The Curse of Skeleton Munroe

Category: minor super-villain

  • MINOR SUPER-VILLAIN 864: THE BLOODY BARON

    (Wonderworld Comics 010, 1940)

    The Bloody Baron was once Karek, Baron of the Duchy of Morziava, somewhere in the spooky part of Eastern Europe. Nine Hundred plus years ago he went off to war and came back a woman-killing creep and so his people burned him at the stake. Ever since, he’s been rising from the dead and carrying off a woman per year – that’s at least eight hundred women as of the story we’re talking about!

    Yarko the Great is passing through Morziava when he runs into the Albert Deach, the son of an old friend, and his Morziavan fiance Sonya Miran. They collectively seek shelter for the night in a nearby castle and have the bad luck to find the Bloody Baron and his cadre of ghostly knights, who grab Sonya and spirit her off to the Valley of Shadows, which is either a euphemism for the underworld or a location in the underworld, take your pick.

    Yarko of course pursues, using the Baron’s own sword as a link to his spirit and then later as a weapon to stab the ghostly knights with.

    The Baron is made of sterner stuff than his subordinate ghosts, and Yarko’s magic is hampered by being in the underworld. but this doesn’t prove to be a problem, because the Baron has spent eight centuries generating an army of vengeful spirits and is completely unprepared to deal with any sort of ghost-on-ghost violence. Yarko only has to summon three dagger-wielding women before he is completely destroyed and descends to some sort of lower underworld yet. The people of Morziava are finally free!

  • MINOR SUPER-VILLAIN 864: THE BLOODY BARON

    (Wonderworld Comics 010, 1940)

    The Bloody Baron was once Karek, Baron of the Duchy of Morziava, somewhere in the spooky part of Eastern Europe. Nine Hundred plus years ago he went off to war and came back a woman-killing creep and so his people burned him at the stake. Ever since, he’s been rising from the dead and carrying off a woman per year – that’s at least eight hundred women as of the story we’re talking about!

    Yarko the Great is passing through Morziava when he runs into the Albert Deach, the son of an old friend, and his Morziavan fiance Sonya Miran. They collectively seek shelter for the night in a nearby castle and have the bad luck to find the Bloody Baron and his cadre of ghostly knights, who grab Sonya and spirit her off to the Valley of Shadows, which is either a euphemism for the underworld or a location in the underworld, take your pick.

    Yarko of course pursues, using the Baron’s own sword as a link to his spirit and then later as a weapon to stab the ghostly knights with.

    The Baron is made of sterner stuff than his subordinate ghosts, and Yarko’s magic is hampered by being in the underworld. but this doesn’t prove to be a problem, because the Baron has spent eight centuries generating an army of vengeful spirits and is completely unprepared to deal with any sort of ghost-on-ghost violence. Yarko only has to summon three dagger-wielding women before he is completely destroyed and descends to some sort of lower underworld yet. The people of Morziava are finally free!

  • MINOR SUPER-VILLAIN 863: KARNO THE CHESS MAN

    (Wonderworld Comics 009, 1940)

    Detective Dr Fung’s pal Dan Barrister racks up one of the swifter “this information is impossible/ the impossible thing is right behind me” turnarounds in comics history when he and Dr Fung are kidnapped by a Moth Man about 1.5 seconds after he expresses disbelief in the existence of Moth Men who kidnap people. It turns out that the Moth Men in question work for a super-villainous type named Karno the Chess Man (sometimes Chessman) who lives in what I would call an excessively stair-filled cave considering the tiny little wheels on his mobility aid.

    And just why is Karno sending moth-themed henchmen to kidnap people? Why because he doesn’t have a full chess set yet and so he must transform moderately thematically-appropriate people into the pieces he is missing. Yes, Karno is an obsessive criminal of the sort that we usually getting punched out by Batman in the 1960s and he thinks that Dr Fung would make a distinguished king.

    Dr Fung is no slouch, however, and while the Moth Men are subduing Dan Barrister he slips off into the shadows and starts blasting henchmen with their own ray rifles. In short order he, Dan and Irene Jonson (previously destined to be turned into a chess queen) are winging their way home courtesy of the Chess Man’s own ray-powered person launcher, though Karno takes a page from Dr Fung’s playbook and escapes in the commotion.

