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40-403: It featured the titular comics superheroes The Wizard and The Shield and their supporting characters throughout. Shield-Wizard Comics was the fifth title published by MLJ Magazines Inc., the precursor to what would become the publisher Archie Comics. The series was edited by Harry Shorten . Unlike the previous MLJ anthology titles Blue Ribbon Comics , Top-Notch Comics and Pep Comics , as

80-638: A Summer, 1940 cover date. He started sharing cover appearances of Top-Notch Comics with the Black Hood , an indication of waning popularity. Top-Notch was converted into a humorous publication in 1942, but the Wizard continued to appear in Shield-Wizard Comics until its cancellation in Spring, 1944. Archie Comics , formerly known as MLJ Comics, revived its superhero line in the 1960s, but

120-530: A bullet-proof, explosion-resistant costume that consisted of blue tights with red trunks, cape, and mask. He wore this costume for the remainder of his Golden Age appearances. The enemies of America that the Wizard faced in each adventure were usually from a fictitious country, like Jatsonia (in his first appearance) and Bundonia, but due to facial features or accents made apparent in speech balloons , these enemies were obvious, unflattering caricatures of Germans, Soviets, or Japanese. Usually, after each adventure,

160-424: A foreign language that she did not understand years after she had first seen the poem. She also could seemingly recall random dot patterns with such fidelity as to combine two patterns from memory into a stereoscopic image. She remains the only person documented to have passed such a test. However, the methods used in the testing procedures could be considered questionable (especially given the extraordinary nature of

200-540: A game, their recall was no better than that of the nonexperts, suggesting that they had developed an ability to organize certain types of information, rather than possessing innate eidetic ability. Individuals identified as having a condition known as hyperthymesia are able to remember very intricate details of their own personal lives, but the ability seems not to extend to other, non-autobiographical information. They may have vivid recollections such as who they were with, what they were wearing, and how they were feeling on

240-549: A horse in a story book, she generated images of what a horse should look like in any posture. She could draw other animals, objects, and parts of human bodies accurately, but represented human faces as jumbled forms. Others have not been thoroughly tested, though savant Stephen Wiltshire can look at a subject once and then produce, often before an audience, an accurate and detailed drawing of it, and has drawn entire cities from memory, based on single, brief helicopter rides; his six-metre drawing of 305 square miles of New York City

280-640: A large blue-collar, blue trunks, white sneakers , and a red mask, and dubbed him Roy the Super Boy, training him until he had the strength of ten men. Roy would later join the Shield's sidekick Dusty in the super-duo known as the Boy Buddies. Blane Whitney also had a girlfriend named Jane Barlowe who was a reporter at the Daily Citizen , a newspaper Blane had inherited from a murdered friend. She

320-434: A more surreal path; his solo appearance in Shield-Wizard Comics #08 (Fall 1942) was a standard adventure/superhero-tale, but #10 (Spring 1943) involved a talking dog, while #11 (Summer 1943) saw Roy going through a painting into prehistoric times; in #12 (Fall 1943) he met his conscience and went to heaven, and he had trouble with a magic carpet in #13 (Winter/Spring 1943). Issue #9 also contained "Shield-Wizard Hall of Fame" -

360-399: A person has an almost faithful mental image snapshot or photograph of an event in their memory. However, eidetic memory is not limited to visual aspects of memory and includes auditory memories as well as various sensory aspects across a range of stimuli associated with a visual image." Author Andrew Hudmon commented: "Examples of people with a photographic-like memory are rare. Eidetic imagery

400-428: A specific date many years in the past. Patients under study, such as Jill Price , show brain scans that resemble those with obsessive–compulsive disorder . In fact, Price's unusual autobiographical memory has been attributed as a byproduct of compulsively making journal and diary entries. Hyperthymestic patients may additionally have depression stemming from the inability to forget unpleasant memories and experiences from

440-477: A spin-off from previous titles Shield-Wizard Comics was almost exclusively dedicated to stories of The Shield (from Pep Comics ) and The Wizard (from Top-Notch Comics ). Issue #1 (Summer 1940) and #2 (Winter 1940) contained "The Shield - G-Man Extraordinary" strips by Harry Shorten and Irv Novick , and one single-page text story, six months after his introduction in Pep Comics and including his origin for

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480-763: A supposedly true life heroic story of patriot Madge Colter, who worked in the Jeep manufacturers and supposedly saved the public from disaster at the hands of tire thieves. Shield-Wizard Comics ended with issue #13 (Winter/Spring 1943), although The Shield continued in Pep Comics for several more years. Wizard (Archie Comics) The Wizard is a superhero created by Will Harr and Edd Ashe Jr. for MLJ Comics , which later became Archie Comics. He first appeared in Top-Notch Comics #1 in December 1939, and

520-520: Is reported to occur in a small number of children and is generally not found in adults, while true photographic memory has never been demonstrated to exist. The term eidetic comes from the Greek word εἶδος ( pronounced [êːdos] , eidos ) "visible form". The terms eidetic memory and photographic memory are commonly used interchangeably, but they are also distinguishable. Scholar Annette Kujawski Taylor stated, "In eidetic memory,

