Jab’s Builds! (Miss Piggy! The Swedish Chef! Sweetums! Gonzo!)

Where in all of your character write ups will go.
Jabroniville
Posts: 24695
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2016 8:05 pm

The Female Captain Triumph

Post by Jabroniville »

Image

CAPTAIN TRIUMPH II (Real Name Unknown)
Created By:
Jimmy Palmiotti & Renato Arlem
First Appearance: Uncle Sam & The Freedom Fighters #3 (Jan. 2008)
Role: Flying Brick
Group Affiliations: S.H.A.D.E., The Crusaders

-The second Captain Triumph, a female, never even received a real name, but was one of many residents of Bludhaven who had their "meta-gene" (aka mutant rip-offs) activated when Chemo's radioactive body was dropped on their city. Like most, she was recruited by S.H.A.D.E., who put her on their super-team wing, the Crusaders (based off of the team of Invaders parodies from the '70s book). They appear on various TV shows, accusing the Freedom Fighters and other heroes of just engaging in fights instead of making people's lives better. Eventually, all the Crusaders were killed except Triumph & Magno, who acted from then on as a crime-fighting duo. They were only ever a one-arc deal, and haven't reappeared.

-This Captain Triumph could fly and was super-strong.
Jabroniville
Posts: 24695
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2016 8:05 pm

Plastic Man

Post by Jabroniville »

Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image

PLASTIC MAN (Patrick "Eel" O'Brian)
Created By:
Jack Cole
First Appearance: Police Comics #1 (Aug. 1941)
Role: Near-Forgotten Golden Age Hero, The Original Stretchy Guy, Wacky Hero
Group Affiliations: Justice League Antarctica, The F.B.I., The All-Star Squadron, The Freedom Fighters, The Elastic Four
PL 11 (208)
STRENGTH
5 STAMINA -- AGILITY 4
FIGHTING 10 DEXTERITY 6
INTELLIGENCE 2 AWARENESS 2 PRESENCE 1

Skills:
Deception 7 (+8)
Expertise (Criminal) 6 (+8)
Expertise (History) 3 (+5)
Insight 3 (+5)
Investigation 5 (+7)
Perception 2 (+4)
Stealth 4 (+8)

Advantages:
Benefit (Ambidexterity), Daze (Deception), Fast Grab, Ranged Attack, Taunt

Powers:
"Man of Plastic"
Immunity 40 (Mind, Fortitude Effects) [40]
Protection 12 [12]
Regeneration 4 (Feats: Regrows Limbs) [5]

"Complete Structural Control"
Elongation 9 [9]
Insubstantial 1 (Feats: Precise) [6]
Movement 2 (Slithering, Safe Fall) [4]
Morph 4 (Any Form) (Flaws: Limited to Caucasian Skin, Red, Black & Yellow Coloring) [16]

Variable 5 [35]
Sample Powers: Shrinking (6 inches tall), Growth (skyscraper size), Big Mallets +4

Offense:
Unarmed +10 (+5 Damage, DC 20)
Big Mallets +10 (+9 Damage, DC 24)
Initiative +4

Defenses:
Dodge +10 (DC 20), Parry +10 (DC 20), Toughness +12, Fortitude --, Will +7

Complications:
Reputation (Imbecile)- Most people find Plastic Man annoying.
Vulnerable (Cold & Hot Attacks)- Plaz can be frozen solid and left unable to reform, or be heated to the point where he becomes liquid.
Vulernable (Acetone)- Acetone will melt Plastic Man's form.
Relationship (Offspring)- Eel discovers that he has a teenage son at one point, and must learn to be a father.

Total: Abilities: 50 / Skills: 30--15 / Advantages: 5 / Powers: 127 / Defenses: 11 (208)

Plastic Man- The Unexpected Long-Lasting Legacy:
-Plastic Man is a hero you wouldn't expect to live on to modern times, but he did. Of course, that's mostly thanks to Grant Morrison and a few others, since the Golden Age version was casually killed off somewhere in DC's past, and his modern version basically had to ignore that Post-Crisis. He was mostly treated as a minor character for much of DC's run of the guy (partially thanks to a knock-off being created accidentally! Read on!), but then he shows up on one of the biggest JLA runs ever, and there we are.

-Eel O'Brian came damn close to being called India Rubber Man, until someone pointed out that "Plastic" sounded way more futuristic, resulting in writer/artist Jack Cole altering his name. His stories were quirky and offbeat, even compared to other Golden Age stuff, and he was one of Quality Comics' most popular acts. Despite that, he started out as a crook- Eel O'Brian was an orphan who grew into a burglar, and gained his powers when he was shot while in the act, and fell into some chemicals. Eel was saved by a monk, whose acts of kindness convinced him that he needed to live a better life, and he reformed. Discovering elastic super-powers (the first in comics history, in fact), he kept on his crook identity as "cover", but became a superhero as Plastic Man. And Plastic Man was REALLY popular. Like, he was the centrepiece of Police Comics and was around all the way until *1956*, when Quality died in its entirety! Like, EEL O'BRIAN outlasted Captain America, Namor, Alan Scott, Jay Garrick, and even most of the guys Mort Weisinger forcibly kept around! That is CRAZY!

Plaz Gets Popular, Then Disappears:
-So "Plaz", as he was known, was a shapeshifter of sorts, turning into even complicated things like cars. He had a comic relief sidekick named Woozy Winks (yes, PLASTIC MAN was the straight man to someone. He was decidedly different in those days), who was bumbling yet loyal (and was even invincible to start, until they dropped that). Plaz joined the police force and even the FBI, eventually all but dropping his real name.

-So when Quality Comics died, DC kept around only one book- the popular wartime pilot book Blackhawks, but Plaz was #2 on their list. However, they apparently didn't realize they actually owned the rights to him, and so they invented a rip-off named "The Elongated Man" to pal around with The Flash instead. They realized their mistake a bit later, and Plastic Man starred in his own book for a bit. An actual Saturday morning cartoon I remember came out from 1979-1981. He was a Freedom Fighters member in the All-Star Squadron series, usually seen in Big Group Shots, without getting much focus- his weird bare-legged appearance and red & yellow color scheme made him look very odd and old-timey, which probably led to his eventual turn into comic relief himself. Despite being largely ignored for about thirty years, Plaz counted among his fans a real murderer's row of comic book talent: Grant Morrison, Alex Ross, Art Spiegelman & Frank Miller.

