Tag Archives: The Clock

This weekend’s escapist and light-hearted superhero post here at Balladeer’s Blog presents my SECOND look at the adventures of the Clock. PART ONE examined his November 1936-January 1939 stories, so STILL before Batman debuted in May of 1939. 

Yes, before Batman, before Captain America and even before Superman himself, came the Clock, written and drawn by George E. Brenner. The Clock was the first masked crimefighter in comic books, debuting in 1936, while the much more popular Batman didn’t come along until 1939. I’m not pointing that out to diss Batman, but to point out what a shame it is that the Clock seems to have been forgotten by most of the world. The figure is pretty much the middle character between Pulp heroes like the Shadow and the Moon Man and comic book superheroes. The Clock’s influence on Will Eisner’s iconic character the Spirit is obvious.

FEATURE FUNNIES Vol 1 #17 (February 1939)

Title: Murder of a Painter

Villains: Nick and Slug

Synopsis: Two thugs called Nick and Slug hold up a physician at gunpoint to steal his newly arrived shipment of radium for medical use. When John Post, a painter on a safety belt outside the window, witnesses the robbery our villains send him falling to his death.

The physician, Dr. T. Loden, is too scared of getting killed himself to cooperate with the cops. Millionaire Brian O’Brien becomes the Clock and prepares to “strike” once again with his gimmick-laden cane, gas-filled bowtie and armored vest.

He guilts Loden into giving him enough info for him to track down Nick and Slug and beat them unconscious. The Clock then calls Captain Kane (his pre-Commissioner Gordon version of Commissioner Gordon) to come pick up the thugs and the stolen radium.  Continue reading →