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Who Was First??

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topic icon Author Topic: Who Was First??  (Read 5667 times)

crashryan

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Who Was First??
« on: January 06, 2016, 11:01:53 PM »

Paw Broon's recent posting of the "Zero the Silent" serial shows a classic "long underwear" hero with hooded mask and skin-tight suit. The serial dates from 1931. Does this make Zero the first English-language costumed hero? Does anyone know of even earlier images of long-underwear heroes in comics or pulp/story paper magazines?
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RickDeckard525

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Re: Who Was First??
« Reply #1 on: January 06, 2016, 11:26:32 PM »

How do you define "costumed"? Robin Hood had a costume with tights and everything.
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narfstar

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Re: Who Was First??
« Reply #2 on: January 07, 2016, 02:07:49 AM »

I do not know that original Robin Hood stories would have considered his outfit a costume at the time.
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mr_goldenage

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Re: Who Was First??
« Reply #3 on: January 07, 2016, 03:06:30 AM »

Ask Paw Broon....I think he knows a few UK characters that are earlier than that....

Richard
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73042helloworld

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Re: Who Was First??
« Reply #4 on: January 07, 2016, 06:25:01 AM »

If you are saying pulp magazines, then you must know that Johnston McCulley's Zorro made his debut in 1919 and Douglas Fairbanks (top silent movie actor) read it while crossing the Atlantic Ocean on his return he changed the title from THE CURSE OF CAPISTRANO to THE MARK OF ZORRO and made a 1920 movie.  I have that movie on DVD.
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jimmm kelly

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Re: Who Was First??
« Reply #5 on: January 07, 2016, 06:32:39 AM »

It seems to me that Superman's costume was based on what circus performers were wearing and had been wearing for a long time. Look in some stories about the circus and you'll probably find a lot of men and women wearing those costumes.
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mr_goldenage

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Re: Who Was First??
« Reply #6 on: January 07, 2016, 08:46:31 AM »

The notion of costumed 'bat-men' didn't originate with Bob Kane's creation. One such earlier character was Batsowl, who starred in a series of prose stories in the British comic Illustrated Chips in 1918.

I'm not suggesting for a moment that there was any connection of course. Bob Kane was born in 1915, so it's highly unlikely he'd have seen a British comic when he was three years old. However, there are some interesting similarities between the two characters, not least being the costume, as you can see from the header illustration above.

Like Batman, Batsowl's other identity was a wealthy figure. In this case, an Earl, Desmond Devance...He also had a secret underground laboratory, not dissimilar to the Batcave......and his appearance struck terror into people...Sadly, like most British comics of the time, Batsowl is uncredited. I don't know how long the serial ran as I only have one episode. It's from Illustrated Chips No.1477, dated December 21st 1918. This was one of the comics presented as a facsimile in 1972 in the Six Comics of World War One collection. It's highly likely that both Batman and Batsowl were both partially influenced by The Phantom of the Opera, written in 1909, and The Scarlet Pimpernel (which was adapted as a very popular London play in 1905). Here is an image gratly reduced for post/attachment purposes.
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mr_goldenage

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Re: Who Was First??
« Reply #7 on: January 07, 2016, 09:00:04 AM »

......or.....There's another possible influence on this story. The penny dreadful Spring-Heeled Jack series, published by Aldine in 1904.

Bertram Wraydon, is accused of spying for the French by his nasty cousin and loses his estate to him. Wraydon is sentenced to death but escapes to seek his revenge. Most people in the story remain unaware of this and it's all a bit Count of Monte Cristo.

He also has a costume with bat-wings & pointy-eared headgear, lurks about a lot in shadows and fog, is from a wealthy background, has a secret hideout, various gadgets, (such as a flaming gas grenade), likes to help all victims of wrong-doing, and obviously leaps about quite a bit.

There's also apparently a bit where he carves a letter 'S' into someone's forehead, which seems very Zorro-ish to me. See attachment for pic.
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paw broon

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Re: Who Was First??
« Reply #8 on: January 07, 2016, 04:57:35 PM »

