Tag Archives: Golden Age Superheroes

November 21, 2016 · 11:30 pm

BLACKOUT: HOLYOKE SUPERHERO

Balladeer’s Blog continues to feed the beast that IS our superhero-obsessed world with a look at another forgotten Holyoke Superhero.

blackout-holyokeBLACKOUT

Secret Identity: Jack Wayne, Berlin Correspondent for the New York Globe.

Origin: When America entered World War 2 on the Allied side Jack Wayne and his editor “Pop” Simms were seized by the Gestapo. Since Jack had been a Flying Ace for the Americans during World War One the Gestapo assumed he and Pop were spies and tortured them for information.

Pop was killed by the torture and Jack, though blinded by his interrogator’s whip, managed to escape. He was rescued by the Underground Society, a secret resistance group led by Dr Dismal who – despite his name – was not a supervillain. Dr Dismal ran his resistance group from a secret base far beneath Gestapo Headquarters and, noting that Jack Wayne’s optic nerves were not entirely dead, devised special glasses and a visor he could wear that allowed him to see in daylight OR at night.

Jack donned a costume and under the nom de guerre Blackout joined Dr Dismal’s band of rebels, terrorizing the Nazis by night.  

First Appearance: Cat-Man Comics #10 (May 1942). His final Golden Age appearance came in 1944.

Powers: Continue reading →

12 Comments

Filed under Superheroes

Tagged as , , , , , , , ,

November 16, 2016 · 11:57 pm

DIANA THE ARCHER: HOLYOKE SUPERHEROINE

diana-the-archerDIANA THE ARCHER

Secret Identity: War correspondent Diana Archer. (Yet even SHE thinks people are stupid for not figuring out that whole Superman/ Clark Kent thing.)

Origin: Unknown beyond the obvious fact that – in her costumed identity – she works for British Intelligence with her role as a newswoman serving as a cover for her superheroics. 

First Appearance: Terrific Comics #3 (June 1944). Her final Golden Age appearance came later that same year.

diana-the-archer-2Powers: Diana was in peak physical condition and possessed the maximum strength a human female could possess. In addition she was more agile than an Olympic gymnast and was a champion archer.

Most of Diana’s arrows had normal arrowheads but a few would sport the usual trick-items like grappling hooks, dull edges for concussive impact, miniature explosives, etc, just like those employed by Alias the Spider, the Red Archer and every other bow and arrow-oriented superhero over the decades. However, since it was wartime Diana used her arrows to much deadlier effect. Continue reading →

2 Comments

Filed under Superheroes

Tagged as , , , ,

November 14, 2016 · 11:44 pm

MORE HEROES ADDED FOR THE HOLYOKE PANTHEON

blaze-baylor-3Technical issues caused delays yesterday but I have added on to the Holyoke Comics pantheon for this superhero-obsessed society.

CLICK HERE

Leave a comment

Filed under Superheroes

Tagged as , , , , , , ,

May 3, 2016 · 4:45 pm

KALTHAR: FORGOTTEN SUPERHERO

Superhero movies continue to dominate at the box office, so Balladeer’s Blog figured it was time to look at another neglected comic book star: in this case Kalthar, from MLJ Publishing. FOR MY BIG LIST OF NEGLECTED MLJ SUPERHEROES CLICK HERE

KaltharKALTHAR THE GIANT MAN

Secret Identity: None. Kalthar is his real name. 

Origin: The father of the infant who would become known as Kalthar the Giant Man gave his life saving the Urgana African tribe from Muslim slave traders. To thank the dead hero for his role in keeping them free the Urgana people raised his infant son as one of their own and named the child Kalthar.

As he reached adulthood Kalthar formed a Tarzan-like bond with all the jungle animals around the Urganas’ Congo River locale. Kalthar so impressed Ta-Lo, the High Priest of the tribe, that the medicine man chose the adopted young man to receive the gift of the secret grains which Urgana medicine men discovered in the jungle. Those grains enabled Kalthar to grow to giant size and helped him battle evil-doers throughout Africa.     

First Appearance: Zip Comics number 1 (February 1940). His final Golden Age appearance came in 1941.

Powers: Continue reading →

2 Comments

Filed under Superheroes

Tagged as , , , , , , ,

January 21, 2016 · 9:43 pm

THE SCARLET AVENGER: FORGOTTEN SUPERHERO

Superheroes are dominating the box office these days and are well-represented on the small screen, too. Reaction to Balladeer’s Blog’s look at the forgotten MLJ superheroes has been so impressive I’m throwing in a bonus hero from MLJ.

Scarlet AvengerTHE SCARLET AVENGER

Secret Identity: Jim Kendall

Origin: Jim Kendall, his wife and child were on board an airplane which was also transporting a shipment of gold bullion. A criminal gang tried to hijack the plane to get the gold and in the resulting mayhem the plane crashed near a remote mountain.

Kendall was the only survivor, his face paralyzed from the crash and never able to smile again. (Shades of the Avenger from Justice, Inc.) He vowed to wage war on the type of criminals who caused his wife and child’s death. Believed dead, Jim Kendall covertly used the fortune in gold bullion to finance his crusade against crime.  

