Black Marvel
The Black Marvel is a male comic superhero who features in Marvel Comics.
Contents |
Biography
Daniel Lyons
Dan's father was once saved by the Black Feet Indians under unrevealed circumstances--as a result, his father befriended the tribe's chieftain Man-To. (Mystic Comics v1 #5) Apparently considered one of their own, Dan's father secretly started preparing his son for many years to face and overcome the arduous rituals that the Black Feet subjected upon those who sought to lead them. (Mystic Comics v1 #6) Looking for a way to repay the tribe for saving his father, Dan saw an opportunity when he heard Man-To was at death's door. When all the tribesmen had failed to complete the tests to succeed Man-To, Dan requested and was granted permission by the chief to try as well. Dan swam faster than the salmon, ran faster than the deer, caught arrows in mid-air, and killed a grizzly bear with his two hands, proving himself the sole winner. As successor to the Black Feet tribe's chief, Dan received the black mantle of the new marvel, the traditional garb of the Black Feet. For unrevealed reasons, Dan eventually left the tribe and returned to Los Angeles to battle evil and injustice wherever he encountered it as the Black Marvel. The Black Marvel swung into action when several gangsters broke into a power-plant to destroy the generators in an attempt to create a citywide blackout--this was intended as a diversion, to allow other gangsters to rob an armory. The criminals had already killed several workers before Black Marvel learned of their true purpose. He raced to prevent the robbery, which he managed to do in a nick of time by keeping the thugs occupied long enough for the authorities to arrive. (Mystic Comics v1 #5)
Dan went for a stroll with friends Pat Casey and Kate Nash. Along the way, the friends discussed the worrying rise of the dreaded Order of the Hood, for the criminal brotherhood had robbed three banks within a month's time. This prompted Pat to wonder why the Black Marvel was not on their case yet, which indirectly motivated Dan, who immediately decided to spring into action after changing into his Black Marvel gear in a nearby alley. He then made his way to the Star Reserve Bank, which he knew was expecting a shipment of gold that day, making the bank a tempting target. His hunch was proven right, because he spotted Order members headed for the bank. Dan swiftly dealt with them, leaving the unconscious criminals for the authorities. However, this made him an enemy of the Order of the Hood, who decided the Black Marvel had to be dealt with. The Order managed to capture the Black Marvel by carefully laying a trap for him, then they took the hero to their secret hideout. When Marvel woke up, he was met by the Hood himself, who explained how they would kill Marvel by burning him to death with a ray machine--he even planned to broadcast the murder on television so the Americans could see their might. As soon as he was put in the ray machine, the Black Marvel was clever enough to use the generated heat to burn his bonds. With his hands free, he was able to break out of the machine and take the fight to the Order. Marvel followed the Hood as he fled the premises, heading for a mountain top. The Black Marvel gave chase and soon their conflict caused a landslide which caught them both by surprise. The Black Marvel managed to save himself, but the Hood apparently was not as lucky and was presumed killed. (All-Winners Comics v1 #1)
The Black Marvel appeared on the campus of Bronston University to protect Doctor Eisenburg, a German who escaped from the Nazi regime. That very day, three German students who supported the Nazi cause assaulted the professor. The Black Marvel showed up and dealt with the students by throwing them in the campus pool. But that very night, the professor was stabbed to death in his sleep. The authorities tried to round up his assailants, but one of the students, Volk, was nowhere to be found, which made him the prime suspect. During the hunt for Volk, the Black Marvel rescued a middle aged man who was knocked out by accident. After bringing the man to the hospital, they learned the man was suffering from amnesia. The Black Marvel had his suspicions about the amnesiac and tried to test the man by shouting "achtung" (German: "attention"). The man immediately rose to attention, clicking his heels like a soldier. However, at the sound of the name "Eisenburg", the amnesiac collapsed--this led the Black Marvel to deduce the man was von Boden, a Gestapo agent responsible for killing Eisenburg. During that night, another mystery man appeared and tried to kill the amnesiac von Boden. The Black Marvel defeated the man, who accidentally fell out of the building to his death. The assailant was identified as Gestapo saboteur Fritz Schultz. Later still, Volk was captured; he denied killing the doctor, which led the Black Marvel to believe the amnesiac was the one true killer. The Black Marvel then set a trap for the amnesiac von Boden, which ultimately resulted in him being revealed as the true killer. In the battle that followed, the Black Marvel defeated the Gestapo agent. (Mystic Comics v1 #6)
