MARVEL MYSTERY COMICS

'Marvel Mystery Comics' (first issue titled simply '''Marvel Comics''') is the first publication of Marvel Comics' predecessor, Timely Comics.

Contents

Publication history

Premiere issue: ''Marvel Comics'' #1

As ''Marvel Mystery Comics''

As ''Marvel Tales''

Bibliography

Reprints

Footnotes

References

Publication history

Premiere issue: ''Marvel Comics'' #1

In 1939, pulp magazine publisher Martin Goodman expanded into the newly emerging comic book field by buying content from comics package Funnies, Inc.. His first effort, ''Marvel Comics'' #1 (Oct. 1939), featured the first appearances of writer-artist Carl Burgos' android superhero, the Human Torch, and Paul Gustavson's costumed detective The Angel who was to last to issue 79, even gaining the power of flight for a few issues. As well, it contained the first generally available appearance of Bill Everett's mutant anti-hero Namor the Sub-Mariner, created for the unpublished movie-theater giveaway comic, ''Motion Picture Funnies Weekly'' earlier that year, with the eight-page original story now expanded by four pages.
Also included was Al Anders' Western hero the Masked Raider; the jungle lord Ka-Zar the Great, with Ben Thompson adapting over the first five issues the story "King of Fang and Claw" by Bob Byrd in Goodman's eponymous pulp magazine ''Ka-Zar'' #1; the non-continuing-character story "Jungle Terror," featuring an adventurer named Ken Masters, written by the quirkily named Tohm Dixon^[1]; "Now I'll Tell One", five single-panel, black-and-white gag cartoons by Fred Schwab, on the inside front cover; and a two-page prose story by Ray Gill, "Burning Rubber", about auto racing. A painted cover by veteran science fiction pulp artist Frank R. Paul featured the Human Torch, looking much different than in the interior story.
The Ka-Zar here, who would appear in every issue through ''Marvel Mystery Comics'' #27 (Jan. 1942) is unrelated to the Marvel Comics jungle lord Ka-Zar introduced in ''The X-Men'' (March 1965).
That initial comic, cover-dated October 1939, quickly sold out 80,000 copies, prompting Goodman to produce a second printing, cover-dated November 1939 and identical except for a black bar in the inside-front-cover indicia over the October date, and the November date added at the end. That sold approximately 800,000 copies.^[2] With a hit on his hands, Goodman began assembling an in-house staff, hiring Funnies, Inc. writer-artist Joe Simon as editor. Simon brought along his collaborator, artist Jack Kirby, followed by artist Syd Shores.

As ''Marvel Mystery Comics''

The Torch and the Sub-Mariner would continue to star in the long-running title even after receiving their own solo comic-book series shortly afterward. The Angel, who was featured on the covers of #2 & 3, would appear in every issue through #79 (Dec. 1946).
Other characters introduced in the title include the aviator the American Ace (#2, Dec, 1939), with part one of his origin reprinted, like the first part of the Sub-Mariner's, from ''Motion Picture Funnies Weekly'' #1; the Ferret; and writer-artist Steve Dahlman's robot hero Electro (appearing in every issue from #4-19, Feb. 1940 - May 1941). Issue #13 saw the first appearance of the Vision, the inspiration for the same-name Marvel Comics superhero created in 1968. The original Vision appeared in solo stories through ''Marvel Mystery Comics'' #48.

As ''Marvel Tales''

In 1949, with the popularity of superheroes having waned, the book was converted into the horror anthology ''Marvel Tales'' from issue #93-159 (Aug. 1949 - Aug. 1957), when it ceased publication. Note: This is a different ''Marvel Tales'' than that published by Marvel in starting in the 1960s and primarily reprinting Spider-Man stories.

Bibliography

★ ''Marvel Comics'' #1 (Oct. 1939)

★ ''Marvel Mystery Comics'' #2-92 (Dec. 1939 - June 1949)

★ ''Marvel Tales'' #93-159 (Aug. 1949 - Aug. 1957)

Reprints

★ ''Marvel Comics'' #1
:''Marvel Masterworks: Golden Age Marvel Comics, Vol. 1'' (Marvel, 2004, ISBN 0-7851-1609-5)

Footnotes

1. ''Marvel Masterworks: Golden Age Marvel Comics Volume 1'' (Marvel, 2004) ISBN 0-7851-1609-5, as given in the contents page and as signed on the first page of the story, reprinted on pp. 46-51
2. Per researcher Keif Fromm, ''Alter Ego'' #49, p. 4 (caption)

References

★ The Grand Comics Databse

★ "''Marvel Comics'' #1 Nets $350k, Sets Record"