Black Terror

Last updated
Black Terror
Exciting Comics 9.jpg
Cover to Exciting Comics #9, art by Elmer Wexler.
Publication information
Publisher Nedor Comics
America's Best Comics
Dynamite Entertainment
First appearance Exciting Comics #9 (Jan. 1941)
Created by Richard E. Hughes
Don Gabrielson
In-story information
Alter egoBob Benton
Team affiliations SMASH
AbilitiesSuper strength
Limited invulnerability

The Black Terror is a fictional comic book superhero debuting in Exciting Comics #9, published by Nedor Comics in January 1941. [1] 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 (July 1941). [2]

Contents

The Black Terror was the most popular superhero in Nedor's stable, and appeared in a quarterly solo comic book as well as the lead feature in America's Best Comics and Exciting Comics until 1949. [3]

Some Black Terror stories were written by Patricia Highsmith before she became an acclaimed novelist. [4] The character has been revived by various publishers over the years, including AC Comics, Eclipse Comics, America's Best Comics, and Dynamite Entertainment.

Exciting Comics

The Black Terror's secret identity was pharmacist Bob Benton, who formulated a chemical he called "formic ethers", which gave him various superpowers. He used these powers to fight crime with his sidekick, Tim Roland, together known as the "Terror Twins". [5] His love interest is secretary Jean Starr, who initially despises Benton and loves the Black Terror, but later discovers that they are the same person.

According to Jess Nevins' Encyclopedia of Golden Age Superheroes, "The Black Terror has enemies ranging from Nazis to mad scientists like Thorg (he of the "million dollar death ray"), the femme fatale Lady Serpent (who has a hypnotic glance), and the Japanese scientist Hanura and his "electro-hypnotizer", which is used to assassinate American generals and admirals". [6]

With the popularity of superheroes fading in the late 40s, the Black Terror's series ended with issue #27 (June 1949). [7]

Later appearances

AC Comics

In 1983, AC Comics revised the Black Terror, starting in their Americomics title. In it, now-retired Bob Benton (called Mark Benton in this version) returns to action after an attempt to shake him down for protection money leads to the death of his wife. He would operate as an over-the-top vigilante, now just called the "Terror". [8] Later, most likely due to trademark issues, he became a criminal enforcer known as the "Terrorist". [9]

Alter Ego

In Roy Thomas' Alter Ego mini-series from 1986, several Golden Age characters were used, but renamed. The Black Terror (renamed "The Holy Terror") made an appearance. [10]

Darkline Comics

Bob Benton made a single appearance in the fourth issue of Darkline Comics' Dark Adventures. In the script by Vic Peterson and art by Thompson O'Rourke, Benton's exposure to his secret formula has made him ageless and sleepless, and he begins a new war on crime under the name "Terror Knight". [11]

Eclipse Comics

Eclipse Comics did a three-issue mini-series "revival" of the Black Terror in 1989. In this series, the character is an undercover FBI agent operating against organized crime who would dress up like the Black Terror for certain operations. He had no superpowers or any connection to the original character. [12]

America's Best Comics

America's Best Comics #7, October 1943 AmericasBestComics1001.jpg
America's Best Comics #7 , October 1943

The Black Terror, along with other heroes from Nedor Comics, were revived by Alan Moore in 2001 in his series Tom Strong , published by America's Best Comics. This revival set the characters on a parallel world called Terra Obscura, which was also the title of the resulting mini-series.

In Tom Strong #11, Moore and co-creator Chris Sprouse more fully introduce the idea of Terra Obscura being a parallel Earth, "but in our own dimension. In our own galaxy". In this issue, Tom Strange is revealed to have run across the Milky Way for 30 years to reach Strong for help in stopping an alien menace that killed or imprisoned most of the science heroes of Terra Obscura. Strong himself theorized that the duplicate Earth "must be due to some near-inconceivable fluke of mathematics, of statistical probability". [13]

The parallel Earth, as revealed by Strange, was formed much as our own, except that once Earth had completely formed, something large collided and combined with it — a vast spacecraft. The pilot of the spacecraft survived in the Moon, until awakened by astronauts on July 20, 1969. It apparently followed them back to Earth, where it began construction of a ship to return home — by converting the entire Earth into a spaceship. In the process, it was engaged in battle by the members of SMASH. It killed some members, and trapped others in suspended animation for 30 years, until freed by the combined efforts of Tom Strong and Tom Strange.

