GOODE STUFF: adventures of captain marvel

Tuesday, April 23, 2019

THE WORLD'S MIGHTIEST MORTAL ON SCREEN by Dave Goode

THE WORLD'S MIGHTIEST

MORTAL ON SCREEN

by Dave Goode

GOODE STUFF BLOG

I was first introduced to the Captain Marvel not through comics. His comics ceased publication some years before I was born. It was in the pages of that wonderful one-shot magazine On The Scene Presents Super Heroes from Warren Publications in 1966 that I learned about Captain Marvel, arguably the most popular costumed crusader from the Golden Age of Comic Books. Or should I say I learned about THE ADVENTURES OF CAPTAIN MARVEL (1941) from Republic Pictures. Considered by many to be the greatest movie serial of all time.

Based on the comic book feature from Fawcett Comics, created by Bill Parker and C.C. Beck, the 12 chapter serial was directed by John English and William Witney. It starred Frank Coghlan Jr. as Billy Batson and B-Western hero Tom Tyler as his alter ego Captain Marvel, the World's Mightiest Mortal. The story had young Billy Batson on an archeological expedition in Siam being given the powers and abilities of one biblical king and five characters from Greco-Roman mythology by the wizard Shazam played by actor Nigel De Brulier. This was a departure from the good Captain's origin. And I wonder if the fan-boys of the day were up in arm.s about this change. Or were they just happy to see their favorite hero live on screen. The serial finds our hero using the wisdom of Solomon, strength of Hercules, stamina of Atlas, power of Zeus, courage of Achilles and speed of Mercury to thwart the masked villain the Scorpion.

As you may already know artist C.C. Beck had originally modeled Captain Marvel after actor Fred MacMurray. But you cant help but notice a resemblance between actor Tom Tyler and Beck's original drawings of Captain Marvel. Born Vincent Markowski, Tyler set the amateur record for the right-handed clean & jerk with 213 pounds. And in 1928 he won the National AAU heavyweight championship with a 760 pound total. A record that would stand for 14 years. Not quite the "World's Mightiest Mortal". But certainly a claimant to the title of the "Strongest Man In The World". Tyler was even considered for the title role in MGM's TARZAN THE APE MAN (1932) that would eventually star Olympic swimming champ Johnny Weissmuller.

As for Fred MacMurray who C.C. Beck modeled Captain Marvel's facial features from. Well he portrayed a superhero himself in a dream sequence from the romantic comedy NO TIME FOR LOVE (1943).

Tuesday, March 26, 2019

WISH THEY HAD DONE THIS ONE by Dave Goode

Republic was known for there great serial adaptations of Golden Age comic book heroes. Both their SPY SMASHER and ADVENTURES OF CAPTAIN MARVEL are undisputed masterpieces of the genre. And their CAPTAIN AMERICA RETURNS is a great serial. Despite the fact that without the shield, sidekick Bucky, and secret identity of U.S. Army PFC. Steve Rogers you have to ask "was this really Captain America?". There is one comic book character that I wish the Republic studios had brought to life on the silver screen. And that would have been the Golden Age Black Cat.

The Golden Age Black Cat made her debut as a feature in the experimental
digest sized Pocket Comics No.1 (Aug. 1941) from Harvey Publications in a story illustrated by Al Gabrielle. Linda Turner, Hollywood movie star and America's sweetheart is bored with her ultra-sophisticated life of make believe. She becomes the Black Cat...her most adventurous role...and pledges to expose fifth columnists. After the cancellation of Pocket Comics after 4 issues, the Black Cat feature was moved to Speed Comics and ran in that title until it's cancellation in 1947. In 1944, her costume was changed to the one that she is best known for. The character was so popular that she would receive her own comic book in 1946 and would run until 1951 with art by Lee Elias.

I've been told that the Black Cat was modeled after screen goddess Rita Hayworth.

But I thought The Black Cat would have been the perfect vehicle for Republic's very own serial queen Linda Sterling who had played costumed heroines in the serials THE TIGER WOMAN and ZORRO'S BLACK WHIP both in 1944.

She would look magnificent as the motorcycle riding judo expert. And imagine if you will a Black Cat serial with Republic movie stars playing themselves in the background scenes about film making in Hollywood.

Aside from being an absolute stunner Linda Sterling was a bit of real-life Wonder Woman. After leaving the motion picture business and with her children grown she enrolled at UCLA and received a BFA, MA, and a PhD in English Literature at 50. From 1967 to 1990 she would teach English and Drama at Glendale College.