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…?
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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.
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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.
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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 Spit.
May 24, 2026
The Hand IS quicker than the Eye!
And I must add, you’ve made Moe proud!