Posted in: Comics, Heritage Sponsored, Vintage Paper | Tagged: Ace Periodicals

Supervillain The Clown in Four Favorites and Super-Mystery, at Auction

Often compared to the Joker because of his appearance, the Clown was more like a combo of Joker and the Red Skull with a dash of Lex Luthor.

One of the highest-profile supervillains of the Golden Age outside of Marvel and DC Comics, the Clown made 22 appearances in Ace Periodicals comic book line across Super-Mystery Comics and Four Favorites.  Often considered to have been inspired by DC Comics' Joker who debuted in Batman #1, the Clown first appeared in Super-Mystery Comics #5, which hit newsstands about six months later.  An underappreciated supervillain of the Golden Age, there are several Ace Periodicals comic books featuring the Clown and more up for auction in the 2024 July 21-23 Sunday, Monday & Tuesday Comic Books Select Auction #122430 at Heritage Auctions.

While often compared to the Joker due to his appearance, the Clown was sort of a combination of both the Joker and the Red Skull, with perhaps a dash of Lex Luthor.  He seemed to have vague connections to Nazis with the general aim of causing mayhem and mass murder in America.  His range of abilities was fluid and largely technology-based, most prominently a "degravitating solvent," which essentially enabled him to fly.

As for Magno, if you're familiar with the Marvel character Magneto, Magno the Magnetic Man is exactly what you expect.  As explained in his debut in Super-Mystery Comics #1: "Seldom has the world seen anything so strange as the powers possessed by Magno — the Magnetic Man.  Mysterious and mighty, Magno is able to draw to himself anything of metal. In addition, he can hurl himself through space, attracted by anything metallic. With such powers, Magno could rule the world. Instead, he chooses to devote his life to fighting evil of all kinds."

According to a lawsuit over the creation of Ace Periodicals comic books during this era, Magno and the rest of the material in the early issues of Super-Mystery Comics including the Clown's debut in issue #5, was the creation of a comic production studio run by Patrick Lamar. GCD credits Jim Mooney with the artwork of that story with script by an unknown writer.

The Ace comic book line's highest profile supervillain, the Clown appeared frequently 1940-1945, always against Magno and Davey.  The Golden Age's second best known clown prince of crime, there are several Ace Periodicals comic books featuring the Clown and more up for auction in the 2024 July 21-23 Sunday, Monday & Tuesday Comic Books Select Auction #122430 at Heritage Auctions.

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