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Wizard & the Shield vs the Soviets in Top-Notch Comics 5-7, at Auction

Marvel Mystery Comics #8-10 is an historic crossover event, but Top-Notch Comics #5-7 with Wizard & Shield hit newsstands at the same time.

Published Tue, 02 May 2023 14:48:11 -0500

by Mark Seifert

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The legendary Marvel Mystery Comics #9 is lauded by historians and collectors as the first true superhero crossover event in comic books, with the complete saga actually taking place in Marvel Mystery Comics #8-10. But the Wizard and the Shield teaming up in the 3-part "Moscovian" saga can stake a claim in this area as well. Amidst the pages of Top-Notch Comics #5-7, readers were treated to a spectacular interwoven storyline that saw the American heroes taking on what was an obvious stand-in for the Soviet Union that was attempting to invade America. These significant issues and many other Top-Notch Comics are available during the 2023 May 4 The MLJ Heroes Showcase Auction #40222.

In Top-Notch Comics #5, the Wizard and the Shield determine that their combined efforts would be crucial in the fight against the Moscovians, a thinly veiled portrayal of the Soviet Union in the wake of its cooperation with Nazi Germany in the early moments of World War II. Top-Notch Comics #5 hit newsstands about a month before Marvel Mystery Comics #8, but it contains what might be described as slightly more than a cameo by the Shield, as the Wizard seeks the FBI's help from J. Edgar Hoover, and finds the Shield already there. Together, they quickly decide to split up what Soviet threats they will each handle.

The Shield doesn't appear in Top-Notch Comics #6, as the Wizard counters a number of Soviet plots on his own. But as the Soviets prepare for a final invasion of America, the Shield once again enters the fray in Top-Notch Comics #7 to help the Wizard stop them once and for all. This issue should've hit the newsstands before Marvel Mystery Comics #9, but copyright records indicate that the schedule slipped and issue #7 actually hit newsstands a month late. As it stands, the Shield-Wizard Comics series was launched about two weeks after the crossover saga between these two characters concluded.

While the absence of the Shield from the middle part of the storyline muddies the waters a bit on which crossover saga came first between Human Torch/Submariner and Wizard/Shield, the fact that they were both ongoing on the newsstands at the same time would seem to be a signal that such events were a sign of things to come in comic books.

This saga was drawn by Edd Ashe, and includes some great covers by Ashe as well. His cover art for Top-Notch Comics #5 has long been considered a classic, but you can get that issue and many other Top-Notch Comics are available during the 2023 May 4 The MLJ Heroes Showcase Auction #40222. For those new to bidding at Heritage Auctions, it's advisable to consult the auction house's FAQ section to familiarize yourself with the bidding process and auction event details.