Posted in: Comics, Heritage Sponsored, Vintage Paper | Tagged: Bob Montana, MLJ, Pep Comics

The Golden Age Notoriety of MLJ's Pep Comics #32, Up for Auction

Known for its Bob Montana cover and an early Archie appearance also by Montana in this issue, Pep Comics #32 is a classic example of the comics of its era.

MLJ's Pep Comics was locked in on the war themes of its era before most other comic book titles.   Pep Comics #1 debuted the Shield in early 1940, America's first patriotic hero and an iconic figure who would be the first among the likes of Captain America and countless others to follow.  As America's entry into the war became increasingly likely in late 1941 (and inevitable after Pearl Harbor), Pep Comics turned up the heat on its war era themes.  The cover of Pep Comics #20 has become one of the most iconic symbols of the comic books of that era, and it is not the only issue of the series that is highly sought-after by collectors for that reason.  For example, Pep Comics #32 features a trifecta of Golden Age collecting themes on its Bob Montana cover: bondage, a Nazi getting punched, and war-era superhero action. And on the inside is a gruesome decapitation splash page so infamous it was later used as a cover. All this plus an early Archie appearance, and for the serious Golden Age collector, you might never have another chance at a copy as nice as this CGC VF+ 8.5 Off-white to white pages copy of Pep Comics #32 (MLJ, 1942) that's up for auction in the 2025 October 16 Golden Age Comics Century Showcase Auction III at Heritage Auctions.

The lead story in Pep Comics #32, "The Hun," is an almost real-time reflection of the very real threat coming to America's shores in the summer of 1942.  As we've seen recently in another comic book from this specific time frame, the debut of Kid Eternity in Hit Comics #25, this plot featuring a Nazi U-boat sinking ships off the coast of Maine and coordinating with a secret onshore radio station, is a clear reflection of Operation Drumbeat. This German naval offensive, raged along the U.S. East Coast from January to August 1942. During this period, German submarines sank hundreds of Allied merchant ships, often within sight of American shores, creating widespread public fear.

While this issue is widely noted as a costume change for the Shield, it's a relatively minor update, which gives him a pair of blue trunks instead of having the stripes on his chest extend all the way down to that area — definitely a visual improvement.  But perhaps the most noteworthy development for the character is a tacit acknowledgement on the inside front cover editorial, presumably written by editor Harry Shorten, that they had de-powered the Shield to make him more identifiable for the readers in a saga running through Pep Comics #29-30: "Several fellows and girls who've read about the loss of my super-powers have written in asking how it happened, and why it happened. My answer is — that it just happened. Apparently, my father's formula suddenly wore off; and you can bet I was as shocked when it occurred as you were when you heard about it.

Pep Comics #32 is also the first issue from the publisher to feature MLJ logo on its cover. There are only 25 Universal copies of this issue on the CGC census, and only three copies graded higher than this CGC 8.5. A  high grade copy of an in-demand issue from the heart of the Golden Age, this CGC VF+ 8.5 Off-white to white pages copy of Pep Comics #32 (MLJ, 1942)is up for auction in the 2025 October 16 Golden Age Comics Century Showcase Auction III at Heritage Auctions.

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