Daring Mystery Comics #6
☆ Be the first to review + Add to your collection — Join freeDaring Mystery Comics #6 (cover-dated September 1940) represents a decisive editorial turning point for Timely Comics: it is the first issue produced under the full in-house editorship of Joe Simon, replacing the publisher's earlier reliance on outside packager studios. The issue delivers two landmark Simon & Kirby collaborations — the origin of Marvel Boy (Martin Burns), the first Timely character to carry the 'Marvel' name in his superhero identity and the first brand-new superhero co-created by Jack Kirby, and a new Fiery Mask adventure split between the two artists' pencils. Beyond those debuts, the Marvel Boy story contains what comics historians identify as the first appearance of Adolf Hitler in a Timely/Marvel comic, predating DC's explicit use of the figure by roughly two years. The issue also hosts one of the medium's earliest superhero parodies in Stuporman, alongside first appearances of Dynaman, Tigerman, and Captain Red Ruff, making it an unusually dense single chapter of Golden Age world-building.
"Introducing Marvel Boy" kicks off in Daring Mystery Comics #6 (1940) with the dramatic tale of Larago, the last survivor of the sunken civilization of Korug, whose name means "Dynaman." After Korug's sudden collapse, the young hero takes to the skies, landing in ancient Egypt where he aids Pharaoh Khufor in fending off the Gurbans. Written and illustrated entirely by Steve Dahlman, this early Marvel adventure blends mythic grandeur with the raw energy of a fledgling superhero legacy. The cover, by Jack Kirby and Joe Simon, captures the moment of Dynaman's arrival in Egypt with bold, dynamic flair.
In this 1940 tale from Daring Mystery Comics #6, Martin Burns—whose strength has always set him apart—learns the truth behind his gifts when Jupiter reveals he is the reincarnated soul of Hercules. Named the Marvel Boy and given a costume, he steps into his destiny to fight fifth columnists, though his journey has only just begun.
In "The Legion of the Doomed," the Fiery Mask races to unravel a series of terrifying crimes tied to a cursed child thrust upon a rural couple by a demonic force—each act drawing him deeper into a nightmare that may lead straight to Hell itself.
In this 1940 satire from Daring Mystery Comics #6, Stuporman—ever the sleepy hero—is roused from his nap to confront a criminal mastermind who’s turned a kindly college professor into a reluctant inventor of absurd, villainous gadgets. The story pokes fun at superhero tropes with a goofy twist, as Stuporman faces off against a scheme that’s as ridiculous as it is dangerous.
In "The Black Ace," Captain Red Ruff pilots his plane, the Flying Flame, on a daring mission to breach a Nazi castle defended by the enigmatic Black Ace—where every attacking aircraft vanishes in a sudden, inexplicable explosion.
In "The Kidnappers and the Magician," magician Monako and his friend Pere stumble upon a drugged man being held by thugs during one of their performances. When the man’s sister is taken by a mysterious old hag, Monako must use his wits and illusions to track her down—before it’s too late.
In the lost realm of Korug, young Larago—whose name means "Dynaman"—rises as a prodigy of strength and intellect. When his homeland vanishes beneath the sea, he becomes the sole survivor, taking flight to ancient Egypt where he aids Pharaoh Khufor in defending his people from the Gurbans.
In "The Coming of Tigerman," the jungle hero faces his first true test when he races to save Professor Carson and his daughter Louise from the Monolink men. Trapped in the hidden underground kingdom of the Monolinks, the trio must find a way out—after one desperate failure, Tigerman leads them through a treacherous underground river in a bid for freedom.
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The first five issues of Daring Mystery Comics were assembled from material purchased through outside packagers — Funnies, Inc. and the Harry 'A' Chesler studio — but issue #6 marked Timely's first true in-house production under editor Joe Simon, his second editorial project for publisher Martin Goodman after Red Raven Comics #1. Simon recruited his creative partner Jack Kirby to co-produce the cover and two interior stories; scholarship at the Kirby Museum (Harry Mendryk) and by researchers Craig Delich and Dr. Michael Vassallo has since determined that the two artists split penciling duties on alternating pages within each story rather than working in strict sequence, with Simon handling overall inking. The issue carried an interior advertisement for Red Raven Comics #1, which scholars use to sequence its publication ahead of Human Torch #2, where several Daring Mystery characters subsequently migrated.
Trivia · 8 facts
- First appearance and origin of Marvel Boy (Martin Simon Burns), created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby — the first Timely/Marvel character to carry the word 'Marvel' in his superhero name and documented by the Kirby Museum as the first brand-new superhero Kirby co-created from scratch.
- The Marvel Boy story is identified by comics historians as the first appearance of Adolf Hitler in a Marvel (Timely) comic book, approximately two years before DC Comics used the character explicitly.
- Marvel Boy's visual design — skull-cap mask, boots, and an anti-spy story premise — directly foreshadows design and thematic elements Simon & Kirby would deploy months later in Captain America Comics #1.
- First appearances of Dynaman (real name Lagaro, sole survivor of the sunken kingdom of Korug), Tigerman, and Captain Red Ruff (the Flying Flame), all introduced in their own standalone stories within the anthology.
- Final Golden Age appearance of Monako, Prince of Magic; a promised follow-up story in issue #7 was never published, and a subsequent 'Mantor the Magician' story in Human Torch #2 is believed by some researchers to be a reworked Monako strip.
- Stuporman (Marmaduke Snood, Jr.), written and drawn by Harry Douglas, debuts here as one of the earliest superhero parodies in comics; a black-and-white version assembled from the same panels was simultaneously published in Martin Goodman's pulp magazine Snap (October 1940).
- Cover-dated September 1940 (released June 15, 1940); the Simon & Kirby cover and interior stories mark the beginning of the creative team's involvement with the Daring Mystery title, which continued through issue #8.
- The entire issue was reprinted in Marvel Masterworks: Golden Age Daring Mystery Vol. 2 (February 2010), making the content accessible in a restored collected edition for the first time.
Cast · 11 characters
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Reprints
Reprinted in The Complete Jack Kirby #[2] (1997), Marvel Masterworks: Golden Age Daring Mystery #2 (2010), Timely's Greatest: The Golden Age Simon & Kirby Omnibus #[nn] (2019)
Key issues in Daring Mystery Comics
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