Posted in: Comics, Heritage Sponsored, Vintage Paper | Tagged: Charles Quinlan, Sol Brodksy
Quinlan’s Wartime Heroes in Cat-Man Comics #12, at Auction
In this issue of the popular Golden Age Cat-Man series, editor Charles Quinlan declared a preference for Batman over Superman style characters.
Charles M. Quinlan had some definite ideas about what comic books should offer their readers during World War II, and he put them in writing in Cat-Man Comics #12. In a signed editorial in this July 1942 issue, the artist and editor declared that “heroes of a too fantastic nature and super-human qualities are out.” He wanted believable characters, lifelike artwork, and stories that would strengthen readers’ morale. While this didn’t mean a dramatic change for this title, particularly given that Quinlan had been involved with the series since the beginning as an artist and, from early on, as an editor. Nevertheless, Cat-Man Comics #12 does mark a perceptible shift in the series.
Quinlan’s Wartime Case for Believable Heroes
The editorial, headed Says, the Editor!, begins with America’s entry into the war and the adjustments it had required of industry and business. Quinlan then turns to his own responsibilities as editor of Cat-Man Comics and Captain Aero. He describes stories and characters that would improve readers’ morale, and insists that their qualities should remain within the realm of possibility. In other words, no superpowers. He also takes a swipe at the sensationalism of competing comic books, even while conceding that their approach might prove more successful. There were still plenty of costumed heroes here, such as Blackout and The Hood, and the notion that the Catman and Kitten in a spotlight cover of this issue seems inspired by the cover of Batman #9 seems to underline what Quinlan was saying: Batman-style costumed adventurers were ok, but Superman-style superhumans were something he wanted to avoid.
With the entrance of America into the second World War, great upsets have occured in the various fields of industry! Businesses that have become perfectly organized to give the best that was in them, have since had to re-adjust themselves to war time conditions. It has always been the aim of this department to use only such stories and characters as are possessed of qualifications that will tend to strengthen and heighten the morale of all our readers. Heroes of a too fantastic nature and super human qualities are out; only those characteristics which are within the realm of possibility can be considered satisfactory material for this unusual publication. In short, we don’t intend to follow in the wake of any other publications even though their policy of sensationalism may prove more successful.
We maintain that intelligent reading matter will always come out on top in the long run, so therefore you can depend on Cat-Man and its companion magazine Captain Aero to always give you the best stories, the most life-like drawings, real human characters and the absolute top in comic magazine reading enjoyment. Compare! There is a difference.
Charles M. Quinlan
Editor of Catman and Capt. Aero.
Sorting the thousands of dandy letters that have poured into this office in answer to our criticism contest has proved a bigger job than we anticipated. So be patient and watch for notification of the winners in our forthcoming editions of Cat-Man and Captain Aero.
The clearest-cut casualty of this policy was the character Volton. The electrically-powered hero had been created by Joe Kubert for Cat-Man Comics #8, and the installment by Sol Brodsky in issue #12 would be his last appearance. The magic-based Pied Piper had already wound down with issue #9. Beginning in issue #13, a section of stories called “Personal Adventure” featured “true life” stories. In the meantime, one particular true-life story appears in this issue’s One Man Navy, drawn by Eddie Murphy. The one-page feature celebrates Lieutenant John D. Bulkeley and his role in General Douglas MacArthur‘s evacuation from the Philippines, which began on March 11, 1942. Bulkeley’s exploits had already received front-page coverage in newspapers that month. While the story is told in very condensed form here, the Navy’s account of Bulkeley’s service tells a more complete history.
There are 22 Universal copies of this issue on the CGC census. The copy here is near the top of its Universal census distribution, with three copies graded 5.5 and only two graded higher. A classic Quinlan cover and the turning point of a sought-after series, there’s a Cat-Man Comics #12 (Continental, 1942) CGC FN- 5.5 copy with cream to off-white pages up for auction at the November 5, 2026 Golden Age Century Comics Showcase Auction VI #40378.
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