Posted in: Comics, Heritage Sponsored, Vintage Paper | Tagged: golden age, hugo gernsback

The Obscure Debut of Lady Fairplay in Bang-Up Comics #1, at Auction

Bang-Up Comics #1's Lady Fairplay, had "unlimited energetic powers" making her "goddess of chastisement and dreaded foe of the underworld."

Hitting newsstands around the same time that All-Star Comics #8 gave the world its first look at Wonder Woman, Bang-Up Comics #1 debuted another female superhero who unfortunately would not achieve the Amazon's popularity or longevity.  But Bang-Up Comics' Lady Fairplay is still an underappreciated and unusual character in a series full of such forgotten mysteries.  Released in 1941 from the publisher of Science and Mechanics, this issue also features the cosmic-ray powered Cosmo Mann, and the shrinking-ray afflicted Buzz Balmer, and there's a Bang-Up Comics #1 (Progressive Publishers, 1941) CGC VF- 7.5 Off-white pages copy of this obscure gem up for auction in the 2024 May 30 Adventures in the Golden Age Comics Showcase Auction #40261 at Heritage Auctions.

Bang-Up Comics was launched by publishing industry veteran and Science and Mechanics editor and publisher Virgil D. Angerman. Angerman had acquired the title from Hugo Gernsback in 1937 after publishing experience that included a five-year stint at Popular Mechanics. He published the short-lived Bang-Up Comics title from the same Chicago address as the Science and Mechanics editorial offices. Curtis Publishing Company acquired a majority interest in Science and Mechanics in 1954, with Angerman staying on as editor until selling out entirely in 1959.

Angerman largely tapped into that city's significant cartoonist and artist scene for the contents of his new comic book.  Chicago was the home of major syndicates and newspapers with significant art staff at that time. Except for two short humor contributions from comic book industry pioneer Vin Sullivan, most of the contributors to Bang-Up Comics were Chicago-area cartoonists. These included John Olsen, Rick Yager, Martin Garrity, Edward M. Moore, Ken Ernst, and Jack Ryan. Yager, in particular, is an underappreciated name on this list, as he became a highly influential science fiction comic artist due to his 25-year stint on the Buck Rogers newspaper strip 1933-1958.  Ryan had been an assistant to Norman Marsh on Dan Dunn and would become an assistant to Chester Gould on Dick Tracy.

Perhaps in keeping with Angerman's area of experience, several of the Bang-Up Comics #1 features were science fiction. Cosmo Mann's Sun Ray Gun, seemingly powered by cosmic radiation, could destroy virtually any material. Rick Yager's Buzz Balmer was accidentally shrunk to a height of only a few inches by his scientist father's "Minus Ray." Perhaps the highlight of the series, Jack Ryan's Lady Fairplay was an ordinary school teacher transformed by a scientist's experiments into a superwoman with great strength, speed and durability.

A caption on the title page of the Lady Fairplay feature gives us everything we know about her origin:  "At the request of the brilliant scientist, Professor Amazo, Mary Lee, modest young school teacher, undergoes an experiment which transforms her into a slim, beautiful creature with unlimited energetic powers. Seeking an outlet for these unnatural changes, Mary assumes the role of Lady Fairplay, goddess of chastisement and dreaded foe of the underworld."

Lady Fairplay, the goddess of chastisement and dreaded foe of the underworld, would sadly only have two additional appearances beyond this one, in the short lived Bang-Up Comics series.  But you can get her first in Bang-Up Comics #1 (Progressive Publishers, 1941) CGC VF- 7.5 Off-white pages copy up for auction in the 2024 May 30 Adventures in the Golden Age Comics Showcase Auction #40261 at Heritage Auctions.

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