All Select Comics is a 1943–1945 American comic book series published by Timely Comics, the 1940s predecessor of Marvel Comics, during the period fans and historians call the Golden Age of comic books. An omnibus series with several different superhero and other features each issue, it primarily starred Captain America and the original Human Torch, two of Timely's most popular characters, as well as fellow Timely star the Sub-Mariner in several.
| All Select Comics | |
|---|---|
 All Select Comics #8 (Summer 1945), cover art by Alex Schomburg. | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Timely Comics |
| Publication date | Fall 1943 to Fall 1945 |
| No. of issues | 11 (retitled Blonde Phantom Comics and Lovers) |
| Creative team | |
| Written by | Stan Lee |
| Artist(s) | Alex Schomburg Ken Bald Stan Drake Carl Pfeufer Bob Powell Syd Shores Chic Stone |
Publication history
editAll Select Comics ran 11 issues, cover-dated Fall 1943 to Fall 1945. The series was renamed Blonde Phantom Comics from issues #12–22 (1947 – March 1949), and revamped as the romance comic Lovers from #23-86 (May 1949 – Aug. 1957).[1]
The first 10 issues of All Select Comics starred the superheroes Captain America and the original Human Torch, as well as Namor the Sub-Mariner in the first five issues plus #10 (Summer 1946). The costumed crime-fighter the Blonde Phantom, created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Syd Shores, debuted in All Select Comics #11 (Fall 1946). The same issue also introduced the feature "Mr. Wu" (a.k.a. "The Mysterious Mr. Wu"), starring Marvel Comics' first Asian hero, an Asian-Indian private detective who went on to make one additional Timely appearance, in Blonde Phantom #12.[2][3]
Other Timely superheroes appearing in various issues were the Golden Age Black Widow, the Destroyer, super-speedster the Whizzer, and, in the final issue, Miss America. The war comics feature "Jap Buster Johnson", about a two-fisted U.S. Navy lieutenant out to avenge his dead buddy,[4] appeared in three issues, and the military humor feature "Jeep Jones" in two.
Writers and artists on the various features included Vince Alascia, Larry Antonette, Ken Bald, Dan Barry, Allen Bellman, Jack Binder, Stan Drake, Al Gabriele, Patricia Highsmith, Chad Grothkopf, Carl Pfeufer, Bob Powell, Chic Stone, and, on the final issue, Lee, Shores, Charles Nicholas, and Ed Winiarski.
All covers were by Alex Schomburg except the last, by Shores.
Features
editThe featured characters appeared in these issues:[5]
- Black Widow: #1
- Captain America: #1-10
- The Human Torch: #1-10
- Sub-Mariner: #1-5, 10
- The Whizzer: #3-5, 7
- The Destroyer: #6, 10
- The Blonde Phantom: #11
- Miss America: #11
- Mr. Wu: #11
Reprints
editThe first issue was reprinted in 1974 by publisher Alan L. Light's company Flashback as Special Edition Reprints #14.[6]
References
edit- ^ All Select Comics, Blonde Phantom Comics, and Lovers at the Grand Comics Database
- ^ An International Catalogue of Superheroes: Mr. Wu
- ^ Jess Nevins. "Jess Nevins' A Guide To Marvel's Golden Age Characters: Mister Wu". Archived from the original on 2009-10-21.
- ^ Jess Nevins. "Jess Nevins' A Guide To Marvel's Golden Age Characters: Doug Johnson a.k.a. "Jap Buster Johnson"". Archived from the original on 2009-10-22.
- ^ Benton, Mike (1992). Superhero Comics of the Golden Age: The Illustrated History. Dallas: Taylor Publishing Company. ISBN 0-87833-808-X. Retrieved 1 April 2020.
- ^ "All Select Comics". Michigan State University Libraries: Special Collections Division: Reading Room Index to the Comic Art Collection: "All Saints" to "All Surprise". Archived from the original on January 24, 2011. Retrieved December 1, 2011.
External links
edit- Atlas Tales: All-Select Comics (misspells with hyphen), Blonde Phantom (misnames without "Comics") and Lovers
- The Unofficial Handbook of Marvel Comics Creators