The Curse of Skeleton Munroe

Category: 1937

  • MONSTER, CRITTER AND CREATURE ROUND-UP 003

    I hope everyone likes monsters as much as I do because there are a whole lot of them to cover.

    Beaked Tyros:

    When polar explorer Anthony Conrad gets lost in an Arctic storm and falls through a hole in the pack ice, he reasonably expects to meet his demise. Instead, he falls into the subterranean kingdom of Artica and is chosen by the elderly Artican king – also a stranded former surface explorer – as his successor. 

    As part of the coronation process, Anthony must prove his mettle to his prospective subjects, and step two of that process is Thrilling Arena Combat with the horrible beaked tyros “Lord of Artica’s Jungles,” and I love this thing. Though it looks like just another low-rent carnosaur at first glance, upon closer examination it has many bizarre features, including weird bird legs, thin, unpleasant-looking teeth, radially-symmetrical hands that are possibly equipped with suckers on the palms, and skin that is described as “hairy” in the caption box. Truly this is a strange and wonderful beast that sadly must be chopped up in service to the story. (Cyclone Comics 001, 1940)

    the Beast:

    When asked to prove his worthiness to wed the Princess Ahloo, our hero Abdallah knows exactly what to do: ride directly to a nearby valley full of dinosauroids and slay one of them. Though one of the pteranodon-adjacent flying reptiles that confront him when he enters the valley would probably be sufficient to satisfy Ahloo’s father, Abdallah instead opts to battle a creature referred to only as the Beast, a possibly-fire-breathing, possibly-carnivorous sauropodoid that give him a truly heroic-level challenge. And it works! He gets the girl! (Funny Pages v2 003, 1937)

    the Birds:

    These vulture-monsters come very close to destroying the Blue Bolt on his very first adventure. They are only prevented from doing so, in fact, because they work for the Green Sorceress and she has become infatuated with Our Hero here on sight.

    I’m always a big fan of these kinds of monster birds that up the ante on deadliness by throwing most of the birdliness of the creature out the window and instead give them the body plan of a griffin. Really great stuff and my only note is that some of the tails are very unpleasant to look at. (Blue Bolt v1 001, 1940)

    Bolu:

    Meg and Mickey are two children who have access to a magical time-travel stone and use it to just kind of blunder around throughout history. In this particular instance they have ended up in the Stone Age and are only saved from being eaten by some uncharitable portrayals of our collective ancestors by the appearance of a dinosaur, called Bolu by the cavemen and of course far, far more out of place than two 20th Century kids could ever hope to be. There is some indication that the bolu was summoned by the Spirit of the Stone to save the two from becoming dinner, but if that’s the case then why do the cavemen already know about it? (The Comics 007, 1938)

    Carnicantileia:

    The swamp-dwelling carnicantileia briefly menaces Flip Falcon and his associates during one of his early adventures when he mostly uses his fantastic time-and-space machine to go to Mars. It’s a pretty impressive snake-style beast, and as such it’s a real shame that it is killed in such a goofy way, by having a big rock thrown down its gullet. (Fantastic Comics 003, 1940)

    Carnivoplant:

    The carnivoplant is a classic man-eating plant, subtype seaweed, that almost kills adventurer Kinks Mason before it in turn is preyed upon by a swarm of phosphomites. And just what are phosphomites, you may ask? Contextually, they are small glowing creatures that eat carnivoplants, and that is all the information we get. (Fight Comics 001, 1940)

    Cave Monster:

    Modern day cowboy hero Bull’s-Eye Bill and his companions meet this cave reptile while pursuing an outlaw, and as I previously observed, it was clearly meant to set up an adventure into a prehistoric underground world that subsequent creators chose not to take advantage of. 

