The Future of 1997 in Fiction House's Fight Comics #1, Up for Auction

The function Spy Fighter in 1940’s Fight Comics #1 from Fiction House divided the world into three warring superpowers, as defined in the opening caption blurb: “The year is 1997. Only three nations have emerged from the great war of 1939 — Russmany, ruler of all Europe and all Africa; Mongo, the kingdom holding Asia and the orient; and Greater America, last refuge of Democratic government, a powerful and rich nation, which includes both the continents of North and South America and numerous islands in the Pacific. Bitter enemies themselves, Mongo and Russmany, nevertheless, at last agree to a truce. America is the rich prize they covet, their two dictators ruthlessly plot to undermine America with their insidious spies.”

The story of Spy Fighter instantly follows with the chief of Russmany — drawn to appear like Hitler — vowing to march on America, whereas his fellow dictator notes that they need to undermine America’s authorities with propaganda and spies first. America’s counter to this example is a superhuman named Sabre, “holder of all modern athletic records, and possessor of the greatest mind of our time combined with an almost supernatural knowledge of the art of telepathy.” And that is simply the beginning of the preventing in Fight Comics. There’s a duplicate of the debut of this necessary Fiction House collection, Fight Comics #1 (Fiction House, 1940) CGC FN- 5.5 Cream to off-white pages up for public sale in the 2022 October 13 The Fiction House Showcase Auction #40199 at Heritage Auctions.

Fiction House obtained its begin as a pulp writer with its long-running Action Stories collection in 1921. The firm was additionally a comparatively early entrant in comics’ Golden Age with Jumbo Comics, which took place 5 months after Action Comics #1 debuted Superman for the writer we now know as DC Comics. Based on how Fiction House reacted as soon as the remainder of the comedian e-book trade grew to become conscious that Superman in Action Comics was a success, the notion that the profitable Action Comics title had the same title to their Action Stories flagship pulp title should have stung. The writer subsequently launched comedian e-book titles that have been counterparts for a range of their pulp collection. Fight Stories and Fight Comics, Jungle Stories and Jungle Comics, Wings and Wings Comics, and of course, Planet Stories and Planet Comics.

Fight Stories was launched by the writer in 1928, with a give attention to boxing tales. The pulp collection ran 1928-1932, 1936-1952 for a complete of 106 points, and is greatest remembered for boxing tales by Conan creator Robert E. Howard. Notably, Fight Comics was a major departure in theme from Fight Stories from the outset. While the comedian e-book did make a nod to its pulp roots with a bit of boxing content material like Kayo Kirby, there was by no means any doubt that this was a basic journey comedian e-book. The undercurrents of the theme of warfare at the start grew to become extra specific warfare comedian tales (finally with a wholesome dose of Good Girl covers and artwork) after America formally entered WWII the following yr, and extra definitive superheroes have been added to the lineup as nicely.

As for the superhuman character Sabre from the Spy Fighter function, he wore a easy pair of trunks in that debut story in a probable nod to the title’s pulp boxing origins. But the Fight Comics collection shortly developed with its period, and there is a Fight Comics #1 (Fiction House, 1940) CGC FN- 5.5 Cream to off-white pages and lots of different points of the collection up for public sale in the 2022 October 13 The Fiction House Showcase Auction #40199 at Heritage Auctions. In addition to the objects listed in this publish, you may try Fiction House titles similar to Planet Comics, Jumbo Comics, Jungle Comics, Fight Comics, Rangers Comics, Wings Comics and way more. New to amassing Fiction House or wish to study extra? Bleeding Cool is doing an ongoing deep dive into the historical past behind Fiction House in the run-up to this public sale. If you have by no means bid at Heritage Auctions earlier than, you may get additional data, you may try their FAQ on the bidding course of and associated issues.