Posted in: Comics, Heritage Sponsored, Vintage Paper | Tagged: atlas, Christopher Rule, Wendy Parker

The Romantic Comedy of Christopher Rule's Wendy Parker, up for Auction

Wendy Parker Comics was a different sort of romantic comedy at Marvel during its brief 1953-1954 run by artist Christopher Rule.

While the entire comic book industry was drawing fire for material deemed too violent and salacious during the mid-1950s, the Marvel/Atlas series Wendy Parker Comics went in a decidedly different direction.  Wendy Parker Comics was both funny and serious, and longtime Marvel artist Christopher Rule's take on the character helped make her an intriguing blend of romantic comedy and complexity.  An overlooked series deserving of more attention, there are several issues of Wendy Parker Comics up for auction in the 2023 April 20 Timeless Good Girl Art Comics Featuring Dan DeCarlo Showcase Auction #40221 at Heritage Auctions.

Wendy Parker made her debut appearance in Miss America #56, shortly after that series had reverted to comic book format.  The Miss America title launched as a comic book in 1944, and then transformed into a magazine aimed at teen girls that included comic stories.  The series finally became a comic book again in 1953, but retained its more serious tone, and continued to include Wendy Parker backup stories throughout 1953-1954, in addition to featuring Patsy Walker.

As a college student at Tech University, Wendy Parker strives to balance her studies, work, and romantic life, handling concerns about tuition, finding a good job, and even affording a car. She embarks on a six-year plan with her boyfriend Timmy Foster to get married, and her character evolves with her obtaining a job at the construction firm Wallace & Wallace, participating in closing a multi-million dollar contract.  The series featured more mature and serious storylines in comparison to contemporaries such as Millie the Model, Tessie the Typist, and even Patsy Walker, and was essentially a romantic comedy series in comic book form.

Christopher Rule, an artist acclaimed for his work as a children's book illustrator in the 1920s and fashion illustrator by the 1930s, joined the comic book industry in the mid-1940s, initially working for Fawcett via the Binder Studio, according to historian Jerry Bails.  During his longtime association with Marvel, Rule became best known as an inker on a wide variety of material.  As a penciler, Rule generally focused on Marvel's female-led humor and romance titles. With Wendy Parker Comics, Rule showcased his proficiency in both pencils and inks, displaying an aptitude for creating expressive, captivating characters, particularly in the romance genre.

Mid-1950s Marvel/Atlas titles can sometimes be elusive, particularly in anything above very low grade, and judging by the single-digit CGC census numbers across this short-lived series, Wendy Parker Comics is no exception.  For example, the offered CGC-certified copy of issue #5 is only the second copy to be seen at Heritage Auctions.  But you can get several solid issues of Wendy Parker Comics up for auction in the 2023 April 20 Timeless Good Girl Art Comics Featuring Dan DeCarlo Showcase Auction #40221 at Heritage Auctions. For new bidders, take the time to familiarize yourself with Heritage Auctions' FAQ and auction event details before the event to ensure a seamless and enjoyable bidding process.

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