PEP COMICS #8

(On Newsstands in July 1940)

For a second month, Irv Novick delivers a Pep Comics cover that's just a bit different than what had come before - darker, a little more sexual, a little more human tension - this cover run by Novick deserves more praise!

(from Pep Comics #8 - July 1940, artwork by Irv Novick)

The bad guy opts to shoot himself in the head, as opposed to being taken alive! Joe Higgins (The Shield) says, "He saved the state the expense of executing him!"

It was a different time for comics!

(from Pep Comics #8 - July 1940, artwork by Irv Novick)

Not sure who drew the Comet story this month, but it sure isn't Jack Cole... some pretty cool, bizarre layouts, faces and ideas though...

(from Pep Comics #8 - July 1940, artwork by Irv Novick)

Last month Kayo Ward gave a lady a good spanking (courtesy of Bob Wood), and this month Sgt. Boyle finds that method works for him as well!

(from Pep Comics #8 - July 1940, artwork by Charles Biro)

Can you imagine... seeing this ad for the first time? The Black Hood and the Skull make their first preview appearance!

(from Pep Comics #8 - July 1940, artwork by Edd Ashe? for the cover, most likely Al Camy for the Skull)

They couldn't know it at the time, but imagine a situation early in the career of your publishing company, where Irv Novick and Charles Biro are competing every month to outdo each other. 

Yep, just like his contemporary over on Pep, Biro had now gone to a darker tone, a higher tension and a subtle sexuality to make a run of covers we'll forever love from this period!

(from Zip Comics #8 - July 1940, artwork by Charles Biro)

Comics from the Golden Age will always be linked to the sensationalized low brow gruesomeness they capitalized on... looking at it from today's perspective, they were ahead of their time!

(from Zip Comics #8 - July 1940, artwork by Irv Novick)

Tania, Queen of the Pirates, shows that not all women got spanked during the Golden Age! Fun on the high seas in Captain Valor!

(from Zip Comics #8 - July 1940, artwork by Mort Meskin)

Blue Ribbon gets in on the act with a Rang-A-Tang cover that's a bit darker, a bit more tense, a bit more... well ok, it's not a Novick or a Biro, but Ed Smalle contributed a couple of interesting covers here!

And of course, we get the introduction of Richy the Amazing Boy, to help commercialize…eh…make Rang-A-Tang even more exciting!

(from Blue Ribbon Comics #6 - July 1940, artwork by Ed Smalle)

Sam Cooper would go on to do some noteworthy art in the Golden Age, but here in his early days (Doc Strong) you could see some amazing detail in his work already!

(from Blue Ribbon Comics #6 - July 1940, artwork by Sam Cooper)

ARCHIE ANNUAL #4

(On Newsstands in June 1952)

As we speak of famous covers throughout the history of this series, here's one that, in a mostly wholesome way sums up the book... the three of them sharing a soda as Betty looks at Archie, Archie looks at Veronica, and Veronica has her eyes closed enjoying the soda!

You'd see variations of this on the later covers of Life With Archie #2, Betty and Veronica Spectacular #51, Veronica Double Digest #216, Archie #647, Jughead #215, and more!

(from Archie Annual #4 - June 1952, artwork by Bob Montana)

In the summer of 1952, Archie Comics was hitting it's peak... with the Annual and the 1st issue of Archie's Pals N Gals, it would print 16 different titles!

(from Archie Annual #4 - June 1952, artwork by Bill Vigoda?)

Back in the 50's, peeling off your clothes and swimming in the local water hole was no big deal... but beware having a 'friend' like Reggie along...

(from Archie Annual #4 - June 1952, artwork by Bill Vigoda?)

It could lead to some embarrassing encounters...!

(from Archie Annual #4 - June 1952, artwork by Bill Vigoda?)

One of the dumbest gags ever in the book, but for some reason I laughed out loud at this...

(from Archie Annual #4 - June 1952, artwork by ?)

Archie gets more than he bargained for when he agrees to teach the girls how to play baseball...

(from Archie Annual #4 - June 1952, artwork by ?)

Of course, they already KNOW more about what they're doing than Archie thinks...

(from Archie Annual #4 - June 1952, artwork by ?)

And our boy takes a beating for it....!

(from Archie Annual #4 - June 1952, artwork by ?)

In fact, let's face it. Sometimes Archie needs a wake up call!

(from Archie Annual #4 - June 1952, artwork by ?)

The evolution of the Betty Cooper craziness!

(from Archie Annual #4 - June 1952, artwork by ?)

Here's a rare appearances of Jughead's eyes! He needs them to hypnotize!

(from Archie Annual #4 - June 1952, artwork by ?)

Don't know why this is one of my favorite opening panels... everyone's body position, the subtle violence, the look on Jughead's face... the look on POP'S face!

(from Archie Annual #4 - June 1952, artwork by ?)

One of those panels that's better left unexplained...

(from Archie Annual #4 - June 1952, artwork by ?)

And some panels... you can't UNSEE!

(from Archie Annual #4 - June 1952, artwork by ?)

Been awhile since we've seen Archie babysit, and he's still not very good at it!

(from Archie Annual #4 - June 1952, artwork by ?)

Jughead plays Don Juan with the well to do at Veronica's party....

(from Archie Annual #4 - June 1952, artwork by ?)

And isn't very good at it...

(from Archie Annual #4 - June 1952, artwork by ?)

ARCHIE COMICS #58

(On Newsstands in July 1952)

Yeah, even Bob Montana could phone one in on occasion, but it's still a nice piece, and I'd love to see the original of it... notice the thicker outlines for the three main characters and the detail he put into Betty's clothing...

