The Curse of Skeleton Munroe

Category: Blue Beetle

  • CATALOGUE OF WOUNDS 011

    We regret to inform you that more super-heroes have been wounded.

    the Blue Beetle: 

    The very first thing that happens in the very first Blue Beetle comic: Dan “the Blue Beetle” Garret gets shot in the left arm. (Mystery Men Comics 001, 1939)

    Domino the Miracle Boy:

    It’s a miracle (a boy miracle?) that Domino survives 1941, because he gets hit by a dang car. (Green Mask v1 006, 1941)

    Not two issues later, Domino gets shot in the ever-popular left shoulder (Green Mask v1 008, 1941)

    the Green Mask:

    I’ve been going through some old Fox Features comics for head traumas at the same time as reading The Green Mask v1 for the first time, which means that I’ve hit a real rich seam of injuries to the Green Mask in particular. Let’s review:

    The Green Mask gets shot in an unspecified place while swinging across a gorge and seemingly falls to his doom. Don’t worry though: he’s okay. (Green Mask v1 004, 1941)

    The Green Mask continues this trend of getting shot in an indeterminate location from close range in his next appearance, first at the hands of freelance spy Dr Tsu…

    And then by fascist spy chief Kurt Ebler. Despite Ebler’s assertion that the Green Mask is not bulletproof, I am beginning to suspect that he is at the very least bullet resistant. (Green Mask v1 005, 1941)

    Stepping back a bit: the Green Mask gets stabbed in the left shoulder. (Mystery Men Comics 013, 1940)

    One issue later: shot in the left shoulder. (Mystery Men Comics 014, 1941)

    Lest he be accused of neglecting the classics, the Green Mask sustains a textbook skull crease late in 1941. (Mystery Men Comics 022, 1941)

    And finally: the Green Mask’s left shoulder is “grazed by a bullet” hard enough to knock him off a car. (Green Mask v1 007, 1941)

  • CATALOGUE OF WOUNDS 002

    CATALOGUE OF WOUNDS 002

    Just which comic book character has taken the most punishment down through the years? join me as we compile the definitive guide to bodily trauma in the super class. 

    Blackhawk:

    Blackhawk must set off an explosion from closer-than-optimal range and ends up getting lightly shredded. (Military Comics 003, 1941)

    Blackhawk’s next two adventures feature him getting whipped badly enough to mark up his torso, by the Black Tigress and the Scavengers, respectively. (Military Comics 004 & 005, 1941)

    Blackhawks:

    Blackhawk stalwart Andre is shot in the back by Nazis and then starts an avalanche with his own body to bury those same Nazis. Though he does survive, Andre is believed to be dead for the next six issues. (Military Comics 003, 1941)

    Blue Beetle:

    Blue Beetle is shot in a gang drive-by while in his civilian identity of Dan Garret. He only survives thanks to an operation to remove the bullet lodged two inches from his heart. Bonus fact: Dan has Type B blood! (Blue Beetle Comics v1 004, 1940)

    Dan Garret’s partner/ the Blue Beetle’s most dogged persecutor Mike Mannigan is a bit of a wound magnet. Here he is getting his skull creased by a bullet while attempting to round up one of the Sphinx’s men… (Mystery Men Comics 018, 1941)

    And here he is getting shot in the right arm. (Mystery Men Comics 026, 1941)

    Congo Bill:

    1941 is a bad year for Congo Bill’s shoulders. First he gets shot in the left… (Action Comics v1 038, 1941)

    … and then he gets a spear thrown clear through the right. (Action Comics v1 041, 1941)

    Dr Fate:

    Inza Cramer – long-time Dr Fate Companion/ eventual Dr Fate herself – takes a bullet meant for Kent “Dr Fate” Nelson by an agent of Mister X and is almost killed. (All-Star Comics 005, 1941)

    the Flash: 

    Jay “the Flash” Garrick gets his skull creased by a bullet while moving slow to avoid risking his secret identity. (All-Flash Quarterly 002, 1941)

    the Patriot: 

