Fawcett's Finest: A New Blog

While touching on the various heroes and heroines of Fawcett Comics at times throughout our examination of the DC Multiverse, two dynamic duos deserve some long overdue attention.

Bulletman and Bulletgirl, aka Jim and Susan Kent, were known as the Flying Detectives and were their own world's version of the classic Winged Wonders of Hawkman and Hawkgirl. Similarly, attorney Brian Butler and his ward also had the distinction of being Gotham Guardians, as they both lived and protected a Gotham City of another Earth as Mister Scarlet and Pinky. Within the context of their reality, what became known as Earth-S, these four fearless fighters were as important as were their more famous caped and cowled contemporaries.

In fact, the Bullet pair were more successful than the Hawks as their popularity meant an ever growing family of characters, second only to the Marvel Family whom they teamed up with on occasion. As for Scarlet and Pinky, they were itinerant masked men drifting from job to job, yet maintained a wonderfully glib interaction with each other that made the best of the dwindling returns from them costumed crusades.

Largely, their vast array of adventures, adversaries, and abilities have been left untold in a modern context... until now. Join the review at Fawcett's Finest: Scarlet and Gold.

Fawcett Fridays:Married Men and Maidens in Mid-Air

The romance of Superman and Lois Lane is, indeed, an epic one. As is the tragic attraction that draws Batman and Catwoman towards the other. And even when their girlfriend knows from the beginning is real identity, as happened with Jay "Flash" Garrick with his lady Joan and Ralph "Elongated Man" Dibny with his lass Sue, there is an even more appealing coupling. That would be the crimefighting dating duo. And we have three prime examples today.

Katar Hol, Carter Hall and Jim Barr first discovered the miraculous anti-gravitational properties of  heir anti-gravity metal belt, nth metal belt and gravity regulator helmet respectively. Katar and Jim were police men and used these devices to track down evil culprits that alluded traditional law enforcement authorities. Carter and Jim were a pair of scientists with a thirst for balance in the natural order around them. And Katar and Carter were two who thrived on communing with avian creation whose air they shared.

But there was something more these three men shared... the desire for companionship. And so, when Jim's girlfriend Susan Kent... also the daughter of his boss Sergeant Kent... desired to join him in his heroic crusade... he bequeathed her a duplicate helmet and similar costume. And thus, Bulletman and Bulletgirl were born, having several adventures throughout the 1940's before Doctor Sivana's Suspendium caught them and their fellow costumed crusaders of Earth-S in suspended animation until the 1970's. At that time, they joined the Squadron of Justice, although they were earlier members of the Crime Crusaders Club.

Carter and his fiancee Shiera Saunders repeatedly found themselves in adventures that called for his alter ego of Hawkman, and eventually temptation caused Hall to create another pair of wings and nth metal belt for his future bride. And thus, Hawkwoman was born, although she soon reverted to the identity of Hawkgirl. Although she never joined his team, the Justice Society of America, which she occasionally expressed interest in... she became an integral part of Earth-Two's All-Star Squadron. Together, these two Hawks also operated through the 1940's side-by-side on several cases. Eventually, she retired and never donned her costume again, and she took on a new role as mother to their son Hector.

Then there was Shayera Thal, who was a police woman on the planet Thanagar and also Katar's ally, both of whom tracked down a criminal to Earth-One. On this world, they adopted the names Hawkman and Hawkgirl, although she eventually changed hers to Hawkwoman. Around this time, she also finally gained the attention of her now husband's teammates on the Justice League of America, of which she soon joined. Although the pair had scores of adventures themselves, at times there were rifts between the two as political intrigue from their home world at times threatened their own lives. Nevertheless, the ultimately remained paired side-by side, as had the other two couples who were their counterparts.

Team-Up Tuesdays: Finest Fawcett Friends Forever

Earth-S was very unique in the midst of the Multiverse. For one thing, there was no Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman or derivatives thereof. Indeed there were analogues to each of these, and other superheroes and heroines, both in the golden age starting in the 1940's like Earth-Two and the silver age 1970's such as on Earth-One. Nevertheless, there was also a lack of scientific principals, as this particular universe's particular laws of physics almost lent themselves as much to the whimsical as the wonderful. But that wasn't all that made it stand apart from the rest.

On this world, the greatest superhero team that ever existed wasn't the Justice League or the Justice Society... not the Justice Alliance nor Freedom Brigade. Not even a Crime Syndicate... well okay there was the Monster Society of Evil but... as it was, they were persistent if nor productive. However, on Earth-S, their premier team was a family! Yes, the Marvel Family, consisting of Captain Marvel along with his sister, his best friend, three namesakes, a lovable old fraud and the elder guardian who empowered them all. They mirrored the youthful Teen Titans and Blue Boys of parallel planets but more prominent.

That's not to say this world didn't have their share of costumed crusaders. Indeed, Bulletman and Bulletgirl were as prolific as protectors as were Hawkman and Hawkgirl. Mister Scarlet and Pinky were as gifted a dynamic duo as were Batman and Robin. Spy Smasher was evenly matched with Mister Terrific, as was Minute Man with the Star-Spangled Kid. That's just the tip of the iceburg.

And indeed, these various heroes teamed up informally throughout the years at social events, and they were all stuck together in Suspendium thanks to the machinations of Doctor Sivana after the Captain's long time friends showed up to support a ceremony in his and his Family's honor. Eventually, they would team up, well most of them, to form Shazam's Squadron of Justice. 

