Halfpenny Marvel
Encyclopedia
The Halfpenny Marvel was a story paper of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. For the American comic company, see Marvel comics
s" out of business by producing "pure, healthy literature" at a cheaper price. Begun in 1893, Early issues contained a long, complete tale and as many as three or four shorter ones (of very short length). These short stories would later be replaced by installments of serial stories. An editorial page also appeared in most (but not all) issues, and dealt with upcoming stories as well as providing the reader with interesting facts. In the late 1890s the editorial page was used by "Pimple the orfis boy", providing comic relief with his badly-written tales.
The stories were in the "Boys Own" genre, and often involved travel in foreign lands and the British Empire, often with quite jingoistic
content, even by the standards of the day. Occasional issues featured detective stories, and Volume 1, Issue 6, published in December 1893 introduced Sexton Blake
to the world in a story named 'The Missing Millionaire'. However the character was quickly moved to the Union Jack
and it is there that his character was properly developed. Stories most often stood alone, but occasionally a character would recur in multiple issues, though the stories would be complete in each one.
Early covers were two-colour, often orange and black. However before long only one colour was used on the cover, most often dark blue.
By the late 1890s the paper had been re-named The Marvel, though still cost a halfpenny. In 1904 the paper was re-launched (with a new issue 1) as a one-penny paper, still named The Marvel.
In 2007 the band Half Penny Marvels, from Staten Island
, NY were formed and named after Alfred Harmsworth's storypaper.
"The Halfpenny Marvel" is referenced by James Joyce
in the short story "An Encounter
", part of Joyce's "Dubliners
". This magazine, as well as "Union Jack
" and "Pluck" are mentioned as highly popular among Dublin schoolboys of the time, who are especially attached to the Wild West stories published there. In one scene, a teacher is extremely annoyed when catching a pupil reading during the lesson an issue of The Halfpenny Marvel containing a story entitled "The Apache Chief".
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
Overview
The Halfpenny Marvel was the first of Alfred Harmsworth's storypapers aimed at putting the "penny dreadfulPenny Dreadful
A penny dreadful was a type of British fiction publication in the 19th century that usually featured lurid serial stories appearing in parts over a number of weeks, each part costing an penny...
s" out of business by producing "pure, healthy literature" at a cheaper price. Begun in 1893, Early issues contained a long, complete tale and as many as three or four shorter ones (of very short length). These short stories would later be replaced by installments of serial stories. An editorial page also appeared in most (but not all) issues, and dealt with upcoming stories as well as providing the reader with interesting facts. In the late 1890s the editorial page was used by "Pimple the orfis boy", providing comic relief with his badly-written tales.
The stories were in the "Boys Own" genre, and often involved travel in foreign lands and the British Empire, often with quite jingoistic
Jingoism
Jingoism is defined in the Oxford English Dictionary as extreme patriotism in the form of aggressive foreign policy. In practice, it is a country's advocation of the use of threats or actual force against other countries in order to safeguard what it perceives as its national interests...
content, even by the standards of the day. Occasional issues featured detective stories, and Volume 1, Issue 6, published in December 1893 introduced Sexton Blake
Sexton Blake
Sexton Blake is a fictional detective who appeared in many British comic strips and novels throughout the 20th century. He was described by Professor Jeffrey Richards on the BBC in The Radio Detectives in 2003 as "the poor man's Sherlock Holmes"...
to the world in a story named 'The Missing Millionaire'. However the character was quickly moved to the Union Jack
Union Jack (magazine)
- Introduction :There were two story papers called Union Jack. The first appeared in the 1880s but was only very short-lived. The name was then used by Alfred Harmsworth in 1894 for a new halfpenny storypaper intended as a companion to the successful Halfpenny Marvel.Harmsworth considered it his...
and it is there that his character was properly developed. Stories most often stood alone, but occasionally a character would recur in multiple issues, though the stories would be complete in each one.
Early covers were two-colour, often orange and black. However before long only one colour was used on the cover, most often dark blue.
By the late 1890s the paper had been re-named The Marvel, though still cost a halfpenny. In 1904 the paper was re-launched (with a new issue 1) as a one-penny paper, still named The Marvel.
In 2007 the band Half Penny Marvels, from Staten Island
Staten Island
Staten Island is a borough of New York City, New York, United States, located in the southwest part of the city. Staten Island is separated from New Jersey by the Arthur Kill and the Kill Van Kull, and from the rest of New York by New York Bay...
, NY were formed and named after Alfred Harmsworth's storypaper.
"The Halfpenny Marvel" is referenced by James Joyce
James Joyce
James Augustine Aloysius Joyce was an Irish novelist and poet, considered to be one of the most influential writers in the modernist avant-garde of the early 20th century...
in the short story "An Encounter
An Encounter
An Encounter is a short story by James Joyce. It is second in a collection of Joyce's short stories called Dubliners.-The story:The story involves a boy–the narrator–and his friend Mahony taking a day off from school and going to the shore, to seek adventure in their otherwise-dull lives...
", part of Joyce's "Dubliners
Dubliners
Dubliners is a collection of 15 short stories by James Joyce, first published in 1914. They were meant to be a naturalistic depiction of Irish middle class life in and around Dublin in the early years of the 20th century....
". This magazine, as well as "Union Jack
Union Jack (magazine)
- Introduction :There were two story papers called Union Jack. The first appeared in the 1880s but was only very short-lived. The name was then used by Alfred Harmsworth in 1894 for a new halfpenny storypaper intended as a companion to the successful Halfpenny Marvel.Harmsworth considered it his...
" and "Pluck" are mentioned as highly popular among Dublin schoolboys of the time, who are especially attached to the Wild West stories published there. In one scene, a teacher is extremely annoyed when catching a pupil reading during the lesson an issue of The Halfpenny Marvel containing a story entitled "The Apache Chief".