Have a Great New Year's Eve -- and wishing you and yours a Happy New Year!!!
DC Comic's Justice Inc. was a short lived comic book series written by Denny (The Shadow, Batman) O'Neil, featuring artist such as Al (Star Trek) McWilliams on the first issue & Jack "King" Kirby & Mike (Magnus Robot Fighter) Royer finishing the series. Based on characters created by Paul Ernst, under the house name of Kenneth (Doc Savage) Robeson.
The Avenger's real name is Richard Henry Benson, a globe-trotting adventurer who "had made his millions by professional adventuring": discovering rubber in South America, leading "native armies in Java", making "aerial maps in the Congo", mining "amethysts in Australia and emeralds in Brazil" and finding gold in Alaska and diamonds in the Transvaal. Following the pulp archetype of a wealthy hero, despite an internal chronology making them (and Benson in particular) "children of the Great Depression", the Avenger's backstory gave him the funding to ultimately "support [his] crime-fighting appurtenances.
Deciding to settle down and raise a family, the first Avenger adventure ("Justice, Inc."), Benson's plans for a peaceful life as a "world-renowned industrial engineer" are shattered when his wife (Alicia) and young daughter (Alice) are killed during an airplane journey. The shock of this loss has a bizarre effect on Benson. His face becomes paralyzed while both his skin and his hair turn white, his facial flesh becoming malleable, like clay. His face was thereafter (for the first dozen stories) regularly described (as in "The Smiling Dogs") as:
Justice Inc. #1 1st Sensational Issue! By the Creator of Doc Savage...Kenneth Robeson...Featuring The Avenger!
"This Night, an Avenger is Born"
Origin and intro of the Avenger, and his support organization Justice, Inc. The Avenger was Richard Benson. Due to the traumatic kidnapping of his wife and child the muscles in his face were frozen. This enabled him to literally mold his face into any shape.
"Justice Incorporated"
Background information on The Avenger / Justice Inc. characters feature article.
Justice Inc. #2 A Shocker! The Avenger Battles the Deadliest Man Alive -- The Sky Walker!
"Sky Walker"
Splash credit reads: "From Kenneth Robeson's novel, adapted by Denny O'Neil."
"Justice Inc. in the Movies?"
Background information on The Avenger / Justice Inc. characters feature article.
Justice Inc. #3 The Avenger is Hurtling Toward his Doom Unless he can Stop -- The Monster Bug!
"The Monster Bug"
Justice Inc. recruits a new member to its ranks. Circumstances bring scientist Fergus MacMurdie to their aid in fighting a deadly chemical agent. The story involves a virus that turns people into monsters.
This story continues from The Shadow #5, with the unfortunately named villain Colonel Sodom who escaped in that issue.
Justice Inc. #4 No Way for the Avenger to Get Down Alive ... No Way!
"Slay Ride in the Sky"
Justice, Inc. investigates planes that are mysteriously blowing up, tracing it to exploding birds. They trace the explosives back to the owner of the airline, who takes them prisoner aboard a blimp.
Another DC series followed later, but that will have to wait for another day.
Warner Paperback Library came out with a series of The Avenger, reprinting the original 24 novels. Ron Goulart went on to write original books to finish the series. George Gross provided the captivating covers.
I'll be back on Monday with Charlton Comic's Thunderbolt!
Live Large My Friends!
Thank You!
DC Comic's Justice Inc. was a short lived comic book series written by Denny (The Shadow, Batman) O'Neil, featuring artist such as Al (Star Trek) McWilliams on the first issue & Jack "King" Kirby & Mike (Magnus Robot Fighter) Royer finishing the series. Based on characters created by Paul Ernst, under the house name of Kenneth (Doc Savage) Robeson.
The Avenger's real name is Richard Henry Benson, a globe-trotting adventurer who "had made his millions by professional adventuring": discovering rubber in South America, leading "native armies in Java", making "aerial maps in the Congo", mining "amethysts in Australia and emeralds in Brazil" and finding gold in Alaska and diamonds in the Transvaal. Following the pulp archetype of a wealthy hero, despite an internal chronology making them (and Benson in particular) "children of the Great Depression", the Avenger's backstory gave him the funding to ultimately "support [his] crime-fighting appurtenances.
Deciding to settle down and raise a family, the first Avenger adventure ("Justice, Inc."), Benson's plans for a peaceful life as a "world-renowned industrial engineer" are shattered when his wife (Alicia) and young daughter (Alice) are killed during an airplane journey. The shock of this loss has a bizarre effect on Benson. His face becomes paralyzed while both his skin and his hair turn white, his facial flesh becoming malleable, like clay. His face was thereafter (for the first dozen stories) regularly described (as in "The Smiling Dogs") as:
...dead, like something dug out of a cemetery. The muscles were paralyzed so that never, under any circumstances, could they move in an expression. This dead, weird face was as white as snow – as white, in a word, as you'd expect any dead flesh to be! In the facial expanse of the face were set eyes so light-gray as to seem completely colorless.As a result of this tragedy, Benson vows to avenge himself on the villains, and to fight for all those who have suffered at the hands of criminals.
Justice Inc. #1 1st Sensational Issue! By the Creator of Doc Savage...Kenneth Robeson...Featuring The Avenger!
"This Night, an Avenger is Born"
Origin and intro of the Avenger, and his support organization Justice, Inc. The Avenger was Richard Benson. Due to the traumatic kidnapping of his wife and child the muscles in his face were frozen. This enabled him to literally mold his face into any shape.
"Justice Incorporated"
Background information on The Avenger / Justice Inc. characters feature article.
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| A favorite Kirby cover of mine! |
"Sky Walker"
Splash credit reads: "From Kenneth Robeson's novel, adapted by Denny O'Neil."
"Justice Inc. in the Movies?"
Background information on The Avenger / Justice Inc. characters feature article.
"The Monster Bug"
Justice Inc. recruits a new member to its ranks. Circumstances bring scientist Fergus MacMurdie to their aid in fighting a deadly chemical agent. The story involves a virus that turns people into monsters.
This story continues from The Shadow #5, with the unfortunately named villain Colonel Sodom who escaped in that issue.
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| To me, the Joe Kubert covers gave the comic a pulp influence! |
Justice Inc. #4 No Way for the Avenger to Get Down Alive ... No Way!
"Slay Ride in the Sky"
Justice, Inc. investigates planes that are mysteriously blowing up, tracing it to exploding birds. They trace the explosives back to the owner of the airline, who takes them prisoner aboard a blimp.
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| 2 issue mini-series by Shadow writer Andrew Helfer with striking Kyle Baker artwork! |
Another DC series followed later, but that will have to wait for another day.
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| Warner Paperback Library's the Avenger #1! |
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| Dynamite Entertainment's Justice inc.! |
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| The original pulp series that started it all! |
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| Current reprint of the original pulp series! |
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| The Avenger's appearance in The Shadow #11! |
Thank You!
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| Terrific Alex Ross artwork on The Avenger, The Shadow & Doc Savage! |
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