While Captain America, the Human Torch, Namor, the Angel, and the Young Allies were Marvel’s early stars, the anthology comics had lots of space to fill, and a bunch of colorful characters filled them. For the next two posts, I’ll be looking at the heroes who made more than one appearance in the Golden Age, excluding comedic characters like Officer O’Krime and Tubby an’ Tack. Even still, it’s a long list.
American Ace (Perry Wade, Marvel Mystery Comics #2, Paul J. Lauretta)1 – An American pilot who finds himself drawn into a war in Eastern Europe. His story was part of the same Motion Picture Funnies Weekly that would have introduced the Sub-Mariner.
Black Marvel (Dan Lyons, Mystic Comics #5, Al Gabriele) – Before dying, a Blackfoot chief sought a new champion for his tribe. Dan Lyons, a white man whose father’s life the chief saved, was the only one who could pass the trials. He was given the costume of the Black Marvel and challenged to live up to it.
Black Widow (Claire Voyant, Mystic Comics #4, George Kapitan and Harry Sahle) – A murdered psychic, Claire Voyant was brought to Hell by Satan and employed to collect evil souls for him.
Blazing Skull (Mark Todd, Mystic Comics #5, Bob Davis) – Mark Todd wears a costume with a skull mask to fight Nazis.
Blue Blaze (Spencer Keen, Mystic Comics #1, Harry Douglas) – Spencer Keen was exposed to his father’s invention which could bring animals back from the dead stronger than before. Shortly after, he died when the masquerade party he was attending was struck by a tornado; it was nearly ninety years before he reanimated as the Blue Blaze.
Blue Diamond (Elton Morrow, Daring Mystery Comics #7, Ben Thompson) – An Antarctic explorer, Elton Morrow discovered a large glowing diamond. His ship home was sunk by Nazis, and gunfire destroyed the diamond, embedding its shards in him. This granted him invulnerability and super strength.
Breeze Barton (“Breeze” Barton, Daring Mystery Comics #3, Jack Binder) – Shot down over the African desert, Barton found himself in a magical city. After thwarting the Demon People there, he returned to his own world, where 50 years had passed and humanity had become savage. Barton then began an effort to rebuild civilization.
Captain Daring (Cpt. Daring, Daring Mystery Comics #7, Jack Kirby) – In an alternate future, Daring was a soldier who helped fight an underground empire modeled on Nazi Germany, then found himself fighting the real deal who had placed themselves in suspended animation rather than lose the war. His last story ended with him hypnotized into helping the Nazis.
Captain Terror (Dan Kane, USA Comics #2, Mike Suchorsky) – Dan Kane was a masked fighter who supported Republican forces in the Spanish Civil War, then pretended to retire with a weak heart. He was in fact fine and continued fighting fascists – now the Nazis – while using his alleged heart problems as a cover.
Challenger (Bill Waring, Daring Mystery Comics #7, Charles Wojtoski, Ray Gill, and Nick Karlton) – After his father’s death, Bill Waring traveled the world, learning various skills. He returned home and used the skills he learned to fight crime, challenging foes to fight with a method of their own preference.
Citizen V (John Watkins, Daring Mystery Comics #8, Ben Thompson) – A British soldier believed to have been killed in action, John Watkins was recruited by intelligence and sent behind enemy lines to rally resistance against Nazi occupiers.
Dakor the Magician (Dakor, Mystic Comics #1, creator unknown) – Dakor was a magician and private detective.
Davey Drew (Davey Drew, Mystic Comics #7, creator unknown) – Davey Drew was a runaway orphan. He accidentally stumbled across and freed a demon, and was gifted a cloak that protected him from the demon.
Defender (Don Stevens, USA Comics #1, Charles Nicholas) – Don Stevens was a soldier who fought Nazis and criminals as a costumed fighter along side his camp’s mascot, Rusty.
Destroyer (Keen Marlow, Mystic Comics #6, Stan Lee and Jack Binder) – An American reporter who ended up a Nazi POW, Keen Marlow befriended a man who’d invented a super serum. The man used the serum on Marlow, who escaped the prison and began fighting Nazis behind the lines.
Dynamic Man (Curt Cowan, Mystic Comics #1, Daniel Peters) – An android, Dynamic Man assumed the human identity of Curt Cowan and became an FBI agent while using his superhuman abilities as a costumed crimefighter.
Electro (Electro, Marvel Mystery Comics #4, Steve Dahlman) – Created by Philo Zog, Electro is a super-robot, “The Marvel of the Age,” designed to help humanity. Especially early on, it had a problem of being too powerful, with counters to everything anyone could throw at it. Things got a little better when an early story realized Zog was a weak point enemies could exploit.
Falcon (Carl Burgess, Daring Mystery Comics #5, Maurice Gutwirth) – Carl Burgess was an assistant district attorney who fought crime as the Falcon.
Father Time (Larry Scott, Captain America Comics #6, Stan Lee and Al Avison) – Larry Scott was moments too late to present evidence that would have exonerated his father before he could be executed. Afterward, he adopted the identity Father Time to bring criminals to justice.
Ferret (name unknown, Marvel Mystery Comics #4, Stockbridge Wilson, Irwin Hasen, David Liss, Patrick Zircher) – The Ferret was a private detective who worked with his pet ferret Nosey.
Fiery Mask (Jack Castle, Daring Mystery Comics #1, Joe Simon) – Jack Castle was a private detective investigating a zombie crime ring. He was captured and subjected to the zombification process, gaining the powers but resisting the hypnosis that put the others under the ringleader’s sway. Castle used his newly-gained powers to shut down the crime ring, then continued fighting crime as the Fiery Mask.
Fin (Peter Noble, Daring Mystery Comics #7, Bill Everett) – Peter Noble’s submarine sank, but he found himself in the underwater kingdom Neptunia. Becoming the champion of the kingdom, Noble gained powers and became the Fin, and took his fight back to the surface.
Flexo (Flexo, Mystic Comics #1, Will Harr and Jack Binder) – Flexo was a robot built by Josh and Joel Williams out of live rubber. The Williams used Flexo to protect mankind.
Flying Flame (name unknown, Daring Mystery Comics #6, Bill O’Connor and Ben Flinton) – The Flying Flame was a pilot and spy in World War II.
Hercules (Mr. David (first name unknown), Mystery Comics #3, Arnold Hicks) – Raised in the Antarctic to be a perfect specimen of humanity, David returned to America where he became a circus strongman until a pay dispute led him to putting his strength to better uses.
Headline Hunter (Jerry Hunter, Captain America #5, Stan Lee and Charles Nicholas) – Jerry Hunter was a reporter sent to England to cover the war. Hunter would shut down Nazi plots for his stories.
Human Top – (Bruce Bravelle, Red Raven Comics #1, Dick Briefer) – Bruce Bravelle was an experimental test subject; the test went awry and the two halves of his body were charged with opposite polarities. By placing his wrists together, he could spin like a top. He used this ability to fight crime.
Hurricane / Mercury – (Mercury/”Harry Kane”, Red Raven Comics #1, Martin A Burnstein, Jack Kirby, Joe Simon, and Louis Cazeneuve) – Mercury was sent to Earth by Jupiter to stop the schemes of Pluto, who was posing as “Rudolf Krendler” of “Prussland.” Mercury decided to remain, adopting the human name Harry Kane and the superhero identity Hurricane.
Next: The second half.