[k9feline]

This was apparently Bill Parker's last Captain Marvel story before he was drafted. It certainly reads like some kind of final story, particularly for Sivana. It finally reveals what the connection was between Sivana and Beautia, gives Sivana a tragic aspect he never had before, and neatly wraps up his rivalry with Cap that suggests a real conclusion. If this had been the final Sivana story, it would've been a good way to go out. Parker wrote 19 Captain Marvel stories in all (the first 15 issues of Whiz, plus 4 stories for Special Edition Comics) and they are all unique, fresh, and distinctive from each other. Parker deserves a great deal of credit for making Captain Marvel an immediate hit and for suggesting the limitless possibilities for the character, which will propel him to being the single most popular, and one of the most prolific, superheroes of the Golden Age of Comics.

As for the beginning of the Spy Smasher crossover in this same issue, it also does a good job of finishing off much of saga Parker had created, killing off Spy Smasher's archenemy, the Mask, finally revealing Spy Smasher's (obvious) secret identity of Alan Armstrong, and setting in motion an epic confrontation with Captain Marvel to be continued in the next several issues.

Link to the book: *** Link No Longer Exists: Whiz Comics 015 (fiche) ***