Jab’s Builds! (Whomp 'Em! Plumbers Don't Wear Ties! ToeJam & Earl!)

[Ken]

Mal Duncan's time as Guardian II was really weird. He dons the identity in Teen Titans #44, then he's not using it in #45 when he gets his magic horn. Then he starts using it again in the epilogue of #49. In TT #44, they don't even explain why there's a copy of the Guardian's uniform in the Titans' Lair. Eventually, it would be explained via the Bridwell Law of Relativity (any two characters sharing a surname are ALWAYS related) and saying that Jim Harper's gear was sent to his cousin Roy (Speedy) Harper.

[Jabroniville]

THE NEWSBOY LEGION
Created By: Joe Simon & Jack Kirby
First Appearance: Star-Spangled Comics #7 (April 1942)
Role: Kid Sidekicks, "Everyday Kid" Group
Group Affiliations: The Newsboy Legion, The Cadmus Project
PL 2 (41)
STRENGTH -2 STAMINA -2 AGILITY 2
FIGHTING 4 DEXTERITY 2
INTELLIGENCE -1 AWARENESS -1 PRESENCE 0

Skills:
Athletics 9 (+7)
Deception 6 (+6)
Expertise (Paperboy) 6 (+5)
Expertise (Streetwise) 6 (+5)
Insight 2 (+1)
Investigation 5 (+4)
Perception 5 (+4)
Persuasion 3 (+3)
Stealth 4 (+6)

Advantages:
Daze (Deception), Ranged Attack 2

Offense:
Unarmed +4 (-2 Damage, DC 13)
Initiative +9

Defenses:
Dodge +5 (DC 15), Parry +5 (DC 15), Toughness -2, Fortitude +0, Will +4

Complications:
Motivation (Justice)- Roy Harper became a vigilante to fight crooks the law could not prosecute.
Relationship (The Guardian)

Total: Abilities: 4 / Skills: 46--23 / Advantages: 3 / Powers: 0 / Defenses: 11 (41)

-The true stars of the Guardian's feature, at least going by the cover of Star Spangled Comics, were the Newsboy Legion, which was a band of young paperboys who were appointed the charges of Jim "Guardian" Harper. This was in itself something very similar to what Simon & Kirby had done with Bucky & Toro- their friends were called the Young Allies, and at least two members were quite similar to Newsboy ones. However, the Legion would go on to FAR greater success than the Allies, and have the benefit of not having a racist stereotype in the group.

-A group of orphans living in Suicide Slum, the Newsboy Legion are Tommy Tompkins (the streetwise leader), Big Words (team genius), Gabby (excitable blabbermouth) and Scrapper (the tough guy). Kirby added a black guy in the '70s named Flipper Dipper. They were street orphands selling newspapers to make a living, and often got into trouble with the law- local cop Jim Harper had a soft spot for them, getting them out of some scrapes. Nearly every cover I can find shows them being in the process of getting rescued by the Guardian, popping into the background- many covers seem to just feature close-ups of the gang. "Kid Gangs" were a popular subject back in the day (the Our Gang theatrical shorts were actually HUGE business and made some major stars, and begat The Little Rascals), and this one had some scrappy appeal that most others lacked (you don't see a lot of "in trouble with the law" types in good-guy books from back then). The team ran from 1942-1947, outlasting the war by a couple years.

-In 1970, Jack Kirby returned to DC Comics, and promptly brought back both the adult Newsboy Legion and the Guardian (cloned from the aged original)- the Newsboys had now formed the Cadmus Project, and their own sons formed a new Newsboy Legion. Post-Crisis, these children were turned instead into clones, and were used in Roger Stern & Karl Kesel's The Adventures of Superman runs. In Superboy, a Cadmus shakeup led to both Legions leaving Cadmus. In 2008, the original Newsboy Legion were killed by Codename: Assassin, and the clones disappeared- this was part of a conspiracy (led by Lois Lane's father, General Sam Lane) to wipe out all Kryptonian beings of power, which I guess involved tangential relations like this?

