America’s Greatest Comics was Fawcett’s response to D.C.’s success with World’s Finest Comics – a larger 100 page package that featured its stable of superhero characters.
My copy of #5* was published December 1942 and features C. C. Beck cover art of superhero characters Captain Marvel, Spy Smasher, Bulletman and Commando Yank. Plus inside stories contain more superheros from Fawcett’s cast of characters, Minute Man, and Mr. Scarlet.
Mr. Scarlet and his sidekick Pinky the Whiz Kid were created by France Herron (writer) and Jack Kirby (artist) and first appeared in Wow Comics #1, Winter 1940-41.
Mr. Scarlet real life persona was local district attorney Brian Butler. Fed up with criminals successfully circumventing the legal system, he donned a red hooded costume to dole out street justice. His origin was known only to his secretary, Miss Cherry Wade and his ward Pinky.
Mr. Scarlet and Pinky didn’t scare off many criminals with their name. Rather their success in cleaning the city of its scum (to such an extent that demand for his day job as district attorney was virtually eliminated) was rooted in using numerous gadgets carried in an utility belt and tapping into acrobatic hand-to-hand combat skills.
*sold copy
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