The origin and first appearance of Challenger, the Fin, Silver Scorpion, and Thunderer. Captain Daring appearance. Alex Schomburg cover. Bill Everett, Joe Simon, and Jack Kirby stories and art.
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Synopsis:
Jerry Carstairs uses his radio skills to intercept Nazi messages and construct the booming voice he uses as the Thunderer. While discouraging his friend Eileen from reporting on the fifth columnists for her own safety by day, by night he protects her and fights against the Nazis as the Thunderer.
Pages:
8.000
Script:
John Compton (signed)
Pencils:
Carl Burgos (signed)
Inks:
Carl Burgos ?
Notes:
On the Timely-Atlas list, Dr. Michael J. Vassallo indicated that there might be a different inker on this story.
Title:
Introducing the Fin
Characters:
The Fin [Peter Noble] (introduction, origin); Sub-Ruler Ikor of Neptunia (villain, introduction, death)
Synopsis:
Lt. Peter Noble is the sole survivor of a wrecked U.S. Navy submarine. As he escapes the wreck he finds himself unable to float and ends up inside a cavern populated by flying mer-men. After he defeats their leader they hail him as the reincarnation of their hero, the Fin, so he puts together a costume to fit the name.
Pages:
10.000
Script:
Bill Everett (signed)
Pencils:
Bill Everett (signed)
Inks:
Bill Everett (signed)
Title:
Origin of the Blue Diamond
Characters:
Blue Diamond [Elton Morrow] (introduction, origin); Graham (introduction); Nazis (villains)
Synopsis:
Professor Elton Morrow finds an enormous blue diamond on an Antarctic expedition, but it is shattered when Nazis attach his returning ship and the fragments become embedded in his body. Discovering that his whole body has become as hard as a diamond, he thwarts a burglary at his museum and decides to created a costumed identity for fighting crime.
Synopsis:
Officer O'Krime can't figure out whom to protect and whom to arrest.
Pages:
2.000
Script:
Fred Schwab [as Al Weine] (signed)
Pencils:
Fred Schwab [as Al Weine] (signed)
Inks:
Fred Schwab [as Al Weine] (signed)
Letters:
Fred Schwab
Notes:
Previous appearance Red Raven Comics (Marvel, 1940 series) #1. Letterer credit added by Craig Delich 2010-4-26.
Title:
Origin of the Silver Scorpion
Characters:
The Silver Scorpion [Betty Barstow] (introduction, origin); Dan Hurley (introduction); Greggs Hansen (introduction); counterfeiters (villains, introduction)
Synopsis:
Betty Barstow, secretary for private detective Dan Hurley, dresses in a costume to go to a masquerade but ends up foiling a crime at the cemetery with her jiujitsu skills instead.
Pages:
5.000
Pencils:
Harry Sahle [as Jewell] (signed); ? (see notes)
Inks:
Harry Sahle ?; ? (see notes)
Notes:
Dr. Michael J. Vassallo notes that this art looks different from the feature in the next issue which Sahle signed under his own name. He speculates the pen name "Jewell" indicated a collaboration with another artist.
Title:
The Valley of Time
Characters:
The Challenger [Bill Waring] (introduction, text only)
Synopsis:
Bill Waring, traveling the world to learn more weapon skills for his life as the Challenger, is captured by a lost Roman civilization and taken to an arena to fight gladiators armed only with a cestus.
Pages:
2.000
Script:
Ray Gill [as the Challenger] (signed)
Letters:
typeset
Notes:
Part one of an unfinished story. The Challenger's feature moved to Mystic Comics after this issue, but the second half of this text story did not appear there with it. The bottom half of page 2 features an illustrated ad for Captain America Comics #2.
Title:
The Benefactor
Characters:
Mr. Million (introduction); Nickie (introduction); Mr. Wilson (introduction)
Synopsis:
Mr. Million helps a boy who his trying to pay for his sick mother's medicine, but has to do it indirectly as the boy refuses any money he hasn't worked for.
Pages:
6.000
Pencils:
Ray Burley
Inks:
Ray Burley
Title:
The Underground Empire
Characters:
Captain Daring (introduction); Susan Parker (introduction); The Undergrounders (villains, introduction); their leader (villain, introduction, death); Frano (villain, introduction)
Synopsis:
In the far future, Captain Daring and Susan Parker lead the forces of the U.S.A. against attackers from an underground city.
Pages:
8.000
Script:
Joe Simon; Jack Kirby; ? (splash figure)
Pencils:
Jack Kirby
Inks:
Joe Simon ?; Jack Kirby ? (see notes)
Letters:
Jack Kirby
Notes:
Harry Mendryk attributes the art to Kirby alone at http://kirbymuseum.org/blogs/simonandkirby/archives/category/periods/timely/page/3, while others have indicated inking by Simon.
Letters credit identified by Greg Theakston and later Harry Mendryk on the Jack Kirby Museum web page http://kirbymuseum.org/blogs/simonandkirby/archives/2369, 31 October 2008 (retrieved 15 December 2014).
Title:
Meet the Challenger
Characters:
The Challenger [Bill Waring] (introduction, origin); Mr. Waring (flashback, introduction, death); Mary (introduction); Mary's father (introduction); Dram (villain, introduction, death)
Synopsis:
After his father was killed trying to alert the authorities to a conspiracy of crooks and politicians, Bill Waring travels the world to learn all fighting forms and weapons. He returns as the Challenger, challenging everyone connected to his father's death.
Pages:
12.000
Pencils:
Charles Wojtkoski [as Nick Karlton] (signed)
Inks:
Charles Wojtkoski ?
Notes:
Next appearance in Mystic Comics (Marvel, 1940 series) #6.
According to notes from Dr. Michael J. Vassallo on the Timely-Atlas list, Wojtkoski may have been assisted by an inker on this story. But contrary to the earlier GCD credit, the inker is not George Klein.
Exclusive to Heritage members: GoCollect price report for this certified comic.
CGC Census Report*
Grade
NG
PG
CVR
0.5
1.0
1.5
1.8
2.0
2.5
3.0
3.5
4.0
4.5
5.0
5.5
6.0
6.5
7.0
7.5
8.0
8.5
9.0
9.2
9.4
9.6
9.8
9.9
10.0
Total
Universal
0
0
0
1
2
1
1
0
2
3
4
1
6
2
3
2
4
2
5
2
1
1
1
1
1
0
0
0
46
Qualified
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Signature Series
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
CGCxJSA
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Restored
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
1
1
0
0
0
1
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
7
Total
0
0
0
2
2
1
1
0
2
3
5
1
6
3
4
2
4
2
6
3
2
1
1
1
1
0
0
0
53
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