Golden Age Character Updates

Though the Vintage Age Handbook presents a very large amount of historical comic book characters as they appeared 'back in the day' *, the goal of this section is to give you an up to date look at those venerable super folk, in order to let you know how to best use them in modern day tales, if you so wish. Golden Age characters so updated include the following heroes and villains thus far:

Agent Axis: this nefarious Axis agent was three separate men, all of whom were merged into a singular, terrible entity in a freak accident while in flight. Though granted three times the power of an ordinary man, he is also cursed with a fractured, querulous mind. Availability:

the Angel: Thomas Holloway was raised in a prison under bizarre circumstances, learning a whole lot about everything. With the aid of this vast catalog of knowledge, he wages a never-ending battle against villainy, a war he fights as the high-flying Angel!

Asbestos Lady: a shrewd man-hater, the Asbestos Lady was driven to new heights of loathing by one man above all others: the Human Torch! Humiliating her time and again with embarrasing defeats, the Torch has earned a singular place in the Asbestos Lady's blackened heart. Availability:

Baron Blood: after an encounter with the mighty Dracula, malcontent blueblood John Falsworth became a vampire himself. His twisted need for vengeance against his brother eventually drove him to Nazi Germany, for aid in crushing his relative and homeland. Availability:

Black Marvel: after one hundred Black Feet youths proved unable to pass the tests of strength, stamina and dexterity, Dan Lyons did so! Proving himself to their dying chief, he was given the costume and role of the Black Marvel, with which he protects the innocent! Availability:

Black Widow: after her sister was murdered by a mobster the legal system wouldn't touch, Claire Voyant was given an offer she couldn't refuse: the opportunity to gain vengenace! Of course, one should be careful what they vow over the grave of a dead relative... Availability:

Blazing Skull: while reporting on the second Sino-Japanese war, ace reporter Mark Todd wandered into the field of fire. Seeking shelter in a cave, he discovered a race of mysterious 'Skull Men' - who forged him into their champion against evil: the Blazing Skull! Availability:

Blue Diamond: when an immense blue diamond exploded in his hands, anthropologist Elton T. Morrow was imbued with the stone's strange powers. Though he did so reluctantly, Elton decided to use his new powers against the forces of evil as... the Blue Diamond! Availability:

Brain Drain: a morally dubious scientist, Werner Schmidt was crushed by a falling space craft shortly after duplicating the American Super-Soldier Serum. Rebuilt by his masters in a robot body, he returned to curse the world as the bizarre Brain Drain! Availability:

Bucky / Winter Soldier / Captain America 11: though he died in the same explosion that put Captain America 'on ice', James' body was recovered by Soviets who brainwashed him. Recovering thanks to Captain America, James has since taken on his old mentor's role! Availability:

Captain America: sickly Steve Rogers became a hero after he proved to be the only test subject of an experimental super soldier serum. Quickly growing into the role of the Sentinel of Liberty, he gave his all to the fight against America's many enemies! Availability:

Challenger: when his father is murdered simply for investigating corruption in the city, Bill Waring decides to get even. Walking the earth, he gains all the skills he needs to wage a one-man war on crime - only returning when ready to Challenge scofflaws... to the death! Availability:

Doctor Nemesis: repenting after his crimes during World War II, James Bradley has resumed his original heroic role of Doctor Nemesis. Returning his attentions to 'weird science crimes', he's fought escaped Nazis and their eerie creations since the war ended. Availability:

Dynamic Man: built by Doctor Goettler before his death, the Dynamic Man is an artificial being bent on the preservation of law and order. To this end he serves as a fully fledged F.B.I. agent, using their vast information to handle problems out of their league. Availability:

the Fin: discovering he could breathe and function normally underwater after his submarine sank in the high seas, Navy Lieutenant Peter Noble began to explore his newfound world. After finding a magic blade beneath the seas, he began to adventure as the mighty Fin! Availability:

Golden Girl / Woman: Gwenny Lou Sabuki was kidnapped by Agent Axis as a means of forcing her father to perform surgery to separate him into his three composite selves. This plot backfired when a freak accident at Axis' lab gave her the powers of the Golden Girl! Availability:

the Human Top: Davy Mitchell was visiting an injured Toro when Agent Axis kidnapped the both of them (he wanted Toro, but Davy was an inconvenient witness). This turned out to be an error when a freak accident in Axis' lab gave Davy the powers of... the Human Top! Availability:

the Human Torch: an artificial man created Phineas T. Horton, this android proved to be 'flawed' when he ignited upon exposure to air. Eventually mastering his powers, he took the name of the Human Torch, and used his abilities to fight evil in all its forms! Availability:

Iron Cross: though opposed to the Nazi party, Helmut Gruler was a German patriot who followed orders despite his reservations. After the War he sought redemption for his actions, and subsequently become a hero of sorts, working for the V-Battalion! Availability:

Jack Frost: an enigma who emerged from the Arctic Circle in the early forties, Jack quickly found himself a member of the heroic Liberty Legion. Soon after the war however, he became trapped in the inside of a dreaded frost worm stalking the polar ice caps. Availability:

Lady Lotus: a Japanese agent, the Lady Lotus was infuriated with how America treated those of her people that had lived there. Deciding the nation no longer deserved to exist, she bent her considerable powers to the goal of wiping it from the face of the very earth! Availability:

