Fawcett City Heroes
The Crime Crusaders Club (Pre-Crisis Fawcett Comics Group)
Those heroes acquired by DC from Fawcett Comics have been
shown grouped on various occasions, but only officially named
once. This was in 1943, in Master Comics #41, where
Bulletgirl, Bulletman, Minute Man and Captain Marvel Jr.
called themselves the Crime Crusaders Club. The first
modern appearance of the Fawcett heroes was in Justice
League of America #135. In this pre-Crisis tale, Bulletgirl,
Spy Smasher, Ibis, Mr. Scarlet & Pinky and the Marvels
were summoned by Shazam to aid the JLA and JSA. They had
no group name in this adventure.
Known members: Bulletman, Bulletgirl, Minute
Man, Mr. Scarlet, Pinky, Ibis, Spy-Smasher
 Master Comics #41
The Squadron of Justice
The Squadron of Justice was another grouping.
This group consisted only of Captain Marvel, Marvel Jr.,
and the Leiutenant Marvels. No such grouping exists in post-Crisis
continuity.
Whiz
Comics #21
The Monster Society of Evil
It's also worth mentioning that Mr. Mind frequently formed
the Monster Society of Evil. In original Fawcett Comics
publishing, the Monster Society were the subject of a two-year
serial that ran in Captain Marvel Adventures #?. This
group was led by Mr. Mind, who recruited villains
such as IBAC,
Mr. Mind's group had another appearance on "Earth-S" (the
Fawcett-only Earth, pre-Crisis). In 1942, Mr. Mind traveled
to Earth-2 and recruited Earth-2 villains Oom, Nyola, Nightshade
(a.k.a. Ramulus), and Mr. Who. They battled the All-Star
Squadron just as other All-Stars encountered Captain Marvel
on Earth-S. The Dummy joined the Monsters and led a revolt
against Mr. Mind but they fell and Mr. Mind returned to Earth-S.
(All-Star
Squadron #51-54)
In current continuity, Mr. Mind has been depicted many different
ways. He first debuted in a story arc
titled "The
Monster Society of Evil" in the Power of Shazam! series,
it did not feature a villain group per
se, only Mr. Mind
and Mr. Atom. IBAC also debuted around the time of this story.
Like before, Mind was a creature from the planet Venus.
Captain
Marvel Adventures #23
Fawcett City's Heroes — Current Continuity
In current DC continuity, the heroes from Fawcett City are
said to have teamed regularly in the 1940s and beyond. However,
no group name has been mentioned.
The ancient wizard, Shazam, came to Fawcett City
in the winter of 1940. He bore the mummy of Ibis and
secreted himself away. Soon, however, the Axis threat forced
Shazam to awaken Ibis and to gather all Fawcett City's heroes
to fight. They would team repeatedly throughout the war. (Power
of Shazam! #12) Note: Shazam's
origin can be found in PoS #10.
On February 9, 1942, the Nazi Edouard Laslo (the
Poser) took the guise of Bulletman during an act of sabotage.
The real Bulletman had been summoned along with Starman
to Alaska. (#35) There they discovered
a strange alien worm and worked with the Green Lantern Abin
Sur to defeat it. (#36)
Just after the war, in June 1945, Spy Smasher, Minute-Man and
Bulletman clashed for the last time with Captain Nazi (it
was not their first tussle with the villain). They followed
the Captain in Spy Smasher's Gyrosub in pursuit of a freighter
destined for Miami. They were too late, however; the freighter
was sunk by Captain Nazi, who then fled. Little did they
know, that the Captain left his precious cargo at the bottom
of the sea—it contained the body of Hitler in suspended
animation! But there was an additional capsule, in which
Captain Nazi then placed himself. He would not awaken for
decades. (#8)
The Fawcett heroes remained active well into the 1950s,
when they are known to have aided Shazam in trapping the
Seven Deadly Enemies of man in stone statues. These statues
he then hid inside a secret subway station, accessible only
by magic. Also, Ibis helped cast a spell over Fawcett City
which warded off demons and slowed the march of time. Soon
after this, Shazam fell prey to a common hoodlum and wandered
amnesiac for years. He was later found and recognized by
C.C. Batson (Billy's father). (#12) During
the Cold War, Spy Smasher encountered C.C. Batson in East
Germany. The two retrieved an ancient Egyptian artifact called
the Scorpion, and ran afoul of Baron Blitzkrieg. (#24)
Fawcett's heroes were called upon by the JLA and JSA to
aid against King Kull. Kull had assembled an army of super-villains
in his quest for world domination, including IBAC and the
Weeper. Thanks to Bulletman, Bulletgirl, Spy Smasher, Ibis,
Mr. Scarlet & Pinky, the villains were handily defeated. (Justice
League of America #135-137) Note: Because
this cross-over heavily involved the Marvel Family and others,
it may be entirely out-of-continuity. This arc was the first
DC Comics and first modern apperances of these characters.
