Number 1293: “You dirty rat!”

We begin another theme week at Pappy's: “Furry Fiends and Foes.” We'll show four stories featuring superheroes and their enemies of the hirsute variety.

First up, the Black Rat. Or more properly, “The Return of the Black Rat,” a Bulletman story from America's Greatest Comics #2 (1942). I haven't seen the original appearance of the Black Rat, and if there's more to his story than is shown here I don't know. He's costumed, but he isn't shown outside his costume. Despite the cape and panties (not really needed) I'm impressed by his dark, shuddersome visage. The villainous vermin is pictured by Phil Bard, credited by the Grand Comics Database with the artwork.

Tomorrow: The Black Owl and the Fox!

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Number 1122


The dreaded Gorgon's dreadlocks!


This is posting number four from our week of monster stories.

As far as Fawcett superheroes of the Golden Age went, next to Captain Marvel, Bulletman and Bulletgirl were two of my favorites. They weren't anything alike, because Captain Marvel tended more to whimsy while other Fawcett heroes in those early days tended more toward horror. This story fits well into our monster-themed week.

For the early 1940s, Bulletgirl was hot.

Near-decapitation warning! One panel shows a sword slicing through a neck. No blood and gore, though.

Artist(s) unknown. From Bulletman #4 (1942):

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Number 210

The all-American bullet-headed Saxon mother's son

Bulletman was created by Bill Parker, who also created and wrote the early adventures of Captain Marvel. The artwork for this story, "Bulletman Fights the Gagman," from Master Comics #40, July 1943, is by the Jack Binder comic art shop.

Jack was brother to Otto Binder, who did the bulk of the writing chores on the Captain Marvel stories. At the time Jack and Otto were valuable contributors to the success of Fawcett Publications. This story seems pretty good considering it is a shop job, worked on by several hands.

The Gagman might've gotten his arsenal of weapons from the Johnson Smith Company, the mail order novelty business that advertised in most comic books of the day. Maybe those ads inspired the character.

Bulletman, and his gal pal, Bulletgirl, wear anti-gravity helmets, which is why they look like Coneheads. I wonder why anti-gravity helmets wouldn't cause disruptions, make them light-headed, or cause Bulletgirl's hair to float rather than stay down.

Finally, this blog tells you G.I. Joe fans that this Bulletman isn't the G.I. Joe Bulletman.

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