    Karno returns in Wonderworld Comics 010, as Dan and Dr Fung return to capture him once and for all, and he is not only easy to track down but almost shockingly easy to disarm, as Dr Fung demonstrates using a moist handkerchief.

    The big confrontation between Fung and the Chess Man, as exciting and action-packed as it is, is interrupted by some unfortunate activity in the depths of Karno’s lair, proving once again that the coolness factor of living inside an active volcano always comes at a price.

    Dr Fung, Dan and Karno make their escape just ahead of a wave of flowing lava – no word on whether any of the Moth Men made it out – and Karno is so grateful for their efforts in saving him that he resolves to turn over a new leaf and turn himself in. A surprisingly wholesome end to the tale, for once!

  • MINOR SUPER-VILLAIN 863: KARNO THE CHESS MAN

    (Wonderworld Comics 009, 1940)

    Detective Dr Fung’s pal Dan Barrister racks up one of the swifter “this information is impossible/ the impossible thing is right behind me” turnarounds in comics history when he and Dr Fung are kidnapped by a Moth Man about 1.5 seconds after he expresses disbelief in the existence of Moth Men who kidnap people. It turns out that the Moth Men in question work for a super-villainous type named Karno the Chess Man (sometimes Chessman) who lives in what I would call an excessively stair-filled cave considering the tiny little wheels on his mobility aid.

    And just why is Karno sending moth-themed henchmen to kidnap people? Why because he doesn’t have a full chess set yet and so he must transform moderately thematically-appropriate people into the pieces he is missing. Yes, Karno is an obsessive criminal of the sort that we usually getting punched out by Batman in the 1960s and he thinks that Dr Fung would make a distinguished king.

    Dr Fung is no slouch, however, and while the Moth Men are subduing Dan Barrister he slips off into the shadows and starts blasting henchmen with their own ray rifles. In short order he, Dan and Irene Jonson (previously destined to be turned into a chess queen) are winging their way home courtesy of the Chess Man’s own ray-powered person launcher, though Karno takes a page from Dr Fung’s playbook and escapes in the commotion.

    Karno returns in Wonderworld Comics 010, as Dan and Dr Fung return to capture him once and for all, and he is not only easy to track down but almost shockingly easy to disarm, as Dr Fung demonstrates using a moist handkerchief.

    The big confrontation between Fung and the Chess Man, as exciting and action-packed as it is, is interrupted by some unfortunate activity in the depths of Karno’s lair, proving once again that the coolness factor of living inside an active volcano always comes at a price.

    Dr Fung, Dan and Karno make their escape just ahead of a wave of flowing lava – no word on whether any of the Moth Men made it out – and Karno is so grateful for their efforts in saving him that he resolves to turn over a new leaf and turn himself in. A surprisingly wholesome end to the tale, for once!

  • MINOR SUPER-VILLAIN 862: BEAUTIA

    (Whiz Comics 003b, 1940)

    Captain Marvel first encounters Beautia after being tricked into taking a trip to Venus with a disguised Dr Sivana. There, she rules over a kingdom of wonderful frog aliens called Glompers

    If you’ve read any supplemental material about Dr Sivana then you probably know that Beautia is actually one of his four children, but this is not established since 1941, and honestly the Beautia/Sivana interactions in her first handful of appearances do not support the relationship as having been planned from the start. Dr Sivana is more of a Bad Boss than a Bad Dad here. 

    Dr Sivana is of course back on his quest to take over the US in this issue, with Beautia being brought in to act as his figurehead using her preternatural charm. After Captain Marvel disables the paralysis gas machine that the two are using to subdue the population, they flee into the night – after a bit of a flirtatious note for Captain Marvel. 

    The Beautia/Sivana team return in Whiz Comics 004 with an extremely simple and effective plot: use Beautia’s effect on the American male in order to get her elected President of the United States. 

    The plan might just have worked, too, if Dr Sivana had been able to curtail his villainous instincts for just a few weeks. Instead, he kidnaps Billy Batson in an attempt to rid himself of his great enemy and ends up giving him enough information to publish an expose, ruining Beautia’s chances for election and sending her back to Venus in disgrace.

    Beautia returns in Whiz Comics 009, as Dot Darling, beloved newsreel reporter, and also spy for Dr Sivana. By means of a concealed locket camera, she acquires information on US Naval manoeuvres so that Dr Sivana can destroy the US fleet and make yet another bid to take over the country.

    Though she has been happy to go along with Sivana up until now, the reality of the widespread death and destruction necessary for Sivana’s plan causes Beautia to rebel and attempt to warn the fleet away, upon which he attempts to murder her. This marks the beginning of Beautia’s reformation, though it would take one or two more appearances before she was fully distanced from her former ally/future father.

    UPDATES: 

    UPDATE 1941 

  • MINOR SUPER-VILLAIN 861: EMPEROR CORON

    (Whirlwind Comics 003, 1940)

    Earth in the far-off future of 1980 CE simply can’t catch a break! This time they’re being pelted with comets from somewhere in the vicinity of Jupiter and as per usual scientist-adventurer Bruce Barlow is on the case. And he’s a good choice, as evidenced by the fact that even when he has a rocket mishap and ends up going entirely the wrong way, crashing on Venus…

    … he still finds the source of the comets! This is Emperor Coron, ruler of Venus, who is attacking Earth for no stated reason. As  Barlow learns when he is thrown in jail, Coron has usurped the throne from his new cellmate Gola and not only has he had Gola’s daughter Venus’ tongue torn out (fuckin’ yikes) but he intends to marry her to cement his claim to the throne. A true creep of the first water.

    Luckily for both Gola and Venus, there is not a prison that Bruce Barlow cannot escape or a wedding that he cannot ruin. He and Gola crash the affair in a quite literal fashion by upsetting the idol to whatever god the Venusians worship onto at least one – hopefully evil – guest.

    Once the people of Venus get word that their beloved Gola is alive, Coron’s days are numbered. Mob justice wins again! Everyone wins but Coron! And of course poor tongueless Venus.

    (I think I’ve mentioned before that the creator of the Bruce Barlow strip is unknown, but whoever they were I think we can safely say that they were fans of Jack Kirby. Just compare these Venusians to Iako for instance. I don’t think it was Kirby himself, because his art was a lot more composed than this, but there’s definitely some inspiration going on)

  • MINOR SUPER-VILLAIN 861: EMPEROR CORON

    MINOR SUPER-VILLAIN 861: EMPEROR CORON

    (Whirlwind Comics 003, 1940)

    Earth in the far-off future of 1980 CE simply can’t catch a break! This time they’re being pelted with comets from somewhere in the vicinity of Jupiter and as per usual scientist-adventurer Bruce Barlow is on the case. And he’s a good choice, as evidenced by the fact that even when he has a rocket mishap and ends up going entirely the wrong way, crashing on Venus…

    … he still finds the source of the comets! This is Emperor Coron, ruler of Venus, who is attacking Earth for no stated reason. As  Barlow learns when he is thrown in jail, Coron has usurped the throne from his new cellmate Gola and not only has he had Gola’s daughter Venus’ tongue torn out (fuckin’ yikes) but he intends to marry her to cement his claim to the throne. A true creep of the first water.

    Luckily for both Gola and Venus, there is not a prison that Bruce Barlow cannot escape or a wedding that he cannot ruin. He and Gola crash the affair in a quite literal fashion by upsetting the idol to whatever god the Venusians worship onto at least one – hopefully evil – guest.

    Once the people of Venus get word that their beloved Gola is alive, Coron’s days are numbered. Mob justice wins again! Everyone wins but Coron! And of course poor tongueless Venus.

    (I think I’ve mentioned before that the creator of the Bruce Barlow strip is unknown, but whoever they were I think we can safely say that they were fans of Jack Kirby. Just compare these Venusians to Iako for instance. I don’t think it was Kirby himself, because his art was a lot more composed than this, but there’s definitely some inspiration going on)

  • MINOR SUPER-VILLAIN 860: MUSKOG

    (Whirlwind Comics 002, 1940)

    This is Muskog, ruler of the Earth’s core in the far-future year of 1980 CE and total dick. Muskog has been blasting the surface of the planet with a static electricity ray for seemingly no reason whatsoever, or at least no reason that he cares to state. This of course attracts the attention of crack science adventurer Bruce Barlow, who ventures into the molten depths on behalf of his people to ask “how come?”

    There are precisely three things I want to note about Muskog’s sole appearance. The first is simply to note that his name is infuriatingly close to muskeg, the Arctic/subarctic bog biome. Is this a coincidence, or did Bruce Barlow’s unknown creator(s) know and love the word as much as I do?

