# Low Rent Comic book Heros **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 29, 2011, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/low-rent-comic-book-heros/598042 "2011-09-29T17:59:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2011, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/low-rent-comic-book-heros/598042/81 "2011-10-06T01:18:24Z")
> [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](#): > > There was a short-lived Mandrake comic in the '60s, published by King, the same house that was publishing the Phantom comic at the time (both characters created by Lee Falk; both are still running as strips to this day). The Phantom currently has an excellent comic The Last Phantom. IIRC It’s put out by Boom studios. I wasn’t sure what to expect, and got hard hitting jungle action for the 21st century. In the mid nineties, there was a strange expedition into cyberpunk with the cartoon series Phantom 2040. It reminded me a lot of Aeon Flux and was excellent. “The whole world is my jungle now!”. Phantom 2040 spawned a comic adaptation and a video game. Lately, Syfy tried a live action Phantom. I haven’t seen it but hear it both sucked and blew. And I liked the Billy Zane film too. I still have a few 7 11 skull rings. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2011, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/low-rent-comic-book-heros/598042/82 "2011-10-06T02:00:35Z")
Sabra- The official super hero of Israel Earth 616. Standard super hero abilities. The Seraph- member of DC’s Global Guardians he has Moses’ staff, Solomon’s mantle and various other biblical trinkets. Growing up, these were all I had in the way of Jewish super heroes. Then I found out Kitty Pryde was Jewish. Nowadays, they finally made Magneto Jewish and had Ben Grimm come out as Jewish. Marvel also had The Golem. I’ve got a two in one where he battles the Thing. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2011, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/low-rent-comic-book-heros/598042/83 "2011-10-06T02:12:16Z")
Atlas- Created and drawn by Kirby, Atlas was essentially a Conan clone. Captain Victory And The Galaxy Rangers-Recently revived, this was fun old fashioned super hero meets old fashioned space opera. Villains included Bloody Marianne, Ursan The Unclean and Paranex The Fighting Fetus. Silver Star- Again recently revived. It was a 12 part (IIRC) series that tried to deal with just what godlike superhumans would really do with their powers and how you stop a madman who has enough power to destroy the world. Static- Not the Milestone teen hero who had a cartoon series. This was a hero created, drawn and written by Ditko. He had a weird tech suit that did weird tech things. The interesting part was all the philosophical and intillectual discussions and problems he had. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2011, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/low-rent-comic-book-heros/598042/84 "2011-10-06T02:25:10Z")
These were standard kid’s heroes. They had a comic adaptation. They had an NES game. But they were stillborn. Despite backing by Spielberg, they never made it off the ground. I’ve never seen a single episode of the cartoon and don’t know if one was ever released. They could have been huge. Instead they are a footnote and a mystery. ---
**Author:** ![Capitaine\_Zombie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e95f7d/32.png) [@Capitaine\_Zombie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capitaine_Zombie)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2011, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/low-rent-comic-book-heros/598042/85 "2011-10-06T03:48:59Z")
> [@DocCathode](#): > > These were standard kid’s. But they were stillborn. I dont understand the concept of a series about stillborn kids. Even with cool powers. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2011, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/low-rent-comic-book-heros/598042/86 "2011-10-06T04:18:39Z")
> [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](#): > > Robby Reed, in _Dial H For Hero_. > > Kid had an alien telephone dial (yes, you read that right: _an alien telephone dial_) that, when you dialed the letters H-E-R-O, would change him into a different superhero each time! > They’d run contests in the letter column to “Create Your Own Hero”, & the winners would appear in the Robby Reed story. That series was revamped into a VERY dark series in 2003 called [H.E.R.O](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H.E.R.O._(comics)) > [@](#): > > H.E.R.O. is an American comic book series published by DC Comics that started in 2003 and ran for 22 issues. The series was written by Will Pfeifer. Artists included Kano, Leonard Kirk and Dale Eaglesham. > > The series’ focus was the “H-Dial” that DC had first introduced in “Dial H for Hero” in House of Mystery in the 1960s. For this series the Dial was depicted as an object with buttons instead of a dial and was referred to as the H-Device. > > Unlike earlier stories, H.E.R.O. did not have one or two protagonists being turned into a new hero every issue, but showed the H-Device passing from bearer to bearer, examining how different people react to the sudden gift of supernatural powers. There was a subplot involving Robby Reed (the main character from the original Dial H for Hero) that ran through most issues and led to the series’ final storyline. ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2011, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/low-rent-comic-book-heros/598042/87 "2011-10-06T15:44:41Z")
