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| Timeline_of_Earth-X_prehistory_to_1950s [2016/03/19 06:32] – docquantum | Timeline_of_Earth-X_prehistory_to_1950s [2016/03/22 04:32] – docquantum |
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| * Tyrone Neville becomes the [[Gallant Knight]]. [Feature Funnies #7] | * Tyrone Neville becomes the [[Gallant Knight]]. [Feature Funnies #7] |
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| ==== 1642 ==== | ===== 12th century ===== |
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| * A brilliant scientist named [[Cyrus Smythe|Dr. Cyrus Smythe]] of London invents a formula that can change living creatures into giants. But after he changes a monkey he experimented upon into a giant, the giant monkey attacks him, and his body is smashed against a cabinet full of chemicals, causing his brain to become immortal even as his body dies. Smythe's brain survives in his coffin for the next 300 years, becoming embittered against all of humanity over that time. [Plastic Man, Police Comics #11 (September, 1942)] | * A young man named Robert Fitzooth becomes known as **[[Robin Hood (Earth-X)|Robin Hood]]**, prince of outlaws, and gathers a band of Merry Men in Sherwood Forest near Nottingham, England. Together, Robin Hood and his Merry Men fight against the tyrannical King John and his local representative, the Sheriff of Nottingham. Robin Hood's Merry Men, numbering about 200, include Little John, Will Scarlet, Friar Tuck, and Allan-a-Dale. |
| | * Heading to Nottingham to become a forester, Robin Hood is tricked by the King's Foresters into shooting a stag to prove his skill with a bow and arrow, only to be arrested and sentenced to death for killing the king's deer. A young woodcutter named Will Stutely saves Robin Hood's life, becoming the first of the Merry Men of Sherwood Forest as they both become outlaws. ["The Outlawing of Robin Hood," Robin Hood Tales (Quality) #1 (February, 1956)] |
| | * Robin Hood and Little John rescue a friend named Tanner, who was taken prisoner by the Sheriff of Nottingham and sentenced to death for being friendly with Robin Hood. After Tanner is brought safely to their camp, he is made one of the Merry Men. ["The Trapping of Robin Hood," Robin Hood Tales (Quality) #1 (February, 1956)] |
| | * Robin Hood and his Merry Men free the serfs kept in chains in Castle Fury by the villainous Sir Roger the Black, and Robin Hood gives the nobleman's treasure to the serfs, letting them decide how to administer justice. ["The Black Knight of Castle Fury," Robin Hood Tales (Quality) #1 (February, 1956)] |
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| ===== 17-18th Centuries ===== | ===== 17-18th Centuries ===== |
| * Adventures on the Spanish Main begins. [Buccaneers #19] | * Adventures on the Spanish Main begins. [Buccaneers #19] |
| * Corsair Queen begins adventures. [Buccaneers #25] | * Corsair Queen begins adventures. [Buccaneers #25] |
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| | ==== 1642 ==== |
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| | * A brilliant scientist named [[Cyrus Smythe|Dr. Cyrus Smythe]] of London invents a formula that can change living creatures into giants. But after he changes a monkey he experimented upon into a giant, the giant monkey attacks him, and his body is smashed against a cabinet full of chemicals, causing his brain to become immortal even as his body dies. Smythe's brain survives in his coffin for the next 300 years, becoming embittered against all of humanity over that time. [Plastic Man, Police Comics #11 (September, 1942)] |
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| ==== 1776 ==== | ==== 1776 ==== |
| * Paul Bunyan begins adventures in a small logging village in Maine. [National Comics #1] | * Paul Bunyan begins adventures in a small logging village in Maine. [National Comics #1] |
| * Sgt. Jim Reynold (brothers named Tom and Pinky) of the RCMP begins adventures. [Feature Funnies #14] | * Sgt. Jim Reynold (brothers named Tom and Pinky) of the RCMP begins adventures. [Feature Funnies #14] |
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| | ==== 1864 ==== |
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| | * Homesteaders Clem and Sarah Gallent are murdered by the Black Gang, a gang of bandits who want their land. The only survivor is their son Donny Gallent, who vows to avenge his parents and spends the next 10 years training to become a vigilante. [The Lone Star Rider, Smash Comics #2 (September, 1939)] |
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| | ==== 1874 ==== |
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| | * Donny Gallent grows up to be **[[Lone Star Rider|the Lone Star Rider]]**, pledged to champion the poor and helpless. The Lone Star Rider rides a white horse named **Light'nin'** and wears a yellow shirt, blue pants and bandana, and a tan cowboy hat. In his **only known case**, the Lone Star Rider captures a fleeing bandit named Snake McCade and delivers him to the sheriff of the town of Sage. [The Lone Star Rider, Smash Comics #2 (September, 1939)] |
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| ==== Circa 1890 ==== | ==== Circa 1890 ==== |
| === September, 1936 === | === September, 1936 === |
