Mandrake Knock-Offs of the 1940's

I've talked before about my love of vintage strips of Mandrake the Magician. But I just can't shake the feeling that you don't believe me. I feel that you don't believe a newspaper comic strip about a traditional tuxedo magician fighting crime could possibly be that popular.

Thankfully, we have the help of 1940's comic books to prove my point.

In today's entertainment, everyone's striving to find the next big breakthrough character while still keeping us placated with old favorites that we grew up with. Back in the forties, if something sold well, imitators popped up by the boatload. DC famously sued Fawcett comics because Captain Marvel was too similar to Superman, but this is a rare case of the publisher actually doing anything about the competition trying to ape the elements of a character that made it popular.

Here are a few examples of Mandrake knock-offs found in comic books. ALL of these examples came from comics from December of 1941. Please notice the amount of crime fighters choosing to practice their craft in a tuxedo or three piece suit as befits magician's of there era.

Action Comics #43 from DC had Zatara the Magician. This is probably the most well known of the knock off magicians, as his DC Comics heritage lasts into the present day with his daughter, DC comics character Zatanna. Zatara had the unique method of making magical things happen by speaking phrases backwards.


Whiz Comics #25 from Fawcett had Ibis the Invincible. Using his Ibis Stick, he could make just about anything happen.


All-American Comics #33 from DC had Sargon the Sorcerer. Thanks to the ruby in his turban, anything Sargon touched was completely under his control.


World's Finest Comics #4 from DC had Lando, Man of Magic. He didn't seem to have any constraints on his powers at all. But he did sport the standard turban-tux-cape combo of justice.








Top-Notch Comics #22 from MLJ had Kardak, the Mystic Magician. He was a master of illusion just like Mandrake. Again with the turban!





Wonderworld Comics #32 from Fox had Yarko, Master of Magic. Yarko made his magic not by using Zatara's speaking backwards method, but by employing pig latin.


Zip Comics #21 from MLJ had Zambini the Miracle Man. He could pretty much do anything.





National Comics #18 from Quality Comics had Merlin the Magician. This dude seemed to copy Zatara's schtick of making magic by speaking backwards.





Uncle Sam #2 from Quality Comics bucked the male-dominated trend and offered Margo the Magician. She didn't sport Mandrake's trademark tuxedo, but she did have his illusion casting powers down pat.


This is not even counting the characters popping up in More Fun Comics, All-Star Comics, Blue Ribbon Comics, Jackpot Comics, Shield-Wizard Comics and Jungle Comics which were magic based but not immediately recognizable as Mandrake knock-offs. Characters such as Dr. Fate, Spectre, Mr. Justice, Wizard, and even Tabu - Wizard of the Jungle.





Oddly enough, Mystic Comics #8 from Timely Comics didn't have any magicians. Plenty of supernatural themed stories, but just no turbans or top hats.

And Mandrake himself could be found in the pages of comic books. The December 1941 issue of King Comics published by David McKay Company, had Popeye on the cover and four pages of Mandrake reprints from his newspaper material.


I could be wrong about the source of the magician craze. Mandrake dominated the comics newspaper page and his strip began in 1934. But Blackstone the Magic Detective was a 1948 radio show based on popular stage magician Harry Blackstone, who began his career in the early twentieth century and was quite popular throughout World War II. Obviously Mandrake took a que from Blackstone and other stage magicians of the day. But I imagine very few of those actually fought crime.


Knock-offs and theme characters fill the pages of Golden Age comics. It's to the point where I can flip through one of these comics and say "Oh there's the patriotic hero, and here's the magician, and here's the fire-guy, and here's the super speed guy, and here's the aviator, and here's the army dude." The trick is enjoying the material for what it's worth. Which back then was ten cents for about ten stories and some humor pages. So... maybe it was about getting the most for your money? Anyways, one thing is for sure. There's nothing like it today.

Thanks,
DCD

P.S. See any nicknames you'd like to adopt at work? Combinations? Vicki Dill, the Invicible Sorcerer of Magic? Steve Lietuvnikas, the Master Mystic Magician of Magic? I say go for it.