(August 1940)
Marvel,
1940 Series
- Volume
- 1
- Price
- 0.10 USD
- Pages
- 68
- Indicia Frequency
- monthly
- On-sale Date
- 1940-05-29
- Indicia / Colophon Publisher
- Timely Publications
- Printer
- Printed in U. S. A.
- Editing
- Joe Simon (editor)
Issue Notes
Indicia:
"RED RAVEN COMICS published monthly by Timely Publications at Meriden, Conn. Application for second class entry pending at Post Office at Meriden, Conn. Entire contents copyright 1940 by Timely Publications, 330 W. 42nd Street, New York, N. Y. Vol. 1, No. 1, August 1940. Subscription price $1.00 for one year, single copy 10c. For advertising write Marvel Group. Printed in U. S. A."
Red Raven Comics was Joe Simon's first assignment as a freelance editor for Timely after he left Fox. No blurbs at the end of the stories in this issue indicate that there will be a Red Raven Comics #2. Instead they all advertise either Marvel Mystery Comics or in one case Mystic Comics, suggesting that perhaps Red Raven Comics was cancelled even before it went to press.
The on-sale date is from the publication date recorded in the Catalog of Copyright Entries, Part 2, Periodicals, 1940, New Series, Vol. 35, No. 3.
"RED RAVEN COMICS published monthly by Timely Publications at Meriden, Conn. Application for second class entry pending at Post Office at Meriden, Conn. Entire contents copyright 1940 by Timely Publications, 330 W. 42nd Street, New York, N. Y. Vol. 1, No. 1, August 1940. Subscription price $1.00 for one year, single copy 10c. For advertising write Marvel Group. Printed in U. S. A."
Red Raven Comics was Joe Simon's first assignment as a freelance editor for Timely after he left Fox. No blurbs at the end of the stories in this issue indicate that there will be a Red Raven Comics #2. Instead they all advertise either Marvel Mystery Comics or in one case Mystic Comics, suggesting that perhaps Red Raven Comics was cancelled even before it went to press.
The on-sale date is from the publication date recorded in the Catalog of Copyright Entries, Part 2, Periodicals, 1940, New Series, Vol. 35, No. 3.
- Parts of this issue are reprinted:
-
in Marvel Comics - La collection (Hachette, 2014 series) #204 (avril 2022)
-
[no title indexed]
Red Raven / cover / 1 page
- First Line of Dialogue or Text
- Out of the skies swooped a powerful figure...
- Genre
- superhero
- Characters
- Red Raven
- Universe
- Marvel : mainstream
- Reprints
-
in The Rocket's Blast-Comicollector (The S. F. C. A., 1964 ? series) #110 ([May] 1974) [black and white] - in The Complete Jack Kirby (Pure Imagination, 1997 series) #1 - 1917-1940 (1997) which is reprinted
- in The Complete Jack Kirby (Pure Imagination, 1997 series) #1 - 1917-1940 (1997)
- in Marvel Visionaries: Jack Kirby (Marvel, 2004 series) #1 ([October] 2004)
- in Action! Mystery! Thrills! Comic Book Covers of the Golden Age: 1933-45 (Fantagraphics, 2011 series) (December 2011)
- in King-Size Kirby (Marvel, 2015 series) (2015)
- in Marvel Visionaries: Jack Kirby (Marvel, 2019 series) (2019)
- in Timely's Greatest: The Golden Age Simon & Kirby Omnibus (Marvel, 2019 series) (2019)
-
in Marvel: The First 80 Years (Titan, 2020 series) (November 2020)
-
Indexer Notes
Art credits from Greg Theakston. The central figure with the sword was swiped from a Hal Foster Prince Valiant strip. The first Jack Kirby cover work. Letterer credit by Greg Theakston in "The Complete Jack Kirby Volume One 1917-1940", page 166.
