To mark the shortest day of the year, Balladeer’s Blog’s escapist weekend superhero post will look at even more Marvel Comics (back then called Timely Comics) 1940s heroes who made only ONE appearance.
MERZAH THE MYSTIC
Real Name: Merzah
Appeared In: Mystic Comics #4 (August 1940)
Origin: Merzah was a mutant born with his powers.
Powers: This hero could read minds, communicate telepathically and perceive people’s emotions. His psychic senses alerted him to impending dangers. In addition, Merzah could see into the future as well as the past.
Comment: Merzah’s sidekicks were his romantic partner Diana Lanford and his chauffer Jose Abejaron. In his sole adventure Merzah the Mystic defeated a Japanese spy named Satokata Matsu. Though America had not entered World War Two yet, Matsu was sabotaging U.S. infrastructure and stealing defense secrets. Merzah stopped the villain from derailing a loaded train. Continue reading
SHOTGUN JOHN COLLINS: NEGLECTED GUNSLINGER – A look at his real-life experiences and encounters with Billy the Kid, Wyatt Earp, Johnny Ringo, Bat Masterson and others. Click 
RIN TIN TIN: HIS SILENT FILMS – I examined the real-life original Rin Tin Tin from his adoption as a puppy by American troops during World War One. From 1918 to 1928 the canine superstar became an international sensation who had more endorsement deals than some human actors. Click 
THE BLACK SOLDIERS OF THE CHASSEURS DE SAINT-DOMINGUE DURING THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR – I examined the often overlooked soldiers of color fighting on America’s side during the war. Click 
SILENT FILMS ABOUT THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR – I reviewed silent films about that war made in 1914, 1916, 1917, 1922 and 1924. Plus, an infamous court ruling on one of them. Click 
DEADWOOD DICK (1877) – The very first adventure of this gunslinging Dime Novel character. Click 
JUDGE ROY BEAN: HIS REAL-LIFE SAGA – A look at the stranger than fiction adventures of this old west gunslinger and judge. Click 
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME – Last night the HUTCHINSON COLLEGE BLUE DRAGONS did battle with the IOWA WESTERN COLLEGE REIVERS. A 14-0 Reivers lead in the 1st Quarter became 17-7 by Halftime. The Blue Dragons shut out Iowa Western in the 3rd Quarter while adding 21 points for themselves. The 4th Quarter saw Hutchinson College hold on for a 28-23 victory. * THE BLUE DRAGONS ARE 2024 CHAMPIONS * 
This is one of the perennial staples of Christmastime viewing for many people. Readers are often surprised that it took me so long to review this one even though it’s one of my favorites. No special reason, it’s just that so many excellent reviews have already covered this Carol that I wanted to hit the more obscure versions first.
THE SWAMP FOX (1959-1961) – The forgotten television series about a young Leslie Nielsen portraying Francis Marion, the guerrilla leader known as the Swamp Fox during the Revolutionary War. Click 
ANNA MARIA LANE (left) AND SALLY ST. CLAIR (far left): REVOLUTIONARY WAR HEROINES – A look at two heroines from the American Revolution. Click 
BLACKE’S MAGIC (1986) – A Father’s Day look at the series which featured Hal Linden and Harry Morgan as a father-son team of stage magicians who solved seemingly impossible murders and other crimes on the side. Click 
THE BLACK COAT – My look at this comic book series about a costumed Revolutionary War hero. Click 
CHRISTMAS IN THE YEAR 2000 (1895) – This was written by Edward Bellamy as one of the additions he made to the lore surrounding his look at the world of the “future” year 2000 AD in Looking Backward (1888). 
SCROOGE, OR MARLEY’S GHOST (1901) – This big-screen Christmas Carol adaptation was the first-ever cinematic depiction of the Charles Dickens classic. The criminally neglected British silent film pioneer R.W. Paul produced the movie and fellow trailblazer Walter R. Booth directed. 
Back to this 1901 production. Scrooge was originally just over 6 minutes long but like so many movies from the silent era it suffered damage in the decades ahead. About 5 minutes have survived and the film bears a few similarities to the 13-minute Edison Films Christmas Carol from 1910.
R.I.P. ROGER CORMAN: FILM LEGEND – I noted the passing of the King of B-Movies and the man who nurtured more up and coming talent than most other figures in Hollywood history. Click 
BRAZIL’S SUPERHEROES – From the 1950s into the 21st Century, I looked at Brazil’s home-grown heroes like Captain Seven, the Black Ray, Mylar and the Black Lizard. 
ANCIENT SCIENCE FICTION: GUESSES AT FUTURITY (1894-1895) – Frederick Thomas Jane’s work of speculative science fiction about what life might be like in the year 2000. He predicted scientific achievements far beyond what 2000 really had to offer, but his take is still fascinating. Click 
TRADER HORN (1927) – Alfred Aloysius Horn’s book about his experiences as a Trade Agent in Africa during the late 1800s. Various film versions were made over the decades. Part One 
BLACK LIGHTNING: HIS 1970s STORIES – The early adventures of DC’s African American superhero from the 1970s. Click 
FIRST SEMIFINAL – This game pitted the defending national champs – the KEISER UNIVERSITY SEAHAWKS – against the visiting BENEDICTINE COLLEGE RAVENS. A 6-0 Ravens lead in the 1st Quarter became a 14-14 tie by Halftime. The 3rd Quarter ended with Benedictine College up 28-14 but the Seahawks exploded in the 4th, coming from behind for a 42-38 triumph. 
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. 
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