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Red Raven Comics #1
Discover the origin of Red Raven, find out how Bruce Bravelle became the Human Top, learn why Mercury came to Earth, plus other historic stories in this issue!
34 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1940
About the author
Joe Simon
360 books28 followersJoseph 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.
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.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
November 27, 2023
A fairly competent comic from the Golden Age. It is nothing spectacular, but nothing terrible either. The stories were fine to read and the art was at least acceptable. Of the various features two should be remarked upon. The story featuring Mercury has been reprinted before in one of the issues of Marvel's Super-Heroes, back when that title had at least one forties story in each issue. I had read that one then and found it to be acceptable. The Olympian gods were all referred to by their Latin names. Whether this was to separate them from their appearances in DC's Wonder Woman where the Greek names were used I have no idea.
As for the title feature, The Red Raven, he was later revived in the sixties in an issue of X-Men. I am not sure if he had made any other appearances since then or not. I will presume at the time it was intended as a one-off appearance and nothing more. Again this was a fairly decent story but nothing that really stands out.
This was the only issue of Red Raven Comics. With the second issue it became The Human Torch with not of the characters in it continuing into the new title. Still, as an example of the average Golden Age comic one can likely do worse. Happy reading.
As for the title feature, The Red Raven, he was later revived in the sixties in an issue of X-Men. I am not sure if he had made any other appearances since then or not. I will presume at the time it was intended as a one-off appearance and nothing more. Again this was a fairly decent story but nothing that really stands out.
This was the only issue of Red Raven Comics. With the second issue it became The Human Torch with not of the characters in it continuing into the new title. Still, as an example of the average Golden Age comic one can likely do worse. Happy reading.
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May 27, 2023Incomplete Recreation
The original issue featured 7 comic stories and 1 text story. However, this recreation is missing 4 of of the comic stories and the text story. Present are the debut stories for Red Raven, Mercury (aka Hurricane of Captain America Comics, aka the Eternal Makkari) and Comet Pierce. Missing are the debut stories of the Human Top, Officer O'Krime, Magar the Mystic and William Carmody, aka the Eternal Brain. Also missing is the text story "The Death Switch".
The original issue featured 7 comic stories and 1 text story. However, this recreation is missing 4 of of the comic stories and the text story. Present are the debut stories for Red Raven, Mercury (aka Hurricane of Captain America Comics, aka the Eternal Makkari) and Comet Pierce. Missing are the debut stories of the Human Top, Officer O'Krime, Magar the Mystic and William Carmody, aka the Eternal Brain. Also missing is the text story "The Death Switch".
June 29, 2023
Jack Kirby and Joe Simon's (first?) collab is pretty bad! I had a lot of fun reading it so I'm giving it a 3-star rating, although I could see people giving this a 1. There was not a second issue of this, and the team went on the do Blue Bolt and then Captain America.
The Jack Kirby Comet Pierce comic is goofy as well.
The Jack Kirby Comet Pierce comic is goofy as well.
August 4, 2022
Red Raven Comics, huh? Well after reading I'm not shocked about it only getting the one issue. This felt like a sub-par Daring Mystery comic, things just kind of happen and the stories aren't super enthralling, especially since the whole issue was shilling out the Namor vs Human Torch fight which was thrilling. Anyway,
The Red Raven
One of early Marvels many stories of a child stranded in a strange land, and brought up in those circumstances to become a saviour of people. In this case, a young boy is stranded on a mysterious floating Island inhabited by bird-men. These people raise our young boy, and with the power of this islands hyperspeed evolution, he grows up the be the Red Raven. The only person on the island with gross sinuous wings, as he evolved to have them as a human, while the others evolved from birds, so they have feathered wings (it's gross). Anyway, guy's tasked with stopping all crime on Earth and ends up just busting a gold smuggling ring, which isn't as impressive. I don't know, this was a weird story, the writing felt archaic. I don't know if they had this saying back in those olden times but, show, don't tell.
The Human Top
This guy is about as goofy as he sounds. His origin was interesting, a scientist was trying to make a machine that would stop the need for eating and replace it with a machine that would electric zap you full. Anyway, something went wrong and it gave him the ability to spin fast? Then he uh... Yeah, he does that! He solves a minor crime, is blamed for the crime, then kidnaps the Sherif and mayor to be like "you idiots that wasn't me".
Mercury in the 20th century
I really like it when authors would very thinly veil the fact they're writing a war story by just changing a few names here and there, like Germany becomes Prussland, and Adolph Hitler becomes Rudolph Hendler. Not only that, but Hendler is revealed to be the mad God Pluto! And the only person to defeat him is his nephew Mercury. Pluto is behind every war and is compelling men to kill each other, Mercury solves this by stealing every military order before it goes out, leaving the men in the field directionless, giving them the chance to realize that "hey, these guys I'm fighting are just like me", then there's a panel of the warring sides rolling each other cigarettes and like, I kinda liked that story.