560-435: Is the ability to remember an image in so much detail, clarity, and accuracy that it is as though the image were still being perceived. It is not perfect, as it is subject to distortions and additions (like episodic memory), and vocalization interferes with the memory." "Eidetikers", as those who possess this ability are called, report a vivid afterimage that lingers in the visual field with their eyes appearing to scan across

600-617: Is typically found only in young children, as it is virtually nonexistent in adults. Hudmon stated, "Children possess far more capacity for eidetic imagery than adults, suggesting that a developmental change (such as acquiring language skills) may disrupt the potential for eidetic imagery." Eidetic memory has been found in two to ten percent of children aged six to twelve. It has been hypothesized that language acquisition and verbal skills allow older children to think more abstractly and thus rely less on visual memory systems. Extensive research has failed to demonstrate consistent correlations between

640-526: The 1980s revival, however, he returned as a red-caped and masked hero with no mention of his villainous period, although now with a purple skintight bodysuit rather than his original blue. Since then, the Wizard has been appearing sporadically throughout the Archie Comics titles on irregular bases. The Wizard was apparently popular enough during World War II to have inspired a similar caped and cowled Canadian superhero called The Brain who had exactly

680-470: The Wizard had various contraptions and machines of his own design available to him, like a vibra-ray gun and a car that could reach up to 500 mph. He had several devices that enabled him to fly. Coming from a wealthy family, he also had airplanes and submarines at his disposal. At first, the Wizard, similar to other MLJ superheroes like the Black Hood and the Firefly , did not possess superpowers but

720-583: The Wizard wore a tuxedo and cape, thus he was similar in appearance to Mandrake the Magician (a resemblance made even more obvious by his dashing pencil thin moustache ). At first, his cape and mask were white, but they were soon switched to a more striking red. During the Mosconia Invasion crossover storyline (which featured the Shield) where he was briefly blinded by an enemy attack, he developed

760-546: The Wizard, now with actual magical powers and corrupted by greed, returned as a villain with a long white beard and a new maskless and capeless outfit that befitted the evil sorcerer he had become. He fought The Mighty Crusaders , a team consisting of many old MLJ heroes, and at one point was confronted by both his former sidekick Roy (now re-dubbed "the Mighty Boy" for obvious reasons ) and his heroic younger self who had been magically brought forward in time to stop him. In

800-417: The age of three, is autistic and has been closely studied. During her childhood, she produced highly precocious, repetitive drawings from memory, remarkable for being in perspective (which children tend not to achieve until at least adolescence) at the age of three, which showed different perspectives on an image she was looking at. For example, when at the age of three, she was obsessed with horses. After seeing

840-487: The art position on The Wizard from issue #5 (Fall 1941). From issue #3 (Spring 1941), The Shield stories became "The Shield with Dusty, the Boy Detective", and The Wizard "The Wizard with Roy the Super Boy", in conjunction with their other MLJ appearances. "Dusty the Boy Detective" also had a number of solo superhero tales in Shield-Wizard Comics #5-8 and #10 (Spring 1943). "Roy the Super Boy" solo adventures carved

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880-545: The claims being made), as is the fact that the researcher married his subject. Additionally, the fact that the tests have never been repeated (Elizabeth has consistently refused to repeat them) raises further concerns for journalist Joshua Foer who pursued the case in a 2006 article in Slate magazine concentrating on cases of unconscious plagiarism, expanding the discussion in Moonwalking with Einstein to assert that, of

920-459: The details of a painting immediately in front of us with near perfect accuracy." By contrast, photographic memory may be defined as the ability to recall pages of text, numbers, or similar, in great detail, without the visualization that comes with eidetic memory. It may be described as the ability to briefly look at a page of information and then recite it perfectly from memory. This type of ability has never been proven to exist. Eidetic memory

960-454: The difference between ordinary memory and exceptional memory appears to be one of degree." To constitute photographic or eidetic memory, the visual recall must persist without the use of mnemonics, expert talent, or other cognitive strategies. Various cases have been reported that rely on such skills and are erroneously attributed to photographic memory. An example of extraordinary memory abilities being ascribed to eidetic memory comes from

1000-619: The first time; plus two stories of a historical version of the " Wizard , The Man with the Super-Brain" by Harry Shorten and artist Edd Ashe; not the Blane Whitney version of The Wizard from the Pep Comics title but a historical ancestor from the American Revolutionary War period. The writer/artist team on The Shield changed to Joe Goggins and Clem Harrison from #11 (Summer 1943), while Paul Reinman took up

1040-440: The iconic image in some lucky people". They added: "More recent evidence raises questions about whether any memories are truly photographic (Rothen, Meier & Ward, 2012). Eidetikers' memories are clearly remarkable, but they are rarely perfect. Their memories often contain minor errors, including information that was not present in the original visual stimulus. So even eidetic memory often appears to be reconstructive" (referring to