Modern-Day Plastic Man:
-After the Crisis, a 4-issue Plastic Man Limited Series came out by Phil Foglio, currently an artist for a webcomic and stuff. Plaz was reimagined into a crook who uses his powers to get rich quick along with Woozy, and chooses the side of the law by the flip of a coin. This version of Plastic Man wasn't overly-popular, and largely vanished until Grant Morrison reintroduced him out of NOWHERE in his big JLA run. The reason being was largely why any of us get behind random dudes and want to push them- Morrison was just a big fan of the guy and wanted to push him. The JLA are like "all due respect to Ralph (Dibney, the Elongated Man), Plastic Man is more versatile", which was a total diss on Ralph, lol. Plaz became the token "Funny Member" of the team, joking around and being an ass, which kind of made him stand out since the other characters were all so serious. It's kind of necessary to have someone around to keep things light, but I felt Plaz was a bit TOO goofy to be justified on this squad- sure he had versatile powers, but he was treated like a GIANT wisecracking doofus, often doing things just to be a pain in the ass. Especially the times he disguised himself as women's clothing so he could, well, fondle/press up against buxon women (he did this to Big Barda once)- it's a pretty standard Comedy Anime thing, but in the more-realistic world of comics, I can't imagine it'd have been tolerated for so long.

-That said, Plaz was AWESOME in that Mark Waid arc where the Leaguers got their secret IDs and superhero IDs split up. While most people became exaggerations of themselves in both forms (Bats got grittier, Bruce became an ineffectual playboy who couldn't contain his rage; Superman became inhuman and alien, while Clark became a giant coward; etc.), Eel found himself longing for a life of crime again, but instead becomes the tough, capable leader of the "Secret ID" leaguers. Once he left the JLA, he got a Suddenly-Introduced Son in Offspring and kinda/sorta vanished, as other writers lost interest. He was badly-injured by Prometheus during Cry For Justice (a chemical injected into him prevented him from remaining in one form for long), and again in Blackest Night, having his heart ripped out- he survived thanks to his powers, but was "badly damaged" and couldn't return to JLA duty (translation: The writers got sick of him and wrote him out entirely).

Plaz's Powers:
-Plastic Man is extremely versatile and very powerful, but lacks the raw hitting power of his JLA cohorts. But being able to turn into a raft, a giant dam, a Utility Belt pouch, or any other damn thing is pretty useful, and he's PL 11 defensively. He was rarely a heavy-hitter on Morrison's squad, but few Leaguers were harder to put down.
User avatar
Davies
Posts: 5082
Joined: Thu Mar 23, 2017 10:37 pm
Location: Edmonton, AB

Re: The Golden Age Captain Triumph

Post by Davies »

Jabroniville wrote: Tue May 10, 2022 7:41 pm Image
The above should tell you where he recently re-appeared, during a weird time travel arc in Harley's book.
"I'm sorry. I love you. I'm not sorry I love you."
User avatar
Ares
Site Admin
Posts: 4963
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2016 8:40 am

Re: Jab’s Builds! (The Clock! Doll Man! Capt. Triumph! Plastic Man!)

Post by Ares »

They actually had an old DC Comics Presents where Plas teamed up with Elongated Man and Elastic Lad, as well as Superman.

Image

Plas is interesting in that while Morrison claimed to like the guy, his version of Plas was completely different from previous versions. While the others often had a sense of humor, Morrison wrote Plas as basically Jim Carey's The Mask. Granted, stretchy powers lend themselves to comedy, but Morrison basically made Plas unbearable.

Additionally, for as 'versatile' as Plas was said to be, he really was completely redundant with J'onn on board. J'onn is technically a one man Justice League, sharing powers with Superman, Wonder Woman and the Flash, Superman is usually stronger (it varies), Diana is a better fighter and Wally is faster. But Plas? No only can J'onn shapeshift and stretch, he's actually BETTER at it because he can change colors. Plas is basically around solely for his comedic value.
"My heart is as light as a child's, a feeling I'd nearly forgotten. And by helping those in need, I will be able to keep that feeling alive."
- Captain Marvel SHAZAM! : Power of Hope (2000)

Want to support me and Echoes of the Multiverse? Follow this link to subscribe or donate.
User avatar
Ares
Site Admin
Posts: 4963
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2016 8:40 am

Re: The Golden Age Captain Triumph

Post by Ares »

Davies wrote: Wed May 11, 2022 12:31 am
Jabroniville wrote: Tue May 10, 2022 7:41 pm Image
The above should tell you where he recently re-appeared, during a weird time travel arc in Harley's book.
Poor guy.
"My heart is as light as a child's, a feeling I'd nearly forgotten. And by helping those in need, I will be able to keep that feeling alive."
- Captain Marvel SHAZAM! : Power of Hope (2000)

Want to support me and Echoes of the Multiverse? Follow this link to subscribe or donate.
User avatar
Ken
Posts: 3460
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2016 10:40 pm
Location: Sycalb, Madiganistan

Re: Jab’s Builds! (The Clock! Doll Man! Capt. Triumph! Plastic Man!)

Post by Ken »

Ah, Plastic Man. Evidence of when the word "plastic" was more of an adjective than a noun. Well, Plas and plastic surgery. It drives me crazy when people confuse the "plastic" in Plastic Man with the various polymers that are called "plastics".

It also annoys me when people confuse Plas' power with Elongated Man's power. And the differences are right there in their names. Plastic Man is a shapeshifter; he's mold-able, reshape-able, malleable, and well plastic. Because he can reshape himself he can choose shapes with extended limbs, so, yes, he can stretch. Elongated Man's power is to elongate parts of his body. His arms, his legs, even his eyes and ears. But while this gives him some different shapes, he shouldn't be able to take the form of a chair or a night stand. The fact that the gave Ralph a costume that looks similar to Plastic Man's after several years of him having a costume that didn't look like Plas' didn't help.

