Number 2266: The lost H-bomb

For this posting I did a little (very little) research, and found out that not only is a hydrogen bomb (explosion created by fusion) much more powerful than the atomic bomb (big boom from fission), but it can be made smaller, to fit on an ICBM. Oh, great. The H-bomb can be 1,000 times more powerful than the Hiroshima A-bomb, but is also more handy for launching at the enemy. Definitely more bang for the buck! I mention the size because in this story from ME’s The Avenger one of the commie bad guys is carrying an H-bomb in a box.

The Avenger is sent out to find the bomb in the midst of London, England, which would be a big task for an army of searchers, much less a single person, even a costumed hero equipped with his own special jet plane and small flying saucers fitted with geiger counters. Never fear, people of London! A single American shall save you.

Bob Powell drew it, and a guess from the Grand Comics Database is for Gardner Fox as writer. From The Avenger #2 (1955):

Number 2194: The Avenger and the sea monsters

The Avenger, published by Magazine Enterprises in 1955, lasted four issues. One of the more notable things about the four issues is that comic book journeyman Dick Ayers drew the first issue, and another top comic book professional, Bob Powell, did the next three.

Today we offer The Avenger fighting off some sea monsters. Not monsters in the sense of the Creature from the Black Lagoon monster, but regular denizens of the deep, a shark, an octopus, both of which could look monstrous if they are coming after you.

It is too bad the series only lasted four issues, but it was just a couple of years early for a superhero revival in comics.
 
For the origin of The Avenger, you can go to the link below.

The story is from The Avenger #2 (1955): Art by Bob Powell.

As promised, the origin story. Just click on the thumbnail.

Number 1912: Avenge THIS!

“Avenger,” singular and plural, has been used several times for individual heroes (DC’s Crimson Avenger, ME’s The Avenger, the subject of today’s post), Avengers (British male-female secret agent team for television, and Marvel super team). Avenger is used often enough it seems a bit generic to me. And another thing, what exactly is each Avenger avenging? (That is a rhetorical question. Here is another rhetorical question: does it matter?)

The Avenger from ME was a Code-approved comic. I think it was intended to replace the Ghost Rider, which the publisher knew could not get Code approval in those strictly censorious days of the mid-fifties. ME also published a second hero, Strong Man, who was not as colorful as the red-clad Avenger, but lasted exactly as long, four issues.

The Avenger, first issue drawn by Dick Ayers, subsequent issues drawn by Bob Powell, was an attempt to revive the superhero genre. The Avenger was not “super,” but like Batman was a rich guy who set out to fight evil.. The Avenger was probably a couple of years too early, and then his name was co-opted for the Marvel gang now burning up movie screens worldwide.

From The Avenger #2 (1955):

More Avenger, this time by Dick Ayers. Just click on the thumbnail.

Number 1365: Big red guy fights Reds

The Avenger was really “millionaire scientist” Roger Wright, who apparently had nothing better to do than run around in a bright red skintight costume with hood and mask, fighting commies. That’s the premise of both of these stories, taken from The Avenger #1 (1955), published by ME Comics in the wake of the Comics Code. ME (Magazine Enterprises) had been publishing Ghost Rider, drawn by Dick Ayers, but GR didn’t fit into the new Code-world, so they tried a couple of superhero comics. The Avenger (four issues) was one, and Strongman (also four issues) the other. The Avenger #1 was drawn by former Ghost Rider artist Dick Ayers for issue #1, and Bob Powell for subsequent issues. In an unusual twist, the origin story of The Avenger is held until the last story of the issue, after we've already seen what the guy can do in action. Another unusual twist is that The Avenger is inspired partially by a Ghost Rider mask (!!) Roger bought for his nephew. Those masks were sold in ads from ME. So it’s an early example of product placement.

The Grand Comics Database gives veteran comic book scripter Paul S. Newman credit for the writing.

[SPOILER ALERT] Comics Code influence shows significantly in the origin story, where Roger’s brother and sister-in-law have been killed by the commies in East Berlin. Yet even though Roger has the guy responsible for the deaths, he leaves without doing any avenging. Before the Code I believe he would have taken him up in his autogyro and dropped him out, or some such vengeful act, but after the Code, nuh-uh, nope. If anything happened to the bad guy, it isn’t shown, and we have to use our imagination. [END OF SPOILER]