| Fantomah | |
|---|---|
 Fantomah transforming. From Jungle Comics #15 (March 1941), art by Fletcher Hanks. | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Fiction House |
| First appearance | Jungle Comics #2 (Feb. 1940) |
| Created by | Fletcher Hanks (as "Barclay Flagg") |
| In-story information | |
| Abilities | Superstrength, flight, other unspecified powers |
Fantomah is an American comics character, best known as one of the earliest comic-book superheroines.[1] Created by Fletcher Hanks, the character first appeared in Jungle Comics #2 (cover-dated Feb. 1940), published by Fiction House. Hanks is also known for creating the equally strange Stardust the Super Wizard.[2]
The character preceded Wonder Woman's first appearance, and has been claimed to be the first female superhero in comic books (although the Centaur Comics superheroine, "Magician from Mars", predates Fantomah by two months).[3] One comics historian says: "Simultaneously grotesque and goofy, horrific and hilarious, the strip truly defies description".[4]
- ^ Fantomah, Mystery Woman of the Jungle at Don Markstein's Toonopedia. Archived from the original on January 29, 2015.
- ^ Sadowski, Greg (2009). Supermen!: The First Wave of Comic Book Heroes 1936-1941. Fantagraphics Books. pp. 189–190. ISBN 978-1560979715.
- ^ Morris, Jon (2015). The League of Regrettable Superheroes. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Quirk Books. pp. 50–51. ISBN 9781594747632.
- ^ Mitchell, Kurt; Thomas, Roy (2019). American Comic Book Chronicles: 1940-1944. TwoMorrows Publishing. p. 38. ISBN 978-1605490892.