“Rocky Hall, Jungle Stalker” in Rangers of Freedom Comics #2 p 43 (Dec 1941)
by Robert Bugg (1920-1993)
18 x 24 in, ink on board

“Rocky Hall, Jungle Stalker” in Rangers of Freedom Comics #2 p 47 (Dec 1941)
by Robert Bugg (1920-1993)
18 x 24 in, ink on board

Fresh out of high school, Bugg sold his first gag cartoons to Collier’s magazine. He got his artistic training during two years at the Art Students League, and was then part of the emerging comic book industry. His story artwork appeared in several comic books during the 1939-1942 period, drawing adventure features like ‘Bob and Bill’, ‘Clyde Beatty’, ‘Dr. Hormone’ and ‘Martan the Marvel Man’ for Dell Comics. He additionally drew for the Centaur Comics Group (‘Fantom of the Fair’), Fiction House Comics (‘Rocky Hall’) and Hawley Publications (‘Adventures of Bill Baker’). Bugg then spent four years in the U.S. Army, before returning to civilian life in 1946. Back in New York City, he embarked upon a freelance career in illustration, working mainly for magazines.

Rangers of Freedom Comics #2, these 2 pages are from 1941. This story is the second appearance of Rocky Hall, Jungle Stalker. And also introduced here is Gary Murray, the Jungle Boy, who is known as “Gay-Ree”. Large Golden Age art credited to Robert Bugg. A classic Fiction House page from early in the Golden Age.

 

“The Triple Terror” (Tip Top Comics 66, October 1941, p. 36 ) by Fred Methot and Reg Greenwood (1899-1943) 13 x 20 in., ink on paper

“The Triple Terror” (Tip Top Comics 66, October 1941, p. 37 ) by Fred Methot and Reg Greenwood (1899-1943) 13 x 20 in., ink on paper

“The Triple Terror” (Tip Top Comics 66, October 1941, p. 38 ) by Fred Methot and Reg Greenwood (1899-1943) 13 x 20 in., ink on paper

“The Triple Terror” (Tip Top Comics 66, October 1941, p. 39 ) by Fred Methot and Reg Greenwood (1899-1943) 13 x 20 in., ink on paper

“The Triple Terror” (Tip Top Comics 66, October 1941, p. 40 ) by Fred Methot and Reg Greenwood (1899-1943) 13 x 20 in., ink on paper

“The Triple Terror” (Tip Top Comics 66, October 1941, p. 41 ) by Fred Methot and Reg Greenwood (1899-1943) 13 x 20 in., ink on paper

“The Triple Terror” (Tip Top Comics 66, October 1941, p. 42 ) by Fred Methot and Reg Greenwood (1899-1943) 13 x 20 in., ink on paper

“The Triple Terror” appeared in Tip Top Comics #54-119 (1940-46).

This is the complete, seven-page story published in Tip Top Comics #66 (October 1941). The Triple Terror series started off as an unusual concept. Putting their considerable wealth and scientific skills to good use, the Brandon triplets (Barton, Richard, and Bruce) donned costumes to fight evil around the world as Chemix (Barton), Lectra (Richard), and Menta (Bruce).

The Triple Terror. In addition to their respective expertise in the sciences, the Brandon boys were extremely athletic, good climbers and exceptional fighters. Menta could pilot an aircraft and they all seemed to be familiar with military weapons, equipment and tactics. In early adventures, decked out in superhero garb, they usually fought to prevent dangerous new technologies from falling into enemy hands, sometimes at the request of the US Government.

After America joined WW2 in 1941, these superheroes (as did many others) changed back to their civvies, joined the Army, and fought in both the European and Pacific Theaters. Their enemies included a female villain in a rat costume named The Rat and a cabal of Nazi sympathizers called the Silver Swastikas. Triple Terror’s creators, according to Public Domain Superheroes, were Fred Methot (about whom I can find almost nothing) and Reg Greenwood.

 

Axis Grinder 2 p. 2 (August 1941)
by Ray Houlihan (1923-1991)
16 x 21, ink on board

Axis Grinder 2 p. 4 (August 1941)
by Ray Houlihan (1923-1991)
16 x 21, ink on board

Houlihan was born in Worcester, Massachusetts in 1923. He attended the Art Students League in New York City, but it’s unclear if that was before or after he began working professionally.

Like many other aspiring young artists of his era, Houlihan’s first published work may have been pages of comic book art like this example. Houlihan was 18 or 19 years old when he pencilled this page for a strip called “Axis Grinder.”

Working for Funnies Inc., a “packager” that supplied completed strips to a variety of publishers in the 1940s, the teenage Houlihan drew short filler strips for some landmark publications at He was an artist of filler comics for National/DC, including features like ‘Hank the Yank’ and ‘Molly’. He additionally drew ‘Tubby and Tack’ for Timely and ‘Little Leo’ for Hillman.

In the second half of the 1940s, Houlihan did gag cartoons for American Magazine, Pic, Holiday and Argosy. In the 1950s he did illustrations for pulps and magazines including Saga, Sea Adventures and Reader’s Digest. Houlihan then focused on painting, and was exhibited widely in both museums and historical institutions in the U.S., London and the Middle East.

