Whiz Comics Archives

Whiz Comics #10 (Fawcett Publications, 1940)
Years before the dreaded German  V-1 influenced several comic book robot planes, Whiz Comics #10 provided us with another fascinating example of this trend The cover story of this issue centers around an "aerial torpedo" — essentially a rudimentary drone by that era — being developed by the U.S Navy, and stolen by Sivana via[...]
Whiz Comics #155 (Fawcett Publications, 1953).
Whiz Comics #155 is the beginning of the end of an important chapter in American comic book history.  The Fawcett Publications title had launched one of the most important and successful characters of the Golden Age 13 years earlier with the debut of Captain Marvel in Whiz Comics #2, and its end presaged the closure[...]
Whiz Comics #4 (Fawcett Publications, 1940)
Whiz Comics #4 was published during a tense time in both American and world history, to put it mildly.  This May 1940 cover-dated issue hit American newsstands around March 27, 1940 according to Library of Congress copyright data, with the planet marching steadily towards World War II and the United States presidential election in full[...]
Whiz Comics 3 (#2) (Fawcett Publications, 1940)
Early issues of Whiz Comics were published during a tense time in both American and world history, to put it mildly.  With the first several issues of the hit newsstands with the planet marching steadily towards World War II and the United States presidential election in full swing.  The Captain Marvel stories here by Bill[...]
Captain Marvel Catches A Flight At Heritage Auctions Today
In my shop, we have been selling Whiz Comics back issues at a brisker pace than we have in years In fact, Whiz Comics #7 is a book we have sold three copies of in the last couple weeks This raw copy, taking bids at Heritage Auctions today, is nicer than any of them Right[...]
Captain Marvel, Or Shazam, Fights Ugly Lizard At Heritage Auctions
Captain Marvel's appearances in Whiz Comics are no stranger to these auction posts, as we have written about some cool books that have sold over the years But this on #154, this cover by Kurt Schaffenberger makes me super uncomfortable Something about that weird lizard creature with Sivana's head gives me the willies — and[...]
Captain Marvel Graces Whiz Comics With  Appearance At Heritage
This issue of Whiz Comics is a great example of that More interesting is the numbering for this issue The cover features no number, but the inside of the comic in the indicia claims that it is issue number three of the book, but it was the second one published.  While there is no known[...]
Whiz Comics #7 (Fawcett Publications, 1940)
There's a line from the recent trailer for the Black Adam movie that has Hawkman telling Black Adam that, "Heroes don't kill."  Black Adam's only response is, "Well, I do."  And really, killing was actually not so uncommon for the Golden Age heroes, at least in their earlier days.  Superman certainly killed his enemies sometimes,[...]
Whiz Comics #58 From The Promise Collection Taking Bids At Heritage
Whiz Comics #58 features one of my favorite Captain Marvel covers of all time There is just something so iconic and reassuring seeing him all iconic on this cover C.C Beck is a favorite of mine; imagine walking into a drug store and seeing this book on the rack back in the day That this[...]
Whiz Comics #1
Whiz Comics #1 is the first appearance of Captain Marvel, these days known as Shazam!, created by C.C Beck and Billy Parker from 1940 With under a hundred copies in any condition slabbed by CGC, a copy up for auction today from ComicConnect will naturally get a little attention They say "This copy earned an[...]
Whiz Comics #3 (Fawcett Publications, 1940)
There's a general impression that the character we now call Shazam but was created as Captain Marvel was sort of a kinder, gentler version of Superman — particularly in the Golden Age.  But I think that's not quite right, at least as far as the earliest issues of Whiz Comics are concerned.  It might be[...]
Whiz Comics #12 (Fawcett Publications, 1941)
There's a general impression that the character we now call Shazam but was created as Captain Marvel was sort of a kinder, gentler version of Superman — particularly in the Golden Age.  But I think that's not quite right, at least as far as the earliest issues of Whiz Comics are concerned.  It might be[...]
Detective Comics #44 from the Promise Collection, DC Comics, 1940.
He believes in the power of witches, omens, and the protecting properties of amulets, talismans and charms, and when searched at the police office there are usually found in his pocket or concealed about his person bits of coal, rusty horseshoe nails, lucky stones and rings."  Becoming a bat seems an appropriate reaction to such[...]
Captain Marvel, Legion X and the Civil War
Enterprises publisher Myron Fass and Marvel Comics owner Martin Goodman. Before any of those other Captain Marvels, there was the one from Fawcett who debuted in late 1939 in the pages of Whiz Comics #2 (#1) (yes, it's complicated), and many will tell you that this character is the original Captain Marvel. But there is another Captain[...]
Silver for Timely's Golden Age and Gold for Marvel's Silver Age
The birth of Jerry Siegel and  Joe Shuster's Superman in Action Comics #1 laid the foundation for a formula that was emulated often in the Golden Age, and during the many decades that followed. In 1939, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics for National, Captain Marvel debuted in Whiz Comics for Fawcett Publications and Timely unleashed[...]