Public Domain Super Heroes

[Susano]

Re: Public Domain Super Heroes

 

Amazing Man recently turned up in the pages of Marvel's "Immortal Iron Fist" as John Aman, one of the champions of the Seven Immortal Cities of Heaven. Of course, they don't actually SAY he's Amazing Man, but it's pretty obvious.

 

Also, for those interested in public domain Golden Age heroes, Ken Hite's Adventures Into Darkness makes use of quite a few. He takes the characters and spins for them a fictional publishing history under the helm of none other than H. P. Lovecraft. It's pretty crazy stuff.

 

But it's a great source for Pulp/Golden Age supers and ideas.

[Lucius]

Re: Public Domain Super Heroes

 

I was just commenting on the sheer number of powers and abilities. he was very much like Doc Savage in his apparently ability to do anything and everything.

 

and better than anyone else!

 

Lucius Alexander

 

and a privately held palindromedary

[Lucius]

Re: Public Domain Super Heroes

 

Well, there are those who might have an issue with him being a racist stereotype

 

Here's some information on the Green Lama that shows how racist and bigoted one comic book of the period WASN'T.

 

http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090628/COLUMNISTS58/306289992

 

Some highlights:

 

For example, a full-page house ad in "Green Lama" No. 2 (February 1945) makes a plea – no, a demand – for tolerance. Under a stark image of a U.S. helmet next to a battlefield grave marker with no name, the text reads in part, "Let's put an end to the foul prejudice fanned by our enemies . . . When you find anyone – yourself included – thinking, speaking, acting with racial or religious prejudice – STOP IT! If Smith, Kelly, Cohen or Svoboda is good enough to die for us, he's good enough to live with us . . . as an equal. Be American!"

 

Spark Publications began receiving hate mail, of course. But the publisher didn't back down – in fact, they turned it up a notch. In "Green Lama" No. 6, they published a real letter from an anti-Semite on the first page of the hero's adventure. In "An American Story," the Lama goes to Texas (where the letter was from) to confront the writer (fictionalized), whom he shows the error of his ways – as he breaks up a KKK-like hate group, complete with white hoods.

 

Unfortunately, the comic book was canceled a couple of issues later - perhaps they had alienated too many customers. Even the combined powers of mystic mantras and radioactive salts could not cure the malignancy of bigotry.

 

Almost everywhere the Green Lama is mentioned online, the treatment of Buddhism comes up. Wikipedia actually takes him to task for presenting Buddhism more from a Theraveda perspective than the Tibetan Buddhism the character supposedly practices - but if that's the worst that can be said of a character first published in a pulp magazine in 1940 I'd consider that practically a miracle.

 

The character was created by Kendall Foster Crossen under the pen name Richard Foster. When asked about his attention to detail on the Buddhist belief and practice, he said he had decided to do a character who practiced Tibetan Buddhism, so he did the research to make sure he got it right.

 

I wonder if anyone ever said, "It's great, Mr. Crossen, that you did the research and got the facts straight about your character's religious and philosophical perspective. Now, about this business of getting superpowers from 'radioactive salts....'"

 

Lucius Alexander

 

The palindromedary wonders if Lucius is going to tackle the Green Lama next....or bone up on Six Ed and sign up for the updated Hero Designer before doing any more characters.

[SKJAM!]

Re: Public Domain Super Heroes

 

I did a write-up for the pulp version of Green Lama some time back--searching the site should turn it up.

[Lucius]

Re: Public Domain Super Heroes

 

I did a write-up for the pulp version of Green Lama some time back--searching the site should turn it up.

 

If I find it, would you mind if I crosspost it here?

 

Lucius Alexander

 

The palindromedary wants to write up the Green Llama

[Susano]

Re: Public Domain Super Heroes

 

It's on my site.

 

http://surbrook.devermore.net/adaptationsbook/green_lama.html

 

If he's actually a comics character, as opposed to a pulp magazine character, I'll move him to the comics section.

[Lucius]

Re: Public Domain Super Heroes

 

It's on my site.

 

http://surbrook.devermore.net/adaptationsbook/green_lama.html

 

If he's actually a comics character, as opposed to a pulp magazine character, I'll move him to the comics section.

 

He's both - started in pulps and moved to comics and even had a radio show at one point.

 

Probably alright to leave him where he is.

 

Lucius Alexander

 

The palindromedary loves to browse Surbrook's Stuff.

[Susano]

Re: Public Domain Super Heroes

 

BTW -- I added an image to Amazing Man.

[SKJAM!]

Re: Public Domain Super Heroes

 

The comic book Green Lama is way more powerful than the pulp magazine version, starting with that whole "can fly" thing.

[Lucius]

Re: Public Domain Super Heroes

 

The comic book Green Lama is way more powerful than the pulp magazine version' date=' starting with that whole "can fly" thing.[/quote']

 

Yeah....I'm sure you've seen the cover where he's flying at the head of a whole squadron of bombers in formation....

 

 

Lucius Alexander

 

The palindromedary busily writes an origin story for the Green Llama featuring radioactive pepper....