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| * Bored of high society, millionaire playboy Brian O'Brien of Park Avenue in New York City becomes **[[Clock (Brian O'Brien)|the Clock]]**, wearing a business suit with a diamond pin, a hat with a black silk mask dangling from the hat to his chin, and carrying a short cane with a hidden spring, and very rarely a pistol. The Clock operates from a sub-cellar located below the heart of the city and has several other sanctuaries in the city, including one that contains several antique and modern torture devices used to intimidate crooks into providing him with information. The Clock is an excellent at hand-to-hand combat and is a master of disguise, occasionally using the identity of small-time crook and drug addict Snowy Winters. The Clock steals money from crooks and sometimes charges wealthy men he's saved, redistributing the money to charity, and he prides himself on never killing his foes. The Clock leaves behind a calling card announcing when he has struck or will strike. Only O'Brien's father knows the Clock's secret identity. The Clock is an outlaw vigilante hunted by Capt. Kane of the NYPD, who eventually becomes his ally. In his first public case, the Clock captures a gang of jewelry thieves led by Bill Hunt, who works as a night watchman at the jewelry store that was robbed. //Note: This story is recycled in the Clock story in Feature Funnies #9, which has basically the same plot but with Joe Taff in place of Bill Hunt, and Capt. Kane admiring the Clock instead of wanting to arrest him; given that the stories are so similar, the later story must be fictional.// ["Alias the Clock," Funny Picture Stories #1 (November, 1936)] | * Bored of high society, millionaire playboy and former all-American fullback and polo player Brian O'Brien of Park Avenue in New York City becomes **[[Clock (Brian O'Brien)|the Clock]]**, wearing a business suit with a diamond pin, a hat with a black silk mask dangling from the hat to his chin, and carrying a short cane with a hidden spring, and very rarely a pistol. The Clock operates from a sub-cellar located below the heart of the city and has several other sanctuaries in the city, including one that contains several antique and modern torture devices used to intimidate crooks into providing him with information. The Clock is an excellent at hand-to-hand combat and is a master of disguise, occasionally using the identity of small-time crook and drug addict Snowy Winters. The Clock steals money from crooks and sometimes charges wealthy men he's saved, redistributing the money to charity, and he prides himself on never killing his foes. The Clock leaves behind a calling card announcing when he has struck or will strike. Only O'Brien's father knows the Clock's secret identity. The Clock is an outlaw vigilante hunted by Capt. Kane of the NYPD, who eventually becomes his ally. In his first public case, the Clock captures a gang of jewelry thieves led by Bill Hunt, who works as a night watchman at the jewelry store that was robbed. //Note: This story is recycled in the Clock story in Feature Funnies #9, which has basically the same plot but with Joe Taff in place of Bill Hunt, and Capt. Kane admiring the Clock instead of wanting to arrest him; given that the stories are so similar, the later story must be fictional.// ["Alias the Clock," Funny Picture Stories #1 (November, 1936)] |
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| === November, 1936 === | === November, 1936 === |
| * [[Slim and Tubby]] begins. [Feature Funnies #1] | * [[Slim and Tubby]] begins. [Feature Funnies #1] |
| * [[Jim Swift]] begins adventures. [Feature Funnies #1] | * [[Jim Swift]] begins adventures. [Feature Funnies #1] |
| * [[Crack Casey]] has a single case. [Feature Funnies #1] | * [[Crack Casey]] of the U.S. Navy has a **single case** in Shanghai, preventing two men from robbing a young woman who is the ward of a German man. //Note: This story has never been completed.// [Crack Casey, Feature Funnies #1 (October, 1937)] |
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| === September, 1937 === | === September, 1937 === |
| * Neon the Unknown frees all the prisoners in the Dachau concentration camp, then leads them on a march to Berlin, where he confronts Adolf Hitler himself and forces him to sign a peace pact. //Note: Dachau is called Rachaw, Germany is called Dunland, and Adolf Hitler is called Radolf, so these are all obvious pseudonyms used in the story for real-world places and people. It is obvious from world history that Hitler broke the peace pact and found some way to keep Neon the Unknown from ever reaching him again.// [Neon the Unknown, Hit Comics #2 (August, 1940)] | * Neon the Unknown frees all the prisoners in the Dachau concentration camp, then leads them on a march to Berlin, where he confronts Adolf Hitler himself and forces him to sign a peace pact. //Note: Dachau is called Rachaw, Germany is called Dunland, and Adolf Hitler is called Radolf, so these are all obvious pseudonyms used in the story for real-world places and people. It is obvious from world history that Hitler broke the peace pact and found some way to keep Neon the Unknown from ever reaching him again.// [Neon the Unknown, Hit Comics #2 (August, 1940)] |
