Posted in: Comics, Heritage Sponsored, Vintage Paper | Tagged: arrow, centaur

The Arrow's Cover Debut, Funny Pages V3 #7 Up for Auction

Considered the first post-Superman costumed superhero, The Arrow got his first cover on Funny Pages V3 #7 in 1939.

Published Thu, 18 Sep 2025 12:17:04 -0500

Article Summary

The Arrow is recognized as the first archer superhero and debuted soon after Superman in Funny Pages V2#10 (1938).
Paul Gustavson created The Arrow, with credits also including Fantom of the Fair, Man of War, and The Angel.
The Arrow’s cover debut in Funny Pages V3#7 (1939) marked a key moment in Golden Age superhero history.
The Arrow’s early stories showcase a mysterious alter ego, evolving origins, and a distinct pulp-inspired style.

Widely considered the first costumed comic book hero to appear after Superman and comics' first archer superhero, The Arrow was the creation of Paul Gustavson, whose other early Golden Age credits include Fantom of the Fair and Man of War for Centaur, The Angel beginning in Marvel Comics #1, and humor strips for DC Comics in Action Comics #5-9 and Batman #1. The Arrow debuted in Funny Pages V2#10 (Centaur, 1938), and became a cover-featured mainstay of that title, as well as getting his own brief series. Gustavson provides an iconic cover for the Arrow's star turn on Funny Pages V3#7 (Centaur, 1939), and there's a very solid CGC VG 4.0 Off-white pages copy up for auction in the 2025 September 18 Golden Age Comics Century Showcase Auction II at Heritage Auctions.

Hitting newsstands less than three months after Superman's debut in Action Comics #1, Funny Pages v2 #10 arguably established The Arrow as the comic book version of the pulp-style man of mystery months before Batman's arrival in comics in Detective Comics #27. The character used his skill, investigative prowess, and ability to make villains fear him (via taunting messages delivered via arrow, and his cloaked appearance) to defeat criminals. The mystery of The Arrow's alter ego begins to be revealed in Funny Pages #38, as a former colleague of his reaches out to the man (still unnamed, and his face not shown) he knows must be The Arrow for help solving the murder of his father. Funny Pages v4 #4 later drops another piece of the puzzle, as The Arrow's face is revealed, as is his role in military intelligence.

The year 1939 is one of the most important moments in the history of the development of the superhero, and The Arrow is an underappreciated part of that moment. There are only 18 Universal unrestored copies of this issue on the CGC census, and it's been at least five years since a copy graded higher than this CGC VG 4.0 Off-white pages copy has sold at public auction. This interesting little moment from 1939 is up for auction in the 2025 September 18 Golden Age Comics Century Showcase Auction II at Heritage Auctions.