Family Entertainment

So … Archie comics were supposed to be wholesome alternatives to their more lurid Golden Age contemporaries? Rigghhhhhhht.

From Pep Comics # 41 (MLJ, August 1943). The house ad is signed by “Ginger.”

Lucifer Be A Lady Tonight

It’s difficult these days to believe that a character as dark and unusual as Madam Satan debuted in the same title that introduced the world to Archie, but such seeming discrepancies are typical of that Wild, Wild West era better known as the Golden Age Of Comics.

Although she vied with Timely’s Black Widow for the title of Satan’s sexiest subordinate, the woman only known as “Tyra” didn’t enjoy that long a run in Pep Comics, six mere issues to be exact.

Those six stories presented a great opportunity for artist Harry Lucey to stretch his creative muscles, though. Each story, including the first presented below, featured a striking splash page that featured the Lord of Lies looking down upon the wretched Earth.

Pretty potent stuff, and this was years before Crime Does Not Pay or Tales From The Crypt.

As we all know, MLJ eventually chose to pursue a different direction with its publications. When the company – now known as Archie Comics, of course – chooses to revive its Golden Age characters Madam Satan is usually left behind.

But what better time to revive Tyra than the night before Halloween? From Pep Comics #16 (MLJ Comics, June 1941), here’s “The Origin Of Madam Satan.”

The story was written by Abner Sundell and drawn by Lucey, who later found greater acclaim with his Sam Hill crime feature and  - of course – a long run on Archie that influenced the likes of Jaime Hernandez.

The Hangman & The Papist

If the Comics Code had existed from the very beginning of the funny-book industry, we probably never would have seen the likes of MLJ’s Hangman.

The brother of a deceased super-hero – Jack Cole’s Comet, to be exact – The Hangman struck fear into the hearts of evildoers by projecting the menacing image of a noose on a nearby wall before pounding the $h!t out of the unfortunate soul who crossed the vigilante’s path.

The Hangman also was a strong proponent of the death penalty, to the point of carrying out such sentences himself when he deemed fit. As a result, the hero’s rogues gallery – which did include its share of colorfully murderous misfits – was rather sparse. Few villains made return engagements.

But if The Hangman was far from your garden-variety wholesome super-guy, the antagonist in the following story was far worse than any generic gangster. Can you imagine any story under the Comics Code that featured an unscrupulous minister as a villain? Kind of goes against the whole “no disrespect for authority” bit.

Ironically MLJ Comics eventually morphed into Archie Comics, one of the strongest supporters of the Comics Code. The publisher would adhere to the provisions until 2011, long after most comic book companies had either ignored or outright abandoned the Comics Code Authority.

From Pep Comics # 26 (MLJ Comics, April 1942), here’s “”The Menacing Missionary.” The Grand Comics Database guesses the story was written by Bill Woolfolk and drawn by Paul Reinman.

Sentinel Of Liberty

In celebration of Independence Day, here’s comics’ original star-spangled avenger: The Shield!

“The Power Play Of Eric Steele” originally appeared in Pep Comics #19, MLJ Comics (September, 1941). The story was written by Harry Shorten and drawn by Irv Novick.