Number 1600: Spirit of ’76, the patriotic hero

Today in America we celebrate the Fourth of July, Independence Day. With the Fourth comes the old red, white and blue in abundance. Back in the early forties when war was raging in Europe and imminent for America, the patriotic heroes were popping up like dandelions on my lawn. Among them was Cadet Blakeley, the Spirit of '76. He was introduced in Pocket Comics in 1941, and then re-introduced in Harvey Comics’ Green Hornet #7 in 1942. The second version is basically the first, with some editing and some new artwork and rearranging in spots to make it 8 pages. (Wartime paper rationing, you know.)

Grand Comics Database says Edd Ashe did the Pocket Comics version, with Harry Fisk and Arthur Caseneuve doing some new artwork for the second.

I hope everyone has a fine holiday and three-day weekend. For me, tonight I stand guard in my yard with garden hose in hand, ready to douse any illegal fireworks, roman candles and rockets shot into my bushes and trees by celebrating and inebriated neighbors.

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Here’s a later Spirit of ’76 drawn by the great Bob Powell. Just click on the thumbnail.

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Number 867


Bob Powell has fun


Everybody have a nice Christmas? Hope yours was as nice as mine.

But, Christmas is over, and time to get back to the business of bringing you old comic books. Today a couple of 1947 Bob Powell stories from Harvey's Green Hornet #33. Powell didn't do the title character, but his work on two backup strips stands out. "Spirit Of '76" has an oddball premise for a costumed hero; a West Point cadet. I think those guys would have enough to do without parading in a gaudy red costume and mask. Powell makes it work with the funny hillbilly characters, "the Smith Brothers." Some of the panels in this strip remind me of Powell's former boss, Will Eisner.

He had fun with both the stories. I showed you the first issue of Powell's Man In Black in Pappy's #822, where the MIB was "The Man In Black called Fate." Here's an earlier version, when the Man In Black was also known as Mr. Twilight. He mixes it up with a gremlin and I especially like his Father Time, which seems appropriate for this last week of the year.

Here's a warning that on the last page of the Man In Black strip is a single panel comic with a stereotyped and racist black character. It was my decision to include it because it was not uncommon in its time, over 60 years ago, and I apologize if it offends anyone.

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