A large part of the popularity of Plastic Man, in the Golden Age, was that it was a comedy, even moreso than Captain Marvel. Plastic Man was the hero, but his world was nutty. It was funny and fun. And Plastic Man was really the straight man.

Which basically means in a modern comic he can be used one of two ways. One was how he was used by Roy Thomas in All-Star Squadron, where he was just one more super hero. All sense of him being funny was gone. The other is how he was used after the Crisis, where he became the team comedian.
My Amazing Woman: a super-hero romantic comedy podcast.

When the most powerful super hero on Earth marries an ordinary man, hilarity ensues.
User avatar
Ken
Posts: 3460
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2016 10:40 pm
Location: Sycalb, Madiganistan

Re: Jab’s Builds! (The Clock! Doll Man! Capt. Triumph! Plastic Man!)

Post by Ken »

Ares wrote: Wed May 11, 2022 12:36 am They actually had an old DC Comics Presents where Plas teamed up with Elongated Man and Elastic Lad, as well as Superman.
Hmmm.

A red haired hero. Stretching powers. No secret identity. Is an investigator. Is the best friend of a better known and more powerful hero.

Elongated Man isn't a Plastic Man knock-off. He's an Elastic Lad knock-off.

(Jimmy became Elastic Lad in 1958, a few years before Ralph's debut.)
My Amazing Woman: a super-hero romantic comedy podcast.

When the most powerful super hero on Earth marries an ordinary man, hilarity ensues.
Jabroniville
Posts: 24695
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2016 8:05 pm

Re: Jab’s Builds! (The Clock! Doll Man! Capt. Triumph! Plastic Man!)

Post by Jabroniville »

Ken wrote: Wed May 11, 2022 3:48 am Ah, Plastic Man. Evidence of when the word "plastic" was more of an adjective than a noun. Well, Plas and plastic surgery. It drives me crazy when people confuse the "plastic" in Plastic Man with the various polymers that are called "plastics".

It also annoys me when people confuse Plas' power with Elongated Man's power. And the differences are right there in their names. Plastic Man is a shapeshifter; he's mold-able, reshape-able, malleable, and well plastic. Because he can reshape himself he can choose shapes with extended limbs, so, yes, he can stretch. Elongated Man's power is to elongate parts of his body. His arms, his legs, even his eyes and ears. But while this gives him some different shapes, he shouldn't be able to take the form of a chair or a night stand. The fact that the gave Ralph a costume that looks similar to Plastic Man's after several years of him having a costume that didn't look like Plas' didn't help.
DC at least seems quite aware of this. I remember in Dark Knight Strikes Back Plaz ripping on Ralph for not being versatile. That book put him over HARD as being powerful ("He could kill all of us in an instant", Cat-Girl says. "For him, it'd be EASY").
A large part of the popularity of Plastic Man, in the Golden Age, was that it was a comedy, even moreso than Captain Marvel. Plastic Man was the hero, but his world was nutty. It was funny and fun. And Plastic Man was really the straight man.

Which basically means in a modern comic he can be used one of two ways. One was how he was used by Roy Thomas in All-Star Squadron, where he was just one more super hero. All sense of him being funny was gone. The other is how he was used after the Crisis, where he became the team comedian.
Yeah I was thinking of the "Plaz as Straight-Man" thing and wondering about his comedic stuff now... but if the book was a comedy, and the character looks as funny as he does (how many male superheroes have totally BARE LEGS AND FEET? The Thing?), then you kinda got shift him into the comedy tier if he's interacting with other superheroes.
Skavenger
Posts: 335
Joined: Wed Jan 27, 2021 5:56 pm
Location: Seattle, Washington, USA

Re: Jab’s Builds! (The Clock! Doll Man! Capt. Triumph! Plastic Man!)

Post by Skavenger »

Ares wrote: Wed May 11, 2022 12:36 am Additionally, for as 'versatile' as Plas was said to be, he really was completely redundant with J'onn on board. J'onn is technically a one man Justice League, sharing powers with Superman, Wonder Woman and the Flash, Superman is usually stronger (it varies), Diana is a better fighter and Wally is faster. But Plas? No only can J'onn shapeshift and stretch, he's actually BETTER at it because he can change colors. Plas is basically around solely for his comedic value.
See, that's the logic I've always had for why Hawkman never belongs on the Justice League.

"What's your superpower?"
"I can fly with these wings."
"Uh, thanks, but we have, like, five guys who can do that, and none of them need wings."
"Wait, I can also hit people really hard!"
"Um. Have you MET Superman?"
User avatar
Jack of Spades
Posts: 370
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2016 8:20 pm
Location: Top of the deck
Contact:

Re: Jab’s Builds! (The Clock! Doll Man! Capt. Triumph! Plastic Man!)

Post by Jack of Spades »

Plastic Man belongs in the Justice League because, unlike the Martian Manhunter but like Captain Marvel, he's a name that has some recognition outside of comics fans. He also has the distinction of being the first stretchy hero, and his golden age longevity. Respect the plastic.
Jack's Deck build threadFantasy Geographic Society campaign web site
User avatar
Ares
Site Admin
Posts: 4963
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2016 8:40 am

Re: Jab’s Builds! (The Clock! Doll Man! Capt. Triumph! Plastic Man!)

Post by Ares »

Skavenger wrote: Wed May 11, 2022 5:41 am
Ares wrote: Wed May 11, 2022 12:36 am Additionally, for as 'versatile' as Plas was said to be, he really was completely redundant with J'onn on board. J'onn is technically a one man Justice League, sharing powers with Superman, Wonder Woman and the Flash, Superman is usually stronger (it varies), Diana is a better fighter and Wally is faster. But Plas? No only can J'onn shapeshift and stretch, he's actually BETTER at it because he can change colors. Plas is basically around solely for his comedic value.
See, that's the logic I've always had for why Hawkman never belongs on the Justice League.