-Grant Morrison's short Manhattan Guardian series introduced the Newsboy Army, as the Guardian newspaper's young delivery people were deputized by the hero to help him out. Their roster included (as I directly quote Wikipedia) Captain 7 (an African-American boy in a football uniform), Ali Ka-Zoom (a young stage magician), Vincenzo 'Kid Scarface' Baldi (an Italian boy in an impeccable suit), Chop Suzi (an Asian girl, the team's mechanic), Edward 'Baby Brain' Stargard (an infant prodigy), Little Miss Hollywood (an impressionist, the daughter of Irish immigrants) and Millions (the world's richest dog).

-The Newsboy Legion are scrappy underdogs with poor combat stats, but actually a surprising amount of skills- they're streetwise and capable of stealth (they help out a number of superheroes by sneaking them around- like Connor/Kon-El/Superboy).

The Roster:
* Note that their real names come from Post-Crisis continuity, which also made them clones of the originals instead of children.

TOMMY TOMPKINS: The leader.
BIG WORDS (Anthony Rodriguez): The team genius, a bespectacled kid who resembled Jefferson from the Young Allies.
SCRAPPER (Patrick MacGuire): A scrappy kid with a shabby cap, resembling Knuckles from the Young Allies.
GABBY (Johnny Gabrielli): An exciteable kid who never stopped talking.
FLIPPER DIPPER: Also called "Flippa Dippa" or "Flip", he was a Black kid added in 1970 to the new Newsboy Legion (the sons of the originals). He was an underwater maneuvers expert.
"FAMOUS" BOBBI HARPER: The Guardian's niece, who briefly joined in Post-Crisis continuity, but quickly left to live with relatives.

[Jabroniville]

THE MANHATTAN GUARDIAN (Jake Jordan)
Created By: Grant Morrison & Cameron Stewart
First Appearance: The Manhattan Guardian #1 (May 2005)
Role: Shield-Bearing Hero, Legacy Character
Group Affiliations: The Seven Soldiers of Victory

-The Manhattan Guardian is a Legacy of sorts for Jim "Guardian" Harper, and was created by Grant Morrison in 2005 for his Seven Soldiers of Victory weirdo series. He was set in "Cinderella City", a New York with "unrealised architectural projects" taken from historical sources of plans that never went through. Morrison said: "I want it to be a more exalted New York, where things that were dreamed of were finally brought into reality" (translation: "I'm on drugs- WHEEEEEEEE!").

-Jake Jordan was an unemployed & disgraced former police officer who had killed a young boy misidentified as the murderer of his partner. His fiancee's father suggested he get a job with the Manhattan Guardian newspaper, which actually sponsors him as a superhero/reporter (this was inspired by a UK series The Guardian, about the same concept). He makes the delivery boys of the paper an information network (inspired by the original Newsboy Legion). Jake is dumped by his fiancee after her father is killed by subway pirates, but the two reunite after Jake helps defeat some evil fairies, The Sheeda, who had made his boss unable to age beyond babyhood. He is a backgrounder (like, literally "a guy in the background saving people/fighting Black Adam") in a few other books since then- possibly just as a stand-in for the original, whom he resembles.

[Jabroniville]

THE BOY COMMANDOS
Created By: Joe Simon & Jack Kirby
First Appearance: Detective Comics #64 (June 1942)
Role: Kid Commandos, "Everyday Kid" Group
Group Affiliations: The Boy Commandos

-Following mere months after the Newsboy Legion hit big in the Guardian feature, Simon & Kirby formed ANOTHER group of kids, but made them the stars of the feature- The Boy Commandos. They had been hired away from Timely (the future Marvel Comics), but didn't have a title, nor a "clear purpose"- they were given free reign to revamp DC's characters, resulting in Captain America-like shifts for the Sandman & Manhunter at first, but "kid gangs seemed to be the way to go". Teen sidekicks were a big deal, as fans could identify with them, but making a WHOLE FEATURE about them was unique. Simon & Kirby's own Young Allies were the same kind of deal, but they left Timely and those guys faded away. The gimmick here was that they were a team of orphaned boys united as an international squadron (each from a different Allied nation), led by Capt. Rick Carter on dangerous missions.

