Posted in: Comics, Heritage Sponsored, Vintage Paper | Tagged: Blue Ribbon Comics, golden age, MLJ, Mr. Justice

MLJ's Answer to Spectre, Mr. Justice in Blue Ribbon Comics, at Auction

Published Sat, 14 May 2022 23:03:11 -0500

Mr. Justice is a superhero from Blue Ribbon Comics who first appeared in issue #9, cover-dated February 1941. The character may not be the best known of the pre-Archie MLJ Magazines superheroes, but he is definitely one of the most fascinating. Created by writer Joe Blair and artist Sam Cooper, Mr. Justice was very obviously MLJ's answer to the Spectre. He is essentially a spirit who hauntingly enacts justice on those who have wronged others. He has the ability to assume mortal human form at will and often does so in order to fight corruption and oppression in the modern world. An underappreciated Golden Age character in the mold of the Spectre, there are several issues of Blue Ribbon Comics with some of the most popular Mr. Justice covers up for auction at the 2022 May 15-16 Sunday & Monday Comic Books Select Auction #122220 at Heritage Auctions.

Blue Ribbon Comics #10 featuring Mr. Justice (MLJ, 1941)

In reality, Mr. Justice was Prince James, heir to the throne of England in the 18th century. Via a conspiracy against the Crown, he was murdered in the castle of Solway Firth in Scotland in 1740. At the onset of WWII, the castle was dismantled and sent to America for safekeeping, but the ship carrying it was sunk by a German submarine, setting the spirit of Prince James free in the process. Able to assume human form at will, Prince James decides to fight corruption and oppression in the modern world as Mr. Justice.

Due to the unusual nature of DC Comics' the Spectre, More Fun Comics included a number of stand-out covers featuring the character. MLJ's Blue Ribbon Comics had some outstanding Mr. Justice covers for a similar reason, and there are a few of them up for auction at the 2022 May 15-16 Sunday & Monday Comic Books Select Auction #122220 at Heritage Auctions.