"What's your superpower?"
"I can fly with these wings."
"Uh, thanks, but we have, like, five guys who can do that, and none of them need wings."
"Wait, I can also hit people really hard!"
"Um. Have you MET Superman?"
When the Hawks were space cops they added a little bit in terms of alien tech, space knowledge and so forth, and another person that can hit really hard is useful. But for a team like the Justice League, they needed a bit more going for them. Having their tech incorporate Nth Metal and basically be the DCU version of Vibranium (or rather Vibranium became the Marvel version of Nth Metal) gave them a bit more to work with. But overall the Hawks work better on the JSA where legacy is important and he fits in better as an adventuring archeologist and hardass.

I actually like how Geoff Johns described Hawkman as (paraphrasing) "A mix of Conan the Barbarian and Indiana Jones, but with wings" and a mace that functions as his version of Mjolnir. It's appropriately pulpy and thus fits in well with the JSA.
"My heart is as light as a child's, a feeling I'd nearly forgotten. And by helping those in need, I will be able to keep that feeling alive."
- Captain Marvel SHAZAM! : Power of Hope (2000)

Want to support me and Echoes of the Multiverse? Follow this link to subscribe or donate.
User avatar
Ares
Site Admin
Posts: 4963
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2016 8:40 am

Re: Jab’s Builds! (The Clock! Doll Man! Capt. Triumph! Plastic Man!)

Post by Ares »

Jack of Spades wrote: Wed May 11, 2022 5:48 am Plastic Man belongs in the Justice League because, unlike the Martian Manhunter but like Captain Marvel, he's a name that has some recognition outside of comics fans. He also has the distinction of being the first stretchy hero, and his golden age longevity. Respect the plastic.
Don't get me wrong, I like Plastic Man. There's few characters I really dislike and think most have merit, and Plas can be a lot of fun. I just find Morrison made him kind of insufferable, and the in universe logic that he was brought in instead of Ralph was because of versatility always rang hollow. As did them turning down Cap because "they need more thinkers".
"My heart is as light as a child's, a feeling I'd nearly forgotten. And by helping those in need, I will be able to keep that feeling alive."
- Captain Marvel SHAZAM! : Power of Hope (2000)

Want to support me and Echoes of the Multiverse? Follow this link to subscribe or donate.
Jabroniville
Posts: 24695
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2016 8:05 pm

Wildfire (Carol Martin)

Post by Jabroniville »

Image
Image
Image

WILDFIRE (Carol Martin, nee Carol Vance)
Created By:
Jim Mooney & Robert Turner
First Appearance: Smash Comics #25 (Aug. 1941)
Role: Golden Age Hero, Flying Blaster, Miss Fanservice
Group Affiliations: None
PL 7 (115)
STRENGTH
2 STAMINA 3 AGILITY 4
FIGHTING 8 DEXTERITY 4
INTELLIGENCE 1 AWARENESS 3 PRESENCE 3

Skills:
Athletics 4 (+7)
Close Combat (Unarmed) 2 (+10)
Deception 2 (+5)
Investigation 3 (+6)
Perception 2 (+5)
Stealth 1 (+5)

Advantages:
Fast Grab, Improved Critical (Fire), Ranged Attack 2

Powers:
Fire Blast 8 [16]
Immunity 6 (Heat, Fire Damage) [5]
Senses 2 (Fire Awareness- Ranged & Radius) [3]
Flight 6 (120 mph) [12]

Offense:
Unarmed +10 (+2 Damage, DC 17)
Fire Blast +6 (+8 Ranged Damage, DC 23)
Initiative +4

Defenses:
Dodge +10 (DC 20), Parry +10 (DC 20), Toughness +3, Fortitude +5, Will +5

Complications:
Enemy (Nazi Germany)

Total: Abilities: 56 / Skills: 14--7 / Advantages: 4 / Powers: 36 / Defenses: 12 (115)

-A fanservicey strip featuring a bikini-clad firebrand (perhaps the skimpiest of any of the mainstream comic book super-heroines of the time- even the Phantom Lady!), Wildfire was given her powers by a forest fire that killed her parents- the "Lord of Fire" noticed her and was impressed by her survival, bestowing upon her a fire-immunity and assorted fire-based powers. She exposed some arsonists in her first adventure. She lasted about twelve issues over the course of a year. Her main claim to fame is a missed opportunity- Roy Thomas had planned to use her for The All-Star Squadron, but didn't want confusion with the Legion of Super-Heroes character of the same name, and made a female Firebrand legacy character instead.
User avatar
Sidious
Posts: 1610
Joined: Fri Nov 11, 2016 12:27 am

Re: The Golden Age Captain Triumph

Post by Sidious »

Jabroniville wrote: Tue May 10, 2022 7:41 pm Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
He had a good showing in The Golden Age, where he had developed a serious issue with his dead brother. Apparently his brother could feel like he existed again when the other twin was empowered. This set forth a lot of "Come on, touch the birthmark and let's..." in sme cases fight people, in other cases pick up girls. The ghost of his brother also had an issue with the girl he chose to have a relationship with, she was a past criminal. In the end the conflict with his dead brother wound up being determental to him during the big fight at the end.
Jabroniville
Posts: 24695
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2016 8:05 pm

Quality Comics Characters

Post by Jabroniville »

GENERIC GOLDEN AGE QUALITY COMICS HERO
Created By:
xxxxxxxx
First Appearance: xxxxxxxxx
Role: Golden Age Hero
Group Affiliations: N/A
PL 7 (82)
STRENGTH
3 STAMINA 4 AGILITY 4
FIGHTING 8 DEXTERITY 4
INTELLIGENCE 1 AWARENESS 3 PRESENCE 3

Skills:
Athletics 4 (+7)
Close Combat (Unarmed) 2 (+10)
Deception 2 (+5)
Investigation 3 (+6)
Perception 2 (+5)
Stealth 1 (+5)

Advantages:
Fast Grab, Improved Critical (Unarmed), Ranged Attack 2

Offense:
Unarmed +10 (+3 Damage, DC 18)
Initiative +4

Defenses:
Dodge +10 (DC 20), Parry +10 (DC 20), Toughness +4, Fortitude +5, Will +5

Complications:
Enemy (Nazi Germany)

Total: Abilities: 60 / Skills: 14--7 / Advantages: 4 / Powers: 0 / Defenses: 11 (82)

-Quality Comics, similar to Marvel/Timely, had scores of "also-ran" Golden Age characters that either had very short runs, or fairly generic concepts and didn't do well. MANY of these I'm only aware of because of the great DC's Cosmic Teams website and its distinctive "Big-Head" Microheroes way of depicting characters in simple shorthand for their forms- in particular the doofus wearing a bandana over his eyes (Just 'n' Right).

