SPY SMASHER RETURNS.AGAIN? by Dave Goode

SPY SMASHER RETURNS AGAIN?

by Dave Goode

 

The first Fawcett comic book hero I was introduced to was Spy Smasher. But not through comics. But from SPY SMASHER RETURNS, the feature version of the Republic movie serial SPY SMASHER (1942). I caught it on New York's Million Dollar Movie on WOR (Channel 9). To the 9 year old me this movie was cooler than the other side of the pillow. I would later buy the serial on VHS tape and then the DVD. And it more than lived up to it's reputation as being one of the greatest chapter-plays ever made. It's in fact my favorite.

Produced by William J. O'Sullivan and directed by William Witney the twelve
chapter serial was based on the character that first appeared in Whiz Comics No.2 (Feb. 1940). This was the same comic that introduced one of the most memorable comic book heroes of the Golden Age...the original Captain Marvel. The good Captain would also appear in a Republic movie serial THE ADVENTURES OF CAPTAIN MARVEL (1941) starring Tom Tyler as the "World's Mightiest Mortal".

One advantage I thought that SPY SMASHER had over THE ADVENTURES OF CAPTAIN MARVEL was that the Captain Marvel serial retold the character's origin. Changing it drastically from the one in the comic books. I thought it was a good retelling. Not that I'm saying I prefer it to the original. Only that it's good. And it fits in the context of the serial's storyline. But some "purists" don't like the change. I sometimes wonder if the fan-boys of the 40s resented the change. Or were they too happy to see their favorite comic book hero up on the silver screen? In any case Spy Smasher wasn't given an origin in the comics so there wasn't anything to mess around with.

The story line in the serial is pretty simple. Costumed adventurer takes on Nazi spies and 5th Columnists. What makes this serial so special is the acting. Serial star Kane Richmond is pitch perfect as hero Alan Armstrong and his twin brother. This was a major change from the comic book where Spy Smasher had no siblings.









Another major change was that Spy Smasher's arch-enemy the Mask played by Hans Schumm was actually scene without his mask. In the comic the Axis agent was never seen without the mask.

And we have beautiful Marguerite Chapman as Eve Corby. In the comics she was Spy Smasher's girl friend. In the serial she is the fiancee of his brother. And of course the action scenes in the serial are without equal.

I saw SPY SMASHER RETURNS in 1966 at the peak of Batmania. At this time Warren Magazines put out a one-shot "ON THE SCENE PRESENTS SUPER-HEROES". I still have the copy that I traded for. It featured articles on Batman , Superman , the Phantom , Captain America , Captain Marvel and Flash Gordon. I just wish they had a feature on Spy Smasher as well.