New Fun # 6

Major Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson (1890-1968) was American pulp magazine writer and entrepreneur who pioneered the American comic book, publishing the first such periodical consisting solely of original material rather than reprints of newspaper comic strips. His comics company, National Allied Publications, would evolve into DC Comics, one of the world's two largest comic book publishers, though long after its founder had left it.A former U.S. Cavalry officer, Wheeler-Nicholson, by his account, "chased bandits on the Mexican border, fought fevers and played polo in the Philippines, led a battlation of infantry against the Bolsheviki in Siberia, helped straighten out the affairs of the army in France [and] commanded the headquarters cavalry of the American force in the Rhine".[1] In 1924, amid accusations by the major against senior officers, countercharges, hearings, and lawsuit threats, Wheeler-Nicholson left the service. Having already written non-fiction about military topics, he beg Siegel and Shuster submitted some material to comic book publisher Major Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson, a bizarre figure given to wearing a French officer's cloak and a beaver cap. They also sent the first 13 pages of what would become Superman. Their material ended up in the slush pile. After Wheeler-Nicholson went bankrupt, Donenfeld and Liebowitz snapped up his properties. Deciding they needed another comic, an editor slapped together Action Comics. That included Superman, which was fished out of the heap".[6] Golden Age comics creator Sheldon Mayer on Wheeler-Nicholoson: "Not only the first man to publish comic books but also the first to stiff an artist for his check".

Snooch to the booch

Mach