Men of Mystery #87
Synopsis: Comicdom’s PREMIERE Golden Age superhero anthology is back with full-story reprints starring more rare, vintage costumed defenders including DOLLMAN, Fox Features’ BLUE BEETLE and GREEN MASK; SPIRIT of ’76, SHOCK GIBSON, GOLDEN ARROW, ZEBRA and MOM first-timers including the MAD HATTER, PHANTOM SPHINX, AMERICAN CRUSADER, RED BLAZER, SOLARMAN and SATAN!!

Special Notes: This issue ships in a 2:1 ratio of standard covers to Mark G. Heike AUTOGRAPHED cover. (meaning that out of every THREE copies of this book, ONE will be personally autographed by AC Comics Associate Editor and GA superhero expert Mark G. Heike at NO EXTRA COST!)

More info:
We know that the MEN OF MYSTERY title has been missing from AC listings of new product for awhile; that’s because AC editorial has been putting in extra time ferreting out interesting, rare and high-quality Golden Age material to appeal to the discriminating Golden Age enthusiast. This issue headlines Fox Features’ tent pole star The BLUE BEETLE, in two separate adventures- one from the very earliest days of his Fox run, and the other from close to the very end. Fellow Mystery Men Comics star GREEN MASK is along for the ride as well.

Over the years, AC has presented examples of almost EVERY costumed hero from the NEDOR/Standard/Better/Pines stable; this issue we present one previously-unseen in the pages of MOM– The AMERICAN CRUSADER. A unique approach to the 1940’s costumed adventurer, AC (love those initials!) was actually Archibald Masters, living in occupied Europe and working as a freedom fighter behind enemy lines. This issue also showcases another interesting & esoteric concept, John Giunta’s MAD HATTER. Originally released through longtime artist (and comic art production shop head during the 1940’s) Bernard Bailey’s O.W. Publishing outlet, the ‘HATTER is yet another weird Giunta take on a costumed hero that must be seen to be believed.

Quality star DOLLMAN; a virtual MOM fixture is in attendance again this issue in another tasteful adventure, as is a virtually unseen one-shot character from Joe Hardie’s Centaur line, SOLARMAN. A rather serious and grim take on a masked do-gooder in the far-flung future, the strip is leavened by the slightly-wacky artwork of Frank Thomas. One of the most unusual comics publishing experiments of the Golden Age was 1941’s Pocket Comics– an off-format trial balloon that didn’t succeed in the long term. The title’s short run did produce a number of wild, oddball characters that are worth noting, like the anti-hero SATAN, the HUMAN TORCH-inspired RED BLAZER, the Ancient- Egyptian themed PHANTOM SPHINX and more. You’ll see examples of all these strips, and a few more from what was for a time called the Family Comics Group in this issue.

As always, there will be a few SURPRISE guest-features that we’re not yet at liberty to mention- but if you love the masked crusaders of the 1940’s comic book world, we guarantee that you’ll love them!! Don’t miss Men of Mystery #87. Order it at your local retailer from the July, 2012 issue of Previews, scheduled for September shipping- then expect to see it on your retailer’s shelves around the end of October.

Retail Price: $29.95
Format: Standard comic book size; saddle-stitched
Dimensions: 10″ X 6.25″
Page Count: 140 pages
Color: Black and White (with color covers)
Intended Audience: All ages
Genre: Action/Adventure/superhero/classic reprint
Ship Date: September 27, 2012

Writers: Robert Hughes, Bill Woolfolk, Otto Binder and others uncredited

Artists: John Giunta, John Spranger, Pierce Rice, Louis and Arturo Cazeneuve, Al Avison, Frank Thomas, Jill Elgin, and Ernie Schroeder.

Cover Artist: Jack Kamen