One Panel #110-113: New Villains

From "Superman Meets the Ultra-Humanite" by Jerry Siegel and Paul Cassidy, Action Comics #14 (July 1939)

An important moment for the evolving DC Universe - the introduction of its first recurring, still-with-us supervillain in the Ultra-Humanite who does indeed escape at the end of this story. The Ultra-Humanite would return several times, changing bodies along the way until ending up as a macroencephalic white ape. BUT he's really also the prototype for the best known version of Lex Luthor (not to be confused for the red-headed Golden Age original), so it's really the introduction of two Superman villains. And Joe Shuster didn't even get to draw it...

From The Sandman!: "The Tarantula Strikes" by Gardner Fox and Bert Christman, Adventure Comics #40 (July 1939)

I've used this panel before when discussing the original Sandman's history, but I love it, so here it is again. In Wesley Dodd's first official appearance (the World's Fair comic is out of sequence), he puts a doll of himself to bed before heading out to solve the case of the Tarantula. I love that crazy detail and wish they'd done more with it, in particular in Sandman Mystery Theater.

From Hop Harrigan: "Mail Flight" by Jon L. Blummer, All-American Comics #4 (July 1939)

I've mentioned him, but somehow avoided posting a panel from one of Hop Harrigan's high-flying adventures. Lots of plane action and kind of a fun strip from the looks of it. Who is Hop? Well, he's that aviator fellow who turned up in the original Who's Who, despite never appearing in a DC comic beyond the Golden Age. He DID however star in his own movie serial and a radio series, which is perhaps why the editors decided to use him. That, or they cribbed older "adventure" characters from reprint collections published in the 70s.

From Marg'ry Daw: "The Speaking Frog" by unknown, More Fun Comics #45 (July 1939)

Hey, remember the time Jor-El had a frog for a head? Me neither. Mr. Mxyztplk must have wiped it from my mind. Just weirdness.

Comments