The Human Torch Battles the Sub-Mariner as the World Faces Destruction!
Featuring: Human Torch Release: October 8, 1941 Cover: Fall 1941 10 cents 60 pages (!)
The comic gives no credits. I’ll point you to the GCD, which notes work from Carl Burgos, Bill Everett, Jack D’Arcy, Hank Chapman, Mike Roy, Harry Sahle and George Kapitan. That’s… a lot of names. I will make no attempt to untangle who did what.
Counting to 5
Let’s get the confusing part out of the way. We are looking at Human Torch #5, with a cover date of Fall 1941.
The previous issue of Human Torch was… Human Torch #5, with a cover date of Summer 1941. Why? I have no idea. I think somebody counted wrong.
Featuring: Angel
Release: August 31, 1939
Cover: October 1939
10 cents
Credits: Paul Gustavson
8 pages
We have already read two stories from this, the very first Marvel comic, appropriately titled “Marvel Comics”. The most important character to debut in this issue is Sub-Mariner, whose story would be revived in the modern era in the pages of Fantatic Four. Next is Human Torch, who would not be revived, but rather reimagined– a new character created with the name and likeness. Another story in this issue features Ka-Zar, who will also get reimagined for the modern age. We’ll read his story when we meet the new one.
That leaves two other features, neither of whom will be revived in the Marvel Age of comics. One is the Masked Raider. Not sure when I’ll find an excuse to read his story, but I will at some point, just to complete the issue.
The other we get to now, the story of the Angel. We’re reading it now on the flimsy pretense that we just met the new Angel, a member of the X-Men. Even though it’s obvious these characters have nothing in common but a name. Not even sure this character was on anybody’s mind when they were creating the new Angel.
