Compared to yesterday's posting with its elegant and excellent Joe Doolin art, we have today a tale told with artwork that is mostly amateurish. The Grand Comics Database doesn't know who did the artwork, nor do I. The character is another in a whole platoon of red, white and blue patriotic costumed heroes. He's also close to one of the most famous patriotic heroes of all, as the index at the GCD notes:
“There are noticable themes here - the patriotism, the Army private who is secretly a superhero, the kid sidekick, the chemistry-related origin, the murder attempts on Army generals — that parallel Captain America.”Not only did Lone Warrior have a kid sidekick like Captain America's Bucky, the kid's name is Dicky. As I've mentioned before, originality was not a big priority in comic books. An editor or publisher of Banner Comics probably hollered out, “Give me someone exactly like Captain America — only different!” No publisher could have failed to notice the sales figures for that character. Unlike Captain America, though, who is still kicking ass after 71 years, Lone Warrior lasted a scant four issues. Perhaps Martin Goodman, who published Captain America Comics, noticed Lone Warrior, which is why Lone Warrior had such a short career.
From Banner Comics #3, 1941:
You want to really help with the war effort? Let them examine that amazing car/tank/plane!
ReplyDeleteCap always had a -- sometimes far fetched -- but plausible explanation as to why he or his shield was one of a kind. The car/tank/plane exists and can be mass produced. The war would be over in half a year with a fleet of those!
One of a kind super-vehicles was a fairly common trope back in the day though: the Blue Tracer, Spy-Smasher's Gyro-sub, Airboy's plane, even Bozo the robot.
ReplyDeleteI always found the most interesting thing about this strip was using the Shadow as a Nazi villain!
Exactly how does a fella with a sidekick qualify as "Lone" Warrior?
ReplyDeleteOdyzeus! Probably the same way Lone Ranger w/Tonto qualifies as "lone."
ReplyDeleteIt could have been "The Lone and One Half Warrior," (as in "Two and a Half Men").