Will O' The Wisp

Real Name: Gale Leary
First Appearance: Key Comics #1 (January, 1944)
Original Publisher: Consolidated Magazines
Created by: Chu Hing

New Suit

Origin:

Gale Leary's father, Gregory, was a district attorney in New York. In 1925, when Gale was only an infant, her mother, Martha, was murdered and her father was permanently crippled when they were attacked by Bob Evans and Red Brandois, in revenge for getting Evans convicted. When Gale began to cry, hearing her father's screams, Evans gave her a willow branch in order to quiet her down. Gale kept the branch until she was an adult, and over the years, she began to realize that it made her feel invincible. In fact, the branch did give her supernatural powers, enabling her to avenge the crimes comitted against her parents. Gale adopted the name Will O' The Wisp and used her powers to fight for justice. She later became friends with a man named Jack Snave.

Among other things, the willow branch enabled Gale to glow with a strange light, much like the Will O' The Wisp. It protected her from bullets and seemed to give Gale the ability to repel attackers (possibly through limited telekenesis). It is unclear, but there is some implication that the branch caused the deaths of Evans and Brandois.

Golden Age Appearances: 

Key Comics #1-5

Wolf Gal

Real Name: Unknown
First Appearance: Al Capp's Li'l Abner #6 (1945-1946)
Original Publisher: Harvey
Created by: Al Capp

Timberwolf suit

Origin:

Why do strong men fear Wolf Gal?

The reason was that Wolf Gal, who had been raised by a pack of timber wolves (dubbed her "Dogpatch"), was always on the lookout for a man. So she could bring him back to her wolves and feed him to them.

Public Domain Appearances:

Al Capp's Li'l Abner #6

Li'l Abner Comics #63, 85, 92

Li'l Abner Dailies #12

Al Capp's Wolf Gal #1-2

Super Ann

Real Name: Ann Star
First Appearance: Amazing Man Comics #24 (1941)
Original Publisher: Centaur
Created by: Martin Filchock

Superstar suit

Origin:

When Ann Star was a child, she was caught outside in a fierce snow storm. She managed to survive by taking refuge in a cave until the storm was over. In the cave, she discovered and old hermit from another planet who could not stand the light of day. He taught her secrets that gave her super strength and increased resistance to damage. Now known as Super Ann, she is depicted as always running on tiptoes, ballerina style, and as having many Superman-like powers. These powers include super speed, super strength, and the ability to leap tall buildings. Starting in 1941, Super Ann was aided by Mighty Man in his later appearances, but for some reason, he deliberately made sure the young heroine never actually saw him face-to-face.

Public Domain Appearances:

Amazing Man Comics #24-25

Stars and Stripes Comics #5-6

Starlet

Real Name: Selena Brown
First Appearance: Moon Girl Fights Crime #7 (1949)
Original Publisher: E.C.Comics
Created by: Sheldon Moldoff

Starlet becomes Moon Girl

Origin: 

Selena Brown was an orphan girl who grew up in a farm with great fear of the moon. One night, cleaning her attic, she came upon a magic Moon-Jewel necklace which gave her incredible strength. She uses this gifts in a variety of ways that catch the attention of the media and Moon Girl.

Eventually, she winds up saving two hardened criminals from a possibly fatal accident. They, seeing the potential for crime in her, blackmail her with killing her foster parents if she doesn't help them break into a bank. She complies.

When Moon Girl intervenes, they shove her into the bank vault, where she starts suffocating. She is eventually rescued by Moon Girl, who turns out was the girl's cousin all along.

Given the secret identity of Star (called "The Starlet" in her second and final appearance), she unceremoniously joins Moon Girl as her sidekick.

Public Domain Appearances: 

Moon Girl Fights Crime #7-8

Mighty Man

Real Name: Unknown

First Appearance: Amazing Man Comics #5 (1939)
Original Publisher: Centaur
Created by: Martin Filchock

Battle suit

Origin: 

Some time in the late 1800s, a group of pioneers entered a secret valley where everything was several times the normal size. They were unable to find their way out, so they settled. While most of them seem to have died out, one of their children survived. Because he was born within the valley, he was as tall as everything else there. He stood about 15 feet high and possessed incredible strength, even for his gigantic size. He became known as Mighty Man. He was trapped in the valley until a pair of prospectors discovered him and helped him enter the outside world. At first, he adventured throughout American west, overpowering his opponents through his strength and natural size. Eventually, he submitted to an experiment by his friend, the professor. The experiment gave him the ability to shrink to the size of a mouse or expand over a hundred feet tall, and he could also change his features.

Mighty Man aided Super Ann in his later appearances, but for some reason, he deliberately made sure the young heroine never actually saw him face-to-face.

