Captain Freedom in the Rebooted Speed Comics #13, Up for Auction

After publishing eleven problems with the title, Frank Z. Temerson‘s and Isaac W. Ullman‘s Brookwood Publishing offered Speed Comics to writer Leo Greenwald. Greenwald together with one other little-known determine, artist Worth Carnahan, had been publishing Champion Comics (later renamed to Champ Comics) since late 1939. Greenwald’s affiliation with Speed Comics could be transient. While he held onto Champ Comics till early 1942, for as-yet unknown causes, he printed the title for simply two problems with Speed Comics earlier than passing the title alongside to Alfred Harvey in mid-1941. But these two points could be memorable, and maybe most significantly Speed Comics #13 would introduce the patriotic superhero Captain Freedom. There’s a Speed Comics #13 (1941) Condition: GD and a bunch of different problems with Speed Comics up for public sale in the 2022 August 28-29 Sunday & Monday Comic Books Select Auction #122235 at Heritage Auctions.

Little is thought about Leo Greenwald exterior his affiliation with distributor PDC. He was described as one thing of a dilettante by legendary creator Joe Simon, who stated, “There was a guy named Leo Greenwald whose wife was alleged to be wealthy. She didn’t want him hanging around the house, so it was rumored that she bought him an office in a new blue building at Lexington Avenue and 42nd Street, a short distance from the Fox offices. ‘Go put out a comic book,’ she told him, and he did.”

But Greenwald’s transient affiliation with Speed Comics appears fairly hands-on and savvy. In challenge #12, he made an apparent reboot to Shock Gibson, the Human Dynamo, by giving him a brand new costume and expanded electricity-based powers, bringing his talents extra into alignment together with his identify. He additionally launched an attention-grabbing masked thriller man espionage character named the Wasp that challenge. In challenge #13, he launched Captain Freedom, a personality who would go on to turn out to be a mainstay of the title underneath Harvey.

Nearly forgotten by comics historical past, Leo Greenwald had a short however noteworthy affect on the early Golden Age, and you may see part of that with Speed Comics #13 (1941) Condition: GD. There’s additionally a bunch of different problems with Speed Comics up for public sale in the 2022 August 28-29 Sunday & Monday Comic Books Select Auction #122235 at Heritage Auctions. If you’ve got by no means bid at Heritage Auctions earlier than, you may get additional info, you’ll be able to try their FAQ on the bidding course of and associated issues.

#13 (Harvey, 1941) Condition: GD. First appearances of Captain Freedom and the Young Defenders. Arthur Cazeneuve and Art Saaf artwork. Interior and exterior tape repairs to backbone, staples changed. Overstreet 2022 GD 2.0 worth = $265.