Posted in: Comics, Heritage Sponsored, Vintage Paper | Tagged: fiction house, Fight Comics

Women Go to War in Fiction House's Fight Comics, Up for Auction

The female heroes fighting World War II in Fight Comics from Fiction House share a historical legacy with Wonder Woman.

Published Tue, 17 Oct 2023 15:20:08 -0500

Last updated Tue, 17 Oct 2023 15:34:36 -0500

If you've ever wondered why the publisher of jungle heroine Sheena also featured so many other female heroes, there's a fascinating reason behind it — and it's related to Wonder Woman. It's fairly well-known that Wonder Woman's creation was heavily influenced by Olive Byrne, the polyamorous life partner of William Moulton Marston and Elizabeth Holloway. It's somewhat less known that Olive Byrne's mother and aunt, Ethel Byrne and Margaret Sanger, were historically important Progressive Era feminists. But this legacy almost certainly influenced the genesis of far more comic books than those featuring Wonder Woman, particularly comics published by Fiction House. There are a number of these comic books, 38 issues of the 86-issue Fight Comics series, up for auction in the 2023 October 19 The Fiction House Comics & Comic Art Showcase Auction #40235 at Heritage Auctions.

What's the connection between Wonder Woman and women like Tiger Girl and Seniorita Rio in Fight Comics? It comes by way of its publisher Fiction House, where Olive Byrne's brother Jack Byrne was an editor, as Jill Lepore explained in The Secret History of Wonder Woman:

At Fiction House, Olive Burne's brother Jack started printing comics too, beginning with Jumbo Comics in September 1938. Its inaugural issue included a character created the year before in London by Will Eisner and S.M. Iger: Sheena, Queen of the Jungle, a female Tarzan. Jack Byrne's Fiction House became known for its powerful, invincible female heroes. At a time when many publishers had no women artists, Fiction House employed more than twenty.

Of course, this series is also highly sought-after by collectors due to its spectacular covers by Joe Doolin among others, and interior art by Matt Baker, Alex Blum, Lilly Renee and many more. Historically important comics that are always in demand by collectors, 38 issues of the 86-issue Fight Comics series are up for auction in the 2023 October 19 The Fiction House Comics & Comic Art Showcase Auction #40235 at Heritage Auctions.