    As for the one beast that we do get to see fight some cowboys, I really appreciate how lizardy it looks, as well as how it seems to be posing for maximum dramatic effect in every panel, even when killing a guy or writhing around in its death throes. (Target Comics v1 007, 1940)

    the Ozix:

    Someday
    when I post a picture of a creature that is just a big cat with some extra stuff stapled onto it in one of these round-ups I will be able to refer to it
    as a standard type of creature, but I simply haven’t done the work yet.
    The ozix, then, is a beast with the body of a leopard and the head of a
    crocodile – how novel a concept! Adventurer Congo Jack must slay this
    one during his adventures under the earth. (Lightning Comics v2 002,
    1941) 

    Dakk:

    Returning to the adventures of King Anthony in the sub-Arctic world of Artica, here we see him as he is about to tour his kingdom on the back of a domesticated dakk, and I must say that I like the very beast-of-burden look that they have given to this creature’s head. Sadly, this particular dakk has been poisoned as part of an attempt to assassinate the new king.

    This assassination attempt is only partially successful, as Anthony survives the fall into the jungles of Artica but is then placed in further peril at the claws of the various creatures that live there, such as this amazing giraffe-patterned water lizard.

    Though he escapes the lizard, Anthony is almost immediately attacked by a great horned tigrid, which is is of course a regular tiger with two little horns on its head, and another example of what I was talking about in the ozix entry.

    Finally, after stumbling upon the roots of the conspiracy against him and dealing with them violently, King Anthony makes his way home on a humble unicorn. (Cyclone Comics 003, 1940) 

    the Storm Monster:

    A giant reptilian beast that plagues an African village on a yearly basis (during a huge storm, natch), the Storm Monster meets its end after swallowing Kaänga whole, upon which he carves his way free of its guts with his trusty knife. (Jungle Comics 021, 1941)

  • MEDIA IN COMICS 007

    We’ve got some real early media for you today, so get ready for the crustiest scans of microfiche you ever saw.

    Movies:

    Steve Rogers and Bucky almost get to the movies to see a flick called Million Dollar Robbery before being interrupted by a real, if smaller-scale, robbery. BONUS: a classic case of real movies stars barely obfuscated by having their first names swapped, in Humphrey Raft and George Bogart, aka George Raft and Humphrey Bogart. (Captain America Comics 004, 1941)

    Hired to look into dirty dealings on the Stupendous Films lot, Slam Bradley and Shorty Morgan go undercover as stunt doubles. The comedy film that Shorty works on is never named, but Slam briefly works on a film called Jungle Man. (Detective Comics v1 004, 1937)

    Larry Steele’s own investigations into a series of high-profile kidnappings take him to the set of Too Much Money, a movie we never learn anything about. (Detective Comics v1 005, 1937)

    It’s just barely possible to make out that this movie that the Radio Squad boys watch is called The Fighting Cop. A bit on the nose, boys! (More Fun Comics 038, 1938)

    Music:

    Detective Bruce Nelson investigates a series of murders committed on stage while each victim was singing the same song. That song was originally called “The Night is Blue,” but is now known as “The Song of Death.” (Detective Comics 020, 1938)

    In Action Comics 006, a grifter named Nick Williams falsifies some contracts and begins licensing Superman’s name all over town, and one of the results of this is a song! Specifically, a big band tune called “You’re a Superman!”

    I wouldn’t call it the greatest song ever written (no song should include the word “resistless,” for example), but it’s not entirely terrible. (Action Comics v1 006, 1938)

    Newspaper Columns:

    Written by Paul Revere Sr, ultra-patriot and father to comic book adventure kid Paul Revere Jr, “America Awake!” is one of those exciting titles that works for an anti-Nazi column in 1941 and also potentially for a pro-Nazi one in the present. (Banner Comics 003, 1941)

    Jay Garson Jr, aka the Ragman, wrote his “Crime Does Not Pay” column right up until someone tried to kill him for it and he was forced to fake his own death. And then kept on writing it for a while afterward, seemingly mostly in order to give his old editor a hard time. (Cat-Man Comics 001, 1941)

    Radio Shows:

    In addition to “You’re a Superman!” Nick Wilson’s Superman-licensing deals included a Superman radio show, meaning that the DC Universe had one a full two years before we did.

