Weird Comics # 5 from Fox Feature Syndicate visualise the debut of a unearthly quality indeed . The Dart has his blood line in the Roman geological era of Sulla .
debut in the suitably titledWeird Comicsfrom Fox Feature Syndicate , the Dart certainly qualify as a weird superhero even by the standards of the Golden Age . As his inception inWeird Comics # 5explains , Caius Martius was a citizen of the ancient Rome of " 2200 days ago " who fight back the racketeers and extortioner of his geological era and could " recoil through the air like a dart . "
The historical forces of pre - Empire Rome finally resulted in Caius Martius ' arrival in the New York City of 1940 , where he quickly begin hire his fighting skills to the same kind of engagement he had in ancient times . This issue also features Fox ’s Thor , God of Thunder , and an strange Dr. deadly cover with some interesting history behind it . A tough - to - get early Fox mirthful book , there ’s aWeird Comics # 5(Fox Features Syndicate , 1940 ) CGC VG / FN 5.0 Cream to off - white pagesup for auction in the2023 September 28 The Fox Comics Showcase Auction # 40239at Heritage Auctions .
Weird Comics #5 (Fox Features Syndicate, 1940) featuring the Dart.
The Dart ’s extraction write up seemingly remove space around 83 - 81 BC during what is called Sulla ’s Civil War , which was fight betweenGeneral Lucius Cornelius Sullaand force-out formerly led byGaius MariusandLucius Cornelius Cinna . Sulla , Marius and Lucius are all named characters in the story , with some slight spelling changes . Caius Martius is aligned with Sulla , who is characterized as the hero of this second , despite him seizing Rome by force andbecoming a brutal potentate , and perhaps setting the precedent for Caesar . Notably , the story ’s reprize claim of " 2200 years ago " was off by about a hundred , with the potential period between that era and 1940 being closer to 2100 years .
To finish the interference of Caius Martius ' quest for justice , Marius prescribe Lucius to conquer Caius Martius and put an end to his activities . Lucius does this by using occult arts world power to dissolve his body into a stone Lord’s table for 2200 ( again , actually 2100 ) years . Martius wake up in a museum in 1940 New York City , where he uses his vague " scud " power ( which essentially consists of fly header - first ) and ancient Roman scrap skills to once again take up the fight against racketeer and extortionists . call off himself the Dart , he also gain a sidekick , Ace the Amazing Boy .
Evil harebrained scientist character Dr. Mortal is the book binding lineament ofWeird Comics # 5 , with a shrinking man hatch likely inspired by the skill fabrication - revulsion filmDr . Cyclops , which had been issue earlier that twelvemonth . Dr. Cyclopswas marketed to be a big - budget blockbuster for that year , from producerMerian C. Cooperand directorErnest B. Schoedsack , both ofKing Kongfame . conceive the first science fiction moving picture free in full technicolor , the motion-picture show received a lot of plug beginning in early 1940 , include a pulp adaptation inThrilling Wonder Storiesby writerHenry Kuttner . It would appear thatVictor Foxrushed this cover out to take reward of the flick hype , with only the opening panel of the interior story feature the shrinking gentleman history on the cover . The cover itself looks like a remix of the elements of that porta panel , but confusingly , the rest period of the midland floor features a mind - transport tale . The actual shrinking man tarradiddle that match this cover appeared in issue # 6 .
Weird Comics #5 (Fox Features Syndicate, 1940)
The graphics for this launching Dart story is credited toPierce Rice , with the fittingly weird cover byBert Whitman . A very odd issue of a unearthly title indeed , there ’s aWeird Comics # 5(Fox Features Syndicate , 1940 ) CGC VG / FN 5.0 Cream to off - white pagesup for auction in the2023 September 28 The Fox Comics Showcase Auction # 40239at Heritage Auctions .
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