Powerhouse Pepper is a character in American humor comic books published in the 1940s by Timely Comics, a predecessor of Marvel Comics.[1] Created by writer-artist Basil Wolverton, the character was a dim-witted but big-hearted boxer with superhuman strength, who appeared in slapstick adventures. His titular feature debuted in the humor anthology Joker Comics #1 (April 1942) and would appear in many anthology titles in the 1940s. His final appearance came in Spring 1948.
Powerhouse Pepper
Powerhouse Pepper #4 (Sept. 1948), cover art by Basil Wolverton.
The feature "Powerhouse Pepper" debuted in Timely Comics' Joker Comics #1 (April 1942),[2] and went on to appear in six- to eight-page stories in Joker Comics #2-27, 29-31 (April 1942 - May 1947, Fall 1947 - Spring 1948); Gay Comics #1, 18-22, 28-29 (March 1944, Fall 1944 - Winter 1945, Aug.-Nov. 1947); Tessie the Typist #2, 4, 7-13 (Winter 1944, Fall 1945, Fall 1946 - Dec. 1947); Rusty #14 (Aug. 1947); and Millie the Model #9 (Dec. 1947), as well as in his own series.[3][4][5]
A single issue of that solo title appeared as Powerhouse Pepper Comics #1 (Jan. 1943), featuring a slightly different character design than elsewhere.[6] The series then went dormant for five years while the character's adventures were published in the aforementioned titles. It was revived, slightly shortened to Powerhouse Pepper (as on its trademarked cover logo, though still copyrighted as Powerhouse Pepper Comics per its postal indicia), for four additional issues (#2-5, Spring - Nov. 1948). Backup features there included the humor characters Goofy Giggles, L'il Louie, Squeeky, and (in issue #2) Wolverton's detective Disk-Eyes the Dick.[7]
Synopsis
Comics historian Don Markstein called the series star, a bald, super-strong boxer in a striped turtleneck:
...an amazingly tough guy, and yet his ability to win any fight never goes to his head. He's kind, generous, and uninterested in worldly goods to the point where he once dug up an entire beach looking for a clam, and completely ignored the millions in buried treasure unearthed in the process. ... A major departure from the Popeye mold was Wolverton's constant wordplay. Powerhouse Pepper sailed through life in a sea of rhymes, rhythms and alliterations, often — usually, in fact — carried to ridiculous extremes.[8]
Reprints
Modern-day Powerhouse Pepper reprints include the eight-page story "McClaw the Outlaw"[9] in the hardcover anthology A Smithsonian Book of Comic-Book Comics (Smithsonian Institution Press / Harry N. Abrams, 1981). Additional reprints have appeared in New Media Publishing's black-and-white magazine Golden Age of Comics #5 (Oct. 1983); publisher Kitchen Sink Press' adult-oriented Snarf #13 (Dec. 1989); and Pure Imagination's 1993 all-Wolverton comic-book Intense! #1-3 and The Human Powerhouse #1.
References
^Brevoort, Tom; DeFalco, Tom; Manning, Matthew K.; Sanderson, Peter; Wiacek, Win (2017). Marvel Year By Year: A Visual History. DK Publishing. p. 24. ISBN978-1465455505.
^Wolverton, Monte. . Wolvertoon.com (Monte Wolverton official site). Archived from the original on August 20, 2008. Retrieved September 10, 2011.
^Powerhouse Pepper (character) at AtlasTales.com, which has partial credits for Joker Comics, making its list of character appearances incomplete.
^Powerhouse Pepper (character) at the Grand Comics Database. Note: The database does not have most issues of Joker Comics indexed, making its list of character appearances incomplete.
^Powerhouse Pepper Comics (Marvel, 1943 Series) at the Grand Comics Database
^Powerhouse Pepper Comics (Marvel, 1948 series) at the Grand Comics Database
^The title appears on the original comic's title page, not on the story itself, which reference sources generally list as "Rawjaw McClaw".
