We now conclude our exciting month of Saturdays with Madam Satan (check the previous two weekend posts if you missed 'em!), and it's time for the two grand finale entries from Pep Comics #20 and #21 featuring 'ol faceless leggy at the climax of her brief Golden Age career. And yea, though she did waltz through the valleys of a variety of other later comic book series pages, it's her satanic stint in Pep that remains one of the more memorable, evil female characters from that glorious, war time capsule era. It's kind of sad to now read that final panel mentioning "America's most unique comic strip" and knowing that she would in fact not return. But you know what else time has revealed? Maybe sticking around too long and wearing out your welcome can be a bad thing-- like how a lot of comic book characters are boringly guilty of!
4 comments:
It's kind of funny how in these last two stories, Madam Satan indirectly causes a few deaths, yet it's still considered a loss for her as the spirits are clearly going to heaven. The first story kind of surprised me with the painting of Ellen done in the nude--very tasteful, but we still clearly get a shot of her breasts.The seventh panel of the second page is awesome with the flames enveloping Ralph and "Iola." Especially how the way the flames look almost like a dress on her. Also, love the part where the painting reveals Iola for what she truly is. It's also funny how Brother Sunbeam hardly shows up in this story after being heavily introduced in the previous one. The second tale almost looks as if he's lost until he's able to reveal to the grieving parents that the brothers died as friends. Also, did Brother Sunbeam actually ride his donkey into their house? That's hilarious.
The art is not nearly as nice as before, this might have been a sign it wasn't long for this world (or the horrible afterworld, it seems.)
It *is* unique. It's so weird, she shows up, mesmerizes somebody, brother sunbeam rides up on his donkey and nobody bats an eye, people die for her crap but that's somehow a happy ending!
I like the Satan on the first story better than the second, that's a fun splash. I like sunbeam just strolling into hell and heckling the devil. Also, great image in the third panel, that's really striking. It's surprising Glenn Danzig never ripped that one off :)
BTW, Madam Satan is back, she's in the current more mature Archie Comics. I haven't read any of them, but I know she's a character.
The first page of the first story here is really effectively creepy. Besides the near-Deco design of Iola curving in and out of that inky black void of a dress--Fantomah by way of Matt Baker instead--we have the best leering Satan yet: His smiling head lolling silently, blissed-out on the bad he's planning.
Thanks for posting this complete run of Madam Satan, Karswell! These stories are curious and interesting and veddy, veddy forddies. I also note that the cover of Pep Comics #21 is freaking amazing.
Maybe there were no more madam Satan comics because the devil fired her. She is terrible at get job. She keeps getting thwarted my an old bald guy on a donkey
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