[phrankenstign]

There's a noticeable shift in color extending across the entire cover just above the car and even with Captain Marvel's left hand. It's possible the picture was stitched together from two smaller scans causing the shift in colors. Perhaps it is a Canadian version of the full-size inner front cover of the Famous First Edition released there.

The full-size inner covers of the FFE American versions (both DC soft cover and Lyle Stuart hard cover) lack "GANGWAY FOR CAPTAIN MARVEL!", have only one gangster, state only "FAWCETT PUBLICATION" (WITH NO "A"), a horizontal black speed line over the "I" and "Z" in "WHIZ", and no shading on the white parts of Captain Marvel's cape.

For some reason, the FFE outer small-size covers differ from the inner full-size ones. They lack "GANGWAY FOR CAPTAIN MARVEL!", only have one gangster, state "FAWCETT PUBLICATIONS" (with no "A"), lack the horizontal speed line over the "I" and "Z" in "WHIZ", and have shading on the white of Captain Marvel's cape.

Curiously, the Shazam! Archives Volume 1 picture of WHIZ COMICS #2 has "GANGWAY FOR CAPTAIN MARVEL!", only one gangster, states "FAWCETT PUBLICATION (with no "A"), lacks the horizontal speed line over the "I" and "Z" in "WHIZ", and no shading on the white parts of Captain Marvel's cape.

I looked at a picture of a CGC 9.0 Whiz Comics #2 on page 73 of a 43rd edition of an Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide. The book had "GANGWAY FOR CAPTAIN MARVEL!", two gangsters, "A FAWCETT PUBLICATION", a horizontal speed line over the "I" and "Z" in "WHIZ", and shading on the white parts of Captain Marvel's cape.

It's a mystery where, when, and how DC got what appears to be an earlier version of the final Fawcett version of Whiz Comics #2. If it's NOT an earlier version, then why would they decide to eliminate one gangster? I've read the reason "GANGWAY FOR CAPTAIN MARVEL!" was removed was to prevent litigation with Marvel Comics Group's own Captain Marvel.

Link to the book: *** Link No Longer Exists: Whiz Comics 002 (fiche) ***

[David Miles]

That's an interesting explanation.