There's an interesting sub-genre of superheroes, known as the "inspired-by" characters.
These are heroes and heroines who are inspired by other characters to take up the mask and seek justice.
Usually they're family members who take up the same identity as their predecessor (The Phantom, Black Canary
, Silk Spectre of Watchmen
, The Black Hood, HourMan
, etc.)
, Silk Spectre of Watchmen, The Black Hood, HourMan, etc.)Sometimes, as in this case, they're inspired by an unrelated hero who just happened to be published by the same company!
The best-known example is DC Comics' WildCat, inspired by reading the adventures of the Golden Age Green Lantern
to become a crimefighter.
to become a crimefighter.Magazine Enterprises' The Avenger had a similar origin.
When his brother is taken hostage by Communist spies who wanted the prototype StarJet aircraft, inventor Roger Wright is inspired by remembering stories of the Original Ghost Rider (also published by Magazine Enterprises) to take up a masked identity to rescue his captive sibling!
Proclaiming himself "an Avenger against the evils of Communism", Roger dons a red costume in defiance (Communists were often described as "the Red Menace" because their flags were predominiantly red) and uses his StarJet to attempt a rescue.
Unfortunately, his brother, who had attempted to escape, was already dead!
The Commies were dealing, of course, in bad faith!
The Commies were dealing, of course, in bad faith!
Roger captured the spies, and declaring "No man can be complacent while such as you are bent on enslaving all Mankind", began a one-man war against Communists everywhere!
The war lasted only four bi-monthly issues from 1954-55.
The Avenger, like Nature Boy and several other mid-1950s heroes came along just before the audience was ready for the return of superheroes, who had all but disappeared from comics in 1949!
It wasn't until an updated version of The Flash
appeared in DC's Showcase #4
(a year after the last issue of The Avenger) that the Silver Age of Comics, and the resulting explosion of superhero books that continues to this day, got going!
appeared in DC's Showcase #4 (a year after the last issue of The Avenger) that the Silver Age of Comics, and the resulting explosion of superhero books that continues to this day, got going!Beginning Sunday, we'll be re-presenting his Russkie-smashing saga!
Note: this character is in no way related to the earlier pulp/comic character The Avenger
originally published in pulp magazines by the same company as Doc Savage
and The Shadow
, and currently being revived by Dynsmite Publishing
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