Posted in: Comics, Heritage Sponsored, Vintage Paper | Tagged: captain marvel, Fawcett Publications, golden age, mary marvel, shazam

Mary Marvel Gets a Series With Wow Comics #9, Up for Auction

Mary Marvel debuted in the Wow Comics title about three weeks after her first appearance in Captain Marvel Adventures #18.

Fawcett's Wow Comics is a great Golden Age series that deserves more attention. It debuted in winter 1940 and ran for 69 issues until August 1948, featuring work by CC Beck, Otto Binder, Dave Berg, and even Jack Kirby, among many others. But the series really started to shine when Mary Marvel arrived, with beautiful covers and interior art by artist Marc Swayze.  There's a CGC VG+ 4.5 copy of Mary Marvel's series debut in Wow Comics #9 (Fawcett Publications, 1943) up for auction in the 2025 July 18 Golden Age Comics Century Showcase at Heritage Auctions.

Mary Marvel debuted in the Wow Comics title about three weeks after her first appearance in Captain Marvel Adventures #18, with cover and artwork by Mary Marvel co-creator Marc Swayze.  As Swayze would later recall, "I laid aside the Captain Marvel story I was working on in the Captain Marvel production line and whipped up some sketches as requested. There was only one character to create, inasmuch as she was to remain the same with only a costume change. I didn't work up a variety of poses and expressions, as I was certain that my first drawings were going to come back, time and time again for revisions before final approval upstairs.  'Holy Moley,' as Billy would have said, the drawings were accepted without a single change or even any suggestions! I was given the script for the first Mary Marvel story and went to work on it."  Swayze's interior artwork reflects his personal philosophy of using "art in storytelling so that even a child who couldn't yet read could get a story out of it". The influence of actress Judy Garland, on whom Swayze based Mary's design, is evident in her cheerful and energetic demeanor. This artistic choice was fundamental in defining Mary Marvel's appeal as a relatable hero.

The plot of the 14-page Mary Marvel story titled The Night Before Christmas is a classic Marvel Family tale that takes on important themes through the eyes of a child. On Christmas Eve, Mary Batson learns of a plot to steal toys intended for the city's orphans. The crooks are using the toys as containers to smuggle stolen jewels. Transforming into Mary Marvel, she foils their plot, ensuring the children receive their Christmas presents. This adventure also features guest appearances by both Captain Marvel and another Fawcett hero, Mr. Scarlet (along with his sidekick, Pinky the Whiz Kid), reinforcing the family concept that was central to this brand.

The story was scripted by the character's co-creator Otto Binder, who would later co-create Supergirl for DC Comics (among many other things) for the Silver Age. Binder's writing is characterized by what biographer Bill Schelly termed a "wide-eyed innocence," which complemented Swayze's artwork on Mary Marvel extremely well. Binder's pacing moves the plot along with clarity and charm, perfectly capturing the spirit of a holiday adventure.

Among other features in this issue is the final appearance of the character Spooks, written and drawn by Dave Berg, nearly 20 years before he would become famous for The Lighter Side of… in Mad Magazine. In the story, the supernatural hero Spooks possesses a dead man's body to allow him to testify in court. Mr. Scarlet and Pinky, Commando Yank, and Phantom Eagle round out the issue.

Like much of the rest of the Wow Comics series, Mary Marvel's Wow Comics debut is a gem of creative execution on the cover, story, and artwork and There's a CGC VG+ 4.5 copy of her series debut in Wow Comics #9 (Fawcett Publications, 1943) up for auction in the 2025 July 18 Golden Age Comics Century Showcase at Heritage Auctions.

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