Undercover Archie

ZIP COMICS #4

(On Newsstands in March 1940)

Charles Biro could come up with some exciting covers and here, with the emerging specter of war, he shows that Steel Sterling is ready for action!

(from Zip Comics #4 - March 1940, artwork by Charles Biro)

Being the early days of comics, most of these stories took a pretty standard form to their storytelling… crime committed, female in danger, hero to the rescue, misstep, and then finale. Steel Sterling was no different, and here we see the classic female in danger scene, suitably spiced up for a younger reading audience! These were some of the small touches to the art that were used to separate their work from others. 

(from Zip Comics #4 - March 1940, artwork by Charles Biro)

Another great example… Steel Sterling punches one of the henchmen through the wall in classic Bugs Bunny indention style!

(from Zip Comics #4 - March 1940, artwork by Charles Biro)

And… another nice touch… here the female in danger, gets to take out her revenge on her captors! Now that’s a fitting finale!

(from Zip Comics #4 - March 1940, artwork by Charles Biro)

More than a year before comics’ most famous Amazon, the Scarlet Avenger had a continuing storyline against Texa, the beautiful Amazon villainess!

(from Zip Comics #4 - March 1940, artwork by Irv Novick)

Steve Ditko was a huge Mort Meskin fan and would have been 12 at the time this issue came out.. and looking at these two pages here… you can SEE where Ditko was influenced. The clean style, body movement...

(from Zip Comics #4 - March 1940, artwork by Mort Meskin)