Still, this was a one-and-done scenario, as most of the members then proceeded to retire or at least semi-retire. Except for the Marvels. Regardless, this world was well protected, so much so that none of the various incarnations of the Monster Society were able to vanquish good from that planet. And so it would remain, until the Crisis on Infinite Earths. Or, in at least one timeline, into the uncharted future.

Fawcett Fridays: Number One with a Bullet

Attempting to rectify his meager physique which genetics bestowed on him and be the officer his father dreamt him of one day becoming, Jim Barr discovered a chemical formula that grew both his physical and mental stature! Deciding to keep this a secret, wearing oversized lab coats, he displayed his new found abilities along with the discovery of an anti-gravity projectile cap to become Bulletman! Bulletman also had an occasional sidekick in Bulletboy, a local youth who was his biggest fan. And then, of course, there was Bulletdog. 

On the parallel world of Earth-Four, the aspiring musicians Rick Strong and Cindy Carson turned reluctant superheroes adopted the alter egos of Helio and Mentalia. While Helio had the power of flight, Mentalia possesses the power of levitation through telekinesis, both derived from devices bequeathed to them by a scientist they were associated with during the start of their costumed careers. Along with their bandmate Crunch “Brute” Wilson, whose power gloves gave him superhuman strength, the trio named themselves the Sentinels of Justice, working alongside Sarge Steel during the late 1960s.

Jim and Susan awoke from their Suspendium sleep along with the Marvel Family in the 1970's. Resuming their career briefly, they eventually reverted to the restful slumber of civilian life and marital bliss, not to be seen again after one final outing with Captain and Mary Marvel in the late 70's. 

As for Rick and Cindy, they apparently retired following the defeat of their arch-enemy Mind-Bender. Perhaps the trio become successful in their musical endeavors.

Dynamic Duo Damsels: Modern Mighty Maidens

In modern times, Mary Broomfield Batson and Susan Kent Barr had to acclimate to a new era, revived after decades of suspended animation. In this new age, they soon learned something their contemporaries Supergirl/Power Girl and the Hawkgirls already knew, that men were beginning to respect women for the unique aspects they bring to relationships. And to difficult situations, such as when the femme fatale Dreamdancer used her fleet feet and limber style to enthrance her male audience to do her bidding. With Captain Marvel, Bulletman, and other mighty members of the masculinity unable to defeat her, it ended up being the quickwitted planning of this pair that saved the day... and mankind ultimately. The third heroine perserved through the ages, Princess Taia, never had opportunity to bond with these lasses, sticking close to her prince, Ibis the Invincible, as she had done through the ages. And the Wonder Woman of Earth-S, Isis had already apparently concluded her short-lived superheroine career after debutting only a few years prior to this adventure. Between Taia's Ibistick (she borrowed it sometimes), Isis' various abilities and the power of Mary and Susan, this quartet would have been interesting to observe in action!

Fawcett's Finest: Dynamic Duo Damsels

When you think of a daring duo damsels, fast female friends, no doubt Supergirl and Batgirl or Power Girl and Huntress or Wonder Woman and Black Canary may come to mind. Such a bond was developed between the premier heroines of Earth-S during the golden age, Mary Marvel and Bulletgirl. Although they had apparently previously met prior to this encounter, it was during Mary's graduation ceremony that these fabulous females finally teamed up... without the male counterparts. And they had two of Bulletgirl's oldest foes to contend with, the Weeper and Mister Riddle, their world's Joker and Riddler. No worries, though, for Mary's superhuman powers and Susan Barr's gravity regulator helmet more than compensated for the scheming of these sinister scumbags. Not to mention their similar red and yellow color schemes which made them aesthetically pleasing side-by-side.

While Bulletgirl never really had a chance to shine solo like Mary, she still proved an enduring heroine much as had the Hawkgirls, perfectly complementing their husbands in high-flying adventures showing a determined disposition while smoothing out the rougher edges of their guys. As for Mary, although always in the shadow of her more famous twin brother Billy's marvelous alias, she still had a notable career protecting the suburbs of his hometown Fawcett City. And these gals would pickup where they left of in the 1970's after they were freed, along with Captain Marvel, Bulletman and other captives of Doctor Sivana's Suspendium. Perserved young for decades due to this, they melded into a new era where women gained man's respect.

Fawcett's Finest: Flying Females

Typically, when a hero has found the template for success, others will be created to follow his winning ways. Among the first to replicate a mighty male are fearless females. Leading the charge in this category are Shiera Hall and Susan Barr, who would be better known as Hawkgirl and Bulletgirl. Although they began as the love interests of Carter Hall and Jim Barr while these gents were already clad in their crusading costumes as Hawkman and Bulletman.

There were two Shiera Halls, on Earth-Two she was born Sheira Sanders and on Earth-One she was originally Shayera Thal, before marrying Carter and Katar respectively. While Sanders was a millionare dubutante turned adventuress, Thal was a policewoman right from the start. As for Susan, she was the daughter of a policeman, hence her acquaintence with police scientist Barr. Early in their future husbands' careers, these gals adopted aliases reflecting their male partners' identities, and earned their own reputations as top flight heroines. Eventually, they were also accepted into their world's premier superhero teams (well, Shayera and Susan, anyway) and met as members of the Justice League and Squadron of Justice to combat King Kull's attack on Earth-S.