In modern times, Jim Barr, Jack Weston and Alan Armstrong
(Fawcett's Golden Age heroes) remain active in Fawcett affairs.
They sat for an interview at WHIZ radio about their last
meeting with Captain Nazi. It was then that the newly awakened
Nazi attempted to retrieve the body of his Führer. The
capsule had failed, though, and the body was dead. (#8) Captain
Nazi was subsequently captured by the Marvels. (#9)
Ibis resurfaced to help against Shazam's daughter, Blaze.
Ibis defeated her handyman, Black Adam, and took responsibility
of minding the Rock of Eternity while Shazam traveled. (#12) Minute-Man,
now working for S.T.A.R. Labs, trailed Captain Marvel Jr.
and Captain Nazi and took the villain into custody. (#19)
When Edouard Laslo was let out of prison, a neo-Nazi group
quickly took him under their wing. Laslo, they hoped, would
assassinate Jim Barr (Bulletman). At this time, the phony
picture surfaced of Bulletman involved in treasonous activities.
Barr was arrested as a traitor. In the end, Laslo was fully
repentant and took a bullet meant for Barr. (#35-36,
Starman #39-40)
When the Venusian worm called Mr. Mind gained power,
he launched the robotic Mr. Atom and successfully
destroyed the Fawcett suburb, Fairfield. Though this city
was home to Mary and Billy's adoptive parents, the Bromfields
survived. Ibis was able to absorb much of the bomb's destructive
force, but not save lives. (#38) This
severely taxed his powers; his former lover Taia then
placed him in suspended animation. Also at this time, Deanna
Barr took her mother's uniform and became Windshear (#43) and
Pinky resurfaced as Mr. Scarlet II. (#44)
Black Adam returned claiming that in his "death," only
the evil Theo Adam had perished. This supposedly left Thet
Adam in control. Despite Adam's continued loyalty to Blaze,
he sacrificed himself to save Captain Marvel. (#44-47) Both
Marvel and Adam are currently active with the Justice
Society.
Most recently, Ibis and Taia recently perished during a
mission led by Zatanna.
It was during the Arachne (the secret 13th month on the sorcerers
calendar), when several other magicians met at the home of Baron
Winters. While on the astral plane, an entity called
Gwydion incinerated all except Zatanna. (Seven
Soldiers: Zatanna #1)
Post-Crisis: Power
of Shazam! #8
List of Characters
| CHARACTER |
ORIGINAL
1ST APP. |
CURRENT 1ST APP.
| STATUS
|
| Bulletgirl (Susan
Kent Barr) |
Master
#13 |
Power
of Shazam #12
| Deceased,
revealed PoS #43
|
| Bulletman (Jim
Barr) |
Nickel
#1 |
PoS
#8
| Retired
|
| Commando
Yank (Chase Yale) |
Wow
#6 |
PoS
#12
| Unknown; last
seen in 1948 (Whiz #102)
|
| Ibis (Prince Amentap) |
Whiz #1 |
PoS #12
| Inactive, Helmet
of Fate: Ibis
|
| Minute-Man (Jack
Weston) |
Master
#11 |
PoS
#8
| Killed
by the Fourth Reich, per Justice Soceity of
America v.3 #3
|
| Mister Scarlet (Brian
Butler) |
Wow
#2 |
PoS
#12
| Retired,
revealed PoS #44
|
| Phantom
Eagle (Michael "Mickey" Malone) |
Wow
#6 |
PoS
#12
| Last
seen in 1948 (Wow #69)
|
| Shazam (the
Wizard, Jebediah of Canaan) |
Whiz
#1 |
PoS
Graphic Novel
| killed
by the Spectre, Day of Vengeance #6
|
| Spy-Smasher (Alan
Armstrong) |
Whiz
#1 |
PoS
#8
| Retired
|
| THE
MARVEL FAMILY |
| Marvel (William "Billy" Batson,
Captain Marvel) |
Whiz
#1 |
PoS
Graphic Novel
| Active
in adventuring
|
| Mary Marvel (Mary
Bromfield [née Batson], Captain Marvel II Mary
Marvel) |
Captain
Marvel Adventures #18 |
PoS
Graphic Novel (as Mary); PoS
#4 (as Marvel)
| Active
in adventuring
|
| Shazam
II (Freddy
Freeman, Captain Marvel Jr., CM3) |
Whiz
#25 |
PoS
#3 (as Freddy); PoS #7
(as C.M. Jr.) PoS #37 (as CM3)
| Active
in adventuring
|
| OTHER
FAWCETT CITY CHARACTERS |
| Mr.
