Number 991


"If you go out in the woods today..."


According to Don Markstein's Toonopedia website, the Flame was created in 1939 by Will Eisner and Lou Fine for Fox Features' Wonderworld Comics #3. This particular episode, from Fox's Big 3 Comics #6, is dated November, 1941. The Flame was gone by January, 1942. A brief flaming career, snuffed out like a candle.

Also according to Toonopedia, the Flame's first appearance pre-dated the Human Torch by a few months.

This story seems old, even for 70 years ago when it appeared, because despite its comic book trappings and superheroics, it's just an old fashioned melodrama. The rich guy will foreclose on the mortgage unless the daughter of his enemy marries him! Baaaaa-hahaha! All he needs is a top hat, cape, and a long mustache to twirl. Wait a mo'...he does have a long mustache when he's in the persona of the monster kidnapper. Ooops. I didn't spoil it for you, did I? I thought the denouement was telegraphed quite early in the story, so if you hadn't guessed you were probably not reading, just scanning the bright primary-colored artwork.

Speaking of artwork, attribution is given to comic book journeymen Pierce Rice and Arturo Cazeneuve.

Number 863


Blue Beetle


Blue Beetle is a character who has had various incarnations since his introduction in 1939. The entry gives him the secret identity of rookie policeman, Dan Garret, who uses a super vitamin and wears a bulletproof costume. Why "Blue Beetle"? I've heard the name was a rip-off of The Green Hornet and that seems as good a reason as any. Victor Fox, the publisher of Big 3 Comics, Mystery Men, and any other books featuring B.B., wasn't known for encouraging originality.

The Golden Age Blue Beetle's costume, with hoodie and burglar mask, is reminiscent of The Phantom.

I read the Charlton/Ditko Blue Beetle stories in the mid-'60s, and that was my introduction to B.B., a different person and identity, taking over from the original character. I hadn't seen much of the Golden Age Blue Beetle, but here's a story from Fox's Big 3 Comics #4, by "Charles Nicholas" from 1941.

I'd also like to note that the Web is the worst-looking villain I've seen in my years of comic book reading. The danger in this guy is you'd laugh yourself to death if you saw him.