(Master Comics 004, 1940) The Firehawk is an extortionist of the particular kind that you get in comic book stories that have to clock in at under 5 pages: a dumb one. See, he has a pretty good threat to hold over the heads of his victims in that he can seemingly set them on fire at will. Since he’s operating on a movie set, he does so by mixing up batches of thermite-impregnated makeup that presumably self ignites after…
(Master Comics 004, 1940) This is a simple one because it’s simply a matter of scale, plus the fact that everyone involved is wearing a stylish purple cloak/ robe combo. A mass of bandits loot arsenals across the Eastern US, stealing tanks, artillery and armoured cars. Panic ensues! Soon enough, the band makes its goals known with a bold attack on that sweetest of targets: Fort Knox. And they almost get away with it! They actually have the gold loaded…
(Master Comics 001, 1940) Dr Drown is a paragon of his sub-category of super-villain. Unfortunately for him, that is not a particularly exalted position, as he belongs to the Association of Seagoing Criminal Scientists and the membership of that group is heavily diluted by decades of Aquaman and Sea Devils and even Challengers of the Unknown foes with wilfully bad schemes. Dr Drown’s schemes aren’t too bad! He as a submersible yacht that he uses to torpedo and loot ships,…
(Master Comics 001-020, 1940-1941) Devil’s Dagger! I love this guy. He has a lot of familiar things going on: a wealthy young man named Ken Wyman who works as a reporter in order to get the latest crime news and heads out at night in his souped-up car (the excellently named Speed Ghost) to kick butt accompanied by Pat Gleason, ex boxer and member of the surprisingly large Chauffeur/ Sidekick club. There are two really interesting things about the Devil’s…
Memes of Yore: Women be loving hats. (All-Flash 001, 1941) Decoration: On the island nation of Felicia, the chairs are monogrammed with a big F (Master Comics 001, 1940) UPDATE: And the shields. Drawn without reference: The majestic pterodactyl. (Master Comics 007, 1940)
(Human Torch v1 003, 1940) After helping foil a Nazi faux-Japanese* invasion of the US and only committing a few hundred war crimes, Namor is personally thanked by FDR and given a big parade. *confusion arose from the fact that Namor had already tangled with a group of Nazis in NYC and a Nazi-analog invasion fleet in the Atlantic in the same issue, but the invasion fleet that he’s receiving kudos for above was definitely in the Pacific.
(Human Torch v1 002, 1940) As our story opens, what is presumably New York City is under siege by a mysterious killer who drains their victims of their blood. Dr Jack “the Fiery Mask” Castle decides to get involved. He sets a trap by announcing to the paper that he has a lot of blood on hand and then waits for the fiend to show up – too bad for him it’s not just one guy, as twenty blood-hungry maniacs…
(Daring Mystery Comics 006, 1940) The costumed fighter pilot might just be one of the most basic levels of super-villain. Here we have the Black Ace, Nazi and foe of the Flying Flame. He has a tower with an anti-aircraft vibrational cannon in it and a plane with a skull and crossbones on it. He gets shot down at the end of the story. FIN
(Daring Mystery Comics 006, 1940) There’s not much substance to the Legion of the Doomed, but there’s a lot of cool ideas, so lets knock them out. a) a weird figure imposes a baby on a couple dwelling in haunted hill country. The baby, it is later revealed, cries with the voice of a man. b) subsequently, a killer begins stalking the streets of a nearby city, probably New York. Panic ensues! The Fiery Mask is on the prowl. c)…
Back again with another collection of science-villains who didn’t quite make the grade! Fritz Cardif here has a gunpowder-exploding ray and a lot of big plans. He probably would have made the main list except that I personally find his antics very dull, with the exception of the lil’ stinker moment pictured above. (Hit Comics 006, 1940) Dr Marko figured on using kidnapped scientists as research slaves in his Grand Canyon hideout, but he too was corralled by Neon the…