Real name: Frankie Fowler
First appearance: All-American Comics#23 (February 1941)
Abilities: Handy with genealogical records
Worst act: Blackmail
Created by: Bill Finger (script), Everett E. Hibbard (art)
Another blackmailer this time; Frankie finds out that actress Delia Day is set to marry the fabulously rich Harvey Drake the Third. A secret that Ms. Day didn't tell her hubby to be is that her father is the infamous gang lord Al Maloney. Frankie knows this, however, and for a small monthly fee he'll be happy to keep her secrets secret.
Fowler bites it when Maloney breaks out of jail and shoots him, dying in the process. Green Lantern gets a new power when he brainwashes Fowler's gang to forget Day's parentage.
A bit scummy but forgettable.
Sunday, February 9, 2020
Saturday, February 8, 2020
Bring on the Bad Guys: Mark Karaste
Real name: Mark Karaste
First appearance: All-American Comics#22 (January 1941)
Abilities: Racketeering
Worst act: Fight fixing, kidnapping, attempted murder
Created by: Bill Finger (script) Mart Nodell (art)
Karaste is introduced to us as the manager of Brute Nolan. Karaste tends to favor the 'anything goes' approach to winning, mostly by trying to have Nolan's opponents killed or failing that, have their spouses kidnapped.
Straight forward, although with the boxing theme it seemed better suited to Wildcat than Green Lantern.
Friday, February 7, 2020
Bring on the Bad Guys: Elias Strake
Real name: Elias Strake
First appearance: All-American Comics#21 (December 1940)
Abilities: Manipulation
Worst act: Fraud, attempted murder
Created by: Bill Finger (script) Mart Nodell (art)
The main focus here is the con artist Mr. Strake. Upon hearing that the Blake family is searching for their lost son, Strake brings in hooligan Cub Brenner and passes him off as the presumably dead Tommy Blake.
As these stories tend to go it turns out that Cub actually is Tommy and the Green Lantern manages to bring Strake to justice.
Not terrible, but that the missing heir yarn was getting a bit old by 1940.
First appearance: All-American Comics#21 (December 1940)
Abilities: Manipulation
Worst act: Fraud, attempted murder
Created by: Bill Finger (script) Mart Nodell (art)
The main focus here is the con artist Mr. Strake. Upon hearing that the Blake family is searching for their lost son, Strake brings in hooligan Cub Brenner and passes him off as the presumably dead Tommy Blake.
As these stories tend to go it turns out that Cub actually is Tommy and the Green Lantern manages to bring Strake to justice.
Not terrible, but that the missing heir yarn was getting a bit old by 1940.
Thursday, February 6, 2020
Bring on the Bad Guys: Gates
Real name: Gates
First appearance: All-American Comics#20 (November 1940)
Abilities: Radio executive
Worst act: Murder
Created by: Bill Finger (script), Mart Nodell (art)
The issue we see the return of Irene Miller (last seen in All-American Comics#18) and Alan Scott going to work in radio, a job he'll be linked with for the rest of his existence.
When radio announcer Jim Telluem is murdered, Alan decides to investigate. Irene worked with Jim and gets Alan's foot into the door of the Apex Broadcasting Studio. From there he finds a gang of smugglers and their boss, Gates who as it turns out is the head of ABS.
Not bad, but I can't help but notice how many superheroes worked in either print or radio news. Although it does makes sense, since Alan's being an engineer hadn't been a plot point since his second appearance.
Wednesday, February 5, 2020
Bring on the Bad Guys: Baron Von Zorn
Real name: Von Zorn
First appearance: All-Star Comics#2 (Fall 1940)
Abilities: Medical doctor
Worst act: Being a Nazi, kidnapping
Created by: Bill Finger (script), Mart Nodell (art)
Moving into the All-Star series, we focus on the Green Lantern story and the first Nazi GL ever fought.
The Baron here is the leader of the Robot Men, kidnapped souls he forcibly abducted and medically altered into living machines, only thinking of conquering the United States.
Thankfully Alan Scott happened to have gone to medical school for a bit, along engineering I assume, and is able to correct the baron's handiwork.
First appearance: All-Star Comics#2 (Fall 1940)
Abilities: Medical doctor
Worst act: Being a Nazi, kidnapping
Created by: Bill Finger (script), Mart Nodell (art)
Moving into the All-Star series, we focus on the Green Lantern story and the first Nazi GL ever fought.
The Baron here is the leader of the Robot Men, kidnapped souls he forcibly abducted and medically altered into living machines, only thinking of conquering the United States.
Thankfully Alan Scott happened to have gone to medical school for a bit, along engineering I assume, and is able to correct the baron's handiwork.
Tuesday, February 4, 2020
Bring on the Bad Guys: Slade
Real name: Slade
First appearance: All-American Comics#19 (October 1940)
Abilities: Running a gang
Worst act: Murder, insurance fraud
Created by: Bill Finger (script), Marty Nodell (art)
I'm shocked no one has tried to tie this guy to Deathstroke.
Mr. Slade deals in insurance. The Green Lantern gets involved when he first saves a man from a hit and run only for the man to die later in a suspicious accident.
Saving another man, the Emerald Gladiator discovers the man and the previous victim both signed large insurance polices, with Mr. Slade being the sole beneficiary. A coincidence surely?
GL infiltrates the underworld gambling scene and soon exposes Slade, who dies in the fight. Short but decent.
First appearance: All-American Comics#19 (October 1940)
Abilities: Running a gang
Worst act: Murder, insurance fraud
Created by: Bill Finger (script), Marty Nodell (art)
I'm shocked no one has tried to tie this guy to Deathstroke.
Mr. Slade deals in insurance. The Green Lantern gets involved when he first saves a man from a hit and run only for the man to die later in a suspicious accident.
Saving another man, the Emerald Gladiator discovers the man and the previous victim both signed large insurance polices, with Mr. Slade being the sole beneficiary. A coincidence surely?
GL infiltrates the underworld gambling scene and soon exposes Slade, who dies in the fight. Short but decent.
Monday, February 3, 2020
Bring on the Bad Guys: Murdock
Real name: Murdock
First appearance: All-American Comics#18 (September 1940)
Abilities: Kidnapping
Worst act: Kidnapping and blackmail
Created by: Bill Finger (script), Marty Nodell (art)
Going to the World's Fair this time out and also the first time the Green Lantern uses the oath.
Alan Scott gets dragged into this when he prevents a woman from murdering a fellow fair goer. She has her reasons though, as the gentleman in question is the mobster Murdock who framed her brother.
In short order the Green Lantern also learns that Murdock has kidnapped a judge's daughter in order to blackmail the man. Short fight ending with Murdock facing the consequences of his crimes.
First appearance: All-American Comics#18 (September 1940)
Abilities: Kidnapping
Worst act: Kidnapping and blackmail
Created by: Bill Finger (script), Marty Nodell (art)
Going to the World's Fair this time out and also the first time the Green Lantern uses the oath.
Alan Scott gets dragged into this when he prevents a woman from murdering a fellow fair goer. She has her reasons though, as the gentleman in question is the mobster Murdock who framed her brother.
In short order the Green Lantern also learns that Murdock has kidnapped a judge's daughter in order to blackmail the man. Short fight ending with Murdock facing the consequences of his crimes.
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