    Wilson also mentions having sold movie and comic book rights, but as he is beaten up and forced to stop his scheme by the real Superman not long after this conversation it’s likely that those never saw the light of day. (Action Comics v1 006, 1938)

    Theatre:

    Slam Bradley and Shorty Morgan investigate the crimes of the Broadway Bandit by getting jobs on Broadway, specifically as tap dancers in a production called Love on Ice that despite its name seems to be a variety show rather than anything with a discernible plot. (Detective Comics v1 016, 1938)

    Renick’s Frolics, the show in which “The Song of Death” appears, is another of these variety productions. (Detective Comics v1 020, 1938)

     

    We learn nothing about Darkest Dawn other than the fact that someone is trying to kill the lead actress and Nadir, Master of Magic, is on the case. (New Adventure Comics 028, 1938)

  • MEDIA IN COMICS 007

    We’ve got some real early media for you today, so get ready for the crustiest scans of microfiche you ever saw.

    Movies:

    Steve Rogers and Bucky almost get to the movies to see a flick called Million Dollar Robbery before being interrupted by a real, if smaller-scale, robbery. BONUS: a classic case of real movies stars barely obfuscated by having their first names swapped, in Humphrey Raft and George Bogart, aka George Raft and Humphrey Bogart. (Captain America Comics 004, 1941)

    Hired to look into dirty dealings on the Stupendous Films lot, Slam Bradley and Shorty Morgan go undercover as stunt doubles. The comedy film that Shorty works on is never named, but Slam briefly works on a film called Jungle Man. (Detective Comics v1 004, 1937)

    Larry Steele’s own investigations into a series of high-profile kidnappings take him to the set of Too Much Money, a movie we never learn anything about. (Detective Comics v1 005, 1937)

    It’s just barely possible to make out that this movie that the Radio Squad boys watch is called The Fighting Cop. A bit on the nose, boys! (More Fun Comics 038, 1938)

    Music:

    Detective Bruce Nelson investigates a series of murders committed on stage while each victim was singing the same song. That song was originally called “The Night is Blue,” but is now known as “The Song of Death.” (Detective Comics 020, 1938)

    In Action Comics 006, a grifter named Nick Williams falsifies some contracts and begins licensing Superman’s name all over town, and one of the results of this is a song! Specifically, a big band tune called “You’re a Superman!”

    I wouldn’t call it the greatest song ever written (no song should include the word “resistless,” for example), but it’s not entirely terrible. (Action Comics v1 006, 1938)

    Newspaper Columns:

    Written by Paul Revere Sr, ultra-patriot and father to comic book adventure kid Paul Revere Jr, “America Awake!” is one of those exciting titles that works for an anti-Nazi column in 1941 and also potentially for a pro-Nazi one in the present. (Banner Comics 003, 1941)

    Jay Garson Jr, aka the Ragman, wrote his “Crime Does Not Pay” column right up until someone tried to kill him for it and he was forced to fake his own death. And then kept on writing it for a while afterward, seemingly mostly in order to give his old editor a hard time. (Cat-Man Comics 001, 1941)

    Radio Shows:

    In addition to “You’re a Superman!” Nick Wilson’s Superman-licensing deals included a Superman radio show, meaning that the DC Universe had one a full two years before we did.

    Wilson also mentions having sold movie and comic book rights, but as he is beaten up and forced to stop his scheme by the real Superman not long after this conversation it’s likely that those never saw the light of day. (Action Comics v1 006, 1938)

    Theatre:

    Slam Bradley and Shorty Morgan investigate the crimes of the Broadway Bandit by getting jobs on Broadway, specifically as tap dancers in a production called Love on Ice that despite its name seems to be a variety show rather than anything with a discernible plot. (Detective Comics v1 016, 1938)

    Renick’s Frolics, the show in which “The Song of Death” appears, is another of these variety productions. (Detective Comics v1 020, 1938)

     

    We learn nothing about Darkest Dawn other than the fact that someone is trying to kill the lead actress and Nadir, Master of Magic, is on the case. (New Adventure Comics 028, 1938)

  • ALIENS AND SO FORTH ROUND-UP 029

    The wonders of the cosmos!