“The Triple Terror” in Tip Top Comics 59 p 7 (Mar 1941)
by Reginald (Reg) Greenwood (1899-1943)
18 x 24 in, ink on board

“The Triple Terror” in Tip Top Comics 59 p 8 (Mar 1941)
by Reginald (Reg) Greenwood (1899-1943)
18 x 24 in, ink on board

“The Triple Terror” in Tip Top Comics 59 p 9 (Mar 1941)
by Reginald (Reg) Greenwood (1899-1943)
18 x 24 in, ink on board

“The Triple Terror” in Tip Top Comics 59 p 11 (Mar 1941)
by Reginald (Reg) Greenwood (1899-1943)
18 x 24 in, ink on board

“The Triple Terror” in Tip Top Comics 59 p 12 (Mar 1941)
by Reginald (Reg) Greenwood (1899-1943)
18 x 24 in, ink on board

After WW1 Greenwood moved to NYC, where he studied art and began his career as a free-lance illustrator. He attended a NYC art school for three years. In 1921 he began to work as a newspaper cartoonist for The New York Journal-American.

During the 1930s he painted covers for Real Tempting Tales, Real Boudoir Tales, Real Stolen Sweets, Real French Capers, and Real Forbidden Sweets.

In 1940 he began to draw for comic books. He contributed to Mirror Man, Spark Man, Menta, and Triple Terror.

Greenwood died of a heart attack at the age of forty three in New York City on May 25, 1943. His father had also died of a heart attack at the age of forty-three.

I’m a chemist. How can I not like a super-hero series with a chemistry expert in it?

Wishing to put their considerable skills to good use, the Brandon triplets – Richard, Barton, and Bruce – decided to don costumes and fight evil around the world as Chemix, Lectra, and Menta, the Triple Terror. In early adventures, they usually fought to prevent dangerous new technologies from falling into enemy hands, sometimes at the request of the US Government. In later adventures, they joined the Army and fought in both the European and Pacific Theaters of World War II. Their enemies included a female villain in a rat costume named “The Rat” and a cabal of Nazi sympathizers called the Silver Swastikas. The Triple Terror team included:

Chemix (Barton Brandon), the chemistry expert who wore a beaker symbol on his chest and back.
Lectra (Richard Brandon), the electronics expert who wore a lightning bolt symbol on his chest and back.
Menta (Bruce Brandon), the master of men’s minds, who wore an all seeing eye symbol on his chest and back.

In addition to their respective expertise in the sciences, the Brandon boys were extremely athletic, good climbers and exceptional fighters. Menta could pilot an aircraft and they all seemed to be familiar with military weapons, equipment and tactics. As was true for a number of super-hero series, the boys hung up the spandex and put in military uniforms in their later adventures.

The Triple Terror appeared in Tip Top Comics (United Features) #54 (1943) -119 (1946)

 

“The Triple Terror” in Tip Top Comics 58 p 41 (Dec 1941)
by Reginald (Reg) Greenwood (1899-1943)
18 x 24 in, ink on board

After WW1 Greenwood moved to NYC, where he studied art and began his career as a free-lance illustrator. He attended a NYC art school for three years. In 1921 he began to work as a newspaper cartoonist for The New York Journal-American.

During the 1930s he painted covers for Real Tempting Tales, Real Boudoir Tales, Real Stolen Sweets, Real French Capers, and Real Forbidden Sweets.

In 1940 he began to draw for comic books. He contributed to Mirror Man, Spark Man, Menta, and Triple Terror.

Greenwood died of a heart attack at the age of forty three in New York City on May 25, 1943. His father had also died of a heart attack at the age of forty-three.

I’m a chemist. How can I not like a super-hero series with a chemistry expert in it?

Wishing to put their considerable skills to good use, the Brandon triplets – Richard, Barton, and Bruce – decided to don costumes and fight evil around the world as Chemix, Lectra, and Menta, the Triple Terror. In early adventures, they usually fought to prevent dangerous new technologies from falling into enemy hands, sometimes at the request of the US Government. In later adventures, they joined the Army and fought in both the European and Pacific Theaters of World War II. Their enemies included a female villain in a rat costume named “The Rat” and a cabal of Nazi sympathizers called the Silver Swastikas. The Triple Terror team included:

Chemix (Barton Brandon), the chemistry expert who wore a beaker symbol on his chest and back.
Lectra (Richard Brandon), the electronics expert who wore a lightning bolt symbol on his chest and back.
Menta (Bruce Brandon), the master of men’s minds, who wore an all seeing eye symbol on his chest and back.

In addition to their respective expertise in the sciences, the Brandon boys were extremely athletic, good climbers and exceptional fighters. Menta could pilot an aircraft and they all seemed to be familiar with military weapons, equipment and tactics. As was true for a number of super-hero series, the boys hung up the spandex and put in military uniforms in their later adventures.

The Triple Terror appeared in Tip Top Comics (United Features) #54 (1943) -119 (1946)