ENCYCLOPEDIA OF COMIC STRIP HEROES and VILLAINS
Story Comic Strips by Genre
ADVENTURE
AVIATION and MILITARY
DETECTIVE and ESPIONAGE
DRAMA and ROMANCE
SCIENCE FICTION and FANTASY
SPORTS
SUPER-HERO
SWASHBUCKLING and JUNGLE ADVENTURE
WESTERN and FRONTIER
In Depth Data on 50 Comic Strips
ALLEY OOP
1932-2013+
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN
1977-2013+
APARTMENT 3-G
1961-2013+
BATMAN and ROBIN
1943-46, 1966-74, 1989-91
BRENDA STARR
1940-2011
BRICK BRADFORD
1933-1987
BUCK ROGERS
1929-67, 1979-83
BUZ SAWYER
1943-1989
CAPTAIN EASY
1929-1988
(CASEY RUGGLES)
1949-1954
CHARLIE CHAN
1938-1942
CISCO KID
1951-1968
DATELINE: DANGER
1968-1974
DICK TRACY
1931-2013+
DON WINSLOW of the NAVY
1934-1955
DONDI
1955-1986
FLASH GORDON
1934-200x
(FLYIN’ JENNY)
1939-1952
FRIDAY FOSTER
1970-1974
GIL THORP
1958-2013+
The HEART of JULIET JONES
1953-2001
INVISIBLE SCARLET O’NEIL
1940-1954
JANE ARDEN
1928-1968
JOE PALOOKA
1930-1984
JOHNNY HAZARD
1944-1977
JUDGE PARKER
1952-2013+
(JUNGLE JIM)
1934-1954
KERRY DRAKE
1943-1983
KING of the ROYAL MOUNTED
1935-1955
LITTLE ORPHAN ANNIE
1924-74, 1979-2010
LONE RANGER
1938-71, 1981-84
MANDRAKE
1934-2013
Mary Perkins, ON STAGE
1957-1979
MARY WORTH
1932-2013+
MISS FURY
1941-47, 1949-51
(MYRA NORTH)
1936-1941
PHANTOM
1936-2013+
PRINCE VALIANT
1937-2013+
RED RYDER
1938-1964
REX MORGAN, M.D.
1948-2013+
RIP KIRBY
1946-1999
SCORCHY SMITH
1930-1961
SECRET AGENT X-9/CORRIGAN
1934-1996
SMILIN’ JACK
1933-1973
The SPIRIT
1940-1952
STEVE CANYON
1948-1988
STEVE ROPER and MIKE NOMAD
1944-2004
SUPERMAN
1939-66, 1978-85
TARZAN of the APES
1929-2002
TERRY AND THE PIRATES
1934-73, 1995-97
WINNIE WINKLE
1920-1996
COMIC STRIPS BY GENRE
ADVENTURE
Ben Webster
Boy’s adventure. Strip called Born to Win initially, featuring Phil Hardy and then Webster.
1926-1940.
Bobby Thatcher
Boy’s adventure.
3/24/27-1937.
Brenda Starr
Female reporter often in romantic entanglements.
Writer/artist: Dale Messick
Chicago Tribune syndicate
6/30/40-1/21/11
Captain Easy
First appeared in the Wash Tubb comic strip on 5/6/29.
6/11/33-1988
Chip Collins’ Adventures
A continuation of the Frank Merriwell’s Schooldays strip, now featuring blond-haired student Collins instead. Written by William Ritt and drawn by Jack Wilhelm.
7/13/34-1936
Claire Voyant
Woman with amnesia adopts the name of a term she overhears.
Jack Sparling
5/10/43-1948
Connie
Woman engaged in far flung and fantastic adventures.
Frank Godwin
11/13/27-1944
Danger Trails
Based on the Radio series.
1934-1936.
Debbie Dean
Female reporter.
1944-1949
Dickie Dare
Boy’s adventure. Dickie dreams himself into adventures in various times and places.
