Posted in: Comics, Heritage Sponsored, Vintage Paper | Tagged: bill finger, marc swayze, mary marvel

Mary Marvel Goes to War in Wow Comics #11, Up for Auction

A significant portion of the output of the American comic book industry during World War II was in some way focused on the war effort. Some of these were obviously comic book characters-at-war stories. Others were stories focused on foiling domestic saboteurs or spies.  Still others were related to the war in less obvious ways — and some of these had a fascinating and historicly-significant origin. There's one such story featuring Mary Marvel in Wow Comics #11 (Fawcett Publications, 1943) CGC FN 6.0 Off-white pages up for auction this week in the 2021 May 23-24 Sunday & Monday Comics, Animation & Art Weekly Online Auction #122121 from Heritage Auctions.

Wow Comics #11 hit American newsstands on approximately February 10, 1943, according to Library of Congress Catalog of Copyright Entries records. Mary Marvel had debuted as the feature of the series in Wow Comics #9, after first appearing in Captain Marvel Adventures #18.  But in late 1942, a government agency called the Office of War Information, and its associated agencies the War Writer's Board, the "Magazine Section" and the "Comics Committee" in their monthly Magazine War Guide essentially suggested the subject of this issue's story.  These agencies specifically engaged with publishing industries such as the comic book field and issued guidance on subjects that could be incorporated into stories support of America's war effort. In simple terms, wartime propaganda in comic book form.

In the case of Wow Comics #11, it's easy to trace the origin of Mary Marvel's storyline in this issue — which covers women entering the workforce in greater numbers in the U.S., as men went off to war.  A few months prior to the debut of this issue, the Magazine War Guide included the following:

WOMAN POWER IN THE WAR — the subject everybody is talking about — is a "natural" for magazine coverage. In dealing with it, however, it is advisable for editors to take into consideration the following policy decision of the War Manpower Comission:

Employment of women in seemingly non-war production jobs, such as railroads, buses, street cars, retail stores dealing with essentials, etc., should be viewed as "war work" inasmuch as women must take the places of men who have been called into military war production service.

The cover of this issue was drawn by Marc Swayze, who became known for his work on the Mary Marvel character.  The cover story was written by Batman co-creator Bill Finger and drawn by Swayze. There's a Wow Comics #11 (Fawcett Publications, 1943) CGC FN 6.0 Off-white pages up for auction this week in the 2021 May 23-24 Sunday & Monday Comics, Animation & Art Weekly Online Auction #122121 from Heritage Auctions.

Wow Comics #11 (Fawcett Publications, 1943) CGC FN 6.0 Off-white pages. Mary Marvel cover. Overstreet 2020 FN 6.0 value = $165. CGC census 5/21: 2 in 6.0, 6 higher.

View the certification for CGC Certification ID 249920001 and purchase grader's notes if available.

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