Thanks! So cool to see a guy in top hat and tails, with a cape! Like I say, this strip hasn’t been seen in Boston/NYC for decades! ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2011, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/low-rent-comic-book-heros/598042/88 "2011-10-06T15:55:16Z")
> [@DocCathode](#): > > Sabra- The official super hero of Israel Earth 616. Standard super hero abilities. > > The Seraph- member of DC’s Global Guardians he has Moses’ staff, Solomon’s mantle and various other biblical trinkets. > > Growing up, these were all I had in the way of Jewish super heroes. Then I found out Kitty Pryde was Jewish. > Nowadays, they finally made Magneto Jewish and had Ben Grimm come out as Jewish. IIRC, Marc Spector, aka Moon Knight, was the first Jewish superhero (and the son of a very disappointed rabbi). ---
**Author:** ![Slade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5ac83/32.png) [@Slade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slade)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2011, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/low-rent-comic-book-heros/598042/89 "2011-10-06T16:02:05Z")
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legion\_of\_Substitute\_Heroes#Silver\_Age\_history](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legion_of_Substitute_Heroes#Silver_Age_history) The Legion of Substitute Heroes make all the above look good by comparison. Click the link if you don’t believe me. ---
**Author:** ![Capitaine\_Zombie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e95f7d/32.png) [@Capitaine\_Zombie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capitaine_Zombie)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2011, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/low-rent-comic-book-heros/598042/90 "2011-10-06T19:57:52Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > IIRC, Marc Spector, aka Moon Knight, was the first Jewish superhero (and the son of a very disappointed rabbi). He was _retconned_ into one (because of his name). And he is certainly not the first Jewish SH. I’m pretty sure some golden age heroes were Jewish. But if you only take Marvel, Ben Grimm -The Thing- predates Moon Knights by more than a decade. And if we go for “not retconned/and stated as Jewish from the start”, you got Doc Samson that appeared five years before Moon Knight. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2011, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/low-rent-comic-book-heros/598042/91 "2011-10-06T20:18:30Z")
Colossal Boy of the Legion of Superheroes also predates both Thing and Moon Knight both in existing (1960 vs 1963 vs 1975) and being retconned as Jewish (1980 vs 2002(!!! was it really that late?) vs 1984). I’m also pretty sure that Ragman (introduced 1977, so after Doc Sampson, but before all of the above retcons) was explicitly Jewish even before that tied into the origin of his powers (his suit is related to the golem), but it’s been a long time since I read his original series. ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2011, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/low-rent-comic-book-heros/598042/92 "2011-10-06T20:19:12Z")
> [@Capitaine\_Zombie](#): > > He was _retconned_ into one (because of his name). And he is certainly not the first Jewish SH. I’m pretty sure some golden age heroes were Jewish. Aside from Superman, you mean? ---
**Author:** ![Capitaine\_Zombie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e95f7d/32.png) [@Capitaine\_Zombie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capitaine_Zombie)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2011, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/low-rent-comic-book-heros/598042/93 "2011-10-06T20:21:17Z")
> [@Lemur866](#): > > Aside from Superman, you mean? Lol, I know Superman’s backstory has some Biblical Jewish roots, but the Kents are now Jewish?? Or Krypton is actually in the Middle East (would make sense that it got blown up)? ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2011, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/low-rent-comic-book-heros/598042/94 "2011-10-06T20:29:09Z")
Ma and Pa Kent aren’t Jewish, but what about Jor-El and Lara? A baby escaping from an exploding planet and being welcomed in America in 1938? ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2011, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/low-rent-comic-book-heros/598042/95 "2011-10-07T12:56:45Z")
How could he be circumscised? ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2011, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/low-rent-comic-book-heros/598042/96 "2011-10-07T20:26:26Z")
> [@BMalion](#): > > How could he be circumcised? 1920s Style Death Ray. Obviously. ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2011, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/low-rent-comic-book-heros/598042/97 "2011-10-08T00:57:14Z")
> [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](#): > > 1920s Style Death Ray. > > Obviously. For the win! ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_A.Robrin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sam_a.robrin/32/14497_2.png) [@Sam\_A.Robrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_A.Robrin)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2011, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/low-rent-comic-book-heros/598042/98 "2011-10-08T01:32:37Z")
> [@BMalion](#): > > How could he be circumscised? Mr. Moyhelyzptlk… ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2011, 11:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/low-rent-comic-book-heros/598042/99 "2011-10-09T11:04:40Z")
> [@Sam\_A.Robrin](#): > > Mr. Moyhelyzptlk… Oh, _very_ nice! \ [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/low-rent-comic-book-heros/598042.md?page=4)