Milton Caniff
7/33/33-1957
Frank Merriwell’s School Days
Written by William Ritt and drawn by Jack Wilhelm. It was renamed Chip Collins’ Adventures and continued with the same characters minus Merriwell.
1928- mid/31-7/12/34
Glen Forrrest
Hap Hopper
Introduces private investigator Barry Noble who takes over the strip.
1/29/40-5/47
Jane Arden
Female reporter.
11/26/28-1968
Jeff Cobb
Investigative reporter who loses his right eye in the mid-sixties and wears and eye-patch thereafter.
6/28/54-1978
Johnny Hazard
6/5/54-1977
Little Annie Rooney
1/10/27-4/16/66
Little Orphan Annie
8/5/24-4/74, 1979-6/13/10
Mark Trail
4/15/46-2011+
Miss Cairo Jones
7/29/45-1947
Mitzi McCoy
11/7/48-9/50
Myra North, Special Nurse
Adventurous nurse who is flown all over the world on special missions.
1936-1941
Phil Hardy
In Bound to Win comic strip, a boy adventurer.
1925-1926
Roy Powers, Eagle Scout
Official comic strip of the boy scouts.
Frank Godwin
1936-1942
Rusty Riley
Boy’s adventures.
1/26/48-1959
Streamer Kelly
Crime-fighting fireman who took on colorful adversaries the likes of Arson Annie, Miss Joker, and the Murderous Midget.
Jack Ryan
1940-1951
Tad of the Tanbark
Terry and the Pirates
Milton Caniff,
10/22/34-2/25/73, 3/26/95-7/27/97
Wash Tubbs
Wild Rose
Art Huhta
1945-1952
AVIATION and MILITARY
Ace Drummond
Peak 135 papers. Film in 1936.
1935-40
Ayer Lane
Orr in the 1040s.
Barney Baxter
Initially a juvenile pilot, Barney quickly aged to young adulthood.
1935-1/22/50.
Biff Baker
Bruce Gentry
As the strip ends, Gentry marries his girl friend, Cleo Patric. Gentry was featured in a 1949 movie serial. Post-Hall Syndicate?
3/24/45-1/6/51
Buz Sawyer
King Features Syndicate.
11/1/43-10/7/89
Captain Yank
Begins as Yankee Doodle in 1940, named changed to Captain Yank in 1942, when adopted by the McNaught Syndicate. Tinsdale.
10/40-12/45
Dan Flagg
A marine special operative, Flagg was active primarily in Vietnam.
4/22/63-6/15/67.
Dan Hastings
Fred Guardineer.
1937-38?
Don Winslow of the Navy
Frank V. Martinek.
3/5/34-7/30/55
Flyin’ Jenny
10/39-x/52.
Hank
Navy Bob Steele
McClure Syndicate.
11/5/41-1945
Race Riley and the Commandos
United Features Syndicate.
1941-45.
Scorchy Smith
Associated Press Syndicate.
3/17/30-early 1961.
Sergeant Stony Craig
Skyroads
Smilin’ Jack
Steve Canyon
Tailspin Tommy
Tales of the Green Berets
Robin Moore and Joe Kubert.
9/20/65-
Vic Jordan
Yankee Rangers
DETECTIVE and ESPIONAGE
Assignment: Top Secret
The Avengers
Bodyguard
Ben Friday
Writer: Lawrence Larier
Artist: John Spranger
5/2/48-
Charlie Chan
Dan Dunn
Dick Tracy
Doctor Fu Manchu
Dragnet
Encyclopedia Brown
Hunter Keene
Inspector Dayton
Inspector Wade
James Bond
Jim Hardy
Judge Wright
Kerry Drake
Lance Lawson
Mickey Finn
Mike Hammer
Modesty Blaise
Nero Wolfe
Radio Patrol
Red Barry
Rip Kirby
Roger Lincoln, S-Man
(a) Irv Novick, (a) Milton Luras
11/51-8/30/53
The Saint
Sam Spade
Secret Agent X-9/Corrigan
Sherlock Holmes
Steve Roper
Thirty Paige
Vic Flint
ZX-5, Spies in Action
DRAMA and ROMANCE
Abbie an’ Slats
7/7/37-1/30/71
Adam Ames
(a) Lou Fine
1959-62
Apartment 3-G
5/8/61-03+
Barbara Cartland Romances
1981
Ben Casey
(w/a) Neal Adams
11/26/62-7/31/66
Big Sister
1928-1972
Cynthia
Career girl.
