Number 1968: Pyroman lights up the Black Boas

The name Pyroman is close enough to pyromaniac that one might assume Pyroman is a villain who commits arson. But Pyroman, a good guy who fights America’s enemies, is yet another comic book survivor of something that would kill the rest of us. In the origin story wrongly convicted Dick Martin survived being electrocuted in the electric chair. He then became a costumed, super-charged superhero.

Pyroman’s superpower is something I would like to have: being able to zap people with electricity. He is a kind of walking stun gun. Very cool. I wouldn’t use the power indiscriminately, of course (“with great power comes great responsibility” and all that rot), but if you are talking too loud on your cell phone or weaving in and out of traffic, or an annoying politician (in other words, being a jerk), then fear the stunning blasts from the fists of Pyropappy!

In this story, from Nedor’s Startling Comics #20 (1943), Pyroman goes up against saboteurs who look a lot like hooded Ku Klux Klan members, and conveniently identify themselves as Nazis with a big swastika on the front of their robes. Oddly, they call themselves the Black Boas. Those tricky Nazis...just full of surprises.

Grand Comics Database says Ken Battefield did the pencil artwork.

Here is another Pyroman story. Just click on the thumbnail:

Number 1531: Zapped by Pyroman

Despite his name, Pyroman didn’t set the comics world on fire. He appeared in comics published by Nedor (or Better, or Standard), edited by Richard E. Hughes (who stayed on when the publisher became the American Comics Group, known as ACG.) Pyroman, as Dick Martin, was charged up with electricity by being zapped in the electric chair. He got his powers when he survived the execution attempt and was from then on loaded up with electricity. which could be re-charged by grabbing on to live wires, (Kids, do not try that at home.)

The Nedor stories of the era are mainly action, panel after panel of slugging and flying and escaping and — you get the picture. This is no exception. In this tale a mechanical “brain” leads a group of German saboteurs and that’s all it takes for Pyroman to do his electric/magnetic thing for 12 pages.

Artist is unknown by the Grand Comics Database. The story is from America’s Best Comics #6 (1943):