Welcome back. Please log in.

Off-White pgs; Universal holder; Unrestored
L.B. Cole WWII flag cvr; origin of Kitten retold


The beloved Catman Comics series built a loyal following in the '40s despite a troubled publishing history that often affected the book's distribution. The book only became more scarce as Golden Age collectors discovered the wildly imaginative covers from both Charles Quinlan and (as seen here) the legendary L.B. Cole.

Catman Comics was publisher Frank Z. Temerson's attempt to cash in on the sudden superhero boom, resulting in a colorful costumed crimefighter with an origin combining elements of Tarzan, Batman, and Captain America. Catman (aka David Merrywether) originally fought crime as a private detective, and later became a U.S. Army officer. He'd also adopted child acrobat Katie Conn, saving her from a life of crime as she became his sidekick Kitten.

The beloved Axis-bashing hero found a dedicated following despite that often-troubled distribution. (In a unique twist, Catman and Kitten were also the only superhero team who'd age somewhat realistically over the years.) The scarcity of the run, due to that scattered distribution and WWII paper drives, has made Catman Comics one of the toughest and most rewarding Golden Age titles to collect.

Patriotic covers like this one were responsible for the meteoric rise of the comic book as a staple of the American pop-culture diet in the heady days of WWII, but one could argue these issues are even more popular today, as they are one of the star attractions for serious collectors. These wartime comics continue to grow in value and desirability, even as the events and lessons learned from these conflicts start to fade from memory. Here we have Catman and Kitten walking arm-in-arm with the brave young men of the US Armed Forces, acting both as entertainment and also a rallying cry for freedom; these comics will always hold a special place in the hobby no matter what trends come and go.