Marvel Mondays: Blonde Brickhouse Boys/Babes

So far with Fawcett Comics' Marvel Family we've considered the main man, the young apprentice, the long lost sister, the evil ancestor and the wizened old coots that empowered such beings. Today we depart from the template to reflect on the long-time friends, once foes, of this family. While not appearing a great deal throughout the decade their presence was known and their influence on both the Marvels and their opposite number, the Sivana Family, was felt.

For you see, our two candidates today were actually the first two additions to Doctor Sivana's infamous family, sometime before their younger siblings Georgia and Thaddeus Junior appeared. Magnifus was the firstborn son of Sivana, and a more marvelous physical specimen you could not find, at least not without the souped up powers of Captain Marvel. Both he and his older sister Beautia were the offspring of Sivana and an unidentified woman, whom he left on the planet Venus to rule while he himself returned to Earth to attempt conquering it without success. Evidently, at least on Venus itself, Magnificus' might matched Caps for a brief period. After initial tension between the two, however, Cap and Mag became friends.

The aforementioned Beautia was installed by her father as queen over Venus' strange creatures. Herself immediately enamored by the rugged looks of her papa's arch-foe, she nevertheless did his bidding off and on for awhile trying to defeat the "Big Red Cheese". Instead, she ended up falling in love with him and later returning with her brother to Earth to become extended members of the Captain's family. Both she and her brother were instrumental in later years overturning their sire's sick schemes. On on occasion, Magnificus actually impersonated Captain Marvel while being flown around and protected by Captain Marvel Junior, in an attempt to free Cap's alter ego Billy Batson from a death trap. In the end, both brother and sister were among the Marvel's closest friends and biggest supporters.

Mister Muscle's career in the limelight was about as long (or as brief) as that of Magnificus, as was that of his girl Friday, Miss Muscles. Both filled in the "perfect specimens" of humanity niche on Earth-Four like that of the Sivana siblings.

And finally, on Earth-MLJ, you can't have more direct parallels for Magnificus and Beautia than Steel Sterling and Ms. Sampson, two paragons of perfection!

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In 1954, aspiring comic book publisher Charlton purchased the rights to several prominent characters from the expiring Fawcett Comics, such as Ibis, Golden Arrow and Lance O'Casey. In 1980 and 1985, DC Comics purchase Fawcett's Marvel Family then Charlton's Action Heroes, and the two were linked once more, now on parallel Earths, Four and Shazam.Now the MLJ has been added to their stable of characters, we examine the parallels in this series. 

Sideline Sundays: Non-Legionaire Kids and Lads

Sidekicks have since the very beginning of comics been a mainstay. And the stronger the sidekick, the more apt they are to pull their own weight. Such was the case with an intentional sidekick, and a lad who would later be reintroduced as one. We present Kid Muscles and Golden Lad!

Kip Muscles changed his first name, and THAT was his origin along with training next to a master bodybuilder.

Tommy Preston's origin was  bit more complicated, but not by much. He found a golden heart made from the Aztecs and stolen by a Spaniard. And somehow from that gold ornament he gained great strength and flight!

While Kid Muscles was a continual partner of Mister Muscles, appearing in his two tales from the mid 1950's, Golden Lad operated solo for 5 issues in the mid 1940's before being brought back in Charlton Bullseye #10 wherein he met Thunder Bunny. He teamed up with the latter twice, assisting him in tracking down the Hermit... a villain that kept heroes like the Lad in stasis for decades to keep them out of criminals' hair.

Friday Fiends: Face Fearless Fit Fighters

Okay how would ALL our Friday Fiends fare against our pair of blonde boys which we highlight today? I.E. Bobby Bell of the Shield's Young American Club and Mister Muscle? Don't let Bobby's size fool you, he'll flip ol' Muscles in no time! Although Mister's muscle are an asset, to be sure.

A couple of great articles on Bobby Bell and Mr. Muscles and how they deal with their perpetual nemesis, the jealous dorks that can't stand their fashion sense! Like the bully next door like  and the Gargoyle or the disgruntled Zoo Keeper! Now don't those cads inspire fear?

A couple of motivational pieces that help inspire young men to achieve personal greatness as was all the rage in the 50's and 60's. Before the Playstation generation that perpetually veg out when out of school.

True, most Friday Fiends actually attempt to highlight notable villains. Where these two jocks are concerned, all others pale in comparison! While Muscles lasted only two issues, Bobby appeared in the one page backup slot of Adventures of the Fly in issues 1, 2, 4, 5 and 9 before retiring into relative comic book anonymity oh such one-hit wonders.


Maybe the two of them  are sitting back somewhere, sipping some iced tea, recalling the glory days when everyone wanted to be them... even though most never heard of them! But at least you have!

Addenum of our Friday Fiends: The Gargoyle would appear a few more times during Bobby's run whereas the malcontent Zoo Caretaker ended up being the... hehe... PET project of Mr. Muscles as he was trained to become a muscle bound man no longer mad (now glad).