(Action Comics v1 040, 1941)
Yet another foreign agent looking to weaken America, the Purple does so by forming what is supposedly a patriotic society but in reality is a collection of fervent dupes that can be aimed at whatever target he wishes. Mr America steps in and lays out the truth for the Purple Gang but I fear for the future of a community filled with that many dim bulbs.
As always, massive appreciation for a villain who dresses their henchmen in basically the same costume as them.
(Action Comics v1 039, 1941)
The Ghost is one of Superman’s earliest superpowered foes, being Brett Bryson, a chemist who was accidentally irradiated while conducting an experiment and, having found himself with both a burning radium touch and a short time left to live, set out to steal enough in the time he had left to provide for his family once he was finally gone.
But there is a twist to the Ghost’s story! The lab accident? Planned by Bryson’s greedy partners! The stolen money? Was never going to be delivered to Bryson’s family! I like this because this is the earliest example of the On Purpose Lab Accident Origin that I’m aware of in comics and that’s a reasonably common origin! (Brett Bryson does not like it and murders his partner before dying himself)
(Action Comics v1 037)
Just a society playboy who puts on a mask to run his crooked casino empire. He might just be my new example of the bare minimum that I need to consider someone a super-villain – nobody is even surprised when his identity is revealed, but he has the barest film of anonymity along with a secret boat dock and a moderately cool name.
Also he gets hit by a boat.
(Action Comics v1 037)
Just a society playboy who puts on a mask to run his crooked casino empire. He might just be my new example of the bare minimum that I need to consider someone a super-villain – nobody is even surprised when his identity is revealed, but he has the barest film of anonymity along with a secret boat dock and a moderately cool name.
Also he gets hit by a boat.
(Action Comics v1 036, 1941)
Another day, another spy from no specific nation striking at the US military for uncertain reasons. This one is even less successful than usual, as he almost blows up an Army convoy and almost blows up an artillery range. But what can I do: I’m a sucker for a monocle, a guy who throws poisoned darts and a neato name.
(Action Comics v1 035, 1941)
Yet another spy encountered by Clip Carson, the Adder was interested in blowing up the Panama Canal for unclear reasons. Much more interestingly, he took his name from a snake-shaped ring which both fatally poisoned those he punched with it and left a cool snake mark on the spot he hit, and evidently he used it enough that his men spoke of him in hushed terms as “the Child of Death,” which is an amazing name.
As with so many villains who use a cool signature weapon, the Adder ends up falling on his own ring. A sad end.
(Action Comics v1 035, 1941)
Yet another spy encountered by Clip Carson, the Adder was interested in blowing up the Panama Canal for unclear reasons. Much more interestingly, he took his name from a snake-shaped ring which both fatally poisoned those he punched with it and left a cool snake mark on the spot he hit, and evidently he used it enough that his men spoke of him in hushed terms as “the Child of Death,” which is an amazing name.
As with so many villains who use a cool signature weapon, the Adder ends up falling on his own ring. A sad end.
(Action Comics v1 035, 1941)
The Spider is a foreign agent with a lot of guys named Herman and Otto working for him who attempts to disrupt US military preparedness. To that end he blows up a military parade and almost manages to poison an entire army camp being captured by Mr America.
(Action Comics v1 035, 1941)
The Spider is a foreign agent with a lot of guys named Herman and Otto working for him who attempts to disrupt US military preparedness. To that end he blows up a military parade and almost manages to poison an entire army camp being captured by Mr America.
(Action Comics v1 032-033, 1941)
Mister Z is actually plantation owner Grasso, who is actually X-11, notorious agent of a “hostile government” whose schemes are placed in jeopardy when a mineral deposit is discovered near his hideout in Colombia. His efforts to shut down the incipient mining operations bring in adventurer Clip Carson but he meets his actual end when he’s gunned down by a young boy whose father he had killed.