Wednesday, August 29, 2018

Fawcett Comics Presents: The Scarlet and the Gold #1


In the golden age of comics,  crossovers tales between characters within a publisher's titles was not as frequent as it is today. While DC Comics did have a few such meetings between characters in solo titles, as well as in team-up books such as All-Star Comics and Leading Comics, this was the exception rather than the rule. Fawcett had the Marvel Family alone, with a few notable one-on-one meetings or group cameos within a story spotlighting the lead character.

Mary Marvel was unique in her title as to having a few of these yet not with headliners like her brother and his pals over at Whiz Comics. Instead, it was alongside heroic sidekicks somewhat like herself. The first of these was in her title working with her "old friend" Pinky Butler, who secretly was Pinky the Whiz Kid! 

In this tale, what began as a trip to the museum wherein Mary and Pinky run into each other, turns into a mystery of criminals who appear in the building to rob jewels and other pricey artifacts, then disappear when the kids get close to catching them. 
Twice the two hoods give these crimson crime crusaders the slip, first distracting them with a falling statue, then giving chase in a darkened room to cover their trail.

However, the heroes deduce that the recently donated Trojan Horse is where the crooks are hiding, and although the pair capture them they fail to find their stolen goods.

When Mary Broomfield and Pinky Butler reappear, they are both knocked out by Professor Logan, who donated the false Horse in the first place to give his goons a hiding place. 

Attempting to destroy the evidence and remove the two youngsters aware of his plot, instead Pinky helps free Mary allowing her to become Mary Marvel. Together with the Whiz Kid, she captures the wayward archaeologist and recovers the precious items.

Although the two kids part at the conclusion of the case, later in this issue Pinky would reappear with some of Mary's friends at her dinner, although this cameo was rather brief.

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