1080-480: The image as it is described. Contrary to ordinary mental imagery , eidetic images are externally projected, experienced as "out there" rather than in the mind. Vividness and stability of the image begin to fade within minutes after the removal of the visual stimulus. Lilienfeld et al. stated, "People with eidetic memory can supposedly hold a visual image in their mind with such clarity that they can describe it perfectly or almost perfectly ..., just as we can describe

1120-411: The last panel would feature a note from the Wizard that read: " Our country / right or wrong / our country / The Wizard. " After several months of publication, the Wizard was given a kid sidekick named Roy Carter. Admiring the lad's courage when he saw the blond orphan bootblack leap to defend a mugging victim from several thugs, Blane took him in, clad him in a red and white striped polo shirt with

1160-618: The past. It is a misconception that hyperthymesia suggests any eidetic ability. Each year at the World Memory Championships , the world's best memorizers compete for prizes. None of the world's best competitive memorizers in these competitions has claimed to have a photographic memory. There are a number of individuals whose extraordinary memory has been labeled "eidetic", but it is not established conclusively whether they use mnemonics and other, non-eidetic memory-enhancement. "Nadia", who began drawing realistically at

1200-608: The people rigorously scientifically tested, no one claiming to have long-term eidetic memory had this ability proven. American cognitive scientist Marvin Minsky , in his book The Society of Mind (1988), considered reports of photographic memory to be an "unfounded myth", and that there is no scientific consensus regarding the nature, the proper definition, or even the very existence of eidetic imagery, even in children. Lilienfeld et al. stated: "Some psychologists believe that eidetic memory reflects an unusually long persistence of

1240-422: The popular interpretations of Adriaan de Groot 's classic experiments into the ability of chess grandmasters to memorize complex positions of chess pieces on a chessboard. Initially, it was found that these experts could recall surprising amounts of information, far more than nonexperts, suggesting eidetic skills. However, when the experts were presented with arrangements of chess pieces that could never occur in

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1280-418: The presence of eidetic imagery and any cognitive, intellectual, neurological, or emotional measure. A few adults have had phenomenal memories (not necessarily of images), but their abilities are also unconnected with their intelligence levels and tend to be highly specialized. In extreme cases, like those of Solomon Shereshevsky and Kim Peek , memory skills can reportedly hinder social skills. Shereshevsky

1320-425: The same moustache, superhuman strength and ability to visualize faraway happenings. Photographic memory Eidetic memory ( / aɪ ˈ d ɛ t ɪ k / eye- DET -ik ), also known as photographic memory and total recall , is the ability to recall an image from memory with high precision—at least for a brief period of time—after seeing it only once and without using a mnemonic device . Although

1360-402: The terms eidetic memory and photographic memory are popularly used interchangeably, they are also distinguished, with eidetic memory referring to the ability to see an object for a few minutes after it is no longer present and photographic memory referring to the ability to recall pages of text or numbers, or similar, in great detail. When the concepts are distinguished, eidetic memory

1400-450: The theory of memory recall known as reconstructive memory ). Scientific skeptic author Brian Dunning reviewed the literature on the subject of both eidetic and photographic memory in 2016 and concluded that there is "a lack of compelling evidence that eidetic memory exists at all among healthy adults, and no evidence that photographic memory exists. But there's a common theme running through many of these research papers, and that's that

1440-453: Was a trained mnemonist , not an eidetic memoriser, and there are no studies that confirm whether Kim Peek had true eidetic memory. According to Herman Goldstine , the mathematician John von Neumann was able to recall from memory every book he had ever read. Skepticism about the existence of eidetic memory was fueled around 1970 by Charles Stromeyer, who studied his future wife, Elizabeth, who claimed that she could recall poetry written in

1480-549: Was merely a man with excellent physical and mental prowess. He eventually started to exhibit superhuman strength and a "Super Brain" that gave him a photographic memory and " supersensory perception " that enabled him to psychically "see" distant places, people and events, as well as a talent for hypnosis and telepathy . He also started consuming capsules containing secret formula F22X that replenished his super-strength. In his final appearances, however, he had no powers other than his clairvoyant visions. In his early appearances,

1520-550: Was not the first Whitney to defend his country wearing the red mask and cloak of the Wizard during key events in early U.S. history. At age 14, Blane met President Woodrow Wilson , who told him to use his brain only for good and not for evil. While in college, he was a superb athlete and student. His brother, Grover, was chief of the Naval Intelligence Service and usually informed him of enemy plots against America. To aid him in his fight against these enemies,

1560-440: Was often disgusted with his polo -playing playboy lifestyle but developed an attraction to his superheroic alter-ego, creating an odd love triangle that is quite common in comic books (for example, Superman / Lois Lane / Clark Kent , Hal Jordan / Carol Ferris / Green Lantern ). The Wizard was popular enough to receive a second publication alongside another MLJ superhero, The Shield . Shield-Wizard Comics first appeared with

1600-505: Was one of the headliners of that title until its cancellation in 1944. He was one of the earliest superhero characters to appear after the debut of Superman in 1938. Blane Whitney , a highly intelligent man, descends from a long line of men who fought for America in its wars. This includes General Steven Whitney, who was General Washington 's chief aide in the Revolutionary War . It was later retroactively revealed that Blane

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