"Hey, what happened to the regular Marvel Masterworks Marathon"?
Well, it's on hiatus for a month while we celebrate Marvel's 70th anniversary with a special trip back to 1939. Truly the best and the worst of times ... from cinematic magic in the form of Gone With the Wind and The Wizard of Oz, classic novels like The Grapes of Wrath, and the Golden Gate International Expo, to the bane of human existence with the beginning of World War II. DC hauled out the big guns with the premiere of Batman that spring, but Timely Comics (which, as you've gotta know, Marvel was known as the time) unleashed the beginning of its own pantheon of players in August.
First off, I highly recommend everyone run out and grab the Golden Age Marvel Comics Omnibus. Yes, I know you may have to sell your nephew in order to afford it, but you can also put it on your Christmas list. I plan to read this book as we go along and, yes, actually participate.
MARVEL COMICS #1: Released August 1939, cover dated October. The Sub-Mariner by Bill Everett appears, having been seen a few months before in his debut in Motion Picture Funnies Weekly #1, the eight-page story of which is reprinted here. Carl Burgos introduces his Human Torch, who of course you also see on Frank Paul's cover for this issue. Paul Gustavson adds the Angel to the mix, and Kazar the Great, Jungle Terror, and the Masked Raider (with his horse Lightning) round out this epic book. If you have $460,000 laying around, you can grab this mag in near-mint minus condition!

MARVEL MYSTERY COMICS #2: Released October 1939, cover dated December. Along with the Human Torch and Sub-Mariner, we're introduced to American Ace in the second issue of Timely's flagship (and currently only) title.

MARVEL MYSTERY COMICS #3: Released November 1939, cover dated January 1940. The new logo comes from Timely's Marvel Science Stories pulp title). Would you say the Human Torch story features the first appearance of TV in comics?

DARING MYSTERY COMICS #1: Released November 1939, cover dated January 1940. Timely's second comic book introduces the Fiery Mask by Joe Simon; Doc Denton, Flash Foster, as well as the likes of Monako, Prince of Magic and John Steele, Soldier of Fortune, and we can't forget Barney Mullen, Sea Rover. Who needs Spidey, Captain America and the Hulk with characters like these?

So let's get this one rolling, people. And for those of you who hate the Golden Age, consider this an opportunity to get caught up on the Silver Age comics from the more recent marathon legs!