The Boy Commandos were a huge smash- they ran in multiple books, even getting their own feature (a rarity in those days). The boys were a unit of child commandos who fought the "Ratzies" directly- typically ordinary German & Japanese agents. Rip Carter led André (France), Alfie (England), Brooklyn (U.S.) & Jan (Denmark). I've heard that the kid known only as "Brooklyn" became the biggest hit- as the only American this might seem natural. Jan left first, finding relatives to live with. Aflie was replaced by a Texan named Tex, and André was swapped in with a nerdy genius named Percy- both changes happened in 1947, only months apart.

The Boy Commandos book lasted until 1949, giving them a seven-year run... pretty impressive given the War ended four years before!

Man years later, Jack Kirby would create Dan Turpin, revealing that HE was Brooklyn. André became the leader of French Intelligence Département Gamma, and Alfie was the head of an insurance firm with his daughter Twiggie (in the pages of Len Wein's Blue Beetle. The team never really had much affect on the rest of DC, however.

The Roster:
CAPTAIN RIP CARTER (United States): The adult who led the team.
JAN HAASAN (Denmark): REALLY goofy "Prince Valiant" blond haircut. The first to leave- finding relatives to live with.
ALFIE TWIDGETT (England): The second to leave.
ANDRE CHAVARD (France): The third to leave.
BROOKLYN (Dan Turpin- United States): A tough, scrappy street kid representing the United States.
TEX (United States): A Texan kid, replacing Alfie. Naturally had a Southern accent and wore a cowboy hat. Had freckles.
PERCY CLEARWEATHER: A bespectacled genius, replacing André.

[Ken]

He is a backgrounder (like, literally "a guy in the background saving people/fighting Black Adam") in a few other books since then- possibly just as a stand-in for the original, whom he resembles.

He resembles Mal as the Guardian more than he resembles Jim Harper.

[Jabroniville]

He is a backgrounder (like, literally "a guy in the background saving people/fighting Black Adam") in a few other books since then- possibly just as a stand-in for the original, whom he resembles.

He resembles Mal as the Guardian more than he resembles Jim Harper.

Well ya know I'm just so woke I don't see race.

[Jabroniville]

STARMAN I (Ted Knight)
Created By: Jack Burnley, White Ellsworth, Murray Boltinoff, Jack Schiff, Mort Weisinger & Bernie Breslauer
First Appearance: Adventure Comics #61 (April 1941)
Role: Golden Age Hero, Flying Blaster
Group Affiliations: The Justice Society of America, The All-Star Squadron
PL 8 (133)
STRENGTH 2 STAMINA 4 AGILITY 4
FIGHTING 8 DEXTERITY 4
INTELLIGENCE 8 AWARENESS 1 PRESENCE 1

Skills:
Athletics 4 (+6)
Deception 4 (+5)
Expertise (Science) 7 (+15)
Insight 3 (+4)
Investigation 3 (+4)
Perception 4 (+5)
Stealth 1 (+5)
Technology 8 (+16)
Vehicles 2 (+6)

Advantages:
Improved Aim, Inventor, Precise Attack (Ranged/Cover), Ranged Attack 6, Set-Up, Skill Mastery (Technology), Teamwork

Powers:
"The Cosmic Rod" (Feats: Summonable- Can Make Its Way To Him) (Flaws: Easily Removable) [28]
Flight 8 (500 mph) (16)
"Stellar Energy" Blast 8 (Feats: Improved Critical) (Extras: Penetrating 6) (23) -- (29)

• AE: Dazzle Visuals 8 (16)
• AE: "Energy Objects" Create 7 (Extras: Movable) (21)
• AE: Force Field 6 (6)
• AE: "Levitation" Move Object 8 (16)
• AE: Environment 1 (Heat 2, Light 2) (8)
• AE: Deflect 8 (8)

-- (45 points)

Offense:
Unarmed +8 (+2 Damage, DC 17)
Stellar Blast +10 (+8 Ranged Damage, DC 23)
Dazzle +10 (+8 Ranged Affliction, DC 18)
Initiative +4

Defenses:
Dodge +8 (DC 18), Parry +8 (DC 18), Toughness +4 (+10 Force Field), Fortitude +6, Will +6