| * The Invisible Hood encounters the Golden Dragon, a Chinese warlord who kidnaps relatives of munitions manufacturers in order to gain munitions for his millions of followers in China ready to follow him in his plan to conquer the world. The Invisible Hood captures the Golden Dragon and frees two prisoners: Dan, the nephew of munitions king Thomas Clark, and Mr. Harper's niece Joyce Harper, who has been in the Golden Dragon's custody for two years after her kidnapping and hypnotized into playing the role of his Chinese servant, Luan. //Note: While the Invisible Hood is obviously inspired by the Shadow of Earth-1, the Golden Dragon is likely inspired by the Shadow's arch-enemy, Shiwan Khan.// [Invisible Justice, Smash Comics #13 (August, 1940)] | * The Invisible Hood encounters the Golden Dragon, a Chinese warlord who kidnaps relatives of munitions manufacturers in order to gain munitions for his millions of followers in China ready to follow him in his plan to conquer the world. The Invisible Hood captures the Golden Dragon and frees two prisoners: Dan, the nephew of munitions king Thomas Clark, and Mr. Harper's niece Joyce Harper, who has been in the Golden Dragon's custody for two years after her kidnapping and hypnotized into playing the role of his Chinese servant, Luan. //Note: While the Invisible Hood is obviously inspired by the Shadow of Earth-1, the Golden Dragon is likely inspired by the Shadow's arch-enemy, Shiwan Khan.// [Invisible Justice, Smash Comics #13 (August, 1940)] |
| | * April 22-24: A master criminal known as the Asp announces the murder of his victim, wealthy jewel collector Peter Payne, ahead of time and manages to kill him despite his police protection. After the Clock discovers that the Asp poisoned Payne a day before his death, he and his assistant Pug Brady lay a trap for the Asp, and Pug shoots and kills the Asp in self-defense. //Note: The Asp's modus operandi is very similar to the Joker when he first appeared in Batman #1 (Spring, 1940).// [The Clock, Crack Comics #4 (August, 1940)] |
| * April 22-24: The Black Condor frees a distant land from control by Mount Doom, a dormant volcano controlled by Sihn Fan, who hopes to one day control the world, and which is equipped with super-scientific equipment supplied by a criminal scientist named De Graf. [The Black Condor, Crack Comics #4 (August, 1940)] | * April 22-24: The Black Condor frees a distant land from control by Mount Doom, a dormant volcano controlled by Sihn Fan, who hopes to one day control the world, and which is equipped with super-scientific equipment supplied by a criminal scientist named De Graf. [The Black Condor, Crack Comics #4 (August, 1940)] |
| * April 24-25: Langford "Happy" Terrill, star reporter for New York City newspaper //The Daily Globe//, volunteers as part of the crew for Prof. Styne's experimental strato-balloon in order to get the story of traveling into the stratosphere for his paper. But when the balloon enters a cosmic storm, Happy volunteers to close a faulty automatic valve. But on his way to fix it, Happy is stopped by the engineer, Roger Cliff, whom Happy accuses of wanting the balloon to get caught in the storm. After a brief fight, Happy checks the valve only to find that its wires have been purposely crossed. Suddenly, the balloon enters a strange field, and Happy is struck by a bolt of lightning as well as an explosion of electricity from the valve. Stunned, Happy falls from the balloon and instinctively uses his newfound super-powers to save his life and the balloon itself as **[[Ray|the Ray]]**, appearing only briefly as Happy Terrill to the crew before going missing. Meanwhile, inside the balloon Cliff is electrocuted at the same moment and gains super-powers of his own, becoming [[Dark|the Dark]], although he doesn't confront the Ray for another 38 years. The Ray possesses the powers of traveling along light beams, magnetism, magnetically-based super-strength, teleportation, and even some powers to transform objects. It's possible that the Ray's powers are only limited by his imagination, although he is weakened by darkness and regains his powers through external light. In the Ray's first case, he retrieves an explosive gas formula invented and tested by Prof. Styne during the stratospheric experiment, which was stolen by gangster Anton Rox. //Note: A newspaper places this story in April. Happy's editor is named Steve Hine, though on Earth-2 his editor's name is Cory. The full name of the newspaper Happy works for begins with "The Daily..." but is not named until it is called The Star for the first time in Smash Comics #24, and for several issues afterward; later it is called The Daily Globe in Smash Comics #39, which is the most likely full name of the newspaper. It is also possible that Happy worked for The Daily Globe only on Earth-X, but worked for The Star while on Earth-2. Happy Terrill's first name has also been spelled as Lanfor, but the accepted spelling is Langford.// [The Ray, Smash Comics #14 (September, 1940); The Ray, Cancelled Comics Cavalcade #1 (Summer, 1978)] | * April 24-25: Langford "Happy" Terrill, star reporter for New York City newspaper //The Daily Globe//, volunteers as part of the crew for Prof. Styne's experimental strato-balloon in order to get the story of traveling into the stratosphere for his paper. But when the balloon enters a cosmic storm, Happy volunteers to close a faulty automatic valve. But on his way to fix it, Happy is stopped by the engineer, Roger Cliff, whom Happy accuses of wanting the balloon to get caught in the storm. After a brief fight, Happy checks the valve only to find that its wires have been purposely crossed. Suddenly, the balloon enters a strange field, and Happy is struck by a bolt of lightning as well as an explosion of electricity from the valve. Stunned, Happy falls from the balloon and instinctively uses his newfound super-powers to save his life and the balloon itself as **[[Ray|the Ray]]**, appearing only briefly as Happy Terrill to the crew before going missing. Meanwhile, inside the balloon Cliff is electrocuted at