Weird Secret Origins

(October 2004)

Table of Contents (Table of Contents: 1)

table of contents / 1 page (report information)

Script

?

Letters

typeset

Indexer Notes

Inside front cover.

[The Origin of Dr. Fate] (Table of Contents: 2)

Doctor Fate / comic story / 6 pages (report information)

Script

Gardner Fox

Pencils

Howard Sherman

Inks

Howard Sherman

Colors

Dave Tanguay

Letters

Howard Sherman

Genre

fantasy-supernatural; superhero

Characters

Doctor Fate [Kent Nelson] (origin); Inza Cramer; Nabu (introduction); Sven Nelson (archaeologist, Kent's father, death); a "haunted" man; Nergal, Lord of the Underworld (villain)

Synopsis

In 1920, young Kent Nelson and his father explore the mysteries of the pyramids, there Kent meets Nabu the Wise, an exile from the planet Cilia, who helped build the pyramids. Nabu trains Kent in the mysteries of the universe until Kent assumes the role of Dr. Fate.

Reprints

• from More Fun Comics (DC, 1936 series) #67 (May 1941)

Keywords

Egypt; Planet Cilia

Indexer Notes

The story is incorrectly attributed to More Fun #55 in item.

The Enchantress of Terror Castle (Table of Contents: 3)

The Enchantress / comic story / 8.67 pages (report information)

Script

Bob Haney

Pencils

Howard Purcell

Inks

Sheldon Moldoff

Colors

Dave Tanguay

Letters

Stan Starkman

Genre

fantasy-supernatural

Characters

The Enchantress [June Moone] (girlfriend of Alan's, introduction, origin); Alan Dell (socialite); evil spirit (villain)

Synopsis

June and Alan are invited to a costume ball at an old estate. Suddenly, a gong sounds and a minotaur on a tapestry begins to glow, June falls into a secret passage where she is confronted with a weird figure that informs her that the castle on the estate is occupied by an evil presence that only she can overcome: as The Enchantress!

Reprints

• from Strange Adventures (DC, 1950 series) #187 (April 1966)

I Was the Man with Animal Powers (Table of Contents: 4)

Animal Man / comic story / 15.33 pages (report information)

Script

Dave Wood

Pencils

Carmine Infantino

Inks

George Roussos

Colors

Dave Tanguay

Letters

Stan Starkman

Genre

superhero

Characters

Buddy Baker (origin); Ellen (Buddy's fiancee); Roger (Buddy's friend); alien creature (villain)

Synopsis

An alien space ship temporarily gives Buddy Blake animal powers. Animal Man is not named and does not appear in costume in this story.

Reprints

• from Strange Adventures (DC, 1950 series) #180 (September 1965)

Indexer Notes

Script credit from Martin O'Hearn. Reprint lists authors as Dave Wood and France Herron.

Story was not originally intended as a continuing feature: Animal Man is not named, does not appear in costume, and his powers are gone at the end of the story.

The Tricks of Metamorpho's Trade (Table of Contents: 5)

Metamorpho / comic story / 2 pages (report information)

Script

E. Nelson Bridwell ?

Pencils

Ramona Fradon

Inks

Charles Paris

Colors

Dave Tanguay

Letters

?

Genre

superhero

Characters

Batman (cameo); Metamorpho

Reprints

• from World's Finest Comics (DC, 1941 series) #226 (November-December 1974)

Indexer Notes

Reprint credits inks to Joe Simon, but these are panels cut out of early Metamorpho stories inked by Charles Paris. Batman vignettes are by Jim Aparo.

The Amazing Congorilla! (Table of Contents: 6)

Congorilla / comic story / 6.5 pages (report information)

Script

Robert Bernstein

Pencils

Howard Sherman

Inks

Howard Sherman

Colors

Dave Tanguay

Letters

?

Genre

jungle; superhero; adventure

Characters

Congorilla (gorilla, origin); Congo Bill [William Glenmorgan]; Gloria (actress); Janu the Jungle Boy; Chief Kawolo (death); Mr. Rieger (villain, movie director); Reiger's assistant (villain)

Synopsis

Congo Bill saves the life of tribal Chief Kawolo, who gives him a magic ring that can cause his mind to be exchanged with that of a golden gorilla. Later, a movie crew tries to capture the now-intelligent Congorilla.

Reprints

• from Action Comics (DC, 1938 series) #248 (January 1959)

Keywords

gorilla

Indexer Notes

Incorrectly credited to Action Comics #247 and to writer Jack Miller.