Image

THE ACE OF SPACE ("Ace" Egan)
PL 8 (110)
Created By:
H. Weston Taylor & Harry Francis Campbell
First Appearance: Feature #38 (Nov. 1940)
Powers: "Alien Belt" Growth 2, Mental Communication 2, Extended Vision 3, Leaping 7 (Flaws: Removable), Equipment 10 (Alien Spaceship) [28]

-The Ace of Space was a pilot who discovered a dying alien, who gave him a device that gave him super-powers (oh COME ON- what kind of an origin story is THAT?). Ace Egan, New York playboy, gains a belt that makes him grow to nine feet tall and gives him a handful of oddball super-powers. He also flies the alien's ship. Sadly, this bizarre concept only lasts for a few months- 1940 to Feb. 1941 across four issues.

Image
Image

THE BARKER (Clarence "Carnie" Calahan)
PL 4 (75)
Created By:
Joe Millard & Jack Cole
First Appearance: National Comics #42 (May 1944)
Abilities: ST -1, STA -2, AGI -1, FIGHTING -2, PRE +1, Dodge -1, Expertise (Carnival Showman) 8 (+12) [-7]

-The Barker is actually a TREMENDOUSLY successful character, lasting from 1944-1949, replacing Uncle Sam in National Comics, and even getting his own solo book- The Barker ran for fifteen issues! It was a comedy feature staring carnival barker "Carnie" Calahan and his friends, the strongman Tiny Tim, fat lady Lena, and dwarf Major Midge. The feature involved outlandish costumes and unusual abilities, but wasn't a superhero one. The concept was revisited and updated in Detective Comics circa 2005.

Image

BILL THE MAGNIFICENT
PL 7 (86)
Created By:
xxxxxxxx
First Appearance: Hit Comics #25 (Jan. 1943)
Powers: FIGHTING -4, INT -1, AWA -3, PRE -1, Dodge -4, Enhanced Strength 4, Enhanced Stamina 4, Speed 6 (120 mph), Leaping 4 (60 feet) [4]

-Bill the Magnificent was another comedy feature, similar to Johnny Thunder- an otherwise average guy gains super-strength, speed, and invulnerability when he exclaims "Jeepers creepers", as well as becoming more confident, and skilled with women. He's also the only person in his town that doesn't know he can do that- his memory is erased after every adventure. The feature lasts barely two years, ending in winter 1944 in nine issues of Hit Comics.

Image

BLACK ROGER (Roger Randolph)
PL 7 (89)
Created By:
xxxxxxxx
First Appearance: Buccaneers #19 (Jan. 1950)
Abilities: Equipment (Sword +2), Expertise (Pirate) 8 (+9), Expertise (Law) 4 (+5) [7]

-Black Roger is more of a Zorro type- a historical-themed hero, in that he's a pirate, but a good one. An English lawyer, he was kidnapped by enemies and put on a ship bound for America, but he proved himself when the ship was attacked by corsairs, and became its new captain. He appears in eight issues of Buccaneers- a 1950s Quality book.

Image

BLIMPY THE BUNGLING BUDDHA
PL 7 (82)
Created By:
Sy Reit (possibly)
First Appearance: Feature Comics #64 (Jan. 1943)

-Blimpy was a comedy strip featuring a rotund blue Buddha figure (literally an "ancient Oriental Buddha statue brought to life" by Tabby Taylor, a normal kid) with genie-like powers. Naturally, this lasted SIX YEARS- way longer than 90% of Quality's superheroes. To disguise himself, Blimpy naturally tried to appear black, putting coal dust on his skin (JESUS).

Image
Image

THE BLUE TRACER (Captain "Wild" Bill Dunn)
PL 7 (86)
Created By:
Fred Guardineer
First Appearance: Military Comics #1 (Aug. 1941)
Abilities: Vehicles 8 (+12) [4]

-The "Blue Tracer" technically refers to the Captain's vehicle- a bullet-shaped flying tank. He's an American engineer serving in the British Army so he can fight Nazis. The feature lasts from 1941-43 across the first sixteen issues of Military Comics, the book centered around the Blackhawk Squadron. Cosmic Teams says the book had some wonderful art and vehicle designs by Fred Guardineer.

BOOMERANG JONES
PL 6 (70)
Created By:
Fred Gardineer
First Appearance: Military Comics #1 (Aug. 1941)
Abilities: ST -1, STA -1, FIGHTING -2, INT -1, AWA -1, PRE -1, Equipment 2 (Boomerang +4) [-12]

-Boomerang was the Captain's sidekick in the Blue Tracer featurer- an Australian soldier.

Image

BOZO THE IRON MAN (Hugh Hazzard)
PL 8 (106)
Created By:
George E. Brenner
First Appearance: Smash Comics #1 (Aug. 1939)
Powers: "Bozo Powersuit" Enhanced Strength 4, Protection 5 (Impervious 7), Flight 5 (60 mph) (Flaws: Removable) [24]

-Hugh Hazzard was a police consultant who defeated a mad scientist who was using a robot to terrorize the city. He then simply used the robot for HIMSELF, controlling it via remote to fight crime. Later, he discovers he can climb into Bozo himself and control him directly. It's a pretty simple Powersuit design, but like... it's 1939! And we had a Powersuit guy! The feature lasted for four years, ending in 1943. Cosmic Teams says it wasn't very good, however.

Image

THE DEATH PATROL
PL 7 (84)
Created By:
Jack Cole
First Appearance: Military Comics #1 (Aug. 1941)
Abilities: ST -1, STA -1, FIGHTING -2, Vehicles 8 (+12), Equipment 2 (Guns +4) [-2]

-This was a similar story to Blackhawks, appearing in the same magazine, and done by Jack Cole. A fired airline pilot named Del Van Dyne flies to England to join the Royal Air Force, then meets a group of escaped cons who want to help the war effort- they find some planes and go off to fight Nazis. The "hook" of the early stories was that a member died in every story, with a new member joining in the next one. Later stories had a fixed membership- Gramps (an old man), Hank (a big cowboy), Boris (a Russian), King Hotintot (an... African stereotype), and Yogi (an Indian Muslim, who had mental powers and flew using a... flying carpet). Despite being silly as hell, this feature lasted five years, until 1946.

