Number 1320: It’s George Washington’s birthday, and I cannot tell a lie...

Marvelo, who is here from the first issue of Big Shot Comics (1940), was another in a big crowd of tuxedo-wearing, finger-waggling magicians riding on Mandrake the Magician’s coat-tails, who made magical things happen in early comics. With the magic word, "Kalora!" and some gesturing Marvelo can make an armored car fall apart. And he can bring a statue of George Washington to life, so the granite representation of the first American president can haul a couple of thugs to jail.

The story is drawn by Fred Guardineer of Action Comics’ Zatara fame (another magician). Fred's artwork brings a precision to each figure, vehicle, building, ink line. I believe that based on his artwork he could not turn in a job until every panel appeared just...so...and just right to his exacting eye. Fred left comic books after a point and went to work for the U.S. Post Office, where precise thinking is a necessity in getting thousands of pieces of mail where they’re supposed to go.

And that’s no lie.

And to our first POTUS, happy 281st birthday, George Washington!