All-Winners Comics
Entry updated 2 June 2026. Tagged: Comics, Publication.
US Comic (1941-1946). Timely Comics (a predecessor of Marvel Comics). 20 issues (numbered #1-#19, #21). Artists include Al Avison, Jack Kirby, Carl Pfeufer and Alex Schomburg. Script writers include Otto Binder (see Eando Binder), Bill Finger, Jack Kirby, Stan Lee and Mickey Spillane. There were also one-off inputs from artist Jack Binder and writer Ray Cummings. Initially 68 pages, eventually reducing to 36 before an increase to 52. 3-7 long strips per issue, plus a short text story and occasional short strips as filler.
As well as others, All-Winners Comics featured Timely Comics' big hitters: The Human Torch, who had first appeared in Marvel Comics #1 (1939); Captain America, first appearance in Captain America Comics #1 (1941); and Namor the Sub-Mariner, first appearance in Marvel Comics #1 (1939), strictly speaking a reprint from Motion Picture Funnies Weekly #1 (1939). The Human Torch and Captain America are accompanied by their teenaged sidekicks Toro, the Flaming Kid and Bucky respectively. In the World War Two issues the plots mainly involve our heroes combatting German and Japanese agents' attempts to defeat the allied war effort, either on the home front or out on the battleground. Much use is made of racial stereotypes (see Race in SF) in the portrayal of the Japanese and other races; the Germans are also grotesques. The most memorable feature was the short-lived All Winners Squad (see below), with Captain America and The Destroyer being the strongest of the other strips.
The Human Torch is a fiery Android (Toro has similar powers, but is human). In #1 they attempt to stop a Japanese spy's disruption of Chinese-American fundraising for China, then suffering invasion by Japan; they succeed, despite being Hypnotized. #4 has an "atom expansion gun" (see Weapons) whose Ray is used by the Japanese to destroy the Statue of Liberty. In #8 the Germans lay "a cable of refrigerating coil" under the English Channel, thus freezing it so they can cross. In #9 a Mad Scientist creates "Ape-Men ... out of the bones of pre-historic people" (see Origin of Man) as part of a plan to take over the world. #11 features a flying German warship/aircraft carrier ("a boat plane"), supported by blimps and travelling at 60,000 feet. The Torch strip is absent from #14-#16.
Captain America fights Zombies in #1: created on behalf of the Nazis by a mad scientist, the victims' blood is drained and replaced with "Di-Namo fluid", giving the body "super-vitality for 24 hours". #3 has an artist whose paints include a Drug to make the viewer suggestible, presumably by inhaling the fresh fumes: a painting of them committing Suicide has them perform the deed. In #5 the Captain fights Togu, Japanese "master of occult medicine", who has discovered how to turn himself into a Vampire. We learn in #6 the Japanese Emperor had a twin who – to avoid civil war – was taken to Mexico as a baby with the intention of establishing a North American empire when he grew up: so, in the present day, his forces cross the border into the USA (he also plans to eventually conquer Japan). #7 has evil Scientist Dr Crime escape prison using a chemical formula that Miniaturizes him. Accepting Germany is losing the war, The Red Skull prepares to "Nazify America" with brainwashing techniques in #12. #13 has the Captain and Bucky face Dr Botan, who has created killer animal/plant hybrids (with humans often forming the animal portion).
Namor the Sub-Mariner is the son of an Atlantean princess and a human; he is amphibious, can fly and is exceptionally strong. Initially hostile towards the human race in general, in this era he is pro-America and anti-Nazi. Aside from Namor himself genre elements are minimal, though in #12 the Japanese tunnel to Australia and in #14 gangsters use Ray Guns. Unfortunately Namor here comes across as a generic wise-cracking American superhero, though #19 sees him short-tempered again.
Two costumed superheroes without Superpowers have strips in #1 only: The Angel, first appearance Marvel Comics #1 (1939); and The Black Marvel, first appearance Mystic Comics #5 (1940), black-clad with a red cape. #2 has their replacements: one is The Whizzer, first appearance U.S.A. Comics #1 (1941), who has super-speed (a result of mongoose blood, apparently) and appears in all subsequent issues but #12. The other new arrival is "adventurous young American" Keen Marlow; initially a journalist working in Germany, he is also The Destroyer "Nazidom's undying enemy". He first appeared a fortnight earlier in Mystic Comics #6 (1941) which had his origin story: a serum from an anti-Nazi German Scientist gives him strength. #3 finds the Germans digging a tunnel under the English Channel to invade Britain; #6 has a German scientist bring a stone statue to life. In #8 Satan (see Gods and Demons) is disappointed by Hitler's efforts, so agrees to Madam Satan's suggestion that Attila the Hun goes to Germany to take over, though the actual orders are given by her (when Hitler protests she bawls him out). Madam Satan's relationship with Satan is not spelt out, but at one point she has her arm around him and seems to be sitting on his knee. Last appearance #12. The Black Avenger makes a one-off appearance in #6; costumed but lacking superpowers, he is also known as The Thunderer and first appeared in Daring Mystery Comics #7 (1941).
#1 and #2's text stories (written by Stan Lee) were titled "Winners All", featuring an adventure with the Human Torch, Captain America, the Whizzer and the Sub-Mariner working together (along with the Black Marvel and the Angel in #1 and The Destroyer in #2). This presaged the All Winners Squad – Marvel's first superhero team – who first appeared in #19: here the four superheroes (and sidekicks) are joined by Miss America, who first appeared in Marvel Mystery Comics #49 (1943): she had used a scientist's experimental device to gain the "strength of a thousand men" and the ability to levitate. This strip followed the format of DC Comics Justice Society of America tales in All-Star Comics, where a problem is set up, then each member had their own strip dealing with a particular aspect before coming together at the end: here it is a ruse to distract the heroes whilst the villain steals an atomic bomb (so he can become "dictator of the world"). Their only other adventure, in #21 (there is no #20), has them face a threat from the far future of "one million AD", when the human race faces extinction (see Disaster) and has decided to colonize the twentieth century via Time Travel, sending an agent with Psi Powers and advanced Technology to prepare the way: "as for the savages who lived in the 20th century, exterminate them". After the Squad frustrates his attempts at genocide, the wires in his Time Machine are damaged, sending him perpetually backwards in time.
A curiosity is #5's text story "The Man in the Moon" by Mickey Spillane, about a man who builds a Rocket ship and travels to the Moon, using a bicycle once there. By digging ditches he writes "U.S.A." in mile-high letters on its surface, claiming it for that country. Also, a Spaceship crashes – the huge eight-armed Alien that crawls out seems to pose a threat, but suddenly shrinks to nothing, prompting our fearful astronaut to return to Earth.
A comic entitled All Winners was published in 1948 by one of the Timely group as "Vol. 1, No. 1". This had strips featuring The Human Torch, Namor the Sub-Mariner, Blonde Phantom and Captain America. However, from #2 this All Winners changed its name to All Western Winners, with contents reflecting the title change. [SP]
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