Sunday, April 21, 2019

All That Build-Up for a Pun

I’m a fan of ashcan editions of comic books. Ashcans are mainly used to register the title of the comic book or a character before the actual first issue/appearance comes out. Typically, a cover, usually a reused cover from a previous publication, is stapled onto a collection of pages, again from previous publications sometimes not even in order, and sent to the U.S. Trademark and Patent Office. The ashcan editions were almost solely made by All-American/National/DC and Fawcett Comics in order to secure trademark. Fawcett sent two ashcans to the trademark office in order to secure copyright on Captain Thunder and the title he was supposed to appear in.

Originally, Captain Thunder was supposed to debut in Flash Comics #1 but was beaten by All-American Comics (now DC Comics). Fawcett then sent in the title Thrill Comics but was beaten by Thrilling Comics by Standard Publications. Fawcett eventually lost the copyright for Captain Thunder as well to Fiction House's Captain Thunder and the Cargo Lancers in Jungle Comics. Fawcett decided rename the character Captain Marvel and the comic Whiz Comics.

Flash Comics #1, January 1940. Art by C.C. Beck.
Thrill Comics #1, January 1940. Art by C.C. Beck.
Flash Comics #1 (DC Comics), December 1939. Art from Adventure Comics #41
by Leo E. O'Mealia.


Action Comics #1, undated. Original art by Craig Flessel.
Action Funnies, undated. Oddly unfunny art from Action Comics #3 by Leo E. O'Mealia.
All-American Comics, April 1939. Art from Adventure Comics #33
by Craig Flessel.
All-American Men of War, August-September 1952. Art from All-Star Western #58 by
Carmine Infantino and Joe Giella.
All Star Comics #1, Spring 1940. Art from Flash Comics #1 by
Sheldon Moldoff.
Double Action Comics #1, November 1939. Art from Adventure Comics #41 by
Leo E. O'Mealia.
Double Action Comics #1, November 1939. Art from New Adventure Comics #26
by Craig Flessel.
Double Action Comics #2, January 1940. Art from Adventure Comics #37
by Craig Flessel.
Superboy, January 1942. Art from Detective Comics #57 by Bob Kane,
Jerry Robinson, and George Roussos.
Supergirl, February 1946. Art from Boy Commandos #1 by
Joe Simon and Jack Kirby.
Superman Comics. Art from Action Comics #7 by Joe Shuster.
Superwoman, January 1942. Art from More Fun Comics #73 by
Howard Sherman.
Wonder Woman #1, January 1942. Art from Sensation Comics #1 by
Jon L. Blummer and H.G. Peter.
World's Best Comics, February 1940. Art from Action Comics #29 by
Wayne Boring.
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I was promised exciting news. This isn't exciting news at all.

I'm sorry but unless your roots come from anywhere beyond western Europe then your origin isn't all that exciting and I'm saying this as someone whose family did come from the British Isles. Really, the only relative that I would like to research and get to know better is my great-great-great-great-great-great grandpa Bolivar Hall. He fought in the American Revolution, had a Native American wife, and a plantation in North Carolina so you know what that probably means.