Of related note: the latest in Noah’s posts on the first thirty issues or so of Wonder Woman.
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I dug out some scans of comic book covers, all from Fiction House comics. One lesson you can draw from the sampling is that, if you wanted to be an action-oriented woman on a Fiction House cover, it really helped to have some wildlife to beat up on. But another woman would also do, just no men. Inside the comic things might be a bit different, possibly because of plot requirements.
Firehair 1. Per Wikipedia, the issue was dated Winter 1948, the series lasted 11 issues, and Firehair first appeared in Ranger Comics 21 (1945) and showed up in every issue until 65. Sorry, I don’t know who drew the cover.
Planet 47. Heritage Galleries says it came out in 1947 and that the cover was drawn by Joe Doolin. Planet did cover after cover of women and creatures, usually but not always with a guy there to rescue the woman.
Jumbo 105. Heritage says it came out in 1947 and notes “Matt Baker and Jack Kamen art,” but I think that’s just for the inside, not the cover. You’ve heard of Sheena; everybody has. The woman’s she fighting is colored the odd shade (cobalt slate, possibly) that Fiction House often used for inhabitants of Africa.
So why is Sheena’s leg labeled W9/26?
So people can tell it from the other leg.
Tatoo culture in the 40’s wasn’t as creative and colorful as it is today. I like the ripped bodice on Bob in the background of that Sheena cover.
Very good point about Bob. Every now and then you run across a guy playing the fem role in these covers.
Heritage lists the cover as “bondage” and it took me a few seconds to realize they didn’t mean the two women fighting (which, of course, would not be bondage). No, it was the guy. Goes to show about preconceptions. Of course he’s also drawn pretty small.