Early Days of E.C. Stoner's Phantasmo, Dell's The Funnies at Auction (original) (raw)
Posted in: Comics, Heritage Sponsored, Vintage Paper | Tagged: Dell Publishing, E.C. Stoner
Best remembered for its licensed comics, Dell also ventured into superheroes during the Golden Age, beginning with Phantasmo in The Funnies.
Published Sun, 05 May 2024 09:50:07 -0500
|
Last updated Wed, 18 Sep 2024 16:14:35 -0500
|
Article Summary
- Phantasmo, Dell's first superhero, debuts in The Funnies #45 with art by E.C. Stoner.
- The Funnies #45 Phantasmo features mystical powers and pre-WWII espionage narrative.
- The character was an early Golden Age comics creation of E.C. Stoner
- Phantasmo was featured in The Funnies #45-58
In between helping to pioneer the modern comic book with The Funnies and Famous Funnies, and becoming a juggernaut best known for Disney comic books, Dell Publishing made a brief excursion into superheroes along with the rest of the comics industry during the Golden Age. Dell's foray into superheroes would become the road barely traveled for the publisher, but there's a fascinating example of this era with a 1940-1941 era group of The Funnies featuring Phantasmo including his origin and first appearance in The Funnies #45 up for auction in the 2024 September 26 – 27 Heroes of the Golden Age Comics Showcase Auction #40265 at Heritage Auctions.
The Funnies #45, 51 (Dell, 1940-1941)
Dell would become known for its licensed Disney comic books, but during this period, they were trying everything from war comics to newspaper strip reprints to science fiction and pulp-style adventurers. Dell's attempt at superheroes began just as the rest of the comic book industry had caught on to the phenomenon of Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster's Superman at DC Comics. Dell's venture into superheroes, which also included The Owl and Supermind, was spearheaded by editor Oscar Lebeck, while Phantasmo himself was the creation of E.C. Stoner.
Elmer Cecil Stoner (1897-1969) got his start in comics in 1939 at the Harry "A" Chesler comic art studio. Stoner worked on titles for several publishers throughout the 1940s, including Marvel, Street & Smith, Dell, and Fox. Of these, his work at Fox is perhaps best remembered and includes covers and artwork across a range of Fox titles of the mid/late 1940s, most memorably on Blue Beetle.
Phantasmo's pulp-inspired origins have the character's alter ego, Phil Anson, learning the magical secrets of the High Lama on a mountaintop in Tibet. When Anson assumes the spectral form of Phantasmo, his mortal body is looked after by a sidekick of sorts named Whizzer. Phantasmo can fly, become invisible, become a giant, and has great physical strength, among other mystical abilities. As did many comic books of this era, the backstory here is deeply connected to the run-up to America's involvement in WWII later that year. In the story, enemy agents are after the invention of a machine that can turn salt water into a fuel like gasoline.
The Funnies issues featuring Phantasmo include underappreciated appearances of an early Golden Age superhero created by a historically important artist. As might be expected for a 1940-1941 superhero issues, there is a modest supply of these on the market. There's a group of The Funnies featuring Phantasmo issues available in this week's 2024 May 5-7 Sunday, Monday & Tuesday Comic Books Select Auction #122419 from Heritage Auctions.
Affiliates of Bleeding Cool buy from and/or consign to Heritage Auctions.
Enjoyed this? Please share on social media!
Stay up-to-date and support the site by following Bleeding Cool on Google News today!
About Mark Seifert
Co-founder and Creative director of Bleeding Cool parent company Avatar Press since 1996. Bleeding Cool Managing Editor, tech and data wrangler, and has been with Bleeding Cool since its 2009 beginnings. Wrote extensively about the comic book industry for Wizard Magazine 1992-1996. At Avatar Press, has helped publish works by Alan Moore, George R.R. Martin, Garth Ennis, and others. Vintage paper collector, advisor to the Overstreet Price Guide Update 1991-1995.
Latest by Mark Seifert
Fireball: MLJ's Human Torch Debuts in Pep Comics #12, at Auction
The character Fireball, who debuted in Pep Comics #12 cover-dated February 1941, was MLJ's answer to Marvel/Timely's Human Torch.
The Baseball Fandom of Robert Kanigher in Zip Comics #25, at Auction
The Zip Comics #25 Steel Sterling story written by Robert Kanigher seems to have been inspired by the 1941 Yankees/Dodgers World Series.
New-New York and the Future of 1982 in Prize Comics, Up for Auction
In Prize Comics' future of 1982, Power Nelson fights for citizens facing food shortages, pandemics, and forced labor in a dictatorial regime.
Simon & Kirby Reboot the Black Owl in Prize Comics, at Auction
The Black Owl went through two quick reboots in the early days of Prize Comics -- one from a character called K the Unknown.
Marga the Panther Woman Hits Fox's Weird Comics #8, Up for Auction
The product of a "mad physio-biologist" and the creation of composer George Gershwin's cousin, Marga was at home in Weird Comics.
Early Days of E.C. Stoner's Phantasmo, Dell's The Funnies at Auction
Best remembered for its licensed comics, Dell also ventured into superheroes during the Golden Age, beginning with Phantasmo in The Funnies.