DR. DESTINE
Dr. Destine who was created by Ed Furness made his first appearance in Grand Slam Comics, vol. 3, no. 10, September 1944. Unlike the other features of this time which revolved around the war this serial was purely crime fiction. “Suave, polished, handsome” Dr. Destine was a private detective with the attractive secretary Beverly for his partner. Furness patterned his character after the Nick Charles character played by William Powell in The Thin Man film series of the 1930’s and 1940’s. Another similarity with the film series is the Dr. Destine/Beverly relationship which bears a marked resemblance to the husband and wife team of Nick and Nora Charles of Mr. & Mrs. North. In a departure from the man without a country motif so common among the Anglo-American characters, Dr. Destine is located in Toronto. In the opening scenes he and Beverly are dancing at the Palais Royal which in the 1940’s was a popular night spot hall located on the Lakeshore Boulevard in the Sunnyside district of Toronto.
One gets the feeling that this was one serial that Ed enjoyed doing. The stories are inventive and by this time the Anglo-American staff are quite competent in their illustrating. At the end of the war, Ted McCall and Ed attempted to remodel “Freelance” into a private detective. Would this model have been more successful?
MEDIUM:
PERIODICAL GRAPHIC ANTHOLOGY: Published by Anglo-American Publishing Co.
Content serial:
| Grand Slam Comics …: “Dr Destine…” Contributors unidentified. Black & white interiors. |
| 3-10, September 1944: “… Introducing”: 31-44
3-11, October 1944: “… The Case Of The Two Mysterious Words”: 31-44. 3-12, November 1944: “… and the Case Of The Purple Scarab”: 31-44. 4-2, January 1945: “… The Mystery Of The Black Death”: 33-46. 4-3, February 1945: “ … Clue Of The Leopard’s Fangs”: 19-32. 4-4, March 1945: “… and the Poison Plot Against The Underworld”: 11-19. “… and Five Faces To Doom”: 38-47. 4-6: May 1945: “… And The Vultures Of Death Mountain”:. 19-32. 4-6: [actually 4-7], June 1945: “… League Of The Saints From Hades”: 17-30. |
| Grand Slam/Three Aces Comics …: “Dr Destine.” Contributors unidentified. Colour interiors. | |
| IV-45, August 1945: No story.
IV-46, September 1945: No story. |
IV-48, Nov. 1945: “… The Killer Of The Big House. :13-22.
IV-49, Dec. 1946: “… Fog Is The Shroud For Death”: 1-10 IV-50, January 1946: No story. |
| Grand Slam Comics…: “Dr Destine…” Contributors unidentified. Colour interiors. |
| V-51, February. 1946: No story..
V-53, June/July 1946: “ … and the Clue Of The Counterfeit Shoe”: 17-28. 5-54, August/September 1946: “… Letter From The Dead”: 18-31. 5-55, October November 1946: “… and the Mesmerized Diplomat”: 16-25. 5-56, December/January 1946: “…”: 33-46. |
Three Aces, V-51, Feb.1946: “Dr. Destine and the Dolls Of Death.” Contributors unidentified: 23-32.
Cover front:
Grand Slam/Three Aces, IV-49, December 1945: Illus., Unidentified.
SOURCE:
Interview:
With Ed Furness.
GALLERY:
Grand Slam Comics, 4-6, May 1945: “Dr. Destine and the Vultures Of Death Mountain”: 30
Grand Slam/Three Aces, V-49, December 1945: Front cover.
Grand Slam Comics, 5-56, December/January 1946 [1947]: Dr. Destine”: 40.
D. Destine”: 40.