(w) Bert Whitman, (a) Irv Novick
10/46-11/4/51
Dallas
Debuted with 300 papers.
(a) Ron Harris
2/2/81-11/24/84
David Crane
Minister
(a) Winslow Mortimer
5/57-11/72
Dawn O’Day in Hollywood
Dixie Dugan
Dondi
Dr. Bobbs
Dr. Kildare
Ella Cinders
Friday Foster
Heart of Juliet Jones
The Jackson Twins
Judd Saxon
Judge Parker
Laura Good
Long Sam
Mary Perkins, On Stage
Mary Worth
Rex Morgan, M.D.
The Story of Martha Wayne
Tiffany Jones
Winnie Winkle
SCIENCE FICTION and FANTASY
Alley Oop
Beyond Mars
Brick Bradford
First story was an aviation story involving a lost race of Incans in South America. Written by William Ritt and drawn by John Ray. 8/21/33-5/10/87
Buck Rogers
Chris Welkin, Planeteer
Dark Shadows
Don Dixon
Lugoff was originally a corrupt scientist who would become one of Dixon’s staunchest allies. Villains included Mala, a yellow-skinned femme fatale of the Hidden Empire, Mime, a tyrannical dwarf king, and the legendary Morgan le Fay.
1935-7/6/41
Drift Marlow
Flash Gordon
Garth
Jack Swift
Jeff Scott
John Carter of Mars
Sky Masters
Speed Spaulding
Based on When World’s Collide.
Star Hawks
Star Trek
-10/30/82
Star Wars
Tom Corbett, Space Cadet
Twin Earths
…1952-1963…
SPORTS
Big Ben Bolt
Bullet Benton
Cowboy turned boxer.
Cotton Woods
Curly Kayoe
Gabby
Gabriel Gibbs is a farm boy with dreams of pitching in the World Series. Written by sportswriter William Ritt and drawn by Joe King.
7/29/35-c10/35.
Gil Thorp
Hook Slider
Jack Armstrong
Jimmy and the Tiger
Joe Palooka
Mac Divot
Ned Brant at Carter
Ozark Ike
Rocky
SUPER-HERO
Amazing Spider-Man
Batman
Blue Beetle
Captain Midnight
Luna White
Doc Savage
Funnyman
Green Hornet
Incredible Hulk
Invisible Scarlet O’Neil
Mandrake the Magician
Miss Fury
Phantom
Popeye
The Red Knight
The Shadow
Sparky Watts
The Spirit
Superman
Tiny Tim
Boy who has the power to shrink to small size. Sometimes shares adventures with his best friend and other times his sister, both of whom can also assume short stature. One of his most persistent foes was a vicious pirate named Black Hook (10/50-4/51).
Wonder Woman
World’s Greatest Super-Heroes
SWASHBUCKLING and JUNGLE ADVENTURE
Aladdin, Jr.
Conan the Barbarian
Flamingo
Hawk of the Seas
Hunchback of Notre Dame
Jungle Jim
Kevin the Bold
Prince Valiant
Robin Hood
Sheena
Tarzan
Ted Towers
Tim Tyler’s Luck
WESTERN and FRONTIER
Annie Oakley
Bat Masterson
Black Fury
Bronc Peeler
Bronc Saddler
Broncho Bill
Buffalo Bill
Casey Ruggles
Cisco Kid
Danny Hale
Davy Crockett, Frontiersman
Drago
Gene Autry Rides!