Image

DESTINY (Real Name Unknown)
PL 7 (82)
Created By:
George Brenner
First Appearance: Police Comics #15 (Jan. 1943)

-Destiny ran in the feature that was once 711. He had discovered the ability to forsee death (a random seer literally named "Seezall Nozal" sensed his power during a show and plucked him out of the audience, then bolted). Destiny would be transported to the scene of impending death- this led him to 711's killer, Oscar Jones. The Destiny feature lasted about a year.

Image

THE DESTROYING DEMON (Bruce Blackburn)
PL 7 (82)
Created By:
Harry Francis Campbell
First Appearance: Feature Comics #32 (May 1940)

-Bruce Blackburn was initially the star of a generic "Spy" feature in Military Comics (in which he and another man faked their deaths and faked being identical twins to go on spy adventures), but hopped aboard the superhero bandwagon to become The Destroying Demon twice, wearing a goofy devil costume worse than most Halloween get-ups, with a little red hood and fake beard & moustache. He lasts about two years across 24 issues of Feature Comics before they gave up.

Image

THE DRAGON (Real Name Unknown)
PL 7 (82)
Created By:
Fred Guardineer
First Appearance: Doll Man Quarterly #2 (Spring 1942)

-A very peculiar "Mighty Whitey" story which doesn't seem to feature AS MUCH Asian-based racism as other comics featuring Asians of the time (which is to say, it's pretty goddamn racist but not, like, "Chop-Chop" racist). The Dragon is an American Marine wearing a t-shirt with Super Mario World's Fuzzy on it, leading a team of Chinese guerillas against the invading Japanese. He only lasts about a year, across four issues of Doll Man Quarterly, based around a far more successful hero.

Image

G-2 (Captain Don Leash)
PL 7 (82)
Created By:
Ruben Moreira
First Appearance: National Comics #27 (Dec. 1942)

-Wearing a fairly distinct costume- not a lot of heroes dressed in blue/grey at this point in time- Don Leash is an Army intelligence officer who dons a costume to fight evil. He lasts three years across nineteen issues of National Comics.

Image

THE GHOST OF FLANDERS ("Rip" Graves)
PL 7 (82)
Created By:
George E. Brenner
First Appearance: Hit Comics #18 (Dec. 1941)

-Now this one's a bit interesting- "Rip" Graves (his name a pun on "Rest in Peace") was declared Killed In Action in World War I, with the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Washington, DC said to be featuring him (then... why is it called "THE UNKNOWN SOLDIER"?). He discovers this, but pretends to be dead and wears a costume to fight the Axis. He lasts for a single year across 7 issues of Hit Comics. His distinctive "soldier helmet over tights" look is mostly what I remember about him.

Image

THE GREAT DEFENDER (Stormy Foster)
PL 8 (80)
Created By:
Maxwell Elkan
First Appearance: Hit Comics #18 (Dec. 1941)
Powers: Enhanced Strength 4, Enhanced Stamina 3, FIGHTING -1 [12]

-Stormy Foster was a druggist who developed a "Super-Vitamin" that gave him super-strength, similar to the Black Terror and Hourman, as well as the Blue Beetle (who had a druggist friend instead). He had a Chinese sidekick named Ah Choo (lol jesus christ), who Sidney said "grew more stereotypical as time went on" (he initially had no accent; later, he started swapping "L" and "R"). He lasts three solid years in Hit Comics, going for sixteen issues.

THE HAWK (T. James Harrington III)
PL 7 (84)
Created By:
George E. Brenner
First Appearance: Feature Funnies #2 (Nov. 1937)
Abilities: Benefit 2 (Wealth) [2]

-Quality's first hero, TJH III was a weathy heir in a shapeless hood and a taloned glove. He only makes this one appearance- it's suggested he was created just to fill space until The Clock was transferred over.

Image

The '40s- Where no man has been afflicted with nipples.

JOE HERCULES
PL 9 (106)
Created By:
Dan Zolnerowich
First Appearance: Hit Comics #1 (July 1940)
Powers: ST +7, STA +6, FIGHTING -2, Dodge -2, Leaping 4 (60 feet) [24]

-Initially an unpowered hero, Joe Hercules over time gave Golden Age Superman-equivalent strength. I based one of my OC-verse's Golden Age heroes after him in "Kid Hercules", then forgot exact which hero I'd knocked off, lol. But I always remembered the "Hercules" name and visual look (big cape and undies). His run was a solid two years across 21 issues of Hit Comics. In Starman, it was mentioned he'd ended up with Alzheimer's.

INFERIOR MAN (Courtney Fudd)
PL 8 (72)
Created By:
Al Jaffee
First Appearance: Military Comics #7 (Feb. 1942)
Abilities: ST +5, STA +4, FIGHTING -2, INT -2, AWA -4, PRE -4, Dodge -4 [-10]

-A comedy feature, Inferior Man starred a doofus with great strength, drawn by MAD Magazine's Al Jaffee.

Image

JUST 'N' RIGHT (Justin Wright)
PL 7 (86)
Created By:
George E. Brenner
First Appearance: Doll Man #1 (Winter 1941)
Abilities: Expertise (Lumberjack) 8 (+10) [4]

-Okay, this one I always remembered from the distinctive "Microhero" featuring a guy in a blue suit with a white BANDANA tied over his eyes. Like, how the hell did he see?! He's a lumberjack (WTF?) who gained a fortune from his murdered parents the day he turned 26. However, he was horrified to learn what had become of them- he was orphaned but didn't know how. He used this financial windfall to engage in a one man war on crime. This goof maintains only a single appearance.