    Spiny Scalemen: 

    The Spiny Scalemen are yet another group of gross-looking underwater humanoids who threaten the mostly peaceful nation of Amloza, and what’s worse, they’re doing it as part of a Nazi plot to take over the city and use it as a naval base. Thankfully Mogg the Fish-Man and only competent citizen of Amloza realizes that city walls are a bit of a useless affectation in an underwater environment and destroys the Scalemen by collapsing Amloza’s onto them. (Champ Comics 016, 1941)

    Categorized in: Body (Nonhuman Parts), Generica (Men)

    Flat Heads: 

    “Og, Son of Fire” was a comic adapted from a Big Little Book that was based on a series of short stories and also a radio show about Og, a young caveman who is trying to make his way in a hostile world. And importantly for the purposes of this blog, one of the things making the world more hostile is this tribe of ape men led by a fellow named Long Tooth. Heaven knows I love an ape man, but I love ’em even more when they’re called something fun like “Flat Heads.” See also the Flat Heads’ Sun God here. (The Funnies 013, 1937)

    Categorized in: Body (Heads)

    the Flies:

    While the Barrangees of Planet Barrang have had a lot of problems with insects over the years – they famously grew giant and drove the Barangee population underground, while insect-worshipping Barrangee priests stymied any attempt to reclaim the surface – their most troublesome foes were always the giant flies. These creatures have adapted to their new size by becoming active hunters rather than scavengers, and the Barrangees are a favourite prey. Couple this with the fact that Earthman Captain Tornado and his cohort have encouraged the Barrangees to move above ground and you get situations like the above, in which a Fly abducts a Barrangee child in broad daylight.

    The Flies are the most intelligent and organized of the Barrang insect species featured in the “Captain Tornado” feature, and they make war on the Barrangee city under the direction of their Fly King until Tornado bring knowledge of both firearms and insecticide to the planet and effectively counters their offensive. (Popular Comics 054, 1940)

    Categorized in: Animals (Insects), Extrasolar (Planet Barrang)

    Fourth Dimensional Creatures:

    After foiling several of Satan Rex’s attempts to destroy humanity, scientific adventurer Jon Linton and his pals return to their first love: tinkering around with spaceships. And since Jon et al exist in an adventure comic, the first test flight of their new rocket turns into an out-of-control flight through space at never-before-seen speeds, careening directly through planets without touching an atom and ending up on a world where thought and reality intersect, kind of like that one episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation.

    During their pell-mell flight through space, Linton and pals are briefly visited by these tentacle-legged lizard monsters, who appear to be kind of generically hostile for a few minutes before fading back into the ether. Just what the heck is going on?

    Jon hits upon the answer with his customary swiftness: these are inhabitants of the Fourth Dimension, and the ship briefly intersected with their space. Does this justify the seeming aggression that their show to the people on the spaceship? We cannot accurately judge, alas. (Amazing Mystery Funnies v3 007, 1940)

    Categorized in: Extradimensional (Fourth Dimension)

  • DIVINE ROUND-UP 023

    The gods they just keep on coming. 

    Osiris: 

    Ibis the Invincible’s power levels get a bit of a nerf in 1941 when the caveat that his Ibistick is ineffective, variously, against magic, evil magic and in areas of ambient magic (just which is the case depends on the dramatic needs of the story). This forces him to come up with creative solutions to his problems, such as during this attack by a storm demon summoned by his arch-foe Trug, in which he summons the Ancient Egyptian god Osiris to act as divine muscle.

    Osiris is one of the more humanoid of the Egyptian gods, so the only major critique to levy about his appearance (other than all of the stuff that any Egyptology nerds who read this are yelling about of course), aside from the fact that he’s supposed to be green. I’m not sure if Osiris is the go-to god for demon-battling either. Maybe Horus would be a better choice?

