Volume: 1
Price: 0.10 USD
Pages: 68
On-sale Date: 1940-01-15
Editing: Martin Goodman (editor)
Cover Thumbnail for Mystic Comics (Marvel, 1940 series) #1 Edit Cover
Cover Gallery 

[no title indexed]
(Table of Contents)

Blue Blaze / cover / 1 page

Pencils:
Inks:
Colors:
?
Letters:
?
    Genre:superhero
  • First Line of Dialogue or Text:It was a million to one against the Blue Blaze
Characters:
Reprints (2)

Issue Data

Indexer Notes

MYSTIC COMICS published monthly by Timely Publications at 330 West 42nd St. New York City. Application for second class matter pending at the Post Office at New York, N. Y. under the Act of March 3, 1879. Yearly subscription in U. S. $1.00 . Vol. 1 No. 1.
Entire contents copyright 1940 by Timely Publications.
Printed in U.S.A.

The majority of the stories in this issue appear to come from the Chesler shop, but several appear to have been freelance or are from unclear sources. The next two issues of this series, however, are all or almost all Chesler.

Art spotting as noted in the Masterworks credits unless otherwise noted. The Masterworks credits Newt Alfred as Alfred Newton based on biographical information that has since been called into question on the Timely Atlas list.

On sale date from the publication date found at the Catalog of Copyright Entries, Part 2, Periodicals, New Series, Volume 35, January-December 1940, Numbers 1-4. Class B periodical. Copyright number B 443083.

[no title indexed]
(Expand) / (Table of Contents: 1)

60 Power Telescope / advertisement / 1 page

[Introducing Flexo the Rubber Man]
(Table of Contents: 2)

Flexo the Rubber Man / comic story / 8 pages

Script:
Will Harr (signed)
Pencils:
Jack Binder (signed)
Inks:
Jack Binder (signed)
Colors:
?
Letters:
?
    Genre:superhero; science fiction
Characters:
Flexo the Rubber Man (introduction); Dr. Joel Williams (introduction); Dr. Joshua Williams (introduction); Dr. Beezle (villain); Dr. Murdo (villain, mad scientist)
Synopsis:
Brothers Joel and Joshua Williams use their creation Flexo for the first time to thwart a mad scientist who tries to steal radium from a hospital.
Reprints (2)

Indexer Notes

The blurb at the end of the story invites the reader to follow Flexo's adventures in the next issue of Daring Comics (note title mismatch - the feature remains in Mystic Comics).

Michael Vassallo, Jim Vadeboncoeur, Jr. and Hames Ware believe that E.C. Stoner may have assisted Binder on this, probably on inks and not pencils.

From the Chesler Shop.

[The Origin of the Blue Blaze]
(Table of Contents: 3)

Blue Blaze / comic story / 10 pages

Script:
Pencils:
Inks:
Colors:
?
Letters:
?
    Genre:superhero
Characters:
Dr. Keen (introduction, death); Butch (villain); "Killer" Skehan (villain); Professor Maluski (villain, death)
Synopsis:
Spencer Keen gains strength and durability after a death-like hibernation caused by a mysterious blue blaze his father had been studying. Having apparently died in 1852, he revives in 1940 and thwarts a mad scientist who intended to take over the world with an army of mind-controlled corpses.
Reprints (2)

Indexer Notes

Contrary to various other published theories including Who's Who and the Masterworks, "Harry / Douglas" was an editor/artist named Harry Douglas, as confirmed by Michael J. Vassallo upon interviewing Harry Douglas, Jr. after the younger Douglas contacted the author of this blog post: http://monomythic.wordpress.com/2009/08/17/marvel-mystery-monday-stuporman-the-man-of-the-day-after-tomorrow/

Probably Chesler Shop material, as Who's Who lists a "Harry Douglas" as possibly a member of that shop c. 1939-40, independent of its other theories about the "Harry / Douglas" signature.

[Journey to Cygni]
(Table of Contents: 4)

Zephyr Jones / comic story / 10 pages

Script:
Joe Cal Cagno (signed)
Pencils:
Fred Schwartz (signed)
Inks:
Fred Schwartz (signed)
Colors:
?
Letters:
?
    Genre:science fiction
Characters:
Corky Grogan; Professor Reagan Lexico [the Mad Astronomer] (introduction); Tasi Lexico (introduction, the Professor's daughter); The Cygnian Dwarfs (villains, introduction for all, all die?)
Synopsis:
Zephyr and Corky try again to reach Mars but are forced by a stowaway professor and his daughter to journey to the star Cygni instead.
Reprints (1)

Indexer Notes

Last appearance. Last appeared in Daring Mystery Comics (Marvel, 1940 series) #2. Strip was titled "Zephyr Jones and His Rocket-Ship".

Not enough is known about Schwartz to place the origin of this feature. Cal Cagno was on staff at Timely eventually, and possibly already at this point. He had been at Chesler in 1937 according to Jerry Bails' Who's Who, but this feature lacks the typical thick panel borders of Chesler work.
Probably in-house / freelance work.

[The Green Terror]
(Table of Contents: 5)

The 3 X's / comic story / 8 pages

Script:
Robert Erisman (signed as ROE)
Pencils:
Inks:
Colors:
?
Letters:
?
    Genre:adventure
Characters:
The Three X's
Maisie Leeds; Carol Carson; Ted Barry (Carol's fiancee); un-named Commissioner; the Green Terror and his thugs (villains, introduction for all)
Synopsis:
The Green Terror, a mysterious organization, is kidnapping young, healthy men and women.
Reprints (1)

Indexer Notes

Newt Alfred was at Chesler but this lacks the typical thick borders of Chesler Shop work (including other Alfred work for that shop). Erisman was from Goodman's pulp organization.