Master Man: a disaffected American of German descent, Wilhelm Lohmer was recruited by Nazis to become the counterpart of Captain America. When their new Super-Soldier Serum actually worked, Wilhelm turned against his home land and became the Master Man! Availability:

Master Mind Excello: perfect in both mind and body, Master Mind Excello possess an inventor's genius and terrible psi powers! Born as mere Earl Everett, Excello uses his exceptional skills, devices and powers in the service of the United States government! Availability:

The Mighty Destroyer 3 / Dyna-Mite: brainwashed and experimented on by Nazis after his capture alongside friend Brian Falsworth, Roger was remade into the inch-tall Dyna-Mite. Eventually breaking his mind control, he became... the (third) Mighty Destroyer! Availability:

Miss America: Madeline Joyce was a young girl who, after being zapped with enough current to 'kill a thousand men', developed staggering super human powers! Though most have faded over time, she's used all her abilities to fight for truth, justice, and the American Way! Availability:

Mister E: feeling a burning need to fight the injustices of the world, wealthy sportsman Victor Goldstein (nee Victor Jay) donned the identity of Mister E, and began to fight crime on the street - both isolated incidents and those perpetrated by the diabolical Vampire! Availability:

Namor, the Sub-Mariner: child of an Atlantean princess and an American sea captain, Namor was raised from childhood to hate humanity. When he saw the worst of them in the form of Nazi Germany, Namor allied with humans of power like his to oppose their every move. Availability:

Patriot / Captain America 4: mild mannered journalist and ex-military man Jeffrey Mace, inspired by Captain America, became a costumed adventurer himself. He wound up donning the mantle of his hero in time, after the third man to bear it was killed in battle. Availability:

the Phantom Reporter: champion wrestler, fencer, boxer, and all-American fullback, Dick Jones is a highly motivated journalist who felt the need to use his mental and physical skills to bring villains to justice that the system seemed unable - or unwilling - to touch! Availability:

Red Raven: lone survivor of a plane crash on a mysterious, floating land known as Sky Island, he who would become the Red Raven was raised by the locals his entire life. Cherishing the ideals of freedom and justice, he eventually left to share them with the world! Availability:

Silver Scorpion: secretary Betty Barlow made a super-heroine costume for a ball one night, and wound up using it as an actual crime fighter. When her boyfriend was killed by the Battle-Axis, she donned a suit of armor he'd built to fight them as... the Silver Scorpion! Availability:

Spirit of '76 / Captain America 3: a patriot who idolized Captain America, William Naslund developed his skills so that he could fight the Axis hand to hand as well. After William's hero seemingly died in battle, President Truman made him the third Captain America! Availability:

Spitfire: mauled by Baron Blood, Lady Jacqueline was given an emergency blood transfusion from the Human Torch. In addition to saving her life, his android blood interacted with the vampire ichor in her body to grant her amazing super speed and other powers! Availability:

the Terror: injected with a strange virus and chemical extracted from a mad dog, amnesiac Laslo Pevely is transformed into... the Terror. Lacking a past, he wields his bizarre new powers against the criminal element, brutally manhandling those who would do evil! Availability:

the Thin Man: Doctor Bruce Dickson found Enlightenment in the lost civilization of Kalahia, and only wanted to bring its many intellectual advancements to mankind - until they were pointlessly slain by vicious Nazis. After this, he has lived only for Revenge! Availability:

Toro: his parents being exposed to both asbestos and radium as youths, Thomas Raymond was born a mutant. He eventually developed powers quite similar to the Human Torch, and the duo founded a crime-fighting partnership that lasted for years after their first run-in. Availability:

U-Man: born as Merrano, this hateful Atlantean despised the half-breed Namor and his high station in Atlantis. As such, he turned against his own society and fell in with the Nazis for (eventual) aid in the conquest of his home... and the death of his nemesis! Availability:

Union Jack 2 / Mighty Destroyer 2: when socialite Brian Falsworth met a Mad Scientist in a German prison, he was given a variant of the Super-Soldier Serum to hide it from the Nazis. Fighting them for a time as the Destroyer, he returned home as... Union Jack! Availability:

the Vision: an emerald-skinned warrior from another universe, Aarkus, Destroyer of Evil hails from a realm of heat and smoke. Summoned to earth several times with experimental dimension-smashing technology, he remains as long as he can find evil to crush. Availability:

Warrior Woman: Frieda Ratsel was a deviant Nazi torturer - at least, until she used a portion of the American Super Soldier serum on herself. Reborn as the Warrior Woman, she has simply amplified the terror she instills in others to a more global level. Availability:

Whizzer: Robert Frank was bitten by a deadly cobra on a jungle expedition, and would have died if not for his father. Knowing the mongoose was a deadly enemy of the cobra, he injected mongoose blood into his son, which (somehow) caused him to be reborn as the Whizzer! Availability:

the Witness: a former police officer who accidentally killed an innocent man, he received an epiphany during a suicide attempt and was forever cursed to be the Witness! Final arbitrer of Justice in the world of mortal man, the Witness has seen terrible things...! Availability:

* Of course, many of these characters were inserted back into the Golden Age retroactively, or have since had their histories 're evaluated'.

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