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MINOR SUPER-VILLAIN 951: THE DEADLY DOZEN

MINOR SUPER-VILLAIN 951: THE DEADLY DOZEN

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(Daredevil Comics 005, 1941) We open on a demonstration by one Dr Roe of his invention the Death Detector, which he purports is able to determine if someone is incapable of murder (yellow light displayed), potentially capable of murder (red light) or has in fact murdered someone (blue light).  While the implications and legalities of this device are legion (e.g., how does it determine this, does it distinguish between killing in self defense and manslaughter and premeditated murder, would widespread…

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NOTES – APRIL 2026

NOTES – APRIL 2026

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Cops Shooting at Fleeing Suspects: Here’s an intrepid officer trying to shoot the Black Terror and his (very young) sidekick Tim in the backs as they run away from the scene of a late-night disturbance. (Exciting Comics 015, 1941) Samson Does the Thing:  Several new additions to the premiere Samson supercut: Marthas: A new addition to the League of Marthas: the Golden Knight’s mother, Queen Martha of the Tree People! (Fantastic Comics 015, 1941) Places and History: In a rare…

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MINOR SUPER-VILLAIN 950: HANS MEYER

MINOR SUPER-VILLAIN 950: HANS MEYER

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(Daredevil Comics 004, 1941) Bart “Daredevil” Hill and his fiance Tonia Saunders are accompanying their friends Jeff and Sue Hart on their honeymoon (!) yacht trip when they encounter the killer combo of rough stormy seas and a mysterious lighthouse that sends them right onto a reef. Happily for all involved (except two sailors who are swept overboard and never mentioned again) the yacht is merely wedged rather than sinking and there is a convenient nearby island. An inhabited one,…

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MINOR SUPER-VILLAIN 949: PRINCESS SHEBA

MINOR SUPER-VILLAIN 949: PRINCESS SHEBA

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(Daredevil Comics 002, 1941) 1900! Archaeologist Professor Pierce leads an expedition to find the tomb of Princess Sheba in Arabia! Buried alive in a solid gold tomb with a gold cobra perched on her chest, Princess Sheba appears to be meant to be the daughter of the biblical Queen of Sheba. The mummy, her grave goods and praticularly the golden cobra found sitting on her chest are all promptly packed up and shipped back to New York. Professor Pierce puzzles…

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REAL PERSON ROUND-UP 023

REAL PERSON ROUND-UP 023

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It’s an Axis-heavy Round-Up this time, for reasons which will soon become clear. Adolf Hitler: Daredevil Comics 001 might not have been the first comic book to feature its title character physically attacking Adolf Hitler on the front cover, but it makes up for this in sheer volume of different characters who are getting in on the act. And the comic itself is also 100% concerned with super-heroes beating up and otherwise inconveniencing Hitler. Hitler’s first appearance in the comic proper also…

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MINOR SUPER-VILLAIN 948: DR HORROR

MINOR SUPER-VILLAIN 948: DR HORROR

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(Captain Battle Comics 002, 1941) The Sisters of Fear, a trio of witches who either are the Three Witches of “Macbeth” fame or who take a lot of inspiration from them, have a new scheme: to create a horrible creature to spread death and destruction across the face of the Earth. As part of the prep for this task they gather together all of their fiendish allies, the Demons of Land, Sea and Air, and I must commend them on being a…

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MINOR SUPER-HERO ROUND-UP 082

MINOR SUPER-HERO ROUND-UP 082

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Lotta visually striking characters this time, plus Pioneer.  Pioneer:  Pioneer is a man of limited education and experience (and possibly intellect) who has seemingly lived his entire life at the bottom of the inescapable Death Gorge in Yellowstone Park. He comes into contact with the outside world when a trio of fleeing gangsters crash their car near his home and he nurses them back to health. The three then take Pioneer with them once they manage to attract help from…

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MINOR SUPER-VILLAIN 946: THE GHOUL

MINOR SUPER-VILLAIN 946: THE GHOUL

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(Silver Streak Comics 017, 1941) Here’s the thing about the Ghoul, aka “the Most Dangerous Madman of All Time”: he’s a stock character, the basic 1940s idea of the homicidal madman. He does have an obsession with collecting dead bodies as part of his attempts to restore the dead to life – hence the name – but he’s otherwise very regular. There are, however, several interesting things to note in the Ghoul’s appearance: First is the fact that the Daredevil’s initial…

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REAL PERSON ROUND-UP 022

REAL PERSON ROUND-UP 022

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What percentage of these people knew that they had ever been portrayed in a comic book, you reckon? Adolf Hitler: Hitler gets beaten up by the Silver Streak after he captures and attempts to kill Meteor. (Silver Streak Comics 016, 1941) A particularly parodic version of Hitler deploys a super weapon that is ultimately thwarted by Dickie Dean.  (Silver Streak Comics 017, 1941)  Charles Biro: Gangster Chick Biro almost gets killed by his boss the Domino but is saved when…

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CATALOGUE OF WOUNDS 007

CATALOGUE OF WOUNDS 007

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The right shoulder: unsung victim of the comics pages.  Captain Battle:  Captain Battle gets a fashionable bullet-creased skull on the docks of San Francisco. (Captain Battle Comics 001, 1941)  the Cloak: Being shot in the left shoulder is the inciting incident that leads Jeff Cardiff to adopt the Cloak identity in the first place. (Big Shot Comics 015, 1941) the Face: Shot in the right shoulder (Big Shot Comics 011, 1941) Shot in the right shoulder again. (Big Shot Comics 018,…

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