Posted in: Comics, Heritage Sponsored, Vintage Paper | Tagged: fox features syndicate, victor fox, Wonderworld Comics

The Super-Science and Superheroics of Wonderworld Comics, at Auction

Wonderworld Comics is a historically important title of the early Golden Age featuring work from Lou Fine, Will Eisner, Jack Cole and more.

In a moment that triggered one of the most important sequences of events in American comic book publishing history, the Wonderworld Comics title was launched as Wonder Comics #1 on March 17, 1939.  Its publisher Victor Fox was sued by DC Comics virtually the instant his debut issue hit the newsstands, "for infringement of copyright on plaintiff's comic strip called 'The Superman' by defendants' comic strip called 'The Wonderman.'"  On April 7, 1939, District John Munro Woolsey found that Wonderman did infringe on DC Comics copyrights, and although Victor Fox would appeal this decision, he was not the kind of man to let a little legal scuffle slow him down. Fox continued to expand his comics empire rapidly in the meantime, and Wonder Comics, soon to be renamed Wonderworld Comics, remained one of his cornerstone titles — featuring a new superhero called the Flame instead of Wonderman.  There are a number of issues of this tough-to-get Wonderworld Comics series up for auction in the 2024 September 26 – 27 Heroes of the Golden Age Comics Showcase Auction #40265 at Heritage Auctions.

Given Fox's reputation, it is often assumed that the Flame is little more than a Human Torch rip-off, but… yes and no.  The character first appeared in Wonderworld Comics #3, months in advance of the Human Torch's debut in Marvel Comics #1.  However, his Flame-based powers were limited to being able to sort of materialize himself within a flame in his initial appearances.  It's not until Wonderworld Comics #11 — which appears a few months after Marvel Comics #1 — that the character's flame-control abilities become more defined with an origin reboot moment.  The Flame #1 expands upon that origin a little more.

In Wonderworld Comics #11, a few months after the debut of the Human Torch in Marvel Comics #1, the Flame's origin is told for the first time.  It was a not uncommon type of saga in which he ends up in a Buddhist monastery as a child and learns ways of advanced science, magic, and physical combat — and most importantly, control over flame. The Flame #1 expands upon that origin a little more.

That control over flame is seemingly demonstrated for the first time in Wonderworld Comics #14, where he exhibits one of his go-to moves of this period, shooting a stream of flame from his gun and then walking on that stream to get where he needs to go.  Eventually, without further explanation in Wonderworld #22 and The Flame #4, he is shown being able to spontaneously burst into flame himself, which allows him to fly.

Nevertheless, throughout its lifespan, like many Fox characters the Flame combined superheroics, super-science, and sometimes horror to great effect.  The spectacular "Atomic Generator" story in Wonderworld Comics #8 is a great example of the character at its best.  It dramatizes the impact that unleashing atomic energy would have on the world well in advance of such stories becoming commonplace in the wake of the first uses of the atomic bomb.

Wonderworld Comics is a highly sought-after series with a number of classic Lou Fine covers, and the competition to get them is fierce.  A historically important title, there's a chance to get a number of issues of this tough-to-get Wonderworld Comics series up for auction in the 2021 October 31-November 1 Sunday & Monday Comic Books Select Auction #122144 at Heritage Auctions.

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