Public Domain Appearances: 

Amazing Man Comics #5-23

Amazing Man Comics #24-25

Stars and Stripes Comics #2-4

Stars and Stripes Comics #5-6

Bird Man

Real Name: Unknown
First Appearance: Weird Comics #1 (1940)
Original Publisher: Fox Features
Created by: Unknown

the Raven

Golden Age Origin:

The Bird Man, winged hunter of the plains and descendant of an ancient Native American god, was gifted with the ability to fly and the keenness of a bird of prey. His wings were said to be as durable as steel. He carried with him a hunting knife and a bow and quiver.

Golden Age Appearances:

Weird Comics #1-4

Moth

Real Name: Unknown
First Appearance: Mystery Men Conics #9 (April, 1940)
Original Publisher: Fox Features
Created by: Jim Mooney

Crimson Moth suit

Golden Age Origin: 

The mysterious Moth was a superhero who, whether through his own power or because of a special suit, could fly. He used his talents and abilities to fight crime. During his adventures, he stopped a kidnapping and prevented a group of villains who were trying to control the weather called the Weather Kings. He also fought various mad scientists such as one who could drain life force and another who was a Dr. Frankenstein-like grave robber called the Doc.

Golden Age Appearances:

Mystery Men Comics # 9-12

Brain Boy

Real Name: Matt Price Jr.
First Appearance: Four Color #1330 (April 1962)
Original Publisher: Dell Comics
Creators: Herb Castle and Gil Kane

Battle suit

Silver Age Origin: 

Brain Boy was really Matt Price Jr., son of Mary and Matt Price. While his mother was pregnant with him, the tires to the family car blew out when the family was driving. The car slammed into an electrical tower. But while Matt Price Sr. was killed, Mary miraculously survived. Two months later she gave birth to a son and named him in honor of his father.

She was suprised to discover that the baby could respond to her in perfect English almost as soon as he was born. The electricity he was exposed to in the womb gave him vast mental powers. However, he was smart enough to hide his powers until his senior year of high school when he was approached by Chris Ambers, a fellow telepath and government agent. Ambers recruited Matt to work for the "Organization of Active Anthropologists", an organization that was, in reality, a special counter-intelligence branch of the U.S. Secret Service. The innocuous-sounding moniker was used to hide its activities from the public. Chris also gave Matt the nickname Brain Boy.

Brain Boy worked undercover for the government fighting enemies of American freedom. This included Communists, such as South American would-be dictator and telepath Ricorta, and aliens, such as the microscopic Eerown.

Powers and Abilities: 

Brain Boy could read minds, use telekinesis to lift objects or make himself fly, control minds, alter emotional states, and was also super intelligent. However, using his powers took a lot of mental energy, especially when facing another telepath, and he could become exhausted quickly.

Silver Age Appearances:

Four Color #1330

Brain Boy #2-6

Yankee Doodle Jones and Dandy

Real Names: Unknown
First Appearance: Yankee Comics #1 (1941)
Original Publisher: Harry A. Chesler
Created by: Lou Fine

Golden Age Origin: 

Dandy was the unnamed son of the scientist who created Yankee Doodle Jones. He watched the android's creation from the sidelines. When his father injected the artificial man secret formula that gave him heightened strength, speed,and near-invulnerability, the young boy wished that he too would receive an injection, but moments later, a group of Nazi's agents broke in and mortally wounded the boy's father.

Dandy becomes Yankee Doodle Dandy

Yankee Doodle Jones fought the Nazis, and the scientist's son was eager to help as well. He injected himself with the secret fluid. While they stopped the Nazis, Dandy's father died, but with his last words he told his son and his creation to use their powers to defend America, giving them their respective codenames.

The newly minted superhero duo proceeded to lounge around and do nothing until they were approached by Uncle Sam, who ordered them to investigate the mysterious deaths of his agents. The search lead them to two Nazi agents - the costumed Leader and the Hag, who used her voodoo-like powers to choke the agents from a distance. Yankee Doodle Jones and Dandy were able to stop the Nazi agents, killing them both in the process.

Golden Age Appearances:

Yankee Comics #1-4

Bulls Eye Comics #11 (Reprint)

Dynamite Comics #8 (Reprint)

Hello Pal Comics #1

Harpy

Real Name: Belle Martin
First Appearance: Tim Holt #30 (June-July, 1952)
Original Publisher: Magazine Enterprises
Created by: Dick Ayers

Origin: 

New suit

Belle's father, Will Martin, was killed by his workers, over a gold mine he discovered near the small town of El Dorado. 15 years later, with the help of Eli Welles, she sought to gain revenge on the killers and reclaim the gold mine. However, she was brought to justice by the Ghost Rider.

As the Harpy, Belle wore metal claws with which she could kill. She also wore a pair of wings that helped her to glide and she rigged up wires at the scene of her attacks, in order to appear as if she were flying. As a former circus aerialist, she was extremely strong and agile, capable of taking on men with savage strength. She also used poison needles to kill.

Golden Age Appearances: 

Tim Holt #30

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