ZIP COMICS #2
(On Newsstands in January 1940)
Zip Comics #2 hit the stands in January 1940, with STEEL STERLING. once again gracing the cover, courtesy of Charles Biro.
(from Zip Comics #2 - January 1940, artwork by Charles Biro)
How tough was Steel Sterling? He could even take on a pack of Polar Bears and hurl insults at them at the same time!
(from Zip Comics #2 - January 1940, artwork by Charles Biro)
Broken english leads to a broken jaw from Captain Valor in Mort Meskin's 'The Revenge of Hop-Lung!"
(from Zip Comics #2 - January 1940, story and artwork by Mort Meskin)
Zambian the Miracleman lives up to his name! I don't know where writer Joe Blair came up with some of his ideas for this series, but it would have a big influence on Batman throughout the years.... Blair wrote for MLJ and then...? Whatever happened to him?
(from Zip Comics #1 - January 1940, artwork byElmer Wexler)
TOP NOTCH COMICS #3
(On Newsstands in January 1940)
December 1939 and January 1940 were an exciting time for the growing comic book industry, as Planet Comics, Prize Comics, Whiz Comics, Blue Beetle, Shadow Comics and others made their debut on the newsstands…the Wizard was there, on the cover of Top Notch Comics #3, trying to hold his own in a growing market!
(from Top Notch Comics #3 - on newsstands January 1940, artwork by Edd Ashe)
Mort Meskin’s Dick Storm (gotta love that name), would only be around for a couple of issues, but he always had a few tricks up his sleeve that were popular with the ladies!
The name of the villain in this story is Kang the Terrible, not to be confused with Marvel’s Kang the Conquerer some 23 years later!
(from Top Notch Comics #3 - on newsstands January 1940, story and artwork by Mort Meskin)
Stacey Knight MD, made house calls! But not the kind bad guys liked!
(from Top Notch Comics #3 - on newsstands January 1940, artwork by Lin Streeter)
Again, many years before Marvel Comics, Thor and his hammer (actually it’s an axe here) were apart of an even more spectacular team than the Avengers: Scott Rand on Mars!
(from Top Notch Comics #3 - on newsstands January 1940, artwork by Jack Binder)
Buried as the last story, Jack Cole, outside of his funny animal work, was doing some trailblazing crime comic work here….the layout, the design, the storytelling, the art… it would all set the stage for a genre that would take comics by storm in a few years!
(from Top Notch Comics #3 - on newsstands January 1940, story and artwork by Jack Cole)
