American Eagle | |
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Publication information | |
Publisher | Standard Comics AC Comics America's Best Comics (DC) |
First appearance | America's Best Comics #2 (Sept 1941) |
Created by | Richard E. Hughes Kin Platt |
In-story information | |
Alter ego | Tom Standish |
Team affiliations | SMASH |
Abilities | Enhanced strength Flight "Fighting qualities of America's national bird" |
The American Eagle is a superhero from the Golden Age of Comics. He first appeared in America's Best Comics #2 (Sept 1942), published by Nedor Comics, an imprint of Standard Comics. [1]
American Eagle was revived by two other comics publishers: first AC Comics, and then by America's Best Comics, by writer Alan Moore as part of his Tom Strong comics and its spin-off Terra Obscura .
American Eagle was the secret identity of scientist Tom Standish. While performing experiments for the US government, he was accidentally exposed to a mysterious black ray infused with the blood of an eagle. [2] The ray gave him the powers of the bald eagle — flight, strength and (of course) patriotism. Standish used his powers to fight the Nazis and other enemies during World War II. [3] He was accompanied by his young companion Bud Pierce who, as "Eaglet", had powers similar to the American Eagle. [4] His enemies include Dr. Amoto and the Red Mask. In one story, "The Machine That Raised the Dead", the Nazis use a machine to bring historical figures back to life, including Blackbeard, a Neanderthal and a Viking. [5]
The American Eagle appeared in: [6]
AC Comics has reused the Golden Age American Eagle in their revival of the Nedor Comics superheroes. He has appeared in issues of The Fighting Yank , set during the 1950s.
The Golden Age version of the American Eagle was also revived by Alan Moore for his Tom Strong comics, published by America's Best Comics. Moore used the Nedor Comics characters to populate Terra Obscura, the alternate universe version of Tom Strong's Earth. In Moore's story, the heroes had been placed in suspended animation in 1969, and were revived 30 years later by Tom Strong. The American Eagle made a brief appearance in Tom Strong #12 (June 2001).
The American Eagle is featured briefly in the Terra Obscura spin-off series. Issue #4 reveals that the American Eagle and Eaglet had been looking for the missing Captain Future, and had traced him to the lair of Dr. X. In the struggle that followed the American Eagle and Eaglet were both killed; their bodies were discovered three years later by the Scarab and the Liberator.
Terra Obscura is a 2003 comic book miniseries spin-off from Alan Moore's Tom Strong series. The stories are written by Peter Hogan, and drawn by Yanick Paquette and Karl Story with additional flashback sequences drawn by Eric Theriault. Each story is co-plotted by Alan Moore and Peter Hogan. It was published under Moore's America's Best Comics imprint through Wildstorm Comics, which is owned by DC Comics.
The American Crusader is a superhero who originally appeared in Thrilling Comics #19. He appeared in almost every issue until #41.
The Black Terror is a fictional comic book superhero who originally appeared in Exciting Comics #9, published by Nedor Comics in January 1941. The character was popular, and on the strength of the Black Terror's sales, Nedor made Exciting Comics a monthly magazine starting with issue #11.
Doc Strange is a Golden Age comic book superhero who originally appeared in Thrilling Comics #1 in February 1940. The character continued in Thrilling Comics until issue #64. He also appeared in America's Best Comics #1-23 and 27.
Grim Reaper is a fictional character and a superhero. Created by writer/editor Richard E. Hughes, he first appeared in Fighting Yank #7, and was quickly promoted to cover feature of Wonder Comics, beginning with #1. His origin story was told in Wonder Comics #2.
The Society of Modern American Science Heroes', or SMASH, is a team of superheroes whose adventures are published by America's Best Comics and take place on the parallel world of Terra Obscura.
The Fighting Yank is the name of several superheroes, first appearing in Startling Comics #10.
Captain Flag is a superhero created by MLJ Comics' writer Joe Blair and artist Lin Streeter. He first appeared in September 1941, in issue #16 of Blue Ribbon Comics. He continued until the last issue, Blue Ribbon Comics #22.
Standard Comics was a comic book imprint of American publisher Ned Pines, who also published pulp magazines and paperback books. Standard in turn was the parent company of two comic-book lines: Better Publications and Nedor Publishing. Collectors and historians sometimes refer to them collectively as "Standard/Better/Nedor".
Miss Masque is a fictional masked crime-fighter. She originally appeared in comic books published by Nedor Comics, and was later revived by AC Comics, America's Best Comics, and Dynamite Entertainment.
Pyroman is a fictional superhero that appeared in comic books published by Nedor Comics. His first appearance was in Startling Comics #18, with art by Jack Binder. This character was later revived by both AC Comics and America's Best Comics.
The Woman in Red is a fictional character that first appeared in the period known to comic book historians as the Golden Age of Comic Books. Created by writer Richard E. Hughes and artist George Mandel, she first appeared in Thrilling Comics #2, published by Nedor Comics. The character was later revived by writer Alan Moore for America's Best Comics. She would also be used by Dynamite Entertainment in Project Superpowers Chapter Two.
The Liberator is a superhero from the Golden Age of Comics. His first appearance was in Exciting Comics #15, published by Nedor Comics. The character was later revived by writer Alan Moore for America's Best Comics.
The Scarab is a fictional superhero from the Golden Age of Comics. He first appeared in Startling Comics #34, published by Nedor Comics. The character was later revived by writer Alan Moore for America's Best Comics.
Lance Lewis, Space Detective is a fictional superhero from the Golden Age of Comics. He first appeared in Mystery Comics #3 (1944), published by Nedor Comics. The character was revived by writer Alan Moore for America's Best Comics.
The Magnet is a fictional character from the Golden Age of Comics. He first appeared in the Complete Book of Comics and Funnies #1 (1944), published by Nedor Comics. The character was later revived by writer Alan Moore for America's Best Comics.
Princess Pantha is a jungle heroine that appeared in comic books published by Nedor Comics. The character was revived twice; first by AC Comics, and then by writer Alan Moore for his Tom Strong spin-off, Terra Obscura. She first appeared in Thrilling Comics #56.
The Black Owl is the name of two fictional superhero characters. Both appeared in the Prize Publications title Prize Comics in the 1940s.
Yank & Doodle is a pair of superheroes who first appeared in the Prize Publications title Prize Comics in August 1941. They were revived by Dynamite Entertainment in the 2000s.
Captain Future is a fictional superhero character who first appeared in Startling Comics #1 from Nedor Comics.