Tawky Tawny (none) |
Capt.
Marvel Adv. #79 |
PoS
#4 (talking)
| Active
in adventuring
|
| Mr.
Scarlet II ("Pinky" Butler) |
Wow
#4 |
PoS
#44
| Active
in adventuring
|
| Taia Toth (none) |
Whiz
#1 |
PoS
Graphic Novel
| Inactive,
Helmet of Fate: Ibis
|
| Windshear (Deanna
Barr) |
n/a |
PoS
#32 (as Deanna); PoS #43
(as Windshear)
| Active
in adventuring
|
| VILLAINS |
| Black
Adam (Thet Adam, Theo Adam) |
Marvel
Family #1 |
PoS
Graphic Novel
| Active
in adventuring
|
| Captain
Nazi (Albrecht Krieger) |
Master
#21 |
PoS
#5 (All-Star Squadron #??)
| Active
in villainy
|
| Dr.
Sivana (Thaddeus Bodog
Sivana) |
Whiz
#1 |
PoS
Graphic Novel
| Active
in villainy
|
| IBAC (Stanley
Printwhistle) |
Capt.
Marvel Adv. #8 |
PoS
#25
| Active
in villainy
|
| Mister
Atom (none) |
Capt.
Marvel Adv. #78 |
PoS
#23
| Destroyed
PoS #38
|
| Mister Mind (none) |
Capt.
Marvel Adv. #22 |
PoS
#13
| Deceased
PoS #41; returned Joker: Last
Laugh #??
| |
|
Bulletgirl (Susan
Kent Barr) (Fawcett Comics) |
Pre-Crisis
First Appearance: Master
Comics #13 (April 1941)
Featured Appearances: Justice
League of America #135-137 • Master Comics #13-106
Post-Crisis
First Appearance: Power
of Shazam #12
The post-Crisis Bulletgirl deceased, as revealed Power
of Shazam #43. Secretly Susan Kent Barr, the
wife of Bullet-man, Bulletgirl accompanied her
husband in his crimefighting career. She has appeared
only as a co-star in her husband's series.
A mysterious woman named Susan Parr recently
appeared at a super-hero fan convention, claiming
she used to work with Bulletman. (Seven
Soldiers: Bulleteer #3) |
|
Bulletman (Jim Barr) (Fawcett
Comics) |
Pre-Crisis
First Appearance: Nickel
Comics #1 (May 1940). Bulletboy: Master
#48 (Mar 1941)
Featured Appearances: America's
Greatest #1-8 • Bulletman #1-16 • Justice League of
America #135-137 • Master Comics #7-106 • Nickel Comics
#1-8 • Whiz Comics #106
Post-Crisis
First Appearance: Power
of Shazam #8.
Featured Appearances: Power of Shazam #35-36, Starman #39-40)
The post-Crisis Bulletman is retired, but aids Captain
Marvel from time to time. Secretly police scientist
Jim Barr, Bulletman invented a serum that increased
his strength and a gravity helmet that enables him
(and his wife) to fly. Also insipired the heroine
called The Bulleteer. (Seven
Soldiers: Bulleteer #1) |
|
Commando Yank (Chase Yale) |
First appearance: Wow
#6 (Sum 1942).
Featured appearances: Whiz
#6-59, 102??
First (and only) DC appearance: Power
of Shazam! #12
In current continuity, the Commando Yank has appeared
only in a flashback to the 1942 formation of Fawcett
City heroes. (Power of Shazam! #12) |
|
Ibis the Invincible (Prince
Amentap)
Taia Toth
) |
Pre-Crisis
First Appearance: Whiz
Comics #1 (February 1940). Princess
Taia of Thebes (Taia Toth): Whiz #1 (Feb.
1940)
Featured Appearances: All-Hero
#1 • Ibis the Invincible #1-6; Whiz Comics #1-155
The pre-Crisis Ibis and Taia were wiped out in the
Crisis. Much of their pre-Crisis history may remain
intact today (see below).