    Future Captain America stand-in the Patriot is shot and seemingly killed at the end of his story in Marvel Mystery Comics 024 but at the resolution of the cliffhanger in the next issue he turns out to have sustained a fashionable bullet crease to the skull. (Marvel Mystery Comics v1 024, 1941)

    the Ragman:

    Ambushed and shot up by agents of the Stinger, the Ragman survives thanks to a bulletproof vest, but evidence would suggest that he was shot at least once and possibly twice in the right arm. (Cat-Man Comics 003, 1941)

  • CATALOGUE OF WOUNDS 002

    CATALOGUE OF WOUNDS 002

    Just which comic book character has taken the most punishment down through the years? join me as we compile the definitive guide to bodily trauma in the super class. 

    Blackhawk:

    Blackhawk must set off an explosion from closer-than-optimal range and ends up getting lightly shredded. (Military Comics 003, 1941)

    Blackhawk’s next two adventures feature him getting whipped badly enough to mark up his torso, by the Black Tigress and the Scavengers, respectively. (Military Comics 004 & 005, 1941)

    Blackhawks:

    Blackhawk stalwart Andre is shot in the back by Nazis and then starts an avalanche with his own body to bury those same Nazis. Though he does survive, Andre is believed to be dead for the next six issues. (Military Comics 003, 1941)

    Blue Beetle:

    Blue Beetle is shot in a gang drive-by while in his civilian identity of Dan Garret. He only survives thanks to an operation to remove the bullet lodged two inches from his heart. Bonus fact: Dan has Type B blood! (Blue Beetle Comics v1 004, 1940)

    Dan Garret’s partner/ the Blue Beetle’s most dogged persecutor Mike Mannigan is a bit of a wound magnet. Here he is getting his skull creased by a bullet while attempting to round up one of the Sphinx’s men… (Mystery Men Comics 018, 1941)

    And here he is getting shot in the right arm. (Mystery Men Comics 026, 1941)

    Congo Bill:

    1941 is a bad year for Congo Bill’s shoulders. First he gets shot in the left… (Action Comics v1 038, 1941)

    … and then he gets a spear thrown clear through the right. (Action Comics v1 041, 1941)

    Dr Fate:

    Inza Cramer – long-time Dr Fate Companion/ eventual Dr Fate herself – takes a bullet meant for Kent “Dr Fate” Nelson by an agent of Mister X and is almost killed. (All-Star Comics 005, 1941)

    the Flash: 

    Jay “the Flash” Garrick gets his skull creased by a bullet while moving slow to avoid risking his secret identity. (All-Flash Quarterly 002, 1941)

    the Patriot: 

    Future Captain America stand-in the Patriot is shot and seemingly killed at the end of his story in Marvel Mystery Comics 024 but at the resolution of the cliffhanger in the next issue he turns out to have sustained a fashionable bullet crease to the skull. (Marvel Mystery Comics v1 024, 1941)

    the Ragman:

    Ambushed and shot up by agents of the Stinger, the Ragman survives thanks to a bulletproof vest, but evidence would suggest that he was shot at least once and possibly twice in the right arm. (Cat-Man Comics 003, 1941)

  • IT’S THE SIGN OF THE BLUE BEETLE!

    IT’S THE SIGN OF THE BLUE BEETLE!

    What’s that? 

    The sign of who?

    That’s the guy.

    And the greatest and most unhinged sign of the Blue Beetle of all:

    (hover for issue numbers)

  • IT’S THE SIGN OF THE BLUE BEETLE!

    IT’S THE SIGN OF THE BLUE BEETLE!

    What’s that? 

    The sign of who?

    That’s the guy.

    And the greatest and most unhinged sign of the Blue Beetle of all:

    (hover for issue numbers)

  • GENERIC COSTUMED VILLAIN ROUND-UP 010

    The thing is that they have some but not all of the attributes of a super-villain.

