Following the phenomenal success of Marvel Comics #1, Timely released its second superhero anthology Daring Mystery Comics, in January 1940. This hardcover collection remasters and restores these early adventures that introduce brand-new characters into the Marvel mythos (several of whom will be appearing in The Twelve by J. Michael Straczynski & Chris Weston). See the startling introduction of the Fiery Mask where he faces the fantastic thriller of the walking corpses. Soldier of fortune John Steel sneaks behind enemy lines. The Phantom Bullet, scourge of the underworld, faces off against a dastardly band of Head Hunters. District Attorney Dennis Burton decides to take the law into his own hands as the Laughing Mask and then later as the Purple Mask. Meet the Phantom Reporter - cub reporter by day...scourge of the underworld by night. Plus: The Texas Kid; Monako, Prince of Magic; Flash Foster, Phantom of the Underworld, Barney Mullen, Sea Rover; Zephyr Jones and his rocket ship; Trojak the Tiger Man; Captain K-4 and his Sky Devils; Mr. E; Dale of the FBI; Breeze Barton in the Miracle City; Marvex the Super-Robot; Captain Strong of the Foreign Legion; Whirlwind Carte of the Interplanetary Secret Service; and more!
Joseph Henry "Joe" Simon (born Hymie Simon) was an American comic book writer, artist, editor, and publisher. Simon created or co-created many important characters in the 1930s-1940s Golden Age of Comic Books and served as the first editor of Timely Comics, the company that would evolve into Marvel Comics.
With his partner, artist Jack Kirby, he co-created Captain America, one of comics' most enduring superheroes, and the team worked extensively on such features at DC Comics as the 1940s Sandman and Sandy the Golden Boy, and co-created the Newsboy Legion, the Boy Commandos, and Manhunter. Simon & Kirby creations for other comics publishers include Boys' Ranch, Fighting American and the Fly. In the late 1940s, the duo created the field of romance comics, and were among the earliest pioneers of horror comics. Simon, who went on to work in advertising and commercial art, also founded the satirical magazine Sick in 1960, remaining with it for a decade. He briefly returned to DC Comics in the 1970s.
Simon was inducted into the Will Eisner Comic Book Hall of Fame in 1999.
There are few characters, writers, or artists in Daring Mystery Comics whom you will recognise but the concepts are all too familiar. There is a G-Man and an inventor. That's right. He's an aviation engineer and he works for the Secret Service. We have a robot. There's a Flaming Mask and a Purple Mask. In the Belgian Congo we have a Tiger Man. A tiger man? In AFRICA? These characters are so unmemorable that even Roy Thomas has forgotten them.