The third Timely #1 issue, after Marvel Comics and Daring Mystery. Blue Blaze cover by Alex Schomburg. The Photo-Journal Guide to Comics rates it a "7" ("scarce") in its Scarcity Index. Currently on Overstreet's list of Top 100 Golden Age Comics.
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COVER DETAILS
Characters:
The Blue Blaze [Spencer Keen]
Pencils:
Alex Schomburg
Inks:
Alex Schomburg
STORY DETAILS
Title:
Introducing Flexo the Rubber Man
Characters:
Flexo the Rubber Man (introduction); Dr. Joel Williams (introduction); Dr. Joshua Williams (introduction); Dr. Breeze (villain); Dr. Murdo (villain, mad scientist)
Synopsis:
Brothers Joel and Joshua Williams use their creation Flexo for the first time to thwart a mad scientist who tries to steal radium from a hospital.
Pages:
8.000
Script:
Will Harr (signed)
Pencils:
Jack Binder (signed)
Inks:
Jack Binder (signed); E. C. Stoner
Notes:
The blurb at the end of the story invites the reader to follow Flexo's adventures in the next issue of Daring Comics (note title mismatch - the feature remains in Mystic Comics).
Michael Vassallo, Jim Vadeboncoeur, Jr. and Hames Ware believe that E.C. Stoner may have assisted Binder on this, probably on inks and not pencils.
From the Chesler Shop.
Title:
The Origin of the Blue Blaze
Characters:
The Blue Blaze [Spencer Keen] (introduction, origin); Dr. Keen (introduction, death); Butch (villain); "Killer" Skehan (villain); Professor Maluski (villain, death)
Synopsis:
Spencer Keen gains strength and durability after a death-like hibernation caused by a mysterious blue blaze his father had been studying. Having apparently died in 1852, he revives in 1940 and thwarts a mad scientist who intended to take over the world with an army of mind-controlled corpses.
Pages:
10.000
Script:
Harry Douglas [as Harry / Douglas] (signed)
Pencils:
Harry Douglas [as Harry / Douglas] (signed)
Inks:
Harry Douglas [as Harry / Douglas] (signed)
Notes:
Contrary to various other published theories including Who's Who and the Masterworks, "Harry / Douglas" was an editor/artist named Harry Douglas, as confirmed by Michael J. Vassallo upon interviewing Harry Douglas, Jr. after the younger Douglas contacted the author of this blog post: http://monomythic.wordpress.com/2009/08/17/marvel-mystery-monday-stuporman-the-man-of-the-day-after-tomorrow/
Probably Chesler Shop material, as Who's Who lists a "Harry Douglas" as possibly a member of that shop c. 1939-40, independent of its other theories about the "Harry / Douglas" signature.
Title:
Journey to Cygni
Characters:
Zephyr Jones; Corky Grogan; Professor Reagan Lexico [the Mad Astronomer] (introduction); Tasi Lexico (introduction, the Professor's daughter); The Cygnian Dwarfs (villains, introduction for all, all die?)
Synopsis:
Zephyr and Corky try again to reach Mars but are forced by a stowaway professor and his daughter to journey to the star Cygni instead.
Pages:
10.000
Script:
Joe Cal Cagno (signed)
Pencils:
Fred Schwartz (signed)
Inks:
Fred Schwartz (signed)
Notes:
Last appearance. Last appeared in Daring Mystery Comics (Marvel, 1940 series) #2. Strip was titled "Zephyr Jones and His Rocket-Ship".
Not enough is known about Schwartz to place the origin of this feature. Cal Cagno was on staff at Timely eventually, and possibly already at this point. He had been at Chesler in 1937 according to Jerry Bails' Who's Who, but this feature lacks the typical thick panel borders of Chesler work.
Probably in-house / freelance work.
Title:
The Green Terror
Characters:
The 3 X's [1X; 2X; 3X] (introduction); Maisie Leeds; Carol Carson; Ted Barry (Carol's fiancee); un-named Commissioner; the Green Terror and his thugs (villains, introduction for all)
Synopsis:
The Green Terror, a mysterious organization, is kidnapping young, healthy men and women.
