The Presto Kid

By J.A.Patterson
Posted on: Apr 18th 2008 at 12:51 PM

Replies: 5

The Presto Kid did not disappear after the demise of Israel Waldman's I.W./Super Comics.

AC Comics has used him for a few years. Their first use of the character was in 1989, when they gave him his own book filled with reprints of his stories, but only for one issue. They ran one more reprint in a trade paperback devoted to the M.E. western line in 1995.

AC seems to have a tendency to pick up the rights to many comic book heroes who had lifespans as short as him & occaisionally making new stories about them or guest spots in Femforce: The Avenger, Strong Man, & Starr Flagg Undercover Girl (Three other short-lived M.E. stars), Captain Flash from Sterling Comics, Tomboy (whose short run was a back-up feature in Captain Flash's book), Captain 3-D (in which AC ran material from his unpublished second issue), Lady Fairplay, The Black Cobra (who had THREE short runs pre-AC), & Yankee Girl (who rated just one story in her original series!) all fit the bill. In the Presto Kid's case, AC ran one new story in the sixth issue of their revival of the Best of the West title, that also featured The Durango Kid, Redmask, & The Black Phantom!

I hope that is enough info for you.

J.A.P.

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Comments:

Posted by: Don Markstein

Posted on: 2008-04-19 at 05:07:17 AM

Thanks. I didn't realize AC had done Presto, who was minor and short-lived even by ME's standards. I'll have to rework the article to get that in, sometime in the next day or two.

I knew of two Black Cobra series, but didn't know he had a third. Apparently, some research is needed before I can do him as an example of the surprisingly many '50s superheroes.

And Yankee Girl was only in one story originally? I didn't realize that, either. I've read her only in Israel Waldman's unauthorized reprint, and there wasn't an origin story there. I often do superheroes who wrap themselves in the flag like a cheap politician, for Memorial Day and/or July 4, but I won't be doing her this year. (I plan Miss America and Miss Victory this year, and that'll finish off the female superheroes who debuted in August, 1941.)

Thanks for posting this info.

Quack, Don

Posted by: J.A.Patterson

Posted on: 2008-04-28 at 01:38:43 PM

The Black Cobra's first series was from Harry 'A' Chesler, & appeared in Dynamic Comics #1, published in October, 1941. It lasted just one issue!

The first revival was published by Four Star Comics, appearing in Captain Flight Comics, starting with issue #6. There were five stories in all, although he skipped issue #10. It ended with the book's final issue #11 in 1947!

The second revival was his most prominent, as it was in his own book published by Ajax-Farrell. It lasted three issues, from November 1954 to March 1955. There is an interesting sidenote here: The second issue was numbered #6, a retitling of Billy Bunny, a funny animal!

I will get to Yankee Girl later!

J.A.P.

Posted by: Don Markstein

Posted on: 2008-05-01 at 07:39:04 AM

Interesting. Particularly so because Farrell's comics operation was a survivor of Victor Fox's implosion, and I had an impression his initial stock of comics properties came from Fox. I hadn't (still haven't, for that matter) looked closely at The Black Cobra, and this is the first I've heard of a connection between Farrell and Chesler.

Oh, the things I let myself in for when I started this site! I'll have to try to sort that out out one of these days.

Thanks again for posting.

Quack, Don

Posted by: J.A.Patterson

Posted on: 2008-05-09 at 01:57:12 PM

Now I am going to list the life of Harry 'A' Chesler's Yankee Girl!

She had debuted in the pages of 'Dynamic Comics'#23. The most ironic thing about this book is the month of publication: November 1947. By that time, patriotic do-gooders are not as popular as they were in World War two. In fact, comics' very first super-patriot, The Shield, was dropped that very year! As it was, she was dropped after that one story!

That one appearance was reprinted by I.W. in issue #1 of a new 'Dynamic Comics' series in 1958. Then, a few years later, he unearthed a rarity: He had found the complete pages for an unpublished tale featuring her that was supposed to be intended for her original series! It was published in 'Danger' #16, that came out in 1964. That book was also notable for being the first time she had been featured on the cover!

Her big comeback was when AC revived her in the late 1980s. Given that she was really small fish when compared to way higher profile characters that AC revived like Catman, Fighting Yank, Rocketman (Another Chesler hero!), The Avenger, Captain Flash, the aforementioned Black Cobra, Miss Masque, The Flame, The Green Mask, or The Green Lama. Yet, somehow, AC fans had warmed up to her almost immediately. She received more solo stories than she ever had previously, she received plenty of cover appearances at AC, & she even gained her own solo-book at AC in 2003, albeit for only one issue!

And speaking of which: Why haven't you reworked that Presto Kid article like you promised half a month ago?????

J.A.P.

Posted by: Don Markstein

Posted on: 2008-05-10 at 06:19:32 AM

Uh -- because I'm lazy? Because I forgot? Because I was kidnapped by aliens a couple of weeks ago and am just now getting back? Gimme a minute -- I know I can come up with an excuse that works.

Thanks for the info on Yankee Girl. I tend to write up flag-wearing superheroes on appropriate days. Of course, I grow less and less convinced that wrapping yourself in the flag is a sign of patriotism (as opposed to flag abuse much worse than merely burning it), but still, this year I have other plans for those dates. Something may come up to keep me from getting anything at all done on those dates, but plans are to complete the set of female superheroes who debuted in August, 1941, by writing up Miss Victory and Miss America on those dates.

Quack, Don