YARKO the GREAT in the Valley of the Moon!

In Tibet, Yarko and his sidekick Li Wan traverse blinding blizzards and thunderous avalanches through Devil's Pass to reach the Valley of the Moon. Upon their arrival, they find flowers that bleed human blood growing in molten lava-filled craters...and vampires!!

Ah, the Golden Age...

[I just realized that the last Yarko story I ran was also at Halloween-time. Guess he ran in some supernatural circles!]

from
WONDERWORLD COMICS #6 (October 1939)
story by Will Eisner?; art by Bob Powell?

ZANZIBAR smashes the opium ring!

Zanzibar the Magician appeared in every issue of MYSTERY MEN COMICS (#1-31, Aug 1939-Feb 1942). He also dropped by for appearances in GREEN MASK #2 (Fall 1940), REX DEXTER OF MARS #1 (Fall 1940), BLUE BEETLE #5 (Jan/Feb 1941) and THE FLAME #5-6 (Jun-Aug 1941).

Zanzibar was a magician. Not much different from Zatara, Zambini, Yardi, Marvo, etc...

4 pages. Beginning, middle, end. How many issues do you think this story would run if it were being written today? :-P

from
MYSTERY MEN COMICS #3 (October 1939)
story by ?; art by George Tuska
from Golden Age Comics Downloads

U.S. JONES vs the White Killer!

U.S JONES appeared in WONDERWORLD COMICS #28-33 (Aug 1941-Jan 1942) and U.S. JONES #1-2 (Nov 1941-Jan 1942).

Jones (who appears to have never been addressed by a first name in his civilian identity) had no super powers. He just wore a patriotic costume and fought for justice. He eventually became an agent for the Secret Service.

from
WONDERWORLD COMICS #33 (January 1942)
story by Bob Farrow; art & cover by Louis Cazeneuve

QUEEN OF EVIL, The cursed of Isis!

Good luck finding information about the villainous Nagana, Queen of Evil. It seems next to nonexistent! Although Wikipedia notes: "[FANTASTIC COMICS] is notable for having introduced the characters Banshee, Black Fury (the third one, John Perry), Nagana, Queen of Evil, Samson, and Stardust the Super Wizard." Samson and Stardust, maybe, but Nagana only appeared in the final two issues! And only made a total of 4 appearances. Surely FANTASTIC COMICS' legacy is more notable than that!! LOL!

It's hard to say what Nagana's powers were, or how powerful she was. At one point in the story she conjures up flames, but then towards the end, when she decides to off her victims, she pulls out a gun. Your guess is as good as mine!

The Queen of Evil appeared in FANTASTIC COMICS #22-23 (Sept-Nov 1941) and V... COMICS #1-2 (Jan-Feb 1942).

from
FANTASTIC COMICS #23 (November 1941)
story by ?; art by Louis Cazeneuve

JAGUAR MAN -- The Tale of the Tattooed Egg!

Jaguar Man is one of my new favorite characters. And this is his only appearance! :(

There were two one-shot issues of ALL GREAT COMICS. One was "published" by William H. Wise & Co., Inc. in 1944, and one "published" by Chicago Nite Life News Inc. in 1945. Both ran 132 pages, selling for 25¢. They both also starred Fox Feature Syndicate characters, so I'm guessing they were actually produced by Fox.

Anyway, Fox did publish a second Jaguar Man story (in ZOOT COMICS #2 [Summer 1946]), alas it was a somewhat different character. In ALL GREAT COMICS, Jaguar Man's real name was Steve Lane and he had a pet jaguar named Ebony, while the ZOOT Jaguar Man was known as Murray Mane with a pet jaguar named Ja-Go. Don't ask me, I dunno, I've never seen it, I've just read about it. Interestingly, both tales are credited to "Jack Lane."

As for why the logo of the story reads simply "Jaguar"... I don't know that either.

from
ALL GREAT COMICS 1945 Edition
story and art by ? [as Jack Lane]
from Golden Age Comics Downloads

The FLAME and FLAME GIRL: Curse of the Black Doom!

The Flame debuted in WONDERWORLD COMICS #3 (July 1939) and was a featured series through the title's end with issue #33 (January 1942). He also appeared in THE FLAME #1-8 (Summer 1940-January 1942) and BIG 3 #1-7 (Winter 1940-January 1942). Sensing a theme there?

Linda Dale debuted in WONDERWORLD COMICS #27 (July 1941) and became Flame Girl in WONDERWORLD #30 (October 1941), sticking by The Flame's side through the end.

There's some talky-talky after the story.

from
WONDERWORLD COMICS #33 (January 1942)
story by ?; art by Louis Cazeneuve

Unlike Amazing-Man's non-super-powered assistant, Zona Henderson, Flame Girl was apparently much more in the damsel-in-distress category.

So, should Linda have given up crime-fighting? Or maybe Gary Preston could have taught her how to use her powers? Nah, that'd be too easy. :\

Doesn't matter much, anyway -- This issue marked the final appearances for both Flame and Flame Girl. The final fate of Linda Dale may never be known...