Wow Comics #18
☆ Be the first to review + Add to your collection — Join freeWow Comics #18 marks the debut of Uncle Marvel — the con man Dudley H. Dudley — an utterly original addition to the Fawcett universe who joined the Marvel Family not through any magic word but through sheer nerve and charm. His presence introduced a new storytelling dimension to the family: a fully powerless character who bluffs his way through super-heroics, excusing his lack of ability with the invented ailment 'shazambago,' and who the Marvels knowingly humor out of genuine affection. That comic premise — the lovable fraud embedded in a superhero family — proved durable enough to survive Fawcett's closure, DC's revivals, multiple reboots, and decades of animated adaptations, making this issue's lead Mary Marvel story one of the most creatively generative single issues in Golden Age Fawcett history. The issue also illustrates how Wow Comics functioned as the primary incubator for the Marvel Family's supporting cast, expanding the universe beyond pure superhero action into warmhearted character comedy.
In "Mary Marvel Meets Her Uncle Marvel," young Mary Marvel ventures into the wilds of a game hunter’s estate, where tales of danger and adventure take a startling turn when a mounted bear trophy comes to life—donning a hunting outfit and snatching a rifle before vanishing into the woods. As Mary and her companions are drawn into the chase, the hunter’s legends take on a terrifyingly real edge, turning the tables on those who once only listened to stories. Written by Otto Binder and illustrated by Jack Binder, this 1943 adventure blends whimsy and suspense with the signature charm of Fawcett’s Golden Age comics.
In the remote wilderness, Mr. Scarlet and Pinky find themselves drawn into a surreal hunt when a mounted bear trophy comes to life, donning a hunter’s gear and stepping out into the wild—only to turn the tables on the two visitors. Now pursued through the frozen tundra by a creature that was once a trophy, they must outwit a hunter who’s no longer the hunter.
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We Buy Collections ▸History
The issue was written by Otto Binder, Fawcett's dominant scripter for the Marvel Family line, who by this point in 1943 was already the architect of most of the Captain Marvel mythology. Binder co-created Uncle Marvel alongside artist Marc Swayze, who had previously co-created Mary Marvel herself with Binder in Captain Marvel Adventures #18. The interior art for this issue was handled by Jack Binder — Otto's brother — and Bert Whitman, with a cover also by Jack Binder; the Binder siblings' close working relationship at Fawcett meant that Otto's scripts and Jack's studio frequently produced content in tandem across the publisher's titles. Rod Reed served as editor of the Wow Comics line during this period.
Trivia · 8 facts
- First appearance of Uncle Marvel (Dudley H. Dudley), a powerless con man who infiltrates the Marvel Family by claiming to be Mary Batson's long-lost uncle from California.
- Uncle Marvel was co-created by writer Otto Binder and artist Marc Swayze, two of the central architects of the Fawcett Marvel Family.
- The lead Mary Marvel story is titled 'Mary Marvel Meets Her Uncle Marvel'; the character instantly discovers Dudley's ruse but allows the pretense because he risks his life to help people.
- Dudley's signature invented excuse for his lack of powers — 'shazambago' — is introduced in this issue and remained his comic catchphrase throughout his Golden Age run.
- Interior stories and art credited to Otto Binder, Jack Binder, and Bert Whitman; the cover is by Jack Binder.
- The issue also contains Commando Yank ('Mikado For a Day'), Phantom Eagle ('The Ace of Blades'), and Mr. Scarlet ('The Mad Drama of the Hunted Hunter') stories, reflecting Wow Comics' anthology format.
- Uncle Marvel continued appearing in Marvel Family stories through 1948, returned under DC's Shazam! revival beginning in 1972, and was reimagined in Jerry Ordway's Power of Shazam! graphic novel (1994).
- The character has been voiced in animation by Alan Oppenheimer (The Kid Super Power Hour with Shazam!, 1981–82), Corey Burton (Young Justice), and John Astin (Justice League Action).
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Reprinted in Men of Mystery Comics #88 (2012)
Key issues in Wow Comics
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