    Regardless, Osiris defeats the demon and then takes off. I’m sure that the above panel is meant to represent him returning to the land of the gods, but I get a real kick out of the image of him just wandering off into the California countryside, inspiring religious mania in the locals. 

    God Style: Real (Whiz Comics 016, 1941)

    Thoth: 

    After yet another magical attack by his enemy Trug, Ibis again turns to the gods of Egypt for aid, this time appropriately from the ibis-headed god of wisdom, Thoth.

    I appreciate that the artist made an effort, but while this version of Thoth looks reasonably cool that is absolutely not an ibis head. It’s more like an angry and disturbingly flesh-toned duck. Duck head or no, Thoth comes through and supplies Ibis with a divination spell capable of locating the magically-shielded Trug.

    God Style: Real (Whiz Comics 017, 1941)

    the Man of the Mountain:

    Once Ibis locates Trug he also has to contend with the Man of the Mountain, a guy with four arms who, appropriately, lives on a mountaine. 

    While Ibis calls the Man of the Mountain an evil spirit, Trug insists that he is a “Great God of Revenge.” The being in question remains silent, which is a shame because he really could have cleared up this taxonomic problem for us with a few words.

    Whatever the Man of the Mountain is, he is also unable to withstand the fall off of his home mountain after Ibis tabletops him. He shatters at the bottom, revealing (to me at least) that he is in fact made of stone. RIP, Man of the Mountain.

    God Style: Real (Whiz Comics 017, 1941)

    the Snake-God: 

    The subject of cult worship and human sacrifice in a cavern somewhere under NYC, this particular snake seemingly has a bit more of the divine about it than its fellow animal subjects of worship in comics. At the very least it is bulletproof, though this does not avail it against the raw might of Dr Occult’s mitts. And as a bonus, its entire cult is crushed in its death throes!

    God Style: Animist (Real?) (More Fun Comics 027, 1937)

  • DIVINE ROUND-UP 023

    The gods they just keep on coming. 

    Osiris: 

    Ibis the Invincible’s power levels get a bit of a nerf in 1941 when the caveat that his Ibistick is ineffective, variously, against magic, evil magic and in areas of ambient magic (just which is the case depends on the dramatic needs of the story). This forces him to come up with creative solutions to his problems, such as during this attack by a storm demon summoned by his arch-foe Trug, in which he summons the Ancient Egyptian god Osiris to act as divine muscle.

    Osiris is one of the more humanoid of the Egyptian gods, so the only major critique to levy about his appearance (other than all of the stuff that any Egyptology nerds who read this are yelling about of course), aside from the fact that he’s supposed to be green. I’m not sure if Osiris is the go-to god for demon-battling either. Maybe Horus would be a better choice?

    Regardless, Osiris defeats the demon and then takes off. I’m sure that the above panel is meant to represent him returning to the land of the gods, but I get a real kick out of the image of him just wandering off into the California countryside, inspiring religious mania in the locals. 

    God Style: Real (Whiz Comics 016, 1941)

    Thoth: 

    After yet another magical attack by his enemy Trug, Ibis again turns to the gods of Egypt for aid, this time appropriately from the ibis-headed god of wisdom, Thoth.

    I appreciate that the artist made an effort, but while this version of Thoth looks reasonably cool that is absolutely not an ibis head. It’s more like an angry and disturbingly flesh-toned duck. Duck head or no, Thoth comes through and supplies Ibis with a divination spell capable of locating the magically-shielded Trug.

    God Style: Real (Whiz Comics 017, 1941)

    the Man of the Mountain:

    Once Ibis locates Trug he also has to contend with the Man of the Mountain, a guy with four arms who, appropriately, lives on a mountaine. 

    While Ibis calls the Man of the Mountain an evil spirit, Trug insists that he is a “Great God of Revenge.” The being in question remains silent, which is a shame because he really could have cleared up this taxonomic problem for us with a few words.

    Whatever the Man of the Mountain is, he is also unable to withstand the fall off of his home mountain after Ibis tabletops him. He shatters at the bottom, revealing (to me at least) that he is in fact made of stone. RIP, Man of the Mountain.