Call Him Satan-- Call Him Saint! (Table of Contents: 7)

El Diablo / comic story / 16 pages (report information)

Script

Robert Kanigher

Pencils

Gray Morrow

Inks

Gray Morrow

Colors

Dave Tanguay

Letters

Ben Oda

Genre

western-frontier

Characters

El Diablo [Lazarus Lane] (bank teller, introduction); Nora Hayes; Albert (bank teller, death); Emma (Albert's wife, mention only); Pop Woods (a gold miner); Adam (Wood's grandson, mention only); Ellie Vickers (Wood's girl, mention only); Wise Owl (Indian); The Hanged Man (villain, death); Hanged Man's gang [Grizzo; others un-named) (villains)

Synopsis

El Diablo helps to save an old gold miner who is mining to financially help out a widowed lady, from being a robbery victim and possibly death. His bigger mission, as it turns out, is the gang behind this attempted robbery: the Hooded Man's Gang.

Reprints

• from All-Star Western (DC, 1970 series) #3 (December 1970-January 1971)

Keywords

Calamity Falls; Puerto del Sol

The Origin of the Bizarro World! (Table of Contents: 8)

Bizarro / comic story / 4 pages (report information)

Script

Otto Binder; Jerry Siegel

Pencils

Wayne Boring; John Forte

Inks

Stan Kaye; John Forte

Colors

Dave Tanguay

Letters

?

Genre

superhero; humor

Characters

Bizarro World (origin); Superman [Clark Kent]; Bizarro-Superman No. 1; Bizarro-Lois #1; Bizarro-Junior #1; Bizarro-Jimmy; Bizarro-Perry; Bizarro-Lana; Bizarro-Lucy; Bizarro-Krypto; Bizarro-Mr. Mxyzptlk; Bizarro-Luthor

Reprints

• from World's Finest Comics (DC, 1941 series) #181 (December 1968)

Keywords

Bizarro Code; Bizarro World; kryptonite; Mt. Everest

Indexer Notes

Panels sliced from early Bizarro stories.

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 9)

The Spectre / comic story / 10 pages (report information)

Script

Jerry Siegel

Pencils

Bernard Baily (signed)

Inks

Bernard Baily (signed)

Colors

Dave Tanguay

Letters

Bernard Baily

Genre

fantasy-supernatural; superhero

Characters

The Spectre [Jim Corrigan] (introduction, origin); Clarice Winston (Jim's girl); Clarice's parents); Wayne Grant (detective); The Voice; Gat Benson (villain); Benson's mob [Louie Snipe; Ricky (death); rest un-named] (villains)

Synopsis

Jim Corrigan, hard-boiled detective, gets inside information on a job to be pulled by Gat Benson, and, while trying to stop the theft, is captured and murdered. However, a voice from heaven tells Corrigan that his job against crime is not over, so he is restored to life with amazing powers, which he plans to use again Benson and save the life of Clarice. After murdering Corrigan, Benson and his thugs decide to kill the witness, Clarice, but before they can do this, a wraith-like Corrigan appears before them to exact justice.

Reprints

• from More Fun Comics (DC, 1936 series) #52 (February 1940)

Indexer Notes

Spectre is miscolored. His cape should be blue and his skin grey.

Jerry Siegel's credit has been removed from the splash page.

[The Spectre Strikes] (Table of Contents: 10)

The Spectre / comic story / 10 pages (report information)

Script

Jerry Siegel

Pencils

Bernard Baily (signed)

Inks

Bernard Baily (signed)

Colors

Dave Tanguay

Letters

Bernard Baily

Genre

fantasy-supernatural; superhero

Characters

The Spectre [Jim Corrigan] (introduction, origin); Clarice Winston (Jim's girl); Clarice's parents; Wayne Grant (detective); The Voice; Gat Benson (villain); Benson's mob [Louie Snipe; Ricky (death); rest un-named] (villains)

Synopsis

Jim Corrigan, hard-boiled detective, gets inside information on a job to be pulled by Gat Benson, and, while trying to stop the theft, is captured and murdered. However, a voice from heaven tells Corrigan that his job against crime is not over, so he is restored to life with amazing powers, which he plans to use again Benson and save the life of Clarice. After murdering Corrigan, Benson and his thugs decide to kill the witness, Clarice, but before they can do this, a wraith-like Corrigan appears before them to exact justice.

Reprints

• from More Fun Comics (DC, 1936 series) #53 (March 1940)

Indexer Notes

Spectre's costume is miscolored, and Jerry Siegel's name is removed from the splash page.