[The Origin of the Red Raven]
Red Raven / comic story / 17 pages
- Genre
- superhero
- Characters
- Red Raven (introduction, origin); Andreva (introduction); Zeelmo (villain, introduction, death); Ratoga (villain, introduction, death)
- Universe
- Marvel : mainstream
- Synopsis
- A small child is the only survivor of a crash on the floating island of the Bird-Men. Their King raises him and sends him back into his world with a gift of artificial wings on his 20th birthday as the Red Raven. Once in the human world, he fights the demons Zeelmo and Ratoga who are draining the world of its gold.
- Reprints
Indexer Notes
The Red Raven next appears in a story in X-Men (1963 series) #44.
In the spot where the "next issue" blurb usually appears there is instead a blurb for the Human Torch vs Sub-Mariner battle in the upcoming Marvel Mystery Comics #9.
This story is written by Martin A. Bursten, who is NOT an alias for Joe Simon. See https://comicbookhistorians.com/martin-bursten-is-not-jack-kirby/
[The Origin of the Human Top]
Human Top / comic story / 10 pages
- Script
- Dick Briefer ? (signed as Dun Barr)
- Pencils
- Dick Briefer (signed as RNB) (signed in the last panel)
- Inks
- Dick Briefer (signed as RNB) (signed in the last panel)
- Colors
- ?
- Letters
- ?
- Genre
- superhero
- Characters
- The Human Top [Bruce Bravelle] (introduction, origin); Martha Davis (introduction); Horace Vanderveer (villain, introduction)
- Synopsis
- A scientist is experimenting on Bruce Bravelle with electricity when lightning strikes, giving Bruce the ability to become a Human Top. He dons a costume and thwarts a bank robbery, but is then accused of being a thief when the head of the bank fails to redeposit the money that the Top returned to him.
- Reprints
- in The Complete Jack Kirby (Pure Imagination, 1997 series) #[2] - 1940-1941 (1997) [splash page only]
-
Indexer Notes
next appearance in Tough Kid Squad (Marvel, 1942 series) #1
The "next issue" blurb instead tells the reader to follow their favorite characters every month in Marvel Comics.
Mercury in the 20th Century
Mercury / comic story / 8 pages
- Genre
- fantasy-supernatural; superhero
- Characters
- Mercury (introduction, origin); Pluto (villain, introduction, alias Rudolph Hendler); Jupiter (introduction); Minerva (introduction); Vulcan (introduction); Aeolus (introduction); Diana (introduction); Apollo (introduction); Heinrich Goertz (villain, introduction); L-5 [Thea Shilhausen] (villain, introduction)
- Universe
- Marvel : mainstream
- Synopsis
- Jupiter considers who he can send to save the world from Pluto's machinations, and settles on his son Mercury. After declaring his intentions to Pluto (who is masquerading as Rudolph Hendler, leader of Prussialand), Mercury blocks torpedos, intercepts marching orders and evades the traps of Hendler's lackeys as he brings the course of war to a halt.
- Reprints
- in Marvel Super-Heroes (Marvel, 1967 series) #14 (May 1968)
- in The Complete Jack Kirby (Pure Imagination, 1997 series) #1 - 1917-1940 (1997)
- in Marvel Visionaries: Jack Kirby (Marvel, 2004 series) #1 ([October] 2004)
- in King-Size Kirby (Marvel, 2015 series) (2015)
- in Marvel Visionaries: Jack Kirby (Marvel, 2019 series) (2019)
- in Timely's Greatest: The Golden Age Simon & Kirby Omnibus (Marvel, 2019 series) (2019)
-
Indexer Notes
Mercury possibly next appears as Hurricane in Captain America Comics (Marvel, 1941 series) #1 (March 1941).
A small "next issue" blurb promotes the Human Torch vs. Sub-Mariner battle in Marvel Comics.
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).
[no title indexed]
Comet Pierce / comic story / 7 pages
- First Line of Dialogue or Text
- Time may change civilization, custom and speech, but it can never erase man's craving for adventure and thrills...
- Genre
- science fiction
- Characters
- Comet Pierce (introduction); Avis Jort (villain, introduction); Queen Larania (introduction); Murfi (introduction)
- Synopsis
- After Comet Pierce crash-lands on an asteroid during a race, he is rescued by a mysterious woman who gifts him with a powerful new engine and declares her love. After winning the race, Comet sets out to search the solar system for his beautiful benefactor.