the same moment and gains super-powers of his own, becoming [[Dark|the Dark]], although he doesn't confront the Ray for another 38 years. The Ray possesses the powers of traveling along light beams, magnetism, magnetically-based super-strength, teleportation, and even some powers to transform objects. It's possible that the Ray's powers are only limited by his imagination, although he is weakened by darkness and regains his powers through external light. In the Ray's first case, he retrieves an explosive gas formula invented and tested by Prof. Styne during the stratospheric experiment, which was stolen by gangster Anton Rox. //Note: A newspaper places this story in April. Happy's editor is named Steve Hine, though on Earth-2 his editor's name is Cory. The full name of the newspaper Happy works for begins with "The Daily..." but is not named until it is called The Star for the first time in Smash Comics #24, and for several issues afterward; later it is called The Daily Globe in Smash Comics #39, which is the most likely full name of the newspaper. It is also possible that Happy worked for The Daily Globe only on Earth-X, but worked for The Star while on Earth-2. Happy Terrill's first name has also been spelled as Lanfor, but the accepted spelling is Langford.// [The Ray, Smash Comics #14 (September, 1940); The Ray, Cancelled Comics Cavalcade #1 (Summer, 1978)] |
| * Red Torpedo fights his opposite number, a pirate called the Lone Shark (later known as the [[Black Shark]]) who uses an advanced submarine called //the Shark//, and apprehends him after a battle beneath the sea. //Note: Although he is not identified as a German, the Black Shark is known to be a paid spy for the Nazis.// [The Red Torpedo, Crack Comics #5 (September, 1940)] | * Red Torpedo fights his opposite number, a pirate called the Lone Shark (later known as the [[Black Shark]]) who uses an advanced submarine called //the Shark//, and apprehends him after a battle beneath the sea. //Note: Although he is not identified as a German, the Black Shark is known to be a paid spy for the Nazis.// [The Red Torpedo, Crack Comics #5 (September, 1940)] |
| * The Spider battles a foreign mad scientist named Dr. Corsica, who has invented a toxin that supposedly grants great strength, but whose test subjects are all women, all but one of whom die during the experiments. //Note: The last test subject is an unnamed redheaded woman who may have gained super-strength at this time, though it remains unknown if Corsica's toxin injection actually worked. In the very next case, the Spider displays unusual strength allowing him to snap a rope, indicating that he may have used Dr. Corsica's toxin on himself after seeing the redhead's great strength.// [Alias the Spider, Crack Comics #5 (September, 1940)] | * The Spider battles a foreign mad scientist named Dr. Corsica, who has invented a toxin that supposedly grants great strength, but whose test subjects are all women, all but one of whom die during the experiments. //Note: The last test subject is an unnamed redheaded woman who may have gained super-strength at this time, though it remains unknown if Corsica's toxin injection actually worked. In the very next case, the Spider displays unusual strength allowing him to snap a rope, indicating that he may have used Dr. Corsica's toxin on himself after seeing the redhead's great strength.// [Alias the Spider, Crack Comics #5 (September, 1940)] |
| | * Investigating the crime spree of a murderous masked crook called the Jay Bird, who is able to defy gravity and fly, the Clock discovers that the Jay Bird is able to swoop in on his victims by dangling from a very long, strong cable attached to a plane flying overhead. The Clock and his assistant Pug Brady capture the Jay Bird for the police. [The Clock, Crack Comics #5 (September, 1940)] |
| * Doll Man battles Doctor Python, the so-called master of minds, a mad scientist who collects the heads of brilliant men and somehow preserves the brain, enabling them to work for him. [The Doll Man, Feature Comics #36 (September, 1940)] | * Doll Man battles Doctor Python, the so-called master of minds, a mad scientist who collects the heads of brilliant men and somehow preserves the brain, enabling them to work for him. [The Doll Man, Feature Comics #36 (September, 1940)] |
| * Neon the Unknown rescues famous British explorer Sir Humphrey Walker from a lost land, a prehistoric jungle island beneath the ice caps at the North Pole that is populated by savages. The two decide to keep the lost land a secret. //Note: This prehistoric land in the Arctic is undoubtedly the same land later visited by the Invisible Hood, as seen in Smash Comics #19.// [Neon the Unknown, Hit Comics #3 (September, 1940)] | * Neon the Unknown rescues famous British explorer Sir Humphrey Walker from a lost land, a prehistoric jungle island beneath the ice caps at the North Pole that is populated by savages. The two decide to keep the lost land a secret. //Note: This prehistoric land in the Arctic is undoubtedly the same land later visited by the Invisible Hood, as seen in Smash Comics #19.// [Neon the Unknown, Hit Comics #3 (September, 1940)] |