In Tom Strong #12, it is revealed that the Black Terror had been killed in battle with the alien. However, Benton, a polymath, had transferred his consciousness into a computer program called Terror 2000. [14]

In the Terra Obscura series, the Terror 2000 program institutes a crime prevention program in Invertica City, wherein technologically produced versions of the Black Terror (referred to as the Terror) fight crime. A corporation running the program tries to sell it to other cities in the US. Eventually, the Terror transfers its consciousness into the now deceased Tim and tries to acquire power from the returning Captain Future's spaceship. He is defeated by a time travelling version of his original self, the Black Terror. [15]

Image Comics

The Black Terror is seen in the Mike Allred illustrated "Stardust the Super Wizard" story in Image Comics' Next Issue Project #1 (also known as Fantastic Comics #24, January 2008). He can be seen with many other notable Golden Age characters, including Daredevil, Miss Masque, the Green Lama, the Face, the Phantom, the Fighting Yank, and Samson, who headlines the book. He also made a small appearance on the cover and in some panels of Savage Dragon #141 (November 2008).

Wild Cat Books

In June 2008, pulp publisher Wild Cat Books released Legends of the Golden Age, a prose anthology featuring new stories of the Black Terror and Lev Gleason's Daredevil.

Dynamite Entertainment

Black Terror was one of several Golden Age characters to appear in the comic book series Project Superpowers , by writer Jim Krueger and artist Alex Ross. [16] He was also the first in the series to get a spin-off series, written by Krueger with art by Mike Lilly. [17] [18] In the Black Terror series, which began in November 2008, the Terror leads a one-man assault on the White House in search of his lost partner, Tim. The series was cancelled at #14 in 2011. The character appears in the 2013 Masks series along other pulp heroes. He again had a solo series in 2019 entitled Black Terror which consisted of 5 issues unrelated to his previous Dynamite versions.

Metahuman Press

The 2009 Metahuman Press serial Out for Vengeance uses both the Black Terror and Black Fury as a basis for the character. He maintains the traditional secret identity and costume. The series is set in the modern day and involves Robert Benton suddenly finding himself young and semi-amnesiac in the city of New Salem. [19]

Heroes Inc.

The webcomic Heroes Inc. started in 2009 and takes place in an alternate reality where the allies of World War II lost the war. In present day, the American Crusader gathers DNA from Golden Age heroes in order to create a new generation of heroes. One of these Golden Age heroes is the Black Terror (now going by the alias Duncan Boone), who is currently on death row for first degree murder.

Curse of the Black Terror

In February 2011, Broken Soul Press launched a webcomic called Curse of the Black Terror. The comic is described as a superhero/noir story. The webcomic follows a re-imagined version of the Black Terror. Writer Curtis Lawson has stated that the story keeps the original Black Terror's history mostly intact and that his new Black Terror is a Legacy Hero. This new Black Terror features a new costume, but the same powers as the original. His identity has not been revealed. The visual re-design of the Black Terror in this webcomic was the work of artist Kundo Krunch.