    A sea-raider who uses a stolen acid gun to build a psychically-controlled army of skeleton men? If only he had a name or had a bit more swagger! Alas for him the Shark puts him down before he could do enough to elevate himself out of this gathering of also-rans. (Amazing-Man Comics 021, 1941)

    This gang of guys dressed as mailmen don’t give the Blue Beetle much trouble even when wielding compressed air guns that fire explosive pellets. I admire the visual, though. (Big 3 005, 1941)

    The Scooby-Doo style “fake haunting to drive people away from treasure/natural resource/property” is of course super-villain adjacent, but there are so many instances of in comics that I tend to disregard them as generic criminality. This unnamed fellow, however… not only was he attempting to scare off a homeowner so that he could look for pirate treasure in her basement but he went and “I would have gotten away with it…” -ed at that meddling Marvelo, Monarch of Magicians. (Big Shot Comics 009, 1941)

    Just some nameless goons that take part in an usurpation attempt against Blue Bolt villain the Green Sorceress but they’re Jack Kirby goons so they look fantastic. (Blue Bolt v1 004, 1940)

  • MINOR SUPER-VILLAIN 485: THE CONDOR

    (Big 3 005-006, 1941)

    As far as super-villains go, the Condor is a simple concept: the modern pirate. But the modern pirate is a classic character type! Murder on the high seas! Sneering braggadocio! Calling people swabs!

    And the Condor himself fits the role to a T. It doesn’t hurt that he’s such a well-designed character: who knew that a guy in a black suit would look so good as a pirate with the simple addition of a cape and tricorn hat? I couldn’t find a good picture of his face in profile but it is similarly well-designed, with a combination of intense eyes, beaklike nose and slight overbite really giving the predatory bird vibe.

    It’s not quite as on-theme, but the Condor’s plan to loot NYC York City is suitably villainous. Plus:

    … he has crooked politicians on his side! Including the mayor! (and here we must indulge in a brief aside: the Blue Beetle, like many super-heroes, operates out of a nonspecific urban landscape strongly influenced by New York City. It gets referred to as York City once or twice early on but for the most part goes nameless. But the thing is, it’s near a lot of places like Westchester and New Jersey that place it in the NYC neighbourhood, so I’ve been saying that it’s New York for a while now. Mayor Dorth here is just one too many anomalous mayors for me to ignore – I’m forced to conclude that the Blue Beetle operates out of a metropolis that may or may not be called York City and like Golden Age Gotham City essentially occupies the same geography as New York without being New York)

    And while many criminal mayors in comics are merely corrupt, Mayor Dorth is a proper wrongun – not only does he cover up the murder of Councilman Hals here by framing Joan Mason but he both helps set up the Condor’s raid on the city and attempts to betray him and make off with the loot himself. This of course only gets him killed but you have to appreciate the dynamism.

    The Condor is seemingly drowned by the Blue Beetle at the end of his first appearance but pops right back up again in the next issue to attack Dr Lane of the city museum. It’s a bit low-stakes after looting the entire city but the Condor still gives it his all.

    It’s all rather tawdry at the end: Dr Lane and the Condor have been smuggling uncut diamonds and Lane is for some reason attempting to double-cross a notably murderous pirate. There’s a lot of running around and attempted murder before the Condor is once again seemingly killed by the Blue Beetle, this time via a sock to the kisser that sends him into a ship’s boiler.

    Like Countess Belladonna before him, the Condor has all the hallmarks of a villain who would continue to return to plague the Blue Beetle if only Fox Features hadn’t had that unfortunate financial trouble and lost control of the character for a couple of years. Alas, he was forgotten during the Beetle’s time at Holyoke.

  • MINOR SUPER-VILLAIN 485: THE CONDOR

    (Big 3 005-006, 1941)

    As far as super-villains go, the Condor is a simple concept: the modern pirate. But the modern pirate is a classic character type! Murder on the high seas! Sneering braggadocio! Calling people swabs!

