Police Comics #1 Facsimile Edition

Take a good look at this 1941 premiere issue of Police Comics, published by non-defunct Quality Comics. Off to the side, there's Plastic Man, a one day member of the Justice League and future star of his own animated TV series and numerous solo titles. Underneath is the Human Bomb, a long-time member of the Freedom Fighters of Earth-X and occasional reservist of the All-Star Squadron. Coming in 3rd is the Phantom Lady, another member of the Freedom Fighters and star of her own solo title (twice) in the 1950s. Let's not worry about the clean-up hitter, the Mouthpiece. The world will never see him again after issue #13. Instead, I want you to focus on whom the editors choose to be the star of this anthology: The Firebrand!

Wearing a red bandana and mask, red pants and a see-through shirt, the Firebrand didn't have any super powers. He was just a bored socialite who decided to become a vigilante for kicks. After issue #13 of Police Comics, the Firebrand would also be shelved. Though, he would make a few appearances with the Freedom Fighters under DC's banner. However, his new home wasn't all that welcoming to him, unceremoniously being killed off by a super powered foe in the never published Cancelled Comics Cavalcade before just being retconned onto the sidelines and replaced by his sister in the All-Star Squadron reboot in 1981. 

Yes, Firebrand made his debut in the pages of this book. But so did Plastic Man, the Human Bomb, Phantom Lady and the Mouthpiece (remember, I told you to forget about him.) With all of these first appearances, I have to ask: why did Quality Comics choose the Firebrand to be the lead off character of this book?

Reed Crandall was the co-creator on Firebrand. He was a wunderkind writer for Quality before scaring the pants off of me in various E.C. horror titles. Maybe they were trying to build up his participation on this book. But why not give Crandall credit on the cover and not just the splash page on the Firebrand's opening story?

Based on his lack of powers, maybe Quality was trying to compete against National's (now DC) Batman. But in 1941, Batman wasn't even in the top 10 best selling superheroes. About to enter into the second World War, it was patriotic heroes like Captain America and mega-strong heroes like Captain Marvel and Superman that were dominating newsstands. Yet, for several issues, Quality kept banking on the Firebrand to be the hero to lead the title. Finally with issue #5, the publisher realized that they had a hit with Plastic Man and he became the cover star for a majority of the title's 127 issue run. 

I wish I was able to have owned an original copy of this book. However, it's a facsimile edition from 2024. Though I've read the origin of Plastic Man several times before, I still wanted to own this book. I've never read any of the other stories inside previously and I love going back in time exploring the ads and editorial material. It was a good read. The main superhero takes were the best. The other stories involving vigilantes or average Joe's taking on various criminal elements were the weaker stories. Mostly because of how over-the-top the dialogue was. Lots of cheesy one-liners and over use of 'criminal slang' that I've never encountered in my frequent watching of crime noir or as a teen devourer of Philip Marlowe. 

Oddly enough, there's very little presence of policemen in a comic book titled Police Comics. There's not even a single story starring any of the boys in blue. I find that strange. Rather strange.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Piracy #6 (2023 Comic Book & Graphic Novel Reading Challenge)

The comic book known as Piracy was produced by EC Comics. It ran for 7 issues from October/November, 1954-October/November, 1955. The timing of Piracy's publication places it at an awkward time during the history of William Gaines' publishing house. 

Piracy was the last New Trend title EC released before the company shifted focus of its publications. That's because from April to June, 1954, the US Senate held several public hearings on juvenile delinquency and comic books were placed under the microscope as being its number one cause. Across America, civic groups lead massive burnings of comic books. 

There's actually a famous photo taken in the Norwalk, Connecticut community of a Catholic League community bonfire composed of thousands of comics going up in flames. And there's my future grandmother-in-law smiling triumphantly over the paper barbecue. Also in the picture is my wife's 7 or 8 year old uncle, frowning despondently as his prized comic book collection went up in smoke. 

Needless to say, comic books were on life support. To prevent the complete extinction of the art form, several publishers got together and formed the self-governed Comics Code Authority. Gaines was initially hesitant to concede to the CCA, instead, opting to cancel most of his controversial line of comic books.

Only 3 books made the cut. The humor comic MAD changed to a larger format and was exempt from CCA rules operating as a magazine. Panic, another humor title, remained comic sized. Piracy, was the third surviving title. 

Piracy still had EC's signature twist endings. But they were no longer sensationalized. Haunt of Fear #19 had for a shock conclusion, a rival baseball team dismembering a baseball player who used poisoned cleats and using the guys entrails for a ballpark foul line. Issue #1 of this series has a boat captain finding the man who shanghaied him decades earlier and getting revenge on him... by thanking him for his cowardly deed. 

There are 4 stories that fill issue #6 of Piracy. Reed Crandall's 'Fit for a King' has a drunkard regaling the patrons of a tavern with the truth about a missing fabled swashbuckler known as The King of the Pirates. 'The Skipper' by George Evans tells of a sailor whose been stuck as first mate for so long, that he secretly begins sabotaging his cargo ship in a twisted plan to have the captain removed from the helm. Then readers head back in time to the seal hunts of the great white north in Graham Ingels' 'Fur Crazy.' Lastly, Jack Davis spins a yarn about a shipmaster haunted by the screams of the crew he lost years prior in 'Solitary.'

The cover was illustrated by Bernard Krigstein.

EC Comics launched 7 new titles in early 1954 as part of its New Trend line of titles. Because Gaines refused to issue a CCA stamp on the cover of his books, newsstands refused to carry them. Gaines would eventually acquiesce later in the year. But at that point, the financial damage was done and most titles were cancelled with issue #5 (Nov/Dec, 1955). A controversial ruling by the CCA for the powerful anti-racism story 'Judgment Day' in Incredible Science Fiction #33 led to William Gaines turning his back on comic books, devoting himself as publisher of MAD Magazine until his death in 1992.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Completing this review completes Task #33 (An EC Comic (Reprints are allowed)) of the 2023 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge.