The Curse of Skeleton Munroe

Category: minor super-villain

  • MINOR SUPER-VILLAIN 139: IVAN BORLOFF

    MINOR SUPER-VILLAIN 139: IVAN BORLOFF

     (Adventure 061, 1941)


    Ivan Borloff is a strange combination of things: a scientist with a super airship (the Cylindecraft) and a metal-destroying ray, he rains destruction down on New York City in pursuit of his goal of conquering the US (and by implication, the world), but also, it’s implied that he is affiliated with *foreign powers*, ie, fascists – possibly ones who didn’t quite know what they were getting into. 

    His name ringing more Russian might mean that he is a rare pre-Cold War Commie villain, but a more likely explanation is plain old lazy naming – German, Russian… it’s all basically the same, right?

  • MINOR SUPER-VILLAIN 139: IVAN BORLOFF

    MINOR SUPER-VILLAIN 139: IVAN BORLOFF

     (Adventure 061, 1941)


    Ivan Borloff is a strange combination of things: a scientist with a super airship (the Cylindecraft) and a metal-destroying ray, he rains destruction down on New York City in pursuit of his goal of conquering the US (and by implication, the world), but also, it’s implied that he is affiliated with *foreign powers*, ie, fascists – possibly ones who didn’t quite know what they were getting into. 

    His name ringing more Russian might mean that he is a rare pre-Cold War Commie villain, but a more likely explanation is plain old lazy naming – German, Russian… it’s all basically the same, right?

  • MINOR SUPER-VILLAIN 138: DR DOOG

     (Adventure 061, 1941)


    Starman’s first foe is also his first super-foe: the diabolical Dr Doog. Doog (and nothing is ever made of his name being Good, backward) has stolen a device called to Ultra-Dynamo from Professor Davis (above right) and is using it to disrupt electrical power across North America in service to his dreams of world domination.

    Doog brings in deathtraps, a hollowed-out mountain base and perhaps most importantly, a group of henchmen with the excellent name the Secret Brotherhood of the Electron. It’s small wonder that he’s already been brought back once or twice, a decision that I wholeheartedly endorse.

  • MINOR SUPER-VILLAIN 138: DR DOOG

     (Adventure 061, 1941)


    Starman’s first foe is also his first super-foe: the diabolical Dr Doog. Doog (and nothing is ever made of his name being Good, backward) has stolen a device called to Ultra-Dynamo from Professor Davis (above right) and is using it to disrupt electrical power across North America in service to his dreams of world domination.

    Doog brings in deathtraps, a hollowed-out mountain base and perhaps most importantly, a group of henchmen with the excellent name the Secret Brotherhood of the Electron. It’s small wonder that he’s already been brought back once or twice, a decision that I wholeheartedly endorse.

  • MINOR SUPER-VILLAIN 137: THE SHADE

     (Action v1 043, 1941)


    Vigilante’s first super-foe has the misfortune to share his name with a certain Flash villain beloved of James Robinson, so it’s just as well that he’s nothing more than a gang boss who uses stage illusions to conceal his real identity because he is never seeing the light of day again.

    He did manage to make a second appearance in the Golden Age, so at least there’s that.

  • MINOR SUPER-VILLAIN 136: THE LEGION OF THE MASKED

    (Adventure Comics 058, 1941)


    The Barry O’Neill serial in Adventure Comics had basically been about Barry battling the dastardly villain Fang Gow (Minor Super-Villain 001) from its inception in 1935 to his death by sea mine six years later and evidently someone thought that it could continue as more of a free form adventure strip despite losing that structure (as well as its setting, having started as a comic set in Paris that had quietly moved to London about the time that the German Army marched in). In fact, it lasted for two issues before Barry and his pal Inspector LeGrande retired to New York City and Starman took over the page real estate.

    The Legion of the Masked are the one other super-foe that Barry faced after the death of Fang Gow and… they did okay, getting up to a little arson, a little insurance fraud and a fair bit of theft and murder. Why they chose to dress like they are in the Klan while doing it, we will never know.

  • MINOR SUPER-VILLAIN 135: THE PURPLE

    (Action Comics v1 040, 1941)

    Yet another foreign agent looking to weaken America, the Purple does so by forming what is supposedly a patriotic society but in reality is a collection of fervent dupes that can be aimed at whatever target he wishes. Mr America steps in and lays out the truth for the Purple Gang but I fear for the future of a community filled with that many dim bulbs.

    As always, massive appreciation for a villain who dresses their henchmen in basically the same costume as them.

  • MINOR SUPER-VILLAIN 134: THE GHOST

    (Action Comics v1 039, 1941)

    The Ghost is one of Superman’s earliest superpowered foes, being Brett Bryson, a chemist who was accidentally irradiated while conducting an experiment and, having found himself with both a burning radium touch and a short time left to live, set out to steal enough in the time he had left to provide for his family once he was finally gone.

    But there is a twist to the Ghost’s story! The lab accident? Planned by Bryson’s greedy partners! The stolen money? Was never going to be delivered to Bryson’s family! I like this because this is the earliest example of the On Purpose Lab Accident Origin that I’m aware of in comics and that’s a reasonably common origin! (Brett Bryson does not like it and murders his partner before dying himself)

  • MINOR SUPER-VILLAIN 133: THE BIG BOSS

    (Action Comics v1 037)

    Just a society playboy who puts on a mask to run his crooked casino empire. He might just be my new example of the bare minimum that I need to consider someone a super-villain – nobody is even surprised when his identity is revealed, but he has the barest film of anonymity along with a secret boat dock and a moderately cool name.

    Also he gets hit by a boat.

  • MINOR SUPER-VILLAIN 133: THE BIG BOSS

    (Action Comics v1 037)

    Just a society playboy who puts on a mask to run his crooked casino empire. He might just be my new example of the bare minimum that I need to consider someone a super-villain – nobody is even surprised when his identity is revealed, but he has the barest film of anonymity along with a secret boat dock and a moderately cool name.

    Also he gets hit by a boat.