Image
Image

LADY LUCK (Brenda Banks)
PL 7 (84)
Created By:
Will Eisner & Chuck Mazoujian
First Appearance: The Spirit Section (June 1940)
Abilities: ST -1, STA -1, Investigation +4, Equipment 2 (Gun +4) [0]

-Lady Luck is a Will Eisner creation, appearing as a lady all in green, complete with a veil over her mouth and a wide-brimmed hat. She was Quality's first female superhero. She knew jujitsu and carried a gun, solving crimes with her wits. She appeared for six years in The Spirit Section, and had her own book for half a year in 1949! The character mysteriously reappeared in the "New 52" era of DC, but it's believed she's owned by the Eisner estate.

Image

MADAME FATAL (Richard Stanton)
PL 7 (84)
Created By:
Art Pinajian
First Appearance: Crack Comics #1 (May 1940)
Abilities: Deception +4 (+9) [2]

-A stage actor who impersonates an ELDERLY WOMAN to fight crime. He uses this to find his kidnapped daughter, and holy shit this book lasted for TWO YEARS in Crack Comics.

MARGO THE MAGICIAN (Margo Webster)
PL 8 (104)
Created By:
xxxxxxxx
First Appearance: Uncle Sam Quarterly (Winter 1941)
Powers: ST -2, STA -1, FIGHTING -2, Illusion (All Senses) 8 [22]

-The daughter of an actual magician who gained the power to make illusions.

THE MARKSMAN (Baron Povalski)
PL 8 (89)
Created By:
Ed Cronin
First Appearance: Smash Comics #33 (May 1942)
Abilities: Ranged Attack +4, Equipment 2 (Bow & Arrow), Benefit (Alternate Identity) [7]

-This guy wore an "M" shirt with a red cape. He was a Polish Patriot with two other identities, Nazi officer Major Hurtz & the costumed bow-wielder the Marksman. He lasted a fair bit- 1942-1948.

MONSIEUR X (Real Name Unknown)
PL 7 (82)
Created By:
Al McWilliams
First Appearance: Military Comics #6 (Jan. 1942)

-A mask-wielding French freedom fighter who appears in only a single issue.

Image

THE MOUTHPIECE (Bill Perkins)
PL 7 (82)
Created By:
Fred Guardineer
First Appearance: Police Comics #1 (Aug. 1941)

-Bill Perkins was yet another Spirit rip-off (even wearing an IDENTICAL COSTUME). Cancelled two months after The Spirit strip was added to Police Comics with the Eisner Studio moving to Quality. Overall, he was around for two years.

THE ORCHID (Real Name Unknown)
PL 7 (82)
Created By:
George E. Brenner
First Appearance: Crack Comics #2 (June 1940- mentioned), Crack Comics #27 (Jan. 1943- seen)

-A mysterious masked woman who aided The Clock.

Image

... umm... that costume?

RUSTY RYAN & THE BOYVILLE BRIGADIERS
PL 7 (82)
Created By:
Paul Gustavson
First Appearance: Feature Comics #32 (May 1940), Feature Comics #32 (Aug. 1941- Rusty)

-A "Kid Gang" feature, the Boyville Brigadiers and Rusty Ryan later took Rusty's name for the strip. They lived in the dormitory of a boys' school and got into all sorts of danger. Rusty, Smiley Scott, Ed, Whitey & Scotty eventually donned patriotic costumes to get into the superhero craze, with creator Paul Gustavson aging the boys a bit. Like most "Kid Gang" strips, it was a long runner- it lasted NINE YEARS, between 1940-1949.

Image
Image

AHHAAHAHA OH GOD.

THE SCARLET SEAL (Barry Moore)
PL 7 (82)
Created By:
Manning de Villeneuve Lee
First Appearance: Smash Comics #16 (Nov. 1940)

-Barry Moore was an actor who donned... oh jesus... yellowface to fight crime in Chinatown as a fake Chinese guy. Yes. I suppose we should be lucky he wasn't called The Yellow Adventurer or something.

Image

711 (Daniel Dyce)
PL 7 (82)
Created By:
George Brenner
First Appearance: Police Comics #1 (Aug. 1941)

-711 (a scarlet-dressed version of The Shadow) has a strange origin, but otherwise wasn't interesting- he had agreed to take the fall for a friend, so that friend could be there for the birth of his child. But said friend died, leaving Daniel Dyce with no way to prove his innocense. He dug his way out of jail, acting as a vigilante (using his prisoner # as a name), but returned to his cell each night as a "cover". He was one of the very first heroes to die, being killed off by the man who created him- he was replaced by Destiny, who avenged him. He lasted only a couple of years.

Image

THE SNIPER (Real Name Unknown)
PL 7 (88)
Created By:
xxxxxxxx
First Appearance: Military Comics #5–34 (Dec. 1941–Nov. 1944)
Abilities: Ranged Attack +4, Equipment 2 (Rifle +5) [6]

-Another distinctive one, looking like Robin Hood with a rifle. Despite never getting a real name, he was in nearly 30 issues of Military Comics alongside the Blackhawks, lasting for three years.

Image
Image

Good shit, that color scheme!

THE SPIDER WIDOW (Dianne Grayton) & THE RAVEN (Tony Grey)
PL 7 (82)
Created By:
Frank M. Borth
First Appearance: Feature Comics #57 (Jan. 1942- Widow), Feature Comics #60 (Sept. 1942- Raven)

-The Spider Widow & The Raven were a crimefighting duo. Altogether, they lasted about a year. The Spider Widow was a rich athlete who was tired of her well-to-do friends ignoring the evils of the world, and so she donned a scary witch disguise to fight crime. Using some of her gardener's pet black widow spiders, she attacked some saboteurs. The Spider Widow simply used trained spiders (!), while the Raven flew using artificial wings.

Image
Image

Hey, at least he made the "Roster Circles".

THE SWORD (Chic Carter)
PL 7 (82)
Created By:
Vern Henkel
First Appearance: Smash Comics #1 (Aug. 1939)
Abilities: FIGHTING -1, Close Combat (Unarmed) 1, Equipment 1 (Sword +2) [0]

-A guy in a yellow shirt, red pants and black domino mask, The Sword was initially an "Adventurer" character named Chic Carter, but briefly got into the superhero gig two years into his run. He had a LONG run, too lasting from 1939-1945.

