Data courtesy of the Grand Comics Database under Creative Commons license.

Issue Details

Issue #1
Published May 1939
Frequency monthly
Cover Price 0.10 USD
Pages 68
Editing Victor Fox
Notes Indicia: WONDER COMICS is published monthly by Bruns Publications, Inc., V. S. Fox, President, 480 Lexington Avenue, New York, N. Y. Editorial, Executive and Advertising Offices: 480 Lexington Avenue, New York, N. Y. Copyright 1939 by Bruns Publications, Inc. Application for entry as second-class matter is pending. Volume 1, No. 1, May, 1939. Single copies: 10ยข; Subscription, 12 months: $1.

Cover Details

Characters Wonder Man [Fred Carson]
Genre superhero
Pencils Will Eisner
Inks Will Eisner

1 page filler "Winged Wonders!"

Genre fact
Script ? [as Floyd Kelly]
Pencils ? [as Floyd Kelly] (signed)
Inks ? [as Floyd Kelly] (signed)
Notes Illustrated text lettered like a comic. Inside front cover.

14 page Wonder Man story "The Origin of Wonder Man"

Characters Wonder Man [Fred Carson] (introduction; origin); Brenda/Nora Hastings (introduction; name changes halfway through story); Reggie "Playboy" Berold (introduction); General Attila (villain; introduction)
Synopsis Fred Carson, timid radio engineer and inventor, was given a ring by an old Tibetan which makes him impervious and the strongest man on Earth. His boss asks him to accompany his daughter Brenda (or Nora- the text is inconsistent) as she joins the Red Cross to help in a foreign war. When they arrive, the base comes under attack. Carson becomes Wonder Man, defends the base, puts an end to the war and feeds the populace.
Genre superhero
Script Will Eisner
Pencils Will Eisner [as Erwin Willis] (signed)
Inks Will Eisner [as Erwin Willis] (signed)
Notes DC sued Fox to prevent further Wonder Man appearances.
Reprinted Reprinted in black & white in the fanzine Alter Ego #48 (May 2005).

8 page Shorty Shortcake story "The Rio Grande, a sluggish moody river..."

Characters Shorty Shortcake (introduction); Suzy (introduction); Skippy (introduction); Mr. De Welth (introduction); Weems (introduction); Tiny (villain; introduction)
Synopsis Shorty is captured by smugglers while walking near the Rio Grande. While he tries to escape from Tiny, Suzy and her dog Skippy seek the help of Mr. De Welth, richest man in the world, and his butler Weems to find Shorty.
Genre humor
Script S. M. Iger
Pencils S. M. Iger [as Jerry Williams] (signed)
Inks S. M. Iger [as Jerry Williams] (signed)

1 page filler "Wonders That Are True"

Genre fact
Notes Illustrated text, lettered like a comic.

4 page Patty O'Day story "Fire At Sea"

Characters Patty O'Day (introduction); Ham (introduction); Lord Michael Farnsworth [Lord Mike] (introduction)
Synopsis Reporter/camerawoman Patty O'Day parachutes onto a cruise ship to get footage of a fire. The crew doesn't want her filming, but a mysterious man calling himself Lord Farnsworth helps her escape, asking her to mail a letter for him when she returns to the shore.
Genre adventure
Script Adolphe Barreaux?
Pencils Adolphe Barreaux (signed)
Inks Adolphe Barreaux (signed)

2 page Men Who Made the West text article "Buffalo Bill"

Characters William F. Cody [Buffalo Bill]
Genre western
Script Will Eisner
Pencils Will Eisner
Inks Will Eisner
Notes Illustrated text, lettered like a comic.

6 page Dr. Fung story "The Oasis of Li-Wang"

Characters Dr. Fung (introduction); Dan Barrister (introduction); Li-Wang (villain; introduction; death)
Genre adventure
Script Bob Powell?
Pencils Bob Powell [as Arthur Dean] (signed)
Inks Bob Powell [as Arthur Dean] (signed)
Notes Dr. Fung and his assistant Dan encounter the mad scientist Li-Wang. Dan is captured, but escapes and finds that Dr. Fung has located Wang's laboratory and come up with a plan to destroy it and thwart Wang's dreams of conquest.
Reprinted in Blue Beetle (Fox, 1939 series) #5

2 page text story "The Wrath of Allah"

Genre adventure
Script Will Eisner [as William E. Eisner] (signed)
Letters typeset
Notes Text story with illustration.

5 page "Wild Tex" Dawson story "Lone Hand"

Characters Tex Dawson (introduction; origin); Cactus Kirby (villain; introduction)
Synopsis Tex finds a wanted criminal masquerading as the town Sheriff when he takes a new job on a cattle ranch.
Genre western
Script Will Eisner?
Pencils Will Eisner? [as Leon Spuds] (signed)
Inks Will Eisner?

1 page Sport Album filler

Characters Gar Wood; Fred Jacoby; Lefty Grove
Pencils Chuck Wilson (signed)
Notes Signed twice- once as "by Chuck Wilson" in cursive but consistent lettering, once (at the bottom) as "Willson" [sic] looking more like a signature.

1 page Wonder Comics promo (ad from the publisher) "1000 Prizes Given Away Free!"

Synopsis Solicitation of feedback on Wonder Comics, with a promise of a ring like Wonder Man's to the first 1000 best respondents.
Letters typeset
Notes Says the next issue will be on sale April 28th.

1 page Movie Memos text article

Characters Deanna Durbin; Wallace Beery; Joe E. Brown; Stan Laurel; Oliver Hardy
Pencils Glenda Carol [signed]
Inks Glenda Carol [signed]
Notes Text with illustrations, lettered like a comic.

4 page K-5 Spies At War story "The Menace of the Mask"

Characters K-5 (introduction); Rick Anthony (introduction; death); The Mask [Sen. Stanley] (villain; introduction; death)
Synopsis K-5 is sent to find out who's behind a group of gun runners in a foreign war.
Genre spy; war
Script Will Eisner [as Ned Coe] (signed)
Pencils Will Eisner [as Ned Coe] (signed)
Inks Will Eisner [as Ned Coe] (signed)

5 page "Gang-Buster" Robinson story "Gang-Buster Appointed By Gov. Harmon"

Characters Richard G. Robinson ["Gang-Buster" Robinson] (introduction; origin); Spike McGinty (villain; introduction)
Synopsis Robinson is hired to rid Capital City of crime. On his first case he busts a gang that killed a city cop.
Genre crime
Pencils ? [as Harold Vance] (signed)

1 page Some Fun filler "Mr. Jones, take a letter"

Genre gag

7 page Spark Stevens story "The Hijacked Pocket Battleship"

Characters Spark Stevens (a sailor; introduction); Chuck Lawton (introduction)
Synopsis Spark Stevens and Chuck Lawton, two Navy sailors who are friends but constantly squabble, are instrumental in recovering their ship when it is captured by criminals.
Genre adventure
Script Bob Kane [as Rob't Kane] (signed)
Pencils Bob Kane [as Rob't Kane] (signed)
Inks Bob Kane [as Rob't Kane] (signed)

1 page Prof. Penpusher's Cartooning Class activity

Pencils ? [as Heza Nutt] (signed)

1 page text article "Wonder Stamp Club"

Letters typeset

1 page Belly Busters filler

Genre gag
Script Bob Kane? [as Kane Roberts]
Pencils Bob Kane? [as Kane Roberts] (signed)
Inks Bob Kane? [as Kane Roberts] (signed)
Notes Inside back cover. Credit is speculation based on the signed name.

1 page advertisement

Letters typeset
Notes Numerous (about 30) small ads. Back cover.