Angel Of Death

Long before Scarlett Johansson’s Black Widow bad-assed her way through America’s No. 1 movie, Golden Age comic-book heroines displayed just as much – if not more – fire and competence.

(Which seems to be a reoccurring theme of this blog, now that I think of it … )

The Black Angel was a particularly notable example of the trend, as she more than held her own amid the blood-and-thunder of Hillman Publications’ Air Fighters Comics, home to Airboy, The Heap, Sky Wolf and other two-fisted sentinels of the skyways.

Created by artist John Cassone and an unknown writer, the Black Angel’s true identity was Sylvia Manners, an (extremely) mild-mannered socialite who flew as well as any male aviator and seldom let an enemy survive beyond a single tale.

The following story features Nazi bat-men for an extra dose of awesomeness.

“The Bats Of Berlin” originally appeared in Air Fighters Comics vol. 1, #6 (Hillman Publications, March 1943). The art is by John Cassone.

Plant Vs. Primate

Most stories starring The Heap tend to fall under two categories: 1. He’s a rampaging monster causing terror throughout the land; or 2. He’s an elemental force for justice causing terror in the hearts of evildoers.

There are a few elements common to each tale, however. One, obviously, is “terror.” (The Heap is a shambling muck-monster after all …) The other is that many of the creature’s adventures are somehow tied to his former identity as a German World War I flying ace.

The following story straddles just about every category as The Heap avenges an insult to his honor as a former pilot, teaches some shady characters a lesson about respect and picks a fight with a natilly dressed ape to boot. Along the way, there’s the requisite amount of collateral damage and terror.

All in a day’s work for comics’ original Swamp Man-Thing!

“The End Of The World Cafe” originally appeared in Airboy Comics Vol. 5 #9 (Hillman Periodicals, Oct. 1948). The art is by Mike Roy And John Belfi.

I actually feel sorry for Albert the Ape …

Better Red Than Dead

The Heap faces off against a criminal mastermind who – judging by the way our muck-encrusted anti-hero outmaneuvers her at the story’s conclusion – isn’t half as smart as she thinks.

While the villainess doesn’t exactly earn herself a spot in the Golden Age Bad Girl Hall Of Fame, the story does boast an outstanding pair of artists: Carmine Infantino on pencils and Leonard Starr on inks.

Infantino would go on, of course, to play a major role in Silver Age revival of super-heroes and rise to the rank of publisher at DC. Starr, for his part, would achieve great success as a syndicated cartoonist who contributed to such legendary strips as Flash Gordon and Little Orphan Annie as well as his own creation: Mary Perkins.

Starr also deserves a special place in every geek’s heart for developing the legendary Thundercats cartoon of the ‘80s!

Not too shabby, as Adam Sandler would say.

(Ummm … tell me I didn’t just quote Adam Sandler. I know I was getting a bit desperate about writing a proper transition to the comic’s original publication credits, but really.)

Oh well. Guess they all can’t be winners.

“The Ruthless Red Darrow” originally appeared in Airboy Comics vol. 4, #7 (August, 1948).

Swamp Thing

The Heap, comics’ original shambling swamp creature, debuted in Air Fighters Comics vol.1 #3 (December, 1942) as a one-shot opponent for Sky Wolf, Hillman Periodicals’ answer to Blackhawk.

The creature’s origin was simple, but evocative. A German air ace is shot down in World War I and crashes into a desolate swamp. Due to the pilot’s incredible will to live, his soul survives but his body somehow merges with the surrounding swamp land.

After several years of this process, the pilot is reborn as “a fantastic Heap that is neither animal nor man.”

The creature was blown up at the end of the adventure, but proved popular enough for several return engagements that solidified The Heap’s anti-hero status. (It helped that it’s victims were usually German or Japanese soldiers …)

After World War II ended and Air Fighters Comics morphed into Airboy Comics, named after the magazine’s most popular character, The Heap stuck around in its own back-up feature recast as an elemental force of justice acting under the guidance of Mother Nature herself.

