MINOR SUPER-VILLAIN 537: THE SILVER FOX

(Funny Pages v1 007, 1936)

Dastardly desert bandit who bedevils scientist Fred Murray and his children Jimmie and Norrie as they search Egypt for the Sapphire Eye of Sehkmet. He's a pretty basic type villain but I have some affection for these pulp-style fellows as we start to get away from them. Note also the all-purpose accent he's sporting, which was definitely the go-to for Golden Age creators who didn't know what, say, an Egyptian sounded like.

As far as I know (taking into account Centaur Comics' tendency to shuffle features in and out of their various anthology titles in a fashion that I would describe as willy-nilly) the "Sapphire Eye of Sehkmet" feature never actually wrapped up, so the Silver Fox joins our collection of villains who have escaped justice via publishing and business decisions.

NOTES - JUNE 2024

Memes of Yore - Sheep vs Cows: 

It's not at all surprising that there was conflict between sheep and cattle farmers in the Old West - human tribalism alone might have accounted for that without the sometimes conflicting needs of the two industries coming into play - but the insistence of early Western media that the cattlemen were RIGHT, DAMMIT and those dirty sheep farmers were nothing but a bunch of crooks suitable only for roles as sneaking villains is a bit baffling. (Wonder Comics 001, 1939)

Honours:

Newsreel camerawoman Patty O'Day breaks up a spy ring and gets a personal letter of thanks from FDR! (Wonderworld Comics 005, 1939)

MINOR SUPER-VILLAIN 536: NAULUS

(Fantastic Comics 001, 1939)

Naulus is an undersea noble who is attempting to usurp the throne of Atlantis from its rightful ruler, Queen Lantida, and do Atlantean aristocrats get up to any other activities? Atlantis needs more hobby stores, I reckon.

FATE OF ATLANTIS: this version of Atlantis appears to be the standard ancient sunken city saved by super science - specifically a sealed dome city full of air. These aren't your water breathing Atlanteans, folks. Since this is a Sub Saunders story set in the year 10 000 this is also a much older Atlantis than usual.

Both Atlantis and Naulus are also unfortunately explicit slavers as they employ the services of these very cool but oppressed frogmen.

MINOR SUPER-VILLAIN 535: VON HAUPT

(Fantastic Comics 001, 1939)

Von Haupt is  more like a journey through the traits and attributes of a style of  super-crook than a character: Aviator Captain Kidd is flying over an unspecified jungle when his plane is forced down by an engine-killing ray. Captured by costumed goons, Kidd is brought to a jungle fortress before a vaguely European man  with a German-sounding last name and a monocle. Though threatening, this exchange turns out to be a job interview, as von Haupt needs a few good men to help him take over  the world.

Von Haupt claims to be (and indeed is) physically immortal due to his experiments but makes sure to clearly signpost his weak point, a withered hand encased in a keen metal gauntlet.

He demonstrates his power, as well as the razor sharp claws on his gauntlet.

And finally falls from grace (into vat of sulphur). The weak point comes into play as the gauntlet comes off. The fortress explodes, but Captain Kidd gets out in the nick of time.

MINOR SUPER-VILLAIN 534: THE BRAIN

(Fantastic Comics 001, 1939)

We open on Space Smith and his girlfriend Dianna (sometimes Diana) having a trans-Lunar space-date ruined by Martian Imp Men and I am immediately struck with the dilemma engendered by nearly all Fletcher Hanks stories: follow through on my impulses and post most if not all panels or be judicious for the sake of space and readability? I went with the latter but it hurt.

So in lieu of my posting every panel that features the great/horrible Martian Imp Men let's just pause and appreciate how great they are.

Space Smith and Dianna awaken in the laboratory of the great Martian scientist Skomah and learn that they have been kidnapped by Skomah's 7th son, also called Skomah, aka the Brain, aka the Central Brain aka the Great Martian Central Brain.

Really appreciate the detail that the Brain's head is so big that it has to be held up with two special robot arms.

Like a lot of big head smart guys, the Brain is convinced that it is his destiny to rule all of creation and is planning to start with Earth. He's also a huge creep in the same was as a lot of those guys and a lot of super-villains in general, in the "capture a woman and declare that she will be your queen" way.

Luckily for Dianna, a guy with a head so big he is literally bolted to the ground is not the hardest guy to get away from, even if he has a bunch of D&D 5e kobolds working for him. She and Space Smith get away incredibly easily, in fact, and spend the next few issues trying to get back to Mars to put a permanent end to Skomah the 7th (they never do actually get there. Perhaps they just lost interest when it became clear that the Brain was all talk. Or Fletcher Hanks just forgot).

BONUS MAN-EATING MARTIAN MOSQUITO

MINOR SUPER-VILLAIN 533: THORGA

(Fantastic Comics 001, 1939) 

Thorga! Exiled from Western society because of his "mad plans", he emerges from the mountains of Tibet with a high-tech army, intent on conquering Europe!

Thorga! He fields a mighty airforce of advanced planes, a mechanized infantry of advanced tanks!

Thorga! He is the first foe faced by Fox Features' Samson and so his main role is as a demonstration of Samson's power as he destroys not only the planes and tanks but the regular infantry to boot (who, might I note, are not only dressed in excellent henchman costumes but apparently referred to as "Thorganians", a top-notch henchman name).

Thorga, not only defeated by Samson, not only killed by Samson but buried under the wreckage of his lab in a callback to Original Samson's final hurrah.

Thorga. He served his purpose.

MINOR SUPER-VILLAIN 532: THE DEVIL

(Blue Ribbon Comics 019, 1941)

This is the same guy as the Dictator but on his time off, I guess? Mr Justice kind of gave up on him after the Green Ghoul incident - maybe he just couldn't get up the energy to keep running a Nazi Germany analog.

I think he continues to pop up and empower Mr Justice foes but more importantly he has some very cute little trident-wielding imp goons. No hell-dimension is complete without them!