Moonstone Books

In 2011, Eric M. Esquivel and Ander Sarabia created a version of The Black Terror called "The Blackest Terror", [20] who is more of an urban revolutionary, obsessed with social justice, than a status-quo-enforcing superhero. Theirs is the first version of Robert Benton to be portrayed as an African-American. Blackest Terror also appears in their book Thor: Unkillable Thunder Christ, also published by Moonstone Books. [21]

Film

The Black Terror appears alongside other Golden Age superheroes in the independent film Avenging Force: The Scarab. [22]

Related Research Articles

<i>Terra Obscura</i>

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Doc Strange</span> Golden Age comic book superhero by Nedor Comics

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grim Reaper (Nedor Comics)</span> Comics character

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SMASH (comics)</span>

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Daredevil (Lev Gleason Publications)</span> American comic book superhero

Daredevil is a fictional superhero created by Jack Binder, who starred in comics from Lev Gleason Publications during the 1930s–1940s period that historians and fans call the Golden Age of comic books. The character was retroactively established into the Image Universe by Image Comics in the 1990s as its first character. The character is unrelated to Marvel Comics' Daredevil, and recent renditions of the character have often renamed him Doubledare or The Death-Defying Devil to avoid confusion and potential lawsuits.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fighting Yank</span> Fantam character is a model of Yank

The Fighting Yank is the name of several superheroes, first appearing in Startling Comics #10.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arrow (character)</span> Comics character

The Arrow is a fictional superhero created during the Golden Age of Comic Books. He was the first superhero published by Centaur Publications.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Standard Comics</span> Former comic book publisher

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".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Miss Masque</span> Comics character

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pyroman</span> Comics character

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Woman in Red (comics)</span> Fictional character

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Liberator (Nedor Comics)</span> Comics character

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lance Lewis, Space Detective</span> Comics character

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 American Eagle is a superhero from the Golden Age of Comics. He first appeared in America's Best Comics #2, published by Nedor Comics, an imprint of Standard Comics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Princess Pantha</span> Comics character

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black Owl</span> Comics character

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Captain Future (Nedor Comics)</span> Comics character

Captain Future is a fictional superhero character who first appeared in Startling Comics #1 from Nedor Comics.

References

  1. Markstein, Don. "The Black Terror". Don Markstein's Toonopedia. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  2. Mitchell, Kurt; Thomas, Roy (2019). American Comic Book Chronicles: 1940-1944. TwoMorrows Publishing. p. 108. ISBN   978-1605490892.
  3. Benton, Mike (1992). Superhero Comics of the Golden Age: The Illustrated History. Dallas: Taylor Publishing Company. pp. 77–78. ISBN   0-87833-808-X . Retrieved 15 January 2020.
  4. Nolan, Michelle (July 2012). "Nedor Comics Index". Alter Ego (111). Retrieved 10 April 2020.
  5. Green, Paul (2017). Encyclopedia of Weird War Stories: Supernatural and Science Fiction Elements in Novels, Pulps, Comics, Film, Television, Games and Other Media. McFarland & Co. p. 25. ISBN   978-1476666723.
  6. Nevins, Jess (2013). Encyclopedia of Golden Age Superheroes. High Rock Press. pp. 26–27. ISBN   978-1-61318-023-5.
  7. Mougin, Lou (2020). Secondary Superheroes of Golden Age Comics. McFarland & Co. p. 155. ISBN   9781476638607.
  8. Americomics #2, June 1983
  9. Nightveil #2, 1985
  10. Alter Ego #1-4, 1986
  11. Dark Adventures #2, 1987
  12. Black Terror #1-3, 1989
  13. Tom Strong #11, 2001
  14. Tom Strong #12, 2001
  15. Terra Obscura Vol. 1 #1-6, Vol. 2 #1-6, 2003-2005
  16. Brady, Matt (July 18, 2007). "Ross and Krueger on Superpowers". Newsarama . Archived from the original on October 9, 2007.
  17. "Mike Lily: Black Terror, Exclusivity and More". Newsarama. July 9, 2008.
  18. "Alex Ross & Jim Krueger on The Black Terror". Newsarama. July 30, 2008.
  19. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2011-07-14. Retrieved 2009-07-12.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  20. Rogers, Vaneta (19 January 2024). "New/Old Heroes to Challenge 'White, Right' Status Quo". Newsarama.
  21. The Blackest Terror #1, 2011
  22. "Avenging Force: The Scarab". IMDb . Retrieved 2020-04-20.