Auctions: comic books published by Fox, graded by CGC

Big 3 (1940 Fox) 2 CGC 5.0

Paper: Cream to off white

Label #4311926006

Stories and art by Sam Cooper (credited as Charles Nicholas), Alex Blum and Fletcher Hanks. A collection of superhero comics from Fox Feature Syndicate, featuring the first version of the Blue Beetle. Crime boss Porky Hogg targets the Blue Beetle by dressing his gang in Blue Beetle costumes and framing him for murder; The Flame battles a gang's protection racket; Stardust must protect America when Master-Mind De Structo plans to steal all its oxygen, in a story by the legendary Fletcher Hanks. Blue Beetle: Death To the Blue Beetle; Samson: Nekroff the Dictator; Wing Turner; The Flame: The Crimson Circle; Interlude At Hoalogaland; The Flame: The Sabotage Protection Racket; Stardust: Master-Mind De Structo. 68 pages, Full Color. Cover price $0.10.

Crimes by Women (1948) 2 CGC 3.0

Paper: Cream to off white

Label #0354502004

Art by A.C. Hollingsworth and others. Fox Feature Syndicate creates a pre-Code title guaranteed to provide lurid covers and art, as women both historical and fictional commit murder and other heinous acts. The terrifying Belle Gunness becomes one of the first American serial killers, and not even her children are safe; French midget Andre Chateau has a big yen for murder; Jean Torson and her husband kill and rob their way across the Midwest. Belle Gunness, the Monster of Laporte; Anna Slayne, Flower of Evil; The Midget Murderer; Murder Out of Season; Jean Torson, Satans Daughter. 32 pages, Full Color. In order of appearance: "Belle Guness, The Monster of Laporte" reprinted in Vixens, Vamps and Vipers SC (2014 EA Press) Lost Villainesses of Golden Age Comics #1-1ST; "Anna Slayne, Flower of Evil" reprinted in Public Enemies (1989 Malibu) #2; "The Midget Murderer" art by Alvin C. Hollingsworth; and "Jean Torson, Satan's Daughter" reprinted in Public Enemies (1989 Malibu) #2. "Murder out of Season" text story. Cover price $0.10.

Crimes by Women (1948) 3 CGC 4.5

Paper: Off white

Label #4425792001

Cover text quoted in Fredric Wertham's "Seduction of the Innocent". In order of appearance: "Yvonne Ravenal, The Parisian Panther"; "Gladys Behmer Plans Murder"; "Daughter of the Devil, Rosa Harte"; "Gang Leaders, Owney Madden"; "Gang Leaders, Big Bill Lingley and Freddie Muehfeldt" reprinted from Murder Incorporated (1948 1st Series) #3; and "Don Wan". "White-Hot Murder" text story reprinted in Murder Incorporated (1950 2nd Series) #5. 36 pages. Full color. Cover price $0.10.

Crimes by Women (1948) 4 CGC 4.0

Paper: White

Tape on cover.

Label #1615976011

Art by Warren Broderick, T. Ward and Jimmy Maxwell. Fox Feature Syndicate creates a pre-Code title guaranteed to provide lurid covers and art, as women both historical and fictional commit murder and other heinous acts. Kitty Sarlo and her crony Sam hatch a scheme to get hapless soldiers drunk and then rob them; Foul-mouthed but beautiful Nellie turns to murder when a safecracking job goes wrong; Actress Connie Hale gets involved in a diamond-smuggling racket. Kitty Sarlo: The Female Leech; Nitro Nellie: The Savage Safe-Smashers; The Diamond of Kor-el-Maninoor; Man Trap. 32 pages, Full Color. All stories reprinted in Crimes by Women (1948) #54. In order of appearance: "Kitty Sarlo, The Female Leech"; "Nitro Nellie, The Savage Safe-Smashers"; and "Man Trap". "The Diamond of Kor-El-Maninoor" text story also reprinted in Zoo Funnies (1953 2nd Series Capitol/Charlton) #13. Cover price $0.10.

Flame (1940 Fox Features Syndicate) 6 CGC 3.0

Paper: Off white

Tape on cover and interior cover.

Label #2007962009

Art by Arthur Cazeneuve, Roland "Ramona" Patenaude, Charles A. Winter and George Tuska. Cover by Arthur Cazeneuve. Raised by Tibetan lamas, orphan Gary Preston gained the mystic ability to control fire and temperature, including the power to materialize wherever there is an open flame. The Flame meets his match in the Nazi spy Herr Arson; Bob and Lana suspect Voodoo Man is involved when archaeologists digging for the Spanish Main begin mysteriously dying off; Zanzibar, who is like Mandrake the Magician in a blue fez, investigates the abduction of a noted doctor, witnessed by his beautiful daughter. Herr Arson Strikes; Curse of the Green Vase; The Horrible Hooded Men; Runaway Murders; Zanzibar: The Abduction of Dr. Dean; Voodoo Man: Captive of the Zombies; Captain Savage: Kayamoto Attacks. 64 pages, Full Color. Cover price $0.10.

Mystery Men Comics (1939) 15 CGC 4.5

Paper: Cream to off white

Label #2027845002

Cover by Charles Nicholas. Stories by Dick Briefer, Fred Schwab, Paul Ludwig, and Bob Powell. Art by Charles Nicholas, Dick Briefer, Walter Frehm, Fred Schwab, Munson Paddock, and Bob Powell. An anthology of Golden Age adventure comics from Fox Feature, including the original Blue Beetle. A fragment of a destroyed planet crashes to Earth and forms its own mini-planet, complete with alien life, in a Rex Dexter story that features the very creation of the Earth rendered by Dick Briefer; The Blue Beetle tracks rooftop murderers Gimp and Moody, not realizing his girlfriend, reporter Joan Mason, is already on their trail; Wing Turner tracks jewel thieves in his final appearance before moving to The Flame comics. The Murders of Gimp and Moody; The Jewel Robbery; The Jewel Robbery; The Mummy's Curse; Billy Bounce; The Crojax Murders; The Murder of Sir James Boyce; The Strike of the Sinister Skull; The Siberian Sub Base; Ghost Murder At Stock Manor; The Murder of Jonathan Graham; The Bride of Baal. 68 pages, Full Color. Cover price $0.10.