    And the Condor himself fits the role to a T. It doesn’t hurt that he’s such a well-designed character: who knew that a guy in a black suit would look so good as a pirate with the simple addition of a cape and tricorn hat? I couldn’t find a good picture of his face in profile but it is similarly well-designed, with a combination of intense eyes, beaklike nose and slight overbite really giving the predatory bird vibe.

    It’s not quite as on-theme, but the Condor’s plan to loot NYC York City is suitably villainous. Plus:

    … he has crooked politicians on his side! Including the mayor! (and here we must indulge in a brief aside: the Blue Beetle, like many super-heroes, operates out of a nonspecific urban landscape strongly influenced by New York City. It gets referred to as York City once or twice early on but for the most part goes nameless. But the thing is, it’s near a lot of places like Westchester and New Jersey that place it in the NYC neighbourhood, so I’ve been saying that it’s New York for a while now. Mayor Dorth here is just one too many anomalous mayors for me to ignore – I’m forced to conclude that the Blue Beetle operates out of a metropolis that may or may not be called York City and like Golden Age Gotham City essentially occupies the same geography as New York without being New York)

    And while many criminal mayors in comics are merely corrupt, Mayor Dorth is a proper wrongun – not only does he cover up the murder of Councilman Hals here by framing Joan Mason but he both helps set up the Condor’s raid on the city and attempts to betray him and make off with the loot himself. This of course only gets him killed but you have to appreciate the dynamism.

    The Condor is seemingly drowned by the Blue Beetle at the end of his first appearance but pops right back up again in the next issue to attack Dr Lane of the city museum. It’s a bit low-stakes after looting the entire city but the Condor still gives it his all.

    It’s all rather tawdry at the end: Dr Lane and the Condor have been smuggling uncut diamonds and Lane is for some reason attempting to double-cross a notably murderous pirate. There’s a lot of running around and attempted murder before the Condor is once again seemingly killed by the Blue Beetle, this time via a sock to the kisser that sends him into a ship’s boiler.

    Like Countess Belladonna before him, the Condor has all the hallmarks of a villain who would continue to return to plague the Blue Beetle if only Fox Features hadn’t had that unfortunate financial trouble and lost control of the character for a couple of years. Alas, he was forgotten during the Beetle’s time at Holyoke.

  • MINOR SUPER-VILLAIN 483: THE WEB

    (Big 3 004, 1941)

    As a Blue Beetle villain, the Web of course wants nothing more than to take over NYC York City and is particularly ruthless in his pursuit of that goal. He attacks essential services like power and water in order to sow confusion, while also attacking targets such as orphanages to spread terror.

    The Web also has an… intense relationship with his underlings. They seem to be some sort of BDSM cult? For lack of better terminology?

    The Web is definitely getting off on this. I dunno about the rest of these guys – they might be brainwashed? They reflexively chant “I obey, Web!” and “the Web is great!” at every opportunity and have no substantive reaction to being beaten and abused – at the very least it constitutes henchman abuse.

    But having a crack team of submissives will only take you so far and in a final pitched battle with the Blue Beetle the Web does a header onto a bomb and subsequently explodes to death. Presumably his henchmen needed a lot of therapy afterward. Unless it was consensual, of course.

  • MINOR SUPER-VILLAIN 483: THE WEB

    (Big 3 004, 1941)

    As a Blue Beetle villain, the Web of course wants nothing more than to take over NYC York City and is particularly ruthless in his pursuit of that goal. He attacks essential services like power and water in order to sow confusion, while also attacking targets such as orphanages to spread terror.

    The Web also has an… intense relationship with his underlings. They seem to be some sort of BDSM cult? For lack of better terminology?

    The Web is definitely getting off on this. I dunno about the rest of these guys – they might be brainwashed? They reflexively chant “I obey, Web!” and “the Web is great!” at every opportunity and have no substantive reaction to being beaten and abused – at the very least it constitutes henchman abuse.

    But having a crack team of submissives will only take you so far and in a final pitched battle with the Blue Beetle the Web does a header onto a bomb and subsequently explodes to death. Presumably his henchmen needed a lot of therapy afterward. Unless it was consensual, of course.