| * Uncle Sam and Buddy Smith discover artificial floating islands that turn out to be a secret mobile Japanese base for spying on the U.S. Navy's Pacific fleet. When an attack on the west coast begins, Uncle Sam tows the islands toward the California coast, bringing them into close enough range for the Navy's coast artillery to bomb and destroy them. [Uncle Sam, National Comics #4 (October, 1940)] | * Uncle Sam and Buddy Smith discover artificial floating islands that turn out to be a secret mobile Japanese base for spying on the U.S. Navy's Pacific fleet. When an attack on the west coast begins, Uncle Sam tows the islands toward the California coast, bringing them into close enough range for the Navy's coast artillery to bomb and destroy them. [Uncle Sam, National Comics #4 (October, 1940)] |
| * The Ray battles a disfigured mad scientist called Cadava, who causes destruction to part of New York City with a powerful beam that causes buildings to crumble. Cadava and his assistant Soo Choo are drowned, while the Ray saves the kidnapped Diane, Cadava's one-time fiancée before he was disfigured. The Ray uses his powers to help rebuild the shattered towers of New York City. [The Ray, Smash Comics #15 (October, 1940)] | * The Ray battles a disfigured mad scientist called Cadava, who causes destruction to part of New York City with a powerful beam that causes buildings to crumble. Cadava and his assistant Soo Choo are drowned, while the Ray saves the kidnapped Diane, Cadava's one-time fiancée before he was disfigured. The Ray uses his powers to help rebuild the shattered towers of New York City. [The Ray, Smash Comics #15 (October, 1940)] |
| | * June 20: Brian O'Brien (the Clock) perfects a non-lethal weapon called the paralyzer, while his assistant Pug Brady perfects a phosphorescent liquid that glows only when a violet ray light is applied to it. After a green-skinned member of the Skull Gang breaks into Brian's apartment, they use the inventions to trail the crook back to the Skull Gang's headquarters, where the Clock and Pug capture the leader and all the members. [The Clock, Crack Comics #6 (October, 1940)] |
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| === July, 1940 === | === July, 1940 === |
| * Barry Moore, a talented character actor in film, disguises himself as a Chinese man to fight crime as **[[the Scarlet Seal]]**. [Smash Comics #16] | * Barry Moore, a talented character actor in film, disguises himself as a Chinese man to fight crime as **[[the Scarlet Seal]]**. [Smash Comics #16] |
| * Spotting his old enemy the Black Shark kidnapping a water-breathing woman on the sea floor, the Red Torpedo trails him into a huge cave deeper in the ocean than he'd ever gone before. After he's attacked by a giant lobster-like monster, the Red Torpedo is saved by three [[Mermazons]] (mermaid Amazons), who bring him back to the crystal citadel of Merezonia. The ruler, [[Klitra|Queen Klitra]], tells the Red Torpedo about her enemy, the King of the Caverns, who seeks to enslave the Mermazons. Meanwhile, the Black Shark captures the Torpedo's submarine and delivers it to the King of the Caverns, who orders the Black Shark to use it to smash Merezonia's crystal walls. The Red Torpedo regains his craft by short-circuiting it with huge electric eels before the Black Shark can reach the city, and he captures his foe. Klitra boards his ship and shows the Red Torpedo a weak spot in the cavern to invade the home of King of the Caverns, allowing the Torpedo to capture him. Leaving the king in Klitra's custody, the Torpedo returns to the surface with the bound Black Shark. //Note: This story and subsequent stories indicate that the Black Shark is very easily able to escape from jail.// [The Red Torpedo, Crack Comics #7 (November, 1940)] | * Spotting his old enemy the Black Shark kidnapping a water-breathing woman on the sea floor, the Red Torpedo trails him into a huge cave deeper in the ocean than he'd ever gone before. After he's attacked by a giant lobster-like monster, the Red Torpedo is saved by three [[Mermazons]] (mermaid Amazons), who bring him back to the crystal citadel of Merezonia. The ruler, [[Klitra|Queen Klitra]], tells the Red Torpedo about her enemy, the King of the Caverns, who seeks to enslave the Mermazons. Meanwhile, the Black Shark captures the Torpedo's submarine and delivers it to the King of the Caverns, who orders the Black Shark to use it to smash Merezonia's crystal walls. The Red Torpedo regains his craft by short-circuiting it with huge electric eels before the Black Shark can reach the city, and he captures his foe. Klitra boards his ship and shows the Red Torpedo a weak spot in the cavern to invade the home of King of the Caverns, allowing the Torpedo to capture him. Leaving the king in Klitra's custody, the Torpedo returns to the surface with the bound Black Shark. //Note: This story and subsequent stories indicate that the Black Shark is very easily able to escape from jail.// [The Red Torpedo, Crack Comics #7 (November, 1940)] |
| | * Brian O'Brien (the Clock) is forcibly recruited by a hooded gangster called the Devil, leader of gang of thieves called the Robbers from Hades, who uses a chemical solution to keep his gang members in line by making them experience extreme heat that can only be relieved by the gang leader. Pug Brady comes to the Clock's rescue, and the Devil and his gang are all killed, while the Clock figures out a cure for himself just in time. [The Clock, Crack Comics #7 (November, 1940)] |
| * The Spider begins using //the Black Widow//, his powerful, silent, missile-like, super-fast, bulletproof vehicle feared by all when it roars down the street. The Spider is also shot several times and patched up by Doc Horton. //Note: The Spider's chauffeur is first called Chuck in this story, though he was previously called Harry; thus his name may be Chuck Harry.// [Alias the Spider, Crack Comics #7 (November, 1940)] | * The Spider begins using //the Black Widow//, his powerful, silent, missile-like, super-fast, bulletproof vehicle feared by all when it roars down the street. The Spider is also shot several times and patched up by Doc Horton. //Note: The Spider's chauffeur is first called Chuck in this story, though he was previously called Harry; thus his name may be Chuck Harry.// [Alias the Spider, Crack Comics #7 (November, 1940)] |