The Black Marvel learned of the curious case of the kindly Doctor Weems, who had been searching for a cure for pneumonia, but instead created a serum that turned him into the monstrous Grinner. The transformed brute had gathered several bloodthirsty underworld-types whom he led on a crime spree. After one of their heists, the Black Marvel managed to track them down and attacked. As the Grinner escaped in his car, Marvel used his exceptional speed to pursue him all the way to Dr. Weems' house. But when the Black Marvel rang the doorbell, he was met by an unassuming Weems, so the hero figured he'd made an error and left. However, when he ran into the Grinner again, he chased the villain to the Weems' home once more. This prompted the Black Marvel to enter the house through a cellar window. He discovered the Grinner's lab and was soon confronted by him. The Black Marvel punched the Grinner, causing him to hit his head on the hard walls of the stone cellar, and the villain was killed by the impact. (Mystic Comics v1 #7)
The Black Marvel made his way to South Africa after several miners in Chisholm's diamond mine unearthed a giant diamond that caused anyone who touched it to die--Chisholm's rival, Ridley, had secretly partnered with the local witch doctor Buka to scare all locals away by claiming the mine was cursed by the earth-core god Vool-Kan. While investigating, the Black Marvel was hit with a poisoned dart courtesy of a nearby group of cannibals. The savages captured the Black Marvel and brought him to Buka, who planned to make a feast of the hero. But when the Black Marvel awoke, he fought off the cannibals and even dealt with three ferocious lions, killing them with a single spear. After returning to the mining company, he saw that Chisholm was about to sell his diamond mine to Ridley, who had been behind the entire Vool-Kan plot. Ridley was stopped by the Black Marvel, who knocked the criminal unconscious. Wanting to expose the scheme, Marvel later unmasked the "god" Vool-Kan as Buka; furthermore, he revealed that the lethal diamond was actually a rock covered with a poisonous substance. Thankful that the masked hero had rescued his company, Chisholm wanted to reward the Black Marvel, but the hero declined, declaring that seeing justice served was all he needed. (Mystic Comics v1 #8)
Looking for a way to take down crime-boss "Longnails" Legarva, the Black Marvel shadowed him for some time; he also learned that Jerry Madden was released from prison. Madden obtained a job as a bank attendant and was later threatened by Legarva, who hoped to use Madden to gain access to the bank's vault. Just when Legarva's men tried to capture Madden in an attempt to "persuade" him, he was rescued by the Black Marvel, who came crashing in and defeated the crime-boss's cronies. However, Legarva had no plans of letting Madden go, and he eventually managed to capture him. Legarva took Madden's work clothes and, dressed as a bank teller, then he went into the vault unnoticed to steal a large amount of money--he even killed one of the bank assistants who caught wise. When the local authorities came to arrest Madden, the Black Marvel tried to convince the police that Legarva was responsible, but to no avail. The hero then refocused his efforts to track down the crime-boss. After a heated battle on a motorboat, the Black Marvel was victorious. Jerry Madden was released as soon as the Black Marvel turned Legarva in. (Mystic Comics v1 #9)
Overview
Personality and attributes
Powers and abilities
Black Marvel had no superpowers but he was an excellent hand-to-hand combatant at the peak of his physical condition.
Notes
- The Black Marvel was created by Al Gabriele where he made his first appearance in Mystic Comics v1 #5 (March, 1941).
In other media
Television
Appearances
- Mystic Comics v1: (1941)
External Links
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