- Reprints
Indexer Notes
The space for the "next issue" exhorts the reader to buy Mystic Comics #4 instead.
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).
[no title indexed]
Officer O'Krime / comic story / 2 pages
- First Line of Dialogue or Text
- Here that! Drive slowly around town.
- Genre
- humor
- Characters
- Officer O'Krime (introduction); Officer Moiphy (introduction)
- Synopsis
- Officer O'Krime is easily tricked into helping some thieves rob a bank and make their getaway.
Indexer Notes
next appears in Daring Mystery Comics (Marvel, 1940 series) #7
Re-Creator of Souls
Magar the Mystic / comic story / 10 pages
- Genre
- superhero
- Characters
- Magar (introduction, origin); Solomon (ghost); Mata Hari (ghost); Houdini (ghost, spelled Houdine); Napoleon (ghost); Wellington (ghost); Thomas Edison (ghost, spelled Edisan)
- Synopsis
- Having gained the power to summon the ghosts of the dead to aid him, Magar sets out to end the wars he sees raging around him. Solomon advises him to aid the cause of Democracy, Mata Hari spies out the enemy plans, Houdine helps Magar escape, and Napoleon, Wellington and Edisan help the Allies defeat their enemies.
Indexer Notes
A panel-sized "next issue" blurb instead advertises "The Battle of the Comic Century! FIRE vs WATER" in Marvel Comics, with head shots of the Human Torch and the Sub-Mariner.
[no title indexed]
Eternal Brain / comic story / 8 pages
- Script
- ?
- Pencils
- R. Louis Golden (signed as RLG)
- Inks
- R. Louis Golden (signed as RLG)
- Colors
- ?
- Letters
- ?
- First Line of Dialogue or Text
- Emulating the experiments of Col. Charles Lindbergh, a half-century after the air hero had experimented with mechanical substitutes for human organs, Prof. Carmody is reaching completion of his life's work when...
- Genre
- science fiction
- Characters
- The Eternal Brain [Professor Carmody] (introduction, origin); Mary Carmody (his daughter, introduction); Jim (his assistant, introduction); Peg-Leg Martin (villain, introduction, death); The Mongolian Emperor (villain, introduction, death)
- Synopsis
- Professor Carmody is fatally wounded when Peg-Leg Martin's men abduct his daughter Mary to be a slave of the Emperor of Mongolia. The professor instructs a reluctant Jim to operate on him, and he becomes the Eternal Brain. Using his new abilities to see around the globe, the Brain locates Mary and sends Jim to rescue her, but Mary is furious with Jim for turning her father into the Eternal Brain.
Indexer Notes
Art credits from atlastales.com. Also signed in the second to last panel.
Editing
Related Scans
Series Information
Table of Contents
-
0.
["Out of the skies swooped a powerful figure..."]
Red Raven -
1.
Become a Stamp Collector
Frasek Company -
2.
[The Origin of the Red Raven]
Red Raven -
3.
[The Origin of the Human Top]
Human Top -
4.
Mercury in the 20th Century
Mercury -
5.
The Death Switch
-
6.
["Time may change civilization, custom and speech, but it can never erase man's craving for adventure and thrills..."]
Comet Pierce -
7.
["Here that! Drive slowly around town."]
Officer O'Krime -
8.
Re-Creator of Souls
Magar the Mystic -
9.
["Emulating the experiments of Col. Charles Lindbergh, a half-century after the air hero had experimented with mechanical substitutes for human organs, Prof. Carmody is reaching completion of his life's work when..."]
Eternal Brain -
10.
Make Your Own Records at Home
Home Recording Co. -
11.
["Boys, if you act fast"]
Peck Brothers Indoor Archery Set
This issue was modified by, among others
- Henry Andrews
- John Censullo
- Keith Chandler
- Craig Delich
- Del Gruber
- Merlin Haas
- Katy Hayhurst
- Steve Jenner
- Chris Knight
- Daniel Martinez
- Darrel McCann
- Lou Mougin (R.I.P.)
- Tony R. Rose
- Ramon Schenk
- Jim Van Dore
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