List of Quality Comics characters

Quality Comics was a comic book company from the Golden Age of Comic Books that sold many anthology comic books that starred superheroes, many of which were adopted by DC Comics when they purchased Quality Comics, and others were not, entering the public domain.

#711

#711 was created by George Brenner and published by Quality Comics. #711 first appeared in Police Comics #1 (August 1941) and lasted until #15 (January 1943), when he was killed.

Daniel Dyce was a District Attorney who was almost an exact twin of his friend, Jacob Horn. Jacob was in prison, but wanted to see his wife give birth, so Daniel agreed to become a prisoner while Jacob was with his wife. However, Jacob is killed in a car crash on the way to the hospital, so Daniel was stuck in jail. Daniel was able to tunnel himself free, but instead of escaping, he decided to return to his cell. Each night he uses his tunnel to go outside and fight crime, then returns before the morning. Dyce adopts the name #711, a reference to his prisoner number. After two years of adventures Daniel Dyce was killed by the mobster Oscar Jones. The hero Destiny sees this take place, and starts his crime fighting career when #711 died, replacing his feature in Police Comics.

Like many early comic book heroes, #711 did not wear a traditional costume but rather was modeled after the traditional pulp magazine heroes. He wore a green cape, a brown business suit, and a wide-brimmed fedora which cast his eyes in shadow. #711's trademark was a calling card made of a mirror with bars painted over it; when an unlucky criminal would look at the card, they would see themselves behind bars.

Following the Golden Age, many of the Quality Comics characters were purchased by DC Comics, while others lapsed into the public domain. DC has used #711 only once in their publications, a Millennium Edition reprint of his first appearance.

Black Condor

Main article: Black Condor

Blackhawk

Main article: Blackhawk (DC Comics)

Black X

Black X or Black Ace (Richard Spenser) is an espionage spy that first appeared in Feature Funnies #13. He later starred in Smash Comics.

Blue Tracer

Blue Tracer first appeared in Military Comics #1 (August 1941). It is also the name of his super-vehicle, which can become a tank, airplane, or submarine.

Blue Tracer first appeared in issues 1 through 16 of Military Comics. The character was acquired by DC, along with the rest of Quality Comics' properties in the 1950s. However, the character had lapsed into public domain before that. The Blue Tracer has not been used by any company since his original publication, nor have his original adventures been reprinted, other than a Millennium Edition of his first appearance.

Blue Tracer's origin story is told in his first appearance, in Military Comics #1. William "Wild Bill" Dunn is an American engineer working with the army in a secluded section of Ethiopia. While working, his team is attacked by a group of supernatural beings named the M'bujies. The M'bujies wound Dunn and kill his teammates. Dunn is rescued by "Boomerang" Jones, an Australian soldier who had been given up for death and is now fighting his own private war against the Nazis. After Dunn regains his strength, the two men create a super-vehicle out of captured Nazi equipment that they name the Blue Tracer. It can become a tank, airplane, or submarine. They then use it to destroy the M'bujies and escape the jungle.

The two travel the world and fight the Axis forces during the rest of the war, with Dunn at the head and Jones as his sidekick. The last appearance of the Blue Tracer was in Military Comics #16, according to the Grand Comics Database

Neither Dunn nor Jones have any superpowers, but Dunn is a good fighter and skilled engineer. The Blue Tracer allows Dunn and Jones to travel on land, under the sea, and in the air. It has many weapons, and can deflect small arms fire easily.

Bozo the Iron Man

Main article: Bozo the Iron Man

Captain Triumph

Main article: Captain Triumph

Clock

Main article: The Clock (comics)

Doll Girl

Main article: Doll Girl

Doll Man

Main article: Doll Man

Firebrand

Main article: Firebrand (DC Comics)

Human Bomb

Main article: Human Bomb

Invisible Hood

Main article: Invisible Hood

Jester

Main article: Jester (Quality Comics)

Kid Eternity

Main article: Kid Eternity

Lady Luck

Main article: Lady Luck (comics)

Madame Fatal

Main article: Madame Fatal

Magno

Main article: Magno (Quality Comics)

Manhunter

Main article: Manhunter (comics)

Merlin the Magician

Main article: Merlin the Magician (comics)

Midnight

Main article: Midnight (DC Comics)

Miss America

Main article: Miss America (DC Comics)

Mouthpiece

Mouthpiece first appeared in Police Comics #1 (August 1941), along with the heroes Plastic Man, Firebrand, and the Human Bomb, and lasted until #13. He was created by Fred Guardineer. Although, like all Quality characters, he is ostensibly owned by DC Comics after it acquired Quality's assets, he lapsed into public domain prior to the said acquisition.

Bill Perkins was a District Attorney who thought that the law was not strong enough. He decided to don a costume to apprehend criminals that escaped justice. He became the Mouthpiece. He was ruthless, and was prepared to kill criminals when he needed to. Once, he even threw a harpoon into the back of a fleeing opponent (he'd run out of bullets), rather than let him get away.

He was a skilled brawler and marksman, an above-average detective and an expert in criminal law.

Neon the Unknown

Main article: Neon the Unknown

Plastic Man

Main article: Plastic Man

Phantom Lady

Main article: Phantom Lady

Quicksilver

Main article: Max Mercury

Ray

Main article: Ray (comics)

Red Bee

Main article: Red Bee (comics)

Red Torpedo

Main article: Red Torpedo

Spider Widow

Spider Widow was created by Frank Borth and debuted in Feature Comics #57, which bore a cover date of June, 1942. Both continued to write and draw the Spider Widow feature until the end of its run in Feature Comics #72 (June, 1943).

Spider Widow is the secret identity of Dianne Grayton, a bored and wealthy athlete who decides to fight crime and foreign saboteurs after discovering she has the ability to control deadly black widow spiders. She disguises herself in a costume very similar to a stereotypical Hallowe'en witch, wearing a green-faced old crone mask, a floppy black hat, and a long black dress.

In Feature Comics #60, Nazi agents set a trap for Spider Widow by posting an advertisement in the newspaper that requests her assistance, and then knock her out when she shows up. She is rescued from a boat bound for Germany by the bird-costumed Raven on his first heroic outing, and the two reveal a hidden U-boat to the U.S. Navy. She becomes romantically involved with the Raven (who is later revealed to be Tony Grey); however, neither initially knows what the other looks like without their mask on because they shared their first kiss in the dark. The two later team up with Phantom Lady in a multi-part crossover that spanned between Feature Comics #69-71 and Police Comics #20-22. Though Spider Widow initially worries that Phantom Lady is a potential rival for the Raven's affections, they nevertheless became allies.

Spider Widow has the ability to psychically control black widow spiders. The reason for her gaining this power is never explained. She is also a trained athlete.

The Spirit

Now popularly known as Will Eisner's The Spirit aka: Denny Colt, was A Golden Age of Comic Books super-hero. He first appeared in Iowa's Register and Tribune Syndicate periodical as a comic insert in June 2nd of 1940. Almost 2 years later in September of 1942, He makes his First actual comic book appearance in Police Comics #11 (it reprints his 1940 origin-strip #1). The Spirit in later issues of Police comics goes on to team-up with Jack Cole's Plastic Man. The Spirit's Quality Comics appearances end in issue #102 (November 1950).

Uncle Sam

Main article: Uncle Sam (comics)

Wildfire

Main article: Wildfire (Carol Vance Martin)

Wonder Boy

Main article: Wonder Boy