Well, Richard, despite your nice words about my knowledge of early superheroes, you don't really need me as you have listed a few tasty ones yourself.  And you've added to my knowledge with Batsowl.  Ta!
Just to set up some reference points for the rest of you and for myself, we're really talking about characters/heroes who have an alter ego or, at least, hide their true i/d from the world; wear some sort of costume or clothing which stands out or helps camouflage them; often a mask or hood; and sometimes have gadgets, weapons or powers which set them apart and enable them to right wrongs.  So, Robin Hood doesn't quite fit the bill.  His clothing is not out of the ordinary for the period and he's well known to be Robin of Locksley. Same with William Tell, Marco del Monte and some others.
Same with the great detectives. 
But, to add to Richard's suggestions, There are a few other heroes/MMM's to mention.  The Boy's Friend featured in 1927, a new serial titled Flying Justice, which featured the adventures of wrongly accused Roger Falcon, who is given a flying suit and has a tight, black costume , a bat's head mask, and clawed shoes.
I think we've mentioned the next bloke previously on the forum.  Thurston Kyle is The Night Hawk, and although he does not keep his i/d secret, he has a huge pair of mechanical wings, headgear, goggles and a tight, black costume.  He uses a revolver and grenades.  This series started in Nelson Lee Library in the early'30's.
We also have the next hero on this site, in The Ranger story paper.  Black Whip appeared in 1931.  Have a look for yourself.  Costume, mask, swinging down from up there. It all reeks of superhero/MMM.
In 1933, The Rover featured The Flaming Avenger, a genuine precursor of Iron Man.  Again, you can have a read for yourselves as it's on site. ;D
That last one neatly segues into, The Iron Man, a MMM who featured in a Newnes British "pulp" during WW1.  This bloke is Dick Murray who dons a light, chainmail costume, domino mask and, armed with a revolver, does battle with gangsters, oriental villains and, at one point, a giant snake.
There is also The Human Bat, a book by Edward Home-Gall but I don't know when that appeared.  Can any of you help?
By the way, Spring Heel Jack spawned a later superhero version in British comics when Spring Heeled Jackson burst onto the scene in 1977. His adventures were in Hotspur and Hornet.  Set in Victorian times, this Jack(son) is a mild mannered clerk in a London police station, who dons his striking costume and power gauntlets and boots which let him leap prodigious distances.  A really nice looking comic strip.  If anyone would like a sample, please let me know.

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crashryan

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Re: Who Was First??
« Reply #9 on: January 07, 2016, 06:16:26 PM »

Thanks to everyone for all the fascinating info on early English costumed heroes. Spring-Heeled Jack certainly seems to fill the bill. With the tradition going back so far in England it begins to look as though the USA was behind the curve when it came to costumed heroes. My dime novel knowledge is pretty rudimentary, but offhand I can't think of any costumed heroes (or villains) until the pulp magazines caught on in the 1930s. Again I welcome input from you experts out there. This has been quite an education and I appreciate your sharing your knowledge.
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mr_goldenage

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Re: Who Was First??
« Reply #10 on: January 08, 2016, 10:07:04 AM »

Paw as usual your knowledge dwarfs my own. :-) Say do you have an image for the Flying Justice? Here is one for the Human Bat in attachment.

rb
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narfstar

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Re: Who Was First??
« Reply #11 on: January 08, 2016, 10:59:43 AM »

Isn't the Scarlet Pimpernel the first masked here?
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mr_goldenage

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Re: Who Was First??
« Reply #12 on: January 08, 2016, 01:43:14 PM »

Novelized yes .....The Scarlet Pimpernel is a play and adventure novel by Emma Orczy set during the Reign of Terror following the start of the French Revolution. Wikipedia
Originally published: 1905
Preceded by: The First Sir Percy
Followed by: Sir Percy Leads the Band
Genres: Historical drama
Characters: Citizen Chauvelin, Sir Percy Blakeney, More
Playwrights: Baroness Emmuska Orczy, Baroness, Emma Orczy and as a play 1903.
BUT.....The Scarlet Pimpernel is set in 1792, during the early stages of the French Revolution. So not set in currently continuity as we see it in comics. It's like having Captain America set during the American Revolution and thus would not be considered "Current" as he is/was published in 1940 and set in 1940. Does that make sense? I hope that helps.

Richard
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mr_goldenage

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Re: Who Was First??
« Reply #13 on: January 08, 2016, 02:06:50 PM »

American Pulps:

Street & Smith led the way with The Shadow (Apr. 1931-Summer 1949), a spin-off of a radio series. Other hero pulps include Doc Savage (Mar. 1933-Summer 1949); The Phantom Detective (Feb. 1933-Summer 1953), The Spider (Oct. 1933-Dec. 1943) and Operator #5 (Apr. 1934-Nov. 1939). Many of these pulps and other similar titles later converted into comic books with which they shared a common market. All their adventures were set in current time unlike the Scarlet Pimpernel. I hope this clears things up a bit.

Although I understand that the Avenger was first published in 1905 but may not be the same as the Street & Smith version which was first published and appeared between September 1939 and September 1942 in the pulp magazine The Avenger, published by Street & Smith. Five additional short stories were published in Clues Detective magazine (1942
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jimmm kelly

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Re: Who Was First??
« Reply #14 on: January 08, 2016, 02:15:27 PM »

I recently read a blog that was saying Batman is an imitation of Zorro, who first appeared in the pulps in 1919. But I've always thought that Zorro took a lot from the Scarlet Pimpernel. And like the Pimpernel, it's a period piece.