Post-Crisis
First Appearance: Power
of Shazam #12. Taia: Power
of Shazam Graphic Novel
The post-Crisis Ibis and Taia were recently killed
during a mision with Zatanna. (Seven
Soldiers: Zatanna #1) Ibis was originally
Prince Amentep of ancient Egypt. He was chosen by
Thoth (the God of Wisdom) to bear the Ibisstick,
a magic wand which could grant its owner's every
wish. Amentep and his lover Taia had everything their
hearts desired but soon grew bored. They were also
oppressed by Amentep's cruel uncle, the Black Pharaoh.
Using the Ibisstick, they placed themselves under
a spell of sleep and vowed to awaken in "more
interesting times." Believed to be dead, their
mummified bodies were later found by archaeologists
and placed in separate museums. Amentep ended up
in Fawcett City. In the 1940s, he was awakened by
the wizard Shazam who knew of the prince from his
years in Egypt.
Ibis (as the museum employees had nicknamed him)
set out to find his lost love, Taia. Once they were
reunited, Ibis began operating as a mystery man and
joined the loose affiliation of heroes who worked
for Shazam in Fawcett City. The Black Pharaoh resurfaced,
kept alive by dark sorcery. After the war, Ibis returned
to his mystical sleep and was awakened in modern
day by Mary Marvel. He helped the Marvels against
Shazam's daughter, Blaze. Ibis defeated her handyman,
Black Adam, and took responsibility of minding the
Rock of Eternity while Shazam traveled. (Power
of Shazam! #12) When the Venusian worm called
Mr. Mind destroyed the Fawcett suburb, Fairfield,
Ibis was able to absorb much of the bomb's destructive
force, but not save lives. This severely taxed his
powers; his former lover Taia then placed him in
suspended animation.
Ibis and Taia apparently died on a recent mission
with Zatanna, (Seven
Soldiers: Zatanna #1) but they soon resurfaced
only to be forced to return to their hibernation.
The lovers nearly died again while attmpting to
prevent the god Set from acquiring the Helmet of
Doctor Fate. They failed but put managed to put a
a protective spell on it. Ibis then reached out to
17-year-old Danny Kasim Khalifa for help.
Danny is an American descended from Egyptian royalty.
When he found Ibis and Taia, they were already mummified
and in their slumber. Ibis magically entrusted Danny
with the Ibistick which guided him to their patron,
Thoth. Danny succeeded in getting the Helmet back
from Set and put a new spell on it to ensure that
no evil force could retrieve it. (Helmet
of Fate: Ibis) |
|
Minute-Man (Pvt.
[later Lt.] "Jack" Weston) (Fawcett Comics) |
Pre-Crisis
First Appearance: Master
Comics #11 (Feb. 1941)
The pre-Crisis Minute-Man was wiped out in the Crisis.
Post-Crisis
First Appearance: Power
of Shazam #8
The post-Crisis Minute-Man worked for S.T.A.R. Labs
(Power of Shazam #19). He was killed by the
Fourth Reich sometime prior to Justice Soceity
of America #3 (4.07). This group's mission was
to destroy the legacy of all American heroes whose
identities were closely tied to America itself. |
 
|
Mister Scarlet (Brian
Butler) and
Pinky (real name unrevealed, now Mr. Scarlet II)
(Fawcett Comics) |
Pre-Crisis
First
Appearance: Wow Comics #1 (Spring 1941). Pinky: Wow
Comics #4.
Featured Appearances: America's
Greates #1-7 • Wow Comics #1-69 • JLA #135-137
The pre-Crisis Mister Scarlet and Pinky were wiped
out in the Crisis. He was a former district attorney
who cut past the red tape as a super hero.
Post-Crisis
First Appearance: Power
of Shazam #12. Pinky: as
Mister Scarlet II Power
of Shazam #44
The post-Crisis Mister Scarlet is retired (Power
of Shazam #44). Attorney Brian Butler was a costumed
acrobat. His former sidekick Pinky became Mr. Scarlet II sometime
prior to Power of Shazam #44. No explanation
was given as to his apparent lack of aging. |
|
Phantom Eagle ("Mickey" Malone) |
First appearance: Wow
#6 (Summer 1942)
First (and only) DC
appearance: Power
of Shazam! #12
In current continuity, the Phantom Eagle has appeared
only in a flashback to the 1942 formation of Fawcett
City heroes. (Power
of Shazam! #12) |
|
Spy Smasher (Alan
Armstrong) (Fawcett Comics) |
Pre-Crisis
First Appearance: Whiz
Comics #2 (February 1940)
Featured Appearances: All-Hero
#1 • America's Greatest #1-6, 8 • Spy Smasher #1-11;
Whiz Comics #2-75 • S in JLA #135-137
The pre-Crisis Spy Smasher was wiped out in the
Crisis. Spy Smasher became Crime Smasher in Whiz
Comics #76; he appeared in the remainder of the run
of Whiz Comics (through #155) and in one issue of
his own title.