Comet Pierce
Man I was super into this story, we've not gotten a ton of straight sci-fi stories so for me this was a welcome change of pace. Space racing is always fun, and I really liked that, after Pierce is knocked outta the race, he still makes it in first, surprising his enemy at the finish line by already being there. Also his enemies name is Jort and I think that's really funny. My complaint is that he could have just had a cool racing story without the shoe-horned in romance that I thought was annoying and really took away from the rest of the story.
Officer O'Krime
Not this fuckin' guy again, just let him die with the rest of the early Marvel schlock.
Magar the Mystic: Re-Creator of Souls
This guy could have just straight up been a continuation of Mercury, with the 'solve war' storyline we've got here. But Magar is an ancient Egyptian (?) necromancer. He is tasked with stopping the whole, every war. So he brings back Napoleon and Thomas Edison, and they win all the wars, wars are over now guys.
The Eternal Brain
This old Doc is working on making artificial organs, like brains and lungs and junk, and gets shot after the completion of his project. In his dieing breath he compels his assistant to transfer his brain into a jar that will keep him alive eternally. This is impressive machinery, but honestly I'm more impressed with the telepathic voice box, rocket ship, electric sword and any of their other inventions.
The Red Raven
One of early Marvels many stories of a child stranded in a strange land, and brought up in those circumstances to become a saviour of people. In this case, a young boy is stranded on a mysterious floating Island inhabited by bird-men. These people raise our young boy, and with the power of this islands hyperspeed evolution, he grows up the be the Red Raven. The only person on the island with gross sinuous wings, as he evolved to have them as a human, while the others evolved from birds, so they have feathered wings (it's gross). Anyway, guy's tasked with stopping all crime on Earth and ends up just busting a gold smuggling ring, which isn't as impressive. I don't know, this was a weird story, the writing felt archaic. I don't know if they had this saying back in those olden times but, show, don't tell.
The Human Top
This guy is about as goofy as he sounds. His origin was interesting, a scientist was trying to make a machine that would stop the need for eating and replace it with a machine that would electric zap you full. Anyway, something went wrong and it gave him the ability to spin fast? Then he uh... Yeah, he does that! He solves a minor crime, is blamed for the crime, then kidnaps the Sherif and mayor to be like "you idiots that wasn't me".
Mercury in the 20th century
I really like it when authors would very thinly veil the fact they're writing a war story by just changing a few names here and there, like Germany becomes Prussland, and Adolph Hitler becomes Rudolph Hendler. Not only that, but Hendler is revealed to be the mad God Pluto! And the only person to defeat him is his nephew Mercury. Pluto is behind every war and is compelling men to kill each other, Mercury solves this by stealing every military order before it goes out, leaving the men in the field directionless, giving them the chance to realize that "hey, these guys I'm fighting are just like me", then there's a panel of the warring sides rolling each other cigarettes and like, I kinda liked that story.
Comet Pierce
Man I was super into this story, we've not gotten a ton of straight sci-fi stories so for me this was a welcome change of pace. Space racing is always fun, and I really liked that, after Pierce is knocked outta the race, he still makes it in first, surprising his enemy at the finish line by already being there. Also his enemies name is Jort and I think that's really funny. My complaint is that he could have just had a cool racing story without the shoe-horned in romance that I thought was annoying and really took away from the rest of the story.
Officer O'Krime
Not this fuckin' guy again, just let him die with the rest of the early Marvel schlock.
Magar the Mystic: Re-Creator of Souls
This guy could have just straight up been a continuation of Mercury, with the 'solve war' storyline we've got here. But Magar is an ancient Egyptian (?) necromancer. He is tasked with stopping the whole, every war. So he brings back Napoleon and Thomas Edison, and they win all the wars, wars are over now guys.
The Eternal Brain
This old Doc is working on making artificial organs, like brains and lungs and junk, and gets shot after the completion of his project. In his dieing breath he compels his assistant to transfer his brain into a jar that will keep him alive eternally. This is impressive machinery, but honestly I'm more impressed with the telepathic voice box, rocket ship, electric sword and any of their other inventions.
October 16, 2020
Red raven=birdmen was the best name? Ok the names we're a little weird but the story was ok. 3.21/5.00
Mercury=Uhh, was this the best idea? Doing the same thing over and over? Couldn't they find a different way to end it? 1.97/5.0
Eternal brain=It was ok i don't have much to critic or to love. 3.28/5.00
Mercury=Uhh, was this the best idea? Doing the same thing over and over? Couldn't they find a different way to end it? 1.97/5.0
Eternal brain=It was ok i don't have much to critic or to love. 3.28/5.00
September 21, 2025
A whole lot of passable Golden Age stories, none of which really standout as must-reads. The only story I really didn’t like was Mercury, because it was exposition heavy.
May 23, 2026
Not very good compared to the other comics at this time
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews