“Yesterday’s” Comic> Amazing Man Comics #6

I can’t keep critters out of my bathtub, either.

Amazing Man Comics #6

Comic Corporation Of America (October, 1939)

Well, the previous issue was a mixed bag. Honestly I barely remember it. I wonder if that’s a problem with these anthologies? There’s too many stories in one issue, so while some may be better than others, I can’t point to a particular story from a particular issue as a stand-out. One particular “series” might stand out above the others, but not really a story in general thus far. Even with Golden Age Blue Beetle I only remember so much because he shared the comic with other series for the longest time, and when the Silver Age allowed it to have one story an issue they weren’t all that memorable. It’s a lot of flash without a chance to gain any real substance.

With that, let’s check in on our characters from last issue. This would be the second issue of the series thanks to the weird numbering I talked about last time.

[Read along with me here]

Amazing Man by Bill Everett

The Great Question (not to be confused with that other guy) sees his chance to turn Amazing Man evil (we still don’t know why) when he’s kidnapped by kidnappers…that’s not redundant, they kidnapped someone else before the story…whose car ran out of gas. The original kidnap victim is being held for ransom, so TGQ uses his mental powers to have Aman take over the crime organization…until he sees them torture the girl into writing the ransom letter after Amazing Man went to convey the ransom demand in person. Seeing what they’re doing to her awakens Aman’s good persona and he stops the criminals instead. I’m not sure about this premise. It has some interesting ideas but if the story is just Aman undoing his own criminal acts every issue it’s going to get confusing.

The Shark by Lew Glange

So we’re going to use the first page to spill out everything about this Sub-Mariner knockoff. They point out his webbed feet, tell us he has superstrength in the water but not on land (I’m pretty sure the opposite should be true for the same reason Aquaman has superhuman strength, water pressure versus air pressure or something like that) but he can hypnotize people into seeing things that aren’t there. Not the most interesting hero, but let’s see what he does. Apparently he has a TV that broadcasts signals via a wall. Don’t you love how writers try to use new technologies they don’t understand? Anyway, this story finds our hero trying to stop a munitions dealer from starting a war between the US and a country that only exists in this story. It’s not a good story, but I’m not sure I’d call it terrible, either. It…exists.

Forbidden Island by Clyde Don

Speaking of stories that exist, a young couple visit a nearby island but the man gets hurt. Going for help leads to a short adventure for the girl when she is rescued from a grizzly by a caveman who sees women in fires, which the man has to rescue her from when he recovers. Things happen but they aren’t really that exciting. It’s a plot with not much story.

The Iron Skull by Carl Burgos

A mad scientist named Decor is being paid by a “foreign power” (it’s 1939) to destroy a Navy fleet. Maybe if the villains didn’t spend so much time attacking the guy called Iron Skull in the head, even with a gun, they might have stopped him. The knockout gas is the only thing that works on him. Some decent action but the villains are very smart on this one, and “Decor” is hardly a decent villain name.

The Congo-Drum War by Paul Gustavson

Continuing the serialized story from the previous issue, Sandy Thorne, Congo patrolman, and his obligatory Indian pal, Labu…seriously, how many people from India were in the CONGO? Anyway, they save the white people held by the drunken headhunters but when the king is accidentally killed by his own people, they need help from the men working for the guys that sold them the booze. Lucky the boss is half Japanese and the guy who forces him to help wants to save the white people. Yes, the day is saved by racism, and I’m not sure how I feel about that.

Minimidget The Miniature Man by John F. Kalb

Turns out our Minimidget is still around. Also, Kitty is renamed Ritty, unless I read the name wrong last issue. The police allow them to stay with the aunt of one of the officers, and they end up having to save her from a thief who takes her money and tries to gas her by leaving the stove on. This part of the story features out of place word balloons and some of the worst dialog I’ve read in a while, with a criminal who has one hell of a terrible New York accent. The other half has Minimidget and Kitty warning people of flood waters coming and fighting an eagle with their new plane. I’m not sure what to make of this story.

Chuck Hardy In The Land Beneath The Sea by Frank Thomas

Not much happening on this one. Chuck and Jerry (who I remind you is a girl) deal with the strange world they popped up in last issue. Carnivorous trees try to crush our heroes but they escape. Then they meet some locals to show off all their cool gadgets. Frankly, the story seems to be Thomas showing off his strange world ideas from plant life to the pneumatic tubes the locals use to get around. Otherwise there isn’t much story to it.

The Ivy Menace by Tarpe Mills

A scientist in New Jersey invents a formula that can make plants grow larger even in areas with little soil. Of course the cat knocks it onto some ivy outside and it grows so fast that New York City is under attack from the vines. It’s your standard horror story of the time. They even sneak in the “drunk sees something strange and doesn’t believe it could actually be there and decides to give up drinking” gag. It’s a very stock story with a simple message: beware of New Jersey and cats. So nothing we shouldn’t already know.

Mighty Man by Martin Filchock

Sorry, but I need to get this out of my system.

I know that’s nothing to do with the giant cowboy but it’s what I think of when I hear this comic’s title, even though he’s more like a superpowered Midgetman than our mini-Paul Bunyan. Darn nostalgia. Anyway, our trio meet a woman (a first for Mighty Man) from New York who has taken over her father’s dude ranch, and someone wants her out of the way. Mighty has to save a bunch of people this story, and it overall was okay. Not a bad story to end on.

overall

A few more hits, but still a bunch of misses, not bad stories but stories that are just basically there. That’s what you risk with an anthology title.