Jumbo Comics (2 results)

Fiction House. Jumbo Comics featuring Sheena, Queen of the Jungle, 1943 to 1952, documents the emergence of a female action protagonist in American comic publishing during the Golden Age and provides direct evidence of how gender roles were negotiated within mass market entertainment during World War II and the postwar period. Created by Will Eisner and Jerry Iger, Sheena stands as one of the earliest female comic characters to headline her own title, appearing as a physically capable and independent figure at a time when women were rarely depicted in positions of authority or combat within popular media. These issues support research into comics history, women's representation, and mid twentieth century visual culture, particularly in relation to wartime narratives and evolving depictions of female agency. Four issues of Jumbo Comics issued between 1943 and 1952 by Fiction House, each in original color illustrated wrappers. [1] Jumbo Comics No. 55. New York: Fiction House, September 1943. Wartime issue featuring Sheena in action oriented narratives alongside backup stories such as The Phantom Falcon and Tiger Morgan's U.S. Rangers, reflecting contemporary military themes. [2] Jumbo Comics No. 134. New York: Fiction House, April 1950. Depicts Sheena intervening in conflict between rival groups, emphasizing both combat and mediation roles, while presenting indigenous characters through period stereotypes. [3] Jumbo Comics No. 141. New York: Fiction House, November 1950. Includes "The Curse of Daanga," combining adventure and supernatural elements with Sheena's leadership within hostile environments. [4] Jumbo Comics No. 155. New York: Fiction House, January 1952. Later issue showing continued emphasis on pulp adventure themes and Sheena's role confronting exploitation within jungle settings. Standard comic format, 8vo, with illustrated covers and interior black and white sequential art. Issued during a period of expanding comic readership and heightened wartime and postwar production, these issues demonstrate how publishers incorporated female protagonists into adventure narratives while maintaining broader genre conventions rooted in colonial fantasy and exoticized settings. Sheena's characterization as self reliant and physically dominant complicates prevailing mid century gender expectations, even as the surrounding narratives reflect contemporary racial and cultural stereotypes. The series' longevity into the early 1950s situates it within the transition from wartime storytelling to postwar entertainment markets, offering a sustained record of how female heroism was visualized and consumed in American popular culture. Chipping and edge wear to covers, some pencil marks, two issues with textblocks separated from wrappers but covers present, and general age toning; overall condition good.

Soft cover. Condition: Near Fine. Weak crease from lower staple and down. Tiny tears around lower staple. Light reading creases to spine. Off-white pages. Bright colours to wrappers. | The Hawk experiences the vengeance of a buccaneer on the cover of Jumbo Comics #12, published in February 1940 by Fiction House. Sheena helps to free a tigress held captive. ZX-5 takes his spy work to the North and meets Yum Ling, a daughter of great conqueror Genghis Khan.