Wonder Man (Fox Publications)

{{Infobox comics character

|character_name = Wonder Man

|image = Wonder Comics 1 Fox.jpg

|caption = Wonder Man's only appearance was in Wonder Comics #1.

|real_name = Fred Carson

|publisher = Fox Publications

|debut = Wonder Comics #1 (May 1939)

|creators = Will Eisner

|alliances =

|aliases =

|powers = {{nowrap|Super-strength{{dot}}Super-speed{{dot}}Invulnerability}}

}}

Wonder Man is a fictional superhero created by American cartoonist Will Eisner, whose only appearance was in the comic book Wonder Comics #1 (May 1939). The character is of some historical significance due to a lawsuit that resulted from his only appearance.

Fictional character history

Wonder Man's secret identity is Fred Carson, radio engineer for the International Broadcasting Corporation. During an excursion to Tibet, an old monk bestows Carson with a ring that gave him the power to fight evil when the need arose.{{cite book |last1=Nevins |first1=Jess |title=Encyclopedia of Golden Age Superheroes |date=2013 |publisher=High Rock Press |isbn=978-1-61318-023-5 |page=296}} His powers are almost exactly like those of Superman.{{cite web |last1=Markstein |first1=Don |website=Don Markstein's Toonopedia |access-date=2 April 2020 |url=http://www.toonopedia.com/wondrmn1.htm |title=Wonder Man}} He travels to war-torn Tatonia, beats up the invading dictator General Attila, and stops the war. Then he rescues his boss's daughter, Red Cross nurse Brenda, and kisses her.{{cite book |last1=Mougin |first1=Lou |title=Secondary Superheroes of Golden Age Comics |date=2020 |publisher=McFarland & Co |isbn=9781476638607|pages=23–24}}

Publication history

Wonder Man was created by Will Eisner in the Eisner & Iger Shop for Victor Fox, who was publishing astrology magazines when he ran across his distributor's reports on the incredible sales for National Periodicals' Action Comics in February 1939. He immediately decided to get into the comic book business, setting up offices in the same building DC had theirs, then contacted Eisner. Using the pen name Willis, Eisner wrote and drew the first issue of Wonder Comics, which appeared on the newsstands less than six weeks later.

=Lawsuit=

On March 15, 1939, National/DC brought a copyright infringement lawsuit against Fox, due to the character's similarities to Superman, as well as story and illustration elements that were similar to previous Superman adventures.{{cite book |last1=Mitchell |first1=Kurt |last2=Thomas |first2=Roy |title=American Comic Book Chronicles: 1940-1944 |date=2019 |publisher=TwoMorrows Publishing |isbn=978-1605490892 |page=30}} The case was brought to court in Detective Comics, Inc. v. Bruns Publications, Inc., 111 F.2d 432 (2d Cir. 1940), in which Eisner defended the originality of his creation. Despite this testimony, the subsequent decision forced Fox to drop the character after just one issue.{{cite book |last1=Mougin |first1=Lou |title=Secondary Superheroes of Golden Age Comics |date=2020 |publisher=McFarland & Co |isbn=9781476638607|pages=23–25}}

Wonder Comics however, continued as a title, featuring Yarko the Great in #2, then changed its name to Wonderworld Comics featuring The Flame in #3; the series continued for another 30 issues.{{cite book |last1=Benton |first1=Mike |title=Superhero Comics of the Golden Age: The Illustrated History |date=1992 |publisher=Taylor Publishing Company |location=Dallas |isbn=0-87833-808-X |url=https://archive.org/details/superherocomicso0000bent/page/190 |access-date=8 April 2020 |pages=191–192}}

This was the first copyright lawsuit in comic book history and set a precedent for DC Comics' vigorous protection of its characters (National Comics Publications v. Fawcett Publications).

The dispute is depicted in disguised fashion in Eisner's semi-autobiographical graphic novel, The Dreamer. This depiction is at odds with Eisner's own testimony at the trial, transcripts of which were unearthed in 2010.{{Cite web |url=http://thecomicsdetective.blogspot.com/2010/07/dc-vs-victor-fox-testimony-of-will.html |title = The Comics Detective: DC VS VICTOR FOX: The Testimony of Will Eisner |date = July 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100706071844/http://thecomicsdetective.blogspot.com/2010/07/dc-vs-victor-fox-testimony-of-will.html |archive-date=6 July 2010 |url-status=dead}}

References

External links

[https://digitalcomicmuseum.com/index.php?dlid=1797 Wonder Comics #1] at the Digital Comic Museum
[http://www.toonopedia.com/wondrmn1.htm Wonder Man] at Toonopedia.
[https://archive.today/20031103105130/http://scoop.diamondgalleries.com/scoop_article.asp?ai=1250&si=126 Wonder Comics #1 - A Wonderful Prize?] on Wonder Man ring prize from Wonder Comics #1.
[https://www.angelfire.com/art/wildwood/wonderman.html Article by Mikel Midnight] from material by Ron Goulart.
[http://thecomicsdetective.blogspot.com/search/label/Detective%20Comics%20vs%20Bruns Court transcripts and analysis of testimony in the case of Detective Comics, Inc. v. Bruns Publications, Inc.] from The Comics Detective.
[https://web.archive.org/web/20100706071844/http://thecomicsdetective.blogspot.com/2010/07/dc-vs-victor-fox-testimony-of-will.html Transcript of Eisner's testimony at trial]
[https://www.twomorrows.com/media/AE101EisnerTranscript.pdf Full transcript of Detective Comics, Inc. v. Bruns Publications, Inc.]