(Sound a bit familiar, Alan Moore fans?)

As horror comics gained popularity, The Heap even snagged the cover spot away from Airboy himself a few times. The faltering comic-book market finally overcame the creature’s will to live, however, as Hillman closed up shop after Airboy’s May, 1953 issue. Still, it’s difficult to keep a good monster down as updated versions of The Heap reappeared from time to time under the banner of such publishers as Skywald, Image and Eclipse.

To paraphrase a golden oldie, though, those particular muck monsters weren’t nothin’ like the real thing. From Airboy Comics vol. 2, #7, Hillman Periodicals (August, 1949), here’s the one, true Heap vs. the bizarre menace of “The Iron Chancellor.”

The art is by Mike Sekowsky.

William The Conquerer

Although The Conquerer may not have been one of Bill Everett’s more famous creations, this rip-roaring adventure from Victory Comics’ inaugural issue aptly demonstrated that the character had what it took to be a major player.

(Except maybe sales figures, but that’s the comics biz for you.)

I’m especially struck by The Conquerer’s costume design – which seemed a bit more realistic than your usual super-hero union suit – and the mysterious femme fatale Varna Bari, who added the requisite touch of moral ambiguity present in many of Everett’s tales.

From Victory Comics #1 (Hillman Periodicals, 1941), here’s “The Coming Of The Conquerer” by Bill Everett.

If you enjoyed this story, be sure to check out Blake Bell’s forthcoming compilation of pre-WWII Everett stories, Amazing Mysteries: The Bill Everett Archives Vol. 1. Looks like the book design even features Everett’s ace cover art for Victory Comics #1!

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Seeya Later, Alligator

Jack Kirby was not only one of the premier action-adventure writer-artists of his – or just about any – generation. He could also draw a mean funny animal strip.

Lockjaw the Alligator – whose demeanor and speech pattern will undoubtedly strike a familiar chord with fans of a certain Blue-Eyed Ever-Lovin’ Thing –  was one of Kirby’s rare forays into the genre. Although the story is only  five pages long, it aptly demonstrates an interesting direction The King’s career could have taken. Plus, there’s an unexpected – but expertly choreographed  - dance scene to boot!

And yeah, it’s entirely possible that Lockjaw’s memory lives on in the form of The Inhumans’ lovable, teleporting pooch.

“Lockjaw Goes To College” originally appeared in Punch And Judy Comics, vol. 3 #1 (Hillman Periodicals, 1947)

Airboy Meets Valkyrie

Femme fatales. The Golden Age of Comics was – to use the parlance of the times – lousy with ‘em. Catwoman, The Green Sorceress, P’Gell, Madame Satan … pulchritudinous ladies of ill intent vexed the sturdiest of heroes back in the day.

(And let’s not forget Milton Caniff’s Dragon Lady, perhaps the greatest femme fatale of them all.)

One of the most memorable was Valkyrie, a villainous Nazi who found her loyalties to the Fatherland tested by the All-American charms of Airboy, the young aviator who flew the amazing bat-winged “Birdie.”

She first appeared in Air Fighters Comics vol. 2 #2 in a cover-shot that surely got the blood pumping for little boys with loose dimes in their pockets. (Hmmmmm … that doesn’t sound too great.)

Valkyrie’s initial adventure – which is chock-full of glorious pre-code nastiness that probably gave parents cause to wonder about those strange “funny books” – proved popular enough to prompt a number of return engagements.

Each story was illustrated by the great Fred Kida, one of the better storytellers of the Golden Age who also made his mark as an assistant for Will Eisner on The Spirit and Dan Barry on Flash Gordon.

According to Wikipedia, his last full comic-book credit was on Marvel’s Defenders, which of course featured the Norse super-heroine known as … The Valkyrie! Coincidence?

From the pages of Air Fighters Comics, here’s “Airboy Meets Valkyrie.” The writer is, sadly, not credited.