| * New York City is afflicted with a plague of madness, randomly affecting people over several days and causing several deaths and much destruction. Neon the Unknown discovers that the madness is caused by a dust dropped by a plane overhead. Tracking it back to its source, he discovers a secret Nazi base in Nova Scotia, Canada, and destroys the laboratory producing the fear dust. A scientist creates an antidote, and Neon cures everyone still afflicted with madness, then destroys the rest of the fleet attacking the East Coast. ["A Metropolis of Madmen," Hit Comics #5 (November, 1940)] | * New York City is afflicted with a plague of madness, randomly affecting people over several days and causing several deaths and much destruction. Neon the Unknown discovers that the madness is caused by a dust dropped by a plane overhead. Tracking it back to its source, he discovers a secret Nazi base in Nova Scotia, Canada, and destroys the laboratory producing the fear dust. A scientist creates an antidote, and Neon cures everyone still afflicted with madness, then destroys the rest of the fleet attacking the East Coast. ["A Metropolis of Madmen," Hit Comics #5 (November, 1940)] |
| * Paul Bunyan leaves the North Woods and begins traveling throughout the Western United States, briefly getting a job as a cowhand at a ranch in the Colorado foothills before moving on to other adventures. [Paul Bunyan, National Comics #14 (August, 1941)] | * Paul Bunyan leaves the North Woods and begins traveling throughout the Western United States, briefly getting a job as a cowhand at a ranch in the Colorado foothills before moving on to other adventures. [Paul Bunyan, National Comics #14 (August, 1941)] |
| * April 12: In her first case as a costumed mystery-woman, Phantom Lady saves a bomb inventor named Raphael from Wenner, a man who planned to steal his uranium explosive and sell it to foreign powers. [Phantom Lady, Police Comics #1 (August, 1941)] | * April 12: In her first case as a costumed mystery-woman, Phantom Lady saves a bomb inventor named Raphael from Wenner, a man who planned to steal his uranium explosive and sell it to foreign powers. [Phantom Lady, Police Comics #1 (August, 1941)] |
| * April 12: Wealthy young socialite Carol Vance Martin becomes **[[Wildfire]]**, the mistress of flame. Wildfire can fly and is able to command the flame and reshape it into various forms, such as a physical hand that can hold people without burning them. Wildfire can also throw precise flame-darts and create an impregnable shield of flame. In her first known case, Wildfire saves a new munitions plant used for U.S. defense after it was set on fire by saboteurs. Learning that they work for the Green Masked Bund, Wildfire tracks them down to their headquarters, where she rescues the kidnapped Senator Raymond, who has been forced to sign a letter advocating that the U.S. refuses aid to other democracies. //Note: Wildfire has appeared in public before this story, since she is already known by name.// ["Introducing Wildfire," Smash Comics #25 (August, 1941)] | * April 12: Wealthy young socialite Carol Vance Martin becomes **[[Wildfire]]**, the mistress of flame. Wildfire can fly and create a sheath of flame around her, and she is able to command fire and reshape it into various forms, such as a physical hand that can hold people without burning them. Wildfire can also throw precise flame-darts, create an impregnable shield of flame, and even create small flame-beings that can act independently. In her first known case, Wildfire saves a new munitions plant used for U.S. defense after it was set on fire by saboteurs. Learning that they work for the Green Masked Bund, Wildfire tracks them down to their headquarters, where she rescues the kidnapped Senator Raymond, who has been forced to sign a letter advocating that the U.S. refuses aid to other democracies. //Note: Wildfire has appeared in public before this story, since she is already known by name.// ["Introducing Wildfire," Smash Comics #25 (August, 1941)] |
| * April 12: The Spider foils the plans of a Nazi saboteur named Hansel, who sets off five explosions in a week to sabotage the city's work on a tunnel under the river in New York City. The Spider escapes a murder attempt by Hansel and his men, and kills Hansel before the police arrive. [Alias the Spider, Crack Comics #15 (August, 1941)] | * April 12: The Spider foils the plans of a Nazi saboteur named Hansel, who sets off five explosions in a week to sabotage the city's work on a tunnel under the river in New York City. The Spider escapes a murder attempt by Hansel and his men, and kills Hansel before the police arrive. [Alias the Spider, Crack Comics #15 (August, 1941)] |
| * <html><span style="background-color:rgb(236,236,236);">April 10-13: On Earth-2, the Black Condor again battles Jaspar Crow, this time in Miami, Florida, when Crow uses a freighter line to smuggle guns to revolutionaries in Cuba, and Crow is arrested and charged for his crimes for the first time. [The Black Condor, Crack Comics #15 (August, 1941)]</span></html> | * <html><span style="background-color:rgb(236,236,236);">April 10-13: On Earth-2, the Black Condor again battles Jaspar Crow, this time in Miami, Florida, when Crow uses a freighter line to smuggle guns to revolutionaries in Cuba, and Crow is arrested and charged for his crimes for the first time. [The Black Condor, Crack Comics #15 (August, 1941)]</span></html> |
