(Big Shot Comics 003, 1940) Is a hook hand the most basic gimmick that automatically flips a gang boss over to being a super-villain in my mind? We don’t have enough data to call it yet but all signs point to Probably. This Hook is Hook Horner and there’s not too much to say about him: he kidnaps a young woman sometime between the death of someone she is set to inherit millions from but before she herself knows about…
(Big Shot Comics 002, 1940) The Goldmaster is one of my very favourite subtypes of super-villain: the guy who really leans into the bit. Specifically, he is a fellow who has discovered the secret of making gold and subsequently adopted all of the trappings of a Medieval alchemist. Or possibly he was a guy who was really into the alchemy lifestyle who made the luckiest find ever. Either way, he doesn’t have to live like this! It’s a choice! No…
All Columbia Comic Corporation edition! Skyman: Skyman (properly the Skyman but it just doesn’t scan for me) is a pilot hero, normally a ho-hum sort of character for me. But between his sci-fi super plane (the Wing), his blood-freezing stun ray (the Stasimatic) and his cool on-the-edge-of-being-too-busy costume there’s just enough super-hero peanut butter mixed in with the pilot chocolate to make it appealing (bonus running list of Skyman’s super science: atomic explosives, invisible glass phonograph, disitegrator ray, explosives-detonating ray…
Nazi Superweapon: There’s nothing terribly special about this giant dirigible that the Phantom Sub encounters after it starts to fly as well as submerge, but I do appreciate a dirigible that can not only camouflage itself as a stormcloud but has a proper old-school lightning cannon mounted underneath. And is filled with hydrogen, nuch to its later detriment. (Blue Bolt v2 007, 1941) Honours: Corporal Collins, Infantryman earns the French Croix de Guerre. (Blue Ribbon Comics 002, 1939) Rang-a-Tang the…
(Big Shot Comics 001, 1940) The Red Signet is a seemingly unaligned spy chief who has the misfortune of being the antagonist in the very first adventure of pilot super-hero Skyman and so gets just completely owned. Like, “captured within ten minutes of this panel in which he learns that Skyman might be on to him” owned. He does have a really excellent name, at least. BONUS TROPHY ROOM: Skyman nicks the Red Signet’s red signet at the end of…
(Big 3 006, 1941) Our story opens with Samson investigating a series of mysterious deaths and ship disappearances in naval yards across the country. Cut to beloved Samson supporting character J. Rembrandt Speedball hilariously painting camouflage on a Navy cruiser. He is briefly distracted by horniness, and when he manages to get ahold of himself *pow*, the ship has vanished. Speedball is arrested as a spy and spends the rest of the issue failing to commit suicide in his cell…
(Big 3 006, 1941) The Monster, while an imposing figure engaged in some extremely villainous and questionable activities – kidnapping wealthy young women from some sort of summer camp – ultimately fails to satisfy. And here is exactly why: this is the kind of story that benefits from a bit of mystery: a red herring or two; a few suspects – but this George Benson guy not only is the singular suspect but has spent twenty-plus years saying things like…
(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…
(Big 3 004, 1941) Baron Siva is a regular-style science-type villain who attempts to conquer the US via a campaign of fear and espionage before being captured by Samson and David. Perhaps the most interesting thing about him are the things about him that go completely unaddressed: -the fact that his head is enormous -the fact that he has no ears -his weird transparent blouse -the fact that he possesses advanced technology like paralysis rays -is his surname just Siva…
(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?…