Complications:
Relationship (Doris Lee)- Ted has a long-suffering girlfriend, who repeatedly scolds him for his "laziness and hypochondria". She is tragically killed in the late 1940s.
Relationship (Adele Doris Drew)- Ted finally marries Adele, and has two sons- David & Jack.
Relationship (Sons- David & Jack)- Jack was meant to be Ted's successor ("Jack is a HERO'S name"), but David was more adoring of his father, and wanted the lifestyle more. David was killed by The Mist's son, and Jack was forced to take over.
Responsibility (Guilt)- Ted was one of many scientist who worked on the Atomic Bomb- this, combined with his girlfriend Doris dying, led to him suffering a nervous breakdown.
Enemy (The Mist)

Total: Abilities: 64 / Skills: 36--18 / Advantages: 12 / Powers: 28 / Defenses: 11 (133)

Starman- The Guy With The Fin On His Head:
-Starman I (Ted Knight) has a lot in common with Hourman. In one of those weird comics-type circumstances, the original Starman was an unsuccessful character that popped up in the JSA for a while and got his own stories told, but disappeared rather quietly (though he WAS in 44 issues of Adventure Comics, which is pretty standard for Golden Agers that had a modicum of success) and without much fuss. Fast-forward to the JLA/JSA teamups era, and Starman's just "one of the gang". Hell, by the '70s even, he was retired, and giving his Cosmic Rod to the Star-Spangled Kid. Of course, in the meantime, like five guys got the "Starman" name, because it's one of those catchy heroic names that HAS to be used by someone- it's just fantastic and totally works in any era. But yeah, nearly all the JSA members were famous, having successors and showing up a bunch, and poor Ted Knight gets nothing.... Enter James Robinson's Starman series. Humorously, Robinson says he was drawn to Starman the way most children are drawn to certain superheroes- he had a visual design he liked. The "Guy with the fin on his head" stood out to him, and hence we have the MUCH bigger legacy of Ted Knight.

-The Golden Age Starman was an inventor who created a Gravity Rod that let him fly- later retcons made the Phantom Lady his cousin (since they shared a surname), and she inspired him to fight as a superhero. He puts up a false persona as a wimpy, hypochondriac playboy, somewhat similar to Bruce Wayne's cover-story, and dates a woman named Doris Lee, who shames him for it. I kinda dig the overall look, though- it's very "Generic Super-Hero", but in the best way. 2-3 colors in the scheme, a big chest logo, a distinctive trait (the fin-head), and a cape. The thing just WORKS. Dated, but it works.

Ted in the Robinson Era:
-So the Starman book of the '90s featured Ted's children David & Jack- retroactively-added kids. Jack, a cynical anti-tights guy (probably representing the cynical comics fans of the era) ends up forced into defending his dad's legacy, giving DC ANOTHER fictional weird town in Opal City (which is... honestly, just Robinson going all "Neil Gaiman" with a quirkly gothic town), and essentially the entire series was a prop to give credit to the Golden Age. And thus, Starman has a legacy. Retroactively turned into a scientist creating the Atomic Bomb (going into a mental asylum due to the tremendous guilt this brought him), Ted was given a ton more backstory and characterization, and for the first time in years, he got a legacy in his son (and later, Courtney) in the JSA.

-Ted Knight largely disappears after he has a nervous breakdown in the late 1940s (due to guilt over the Bomb, and a dead girlfriend), and is re-aged along with the JSA members DC didn't feel like using at the time- in the Starman series, he's an old man, convinced by his son to actually use his scientific genius to HELP mankind, instead of playing hero. Ted still has to fight once in a while, helping Jack against various old enemies, and he dies a hero's death while saving Opal City from The Mist's doomsday bomb weapon.

Starman's Powers:
-I'm not entirely sure (Sources are iffy) on what counts as the "Gravity Rod" era and when he got the "Cosmic Rod", but I'm pretty sure those are all the powers Ted utilized (some advice from the posters here helped, too). Essentially, he's a Mini-Green Lantern, capable of creating objects, force constructs, dazzling people, making heat, and general Force Field energy wielder stuff. He's the team's Blaster, but not a fancy one. I was jumping all over the place in possible power output, but decided he should be slightly more dangerous than your usual Golden Age hero or Mutant Liberation Front guy (my baseline PL 8), but only with an Easily-Removable weapon. This is pretty close, unless I'm mistaken. Ted's one of those guys who could be anywhere from PL 8 to PL 10 in his prime.

