Spectre vs Mr Justice

I try my best to avoid words like ‘unique’ when I’m discussing comic characters from the 1940’s. The term just doesn’t apply. First, there are too many characters that can be considered ‘unique’ for the word to retain any meaning. Second, there were always knock-offs. Always.

The problem with my education in the Golden Age of comics is that it’s been primarily DC comics that I’ve studied. I knew the names and the looks and the titles of the output from other publishers, but had never really immersed myself. So finding these little gems from the Golden Age has started to become a real treat that I enjoy.

Recently, I read I Shall Destroy All the Civilized Planets. A collection of the Golden Age work of some dude I had never heard of called Fletcher Hanks. Turns out, this particular artist was insane. Reading his work is a strange trip through comics that I previously would have said that no one would ever have published, much less published in the early 1940’s. His art style is jarring and unsettling, his characters are powerful and completely merciless, and one really gets the sense that Mr. Hanks really wanted all criminals, maybe all of humanity, to just burn.

Taking a step back from the intensity of Fletcher Hanks, and back into the much more comfortable pool of water that is DC Comics, we find ourselves face-to-face with the Spectre. The Spectre first appeared in January of 1941, More Fun Comics #51, and was created by Jerry Siegel and Bernard Baily. Spectre is a very interesting character, as he is the reincarnated soul of dead cop Jim Corrigan. Brought back to life by no less than God himself and charged with bringing His wrath to the criminals of the Earth. Spectre is merciless and harsh on criminals. Supernatrual and God-like, it’s quickly established that the Spectre can do just about anything. When reading his adventures, it’s not about the question of can the Spectre defeat the bad guy. It’s much more about HOW will the Spectre defeat the bad guy. Elongated figures, battles on other dimensional planes, death stares and magic rings and animation of the dead; Spectre had enough going for him to make me think he was truly unique in the Golden Age of comics.

Spectre was original, of course. But one can’t say he was unique. I just found out about Mr. Justice.



Mr. Justice was a character belonging to the MLJ comics group. A comic book company I don’t have much experience with. They evolved in Archie comics, but pre-Archie they were strictly adventure. Blue Ribbon Comics #9, the debut of Mr. Justice, was published in February 1941. The Mr. Justice strip is credited to Joe Blair and Sam Cooper. Reading the strip gives one the distinct feeling that you’re reading the Spectre… as drawn by Fletcher Hanks.



Mr. Justice is a spectral character who fights crime with God-like powers. When not in ghostly form, Mr. Justice works for the District Attorney as his secret identity… Mr. Justice. Ermmm…. Anyway… the dude can do almost anything and often does. He fights on other dimensional planes using all kinds of Supernatural powers. All pretty standard stuff to Spectre readers.



However, the art is far different from the offerings of the Spectre. There’s something about the wide open mouths, fangs, pointed ears, bloodshot eyes of the villains that makes me think Sam Cooper was in reality Fletcher Hanks. Or the art was at least influenced by Hanks in some way. But the backgrounds and other figures of the strip don’t support this theory. It’s… unsettling.



And then there’s his origin. In the year 1040 Prince James of England was assassinated in a plot by Scottish Rebels and his spirit was trapped in the castle where the murder took place. In 1940, the castle was sold, disassembled, and on a ship on it’s way to America when the ship carrying the castle was targeted and sunk by a Nazi submarine. This act of dire Nazi-ism released the soul of Prince James who then became the Royal Wraith, Mr. Justice.

That’s… awesome. That’s just… that’s… awesome.

I don’t want to like Mr. Justice. But I love him right down to my twitchy toes.

It gets worse.

The devil, sitting in Hell, gets bored. He decides to come to Earth, disguise himself as a simple German housepainter. Stirs up some trouble with the townfolk in some beer halls. Rises to power. And turns all of Germany into a fascist state. Then goes around starting wars.

That’s right… the devil is Hitler.

Hitler is the devil.

And regularly fights Mr. Justice. As Hitler AND as Satan.

This strip… this is awesome. Right down to my toes.

What’s bothering me so much is that there’s nothing much original in MLJ comics. There all rip-offs of other comic characters or styles. The practice ran rampant in the 1940’s when comics were a cash cow. There’s nothing original here! Move along!

But… but it’s just so freaking awesome.

Thanks,
DCD