Posted in: Comics, Heritage Sponsored, Vintage Paper | Tagged: Chesler, dr. doom, golden age

The Story Behind Chesler's Dr. Doom in Yankee Comics #1, at Auction

Harry A. Chesler's Golden Age Dr. Doom debuts in and Yankee Comics #1, prior to his cover stardom on Dynamic Comics #11.

While the name "Dr. Doom" is universally associated with the Marvel Comics supervillain and nemesis of the Fantastic Four, the Golden Age of comic books featured the origins of not one, but two characters bearing the same name.  The first Dr. Doom, a super-science supervillain, was introduced in Fox Feature Syndicate's Science Comics #1, intriguing readers with his sinister machinations as the antagonist of his own serial in the title. However, the second Dr. Doom, a heroic mad scientist hailing from Harry A. Chesler's line, rose to Golden Age fame on Gus Ricca's wild and iconic cover of Dynamic Comics #11. This Dr. Doom first appeared in Yankee Comics #1, and there's a very nice CGC 7.0 copy  currently available for bidding in the  2024 August 1 – 2 Rarities of the Golden Age Comics Showcase Auction #40259 at Heritage Auctions. This issue also features the origins of Yankee Doodle Jones, with a classic Charles Sultan cover and George Tuska art on the Enchanted Dagger feature.

The Chesler iteration of Dr. Doom materialized as part of a feature called The Echo. It followed the crime-fighting adventures of two brothers and their sister, who, motivated by the ghost of their murdered father, ventured forth to take on the underworld as revenge. The Echo was a skilled ventriloquist equipped with an invisibility belt crafted by his ingenious sibling — the Dr. Doom named after the family's ancestral estate, Doom Hall.

Yankee Comics #1 also introduced readers to Yankee Doodle Jones and Dandy, two characters obviously inspired by the success of Captain America and Bucky, who first appeared six months prior. However, a chilling twist in the tale sets these characters apart. The super-soldier serum granting Yankee Doodle Jones his exceptional abilities is extracted from the strength of disabled veterans of World War I. Called together by an eminent scientist, a group of veterans must give their lives to create the serum which transforms Yankee Doodle Jones.  These veterans state as they agree to give up their lives, "Willingly, so that from us a protector of the American doctrines shall rise."

This issue has a cover by Charles Sultan, and interior art by Charles Sultan, George Sultan, George Tuska and Bob McCay. Yankee Comics #1 is an underappreciated and just plain strange short Golden Age series from Chesler, there's a very nice CGC 7.0 copy  currently available for bidding in the  2024 August 1 – 2 Rarities of the Golden Age Comics Showcase Auction #40259 at Heritage Auctions.

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