Continuing my chain of patriotic superheroes from the Golden Age, today I present the American Crusader - subtitled as Defender of Democracy. This was a character from the Better/Standard/Nedor publishing house, appearing in Thrilling Comics, America's Best Comics and one Fighting Yank issue from 1941 through 1946. Secretly Professor Archibald Masters, following an encounter with an atom-smasher which probably would have resulted in radiation sickness and death for most people, he becomes endowed with super strength, invulnerability and the ability to fly. His secretary Jane Peters never figures out that the meek Professor Masters is secretly the Type-A personality the American Crusader. In the one story I have Jane is kidnapped by the Nazi bad-guys and taken to their underground lair. The leader says he has plans for her, then the action cuts away to the Crusader kicking Nazi butt. When it cuts back Jane, now dressed only in a white bra and slip is tied to a floating mine. Wonder what that nasty Nazi had in mind!! Apparently the Crusader also picked up a kid side-kick named Mickey Martin somewhere along the way but he's not in the story I have. As for the action figure, I used the body from a Captain America figure and the head, arms and legs from a Daredevil figure. It was handy using the CA figure because of the already existing star on his chest. I also had to stitch the cape, which needed to be blue on the inside and black on the outside. Later AC Comics revived the character and gave him an updated costume, which I may post later.
No comments:
Post a Comment