I think I'm getting somewhat organized as to Master Comics so let's check out the very first issue:
What? No Captain Marvel Jr.? Just some guy called Master Man, which considering this is a 1940's comic doesn't sound like a great moniker, considering the "master race" nonsense that was causing problems all over. Master Man sounds like a super-powered guy who would be working for....
Yeah, that makes more sense.
Man, do I love the Invaders. I'll buy anything that has the Invaders in it.
Anyway, try and get over the kind of creepy name and instead let's focus on how generic a character can be. His startling origin was that he was a frail kid...
So, live right and take a multi-vitamin. Where did the doctor get this "magic capsule?" And by sources of energy, are we talking about plutonium? Because I think I'm seeing a problem here.
Anyway...
What? He can see "ALL evil in the world?" Now how on earth do you expect me to believe that he can see...
Oh. Well there you go.
Anyway, he's really strong and can move really fast and jump really far:
... which makes a certain amount of sense considering the "energy" of that Geritol or whatever it was.
But then we go a little too far:
Hmmmm... what vitamin makes you bulletproof? I'm checking the contents of Flintstones Chewables and I'm not seeing it. Not that I'm an expert in the field.
Oh, but there was some Fun with Out of Context Dialogue (tm!)I almost missed!
There we go!
Anyway, it's pretty standard stuff. He goes around saving women:
.... and orphans:
... and women:
Did I mention women? He really seems to like saving women.
It seems to me like she should be reaching for a can of pepper spray right about now. Is it just me?
Moving on, there was a guy called "Devil's Dagger," for some reason:
Do you see that he drives himself even though he clearly has a chauffeur sitting right there? I don't think you should be a jerk and make someone's job more difficult than it has to be, but I don't think a chauffeur has problems with you... oh, I don't know... actually letting him drive the car.
Moving on to...
NEXT!
No, I'm jumping to conclusions. Let's give the Hillbilly Hero a chance.
No. No, no, no, no, no. I can't handle the dialogue. He makes Master Man look like a brilliant character compared to...
Okay, I wasn't asking for more Master Man. Enough. Enough of this. Enough for today. See you tomorrow!
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3 comments:
Belated congratulations for your rentrée !
I would like to point out some disturbing coincidences in Master Comics. Another hero who also "raced at great speeds" and was able to leap a half-mile was, evidently, Superman, brought to light two years previously (1938), overturning a car on the cover of Action Comics #1 - and Master Man did exactly this on his premiere. Also, the Devil Dagger's attire is, but for the mask, the same as Mandrake the Magician's, who had been fighting crime with his tricks since 1934. Although the Devil Dagger didn't perform any acts like Mandrake's, if you want a magician wearing a thin moustache and dressed in a tux, you'll find one in this issue, as "El Carim", who magically deflects bullets with his monocle (!) and produces ropes out of thin air.
Wait, if he "unbares his chest," wouldn't he be covering it up?
Adam,
Welcome back! Sorry I'm late. I sure hope that the rest of the year ends on a better note for you and beloved!
Based upon Master Man's hand placement on the cover to #1, it seems as though he took a few liberties while rescuing those women that you mention he really liked to save.
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