Ted's "Gravity Rod" was basically a low-end Cosmic Rod, costing 17 points.
Flight 7 (250 mph) (Flaws: Platform) (7)
Dazzle Visuals 8 (16) -- (19)

• AE: Cosmic Blast 8 (16)
• AE: Force Field 6 (6)
• AE: "Levitation" Move Object 8 (16)
• AE: Environment 1 (Heat 2) (4)

-- (27 points)

[greycrusader]

I never realized the Boy Commandoes outlasted the war as long as they did. I suppose their stories post-WWII were similar to the Blackhawks, taking on petty dictators, foiling anti-democratic revolutionaries, fighting communists, and the like?

The members of the Newsboy Army you listed were active in the 1950s; none of the kids in the Manhattan Guardian arc of Morrison's Seven Soliders series was ever named. They all struggled with curses laid on them by the sorcerer Zor (an old Spectre foe). The series as a whole was typical Morrison-weirdly enjoyable, lots of inspired ideas, whopping big plot holes, no actual resolution. And really, the events presented do not fit at all with any version of DC continuity, so its what used to be referred to as an "Earth-B" story.

The Ted Grant Starman was WAY more powerful when he reappeared in the 1960s; he took on Ultraman (of the Earth-3 Crime Syndicate) on a near equal basis, and in Infinity Inc, he went up against the original GL (he lost, but gave still...) Then again, when his son took up the Cosmic Rod, it wasn't nearly as impressive. So who really knows?

All my best.

[Ares]

In a universe where The JSA predate Superman, my take would be that Starman was Clark's favorite JSAer, and that his own outfit was meant to pay homage to the heroes of that era, Starman in particular.

[Ares]

And yes, Starman is a great superhero name.

[Ken]

-I'm not entirely sure (Sources are iffy) on what counts as the "Gravity Rod" era and when he got the "Cosmic Rod"

Those 44 issues of Adventure Comics, his All-Star Comics appearances up through issue twenty something. and (retroactively) the All-Star Squadron period (except #14 & #15, cause that was 1980s Ted), are all "gravity rod" era.

Anything after, say, 1960 is "cosmic rod" era, except, for the All-Star Squadron since it was set earlier.

[Davies]

In a universe where The JSA predate Superman, my take would be that Starman was Clark's favorite JSAer, and that his own outfit was meant to pay homage to the heroes of that era, Starman in particular.

I'm sure that Clark would have liked to meet him, but he thought he'd blow his mind.

[Jabroniville]

Hey look! I made a thing! Out of curiosity, I tried to figure out the timelines of various DC characters being created. I'll try to add Timely's to this as well.

THE 1930s:
* Here we see the dawn of the comic book superhero, as masked men and superhumans take over an industry then ruled by hard-boiled detectives and generic adventurers (Tex Thomson eventually goes from "Adventurer" to "Mr. America"). Very few cancellations, save for Dr. Occult (whose creators made Superman and were thus busy).

1935: Dr. Occult

1936: The Clock

1937: Speed Saunders

1938: Superman, Zatara, Tex Thomson- Mr. America, The Crimson Avenger, Wing
Cancelled: Dr. Occult

1939: Batman, The Sandman, Ma Hunkel- Red Tornado, Doll Man, Doll Girl, The Invisible Hood

THE 1940s:
* The one-two punch of Superman & Batman blow up the world, and the first two years of the decade see an unprecedented surge of creativity, with everyone and their brother trying to make another lawman hit big. Batman gains a sidekick, the first speedster debuts, and about half the JSA show up.

1940: The Flash, Green Lantern, Robin, Hawkman, Hawkgirl (as Shiera Sanders), The Atom, Dr. Fate, Johnny Thunder, The Spectre, Quicksilver, The Whip, Alias- The Spider, The King, Merlin the Magician, Uncle Sam, Black Condor, The Ray, The Red Bee, Magno- The Magnetic Man, Neon the Unknown, The Red Torpedo, "Pug" Brady

* Hafl the JSA shows up right here, and form the inaugural team. Every sort of origin and power-set is tried. Plus a whole bunch of horrible acts debut, mostly from Quality.