| * <html><span style="background-color:rgb(236,236,236);">On Earth-2, a judge paroles Tough Tony, a juvenile member of a gang of tire thieves, into rookie patrolman Chuck Lane's custody at Chuck's request. That night, Tony discovers that Chuck is the Jester and promises not to tell his secret. When the Jester encounters the gang of tire thieves, the leader Dagger Joe assumes wrongly that Tony ratted on him, and Tony decides to help the Jester when the crooks use underhanded methods to fight the mystery-man, such as ganging up on him and slugging him from behind. <em>Note: This story takes place a year earlier than when it was told, placing it around September, 1941, when the Jester was still on Earth-2. By September, 1942, Tony is no longer known as "Tough Tony" and has fully reformed.</em> [The Jester, Smash Comics #37 (November, 1942)]</span></html> | * <html><span style="background-color:rgb(236,236,236);">On Earth-2, a judge paroles Tough Tony, a juvenile member of a gang of tire thieves, into rookie patrolman Chuck Lane's custody at Chuck's request. That night, Tony discovers that Chuck is the Jester and promises not to tell his secret. When the Jester encounters the gang of tire thieves, the leader Dagger Joe assumes wrongly that Tony ratted on him, and Tony decides to help the Jester when the crooks use underhanded methods to fight the mystery-man, such as ganging up on him and slugging him from behind. <em>Note: This story takes place a year earlier than when it was told, placing it around September, 1941, when the Jester was still on Earth-2. By September, 1942, Tony is no longer known as "Tough Tony" and has fully reformed.</em> [The Jester, Smash Comics #37 (November, 1942)]</span></html> |
| * Rod Reilly's fiancee Joan Rogers, a volunteer nurse at the Red Cross, discovers that the foreign Dr. Kruger has poisoned an emergency blood reserve at City Hospital with paralysis culture. After preventing the contaminated blood from infecting soldiers at Camp Roberts, the Firebrand saves Joan and Slugger Dunn from Kruger and his accomplices, and Kruger is shot by a hospital guard. [The Firebrand, Police Comics #6 (January, 1942)] | * Rod Reilly's fiancee Joan Rogers, a volunteer nurse at the Red Cross, discovers that the foreign Dr. Kruger has poisoned an emergency blood reserve at City Hospital with paralysis culture. After preventing the contaminated blood from infecting soldiers at Camp Roberts, the Firebrand saves Joan and Slugger Dunn from Kruger and his accomplices, and Kruger is shot by a hospital guard. [The Firebrand, Police Comics #6 (January, 1942)] |
| | * September 5: Passing through the Southwest, Wildfire stops a gang of saboteurs armed with freeze guns and saves several oil fields from being set afire. [Wildfire, Smash Comics #30 (January, 1942)] |
| * <html><span style="background-color:rgb(236,236,236);">September 5: On Earth-2, the Ray and Bud discover a secret Nazi base beneath a testing field armed with powerful magnetic generators meant to cause the secret test of a new dive bomber to fail. Bud is shot by one of the Nazi agents, and the Ray stops two German agents named Adolf and Von Ribboncounter who escape by plane with the plans for the bomber. The Ray brings Bud to a hospital to recuperate. [The Ray, Smash Comics #30 (January, 1942)]</span></html> | * <html><span style="background-color:rgb(236,236,236);">September 5: On Earth-2, the Ray and Bud discover a secret Nazi base beneath a testing field armed with powerful magnetic generators meant to cause the secret test of a new dive bomber to fail. Bud is shot by one of the Nazi agents, and the Ray stops two German agents named Adolf and Von Ribboncounter who escape by plane with the plans for the bomber. The Ray brings Bud to a hospital to recuperate. [The Ray, Smash Comics #30 (January, 1942)]</span></html> |
| * <html><span style="background-color:rgb(236,236,236);">September 5: On Earth-2, Kent Thurston (the Invisible Hood) discovers that his invisible hooded robe has been stolen. Elsewhere, the White Wizard uncovers the secret of invisibility from the stolen robe. Days later, a horde of invisible raiders wearing invisible robes begin a series of raids, causing havoc in Metropolis. Despite lacking invisibility, Thurston confronts the White Wizard and his invisible raiders, managing to destroy all but the original invisible robe, but the White Wizard escapes again. [Invisible Justice, Smash Comics #30 (January, 1942)]</span></html> | * <html><span style="background-color:rgb(236,236,236);">September 5: On Earth-2, Kent Thurston (the Invisible Hood) discovers that his invisible hooded robe has been stolen. Elsewhere, the White Wizard uncovers the secret of invisibility from the stolen robe. Days later, a horde of invisible raiders wearing invisible robes begin a series of raids, causing havoc in Metropolis. Despite lacking invisibility, Thurston confronts the White Wizard and his invisible raiders, managing to destroy all but the original invisible robe, but the White Wizard escapes again. [Invisible Justice, Smash Comics #30 (January, 1942)]</span></html> |