    Secondly, we must mention Barlow’s method of getting to the centre of the Earth: via a capsule that is shot out of a big gun into a volcanic crater. Never has any idea so neatly conveyed how simultaneously wonderful and dumb comic books can be. And how is he going to get back, you ask? Why by means of an “upward space helmet” that will simply float him back through the fiery mantle.

    Finally, as always, I must take note of any time that an alien or otherwise nonhuman species crops up in which the males are, e.g., bug-eyed green weirdos but the females are conventionally attractive human women, as seen here in the person of Muskog’s rebellious daughter Eda. Ah, the wonders of evolution.

    Eda frees Barlow, allowing him to destroy the irreplaceable explosion machines,  but unfortunately is unable to join him on his voyage through thousands of kilometres of molten rock because she is wounded. Barlow promises to return and is later seen trying to spin this return voyage not as a sex thing but as being in the interests of science, heh heh.

    Bruce Barlow is of course honoured by the surface world for his efforts, and this gives us the opportunity to see that the US flag of 1980 has only 28 stars – what great calamity has caused 20 whole states to succeed/ be kicked out/ other? Worldbuilding!

  • MINOR SUPER-VILLAIN 860: MUSKOG

    (Whirlwind Comics 002, 1940)

    This is Muskog, ruler of the Earth’s core in the far-future year of 1980 CE and total dick. Muskog has been blasting the surface of the planet with a static electricity ray for seemingly no reason whatsoever, or at least no reason that he cares to state. This of course attracts the attention of crack science adventurer Bruce Barlow, who ventures into the molten depths on behalf of his people to ask “how come?”

    There are precisely three things I want to note about Muskog’s sole appearance. The first is simply to note that his name is infuriatingly close to muskeg, the Arctic/subarctic bog biome. Is this a coincidence, or did Bruce Barlow’s unknown creator(s) know and love the word as much as I do?

    Secondly, we must mention Barlow’s method of getting to the centre of the Earth: via a capsule that is shot out of a big gun into a volcanic crater. Never has any idea so neatly conveyed how simultaneously wonderful and dumb comic books can be. And how is he going to get back, you ask? Why by means of an “upward space helmet” that will simply float him back through the fiery mantle.

    Finally, as always, I must take note of any time that an alien or otherwise nonhuman species crops up in which the males are, e.g., bug-eyed green weirdos but the females are conventionally attractive human women, as seen here in the person of Muskog’s rebellious daughter Eda. Ah, the wonders of evolution.

    Eda frees Barlow, allowing him to destroy the irreplaceable explosion machines,  but unfortunately is unable to join him on his voyage through thousands of kilometres of molten rock because she is wounded. Barlow promises to return and is later seen trying to spin this return voyage not as a sex thing but as being in the interests of science, heh heh.

    Bruce Barlow is of course honoured by the surface world for his efforts, and this gives us the opportunity to see that the US flag of 1980 has only 28 stars – what great calamity has caused 20 whole states to succeed/ be kicked out/ other? Worldbuilding!

  • MINOR SUPER-VILLAIN 859: TOKO THE TERRIBLE

    (Whirlwind Comics 001, 1940)

    In the far future of 1980 CE, Earth is under threat of conquest from space. A mysterious ray has dissolved the nation of Slovania, and now a being called Toko the Terrible, Emperor of Saturn has issued an ultimatum: surrender to him or the entire Earth will suffer the same fate.

    This of course will not stand, and Earth sends their best guy (Bruce Barlow), to deal with the threat of Toko.

    Barlow, being a man of action, immediately attacks Toko and calls him insane, getting himself thrown into the very cool-sounding Prison of Invisible Bars for his trouble. This proves not to be a terrible, species-ending blunder by a real meathead as it might have originally appeared but instead a masterstroke of strategy, as while stewing behind (invisible) bars, he meets Professor Jenkins, first human on Saturn and the original inventor of the Ultra-Dissolvo-Raygun, bane of Slovania. Together, they bust Bruce out of jail, prevent the dissolving of Earth and turn the ray on Toko himself, which has the knockon effect of freeing the citizens of Saturn from his vile influence. Plus he had already conquered the rest of the Solar System, so they all get freed too!