Number 588


Third time's not always the charm...the origin of Stuntman


Stuntman was created for Harvey Comics by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby in 1946, but had a short run, only two issues. (Two issues sold on the newsstand, one small black and white edition for subscribers; now very rare.) After the war ended superheroes went into doldrums and as in nature, only the strong survived. Even some of the best, like Flash or Green Lantern, were gone before 1950. Stuntman's origin was reprinted in 1948, and then the original two issues again in late '54 as a Harvey science fiction title, Thrills of Tomorrow #19 and #20. Number 19 was published just before the Comics Code was instituted, and it appears that Harvey was gearing up by replacing its horror comics and going for fare that would get less criticism from the public.

As it was, Harvey's bread-and-butter became its line for very young children.

Stuntman is high energy S&K, but the origin is based on coincidence: Stuntman, a circus daredevil, looks just like Don Daring, a "movie star and amateur detective", so does his heavy work for him in front of the camera, while everyone thinks it's Don. This third Stuntman go-round didn't do any better than the first or second, so once again Stuntman stepped off the stage into obscurity.

But at least we had this much, and any time I look at a Simon & Kirby strip I love the action-filled pages.. Whether or not they were successful sellers, Jack's dynamic artwork could breathe life into even the most prosaic of concepts, but, like his characters, jumped off the page with his superhero and crimefighter strips.