(Speed Comics 001, 1939)
Baron von Kampf! Major recurring Shock Gibson villain and aspiring world conqueror. He's exactly the sort of evil, sneering gloating villain that I love to see vex the heroes of yesteryear, and due to the fact that his appearances are concentrated in the early days of the super-hero medium that's about all the characterization he gets. He wants to rule the world and he's a dick about it.
But who needs characterization when you've 1. got the appearance of a weird little goblin man and 2. employ the services of what are possibly the greatest henchmen of the Golden Age: the Zombies!
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| "This Better Not Awaken Anything In Me" |
According to Baron von Kampf, the Zombies are radio-controlled creatures made out of animal parts. Just why they're called zombies is a mystery - the idea of the zombie as a resurrected corpse or corpselike drugged (or mystically enthralled) person was very much in the cultural ether in 1939, so who the heck knows?
Naming conventions aside the Zombies look terrific, particularly in a huge group - they're like something that Steve Ditko might draw swarming out of a portal to beat up Dr Strange.
Baron von Kampf's second appearance in Speed Comics 002 sadly does not involve the Zombies but does feature that old favourite gizmo, the engine killing ray, which von Kampf is employing to bring down airplanes in order to conquer the South American nation of El Matador.
The real interesting thing about the Baron in this issue is that he still has on what I previously assumed to be some sort of surgical cap but might just be the top of his head? Like it's a metal plate or something? Like all aspects of the Baron's appearance it goes unmentioned in the text so we can only speculate on why exactly he is Like That.
Baron von Kampf shows up maybe half a dozen times total but the real attraction is the Zombies, who get a bit weirder as time goes on. We''l be seeing them again, I assure you.
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