Hopalong Cassidy
Jed Cooper, American Scout
Johnny Reb and Billy Yank
King of the Royal Mounted
Lance
Laredo Crockett
Latigo
Little Joe
Lone Ranger
Red Ryder
Rick O’Shay
Rocky Mason, Government Marshal
Roy Rogers
Scarlet and Chips
Sgt. Preston of the Yukon
Straight Arrow
Tales of Old Glory
Ted Strong
Tex Austin
Tex Thorne
Vesta West and her Horse “Traveler”
Way Out West
White Boy/Skull Valley. White Boy, the Rainbow Indians, Starlight, Broken-Wing, Starlight’s aunt, Dan Brown, fur trader, Woodchuck, Chickadee—early rival and later friend/Paul White, Doris Hale, Sheriff Irwin/Masked Gaucho, Nan Bevin. 11/8/33-4/21/35/4/28/35--8/16/36.
Young Ray Bold
Zane Grey
ALLEY OOP
Original Identity: Alley Oop
Origin:
Abilities:
Appearance:
Modus Operandi: Return to his prehistoric origins, in 1946 and , among other dates.7/46-
Friends and Allies in Moo:
Dinny.
Ooola.
Foozer. AKA Foozy.
Guz.
Umpa.
Wizer.
Wanda the Witch. AKA Granny. Years later, Alley Oop encounters her disguised as the Fire Goddess, presiding over a tribe of little people. x/xx-x/xx, 11/96-12/96.
Mountain. Good-hearted giant from a mountain tribe, Mountain was briefly thought to be the strongest man in Moo until Alley Oop rescues his family from the machinations of Tunk. 7/05-12/05.
Goob. Originally a Lemian soldier loyal to Tunk, Goob befriends Alley Oop and ultimately petitions to become a citizen of Moo. When in finds Guz’s lost crown, Goob briefly becomes the befuddled ruler of the land. early/10-1/11+
Friends and Allies in our Present:
Professor Elbert Wonmug.
Dr. Amos Bronson. Amos returns in 2008, along with a possible relative Jon and Wonmug’s daughter. x/08-x/08, 7/09
Ferdy.
Ava Peckedge.
G. Oscar Boom. -11/03, 2/09-.
F. D. “Dave” Wowee. Time traveler from 2145 who returns to our present to assist Wonmug in fixing his badly damaged his time machine. A distant cousin of Wunmug, Dave subsequently travels back and forth in time, becoming a member of Wonmug’s time lab. 9/02-
Dee Wonmug. The professor’s attractive daughter, an intrepid and fearless explorer fascinated by a journey to Moo. x/08-12/08.
Friendly historical or legendary figures:
Houdini. Summoned from the past by Ava to assist the captive Time Lab staff, who are in chains on the orders of Mr. Slyme. 12/01-1/02.
Kahzimodo. The legendary hunchback of Notre Dame befriends Alley and Ooola when they are accidentally transported to 15th century Paris. 10/04-1/05.
Rudy Valentino. Teaches Alley Oop and Ooola how to dance as a Christmas present from Santa. 1/06-2/06.
Santa Claus. Legendary figure who after sharing an adventure with Alley makes an effort to bring Alley a gift most Christmases thereafter. …12/97, 12/98, 12/03, 12/05, 12/10…
Theseus. Heroic adolescent of Ancient Greece, Theseus is aided by Alley Oop in his battle with the Minotaur. 1/97-6/97.
Notable Adversaries:
Alexander the Great. “An almost reptilian personality.” 1956.
Cro-Mag and the Black Dinosaur. Leader of the rival Cro-Magnums who rides a ferocious black Tyrannosaurus Rex. 8/46-10/46.
Dolf. Handsome and hunky blond-haired caveman who romances Ooola during one of Alley’s long absences. Unbeknownst to all, Dolf was a reengage soldier from Lem who had gained the confidence of both kings (Guz and Tonk) and was giving them will weakening potions in order to ultimately take over both kingdoms. 12/03-5/04.
Earl Boom. The equally greedy, clean shaven brother of G. Oscar, Earl Boom attempts to secure a fortune by using the old Time Machine that his brother had repaired to travel back to the Oklahoma of 1907 where he is thwarted by Alley Oop and Will Rogers. 10/07-12/07.
