Spencer Steel

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Spencer Steel

Spencer Steel was a New York City detective associated with the police. His stories ran from 1938 - 1941. He is not to be confused with Larry Steele, the private eye created one year earlier in 1937 by Will Ely for Detective Comics. Both men were non-super powered detectives who solved crimes in a realistic, non-sf universe. Both men appeared some years before the super-hero Steel Sterling, the original Man of Steel. Clearly, names involving Steel were very popular in early comics. America was in the final stages of the Depression, and many men felt that their masculinity was under attack from the economy. Associating a man with steel must have been a reassuring idea.

All three of these heroes were young and fairly glamorous. All three seemed a little younger than Superman or Batman would be, for example.

Both Spencer Steel and Larry Steele lived in a world of sophistication, with nice clothes and often glamorous New York City surroundings. Neither cops or private eyes usually move in such circles. In Larry Steele's case, there is some justification: although he is a private eye, he is from an upper middle class family, and he seems to have an independent source of income, as well as many friends from the upper crust with whom he grew up and went to school and college. By contrast, it is not clear how Spencer Steel supports his life style; New York City cops of the era were typically not affluent.

The Spencer Steel stories were usually ascribed to Dennis Colebrook on their splash panel. I do not know if he was their writer or artist or both.

Spencer Steel was created in Jumbo Comics #1 (September 1938). He appeared in Jumbo Comics through #14 (April 1940). Then he moved to Fight Comics, running from #7 (July 1940) to #14 (August 1941).

Spencer Steel was aided in his work by none too swift policeman McCarthy. Such comic police assistants, honest but dumb, were frequent comedy relief in Hollywood whodunit movies.

The Pixie Panto Problem (1940). Spencer Steel and Nora solve two cases: first the escaped criminal Pixie Panto threatens Steel; then he solves the mystery of who killed wealthy Mrs. Danbury. The two cases here come from two different schools of crime fiction. Pixie Panto is a thriller dealing with tough criminals and cops; the Mrs. Danbury case is a traditional Golden Age whodunit, complete with a wealthy family's mansion and a closed circle of suspects. Their is a clue to the killer in this second story, and it attempts to go through the motions of being a puzzle plot whodunit, but it is not very developed or creative with this aspect.

Nora Steel faints twice, and is caught and supported by her husband, in identically posed panels. In each, he is effortlessly supporting her by one hand. In both, he is standing tall and erect. These are two of the most macho portraits of Spencer Steel. They show his huge muscles and build. They also show him smiling, and his wavy blond hair. He looks very young and strong.

In the early parts of the story, Spencer Steel is in a suit, with a long overcoat with the collar turned up. This dressy outfit reminds one of the work of artist Alex Raymond. Later, Spencer is in full white tie and tails, while investigating the Mrs. Danbury case. He looks terrific in both outfits.

Spencer is aided by his wife Nora in many of their cases. Such helpful wives and fiancees were not uncommon in the comics.

The Mystery Murders of Las Vegas (1940). A killer drops mimeographed leaflets in Las Vegas, Nevada, warning people of his next victim.

The Las Vegas police chief is eager to work with Spencer Steel. This is typical of the respect he gets everywhere as a detective.

The Las Vegas police chief is in a spiffy black uniform, with a huge police badge on his chest, white shirt and tie, and a leather Sam Browne belt (p2). Later, there are portraits of the chief wearing his huge uniform cap (p8).