Monday, July 4, 2011

Captain Marvel Jr #76 (The Sun War) Aug. 1949

Happy Independence Day! Hope you have a great day celebrating the birthday of the United States. We are back again with another vintage CMJ story. This time we are starting with CMJ #76 (August 1949).

Housekeeping Item: I've noted that copies of the books I've been posting are showing up on the Golden Age comics websites. This is fine. Since this site is about CMJ I've not included the filler strips, text pieces or ads contained in each issue. I had planned at some future time uploading the complete issues to the websites (and still may) but thanks for doing the work for me.














The Sun War

This story seems oddly timely with its emphasis on global warming. We find that climate change is not the work on humans on Earth but are caused by warring races inside(!) the sun. Otto Binder using the voice of CMJ is at his moralizing best. CMJ preaches, "Just remember! All people, anywhere, have a responsibility toward all other people! In carrying on your war, you endangered Earth--and yourselves! Don't forget this ever---War does not pay!" The leaders of the Sun people rely, "You are right, Blue Boy! Hereafter, we will be known as the United Sun!" It seems as if the United Sun (read United Nations) is the answer to international problems. This longer than normal story (12 pages) gives the writer and artist more room to craft a very good story. The art by Bud Thompson is some of his best and the Sun peoples' costumes are similar to those worn by the Legion of Super Heroes in the early 1960s.

Saturday, June 11, 2011

Captain Marvel Jr #33 (The Remorseful Robot) Nov-Dec. 1945 For June 27, 2011

The Remorseful Robot

Dr Quiddle appeared before in "Dr Quiddles Zombie" (CMJ #12-October 1943). Dr Quiddle's absented-mindedness is a big part of the humor in this story. Quiddle is not the villain he was in the previous story. Freddy uses somewhat plausible thinking in this story when he turns back into CMJ, "I may be wrong about him! Perhaps he's not a monster [Rollo the robot]...in that case I'll be more likely to find him as plain Freddy Freeman!" This is apparently the first of several CMJ robot story and it is a fairly good one. The art is by Bud Thompson.






Captain Marvel Jr #33 (CMJ Stamps Out A Paper Menace) Nov-Dec. 1945 For June 20, 2011

CMJ Stamps Out A Paper Menace

Stamp collecting was a major hobby for young people during this time. Having Freddy Freeman as a collector would appeal to many readers. However on p. 6  the Blue Boy commits a Federal crime (called mail tampering or mail fraud) by opening mail not addressed to him. This story is one where CMJ special powers are not needed (except for catching the dissolving solution on the last page).  A plain clothes police detective could have handled the case. The artists for this story are unknown. A similar style (a watered down Mac Raboy) appears on an number of CMJ stories during this period.






Captain Marvel Jr #33 (The Ant Bear) Nov-Dec. 1945

Today's postings will be different from our usual weekly offerings. I will be away from my computer for the next two plus weeks so I will be posting three stories (an entire CMJ issue) today. The story below is for the week of June 13. The next story will be for the week of June 20 and the last story for the week of June 27.

CMJ Meets the Ant Bear

This is one of the early humorous animal stories that appeared in the CMJ run. The Ant Bear appears again in CMJ #35 (January 1946). Mrs Scroggins, Freddy's mean land lady, was not a frequent member of CMJ's early cast. This may be her only appearance. Bud Thompson did the art with many Mac Raboy CMJ photostats or tracings.







Saturday, June 4, 2011

Captain Marvel Jr #39 (The Phantom Crook)

(I'm posting this early as I'm be away from my computer on Monday)

Lightning Larry Davis is one of those infrequent early cast members in the pre-1947 CMJ stories. Larry Davis was sort of a one-note character with his excessive sleeping getting him into trouble. He played roughly the same role as Jimmy Olsen later did with Superman. He also appeared in CMJ #s 21, 22, 45. and Marvel Family #5. It seems likely that Bud Thompson had some artistic involvement with this story with many recycled Mac Raboy CMJ drawings evident.






Monday, May 30, 2011

Captain Marvel Jr #39 (The Trail of Death)

This story shows the Blue Boy as a good samartian rescuing a depressed businessman from a planned suicide.This blend of human interest and do-goodism is a moral trademark in many CMJ stories. The art is by Bud Thompson.








Monday, May 23, 2011

Captain Marvel Jr #39 (The Death of Graybeard)

The "Death of Graybeard" is the last in a trilogy of stories. The first two Graybeard tales were published in the previous issues, Captain Marvel Jr #37(April 1946) and #38 (May 1946). The basis of this tale comes from numerous stories that have surfaced over many years of European, Mid-eastern, Asian and African (including ancient Egyptian) travelers who visited the Americas in pre-Columbian times. Graybeard didn't stay dead as he returned to give Captain Marvel Jr. a hard time in World's Finest Comics #263 (June-July 1980). The artist on this story was August Froehlich who also drew the previous two Graybeard stories.