(Mystic Comics v1 003, 1940)
It must be something of a point of pride for a super-hero to get to the point where they are effective enough that super-villains are being hired specifically to get rid of them, and that's where the Star-Gazer comes in. A criminal astronomer and/or astrologer, the Star-Gazer is approached by crimelord Dr Gair to get rid of the pesky Blue Blaze.
In fact, not only has the Blue Blaze reached "super-villain contract hit" levels, he has reached the level where a custom monster is created just to destroy him! Rarefied stuff for a mere third appearance.
The Star-Monster is a cool humanoid made out of a pile of chemicals and powered by the light of a particular star. It's invulnerable and strong and more than a match for even the Blue Blaze's enhanced strength, so it's lucky for him that its activity is limited to the times that its patron star is visible in the sky.
The Blue Blaze survives his initial encounter with the Star-Monster due to it adorably falling asleep once morning comes, then puts his respite to good use in his personal laboratory and discovers that stellar rays can be blocked by common or garden variety lead and lucky for him this is the 1940s when lead is easily sourced. One visit to a print shop with no Health and Safety officer on staff and the Star-Monster is safely encased in molten lead until I get my way and he is BRUNG BACK to take Snorlax-style naps all over modern comics.
As for the Star-Gazer, he just doesn't know when to admit defeat, in classic super-villain style. "Just after the hero neutralizes your invulnerable super-beast" is in fact the perfect time to either flee or surrender and live to fight another day. Sure, using crystals and prisms to hand-focus a stellar deathray is incredibly badass and if you manage to pull it off you will never pay for another drink at the 40s equivalent of the Bar With No Name again in your life, but realistically you're an old man in a showdown with a Civil War-era post-human and it's going to end, well, like it did, with the deaths of both the Star-Gazer and Dr Gair.
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