Claw

Real Name: Unknown
First Appearance: Silver Streak Comics #1 (Dec. 1939)
Original Publisher: Lev Gleason
Created by: Jack Cole

Origin:

A chunk of mass blew off the planet Zylmarx and was hurdled towards Earth. It streaked over New York and landed in Tibet, far from civilization. For almost four years, the crater remained untouched. There were faint rumblings in the Earth, recorded on seismographs all over the world, but they were not considered unusual. Unknown to humanity, something was slowly developing within the meteor towards its awful birth... And then, early in 1939, the ground split open and out of the crater emerged a horrible sight... The Claw!

The ruler of the Pacific island nation of Ricca, the Claw is the ultimate villain, often called the God of Hate by his own people. The Claw's activities were apparently monitored by an Infernal supervisor and he could travel to Hades to request aid. The Claw's most commonly used power was his ability to make himself any size he wishes, and he usually maintained a height of at least 100 feet.  He towered over Manhattan when he first came to the U.S., where he would encounter his greatest foe - Daredevil. He was strong enough to pick up a train or rip the roof off of a building and he could not be killed by conventional firearms, though, being somewhat cowardly, he would usually retreat when he experienced pain. He had other ill-defined abilities as well which seemed to depend on the phases of the moon. He was served by a small army of human henchmen and by his goblin-like Clawites.

Over the years, the Claw faced a number of opponents, which included (in chronological order) - Jerry Morris, Major Carl Tarrant, Daredevil, the Ghost and Rocky X. The Ghost was the longest-running opponent of them all, fighting the Claw for twenty issues.  The Claw was seemingly killed numerous times, but he always managed to come back.

Claw left Earth during WWII by tricking the Nazis into building him a rocket. He went back to the planet Zylmarx and for decades built up an invasion force to conqueror the Earth. His plans are foiled by Rocky X and his allies.

Public Domain Appearances: 

Boy Illustories #89-#93

Captain Battle, Jr. #1

Captain Battle, Jr. #2 (as The Green Claw)

Daredevil Battles Hitler

Daredevil Comics #1-31

Silver Streak Comics #1-2, #6-11

Thun-Dohr

Real Name: Unknown
First Appearance: Silver Streak Comics #13 (August, 1941)
Original Publisher: Lev Gleason
Created by: Jeff Remon

Origin:

Thun-Dohr was a young American raised as a lama in the monastery of Lha-I-Ha in Tibet. His parents had taken him with them on a dangerous trek through the Himalayas while he was only an infant, and they had frozen to death, but managed to protect him. The young blue eyed, blond haired American boy was found and raised by the monks of Lha-I-Ha, and showed unusual promise as a student of the art of art of Gom-Pa. He took the tests of Potala, and demonstrated power rivaling that of the 300 year old Dhali Lama who raised him.

Thun-Dohr demonstrated the following abilities:

*To teleport himself over great distances in the blinks of an eye, disappearing within rings of fire;

*To communicate with people through astral projection;

*Telekinetic powers

*The ability to cast illusions through mental suggestion;

*To use the power of his mind to make himself immune to the heat of flames;

*To put himself into a state of suspended animation in order to survive being encased in ice, or being placed in an airless vacuum;

*His body had been trained to be physically strong, and he was an excellent martial artist.

Thun-Dohr eventually left the monastery to track down the evil Sin Khaii, an outcast lama who had stolen Pandora's Box and planned to bring humanity to its knees.

Golden Age Appearances:

Silver Streak Comics #13-14

Nightro

Real Name: Hugh Goddard
First Appearance: Daredevil Comics #2 (1941)
Original Publisher: Lev Gleason
Created by: Dick Wood and George Roussos

Golden Age Origin: 

Hugh Goddard was left for dead in a radium mine by criminals. He survived the experience but was blinded by the radiation. Wanting revenge, he uncovered a pair of special glasses that gave him his sight back, but they only worked if he avoided light. He then created the identity of Nightro, which he would use to terrify and fight crime. Hugh Goddard was accompanied by his guide dog, Blackie, during the day, but at night, he donned his glasses to become Nightro. Sometimes Blackie accompanied him on missions as an attack dog.

