Posted in: Comics, Heritage Sponsored, Vintage Paper | Tagged: Fight Comics, Señorita Rio

Señorita Rio Fighting Fascism (Not Zombies) In 1946

Señorita Rio was both one of the first female and one of the first Latina characters in American comics, published by Fiction House in 1942.

Published Tue, 10 Oct 2023 14:27:08 -0500

by Rich Johnston

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Señorita Rio was both one of the first female and one of the first Latina characters in American comics, created by Nick Cardy and Lily Renee for Fight Comics and published by Fiction House in 1942. She was also the first female character to appear on the cover of the anthology comic – and such was the reaction that she stayed on the cover for the previous all-male-character anthology for two years until she was replaced by Tiger-Girl. Things had changed.

A very slight period piece, Señorita Rio character was a Latin American movie star working in the USA in the late thirties. She was in part by actress Dolores del Río, considered the first female Latin American crossover star in Hollywood in the 1920s and 1930s. The crucial difference here was that, with World War on the way, the American governmnt was employing Señorita Rio as an espionage agent, travelling the world to star in international movies while all the time asking as a spy for the US against the threat of fascism.

A version of Señorita Rio was revived by AC Comics decades later as Rio Rita, following her post-war tales in South America, tracking down escaped Nazi war criminals. She became a member of the AC Comcis team FemForce, and her granddaughter would be in the modern-day version of the team.

A copy of Fight Comics #46 with a Señorita Rio cover by Joe Doolin and story by Bob Lubbers and Matt Baker is up for auction from Heritage right now. Just don't expect any pirate zombies with hooks on the inside; that's just for the cover. Instead, Señorita Rio saves Señor Barrera from the assassin El Chuhilo, who is working for fascist separatists.

Fight Comics #46 (Fiction House, 1946) Condition: VG/FN. Bob Lubbers Señorita Rio cover. Lubbers and Matt Baker art. Has a 1" tear on the front cover, with staining and foxing. Overstreet 2023 VG 4.0 value = $94; FN 6.0 value = $141.