Fletcher Hanks: The Eccentric Creator of Golden Age Comics
When Superman burst onto the scene in the first issue of Action Comics in 1938, it sparked a frenzy of superhero imitators and ushered in the Golden Age of Comics. Among the myriad of creators trying to capitalize on this newfound craze was Fletcher Hanks, a marginal cartoonist whose work stood out for its bizarre and off-kilter style.
From 1939 to 1941, Hanks created a slew of characters like Super Wizard Stardust, Space Smith, and Fantomah, the Mystery Woman of the Jungle. Fantomah, in particular, was one of the earliest female superheroes, predating the iconic Wonder Woman. Despite his brief stint in the industry, Hanks left a lasting impression with his unconventional storytelling and unique artistic vision.
After disappearing from the comic book scene, Hanks’s work languished in obscurity for decades until it resurfaced in countercultural circles in the ’60s and ’70s. Cartoonist and historian Paul Karasik played a pivotal role in bringing Hanks’s work back into the spotlight by editing two compilations of his comics: I Shall Destroy All Civilized Planets! (2007) and You Shall Die by Your Own Evil Creation! (2009). Now, all 51 of Hanks’s stories have been collected in a single volume titled Turn Loose Our Death Rays and Kill Them All! (Fantagraphics, 2025), also edited by Karasik.
Hanks’s life was as enigmatic as his comics. Described as an alcoholic and troublemaker, he abandoned his family in 1930 and died destitute and alone in 1976. Despite his tumultuous personal life, Hanks’s work as a comic book creator remains a testament to his singular vision and creativity.
Hanks’s stories are characterized by their visually striking but disorienting art style. His human forms are often exaggerated and distorted, with bizarre proportions and awkward poses. His storytelling is equally unconventional, with stilted dialogue and erratic pacing that often veers into unintentional comedy.
Turn Loose Our Death Rays and Kill Them All! showcases Hanks’s status as one of comics’ earliest auteurs. Unlike many of his peers who worked within a highly stratified production process, Hanks wrote, drew, inked, and lettered all his comics himself. This hands-on approach allowed him to imbue his stories with a sense of individuality and strangeness that set them apart from the mainstream comic fare of his time.
While comparisons to outsider artist Henry Darger have been made, Hanks’s work, firmly rooted in the comic book industry, defies easy categorization. His stories may be weird and unconventional, but they are a product of his creative vision and stand as a testament to his idiosyncratic talent.
Turn Loose Our Death Rays and Kill Them All! offers a fascinating glimpse into the world of Fletcher Hanks, a creator ahead of his time whose work continues to captivate readers with its singular charm and eccentricity.
