Hangman Comics
Encyclopedia
Hangman Comics was the name of an American
anthology
comic book
series published by MLJ Magazines Inc.
, more commonly known as MLJ Comics, for seven issues between Spring 1942 and Fall 1943. It featured MLJs costumed vigilante The Hangman, and "Boy Buddies", featuring Shield's partner 'Dusty the Boy Detective' and Wizard's
side-kick 'Roy the Superboy', throughout the series.
.
The title started with issue #2 (Spring 1942), a 68-page comics following directly on from Special Comics #1, which also featured the same characters. The series was edited by Harry Shorten.
The feature character throughout the series was the titular Hangman, a masked superhero who first appeared in Pep Comics
#17 (July 1941) and continued to appear there in his own feature during and after Hangman Comics run. He appeared in three stories in each issue, each usually subtitled 'Special Case Number xx' , and there was a Hangman text story in most issues, something all comic books did through the early 1960s, to satisfy U.S. Postal Service requirements for magazine rates. The Hangman stories were drawn by a number of artists, including Paul Reinman
, Bob Fujitami, Harry Lucey (who also drew the covers for issues #2-5) and Irv Novick
.
There were also two supporting stories in each issue starring "Boy Buddies", the Shield's partner 'Dusty the Boy Detective' and the Wizard's side-kick 'Roy the Superboy' in a dual adventure - the first regular costumed hero 'sidekick' team-up in comics. Most of the "Boy Buddies" stories were written by Bill Woolfolk, with art by either Paul Reinman or Bill Vogoda.
Starting with issue #3 (Summer 1942), each issue also contained a "Boy Buddies Junior Flying Corps" club page, following on from a request for members in the final panel of the second "Boy Buddies" story in issue #2 (Spring 1942). Issue #6 (Spring 1943) replaced the Junior Flying Corps page with plans for a 'Silent Birdman' glider
, while in the first 60-page issue, #7 (Summer 1943), the Junior Flying Corps page increased to two pages to accommodate plans for building a 'duplex glider' as well as the new members list, while the following issue, #8 (Fall 1943) had plans for building a 'Fleetwing' competition glider. A number of single-page 'True facts' articles or puzzle pages also appeared in most issues, although #6 (Spring 1943) contained a 6-page strip by Paul Reinman
, "Hangman's Hall of Shame" about Hermann Goering.
From issue #9 Hangman Comics was retitled Black Hood Comics
. The Hangman continued to appear in Pep Comics
, "Boy Buddies" continuing in the first three issues of "Black Hood Comics".
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
anthology
Comics anthology
Comics anthologies collect works in the medium of comics that are too short for standalone publication.- U.S. :- UK :British comics have a long tradition publishing comics anthologies, often weekly...
comic book
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
series published by MLJ Magazines Inc.
Archie Comics
Archie Comics is an American comic book publisher headquartered in the Village of Mamaroneck, Town of Mamaroneck, New York, known for its many series featuring the fictional teenagers Archie Andrews, Betty Cooper, Veronica Lodge, Reggie Mantle and Jughead Jones. The characters were created by...
, more commonly known as MLJ Comics, for seven issues between Spring 1942 and Fall 1943. It featured MLJs costumed vigilante The Hangman, and "Boy Buddies", featuring Shield's partner 'Dusty the Boy Detective' and Wizard's
Wizard (Archie Comics)
The Wizard is a fictional superhero character created by Will Harr and Edd Ashe, Jr. for MLJ Comics, which later became Archie Comics. He first appeared in Top-Notch Comics #1 in December 1939, and he was the headliner of that title until its cancellation in 1944...
side-kick 'Roy the Superboy', throughout the series.
Publication history
Hangman Comics was published by MLJ Magazines Inc., the precursor to what would become the publisher Archie ComicsArchie Comics
Archie Comics is an American comic book publisher headquartered in the Village of Mamaroneck, Town of Mamaroneck, New York, known for its many series featuring the fictional teenagers Archie Andrews, Betty Cooper, Veronica Lodge, Reggie Mantle and Jughead Jones. The characters were created by...
.
The title started with issue #2 (Spring 1942), a 68-page comics following directly on from Special Comics #1, which also featured the same characters. The series was edited by Harry Shorten.
The feature character throughout the series was the titular Hangman, a masked superhero who first appeared in Pep Comics
Pep Comics
Pep Comics is the name of an American comic book anthology series published by the Archie Comics predecessor MLJ Magazines Inc. during the 1930s and 1940s period known as the Golden Age of Comic Books...
#17 (July 1941) and continued to appear there in his own feature during and after Hangman Comics run. He appeared in three stories in each issue, each usually subtitled 'Special Case Number xx' , and there was a Hangman text story in most issues, something all comic books did through the early 1960s, to satisfy U.S. Postal Service requirements for magazine rates. The Hangman stories were drawn by a number of artists, including Paul Reinman
Paul Reinman
Paul J. Reinman was an American comic book artist best known as one of industry legend's Jack Kirby's frequent inkers during what comics fans and historians call the Silver Age of comic books...
, Bob Fujitami, Harry Lucey (who also drew the covers for issues #2-5) and Irv Novick
Irv Novick
Irv Novick was an American comic book artist who worked almost continuously from 1939 until the late 1990s.-Biography:...
.
There were also two supporting stories in each issue starring "Boy Buddies", the Shield's partner 'Dusty the Boy Detective' and the Wizard's side-kick 'Roy the Superboy' in a dual adventure - the first regular costumed hero 'sidekick' team-up in comics. Most of the "Boy Buddies" stories were written by Bill Woolfolk, with art by either Paul Reinman or Bill Vogoda.
Starting with issue #3 (Summer 1942), each issue also contained a "Boy Buddies Junior Flying Corps" club page, following on from a request for members in the final panel of the second "Boy Buddies" story in issue #2 (Spring 1942). Issue #6 (Spring 1943) replaced the Junior Flying Corps page with plans for a 'Silent Birdman' glider
Glider aircraft
Glider aircraft are heavier-than-air craft that are supported in flight by the dynamic reaction of the air against their lifting surfaces, and whose free flight does not depend on an engine. Mostly these types of aircraft are intended for routine operation without engines, though engine failure can...
, while in the first 60-page issue, #7 (Summer 1943), the Junior Flying Corps page increased to two pages to accommodate plans for building a 'duplex glider' as well as the new members list, while the following issue, #8 (Fall 1943) had plans for building a 'Fleetwing' competition glider. A number of single-page 'True facts' articles or puzzle pages also appeared in most issues, although #6 (Spring 1943) contained a 6-page strip by Paul Reinman
Paul Reinman
Paul J. Reinman was an American comic book artist best known as one of industry legend's Jack Kirby's frequent inkers during what comics fans and historians call the Silver Age of comic books...
, "Hangman's Hall of Shame" about Hermann Goering.
From issue #9 Hangman Comics was retitled Black Hood Comics
Black Hood Comics
Black Hood Comics was the name of an American anthology comic book series published by MLJ Magazines Inc., more commonly known as MLJ Comics, for eleven issues between Winter 1943 and Summer 1946...
. The Hangman continued to appear in Pep Comics
Pep Comics
Pep Comics is the name of an American comic book anthology series published by the Archie Comics predecessor MLJ Magazines Inc. during the 1930s and 1940s period known as the Golden Age of Comic Books...
, "Boy Buddies" continuing in the first three issues of "Black Hood Comics".