Posted in: Comics, Heritage Sponsored, Vintage Paper | Tagged: golden age, Patsy Walker

The 1945 Debut of the First Patsy Walker Series, Up for Auction

Patsy Walker has one of the most fascinating story arcs in Marvel comics history, from teen humor character to Marvel Universe superhero.

Published Thu, 20 Apr 2023 17:33:09 -0500

by Mark Seifert

Last updated Mon, 24 Apr 2023 08:31:49 -0500

Comments

One of the most important female characters in Marvel comic book history, Patsy Walker was created by Stuart Little and Ruth Atkinson. Atkinson was a writer and artist who is also known for the creation of Millie the Model, while Little was a contributor to Marvel/Timely publisher Martin Goodman's magazine line, and was married to Miss America Magazine editor Bessie Little. Edited by Little and Martin Goodman's wife Jean Goodman, Miss America Magazine was a magazine format publication focusing on teenage girls, which also included comics. The series had debuted as a comic book but transformed into a magazine with issue #2, cover dated November 1944, which introduced Patsy Walker. The character got her own series a few months later, and there's a good looking copy of Patsy Walker #1 (Timely, 1945) CBCS GD/VG 3.0 Off-white pages up for auction in the 2023 April 20 Timeless Good Girl Art Comics Featuring Dan DeCarlo Showcase Auction #40221 at Heritage Auctions.

Patsy Walker quickly achieved a presence in the Marvel line of the Gold and Silver Ages that rivaled that of Millie the Model. Al Jaffee took over the Patsy stories in the series from issue #5, starting a decade-long stretch on the title lasting from 1946 – 1956. The character appeared in numerous other series during the Golden Age, and was included in Miss America (which eventually transformed back into a comic book) for the remainder of its 93-issue run. Meanwhile, the Patsy Walker series itself ran for 124 issues 1945 – 1965. A spinoff series also starring her frenemy Hedy Wolfe, Patsy and Hedy, lasted 152 issues 1952 – 1967, while Patsy and Her Pals ran 29 issues 1953 – 1957. A Date with Patsy and the title Hedy Wolfe both ran for one issue. The short-lived 1954 series Girls' Life, a comic book that included magazine-style features similar to Junior Miss, would last six issues cover-featuring Patsy as well.

And of course, Patsy Walker would transcend her humor series roots. Interestingly, with Patsy Walker #116 in 1964 and thereafter that title and Patsy and Hedy became career-oriented romance/adventure. Patsy, Hedy, and Millie Collins would then enter the Marvel Universe in 1965's Fantastic Four Annual #3, attending Reed and Sue's wedding ceremony. The next year, the annual format Patsy Walker's Fashion Parade #1 would be the last Patsy appearance of the Silver Age.

But unlike Millie, Patsy Walker would eventually lean hard into Marvel's superhero universe. She was introduced into the Beast storyline of Amazing Adventures #13 in 1972, and became Hellcat in Avengers #144 in 1976. The character would be affiliated with both the Avengers and the Defenders at various times and has been a fairly regular part of the Marvel Universe, even hitting the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Trish Walker in Netflix's Jessica Jones and The Defenders. Patsy Walker has one of the most fascinating character arcs in Marvel history, and there's a Patsy Walker #1 (Timely, 1945) CBCS GD/VG 3.0 Off-white pages up for auction in the 2023 April 20 Timeless Good Girl Art Comics Featuring Dan DeCarlo Showcase Auction #40221 at Heritage Auctions.