“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.

 

1941.08 Poison Ivy – The Mighty Mite in “Feature Comics #47” (Aug 1941) p 11
by Gilbert Theodore (Gill) Fox (1915-2004)
13 x 18 in, ink on board
Coppola Collection

Second page from the 2-page story “The 100-Mile Water Race,” written, penciled and inked by Gill Fox.

Fox began his career in animation at Max Fleischer’s studio, but left due to labor unrest. He entered the comic book industry, working for a number of studios and companies, including DC Comics. During 1940-43, he was an editor and a cover artist for Quality Comics, with his work gracing the covers of such titles as Torchy and Plastic Man. In 1941, he wrote several weeks of continuity for the Spirit daily newspaper strip.

This page is from August 1941, which is a noteworthy time in Fox’s comic book history. A few months later, in November, a comic written by Gill Fox, describing a German attack on Pearl Harbor, was published one month before the real-life Japanese attack on that U.S. naval base.

He left his editorial position at Quality in 1943 to serve in World War II, where he worked for Stars and Stripes. Once discharged from military service, Fox freelanced for Quality Comics until the early 1950s.

Quality published “Feature Comics” for 144 issues (1937-1950), featuring Doll Man as its lead superhero. Fox’s Poison Ivy – The Mighty Mite, appeared through issue 132, and was also a daily strip. In an interview with Jim Amash (Alter Ego 3(12)):

FOX: Crandall, of course, was one of our top artists, but he kept to himself as far as I could see. His work was just terrific, and he helped make Blackhawk one of our best books.

JA: When did Quality move back to New York?

FOX: I was drafted while in Stamford and helped set the New York office up before I left. I commuted from Stamford. I started doing a two-page filler called “Poison Ivy.” It began to get hot. I remember Henry Martin [an associate of Busy Arnold] leaning on a doorjamb and saying to me, “Can you do some dailies so we can syndicate it?” It was a dream! But then I was classified 1-A for military service and had to give it up. We’d even talked about it being a comic book. The breaks in this business are very strange.

Because comics weren’t considered an “essential” job, like some others were, I knew I was going to go when a national “Work or Fight” order was announced. I didn’t want to go. I quit being editor in the middle of 1943 and started working on farms in Connecticut. I did that for about six months and got in great shape. But it didn’t make any difference. I went into the Army anyway.

 

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)