The Curse of Skeleton Munroe

Category: Crack Comics

  • MINOR SUPER-VILLAIN 200: THE CRIMSON VULTURE

    (Crack Comics 015, 1941)

    The Crimson Vulture is a prime example of a character who could be so much better with just a little more oomph put behind him. His real name is Sarada, and he is a genius mechanical engineer who is back for revenge after being sent to prison. All well and good, but his actions – attempting to extort money from a series of rich men via mechanical vultures and then blowing them up when they refuse – have no in-story link to his motivation. They easily could, if, say, they were responsible for his incarceration or had profited from his genius while he was away, but no dice. Even if it was made clear that he was striking out at society in general, that would be more of a satisfying motivation.

    He gets blown up by Madam Fatal, a suitably ignominious end for our less-than-satisfying 200th minor super-villain.

  • MINOR SUPER-VILLAIN 199: THE CRAB

    (Crack Comics 013, 1941)

    The Crab here is a prime example of the gang boss who goes just over the top enough – and has a good enough moniker – to make the jump to full super-villain.

    His plan – hold the city to ransom for 5 million bucks, then blow up the first ambush the cops set for him to show he means business – is sufficiently out there, and he adds some flourishes like taunting the police via skywriting, but the thing that really does it is his signature: 

    It’s a little crab, oh my god

  • GENERIC COSTUMED VILLAIN ROUND-UP 002

    Another collection of those middling muddlers who didn’t quite make it to the minor leagues: the generic costumed villains!

    Silas Greer: 

    Tried to kill his own nephew to get his fortune but was walloped by the Clock (and the Orchid!) for his troubles. (Crack Comics 002, 1940)

    Trag: 

    A gentleman with the unlikely name of Trag dressed up in this unusual mask in an attempt to frame a guy with the only slightly less unusual name of Doctor Prowl before Madam Fatal put the kibosh on him. (Crack Comics 008, 1940)

    Natas: 

    This here fella was the secret head of a protection racket shaking down all of the laundries in town. Scientific sleuth Wizard Wells knew it was one of the laundry owners behind the mask but not which one. Surprising nobody, it was the one named Natas. (Crack Comics 009, 1941)

    General Korn: 

    Behind this mask is one General Korn, who responded to the US government not buying his remote bomb detonator by first blowing up part of Washington DC and then trying to explode the US Senate itself. But little did he know that Black Condor was on that senate, so he got caught post haste. (Crack Comics 013, 1941)

  • GENERIC COSTUMED VILLAIN ROUND-UP 002

    Another collection of those middling muddlers who didn’t quite make it to the minor leagues: the generic costumed villains!

    Silas Greer: 

    Tried to kill his own nephew to get his fortune but was walloped by the Clock (and the Orchid!) for his troubles. (Crack Comics 002, 1940)

    Trag: 

    A gentleman with the unlikely name of Trag dressed up in this unusual mask in an attempt to frame a guy with the only slightly less unusual name of Doctor Prowl before Madam Fatal put the kibosh on him. (Crack Comics 008, 1940)

    Natas: 

    This here fella was the secret head of a protection racket shaking down all of the laundries in town. Scientific sleuth Wizard Wells knew it was one of the laundry owners behind the mask but not which one. Surprising nobody, it was the one named Natas. (Crack Comics 009, 1941)

    General Korn: 

    Behind this mask is one General Korn, who responded to the US government not buying his remote bomb detonator by first blowing up part of Washington DC and then trying to explode the US Senate itself. But little did he know that Black Condor was on that senate, so he got caught post haste. (Crack Comics 013, 1941)

  • MINOR SUPER-VILLAIN 198: THE CRICKET

    (Crack Comics 001, 011 & 012, 1940-1941)

    The Cricket, leader of the Crickets, is a fairly undistinguished gang boss notable only for his brutality, the fact that he was the first foe of hard done-by hero the Spider and that he made two subsequent appearances!

    His first two appearances are nothing to write home about, though I do note a repeated armchair theme. The man loves to be comfortable. Sadly for him, he was shot down by the Spider before he could enjoy another good sit. RIP.

  • MINOR SUPER-VILLAIN 197: CAPTAIN X

    (Crack Comics 012-013, 1941)

    It doesn’t take much to push a space pirate over the line into super-villain status, and Captain X’s name and costume are more than enough to do so for me. Plus, she has two whole appearances! What’s that? Yes I said “she” because you see…

    CAPTAIN X IS A WOMAN!

    Yes, it’s the ol’ gender switcheroo, which is perhaps not as mind-blowing in 2022 as it was in 1941. Evidently, though, it’s almost unthinkable by 2441.

  • MINOR SUPER-VILLAIN 196: THE JESTER

    (Crack Comics 010, 1941) 

    The Jester is your standard costumed thief. He commits a series of daring robberies that would in the normal course of things land him in the slammer at the end of a super-hero’s fist.

    But before Madam Fatal, the hero of this particular feature, can get around to the business of stopping the Jester, the man himself shows up, knocks out Fatal’s civilian guise Richard Stanton and kidnaps his friend Professor Mason. OR DOES HE?

    No, he doesn’t. It turns out that a gang of crooks is framing the real Jester in order to avoid suspicion, but since the Jester is in actuality Professor Mason’s estranged son Robert, a rare hero-villain teamup ensues, Professor Mason is rescued and the usually absolutist morality of the Golden Age takes a break as the Jester is allowed to leave having fulfilled his filial duty.

  • MINOR SUPER-VILLAIN 195: THE SOPHISTICATED LADY

    (Crack Comics 010, 1941)

    The Sophisticated Lady is a femme fatale thief of the kind that comics love. She has a decent career going as the comic opens but the Black Condor shows up to put the kibosh on it. Sadly she doesn’t actually get to do that much on-panel, but the terrific name makes up for it a little.

  • MINOR SUPER-VILLAIN 195: THE SOPHISTICATED LADY

    (Crack Comics 010, 1941)

    The Sophisticated Lady is a femme fatale thief of the kind that comics love. She has a decent career going as the comic opens but the Black Condor shows up to put the kibosh on it. Sadly she doesn’t actually get to do that much on-panel, but the terrific name makes up for it a little.

  • MINOR SUPER-VILLAIN 194: THE SCREW

    (Crack Comics 009, 1941)

    I’ll be honest: the Screw is about as generic as it gets. He’s a hooded gang boss who runs a protection racket and just so happens to turn out to be the very head of the Chamber of Commerce who has been pressuring the police to take care of this awful Screw Gang. Pretty regular costumed villain stuff: his only real point of distinction is his fairly cool name.