As well, the similarities of Batman to Zorro, the Pimpernel and other heroes developed over time. It wasn't like Batman emerged fully formed as an ersatz Zorro, Pimpernel, Shadow etc. Rather, the writers (mainly Fox and Finger) took bits from different heroes and added them onto the Batman as time wore on.

I think the "it's happening now" aspect of the comic book heroes was their big selling point. Comics were written in present tense and they felt immediate. Those comics that were set in the past--especially those that used text rather than balloons and were written in past tense--didn't have that feeling of immediacy.

I'm not saying I feel that now--but I felt like that when I was a kid. And it was probably the same for kids in the '30s and '40s.
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paw broon

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Re: Who Was First??
« Reply #15 on: January 09, 2016, 09:24:46 AM »

Good point, jimmm and I hadn't thought of it like that before.
As for the Pimpernal, he is a good candidate for the earliest hero, secret I/d, masked sometimes, battling bad guys.
When the story is set, ie in the past is relatively common for many masked mystery men.  By that I mean the oast as opposed to the era in which the story was written.  Spanish comics were full of masked heroes in historical adventures.  El Guerrero del Antifaz being perhaps the most famous.  But there are many western heroes who also qualify as mmm, Gunmaster being a prime example, also the European, Maschera Nera.
By the way, Spring Heel Jack came back in the '70's in British comics in a slightly different version.  This one was a mild mannered clerk in a victorian police station who put on the supersuit and fought crime as Spring Heeled Jackson.
A superhero in olden times.  Good stuff.  There was also a female version in the form of Spring Heeled Jill.  She was in one of the girls'weeklies but the pair never crossed over.
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paw broon

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Re: Who Was First??
« Reply #16 on: January 09, 2016, 02:57:28 PM »

Richard and all who are interested, here's a pic of Flying Justice
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mr_goldenage

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Re: Who Was First??
« Reply #17 on: January 09, 2016, 03:42:24 PM »

Paw you're the best man! Thank you.....great pic.


Richard
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mr_goldenage

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Re: Who Was First??
« Reply #18 on: January 09, 2016, 04:41:48 PM »

Hi Paw....Ace Hart the Atom Man had before Val Venture a female helper/counterpart named Jessie King. Do you know what she looks like? Thanks for your help my friend.

Richard
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crashryan

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Re: Who Was First??
« Reply #19 on: January 10, 2016, 04:36:33 AM »

What with the recent vintage UK heroes jumping, flying, etc. and my recent bingeing on schoolgirl comics, I got a laugh out of this image, which combines the two. (Sadly the story is cartoony and rather silly)
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paw broon

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Re: Who Was First??
« Reply #20 on: January 10, 2016, 10:11:32 AM »

Nice one, crash.  I saw that cover recently but I can't remember where.
Re. Ace Hart and Jesse King, she features in the Superthriller collection we have, here:-
https://comicbookplus.com/?dlid=22760

I think she appeared for a few issues in the early Foldes Press issues, before WDL had their name on the covers.  Unfortunately, I loaned a couple of really early issues to a world famous comics writer of this parish, years ago and , needless to say, never got them back so we don't have a lot more on her. There are no listings anywhere of stories and characters, that I can find anyway, nor am I sure who I can ask who would have any more info.   
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mr_goldenage

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Re: Who Was First??
« Reply #21 on: January 13, 2016, 11:54:13 AM »

O Paw! You are such a font of knowledge... and so helpful and prompt my friend. I am glad I know you. again thank you for your assistance. How are you feeling by the way? I hope you and the Missus is doing well and are healthy and happy in your "Golden" years. Take care pal!

Richard Boucher

Post Script. To those (Like Paw & Narfstar and I think SuperScrouge): I made some DVD's called International Crimefighters of the World and I don't know two things. One,...How many did I make 3 or 4? Maybe 5? and on your DVD's...and Two,... do you all know the track listings? I'm getting back to that but most of my stuff (like 90%) is currently sitting in storage for now. If you guys could help me out here I will make each of you a special DVD each as I have acquired several dozen new movies/films....shorts/trailers and cartoons that are quite fun. :-). Let me know whenever you can, it would be a great help. Thank you in advance.

RB
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SuperScrounge

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Re: Who Was First??
« Reply #22 on: January 14, 2016, 09:17:45 AM »

I think I got the third volume and remember you posting that you had a fourth volume ready to go. Unfortunately I'm not sure where my copy is at the moment.

I tried checking My Messages since I sent you reviews of each feature, but it only showed your responses to my messages, so maybe if you check My Messages you might have copies of what I sent.

What I can remember/learned from your responses was an eastern European character (Diabolik?) fighting a Captain Marvel type, Batwoman, Golden Bat (movie & cartoon IIRC), Three Supermen(?), a Japanese mystery (Black Cat?) & some more modern cheescaky super-heroine promos.
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