a battle between the Sub-Mariner and the original Human Torch!
And yes, I said "the original Human Torch." The modern-day Human Torch from the Fantastic Four comic, Johnny Storm, is actually the second superhero to have that nom de guerre. The first Human Torch was an android -- hence, not really "human," but why quibble? -- who debuted in 1939 and was a contemporary of Captain America and Prince Namor, the Sub-Mariner, during the Golden Age.
But Marvel Super-Heroes #1 and Fantasy Masterpieces weren't the only exciting "giants" Marvel churned out in '66. For the fourth year in a row, the Fantastic Four Annual (or, if you prefer, Fantastic Four Special) was another blockbuster issue.
In that issue, Marvel reprinted a two-part story (from F.F. #25 and #26) that I'd only caught the second chapter of when it first hit the stands. This great two-parter featured a knock-down, drag-out battle between The Thing (the most powerful member of the Fantastic Four) and the Incredible Hulk. And the Avengers showed up in part two!
But the lead feature in F.F. Annual #4 was an all-new epic that reintroduced the original Human Torch to the Silver Age!
The final giant/annual/special/whatever that made an impression on me that year was the sixth issue of Fantasy Masterpieces, which again featured three Golden Age Captain America stories by Simon & Kirby, including an original tale of none other than Cap's eternal nemesis, the Red Skull! In this reprint, from Captain America Comics #7, Cap and his young sidekick, Bucky, fought the "real" Red Skull, and not that ineffectual idiot mentioned in my previous post, George Maxon.
Fantasy Masterpieces #6 also had a Captain America tale entitled "The Phantom Hound of Cardiff Manor," which owed a lot, shall we say, to the Sherlock Holmes novel The Hound of the Baskervilles.
One thing I didn't learn until many years later is that several of the 1940s Captain America stories reprinted in the 1960s had text and/or artwork that was censored to appease the censorship board known as the Comics Code Authority. The following two illustrations show a scene from the original version of "The Phantom Hound of Cardiff Manor" and the censored version which appeared in Fantasy Masterpieces #6.
And don'tcha just love the way they re-drew Bucky's mouth in that first panel? Wonder why they bothered to do that.
Now, to end our look(s) back at 1966 -- finally! -- I'm just going to shut up and present six more pairs of sequences from another story censored and reprinted in Fantasy Masterpieces #6. This was a gruesome little tale called "Meet the Fang, Arch-Fiend of the Orient" which first appeared in Captain America Comics #6. Scenes showing or even suggesting extreme violence were expurgated in '66, plus they deleted one objectionable reference to "China boys."
Now, to end our look(s) back at 1966 -- finally! -- I'm just going to shut up and present six more pairs of sequences from another story censored and reprinted in Fantasy Masterpieces #6. This was a gruesome little tale called "Meet the Fang, Arch-Fiend of the Orient" which first appeared in Captain America Comics #6. Scenes showing or even suggesting extreme violence were expurgated in '66, plus they deleted one objectionable reference to "China boys."
Pretty thorough, weren't they?
I'll be posting another entry this weekend, for those of you who may be hoping for something other than Comical Wednesday posts, although I must admit, the next post won't be a very cheerful one.
Thanks for your time.
I'll be posting another entry this weekend, for those of you who may be hoping for something other than Comical Wednesday posts, although I must admit, the next post won't be a very cheerful one.
Thanks for your time.
They sure got rather explicit with the differences there. Never knew there was an android human torch. Cutting out pics of muscular men? Gym rat? Or his cup of tea?
ReplyDeleteHaven't heard of many of the truly kiddie ones, Casper and Wendy is it. Guess your nine year old self just wasn't as up to snuff on things like you are now haha
Yep, the misnamed "Human" Torch was introduced in 1939, in the very first issue of Marvel Comics, the very first comic book published by Timely Comics, the publisher which eventually became Marvel Comics.
DeleteAnd yes, my friend's brother -- as well as my friend himself, as it turned out -- were both gay, but the average nine-year-old in 1966 didn't even know about such things.
I must admit that not being able to recognize Jack Kirby artwork from any stage of his career seems unfathomable to me now.
Hm. Just noticed that I used the term "the very first" not once, but twice in... ummm... the very first sentence of my previous comment.
Deletehaha that would be a no no with novel writing.
DeleteIt's a funny thing about the original Human Torch. He most definitely started out as android, but as his various series in the the GA and 1950s progressed, he had a girlfriend or two, he was shown shaving, etc. Not bad for an android!;)
ReplyDeleteLess funny is the idea that Marvel revived the original Torch in 1966's FF Annual #4 as a way of asserting/solidifying their copyright to the character. In the mid-1960s Carl Burgos, the Torch's creator, was in the process of making a claim for legal ownership of the character he'd created (much as Joe Simon was doing for Cap). But it's been reported in various resources such as in Sean Howe's book and Alter Ego #49 that Burgos's claim went by the wayside once Marvel reassered its copyright by featuring the original Torch in FF Annual 4.
You're right, of course, about the writers and artists often forgetting forgetting that the original Human Torch wasn't really human. They did lots of silly things with him over the years.
DeleteI recall one idiotic bit where he flew to Jupiter -- yeah, that's right, through airless space -- in a matter of hours.
Another time, he was tied up back-to-back with a woman. The Torch occasionally used "Flame on!" as a battle cry, much like the later H.T., Johnny Storm. Well, in this instance, he decided to burnt his way out of the ropes, but didn't want to burn the woman behind him, so he only ignited the front of his body! The writer actually had the Torch yell "Half-flame on!"
I've heard the Carl Burgos story somewhere over the years, but never read either piece that you mentioned. What was the timeline on his attempt to win legal ownership? Before or after he drew a few 1960s stories for Marvel?
By the way, I once mentioned that Jupiter anecdote in a post called "Nobody's Perfect" which I was very pleased with. If you wanna check it out... http://silverfoxlair.blogspot.com/2011/09/nobodys-perfect-comical-wednesday-post.html
DeleteI'd wager that many people in the industry were aware of Marvel's burgeoning profile and since Burgos was doing some freelance work for them in 1964, he must have been aware of Marvel's growth. Plus Joe Simon was making noise.
DeleteSure, Stan gave Burgos a Johnny Storm Torch story (and gave Burgos props in the story itself), but was assigning Burgos second tier features in the split books a ploy to assure his loyalty? Anyway, from from I have read, it seems that in the '60s Burgos didn't give Stan what he wanted art-wise. At any rate, Burgos's Marvel assignments stopped at the end of 1964, so perhaps Burgos had started exploring his legal avenues back then.
I'll take a look at that Jupiter post, sounds intriguing!
Ah, so he did his handful of '60s stories for Marvel before seeking ownership of the Human Torch. Makes perfect sense.
DeleteYour previous comment prompted me to do a little research, and I found Heidi MacDonald's column "The Beat" which quoted from Sean Howe’s book. It told the horrible story of how Burgos burned all his Marvel-related stuff in 1966 despite the efforts of his daughter Susan to save some of the comics. So sad to think of the thousands of dollars worth of stuff destroyed.
Right--that's from the Alter Ego interview with Susan, in the AE issue I mentioned, #49. It's a great inteview and there are also some fantastic repro'd images of her father's art.
DeleteBurgos' art was nothing flashy, but I kinda liked it. I've seen a lot of his work on the Iron Skull for Centaur Comics, thanks to DCM.
DeleteBoth versions look quite violent to me. Cute story about your nine year old self :)
ReplyDeleteWell, most comics have always contained plenty of violence, although they usually prefer to use "action" as a euphemism.
Delete