Pages:
8.000
Script:
Robert O. Erisman [as ROE] (signed)
Pencils:
Newt Alfred
Inks:
Newt Alfred
Notes:
Newt Alfred was at Chesler but this lacks the typical thick borders of Chesler Shop work (including other Alfred work for that shop). Erisman was from Goodman's pulp organization.
1X does the detecting for the team, 2X is a walking encyclopedia, and 3X is the strong arm.
Title:
Tough Hombre
Characters:
Tex Carr; Stella (Tex's fiancee); Tim (older cowhand in love with Stella); Bat Butler
Synopsis:
Disressed because Stella prefers Tex to him, a cattle foreman decides to do nothing and allow a heated gunfight occur betwwen the slower-on-the-draw Tex and Bat Butler.
Pages:
2.000
Script:
Leo Stalnaker (signed)
Pencils:
Lorence Bjorklund ?
Inks:
Lorence Bjorklund ?
Letters:
typeset
Notes:
Art spotting by Dr. Michael J. Vassallo. According to Edgar Loftin, both Bjorklund and Stalnaker worked more in pulps than comics, leading to speculation that this text piece may even have been bought for one of Goodman's pulp magazines originally.
Title:
The Deep Sea Demon
Characters:
Dave Dean (introduction); Janet [aka Jane]; Shorty; Wing Po (rival of Dean); Philip (villain)
Synopsis:
Dave Dean searches for pearls but finds a mysterious demon guarding the waters.
Pages:
6.000
Script:
Norman Daniels (signed in the original printing)
Pencils:
Fred Guardineer
Inks:
Fred Guardineer
Letters:
Fred Guardineer ?
Notes:
Art credits suggested by Jerry Bails's Who's Who (listed under "Deep Sea Demon" rather than "Dave Dean").
Letterer credit by Craig Delich 2012-2-17.
First published by the Harry "A" Chesler-edited Ultem Publications, Inc., this was reprinted twice by Centaur after it bought out Ultem before being reprinted a third time here.
Title:
The Blooded Ruby of Chung
Characters:
Dakor (introduction); Williams (introduction, Dakor's assistant); John Hargate (death); George Hargate (millionaire banker, father of John); Tom Denver [aka Smith] (villain, death); The Tuaregs (villains, enemies of the Foreign Legion, some die)
Synopsis:
For a fee of $50,000, Dakor locates a sacred ruby stolen from a banker and returns it to the idol from which it originally came.
Pages:
8.000
Notes:
Chesler Shop material.
Title:
The Origin of Dynamic Man
Characters:
Dynamic Man [Curt Cowan] (introduction, origin); Professor Goettler (introduction, death); Chief Hopkins (introduction); Tohnson; King Bascom (villain, millionaire banker); Morgan (villain)
Synopsis:
Professor Goettler creates Dynamic Man, a perfect man, but dies of a heart attack as his creation is born. Taking the name Curt Cowan, Dynamic Man becomes an F.B.I. agent in his civilian identity and uses his position to find crime to fight as a superhero.
Pages:
11.000
Pencils:
Daniel Peters (signed)
Inks:
Daniel Peters (signed)
Notes:
While the name "Dynamic Man" is strongly associated with Chesler, and the stories in issues #2 and #3 were produced by Chesler personnel, this story lacks the characteristic thick panel borders. Almost nothing is known about Daniel Peters, so his signature does not help place the source of the feature.
Probably *not* from the Chesler Shop, but the actual origin is unknown.
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
2
2
3
3
4
2
2
1
4
1
1
2
2
5
2
2
1
1
0
1
2
0
0
0
0
43
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
2
0
0
0
0
2
3
1
0
2
0
1
2
1
0
1
1
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
18
Total
0
0
0
4
2
3
3
4
4
5
2
4
3
1
3
4
6
2
3
2
2
1
1
2
0
0
0
0
61
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