1X does the detecting for the team, 2X is a walking encyclopedia, and 3X is the strong arm.

Tough Hombre
(Table of Contents: 6)

text story / 2 pages

Script:
Leo Stalraker (credited)
Pencils:
Inks:
Colors:
?
Letters:
typeset
    Genre:western-frontier
  • First Line of Dialogue or Text:She reined her dusty horse close to the board walk where I stood, and I knew what she wanted before she spoke.
Characters:
Tex Carr; Stella (Tex's fiancee); Tim (older cowhand in love with Stella); Bat Butler
Synopsis:
Disressed because Stella prefers Tex to him, a cattle foreman decides to do nothing and allow a heated gunfight occur between the slower-on-the-draw Tex and Bat Butler.
Reprints (1)

Indexer Notes

Art spotting by Dr. Michael J. Vassallo. According to Edgar Loftin, both Bjorklund and Stalnaker worked more in pulps than comics, leading to speculation that this text piece may even have been bought for one of Goodman's pulp magazines originally.

The Deep Sea Demon
(Table of Contents: 7)

Dave Dean / comic story / 6 pages

Script:
Norman Daniels (signed in the original printing)
Pencils:
Inks:
Colors:
?
Letters:
    Genre:adventure
Characters:
Janet [aka Jane]; Shorty; Wing Po (rival of Dean); Philip (villain)
Synopsis:
Dave Dean searches for pearls but finds a mysterious demon guarding the waters.
Reprints (2)

Indexer Notes

Art credits suggested by Jerry Bails's Who's Who (listed under "Deep Sea Demon" rather than "Dave Dean").

Letterer credit by Craig Delich 2012-2-17.

First published by the Harry "A" Chesler-edited Ultem Publications, Inc., this was reprinted twice by Centaur after it bought out Ultem before being reprinted a third time here.

The Blooded Ruby of Chung
(Table of Contents: 8)

Dakor the Magician / comic story / 8 pages

Script:
?
Pencils:
?
Inks:
?
Colors:
?
Letters:
?
    Genre:adventure
Characters:
Williams (introduction, Dakor's assistant); John Hargate (death); George Hargate (millionaire banker, father of John); Tom Denver [aka Smith] (villain, death); The Tuaregs (villains, enemies of the Foreign Legion, some die)
Synopsis:
For a fee of $50,000, Dakor locates a sacred ruby stolen from a banker and returns it to the idol from which it originally came.
Reprints (1)

Indexer Notes

Chesler Shop material.

[The Origin of Dynamic Man]
(Table of Contents: 9)

Dynamic Man / comic story / 11 pages

Script:
?
Pencils:
Daniel Peters (signed)
Inks:
Daniel Peters (signed)
Colors:
?
Letters:
?
    Genre:superhero
Characters:
Professor Goettler (introduction, death); Chief Hopkins (introduction); King Bascom (villain, millionaire banker)
Synopsis:
Professor Goettler creates Dynamic Man, a perfect man, but dies of a heart attack as his creation is born. Taking the name Curt Cowan, Dynamic Man becomes an F.B.I. agent in his civilian identity and uses his position to find crime to fight as a superhero.
Reprints (2)

Indexer Notes

While the name "Dynamic Man" is strongly associated with Chesler, and the stories in issues #2 and #3 were produced by Chesler personnel, this story lacks the characteristic thick panel borders. Almost nothing is known about Daniel Peters, so his signature does not help place the source of the feature.

Probably not from the Chesler Shop, but the actual origin is unknown.

Read the Cartoon-Strip Magazines of Tomorrow -- Today!
(Expand) / (Table of Contents: 10)

Marvel Mystery Comics; Daring Mystery Comics / promo (ad from the publisher) / 1 page

Pick Your Prize
(Expand) / (Table of Contents: 11)

Lancaster County Seeds / advertisement / 1 page

Amazing New One-Man Shop
(Expand) / (Table of Contents: 12)

Little Man Printing Press / advertisement / 1 page

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Tracked in 11 collections.
Issue at my.comics.org
View Change History
Table of Contents ToC
    Table of Contents
  1. ["It was a million to one against the Blue Blaze"]
    Blue Blaze
  2. ["Conquer Space, Explore the Universe with this Magic Eye 60 Power Telescope"]
    60 Power Telescope
  3. [Introducing Flexo the Rubber Man]
    Flexo the Rubber Man
  4. [The Origin of the Blue Blaze]
    Blue Blaze
  5. [Journey to Cygni]
    Zephyr Jones
  6. [The Green Terror]
    The 3 X's
  7. Tough Hombre
  8. The Deep Sea Demon
    Dave Dean
  9. The Blooded Ruby of Chung
    Dakor the Magician
  10. [The Origin of Dynamic Man]
    Dynamic Man
  11. Read the Cartoon-Strip Magazines of Tomorrow -- Today!
    Marvel Mystery Comics; Daring Mystery Comics
  12. Pick Your Prize
    Lancaster County Seeds
  13. Amazing New One-Man Shop
    Little Man Printing Press
Related Links
Issue was modified by, among others
  • mcomics
  • Hrayr Abazyan
  • Henry Andrews
  • Ray Bottorff Jr
  • Mark Bowen
  • Peter Croome
  • Craig Delich
  • Katy Hayhurst
  • Stanley Krute
  • Clint Maxwell
  • Tony R. Rose
  • Jim Van Dore
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