(from Archie Comics #58 - July 1952, artwork by Bob Montana)

One thing about George Frese, he not only had a classic look to his Archie style, he also had the eyes, the women, the clothing, the humor, AND... the physical comedy style... if he would've lived he would've been remembered as one of the great Archie artists... I STILL think of him as one!

(from Archie Comics #58 - July 1952, artwork by George Frese)

How easily Jughead is swayed! First reference to Ophelia Gluetenschnable? (Who would of course morph into the LESS unattractive (!!!) Ethel Muggs.)

(from Archie Comics #58 - July 1952, artwork by George Frese)

Yep, Jughead dated Veronica for a while (as a favor to out of town Archie of course) and he turned out to be the PERFECT date for Veronica!

(from Archie Comics #58 - July 1952, artwork by George Frese)

And once again the best laid plans of Archie Andrews, goes sideways!

(from Archie Comics #58 - July 1952, artwork by George Frese)

In the SAME issue, he gets talked into trying to break up Archie and the new FRENCH teacher (seems Archie had a thing for teachers long before the Riverdale TV show!), and ends up...

(from Archie Comics #58 - July 1952, artwork by Samm Schwartz?)

...falling in love himself with the French Teacher! No hamburgers required! Maybe the old boy isn't as 'asexual' as we thought!

(from Archie Comics #58 - July 1952, artwork by Samm Schwartz?)

And in the SAME issue, Jughead double crosses Archie to help cross Reggie AND help Betty, while winding up dancing with Veronica! And they both look perfectly happy with the result!

(from Archie Comics #58 - July 1952, artwork by Bill Vigoda?)

ZIP COMICS #7

(On Newsstands in June 1940)

Steel Sterling hits back at some street level crime for the cover of Pep Comics #7!

(from Zip Comics #7 - June 1940, artwork by Charles Biro)

A recreation of Steel Sterling’s origin, letting us know that John Sterling jumped into that vat, buck nekkid!

(from Zip Comics #7 - June 1940, artwork by Charles Biro)

The evil loan sharks offer ‘alternative’ ways to pay back your loan, for the ladies anyway…. that’s a good way to get a visit from Steel Sterling!

(from Zip Comics #7 - June 1940, artwork by Charles Biro)

More fun in the wild west as Nevada Jones has his hands full with human sacrifice!

(from Zip Comics #7 - June 1940, artwork by Frank Volp)

TOP NOTCH COMICS #8

(On Newsstands in June 1940)

On sale the same month as Top Notch #7 (Man, these guys work fast!), Edd Ashe’s cover promised some exciting new changes inside!

(from Top Notch Comics #8 - on newsstands June 1940, artwork by Edd Ashe)

The first of these changes was that the Wizard, already re-costumed in the previous issue to look more like a ‘modern’ superhero (ahem, Superman), would now take on a young boy as his protege, much like Batman had with Robin over at DC Comics!

(from Top Notch Comics #8 - on newsstands June 1940, artwork by Edd Ashe)

Also new to the pages of Top Notch was the new superhero: The Firefly! Believing that Insects gained their strength through some sort of muscle co-ordination (as opposed to the square-cube law), so he imitates that and becomes… the Firefly! (Created by Harry Shorten and Bob Wood)

(from Top Notch Comics #8 - on newsstands June 1940, artwork by Bob Wood)

…and he doesn’t waste any time finding some creepy people to battle!

(from Top Notch Comics #8 - on newsstands June 1940, artwork by Bob Wood)

PEP COMICS #7

(On Newsstands in June 1940)

One thing that, to me, sets Pep Comics (pre-Archie) apart from the other 1st line of MLJ titles, is the Irv Novick covers that started right here with this one… the darkness of the bad guys, the sexuality (and some light bondage) of the female, the violence… Irv would do some great covers over the next two years, and I point to this one as the start of it all!

(from Pep Comics #7 - June 1940, artwork by Irv Novick)

The Shield was a little less selective about the way he interrogated criminals! (As were most Golden Age Superheroes)

(from Pep Comics #7 - June 1940, artwork by Irv Novick)

Kayo Ward has his own way of handling things, as 'Rupy La Vez' gets a public spanking…ah, the 40’s were a different time!

(from Pep Comics #7 - June 1940, artwork by Bob Wood)

TOP NOTCH COMICS #7

(On Newsstands in June 1940)

Edd Ashe shows the Wizard isn’t just a big brain, but man of big muscles as well! Hey, who’s that down on the bridge….

(from Top Notch Comics #7 - on newsstands June 1940, artwork by Edd Ashe)

Yep, the Shield would co-star yet again, meaning… Top Notch may not have been selling as well as Pep, and MLJ wanted to show that the Wizard was just as cool as the Shield. And to emphasize it even more, you may notice the Wizard has given up his tuxedo with a cape for a more… ahem…. ‘Superman’ look!

(from Top Notch Comics #7 - on newsstands June 1940, artwork by Edd Ashe)

Top Notch had probably one of the more interesting full line ups of character stories now with the Wizard, Galahad, Shanghai Sheridan (pictured here), Streak Chandler (on Mars!), Wings Johnson, Dick Storm, Bob Phantom, Keith Cordell (the West Pointer), and Kardak (the Mystic Magician)

(from Top Notch Comics #7 - on newsstands June 1940, artwork by Irv Novick)

A nice little touch to add to a story consistently showcasing orientals as bad guys….

(from Top Notch Comics #7 - on newsstands June 1940, artwork by Irv Novick)