Very obscure golden age good girl crusader Purple Tigress had just two appearances. The first was in the unnumbered 128 page one shot “All Good Comics” published November 1944. The second was three full years later in Jo-Jo Comics #7a on July 1947. Both books were published by Fox Feature Syndicate and both stories are signed under the pseudonym “Betty Brown.”
Grand Comics Database lists the artist in the Jo-Jo version as A. C. (Alvin) Hollingsworth. It is possible he was behind both stories. Bails’ Who’s Who suggests he signed work in Fox Feature Syndicate’s Everybody’s Comics #[nn] under pen name Alec Hope around the same time as the first Purple Tigress story.
He has art attributions with Fiction House as early as 1943 (his largest body of work being on the character Suicide Smith). Hollingsworth started working in the comic industry as young as twelve. In a later interview he stated “I got my first job [in comics] while I was in junior high school. I couldn’t get paid because I didn’t have working papers.” Good reason to use a pseudonym.
There is also considerable continuity between the two Purple Tigress stories, including boyfriends and costume. Both issues have her pulling a red dress over her head to change into the Purple Tigress. Despite the length of time between publishing dates the later story might have been previously created and subsequently pulled off the self to fill space as need dictated.
Using the text from both stories, here is what we know about the superheroine Purple Tigress. Her alter ego is Ann Morgan, who is the “richest girl in the city.” Yet, in her own words, she still “doesn’t know much about business.” Spoiled society girl, she is followed by no less than three faithful boyfriends…Reggie, Henri and Butterball. The Purple Tigress is “a beautiful, cat-like woman,” a “scintillating nemesis of crime.” Beyond this, we have no origin story – no reason behind either her wealth or to put her life on the line fighting “The Flasher” and “Thorne’s Gang” jewel thieves. In that regard, there are no particularly obvious “super powers” except for “cat-like eyes that pierce the darkness” and the ability to quickly change (without the aid of a phone booth) into a cool tiger skin suit and nifty cape.
Read both stories in there entity by clicking on the images below.
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