Here are some very minor Marvel Comics super-heroes, or at least super-hero adjacent comic book adventurers.
the Masked Raider:
The Masked Raider is actually Jim Gardley, a small-time rancher in the town of Cactusville (which has apparently been officially placed in California? the hell?) is run off his land and framed as a rustler by crooked business interests. Adopting his masked persona and acquiring a souped-up horse named Lightning, he strikes back at his persecutors and goes on to spread justice throughout the West.
Recently (well, seven years ago), Marvel Comics 1000 recontextualized the Masked Raider as being part of a chain of super-heroes who are empowered by an artifact known as the Eternity Mask, but that's all future stuff. As far as we are concerned, for the next 80-odd years worth of comics the Masked Raider is just a two-fisted cowboy. (Marvel Comics 001, 1939)
Ka-Zar:
Ka-Zar is in actuality David Rand, who was gradually orphaned after his family was stranded in the jungle when he was a toddler. First his mother dies of a fever, which, along with a bit of head trauma, causes his father to have a mental break and decide to settle down in the jungle rather than try to get back home. Some years later, the vile emerald hunter de Kraft invades this jungle life and kills David's father, leaving David to be brought up the rest of the way by the lion Zar and his mate. Ka-Zar = "Brother of Zar," which is a better origin than most jungle man nonsense names get. Ka-Zar's origin ends when he slays de Kraft, who has returned to get more delicious emeralds.
This particular Ka-Zar is of course doomed to obscurity thanks to the existence of the other Ka-Zar, who somehow continues to appear to this day. Marvel has no need of any more jungle heroes, let alone a surplus Ka-Zar. (Marvel Comics 001, 1939)
Ferret:
Though private detective characters are a dime a dozen in Golden Age comics, Ferret here is distinguished in a few ways: firstly by the fact of his cool name, secondly by dint of having a bit of the weaselly appearance of his namesake rather than being your typical comic book squarejaw, and finally because he is a bit of a go-to in more modern comic flashbacks when they want to add a bit of non-costumed 40s flair. (Marvel Mystery Comics v1 004, 1940)
Most importantly, as of Marvel Mystery Comics v1 005, Ferret has a real ferret named Nosey for a pet.
Terry Vance:
Terry Vance, aka the Schoolboy Sleuth, aka the Boy of a Hundred Hobbies is a science-minded youth, of the subtype that deals in actual science and not comic book super tech. Mostly, at least - he does occasionally stretch the bounds of what a remote controlled plane can do.
Vance splits his time between school, the Bike Club, his famed Hundred Hobbies and solving grisly murders that have the police flummoxed, and he does it all with the aid of a monkey named Dr Watson and a reporter pal named Deadline Dawson.
If any of these characters is a ripe candidate for revival, it's Terry*, as a venerable old detective, an embittered old tech billionaire, a benevolent old tech billionaire... the possibilities are finite but vast! Heck, have him still be a teen, having gotten too close to the super-villainous side of crime and been blasted through time and/or space. (Marvel Mystery Comics v1 010, 1940)
*Ferret was killed off by Ed Brubaker, alas.






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