"Carl Burgos' Hot Idea [The Story of the Human Torch!]" in The Human Torch (1940 series) #2 (Marvel/Timely, Fall 1940), script and art by Carl Burgos
Burgos wrote, drew, and/or inked stories for Marvel/Timely/Atlas throughout the Golden and Silver Ages, in magazines such as Marvel Mystery Comics, Strange Tales, Uncanny Tales, Battle, Journey into Mystery, Astonishing, Mystic, Kid Colt Outlaw, Marines in Battle, and many, many more!
from Jack Kirby: The Epic Life of the King of Comics (Ten Speed, July 2020), script and art by Tom Scioli
from Marvel Age Annual #1 (Marvel, 1985), text by Warren Reece, art by Carl Burgos
And a young Roy Thomas was never the same.
from Saga of the Original Human Torch #3 (Marvel, June 1990), abridged from The Steranko History of Comics, Vol. 1 (Supergraphics, 1970), by Jim Steranko
(An aside for a moment: whatever you might think of Jim Steranko's modern political views (an' I personally don't much like 'em), I'll still say that his two-book History of Comics are amazing, fun-filled volumes, and well-worth hunting out if you;'re interested in the field of comics history and scholarship. They're not priced $1.98 anymore, though!)
advertisement from Marvel Comics cover-dated July 1970
Speaking of praise from Captain America...remember that creating for the Marvel Universe often means living in the Marvel Universe. Here's a "news story" that makes "canon" that in-universe, Captain America was probably Burgos's #1 fan!
1939 Daily Bugle promo (August 2009)
But the best and biggest Burgos appearance in the 616 is this extended self-insertion into a 1942 story, with a very fitting title!
from "Carl Burgos Meets the Human Torch" in Marvel Mystery Comics #34 (Marvel/Timely, August 1942), script and pencils (and inks?) by Carl Burgos
The Torch (oh, an' Toro) convince Burgos to write a comic book story that makes Hitler look so ridiculous that he'll be subject to worldwide ridicule. The power of the four-color press!
Check out Timely head honcho Martin Goodman in the green suit! (Where'd he get that?)
Nazis (I hate those guys!) quickly get wind of the Hitler-mocking comics! Hitler declares "fake news!" Allies airdrop the comics on wartorn Britain! They're better than candy!
Even Nazis can't resist the urge to laugh at stupid Hitler!
So dire is this threat to the Axis that Nazis poison Carl Burgos! Oh no! Who will save America's Greatest Fire-Fueled Artist now!?
Thankfully, Burgos recovers quickly and begins to plot the next issue to win the war for the Allies! I hope that as he rips the page out of the typewriter and puts down his pen from the drawing board he yells "OKAY, AXIS, HERE WE COME!"
So we salute you, Carl Burgos, for bringing us a great hero, many amazing comics stories, and a 1964 portrayal of yourself and (the severely balding) Stan Lee! Happy Birthday!
from "The Birth of the Beetle!" in Strange Tales #123 (Marvel, August 1964), script by Stan Lee, pencils by Carl Burgos, inks by Dick Ayers, colors by Stan Goldberg (?), letters by Sam Rosen
Is... Is Martin Goodman actually Clark Kent?
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