Golden Age Appearances:

Daredevil Comics #2-8

Mister Midnite

Real Name: Neal Carruthers III
First Appearance: Silver Streak Comics #1 (Dec 1939)
Original Publisher: Lev Gleason
Created by: Unknown

Origin:

Neal Carruthers III is a wealthy young American sportsman who has an inexplicable ability to stop the passage of time. Carruthers is bored enough to try putting this talent to use helping the police. Donning a tuxedo, a red cape, and a domino mask, he assumes the identity of Mister Midnite. He leaves behind a calling card in the form of a watch dial with the hands set at midnight. He gets his information through his friend, Police Chief Birey, who has no idea that Carruthers is Mister Midnite. The police chief dislikes Mister Midnite because he constantly gives the police force a bad reputation, since by stopping the villains himself, he makes the police seem incompetent and inept.

Villains:

Will-O-Wisp is a ventriloquist pickpocket. He uses a glowing orb, either found by him or a device created by him, to distract people as he pickpockets them. He has commited more than twenty thefts and they have had an effect on the police, the people and even the criminal underworld.

Boss is a Crime Lord in the underworld of the city Mister Midnite protects. His operations are affected by Will-O-Wisp, causing him to dislike the villain. He has sent his men to take out Mister Midnite before.

Gunner is a thug who works under the Boss. He appears to be the leader of the Boss's gang members and is also the tallest. He wears a white suit.

Slip is a thug who works under the Boss. He has a talent for impersonating voices, demonstrated when he poses as Chief Birey during a phone call. He uses a small club in fights and is often seen smoking. He wears a dark gray suit.

Thick-Ears is a thug who works under the Boss. He wears a plaid suit.

The Little Men are a race of small men, possibly aliens. Most are bald, but some have a streak of hair down the center of their head. They have very large ears, noses and fangs. They seek to purge the world of beauty, especially women. They enjoy torture and destruction, having little regard for human life. They do not seem to know much of humans as they use a red gas that does not affect humans, but disintegrates Little Men. They keep these gases and other torture weapons in their Torture Dungeon under a rock pile in a grove outside the city limits.

Noman is a bald humanoid weapon of the Little Men who possesses incredible strength and has no pupils. He is described as easy to track. He requires a serum to become as powerful as he does and requires rest after a fight. He rests in a coffin.

Public Domain Appearances:

Silver Streak Comics #1-2

Notes:

In his first adventure he stops the natural flow of time at midnight on the seventh chime of the clock and in his second adventure has some connection to a mysterious power over time and light that can instantly transport him to where he wishes to go.

The police commisioner is named J. C. Wade.

To make time cease to move, he says "Stop Time!" He says "Time proceed" to resume the flow of time.

Blackout

Real Name: Basil Brusilof
First Appearance: Captain Battle #1 (1941)
Original Publisher: Lev Gleason
Created by: Don Rico

Origin: 

Basil Brusilof, a Yugoslavian scientist, was in his lab in Belgrade when it was bombed by the Germans. The explosion did not kill him; instead, he was changed and given powers. His body became pitch black and endowed with amazing abilities, which he decided to use to fight German oppression during the war.

Powers and Abilities: 

As Blackout, Basil's was super-strong, had natural camouflage in darkness, and possessed night vision. Blackout was able to emit a heavy dark vapor which he calls "Blackout Gas" from the pores of his skin. In addition to forming highly effective smoke screens, he was able to use this gas to provide enough thrust for him to fly like a rocket. On one occasion, Blackout was able to escape from an air tight trap by emitting so much Blackout Gas that the pressure of it burst the room open.

Golden Age Appearances: 

Captain Battle Comics #1, 3, 5