THE UNKNOWN (Real Name Unknown)
PL 7 (82)
Created By:
Ted Udall and Bernard Klein
First Appearance: National Comics #23 (June 1942)

-Another shirtless hero, The Unknown (unrelated to Quality's Neon the Unknown) looked like Joe Hercules. He was an American who was shot while fighting in WWII and gained amnesia, fighting as a one-man-army thereafter. He appeared in nearly 20 issues of National Comics, lasting two years.

Image

U.S.A.- THE SPIRIT OF OLD GLORY (Real Name Unknown)
PL 9 (114)
Created By:
Maurice Gutwirth
First Appearance: Feature Comics #42 (March 1941)
Powers: Enhanced Stamina 4, Morph 2, Protection"Torch" Blast 7, AE: Flight 6 (120 mph) (Flaws: Easily Removable), "Flag" Deflect 10 (Flaws: Easily Removable) [32]

-USA was a female superhero of a similar bent to Uncle Sam. The embodiment of an American ideal, she had been a young girl in 1777, when she witnessed Betsy Ross sewing the first American flag. Growing ill, she died with some threads from that first flag in a locket that was buried with her- when the locket was unearthed and opened, the girl sprang to life as "USA", with a magic flag and the torch of liberty, as well as some other super-powers. The feature lasted only a handful of issues over half a year.

THE VOICE (Real Name Unknown, aka Mr. Elixir)
PL 7 (107)
Created By:
Stan Aschmeier
First Appearance: Feature Comics #32 (May 1940)
Powers: Enhanced Strength 4, Enhanced Stamina 3, FIGHTING -2, "Super-Hypnotism" Mind Control 5 (Flaws: Vision-Dependent) [25]

-Another drug-using powerhouse, The Voice appears as an old man with a Van Dyke beard- like Sigmund Freud. His origin is strange- in 1790, a family was shipwrecked by a typhoon, and some magical herbs on their island refuge gave the boy super-powers. He appears 150 years later and is rescued, and remakes the herbs, which gives him super-strength. He befriended a neighbor and helped him fight organized crime. He also used super-hypnotism. He lasted less than a year- his name was often given to Quality villains thereafter.

Image

Christ, how many of these dudes stole the Spirit's clothes and dyed them?

THE WHISTLER (Mallory Drake)
PL 7 (86)
Created By:
Vernon Henkel
First Appearance: National Comics #48 (June 1945)
Powers: "Eerie Whistling" Affliction 4 (Will; Entranced/Compelled/Controlled) (Extras: Area- Hearing Perception) (Flaws: Limited to Fear) [4]

-ANOTHER Spirit-looking guy, this dude (in grey with a red domino mask) came way late. When his brother was fatally wounded by mobsters, police reporter Mallory Drake was told by his dying bro to use his eerie whistling ability to strike fear into the hearts of criminals. Shockingly, this ding-dong of a character lasted a whole year.

Image

WINGS WENDALL (Captain Wendall)
PL 7 (86)
Created By:
Vernon Henkel
First Appearance: Smash Comics #1 (Aug. 1939)
Abilities: Vehicles 8 (+12) [4]

-Wings Wendall was a yellow-clad hero with a blue mask and aviator goggles- fitting for an aviator hero. He only wore the costume in three issues of his three-year run, however. He flew a Bullet-Plane, designed by a friend of his.

Image

WONDER BOY (Real Name Unknown)
PL 9 (106)
Created By:
Jerry Iger, Toni Blum & John Celardo
First Appearance: National Comics #1 (July 1940)
Powers: ST +7, STA +6, FIGHTING -2, Dodge -2, Leaping 4 (60 feet) [24]

-Wonder Boy appeared as a lone teenage male hero, possibly inspired by the sued-into-oblivion Superman knock-off "Wonder Man". He was an alien from the destroyed planet Viro, landing in Chicago. So... he's basically Superman, but with "The strength of a hundred full grown men in one little boy!". He lasted for two years, but under his creator Jerry Iger, Elliot Comics re-used him in 1944, and Ajax/Farrell used him in 1955.

Image

YANKEE EAGLE (Jerry Noble)
PL 7 (88)
Created By:
Phil Martin
First Appearance: Military Comics #1 (Aug. 1941)
Powers: Comprehend 2 (Animals), Vehicles +4 [6]

-A goofy character, Yankee Eagle wears pretty normal (if colorful) clothes and can talk to animals in their own language. He debuted as a senator's son, but later showed up as an ex-stuntman... and also stopped talking to animals. So basically he was re-made entirely. He lasted a little less than a year.

Image

YARKO THE GREAT/MR. MYSTIC (Ken)
PL 7 (82)
Created By:
Will Eisner & Bob Powell
First Appearance: The Spirit Section (June 1940)

-Mr. Mystic is another Mandrake rip-off, sporting a yellow turban and red cape, like Will Eisner's Yarko the Great from Fox Publications- in fact, this is just a retooled version of that guy. The two were published simultaneously for a time, but Yarko disappeared. Mr. Mystic had been shot down over a Tibet-like country, where seven lamas saved him and transformed him into a mystic hero. His powers seemed limitless- he was basically a genie. Astral Projection, Teleportation, Element Control, Metamorphosis- anything.

Image

ZERO- GHOST DETECTIVE (Real Name Unknown)
PL 7 (89)
Created By:
Dan Zolnerowich
First Appearance: Feature Comics #32 (May 1940)
Powers: "Ghost Disintegrator" Blast 8 (Limited to Ghosts), "Q-Ray Detector" (Ghost Awareness- Ranged 2) [7]

-Zero, Ghost Detective, was a guy in a tuxedo who was familair with the occult, but mostly used investigative knowledge. He fought "criminal denizens of the phantom realm" (ie. ghosts)- in one story, a man returns as a ghost-ogre, and Zero puts a stake through his heart. He had weird artifacts like a "Ghost Disintegrator" and a "Q-Ray Detector"- essentially a Ghost Blaster and Ghost Detector. They feature has a solid run, lasting from 1940-1943.
Last edited by Jabroniville on Thu May 12, 2022 1:49 am, edited 1 time in total.
Post Reply