Even the most casual fan can probably tell you that Superman was the first superhero in comic book history. But have you ever wondered about the second? Your Major Spoilers Retro Review of Funny Pages #10 awaits!

FUNNY PAGES (Vol. 2) #10

Writer: Paul Gustavson
Penciler: Paul Gustavson
Inker: Paul Gustavson
Colorist: Uncredited
Letterer: Paul Gustavson
Publisher: Centaur Publications
Cover Price: 10 Cents
Current Near-Mint Pricing: $8000.00
Release Date: July 28, 1938

Previously in Funny Pages: Debuting in 1936 as The Comics Magazine, Funny Pages prided itself on being all-new material, rather than reprints. The first issue of the series actually features Siegel and Shuster’s Doctor Mystic, with a story that is actually a chapter in their ongoing Doctor Occult series from the pages of More Fun Comics. By the time of the second volume, the adventure strips were starting to outnumber the funny animals and wacky hijinks, but the debut of Superman (available for sale in April of 1938) was a whole new world of comics. Centaur Comics was the first to capitalize on that (which may or may not have had something to do with their original founders having previously been affiliated with National Allied, one of the companies that became DC Comics), giving us the second Golden Age costumes hero… The Arrow!
The first super-hero archer, the first panels of The Arrow’s first adventure make it clear that he’s been active for an indeterminate time already, as a fired arrow interrupts a police interrogation (and quite rudely, I might add). The high-velocity message does get the chief to change his mind, though, freeing a gangster named Dillon from police custody… but it’s all a bluff! The gunsel’s boss actually engineered the affair to get his man back on the streets, but fortunately, the gambit gets the attention of the real Arrow.
Our protagonist, annoyed that the police don’t know his handwriting yet, easily tracks the criminals to their lair, staying hooded and shadowed the whole time. Creator Paul Gustavson created the hero as a true mystery man, never revealing his face or name during his run on the feature. It’s also worth noting that this comic doesn’t really show The Arrow as anything like a costumed superhero. Instead, he seems more in keeping with the likes of The Shadow or the various hooded men of the pulps. He’s also not infallible, as the bad guys take him down easily, dragging him into their lair.But the gangsters aren’t the only ones who can pull off the proverbial bait-and-switch, as The Arrow is only feigning unconsciousness to listen in on their plans. Gustavson’s art is remarkably delicate in this story, though it’s not quite what his work would become in later features like The Human Bomb for Quality Comics. Most interestingly, if you know anything about The Arrow’s extremely limited Golden Age repertoire, you might recall that his signature color is red.

That’s… not the case here.
It’s not entirely clear to me if he’s meant to be blue or if he’s supposed to be in shadow, but either way, it’s a bit weird for me, having read the later appearances first. Also, I can’t help but notice that he’s not actually carrying a bow or quiver, which makes his alias feel pretty weird, as if Gustavson drew the episode first and filled in the writing details later.
He’s also a literal giant in this story, which doesn’t seem to fit with the character’s later motif as ex-secret-agent-turned-archer-vigilante. The biggest surprise of Funny Pages #10 isn’t the early-installment weirdness of it all, it’s the fact that it’s not nearly as primitive or as bare-bones as I’d expect a story from 1938 to be, with some well-done art by an underrated Golden Age great and a very Lamont Cranston vibe, earning 3.5 out of 5 stars overall. Sadly, though, as your Major Spoilers comic nerd, I am saddened to report that The Arrow’s designation as “Second-Ever Costumed Superhero” comes with an asterisk, as almost none of the things that would make that nomenclature valid aren’t actually present in this first appearance.

That said, it’s still a pretty cool issue from a historical perspective.

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