I've decided to run a new feature here at
APOCOLYTE'S WORLD OF COMICS!
It's called
and it's basically when I find a comic or a story or a cover that just seems so WEIRD I have to post it for you.
Today's story features MAGNO and DAVEY.
They were the stars of ACE COMICS most popular title, SUPER-MYSTERY COMICS.
MAGNO debuted in SUPER-MYSTERY COMICS #1, July 1940, and DAVEY appeared and became his kid sidekick (everybody had one back then) in issue #4. As his name implies, MAGNO's powers were magnetic in nature, in a typically pseudo-science fiction comic book manner. MAGNO could apparently magnetize any object at will and thereby control it. It was in this manner he attained the power of flight. If he wanted to go to the city library, for example, all he had to do was (somehow) magnetize himself to the library, and he was drawn there in an instant. Davey was an ordinary kid who acquired his magnet powers via MAGNO just deciding to "magnetize" him, though DAVEY's powers did wear off after a certain time period and would need to be re-charged by MAGNO.
ACE employed several artists who would later become more well known, artists like Harvey Kurtzman, Dave Berg, and Jim Mooney, for example.Our story was drawn by Lou Ferstadt. Ferstadt was a muralist and a comic book artist whose claims to fame include co-creating this WEIRD comic book character, THE BOUNCER.
This cover, seen in various places throughout the web,
was drawn NOT by Ferstadt, but artist E.C. Stoner.
By today's standards, the art here by Ferstadt comes off as, well, weird.
MAGNO's chief villain was THE CLOWN, a creepy character who appears to be a distant cousin to the Batman's JOKER.
The Clown is aided by some other weird villains, one of whom enjoys roasting his victims to a crisp with a flame-thrower in various decidedly violent pre-code scenes.
The story comes from SUPER-MYSTERY COMICS (Vol.3) #5, 1943.
If someone can figure out what the weird villains are trying to do in this weird cover, you get bonus points.
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Well, was I kidding?
It was weird, right?
Come back soon and there will be more
WEIRDNESS!
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The Clown is scarier than the Joker. Magno is more handsome than Magneto. Davey is sure no Crocket. Where is Tubbs & Hans Jammer when you need them ? Dancing with Flamingo. Weird...
ReplyDeleteHans Jammer! I think you mean Jan Wenner, er...Ham Janner, er...Jan Hammer?Good ol' Menomenee Vice! Clown is scary because of his bare legs...put some pants on, freak! And the fancy schmancy new-fangled fog machine from the story now is used at the ice capades to keep Kristi Yamaguchi's and Scott Hamilton's and Dorothy Hamill's feet covered in foggy goodness, so's they look like they're floatin' on clouds's's...Magno came out of retirement to de-gauss computer monitors part time...Davey worked with Goliath in the 60's, and later in the Monkees...and the Clown eventually became vice president - recognize the toothy smile? Weird!
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