Posted in: Comics, Heritage Sponsored, Vintage Paper | Tagged: abner sundell, golden age, madam satan, MLJ, Pep Comics

Madam Satan's Lurid Origins in the Rare Pep Comics #16, at Auction

Discover Madam Satan's sinister beginnings in the elusive Pep Comics #16, a lurid gem from MLJ's Golden Age era.

Madam Satan is something of an oddity from MLJ's Golden Age.  Seductive and macabre in a manner that largely seems intended for older readers, the character first appeared in the background of the cover of Pep Comics #15.  But her story began in Pep Comics #16 from 1941, which revealed her rather tawdry origin story. The issue itself has become tough to get, featuring the stand-out artwork and storytelling talents of Abner Sundell, Harry Lucey, Irv Novick, Lin Streeter, Mort Meskin, Paul Reinman, and Charles Biro.  An underappreciated origin story featuring a character who has enjoyed some renewed popularity in recent times due to her appearance on the Chilling Adventures of Sabrina television series, the 2024 September 26 – 27 Heroes of the Golden Age Comics Showcase Auction #40265 has a CGC Apparent VF 8.0 Slight (P) copy of Pep Comics #16 (MLJ, 1941) up for auction.

The origin story of Madam Satan by Abner Sundell and Harry Lucey depicts the chilling transformation of a mortal woman named Tyra (later renamed Iola) into a sinister and enchanting supernatural force of chaos. Driven to murder by her desire for the handsome man she is to marry, Tyra herself is killed, and her spirit form is summoned to the mythical Bald Mountain, a location said to be frequented by Satan and his minions. Once Satan has transformed the character into his devious partner, he sends her back to the mortal realm to wreak havoc and misery in her wake, using her powers to seduce her victims and confuse their minds.  Ultimately, she is able to kill them with a kiss. Her supernatural struggle with the celestial Brother Sunshine, who was determined in his attempts to capture her in a bottle, became an ongoing theme of her brief storyline in Pep Comics.

The character was created by Lucey and Sundell. Lucey is well known for going on to become one of the definitive Archie artists. Sundell got his start writing and editing for the pulps, where he eventually crossed paths with Louis Silberkleit — the man who put the "L" in MLJ. In addition to Madam Satan, he also co-created Steel Sterling (with artist Charles Biro) for MLJ. Sudnell also worked for Victor Fox, as writer and editor for Fox's comic book and magazine lines. By the 1960s, he was an editor for Pageant Magazine, which was launched by comic book publisher (and later magazine and book publisher) Alex Hillman.  At Pageant, Sundell became part of a stunning political controversy during the 1964 Presidential election, followed promptly by a Senate Subcommittee hearing on December 17, 1964.

Pep Comics #16 remains an elusive prize for collectors, as only there are only 26 entries for the issue on the CGC census.  But the 2024 September 26 – 27 Heroes of the Golden Age Comics Showcase Auction #40265 has a CGC Apparent VF 8.0 Slight (P) copy of Pep Comics #16 (MLJ, 1941) featuring Madam Satan's sinister beginnings up for auction.

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