1941: Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Green Arrow, Speedy, Dr. Mid-Nite, Starman, The Star-Spangled Kid, Stripesy, Vigilante, Johnny Quick, Sandy the Golden Boy, Paul Kirk- Manhunter, The Seven Soldiers of Victory, The Shining Knight, The Tarantula, The Blackhawks, The Phantom Lady, Firebrand, The Jester, The Human Bomb, Miss America, Midnight, Butch, Tor the Magic Master
Cancelled: Speed Saunders, Magno- The Magnetic Man, Neon the Unknown, "Pug" Brady

* Wonder Woman, Aquaman & Green Arrow shore up DC and become central acts for the next century. Plus, a handful of supporting acts and Mort Weisinger's guys (Johnny Quick, Vigilante) show up. Interestingly, the first failures pop up around here. Adventurers like Speed Saunders faded away, and some early failed superheroes (Quality's Magno & Neon) are quickly cancelled.

1942: Wildcat, The Guardian, The Newsboy Legion, The Boy Commandos, Robotman, Hourman, Mr. Terrific, Dan Richards- Manhunter, Air Wave, Liberty Belle, Stuff- The Chinatown Kid, TNT, Dan the Dyna-Mite
Cancelled: The Seven Soldiers of Victory, Billy Gunn, The Invisible Hood, The Red Bee, Miss America, Merlin the Magician

* 1942 sees other popular Golden Age acts debut- Wildcat, Guardian, the Boy Commandos & Robotman in particular are long-runners. We've seen the remainder of the JSA debut, along with a few more sidekicks. This is actually the end of the peak of creativity for the genre- everyone after this is pretty forgettable. A lot of the creators end up getting drafted, which might be part of it. Cancellations include the Seven Soldiers and a bunch of Quality's lamest acts.

1943: Captain Triumph
Cancelled: Alias- The Spider, The King, The Tarantula, Black Condor, The Ray, Tor the Magic Master

* Quality axes a handful of their lower-performing guys, as does DC. Oddly, only Captain Triumph debuts here.

1944: Sargon the Sorcerer
Cancelled: Hourman, Dr. Fate, Red Tornado, The Crimson Avenger, Wing, Paul Kirk- Manhunter, The Whip, Mr. America, Uncle Sam, The Clock, Butch

* The end of the war kicks the comic book industry right in the dick. Only Sargon debuts, and DC wipes out 5-6 of their former lawman acts, including 3 JSAers (Hourman, Dr. Fate & Red Tornado) and the long-running Tex Thomson. Quality axes Uncle Sam, who is no longer needed after the War effort dies down. Longtime hero The Clock ends as well.

1945: xxxxx
Cancelled: The Spectre

1946: xxxxxx
Cancelled: The Sandman, Sandy the Golden Boy, Starman, The Guardian

* A quiet year, but DC eliminates THREE of their acts- Sandman, Starman & Guardian give up the ghost. The Newsboy Legion lats another issue or two into the next year.

1947: xxxxxx
Cancelled: Mr. Terrific, Liberty Belle, The Newsboy Legion, The Human Bomb

* More cancellations- oddly, Mr. Terrific outlasts many of his predecessors.

1948: Merry- Girl of 1000 Gimmicks
Cancelled: Johnny Thunder, The Star-Spangled Kid, Stripesy, Air Wave, Sargon the Sorcerer

* DC dumps even more acts, adding only Merry, who doesn't last long. The Star-Spangled Kid had long-since lost his covers to Robin, and now was replaced by his adopted sister.

1949: xxxxx
Cancelled: Hawkgirl, Wildcat, The Boy Commandos, Merry- Girl of 1000 Gimmicks, Captain Triumph, The Jester, Midnight

* Hawkgirl stops showing up, and Wildcat no longer shores up Wonder Woman's book. Some oddly long-lasting Quality guys also get cancelled as their line dies down entirely.