    God Style: Real (Whiz Comics 017, 1941)

    the Snake-God: 

    The subject of cult worship and human sacrifice in a cavern somewhere under NYC, this particular snake seemingly has a bit more of the divine about it than its fellow animal subjects of worship in comics. At the very least it is bulletproof, though this does not avail it against the raw might of Dr Occult’s mitts. And as a bonus, its entire cult is crushed in its death throes!

    God Style: Animist (Real?) (More Fun Comics 027, 1937)

  • DIVINE ROUND-UP 011

    Lookit’m go!

    Thor: 

    This particular version of Thor, Norse God of Thunder invests mortal man Grant Farrel with his powers, but while most ancient gods who get up to that sort of thing in comics are looking for an agent to fight against or promote a cause or agenda, Thor seems to just seems to want to see his powers being used in adventures. It’s kind of wholesome!

    Please also note the weird discs on Thor’s helmet. What the heck is up with those? 

    God style: real (Weird Comics 001, 1940)

    the Slave Giants’ Goddess: 

    Space-time adventurer Flip Falcon (back when he was called Flick Falcon, before someone realized that “flick” in comic book block lettering is awful close to “fuck”) spent his first few escapades getting in the middle of a conflict between various Martian races and an invading three-armed species. As a part of this, Fli(ck/p) and his companion Adele come up with a scheme to substitute her for the idol that the Three-Arms had been using to control the credulous Martian Giants.

    This works well enough that it causes a minor holy war among the Giants, but I suppose that all’s fair in planetary defense. 

    God style: idol/ fake (Fantastic Comics 003, 1940) 

    the Sun God: 

    A big tree worshipped by a group of hominids known as “flat heads” via human hominid sacrifice. Fortunately for Og, Son of Fire and his companions, they represent a slightly more quick-witted type of hominid and manage to escape this grisly fate. 

    God style: animist (The Funnies 013, 1937)

    Zagu: 

    Source of conflict between a local tribe who insist that he lives in a mine site and the guy who really wants to mine there. Unsurprisingly, the Red Panther shows up to take the mine owner’s side.

    God style: invoked (Jungle Comics 003, 1940) 

  • NOTES – AUGUST 2025

     

    Big Head Futurites:

    Just a fun illustration of the concept of future humans being big-headed weirdos, from the “Brick Bradford” Sunday strip for 5 December, 1937 

    Honours – Thor, God of Thunder: 

    Grant Farrel, aka Thor, God of Thunder, gets a medal in his role in defending the US from invasion by fascist Gratnia. Note that it is Grant and not Thor who gets the medal, because Grant does a lousy job of protecting his secret identity. (Weird Comics 003, 1940)

    Honours – Typhon: 

    Honoured at the Inter-Ocean Congress for stopping the dastardly Menar. (Weird Comics 006, 1940)

    Panel Fun: 

    Just good clean fun with bad spelling as Thor heads to Tibet to warn the Grand Llama about an impending bandit attack. (Weird Comics 004, 1940)

  • ALIENS AND SO FORTH ROUND-UP 006

    Martians aplenty, plus more! 

    Martians: 

    Time traveller Scott Rand and his companions stumble into a Martian invasion of Earth during a jaunt to the far-distant future world of 2000 CE, and they immediately get in on the planet-defending action. Featuring a Viking vs Martian battle, for all those fans of classic 2010s mashup humour.

    These particular Martians aren’t anything special, but I must say that I appreciate their minimalist, doorstop-shaped spacecraft. (Top-Notch Comics 002, 1940)

    Martians: 

    Scott Rand soon makes his way to Mars proper, where he encounters this very human-looking Martian wearing an outfit that is as jam-packed with retro-futuristic fashion elements as it is possible to be. His particular style of Martians just so happened to have been under attack by the reason for Rand’s trip to Mars… (Top-Notch Comics 003, 1940) 

    Martians: 

    … Kruzzo, the Ice King of Mars, aka the “Master Pirate of Time,” leader of this considerably more goblinoid type of Martian, who he leads on raids from their hidden city at the Martian South Pole. Kruzzo has captured 2/3 of Rand’s companions, and has messed with the wrong time traveller and the wrong Viking and the wrong scientist and the wrong Ancient Egyptian princess this time, because their entire city ends up getting blown to kingdom come.

