Red Raven Comics

Red Raven Comics was a title of Timely Comics (the predecessor of Marvel Comics). Only a single issue was published, cover-dated August 1940. It was replaced by the title The Human Torch, which began with issue #2 (Fall 1940), continuing the numbering inherited from Red Raven Comics. According to the Grand Comics Database, Red Raven Comics issue #1 contained no advertisements for issue #2 (instead, other titles were advertised), suggesting that the decision to cancel the title may have been made before the first issue went to press.^[1]

After this issue, the title character, avian superman Red Raven, did not appear in print again until 1968. The first Human Top was also introduced in this issue, as was a character named Mercury, presented as the Roman god but later retconned to be Makkari, one of the Eternals. Also introduced were Magar the Mystic, the all-seeing Eternal Brain, space adventurer Comet Pierce, and hapless policeman Officer O'Krime.^[1] None of these characters were continued in the Human Torch title.^[2] The Human Top had one other appearance, in 1942 in Tough Kid Squad.^[3]

Red Raven Comics #1 figured in the documentary Comic-Con Episode IV: A Fan's Hope, part of which follows comic-book maven Chuck Rozanski's quest to sell a copy for $500,000.

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