THE 1950s:
* Almost all of the superheroes are now gone- all that's left is the major characters, plus some of the guys Mort Weisinger created and stuck in the "Superman Family" books, keeping them alive.

1950: xxxxxx
Cancelled: Dan Richards- Manhunter, Zatara

1951: Captain Comet
Cancelled: The Flash, Hawkman, The Atom, Dr. Mid-Nite, The Shining Knight

* The last vestigtes of the Justice Society fade away, leaving only the top acts. The Flash, Hawkman AND Green Lantern, plus Atom & Mid-Nite. Oddly the Shining Knight stuck it out for a while.

1953: xxxxxx
Cancelled: Robotman, Doll Man, Doll Girl

* Quality drops their last popular act save the Blackhawks. Robotman had stuck it out in the "Superman" books but was now gone, his act long since taken over by a Robot Dog sidekick.

1954: xxxxxx
Cancelled: Johnny Quick, Vigilante, Stuff- The Chinatown Kid, The Phantom Lady

* Mort's boys are finally gone, save Aquaman- Johnny Quick & Vigilante give up the ghost at last, and people stop reprinting Phantom Lady stories.


HERO LONGEVITY:
Unbroken Runs: Superman, Batman, Robin, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Green Arrow, The Blackhawks
14 years: Doll Man (1939-1953), Doll Girl (1939-1953)
13 years: Johnny Quick (1941-1954), Vigilante (1941-1954), The Phantom Lady (1941-1954- off & on run)
12 years: Zatara (1938-1950), Stuff- The Chinatown Kid (1942-1954)
11 years: The Flash (1940-1951), Green Lantern (1940-1951), Hawkman (1940-1951), The Atom (1940-1951), Robotman (1942-1953)
10 years: Dr. Mid-Nite (1941-51), The Shining Knight (1941-1951)
9 years: Hawkgirl (1940-49)
8 years: Johnny Thunder (1940-48), Dan Richards- Manhunter (1942-1950), The Jester (1941-49), Midnight (1941-49), The Clock (1936-1944)
7 years: Wildcat (1942-49), Sandman (1939-1946), The Star-Spangled Kid (1941-48), Stripesy (1941-48), The Boy Commandos (1942-49)
6 years: The Crimson Avenger (1938-1944), Wing (1938-1944), Air Wave (1942-48), Tex Thomson- Mr. America (1938-1944), Captain Triumph (1943-49), The Human Bomb (1941-47)
5 years: Mr. Terrific (1942-47), Starman (1941-46), The Spectre (1940-45), Sandy the Golden Boy (1941-46), Liberty Belle (1942-47), Ma Hunkel- Red Tornado (1939-1944)
4 years: Dr. Fate (1940-44), The Guardian (1942-46), The Newsboy Legion (1942-46), Quicksilver/Max Mercury (1940-44), Speed Saunders (1937-1941), The Whip (1940-44), Uncle Sam (1940-44)
3 years: Paul Kirk- Manhunter (1941-44), Alias- The Spider (1940-43), The King (1940-43), Dr. Occult (1935-38), Black Condor (1940-43), The Ray (1940-43), The Invisible Hood (1939-1942), Butch (1941-44)
2 years: Hourman (1942-44), The Tarantula (1941-43), The Red Bee (1940-42), The Red Torpedo (1940-42), TNT (1942-44), Dan the Dyna-Mite (1942-44), Merlin the Magician (1940-42). Tor the Magic Master (1941-43)
1 year: Merry- The Girl of 1000 Gimmicks (1948-49), The Seven Soldiers of Victory (1941-42), Billy Gunn (1941-42), Firebrand (1941-42), Miss America (1941-42), Magno- The Magnetic Man (1940-41), Neon the Unknown (1940-41), "Pug" Brady (1940-41)

[EternalPhoenix]

And yes, Starman is a great superhero name.

A name so good I used it as a kid before I knew more about comics than Superman, Batman, Spider-Man, and the X-Men.

[Ken]

Mister Terrific survived as long as he did because All-American Publications had fewer super-heroes than National, so his berth in Sensation Comics lasted until page counts dropped too far.

(Plus he had a great costume. )