    I was initially going to lump these guys and the previous ones together, but there are some obvious phenotypical differences between the two groups. Are they and the Martians who tried to invade Earth all different subtypes of the same species, Basil Wolverton style or did three groups of Martian hominid all make the leap to full sentience around the same time? (Top-Notch Comics 003, 1940)

    Arurans: 

    Bob Steele’s whole thing is that he’s got a spaceship and he’s ready to head to another planet at a moment’s notice, to meet alien intelligences and either befriend or befoe them. Despite the chilly reception depicted above, Bob ultimately befriends the Arurans of planet Arura, a civilization with many enemies but no meaningful physiological distinction from any other bunch of white guys. (Funny Picture Stories v1 007, 1937)

  • MINOR SUPER-HERO ROUND-UP 043

    A grab bag of old characters I skipped over back in the early days when I thought that this blog wasn’t going to be completely self-indulgent. 

    Mr Clue: 

    He only had one adventure in which he solves the murder of a mayor by a police chief, but Mr Clue is too great a name not to take note of. (Master Comics 001, 1940)

    the Red Gaucho: 

    A swashbuckling hero in the Zorro mode, the Red Gaucho protects the South American nation of Santa Palos from threats both foreign and domestic before eventually just kind of wandering North to have adventures in a sort of generic Central America. He’s a fun character! He has one of the biggest hats in comics!

    The Red Gaucho is also a character I think about whenever the topic of white supremacy comes up. White supremacy is one of those topics that gets a lot of people very angry, but at its base it’s simply the belief that the world consists of white people and everyone else and more specifically that it’s white people versus everyone else in a competition to keep white people on top, where they belong. And the further back you go, the less people felt the need to hide the fact that that was their worldview, and possibly the place that that attitude is most on display is in early Golden Age comics – just read any set outside North America and you’ll catch on to it pretty quickly.

    Anyway, that is all to say that even though it’s more subtle than a lot of other examples of this worldview in comics, ever since I noticed that every single appearance of the Red Gaucho includes a disclaimer assuring readers that he was in fact the child of two Americans and not some horrible South American – heavens forfend! – his smiling face pops into my head whenever the subject comes up.(Nickel Comics 004, 1940)

    the Hawk:

    On a less heavy note, here’s the Hawk! Created by George Brenner, who also created the Clock, the Hawk has the distinction of being the first masked crimefighter to appear in a comic that would eventually be amalgamated into the DC Comics fold (the Clock had only appeared in Centaur comics up until this point and wouldn’t make his way into a Quality book for a few months yet). A heady and heavily qualified distinction!

    The Hawk is secretly T. James Harrington II, wealthy and useless playboy who hangs around looking bored until some crime happens and it’s time for the Hawk to hit the streets. It’s a bit Bruce Wayne/Batman only without the parental murder.

    Unlike Batman, the Hawk leans pretty minimal on the costume front, with his major identifying feature being a set of slip-on claws. 

    The Hawk also has a couple of assistants named Link and Rollo who are touted as the only people who know the Hawk’s identity but who don’t get much time to show their stuff in this, their one-panel appearance. Astute readers might note that the crook that the Hawk has just captured likely also knows his secret identity at this point but please note that Link and Rollo are identified as the only living people to know the secret. Sinister stuff!

    DC has already gone with the Crimson Avenger as the Official First Golden Age Super-Hero but I reckon that the Hawk would be a fun guy to be brung back for some future story involving early mystery men antics. (Feature Funnies 002, 1937)

    *Hero Update* Shock Gibson:

    It had to happen someday: Shock Gibson disguises himself as a cowboy and in the process abandons his iconic helmet forever. Fare the well, helmet. (Speed Comics 007, 1940)