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[paw broon]

Pulgarcito #1, 1921, #26 1925. Plus more El Coyote (Cliper) and, wonder of wonders, after all this time, El Misterioso X.   No wings though. I always thought he had wings.

[paw broon]

Sun which is a British anthology title from the '50's; Top Spot, a British mix of comics, stories, pin-ups with famous personalities of the time; Coloured Slick Fun, quite the little rarity and hardly remembered today apart from dyed-in-the-wool fans.

[paw broon]

German is a new section and we have 3 titles there now, thanks to narfstar.

[paw broon]

In Spanish comics we now have a new masked mystery man in his own section - El Puma.  15 issues.

[narfstar]

Paw you have made one awesome Spanish section! Sure makes me wish I read Spanish. BTW, I think I would classify El Puma as a western like Black Diamond. Unless I am missing something.

[paw broon]

This has always interested me.  Do we classify stories set in cowboy times as westerns.  Well, yes.  But masked mystery men appear in many time frames and there are many "cowboy"/"western" heroes who are masked mystery men, secret identities and all.  A slew of them in Spanish and other European comics as well as American and I tend to think that the hero should be the main factor in deciding how to classify the episode.  Gene Autry is so obviously a western as is Jace Parson but many of the stories are set not in "cowboy" times as we would normally think of it, e.g. Cheyenne and Range Rider but in automobile times, making these stories less western, more action hero stories but we wouldn't call more modern setting stories other than westerns.
The masked "cowboy" keeping his i/d secret will normally be classified by me as a mmm. 
There is another example, that of the historical hero.  Again many in Spanish comics.  The action is in, say, medieval times but the hero is masked.  Is this a historical "romance" or a mmm story  A bit of both but as the attraction for me is the guy in the mask (or flashy supersuit with some sort of emblem) then it's a mmm story.
I'm sure there are big flaws in my argument and I look forward to being demolished.  You see, the attraction of the masked/costumed hero is the big thing for me.

[narfstar]

I have never been a fan of the powerless "superhero" other than Batman who transcends. So unless the western masked man has some "extra" power I tend to think of it as a western. I would call Ghost Rider a superhero but not most others.

[paw broon]

This is good and I hope others jump on with their ideas but perhaps in the great scheme of things it's not that important.  Many years ago, I used to think that all those GA and British characters with gaudy costumes and/or masks but with no powers were a bit naff.  But the longer and the more I read their adventures and also the stories of masked costumed mystery men in non-American comics, I realised that they could be just as good fun and so, the idea of the masked mystery (wo)man came to be as important as the powered heroes.  Inconsistencies in continuity muddy the issue as well.  Take The Black Terror.  He had super powers but as the run went on he gradually became just a costumed mystery man, showing little or no signs of strength or invulnerability.  Black Hood; Black Cat; Mr Scarlet; Billy the Cat; Guerrero del Antifaz; Phantom; Green Arrow etc. not a superpower in sight but I love them.  Masked mystery men to me are not only cowboys or Crusaders or schoolboys, they change into something a bit above the everyday level and those masks and costumes take them to a different level for me.  Bearing in mind this is all escapist fiction and nothing to do with real life.  But I still enjoy a Gene Autry story alongside Billy the Cat and Sexton Blake alongside Mr. Scarlet.
I wonder if I should copy this into the Comics section to see if we get any other ideas?

[narfstar]

No harm in getting double exposure. I can't say I do not enjoy the old no powered hero stories. I just have a fundamental problem with them that will always bother me and somewhat diminish the pleasure.
Even more the powerless sidekick. Robin has to be one of the least practical ideas in the world unless we bring in Cat-Man's partner Kitten when she was younger. A little girl would not strike a lot of fear into many criminals. The Phantom and Tarzan always transcended their state in much the same way as Batman. Green Arrow I consider powered when he was using all his trick arrows. BTW Paw have you ever noticed how many "powered" heroes have been waylaid in stories by being hit in the back of the head. This was the Achilles heel in many GA sagas. Then of course the villain failed to take advantage of the situation and off the hero. The villain either took off or put the hero in some elaborate device to kill them from which the escaped (holy Batman TV show Paw)

[paw broon]

First series of Red Dixon - an early '50's Sf adventurer series from Spain.  Series 2 to follow.

[narfstar]

Nice looking series Paw

[paw broon]

After causing Mark more headaches than he needs, because I didn't spot the big oops that was right in front of me, 2 issues of Gente Menuda, a Spanish juvenile magazine with comic strips from the 1930's.  Plus more Red Dixon, this time from series 2.  Anyone who enjoyed the flying saucer series, Platillos Volantes, should like this.  El Puma #14 re-upped correctly and it's a nice issue.

[narfstar]

Paw I told one of our Spanish teachers about the comics we have here. She may be using our site with her Spanish classes 

[paw broon]

Excellent.  Spreading the word is as much a part of all this as anything else.

[paw broon]

20 issues of Suchai, a Spanish lilliput/piccolo.

[narfstar]

Paw I sure hope you can find more Spaceman. Really great stuff.

[paw broon]

Actually, josemas is responsible for finding that one and, you're right, it is excellent.  Norman Light was very good but there is so little of his work floating around.  It's frustrating.  I've been trying to find this sort of material for yonks and suddenly, someone else turns it up. But we can all enjoy it now.

[paw broon]

One of my own for a change.  This is an extract from an annual.  I have bits from annuals rather than the whole annual in some cases.  Some were photocopied years ago.  So I've scanned these few pages to give us a Falcon story with art by George Heath.  Hope you all enjoy it.

[narfstar]

thank you

[paw broon]

7 issues of Lion, a British weekly from the '50's.  And our first Catalan comic.

[paw broon]

Umpteen issues of Knockout.  Some have art by Eric Parker, love it.  And a number have Sexton Blake.

[narfstar]

MORE BOB and DORIS in Merry Maker please. This looks like a cool strip but there is not enough of it.

[paw broon]

As requested (and wasn't that sharpish)? another issue of Merry Maker.  This is # 11, I think, end of the run.  Plus Joyride; a Catgirl strip; Jolly Adventures.

[narfstar]

Thanks Paw this looks like it should have been more popular. Some great little features.

[paw broon]

Space Comics featuring Captain Valiant, an issue of Diamond Comics which is a reprint of fiction House strips and a real rarity, the only issue of Lucky Dice Comic from 1946.