| * <html><span style="background-color:rgb(236,236,236);">On Earth-2, Phantom Lady and Black Condor team up against a crooked politician. ["<a href="http://www.5earths.info/earth-2/bravebold-e2-pl-bc-tp1942/">The Brave and the Bold: Phantom Lady and Black Condor: Times Past, 1942: Lethal Legislation</a>"]</span></html> | * <html><span style="background-color:rgb(236,236,236);">On Earth-2, Phantom Lady and Black Condor team up against a crooked politician. ["<a href="http://www.5earths.info/earth-2/bravebold-e2-pl-bc-tp1942/">The Brave and the Bold: Phantom Lady and Black Condor: Times Past, 1942: Lethal Legislation</a>"]</span></html> |
| * <html><span style="background-color:rgb(236,236,236);">February 10-11: On Earth-2, while visiting an aircraft plant in Los Angeles, Phantom Lady and the All-Star Squadron battle Fury and Northwind, and the Mist and Vulcan from the future. Together they battle the Ultra-Humanite and his agents, and Phantom Lady and the others are placed into Limbo by the Brain Wave of the future. Later, after the Ultra-Humanite's plot is stopped, they are brought back from Limbo. ["The Infinity Syndrome," All-Star Squadron #25 (September, 1983); "Talons Across Time," All-Star Squadron #26 (October, 1983); "The Ultra War," All-Star Squadron Annual #2 (1983)]</span></html> | * <html><span style="background-color:rgb(236,236,236);">February 10-11: On Earth-2, while visiting an aircraft plant in Los Angeles, Phantom Lady and the All-Star Squadron battle Fury and Northwind, and the Mist and Vulcan from the future. Together they battle the Ultra-Humanite and his agents, and Phantom Lady and the others are placed into Limbo by the Brain Wave of the future. Later, after the Ultra-Humanite's plot is stopped, they are brought back from Limbo. ["The Infinity Syndrome," All-Star Squadron #25 (September, 1983); "Talons Across Time," All-Star Squadron #26 (October, 1983); "The Ultra War," All-Star Squadron Annual #2 (1983)]</span></html> |
| | * February 17: In New Orleans during Mardi Gras, Wildfire fights a killer called the Frog, who wears a frog-like green costume and uses water gimmicks. The Frog manages to murder five victims before Wildfire finally captures him and unmasks him as Froggy Miller, a former soldier in the U.S. Army who resembled a frog and was booted out of the army for cowardice and thievery, but swore to get revenge on his fellow soldiers. [Wildfire, Smash Comics #32 (March, 1942)] |
| * February 22: Uncle Sam has another vision of an attack on U.S. soil, this time on the coast of California. He now finally succeeds in creating a vortex that transports him back to Earth-2. Unbeknownst to him, one of his preliminary attempts allows Baron Blitzkrieg to transport himself from Earth-2 to the Berlin, Germany, of Earth-X. [All-Star Squadron #32, 35] | * February 22: Uncle Sam has another vision of an attack on U.S. soil, this time on the coast of California. He now finally succeeds in creating a vortex that transports him back to Earth-2. Unbeknownst to him, one of his preliminary attempts allows Baron Blitzkrieg to transport himself from Earth-2 to the Berlin, Germany, of Earth-X. [All-Star Squadron #32, 35] |
| * February 22: Baron Blitzkrieg of Earth-2, displaying his powers and loyalty to the Adolf Hitler of Earth-X, is hailed a hero by the Nazis. Hearing of masked men fighting for the French Resistance in Paris, he travels there. Midnight and Doll Man, having learned of a planned Japanese attack on the U.S. set to take place the next day, battle German soldiers, resulting in Doll Man being injured. As Baron Blitzkrieg confronts Midnight on the edge of a rooftop, the latter spots the tell-tale signs of Uncle Sam's vortex just below him and leaps into it with Doll Man in his hand, followed by a few Nazi soldiers. They all ended up in Earth-2's New York City. Back on Earth-X, Baron Blitzkrieg mentally commands his aide Zwerg on Earth-2 to authorize an outbreak of Axis sabotage on the American East Coast in order to keep most All-Star Squadron members too busy to interfere with the invasion on either Earth's California. [All-Star Squadron #32, 35] | * February 22: Baron Blitzkrieg of Earth-2, displaying his powers and loyalty to the Adolf Hitler of Earth-X, is hailed a hero by the Nazis. Hearing of masked men fighting for the French Resistance in Paris, he travels there. Midnight and Doll Man, having learned of a planned Japanese attack on the U.S. set to take place the next day, battle German soldiers, resulting in Doll Man being injured. As Baron Blitzkrieg confronts Midnight on the edge of a rooftop, the latter spots the tell-tale signs of Uncle Sam's vortex just below him and leaps into it with Doll Man in his hand, followed by a few Nazi soldiers. They all ended up in Earth-2's New York City. Back on Earth-X, Baron Blitzkrieg mentally commands his aide Zwerg on Earth-2 to authorize an outbreak of Axis sabotage on the American East Coast in order to keep most All-Star Squadron members too busy to interfere with the invasion on either Earth's California. [All-Star Squadron #32, 35] |
| === September, 1942 === | === September, 1942 === |
| |
| | * September 24: In her last known case, **Wildfire** (Carol Vance Martin) stops a criminal gang led by the Dean of Darkness after Carol and other air raid wardens are kidnapped for ransom during a test blackout. ["Dean of Darkness," Smash Comics #37 (November, 1942)] |
| * **The Mouthpiece** has his last known case. [Police Comics #13] | * **The Mouthpiece** has his last known case. [Police Comics #13] |
| * **"Prop" Powers'** chronicled adventures end. [National Comics #26] | * **"Prop" Powers'** chronicled adventures end. [National Comics #26] |