Unknown Soldier (Ace Comics)

Last updated
The Unknown Soldier
FourFavorites0841.jpg
Four Favorites #18, December 1942.
Publication information
Publisher Ace Comics
First appearance Our Flag Comics #1 (August 1941)
In-story information
Team affiliationsThe Super-Mysterymen
Notable aliasesSoldier Unknown
AbilitiesFlight, super-strength; armed with a "nitro gun" that fires explosive rounds.

The Unknown Soldier is a fictional superhero character who first appeared in Our Flag Comics #1 (August 1941) from Ace Comics. [1] The comic was devoted to patriotic superheroes, and also included Captain Victory and the Three Cheers. [2]

Contents

Publishing history

Our Flag Comics only lasted for five issues — the last issue was dated April 1942 — but by then the Unknown Soldier was transferred to the Ace title Four Favorites, appearing from issue #4 (March 1942) to #20 (November 1945). [3] After that, he fell into the public domain.

In 2008, the character appeared in the second volume of the Dynamite Entertainment one-shot Project Superpowers: Chapter Two Prelude, now renamed Soldier Unknown, to avoid trademark hassles with DC Comics, as part of a team of Ace heroes called The Super-Mysterymen (named after the defunct Ace title Super-Mystery Comics).

Fictional biography

Ace Comics

The Unknown Soldier is a mysterious being who claims to be the physically manifested spirit of all who died to protect the United States; during World War II, he came to the aid of American soldiers whenever they needed his help. He wears a costume patterned after a U.S. soldier's uniform (complete with garrison cap) and a mask; he possesses super-strength and the ability to fly, and he carries a "nitro gun" that fires explosive bullets. In his first story, he defeats Adolf Hitler. [4]

According to Jess Nevins' Encyclopedia of Golden Age Superheroes, "the Unknown Soldier shows up wherever things look worst for democracy, whether that involves fighting bank robbers who use invisible ink and a special suit to turn invisible, cold-wielding villains like the Icicle, or Nazi mad scientists like Dr. Oxyo". [5]

Project Superpowers

At some point after the war, the Soldier was trapped in the mystical Urn of Pandora by the misguided Fighting Yank, along with dozens of other heroes; decades later, the Urn was broken and the prisoners freed. The Soldier and seven other heroes — Captain Courageous, Lash Lightning & Lightning Girl, Mr. Raven, The Sword, Magno, and Vulcan — were then recruited by unknown forces to form a team called The Super-Mysterymen; what part they play in the modern world is not revealed.

Related Research Articles

Black Fury is the name of several fictional comic book characters published in the Golden Age of Comics.

Doc Strange 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.

Captain Freedom

Captain Freedom is a superhero from the period known as "Golden Age of Comic Books". His creator was identified as "Franklin Flagg" in the credits, but the identity of the individual behind the pseudonym remains unknown. He first appeared in Speed Comics #13, a Harvey Comics title. He continued to appear in Speed Comics until its cancellation in #44.

Yellowjacket (Charlton Comics)

Yellowjacket is a fictional super-hero, and the first to be published by the company that would become Charlton Comics. He first appeared in Yellowjacket Comics #1.

Captain Flag

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 of Blue Ribbon Comics, #22.

Arrow (comics)

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

Hydroman is a fictional superhero character who first appeared in comic books from Eastern Color Printing in 1940.

Wildfire (Carol Vance Martin)

Wildfire is a fictional superheroine in the DC Comics universe. One of the first female superheroes, she was originally published by Quality Comics during what comics historians and fans called the Golden Age of comic books. With her luxurious mane of red hair and revealing costume, she has been called "the sexiest super-hero of 1941".

Shock Gibson

Shock Gibson is a fictional comic book superhero who first appeared in Speed Comics #1, from Brookwood Publications. He was created by artist Maurice Scott, who drew it through issue #11, and an unknown writer. His 1939 introduction makes him one of comic books' earliest superheroes. He also appeared in All-New Comics #8.

The Moth is the name of two American comic-book superhero characters. The first was created by artist Jim Mooney and an unknown writer for Fox Feature Syndicate in 1940, during the period fans and historians call the Golden Age of Comic Books. The second was created by writer-artist Steve Rude in 1998 for Dark Horse Comics.

Face (character) Superhero from Columbia Comics

The Face is a fictional character, a comic book superhero that appeared in 1940s comics during what historians and fans call the Golden Age of Comic Books. He was created by artist Mart Bailey and an unknown writer.

The Owl is a fictional superhero that first appeared in Dell Comics' Crackajack Funnies #25, continuing until #43.

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 Courageous is a fictional superhero character who first appeared in Banner Comics #3 from Ace Comics.

Lash Lightning is a fictional superhero character who first appeared in Sure-Fire Comics #1 from Ace Comics, which was renamed Lightning Comics with issue #4 to take advantage of the new character's popularity. Originally called Flash Lightning, the character's name was changed to Lash Lightning in issue #7 to avoid confusion with DC Comics' the Flash.

The Raven is a fictional superhero character who first appeared in the Ace Comics title Sure-Fire Comics. He is based on the pulp hero "The Moon Man" published by Periodic House, the pulp publisher connected to Ace Comics.

Captain Future (Nedor Comics)

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

Supersnipe is a fictional character who appeared in a series of comic books published by Street & Smith from 1942 to 1949. Supersnipe was the imagined alter ego of Koppy McFad, "the boy with the most comic books in the world." He was created by writer-artist George Marcoux, who had previously assisted Percy Crosby on the comic strip Skippy.

Bob Phantom was a costumed crime-fighter who debuted in the December 1939 issue of Blue Ribbon Comics making him one of the earliest costumed superheroes MLJ/Archie Comics published. He was written by Harry Shorten and illustrated by Irv Novick.

References

  1. ↑ Markstein, Don. "Unknown Soldier". Don Markstein's Toonopedia. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  2. ↑ Mitchell, Kurt; Thomas, Roy (2019). American Comic Book Chronicles: 1940-1944. TwoMorrows Publishing. p. 109. ISBN   978-1605490892.
  3. ↑ Benton, Mike (1992). Superhero Comics of the Golden Age: The Illustrated History. Dallas: Taylor Publishing Company. p. 164. ISBN   0-87833-808-X . Retrieved 8 April 2020.
  4. ↑ Mougin, Lou (2020). Secondary Superheroes of Golden Age Comics. McFarland & Co. p. 350. ISBN   9781476638607.
  5. ↑ Nevins, Jess (2013). Encyclopedia of Golden Age Superheroes. High Rock Press. p. 282. ISBN   978-1-61318-023-5.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.