Gotham City’s Hero and A Power Ring Wielder in Wow Comics, at Auction

Fawcett Publications’ Wow Comics series is best known for its regular feature Mary Marvel beginning in Wow Comics #9, but the first eight issues of the series are historically fascinating as well.  The cover star of many of these issues is Mister Scarlett, a fairly typical caped crusader based in Gotham City in these early issues who was created by the legendary Jack Kirby and writer France Herron.  But another regular character in the series, Atom Blake, the Boy Wizard is equally as interesting.  An important and overlooked series, there’s a pair of issues available in Wow Comics #3 (Fawcett Publications, 1941) CGC FN- 5.5 Off-white pages and Wow Comics #7 (Fawcett Publications, 1942) CGC FN- 5.5 Cream to off-white pages up for auction in the 2021 October 31-November 1 Sunday & Monday Comic Books Select Auction #122144 at Heritage Auctions.

Mister Scarlet is described as “an underworld legend, a myth who strikes with merciless reality and brings justice to those who escape the law through its legal loopholes” and has some obvious inspirations among previous urban vigilantes from pulps and comics including Batman, Atom Blake appears to draw some inspiration from another DC Comics character — the Green Lantern.  Atom gets his Dr Manhattan-like array of god-like powers from his father’s experiments in exposing him to radiation in order to make him super-human.  The story presents a fairly deep dive into the notion of atomic energy for a comic book of this era, and he may be the first character of this type.  But that’s only half of the story.  Only by wielding a special metal formed into a ring can Atom Blake fully unlock his powers.  An inscription on the ring reads, “If the man in need or by evil oppressed can this message read, I will grant his request.”

Wow Comics is an underappreciated series full of fascinating characters, there’s a Wow Comics #3 (Fawcett Publications, 1941) CGC FN- 5.5 Off-white pages and Wow Comics #7 (Fawcett Publications, 1942) CGC FN- 5.5 Cream to off-white pages up for auction in the 2021 October 31-November 1 Sunday & Monday Comic Books Select Auction #122144 at Heritage Auctions.

Wow Comics #3 (Fawcett Publications, 1941) CGC FN- 5.5 Off-white pages. Mr. Scarlet cover. James Wilcox art. Overstreet 2021 FN 6.0 value = $330. CGC census 10/21: 4 in 5.5, 13 higher.

View the certification for CGC Certification ID 1561611008 and purchase grader’s notes if available.

Wow Comics #7 (Fawcett Publications, 1942) CGC FN- 5.5 Cream to off-white pages. Commando Yank, Phantom Eagle, and Mr. Scarlet and Pinky appearances. Dave Berg story and art. Overstreet 2021 FN 6.0 value = $174. CGC census 10/21: 2 in 5.5, 8 higher.

View the certification for CGC Certification ID 1040596001 and purchase grader’s notes if available.