Let Evil Perish With Evil

Recently we've been picking up debris strewn from old posts, plucked at dangling threads, and generally tried to pick up things left hanging over the past couple years. Of course, in the process, more bits were left half forgotten along the way.

We were talking about Chen Chang and the Yellow Peril comics, and it was planned to continue with a contrasting strip from the time - Dr. Fung, by "Arthur Dean ", yet another golden age pen name with a mystery hidden behind it. Artwork was initially from Bob Powell, who we've seen previously with his classic Vic Torry And His Flying Saucer strip, as well as one of our Fly Girls, Lee Preston of the Red Cross. Powell authored at least some of the stories, and may have been the original scribe.

Here's a trio of Dr. Fung's early tales so you can get a feel for the strip. All 3 are both written and drawn by Bob Powell -

Now, don't get me wrong. I'm not saying that this was a comic free of cruel stereotypes...

...but it was a stark contrast to much of what was published at the time. The hero was a Chinese man, though stereotyped quite a bit, it was not in a generally derogatory manner. And yes, of course, he was partnered up with a jodpurs wearing great white hero to make him more palatable for the reading public in the USA.

The Doctor first appeared in the somewhat infamous Wonder Comics #s 1 & 2. Wonder Comics featured Wonder Man, a direct intentional Superman rip-off commissioned from Will Eisner. The title was, unsurprisingly, quickly sued out of existence. The only copies i've ever seen are micro-fiche, and bad micro-fiche at that.

With issue #4, Wonder Comics re-branded and became Wonderland Comics, wherein Dr. Fung continued until the title ended with issue #33.

He's no Di Renjie, but he's a nice contrast from 80 years ago.

page art by Bob Powell for Wonderland Comics #s 4-6 (1939)