Kip Burland’s vocation is police officer. His avocation is dressing up in yellow tights and a black hood, which gives him the name Black Hood. I wondered why he would dress up to do much the same job in his off hours as he was when punching a time clock. I went to Toonopedia, which told me why: “Patrolman Kip Burland assumed the Black Hood role in MLJ's Top-Notch Comics #9 (October, 1940), when he was framed for burglary by a villain called The Skull, and needed a cover to use while proving himself innocent. After clearing his name (which took several issues), he continued to use it because it enabled him to avoid all those entangling legal restrictions imposed on policemen in the pursuit of justice.”
“Avoid all of those entangling legal restrictions” seems to be the reason for the costume in stories of costumed heroes, even if they also are seen (in costume) with their fellow policemen. In those days some police in movies and comics were portrayed as clownish, as in this story.
The Skull framing Kip was the reason for him becoming the Black Hood, then the son of the Skull showed up, and that is what I am posting today.
Art is by Warren King, a name I was not familiar with. He did an excellent job. I did a bit of research and found he went from comics to newspapers. He was the editorial cartoonist for the New York Daily News from 1955-1977.
From MLJ’s Jackpot Comics #6 (1942).
The Son indeed did return, in Top Notch Laugh Comics #s 30 and 31.
ReplyDeleteWell, it was energetic.
ReplyDeleteThere was some similarity between the Joker and the Red Skull (which similarity played a rôle in a cross-over comic some years ago). It seems that MLJ decided to split the difference with their Skulls.
One similarity between the Joker and the Red Skull was that the writers had intended each to die at the end of his first appearance. In the case of the Joker, a final panel was changed before publication. In the case of the Red Skull, he died but in a sequel just somehow wasn't dead, and picked himself up off the floor.
GW Skull was MLJ's way of giving themselves a do-over, and I assume that he understood that he too would be immortal and well-stocked with Get Out of Jail Free cards. Otherwise, upon capture he would surely have revealed the secret identity of the Black Hood.
Darci, thanks for the information. Kids of that era might not have thought it was odd that a skull-villain would appear in a comic book called Top Notch Laugh Comics.
ReplyDeleteDaniel, I blush crimson to admit I carry a Get Out of Jail Free card in my wallet. Despite being a law-abiding citizen I believe one should always be prepared.
ReplyDeleteI assume the editor for the first Batman appearance decided the Joker was too good a villain to waste with a one-shot appearance. Now we know that any villain can be resurrected or otherwise re-appear, having been killed or not. The universe in which superheroes were everywhere must have provided worthy adversaries for them to capture and/or kill, with no guarantee the villains who go up against superheroes would stay in prison, mental institution, or even dead.