Wednesday, August 8, 2007

From the Dust Bin: Cosmo Cat

Cosmo Cat made his debut in All Top Comics #1 in 1945. Published by Fox Feature Syndicate, All Top Comics originally ran as a funny animal book for seven issues before converting over to classic jungle girl feature, Rulah. Cosmo then made the jump into his own title in August of 1946, as well as continuing in Wotalife Comics, where he'd been the star since it's third issue. His adventures lasted until about 1947. Cosmo was powered up by something that would kill most people — in this case, accidentally dropping (and thereby setting off) a bomb at the atomic plant where he worked. But like other funny animal superheroes (as well as a few human ones), he maintained his powers (strength, invulnerability and flight) by ingesting what would nowadays be considered a drug, his substance of choice being Cosmic Catnip Capsules. He lived in a laboratory on the Moon, and used a "tele-finder " to spot evil on Earth. When he detected any evil-doings he'd use his "cat-rocket", powered by "blaster beams", to zap on down and vanquish it.

Scattered reprints were issued by a handful of publishers in the late 1950's, but Cosmo Cat has pretty much been consigned to the dust bowl of comics golden age.

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