This weekend’s light-hearted, escapist superhero post from Balladeer’s Blog looks at some of Mexico’s homemade superheroes (non-wrestling division).
RELAMPAGO (Lightning)
Secret Identity: Rod Harrelson
Debuted: 1964
Origin: When Rod Harrelson was killed he was figuratively brought back to life by Professor Hacket with his mind inhabiting an android version of himself. He adopted the costumed identity Relampago.
Powers: This hero could fly, shoot electrical blasts from his hands and deliver electric-powered punches.
LLANERA VENGADORA (Plains Avenger)
Secret Identity: Flor Silvestre
Debuted: 1950
Origin: Singer and actress Flor Silvestre adopted the costumed identity of la Llanera Vengadora to fight crime and supernatural menaces without endangering her family and friends.
Powers: This heroine was in peak physical condition, was a skilled fighter and had mastered pistols, whips and lariats. In addition, la Llanera Vengadora could stunt-drive her 1950s motorcycle. Continue reading
DOC SAMSON – Leonard Samson, MD and PhD, used tightly focused Gamma Radiation drained from the Hulk himself to gain superpowers. 
FAULADI (Ironclad) 
KANGA 
AVENGERS Vol 1 #114 (August 1973) 
Synopsis: The villainous Swordsman rejoins the Avengers with a pardon and alongside his mysterious romantic partner Mantis, making her very first full appearance. Mantis is part Vietnamese and part unknown at this point. 
THE CAT – Greer Nelson caught on to a conspiracy to take over the world via armies of women clad in superpower-granting costumes. She donned the prototype and called herself the Cat before taking down the entire sinister organization. 
TIGRA THE WERE-WOMAN – After the Cat’s series got canceled from low sales Marvel added Greer Nelson to their 1970s horror characters as Tigra. The Cat was mortally wounded in a battle with Hydra, but Marvel’s race of cat-people saved her life by granting her an amulet that turned her into Tigra the Were-Woman. 
FLASH VS HIS ROGUES GALLERY – I looked at the 1960s to 1980s stories in which Flash did battle with many of his foes assembled during their Semi-Annual Convention of Flash Villains and its related mayhem. 
BLACK LIGHTNING – Beginning in the 1970s, High School teacher Jefferson Pierce became the costumed superhero called Black Lightning. He used his new powers to fight crime and other dark forces in Metropolis’ Suicide Slums.
BATMAN: THE REAL YEAR ONE 
MERZAH THE MYSTIC 
GARDIEN DE LA REPUBLIQUE (Guardian of the Republic) 
In a nice touch the Marquis de Lafayette was secretly the very first Gardien de la Republique (seen in costume at right) when he returned to France after America’s Revolutionary War. Since then, as mentioned above, the title and costumed identity have been passed down to other figures for nearly 250 years. 
CHAMPIONS Vol 1 #1 (October 1975) 
