intro

Invisible Man (Leonard Gade, Mystic Comics #2, Jack Kirby) – Leonard Gade was a scientist who was pushed into his chemical furnace, gaining the ability to turn invisible. He used this ability to get revenge on his would-be killer, then as a hero.

Jack Frost (Jack Frost, USA Comics #1, Stan Lee and Charles Nicholas) – Jack Frost met a dying man near his Arctic home, and brought the man’s body to New York, where he sought to bring the killer to justice and protect the dead man’s daughter. The events of the case led the police to believe Jack was a murderer, making Jack less friendly toward humanity while still fighting crime.

K-4 (unknown, Daring Mystery Comics #2, Jack Alderman) – K-4 was a soldier of fortune alongside his friends Rene D’Auvergne and Ronald Wolverstone-Clodd, forming a trio called the Sky Devils. They participated in various conflicts in the first half of the 20th century, including World Wars I and II, the Spanish Civil War, and the Sino-Japanese War.

Ka-Zar (David Rand, Marvel Comics #1, Ben Thompson and Bob Byrd) – David Rand crashed into the jungles in the Congo as a young boy. His mother died in the crash and his father was killed by a jewel hunter. Rand befriended several of the jungle animals, and with that friendship, got revenge for his father and protected the jungle from those who didn’t respect it.

Laughing Mask / Purple Mask (Dennis Burton, Daring Mystery Comics #2, Will Harr and Maurice Gutwirth) – Dennis Burton was an assistant district attorney who moonlighted as a masked crimefighter.

Marvel Boy (Martin Burns, Daring Mystery Comics #6, Joe Simon and Jack Kirby) – Once upon a time in Egypt, there was a hero named Hercules. Shortly before he died and went to Valhalla, he promised to return when America needed him. I feel stupider for writing that. Anyway, World War II turned out to be when America needed him, so he reincarnated as Martin Burns.

Marvex (Marvex, Daring Mystery Comics #3, Allen Simon) – A robot from the fifth dimnension, Marvex killed his creator rather than accepting a life of slavery and escaped to Earth, where he used his abilities to solve mysteries.

Masked Raider (Jim Gardley, Marvel Comics #1, Al Anders) – Framed for cattle rustling, Gardley escaped jail and assumed a masked identity to bring the ones who framed him to justice. He then traveled around the West, lending a hand where it was needed.

Mastermind Excello (Earl Everett, Mystic Comics #2, Arnold Hicks) – Earl Everett had the ability to visualize events, past and present, which he used to stop plots against America.

Mister Liberty / Major Liberty (John Liberty, USA Comics #1, Syd Shores) – John Liberty was a professor of history who wished that earlier patriotic heroes could lend their strength to the US during World War II. His wish was answered as he was given the ability to call on their strength.

Monako (unknown, Daring Mystery Comics #1, Larry Antonette) – Monako’s parents were missionaries in India who were killed by a local tribe that practiced black magic. Monako was raised by the tribe and learned their ways until colonists wiped out the tribe and took Monako back to England. As an adult, Monako used the magic he learned as a child as a force for good.

Patriot (Jeff Mace, Human Torch #4, Ray Gill and Sid Greene) – Jeff Mace is a newspaper reporter who adopts a costumed persona when needed to fight crime, developing a reputation for disappearing when things get exciting among his friends.

Rockman (Rockman, USA Comics #1, Basil Wolverton and Charles Nicholas) – Rockman was the ruler of the underground kingdom of Abysmia. He would sense evil plots through underground vibrations and come to the surface to stop them.

Silver Scorpion (Betty Barstow, Daring Mystery Comics #7, Harry Sahle) – Betty Barstow was a secretary for a private investigator who conducted her own costumed investigations.

Space Rangers (Bob Raleigh, Nibbs, Mystic Comics #2, Arnold Hicks) – Bob Raleigh and Nibbs worked for the Space Rangers, a law enforcement group in the future.

Terror (Laslo Pevely, Mystic Comics #5, Phil Sturm and Syd Shores) – Laslo Pevely was severely injured in a car accident; the scientist who found him afterward had just completed a super serum and used Pevely as a test subject. Pevely recovered; the serum granted him super powers, with his face changing to a skull when he used them.

Terry Vance (Terry Vance, Marvel Mystery Comics #10, Ray Gill and Bob Oksner) – Terry Vance was a teenager with diverse interests, which aided him as an amateur detective. He frequently worked with his pet monkey Dr. Watson and reporter “Deadline” Dawson.

Thunderer (Jerry Carstairs, Daring Mystery Comics #7, John Compton and Carl Burgos) – Jerry Carstairs was an FCC employee who would listen to the radio for information about crimes, then adopted a masked persona with an amplified voice to fight them.

Trojak (unknown, Daring Mystery Comics #2, Joe Simon) – Trojak was an orphan adopted by an African jungle tribe and grew up to befriend the animals and fight anyone looking to exploit the jungle.

Tuk (Tuk, Captain America Comics #1, Joe Simon and Jack Kirby) – In prehistoric times, Tuk and his parents were outcast from their home. Taken in by a caveman, Tuk’s parents died when he was an infant but the caveman raised Tuk as his own, telling him who he was as he was dying. Tuk then set out to find his ancestral home. Really, the most interesting things about Tuk come in the opening narration of his first story: his name means “Avenger,” and his homeland is called Attilan.

Vagabond (Pat Murphy, USA Comics #2, Ed Winiarski) – Pat Murphy was a police officer with the second identity of a hobo named Chauncey Throttlebottom III, who he used to gain information for his investigations.

Vision (unknown, Marvel Mystery Comics #13, Jack Kirby and Joe Simon) – The Vision was a law enforcement official in the Smoke Dimension who could cross over via smoke to our world to fight crime here.

Whirlwind Carter (Whirlwind Carter, Daring Mystery Comics #4, Fletcher Hanks) – Another of Marvel’s future heroes, Whirlwind Carter was an agent of the Interplanetary Secret Service who would protect Earth from invaders.

Whizzer (Bob Frank, USA Comics #1, Al Avison) – Bob Frank and his father lived in the jungles of Africa. Bob was dying of a tropical disease, and in a last-ditch effort to save him, his father injected him with mongoose blood, giving him super speed.

Witness (unknown, Mystic Comics #7, Stan Lee) – A costumed crimefighter; none of his three stories ever got around to telling his backstory or establishing any sort of civilian identity.

Zara of the Jungle (Zara, Mystic Comics #2, Newt Alfred) – Zara’s father moved with her from civilization to live in the jungle. When he died, he charged Zara to protect the jungle as he did.

Zephyr Jones (Zephyr Jones, Daring Mystery Comics #2, Joe Cal Cagno and Fred Schwab) – Zephyr Jones was an astronaut trying to reach Mars, but both documented missions got sidetracked.

Next: I wrap up my look at these early years.