First Appearance: Zip Comics # 1 (February 1940). His final Golden Age appearance came in late 1941.

Powers: Continue reading →

2 Comments

Filed under Superheroes, Uncategorized

Tagged as , , , ,

September 21, 2015 · 7:23 pm

THE MARVEL: OBSCURE SUPERHERO

Marvel MLJReaction to my recent look at the forgotten superheroes from MLJ Publishing has been through the roof! We live in a superhero- crazed world right now as evidenced by movie releases in recent years. As a nice little encore here’s another MLJ superhero for you:

THE MARVEL Continue reading →

6 Comments

Filed under Superheroes

Tagged as , , , , , ,

September 17, 2015 · 8:48 am

MLJ COMICS SUPERHERO PANTHEON

With the flood of superhero movies every summer in recent years Balladeer’s Blog will feature periodic examinations of the more obscure comic book companies. This time out it’s MLJ.

FoxTHE FOX

Secret Identity: Paul Patton, newspaper reporter and news photographer.

Origin: When his co-worker Ruth Ransom got kidnapped, Paul Patton felt he could fight crime AND enhance his journalism career by first donning a costume and thwarting criminals as the Fox and then getting a “scoop” on those adventures, complete with photos. And this was decades before Peter Parker made a living with news photos of his exploits as Spider-Man.

First Appearance: Blue Ribbon Comics #4 (June 1940). His final Golden Age appearance came in 1942. 

Powers: The Fox was at the peak of human condition. He had acrobatic skills greater than Olympic athletes and was a master of all forms of unarmed combat. His stealth skills were the equal of any burglar or ninja. The white eye-lenses on his mask permitted him to see in the dark.   Continue reading →

234 Comments

Filed under Superheroes

Tagged as , , , , , , , , ,

August 16, 2015 · 10:41 pm

NEDOR SUPERHERO PANTHEON

With the flood of superhero movies every summer in recent years Balladeer’s Blog will feature periodic examinations of the more obscure comic book companies. 

Cavalier

THE CAVALIER

Secret Identity: Rance Raleigh, owner of an antique and curio shop

Origin: In Raleigh’s store was a portrait of the Duke de Chantreigh, sometimes said to be an ancestor of Rance. When that portrait would frown it was a supernatural sign that danger was coming. Rance would then suit up as the Cavalier and go into action. The first time was when Jake Miles, who was investigating munitions factory sabotage was hit by a truck outside Raleigh’s shop before he could tell him what he had discovered. 

First Appearance: Thrilling Comics # 53 (April 1946). His final Golden Age appearance came in 1948 

Powers: The Cavalier possessed the strength of a normal athletic male but was highly skilled with a sword and at unarmed combat. In addition he often used esoteric weapons and relics from his shop, just like the Golden Age Hawkman would wield artifacts from his museum. Continue reading →

21 Comments

Filed under Superheroes

Tagged as , , , , , , , , ,

July 27, 2015 · 12:46 am

PROF SUPERMIND AND SON

With the emphasis on superhero movies these days Balladeer’s Blog takes a look at another forgotten superhero – or in this case a pair of superheroes.

Supermind & Son 1PROFESSOR SUPERMIND AND SON

Career: Popular Comics # 60-71

Years Active: 1941-1942

Professor Warren, a man who suffered from the lack of a first name, and his son Dan Warren did superduty fighting criminals and Nazis. The Professor fully understood that super-powers don’t come without a certain risk, which is why he was happy to use his son Dan as a human guinea pig for his High Frequency Energy Builder.  

Supermind and Son 2Periodic sessions hooked up to this device – which so help me resembles nothing so much as an electric chair – provided the Prof’s son with “strength equal to a thousand horse-power”, or “enough to kill a hundred men.” Sometimes even more.

Adopting the aliases Professor Supermind and Supermind’s Son the team used the same division of labor employed by Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin (or Jake and the Fatman if you prefer): the Prof sat around in their home base or their invisible rocket-ship (Wonder Woman, eat your heart out!) doing the brain work while Dan went out in the field taking all the risks and getting all the lumps.   Continue reading →

4 Comments

Filed under Superheroes

Tagged as , , , , , , , , ,

July 18, 2015 · 2:18 am

ODDBALL SUPERHERO: THE CONQUEROR

With the emphasis on superhero movies these days Balladeer’s Blog takes a look at another forgotten superhero.

ConquerorTHE CONQUEROR

Career: Victory Comics 1-4

Years Active: 1941-1942

Comment: Pilot Daniel Lyons accidentally crash-landed his plane in the Rocky Mountains one day. Luckily for him he landed near the remote laboratory of Dr James Norton. Dr Norton rescues Dan from the wreckage of his plane and, since the pilot is near death anyway, uses him as a human guinea pig for his Cosmic Ray Lamp.

After being subjected to the lamp not only does Dan recover, but he finds his strength, stamina and intelligence have all doubled, along with his capacity for healing. Dr Norton convinces Dan to use his second chance at life to battle the Nazis. Continue reading →

6 Comments

Filed under Superheroes

Tagged as , , , , , ,