Yeah, yeah,we made you read last time.

So, to make it up to you--picture time!!

Quick set-up--a Nazi invasion fleet (including aircraft-carrying submarines) is cruising up the Hudson River!!The U.S. is trying to repel it!! The Human Torch has been turned into a super-fire-monster thing under the bad guys' control!! Namor is trying to fight him.

Enjoy the double page spread. Please click to embiggen at your discretion.

A picture may be worth a thousand words, but this thing--in the middle of a fifty-page epic--it probably worth 100 times that!!

From Human Torch #8 (1942). Pencils by Allen Simon and Harry Sahle, inks by Al Gabriele.

I've done some bits on text pieces from the Golden Age, but mainly about Kid Eternity.

So, how about equal time for Hitler?

This text piece is unusual for a few reasons. First, it includes some illustrations--some just taken from elsewhere in the issue, but the Hitler drawings are apparently original.

Secondly, this piece actually ties in to the main 50-page comic story that is the highlight of this issue (The Human Torch #8 (1942), which was really unusual for the time. It's background on how the villain's plot of the issue came about.

And the third thing? Well, go ahead and read it, first, then we'll talk.





This piece was possibly (maybe?) written by Mickey Spillane!!

He did sign another text piece in the issue, and researchers using "textual analysis" attribute this and the big-ass Torch vs. Namor vs. Nazis story to him, as well.

It's certainly a bit (nay, a lot) better written than the average "postal regulation obligation" text piece of the era. The attacks on Hitler's masculinity--the weeping, the "falsetto shrieks," the "delicate cologne"--sure read a lot like Spillane's macho style. He's known to have done plenty of work for Timely in the day, including "at least" 50 prose pieces by his own estimation. (There's a collection of some three dozen of them in print, although that doesn't include this particular story).

And if it's not Spillane? It's still a fun read, in a 1942-propaganda-let's-make-fun-of-the-enemy-without-getting-too-offensive way.

Sorry, I made you read on a Monday morning. We'll make it up to you next post!

You know, you really can't complain about a character like the Spectre violating laws of physics and such because, well, he's God-powered.

Still, sometimes, you have to pause and wonder just how breathtakingly supernatural the guy is. For example, when a Japanese sub is trying to radio Tokyo with some stolen science plans...



...he just grabs the radio waves.

I'm sure T-Mobile will use this as an excuse next time you call to complain about dropped calls: "I'm sorry, ma'am, but your contract clearly indicates that we're not responsible for calls interrupted by The Angel of Vengeance."

And when that submarine decides to fire on Spectre...



I don't think you're going to reach outer space with that trajectory, big guy.

Except...

Yes he does!!!

Bonus...clouds in space!!

It's hard to see how WWII lasted more than 30 seconds with this guy on our side...

From All-Star Comics #12 (1942)

Hawkman is up against a new super-weapon the Japanese have stolen from an American inventor!

Man, I just love the way Sheldon Moldoff drew Hawkman's wings. Sure, it's not particularly sleek, but it looks more mysterious and inhuman...

See?!?

Anyway, yeah, who need an actual airplane, hen you have a big-ass propeller?


Of course, Hawkman gets himself captured, and put into the obvious death-trap!




Reminder to villains: use better quality rope!

We come oh so close to a classic catchphrase being born:

And just in case you thought a massive flying propeller couldn't be a threat:

Well, he and his birds stop the bombs, so...

I love the way he draws those wings!!

Time to turn the tables and destroy the villains' HQ!!

And so America used it's fleet of giant flying propellers to win WWII!! What, you missed that part in history class...?

From All-Start Comics #12 (1942)

So, in the summer of 1941, many in America considered the Soviet Union an enemy on a par with, or even greater than, the Nazis.

Thus, this ad for forthcoming Young Allies #1, as printed in The Human Torch 5(a) (1941):

[NOTE 1: Yes, I said Human Torch 5(a). Somehow, Timely skipped straight from issue #2 to issue #4, and then followed that with two separate issues each numbered #5. This first of those #5s, actually the fourth issue published, is usually denoted as 5(a)]

[NOTE 2: I blacked out part of that ad, as it contained an insanely offensive racial stereotype, and did the same below. If you really need to know, you can go look at the unredacted version on Marvel Unlimited.]