Post-Crisis
First Appearance: Power
of Shazam #8
The post-Crisis Spy Smasher is retired, but aids
Captain Marvel from time to time. Virginia sportsman
Alan Armstrong began his Spy Smasher career during
World War II.
Succeeded by Katarina Armstrong (relation
unknown), Spy Smasher II.
She operates at the deepest levels of U.S. espionage. (Birds
of Prey #100) |
Other Fawcett Comics Heroes
These Fawcett Comics characters have
not been used in the mainstream DC Universe.
 Balbo the
Boy Magician
First appearance: Master
#32 (Nov 1942)
DC presumably owns the rights to this character, but has not published him.
 Devil's
Dagger (Ken Wyman)
First appearance: Master
#1 (Mar 1940)
DC presumably owns the rights to this character, but has not published him.
 Diamond
Jack (Jack Lansing)
First appearance: Slam-Bang
#1 (Mar 1940)
DC presumably owns the rights to this character, but has not published him.
 Dr.
Voodoo (Dr. Hal Carey)
First appearance: Whiz #7
DC presumably owns the rights to this character, but has not published him.
 El
Karim, Master of Magic (??)
First appearance: Master #1 (Mar 1940)
DC presumably owns the rights to this character, but has not published him.
 Golden
Arrow (Roger Parsons).
First appearance: Whiz #2
(Feb 1940)
1940's era western hero. DC presumably owns the rights to this character,
but has not published him.
 The
Hunchback (Allan Lanier)
First appearance: Wow #2 (Sum 1941)
DC presumably owns the rights to this character, but has not published him.
 Master
Man (??)
First appearance: Master
#1 (March 1940)
DC presumably owns the rights to this character, but has not published him.
 Radar,
the International Policeman (Pvt. "Pep" Pepper)
First appearance: Master
#50 & Captain Marvel Adventures #35 (both May 1944)
DC presumably owns the rights to this character, but has not published him.
Pep Pepper was the latest a long line of circus folks. His father was a strongman
and acrobat and his mother was a "mentalist," and Pep inherits both their
powers, along with clairvoyant "radar vision." He works for the side of right,
fighting against the Germans during the war and then against international
lawbreakers after the war.
 Red
Gaucho (??)
First appearance: Nickel
Comics #4 (1940)
DC presumably owns the rights to this character, but has not published him.
  Warlock the
Wizard
First appearance: Nickel Comics #1 (1940)
DC presumably owns the rights to this character, but has not published him.
 White
Rajah (David Scott)
First appearance: Master
Comics #1 (March 1940)
DC presumably owns the rights to this character, but has not published him.
Zoro the Mystery Man (??)
First appearance: Slam Bang
Comics #??
Zoro was a masked mystery man who actually started in Fawcett's Slam-Bang
Comics before Slam-Bang, Nickel Comics, and Master Comics were all combined
into Master Comics. DC presumably owns the rights to this character, but
has not published him.
Appearances / References
Non-Marvel Family, post-Crisis
appearances:
 Power
of Shazam! #8,
11, 19, 24, 34, 35, 41, 44 (Ibis was a regular
from #12-43)
|
 |
Fawcett Comics:
- Whiz
Comics, 155 issues (1940-53)
- Wow! Comics, 69 issues (1940-48)
- Nickel Comics, 8
issues
(1940)
- Master Comics, 133
issues
(1940-53)
- Captain Marvel Adventures, 150
issues,
(1941-53)
- Captain Marvel Junior, 119
issues
(1942-53)
- Captain Midnight, 67
issues
(1942-48)
- Marvel Family, 89
issues
(1945-54)
DC Comics:
- Shazam!, 35
issues (1973-78)
- World's
Finest #279-282 (1982)
- Adventure Comics #491-492 (1982)
- Shazam! The New Beginning, 4-issue
mini-series (1987)
- Power of Shazam!, 47
issues (1995-99)
- The
Trials of Shazam, 12-issue limited series
(2006-07)
|
|
|
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