Men of Mystery #90 Coming in July, 2013 by Mark Heike

Shady publisher Victor Fox’ Fox Features line was one of the earliest comic houses to jump “whole-hog” onto the costumed superhero trend right around 1940; and if not for some questionable business practices and bad decisions, they COULD have made a big success of it. They definitely had the right type of product out there at the right time, but apparently just didn’t quite know what to do with it. But that doesn’t mean that they didn’t do some colorful, interesting, and historically-important comic book stuff for a few years, and that is what will be featured in the newset upcoming issue of MEN OF MYSTERY; #90- coming this July from AC Comics. Based on some positive reaction to previous reprints of the Fox Features Golden Age BLUE BEETLE that we’ve done lately, we’re bringing interested readers even MORE BB this go around. We’re presenting material from two issues of Fox’ BIG 3 comic ( #’s 3 and 4 ), their “all star” anthology of the time, AND an issue of The ‘BEETLE’s OWN book; #10. Here, you’ll get a chance to see the Sombre Scarab as rendered by a number of different creative teams  from the ealy Golden Age, showing some different visual approaches.  In addition to that, you’ll get multiple adventures starring FFC’s mythical strong-man hero, SAMSON, and several pyrotechnical dramas with The FLAME, and an adventure of the mysterious avenger known as GREEN MASK. Plus, there’ll be at LEAST two never-previously-reprinted FOX stars this issue- from Mystery Men Comics THE FIRST all-original sceince-fiction-themed hero created for comic books , REX DEXTER, by Dick Breifer. Breifer would be better known later for his long-running, unique version(s) of FRANKENSTEIN for Prize Comics; but his bizarre, early art style is in evidence on adventures of wild way-out space opera starring REX and his scantily-clad girl sidekick. Then, get ready for The GORILLA!! Did you think The SUB-MARINER was the BEST anti-hero produced in comics’ early days? Well, maybe he was. But he wasn’t the ONLY one!! Get ready for a strange “take” on a recurring super-character with The GORILLA, as drawn by Sam Cooper.  We’ll likely fit in more surprises before we put this one to bed- but they’ll all have a Fox connection- and ALL will be never-previously-reprinted Golden Age full-story classics!! Featured artists include Arturo Cazeneuve, Al Carreno, Sam Cooper, Dick Briefer and Larry Antoinette .That’s all coming in MEN OF MYSTERY #90; 140 full pages of the RAREST of Golden Age material, all black and white interiors with color covers, standard comic book size and saddle-stitched for a retail price of $29.95. Loook for it in the upcoming May, 2013 Diamond Previews catalog at your local retailers; Volume 23, issue #296- for items shipping in July, 2013. Be sure to place an order.