So, yeah, the cover portrays Joe Stalin as one of the bad guys, on the same footing as the Axis leaders (and the Red Skull!). And that wasn't a crazy attitude, either--the USSR did take part in the invasion of Poland, and had a non-aggression pact with Nazi Germany, allowing them to run roughshod over the rest of Europe.

Except, of course, Hitler reneged on that agreement, launching an invasion of the Soviet Union on June 22, 1941.  So suddenly, we were on the same side as Stalin.

Well, Human Torch #5(a) hit the streets on July 11th. Presumably, either no one thought to double-check the ad, or there wasn't time to redo it.

But there was time to redraw the actual cover, because when Young Allies #1 hit the stands that same week:

Hey, no more Stalin! (And a much better cover, even though Jack Kirby must have had to whip it off extremely quickly!)

Since Young Allies was a quarterly, and would be on newsstands for a while, it made sense to keep advertising it. So when USA Comics #2 hit the stands in August, Timely was still advertising it--but now with the new, Stalin-free cover!
So, quick turnaround there.

Of course, Timely always was hyper-aware of the situation in Europe, compared to other comic companies, so it figures they'd be able to pull the big switcharoo and save Stalin's dignity.

For the record, I didn't notice this on my own--it was pointed out in the back matter of Marvel Masterworks: Golden Age Ypung Allies Volume 1 (2009). So a hat tip to whomever put it together, presumably editor Cory Sedlmeier.

Everyone done with the holiday? Back to work and school? Settled in? Ready to have your mind blown?

Good, because it's time to meet...

No, not the plane! This guy!

("200 years ago" being 1741ish, or there-abouts...)

Unfortunately, "Black" Douglas' ship runs into...

Well, the pirates kick their ass, and when Douglas refuses to join up with them...


...he's put adrift at sea!!

All seems lost, until...

But what a land!




It turns out that Black sleeps for...200 years!!

How is this possible?!?!

Oh, and that gas did much more than knock him out and preserve his clothing, as we'll see in a moment.

Going back out to see, Black encounters...

Yeah, this story spells it "Nazti" the whole way through. Probably to avoid defamation lawsuits, because these aren't nice guys!


And a big fight scene is a convenient time for your new super-powers to pop up!



So, somehow his body internalized all that gas he breathed in for 200 years, and no he can breath it out at will!!

Yes, a 1741 British noble would indeed say, "Boy! this is great!"

He scuttles the sub, and ends up on the beach where...



Man, the coincidences keep piling up for this guy!!

Fortunately for him (and England)...

...an 18-century man is quickly able to "get the hang of" piloting a fighter aircraft!!

And kicking Nazti ass while doing it!!

So that's why he's called The Spitfire? Because he can fly a Spitfire plane?

Hahahahhaahahaha. No.

He runs out of gas and lands in Nazti-occupied territory.

The torches are extra-convenient, as you'll see!




He's called The Spitfire because he can spit fire!!!!

The second issue has him wandering through Nazti Europe, mastering motorcycles...

Rescuing British soldiers from prison camps, with only his sword and quick wits...


Who needs guns? Especially when you can cover your escape like this?

Black can capture tanks...

...repel other tanks by spitting fire...

...and generally beat the living crap out of Naztis..

And so...

Well, we'll never find out, because Spitfire Comics wasn't our new favorite, and never had another issue! And Black Douglas was never heard of again...

Can we let this stand, dear reader? An 18th century sailor, who drank from the fountain of youth and inhaled a metric tonne of mysterious gas, who can master modern machinery are breath out gas and spit fire and take out squads armed with assault rifles with only his rapier?!?! Can we let this character vanish into the dusty depths of faded memory?


I say thee NAY!! Someone out there---let's revive The Spitfire!! Make it happen!!

From Spitfire Comics #1-2 (1941)