Cover: Irv Novick

Pep Comics #6

Jul 1940 · Archie · 0.10 USD

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About this Issue

Pep Comics #6 (July 1940) is a mid-run installment of MLJ Magazines' flagship anthology during the height of the Golden Age superhero explosion, continuing the adventures of The Shield — the first patriotically costumed superhero, predating Captain America by more than a year — alongside The Comet, the character destined to become comics' first superhero killed in the line of duty. The issue also marks a notable retitling milestone: starting with this issue, the naval adventure strip formally became 'Lee Sampson, Midshipman,' reflecting the editorial shaping of character identities that was standard practice at MLJ. Taken together, the issue captures the full pre-war breadth of MLJ's anthology vision: government-agent superheroes, science-fiction planetary romance, crime-fighters, a boxing serial, and a Scotland Yard detective, all under one 64-page cover.

Contains 9 stories

Chaos at the Canal

13 pp · Superhero

The "Asiatics" (villains)Senator Warren (introduction, death, father of Betty)J. Edgar Hoover

Solmok's Cemetery Racket

6 pp · Superhero

Ed Solmok (villain, introduction)

The Phony Ambassador: Part 1

6 pp · Superhero

a fake ambassador (introduction, villain)

Joodar and the Water Demons

6 pp · Detective-Mystery

Tay Ming (fiancee)Joodar (Introduction, Villain)his water demons (Introduction, Villains)

The Big Drag

7 pp · War

General Von Schmutz (introduction, villain)

The Target Practice Murder Plot

6 pp

Boss Short's mob (introduction, villains)

The Plot of Princess Abbie

6 pp · Science Fiction

Princess Abbie (introduction, villain)Lomar (introduction, villain)Prince Falkarthe HawkmenKing of the Hawkmen (introduction, death)

Kayo's Double

6 pp · Sports

Nick Betts (introduction, villain)a phony Kayo Ward (introduction)Joe Louis

The Case of the Roman God

6 pp · Detective-Mystery

Bob Baker (villain)Mr. Baker (introduction, death)John Baker (death)Barney Reyman

ComicBooks.com Value

Our Model is In Beta

Raw (Good) $251

CGC 9.8 · 1 in census $31,967

CGC 9.6 none in existence

CGC 9.4 · 2 in census $8,234*

CGC 9.2 · 2 in census $5,286*

CGC 9.0 · 1 in census $3,668*

CGC 8.5 · 1 in census $1,994

Show all 18 grades ▾

CGC 8.0 · 2 in census $1,994

CGC 7.5 · 1 in census $1,644

CGC 7.0 · 5 in census $1,235

CGC 6.5 · 2 in census $1,235*

CGC 6.0 · 4 in census $1,235

CGC 5.5 · 2 in census $808

CGC 5.0 · 5 in census $654

CGC 4.5 · 2 in census $654

CGC 4.0 · 1 in census $634

CGC 3.5 none in existence

CGC 3.0 none in existence

CGC 2.5 · 1 in census $368*

* estimate — limited direct-sales data at this grade

Our model’s value — refined as new sales data arrives · CGC census counts shown where available

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History

Pep Comics was MLJ Magazines' third anthology title, launched in January 1940 under editor Abner Sundell, who helmed the series through issue #23. The cover for issue #6 was supplied by Irv Novick, the artist who had designed and defined The Shield's visual identity from the very first issue, while Charles Biro contributed interior art — Biro being one of MLJ's most prolific and versatile early contributors across multiple features. The 'Queen of Diamonds' science-fiction strip running through the issue was the work of Lin Streeter, and the boxing serial 'Kayo Ward' was written and drawn by Phil Sturm. The Press Guardian crime strip in this issue was produced by Jack Binder and Mort Meskin (the strip would be retitled 'Perry Chase, The Press Guardian' the very next issue, #7).

Trivia · 8 facts

Cover date: July 1940, published by MLJ Magazines Inc. (later Archie Comics); cover art by Irv Novick, interior art by Charles Biro among others.
Starting with this issue, the naval adventure strip was formally retitled 'Lee Sampson, Midshipman,' a name it carried through its final appearance in issue #16.
The Shield (Joe Higgins) continues his ongoing adventures as the first flag-costumed patriotic superhero in American comics, predating Captain America by approximately 15 months.
The Comet (John Dickering), drawn by Jack Cole in the series' early issues, appears here as the still-active hero who would later — in issue #17 — become the first superhero ever to be killed in a comic book.
The science-fiction strip 'The Rocket and the Queen of Diamonds' by Lin Streeter continues, with new villain introductions Princess Abbie and Lomar, as the strip ran from issue #1 through #12.
The 'Kayo Ward' boxing serial by Phil Sturm — one of the longest-running non-superhero features in Pep — appears with a story referencing real-world boxing, including a mention of Joe Louis.
Inspector Bentley (the 'Bentley of Scotland Yard' crime feature) and Fu Chang (the Chinese detective strip) both continue their runs, rounding out the issue's genre-spanning anthology format.
The Press Guardian (Perry Chase) appears for the last time under that name before being retitled 'Perry Chase, The Press Guardian' beginning in issue #7.