Posted by Dan Greenfield on May 24, 2026
GOLDEN AGE SHOWDOWN: The EYE vs. the HAND
SUNDAY FUNNIES WITH KERRY CALLEN! By KERRY CALLEN I find Golden Age comics fascinating. However, I must admit I’m usually stuck between finding them odd-but-entertaining and I-can’t-read-this-because-it’s-too-boring. When comic books were still brand new as a medium, no one knew exactly what to do. Most companies were trying to imitate Superman’s success. Or, they would mimic the old pulp heroes and sci-fi stories. The crude visuals and concepts were very hit or miss. I thought it might be fun to pick two public domain superheroes and pit them against each other. It would be an interesting way to showcase some of these bizarre characters! I chose a couple of heroes from Keen Detective Funnies #12 (December 1939) and Speed Comics #12 (1941). Of the characters I wanted to use, neither the Eye nor the Hand appeared on the covers. So, here are the opening pages to their premiere adventures: As I drew my strip, I kept it to one page, just to see how I felt about doing it. The idea stays in the back of my mind, but I don’t know if I’ll ever do another. By the way, public domain comics are free — and legal — to read at such sites as Digital Comic Museum. What weirdness will you find…? — Want more SUNDAY FUNNIES WITH KERRY CALLEN? Come back next week! Want a commission? Send an email to KerryCallenArt@gmail.com. You can also find other work at linktr.ee/kerrycallen. — MORE — SPIDER-MAN/SUPERMAN #1: KERRY CALLEN Found the Best Use of a RED Variant Cover. Click here. — The First DC-MARVEL Crossover That Should Have Been. Click here. — KERRY CALLEN spent much of his career as an artist and art director, developing product for Hallmark, but has also dabbled in comics for many years. As a freelancer, he creates work for a range of needs, spanning from Mad Magazine to children illustrations. He has two graphic novels available on Amazon worldwide, Halo and Sprocket: The Definitive Collection, as well as Dirtnap: Mystic...
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