Saturday, July 9, 2022

Saturdays with Madam Satan

Double Feature Day at THOIA, and let's take it way, waaay back to the June / July 1941 issues of Pep Comics #16 and #17, for the origin of Madam Satan-- the meanest mama to ever evilly stalk the Earth in six back-up pages of a superhero comic book anthology series! She only lasted 6 issues total, but Tyra's (aka Iola's) terrifying time spent amongst humanity while moonlighting for her Master is certainly worthy of a place here on this blasphemous blog, and fyi-- we'll be spending the next few Saturdays checking out more of her devilishly, delicious deeds! Really nice artwork by Harry Lucey too, it's spooky and sexy, and full of interesting, uniquely 40's style visuals. So make a note of it, and come back here every Saturday this month for more of the Madam!

6 comments:

Glowworm said...

Madam Satan may have only lasted for 6 issues before being cancelled to make room for some kid named Archie Andrews(I highly doubt that character ever got popular;)) but much like Satan did, she was also revived by Archie comics--first in 2013, through Red Circle Comics(later called Dark Circle comics)in The Fox as Madame Satan and then through the Chilling Adventures of Sabrina as the series' main antagonist. Michelle Gomez would play her in the live action version from Netflix.
If I remember properly, this short lived series gets pretty crazy the further it goes, especially with the introduction of Madam Satan's foil, Brother Sunbeam--the friar fellow riding the mule. The coincidence that John just happens to be driving home while the car carrying his parents crashes right into it is absolutely insane. That and his father having enough breath left to tell him what's up with Tyra. I love the little devil curls in the second story when Madam Satan shows up as Iola.

Mr. Cavin said...

It's nice to see the previous year's breakout hit Fantasia making its cultural effect felt in the comics, here. It's a Walpurgisnacht tale, after all! I look at that first splash, and the Stokowski arrangement strikes right up in my head. Even still, I think I like the second splash better.

Fun stuff. I definitely love the overkill going on in the spooky death's-head imagery. It's a poison-colored skull, but with superimposed lady lips filled with a smaller skull's teeth, and it's got blood-colored eyes with even tinier skull-colored skulls in their pupils! Good lord, be terrified!

I dig all nighttime car crashes in forties comics. This was no exception. Bonus points for the car frame on page five of the second story, witch uses futurismo's light rays, natch, but also one-ups the fine arts by include a freaking sound ray as well. Read em and weep, Filippo Tommaso Marinetti!

Grant said...

I don't know the Netflix show, but considering her name, I wonder if they ever thought of Tyra Banks for the role.

Brian Barnes said...

As mentioned, when I saw the first thumbnail I thought somebody just watched Fantasia, and they even name check it in the first page! You can't blame them, a large satan looming over a mountain is a great image.

I actually like this more buff and ox-like satan a bit better than the more nondescript one in fantasia.

The image of the skull super-imposed with her regular face is pretty fun. The art is interesting, but a bit lacking in backgrounds. I wonder if the artist used catalog references of the day to get all the various costumes for miz satan?

Glowworm said...

@Brian Barnes, the "Satan" in Fantasia is actually known as Chernabog. Just a tiny little detail I wanted to point out. To be fair, althoughhe is referred to as "Satan", I always saw him as powerful demon, but not necessarily Satan, although definitely Disney's representation of pure evil.

Mr. Karswell said...

I'm glad Fantasia was mentioned, I didn't even think of that!

So come back next Saturday for Parts 3 and 4, --when things really start to heat up for the Madam!