External links
Rodman, Larry. . No. 178. (review), The Comics Journal. Archived from the original on May 10, 2008. {{cite magazine}}: Cite magazine requires |magazine= (help)
January 31, 2023
powerhouse, pepper, character, american, humor, comic, books, published, 1940s, timely, comics, predecessor, marvel, comics, created, writer, artist, basil, wolverton, character, witted, hearted, boxer, with, superhuman, strength, appeared, slapstick, adventur. Powerhouse Pepper is a character in American humor comic books published in the 1940s by Timely Comics a predecessor of Marvel Comics 1 Created by writer artist Basil Wolverton the character was a dim witted but big hearted boxer with superhuman strength who appeared in slapstick adventures His titular feature debuted in the humor anthology Joker Comics 1 April 1942 and would appear in many anthology titles in the 1940s His final appearance came in Spring 1948 Powerhouse PepperPowerhouse Pepper 4 Sept 1948 cover art by Basil Wolverton Publication informationPublisherTimely ComicsFirst appearanceJoker Comics 1 April 1942 Created byBasil Wolverton Contents 1 Publication history 2 Synopsis 3 Reprints 4 References 5 External linksPublication history EditThe feature Powerhouse Pepper debuted in Timely Comics Joker Comics 1 April 1942 2 and went on to appear in six to eight page stories in Joker Comics 2 27 29 31 April 1942 May 1947 Fall 1947 Spring 1948 Gay Comics 1 18 22 28 29 March 1944 Fall 1944 Winter 1945 Aug Nov 1947 Tessie the Typist 2 4 7 13 Winter 1944 Fall 1945 Fall 1946 Dec 1947 Rusty 14 Aug 1947 and Millie the Model 9 Dec 1947 as well as in his own series 3 4 5 A single issue of that solo title appeared as Powerhouse Pepper Comics 1 Jan 1943 featuring a slightly different character design than elsewhere 6 The series then went dormant for five years while the character s adventures were published in the aforementioned titles It was revived slightly shortened to Powerhouse Pepper as on its trademarked cover logo though still copyrighted as Powerhouse Pepper Comics per its postal indicia for four additional issues 2 5 Spring Nov 1948 Backup features there included the humor characters Goofy Giggles L il Louie Squeeky and in issue 2 Wolverton s detective Disk Eyes the Dick 7 Synopsis EditComics historian Don Markstein called the series star a bald super strong boxer in a striped turtleneck an amazingly tough guy and yet his ability to win any fight never goes to his head He s kind generous and uninterested in worldly goods to the point where he once dug up an entire beach looking for a clam and completely ignored the millions in buried treasure unearthed in the process A major departure from the Popeye mold was Wolverton s constant wordplay Powerhouse Pepper sailed through life in a sea of rhymes rhythms and alliterations often usually in fact carried to ridiculous extremes 8 Reprints EditModern day Powerhouse Pepper reprints include the eight page story McClaw the Outlaw 9 in the hardcover anthology A Smithsonian Book of Comic Book Comics Smithsonian Institution Press Harry N Abrams 1981 Additional reprints have appeared in New Media Publishing s black and white magazine Golden Age of Comics 5 Oct 1983 publisher Kitchen Sink Press adult oriented Snarf 13 Dec 1989 and Pure Imagination s 1993 all Wolverton comic book Intense 1 3 and The Human Powerhouse 1 References Edit Brevoort Tom DeFalco Tom Manning Matthew K Sanderson Peter Wiacek Win 2017 Marvel Year By Year A Visual History DK Publishing p 24 ISBN 978 1465455505 Joker Comics 1 at AtlasTales com Wolverton Monte Comic Book Features by Basil Wolverton 1938 1954 and Mad Magazine 1954 1970 Wolvertoon com Monte Wolverton official site Archived from the original on August 20 2008 Retrieved September 10 2011 Powerhouse Pepper character at AtlasTales com which has partial credits for Joker Comics making its list of character appearances incomplete Powerhouse Pepper character at the Grand Comics Database Note The database does not have most issues of Joker Comics indexed making its list of character appearances incomplete Powerhouse Pepper Comics Marvel 1943 Series at the Grand Comics Database Powerhouse Pepper Comics Marvel 1948 series at the Grand Comics Database Powerhouse Pepper Archived 2013 02 05 at archive today at Don Markstein s Toonopedia Archived November 3 2011 The title appears on the original comic s title page not on the story itself which reference sources generally list as Rawjaw McClaw External links EditRodman Larry Powerhouse Pepper Basil Wolverton No 178 review The Comics Journal Archived from the original on May 10 2008 a href Template Cite magazine html title Template Cite magazine cite magazine a Cite magazine requires magazine help Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Powerhouse Pepper amp oldid 1069756852, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
