Steve Dahlman
While Superman and Batman on the DC side and The Human Torch and the Sub-Mariner on the Timely/Marvel side are all of course hugely important, it can be the lower key discoveries that jump off the page at you. The Blue Blaze was one of those, the idiosyncratic art of Steve Dahlman is another.
I’ve not been able to find out much about this writer-artist other than he worked for Funnies Inc, Lev Gleason Publications and of course Marvel precursor Timely during the late thirties and early forties.
Pretty much all I’ve found out on Steve Dahlman can be found here at the Comiclopedia website. There’s a few other sources I’ve stumbled upon, but this one gives a good summary along with a couple of images of Steve Dahlman’s art.
(Note to self: that seems to be a fantastic looking bookshop! If I’m ever in Amsterdam…!)
Electro, the Marvel of the Age!
Steve Dahlman is perhaps best known for creating the Golden Age Electro. Timely/Marvel has used the name Electro a few times over the years, most famously for a Spider-Man villain. This Electro however, is a super powered robot, capable of feats of strength, speed and (via a propeller on his back!) flying. He’s remote controlled by his creator, Professor Zog. He starts out as a fairly hands-off scientist/inventor but in the later stories is quite handy with a gun and ready to pitch in in a fight!
Electro appeared in Marvel Mystery Comics #4-19, February 1940 to May 1941. That’s quite a good run for a back up feature although as far as I’m aware, Electro doesn’t appear again until the Twelve in 2008!
Making a Splash!
Steve Dahlman’s art can be very idiosyncratic at times but the intro splash panels and pages to the stories are quite often ornate and certainly eye-catching (well, I wouldn’t be writing this post otherwise!).
Here’s the title/splash panel to Electro’s first appearance in Marvel Mystery Comics #4. Nice colourful lightning and lots of detail on Electro himself.
The splash panels in Electro’s subsequent stories aren’t quite so interesting. Without the context of the story however, you wouldn’t necessarily know he was the good guy!
The splash panels in the following selection show off some of the odder enemies Electro faced!
Psychedelia – 1940s Style!
When we get to Marvel Mystery Comics #13, the art on the splash pages takes a leap forwards and becomes much more ornate.
Electro even gets a logo or sorts with his name in an inverted ‘V’ design. This gets used right up until his last appearance.
In Marvel Mystery Comics #17 and 18 the splash panels overflow into the first story panels. #17 above left is the best of these with Electro diving into action.
The art in the splash panels and in the stories themselves can be quite psychedelic and trippy. This psychedelia is threaded through with Flash Gordon inspired space rockets, robots and aliens!
The best is saved for last with this one from Electro’s final appearance in #19.
Steve Dahlman’s art can be very odd and hard going at times, but the title and splash panels really stood out for me.
If you’re still here, here’s a special treat. Steve Dahlman’s splash panel from Dynaman’s one-and-only appearance from Daring Mystery Comics #6!
