Adventures of the Fly #13
☆ Be the first to review + Add to your collection — Join freeAdventures of the Fly #13 (July 1961) is the first appearance of Kim Brand, the actress who would go on to become Fly Girl — one of the earliest recurring female superhero co-stars of the Silver Age. Her introduction gave the series a romantic and narrative anchor that directly triggered the events of issue #14, where she received her own Fly Ring and full superhero identity, expanding Archie's superhero universe in a meaningful way. The issue also doubled as a promotional launchpad for The Jaguar, Archie's next new superhero title, cementing its role as a linchpin issue within the publisher's mid-period Silver Age line.
In "The Tiger Genie!", the Fly takes actress Kim Brand on a wild ride to prove that alien life is real—only to deliver her straight into the clutches of Professor Jahke’s lifelike Saturnian robot. When the mechanical beast develops an unexpected affection for Kim, things take a dramatic turn, but not in the way anyone expects. Written by Robert Bernstein and brought to life with bold art by John Rosenberger (pencils and inks) and lettering by John Duffy, this 1961 adventure features a cover by Rosenberger that captures the story’s zany, otherworldly charm.
In "The Lady and The Monster," the Fly takes actress Kim Brand on a journey beyond Earth to witness a real Saturnian—via Professor Jahke’s lifelike robot. Drawn to Kim’s beauty, the mechanical being develops a profound affection, leading to a dramatic abduction that ends in heartbreak.
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By issue #13, artist John Rosenberger had taken over interior duties from the title's earlier creative team, having come aboard in issue #11; his graceful figure work was considered particularly well-suited to the introduction of Kim Brand as a glamorous movie actress. Writer Robert Bernstein crafted the Kim Brand debut in the lead story 'The Lady and the Monster,' setting up her romantic connection with Tommy Troy (the Fly) in a single issue — a compact origin-in-two-parts structure that required the very next issue to complete her transformation into Fly Girl. The book was edited by Victor Gorelick, who shepherded the title through its mid-run expansion of the Archie superhero cast.
Trivia · 8 facts
- First appearance of Kim Brand (actress, future Fly Girl / Fly-Girl), created by writer Robert Bernstein and artist John Rosenberger.
- Lead story is 'The Lady and the Monster' (12 pages): the Fly rescues Kim Brand from a fall from a hotel window; she falls in love with him — the inciting event that leads directly to her becoming Fly Girl in issue #14.
- A second story, 'The Tiger Genie,' features gang leader Rance unleashing a genie to defeat the Fly; a third story, 'The Villain From the Future,' involves a time-traveling murderer from 2261 AD.
- Contains a full-page house ad introducing The Jaguar ahead of that character's own debut title (Adventures of the Jaguar #1, September 1961), making this issue a cross-promotional milestone for Archie's Silver Age superhero expansion.
- Cover art and interior art throughout by John Rosenberger; script by Robert Bernstein; edited by Victor Gorelick.
- Published July 1961 under the Archie Adventure Series imprint; 36 pages, full color.
- Kim Brand went on to appear across Adventures of the Fly #13–30, Fly Man, Mighty Crusaders, Pep Comics, Laugh Comics, Blue Ribbon Comics, and the 1983 Red Circle Fly series — one of the longest-running supporting-character careers in Archie superhero history.
- The issue sports a horror-tinged monster cover, a visual contrast to the romantic subplot inside, reflecting the genre-blending approach common to early-1960s Archie superhero books.
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Reprints
Reprinted in Archie's Super Hero Comics Digest Magazine #2 (1979), Sunny Sun #43 (1984), Sunny Sun #44 (1984), Astounding Stories #56, Creepy Worlds #98, Secrets of the Unknown #98
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