G. Oscar Boom. Off and on scientific associate of Wonmug whose greed leads him to betray his friends. For some years, Boom had become a trusted ally, but his exposure to the gold held in a medical Scottish castle rekindled his greed. He left the time lab for a time, concocting a scheme in 2006 to enable Spanish conquistadors to raid the gold of Moo which he would then steal from them. He takes a villainous role in two more encounters before once again reforming. 2/40- , 10/06-1/07, 4/07-7/07, x/08-9/08..
Garzak. Evil and cruel king of Zakuria. After his initial defeat by Alley Oop, Garzak is exiled by his own people, but years later he is able to regain power and attempt revenge on the entire people of Moo. x/xx-x/xx, 2/02-5/02.
The Grand Wizer. Identical in looks to Dr. Wonmug, the Wizer is clearly an early ancestor of the scientist. 4/54-5/54, 4/06-7/06, others.
Guzzle of Moo. King of Moo who, in his early encounters with Alley, is consistently hostile to his interests. In later years, Guz tends to be more friendly, but his mercurial personality and sense of absolute power can lead him once again into an antagonistic role. 4/54-5/54, 7/03, others.
Heck and Marko. Schemers who use the time machine to travel in the past where they hope to trap dinosaurs in a pit in order that they die there and later create an oil field in land the two men own. 10/04-2/05.
Hercules.
Mr. Slyme. Slender, elderly and balding banker who considers giving a loan to the financially strapped Time Lab. When Wonmug sends him back to Moo as a demonstration of the viability of the lab, Slyme proceeds to engineer a scheme to have criminal henchmen steal the diamonds of Moo. He often tells Wonmug in false friendly fashion, “Call me Luke!” As he is taken away by the police, he informs Wonmug he won’t be getting his loan! 9/01-1/02.
Professor Gillian Hoopster. Time traveler from the year 2153, Hoopster travels back to prehistoric times to capture and take back samples from the period. 1/99-2/99.
She. Evil look-alike of Umpa who allies with Tunk to regain political power. She is later redeemed by the kindness of Ooola when both are held captive in the land of Zakuria by Garzak. Once freed, she decides to stay there in an attempt to provide a just government to the now ruler-less land. …8/99-11/99, …6/02.
Tunk of Lem. Unscrupulous ruler of the rival, neighboring kingdom of Lem. In a later adventure, Tunk poses as the ample bellied Abdominal Snowman to terrorize a mountain tribe. In a tale told in 2011, Tunk attempts to use the distraction of Alley Oop and Ooola’s marriage ceremony to invade Moo. On other occasions, Tunk is an amiable, if ultimately unreliable companion in unfolding events beyond the scope of his own ambition. x/96-8/96, 5/99-12/99, 10/05-12/05, 12/09-5/10, 8/10-1/11, others.
William the Conqueror. “Malevolent schemer.” x/54-x/55.
The Zan. Honorific title for the ruler of a froglike alien race. Tannak is a corrupt and conniving leader who utilizes robot spy flies to gather intelligence. He returns to Earth to seek revenge on Alley Oop and Ooola. x/xx-x/xx, 2/98-6/98.
Sightings:
Writers: Hamlin, Graue, Carole Bender
Artists: Hamlin, Graue, Jack Bender
Active:
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN
1977-2011+
Original Identity: Peter Parker
Origin: As told 10/77.
Abilities:
Appearance:
Modus Operandi: The two are married circa December 1985. Peter reveals his secret identity to Mary Jane in February, 1986. No notables in 85, 86, 87. Need to research 1987-91 especially, and 1994-2004.
Friends and Allies:
Aunt May.
Tana Mendor. Ultimately, she betrays Spidey, but how does she feel about Peter Parker? 12/77-2/78, 9/82-12/82.
Mary Jane Watson.
Carol Jennings.
Maria Lopez.
Simon Smith. African-American secret agent who aids Spidey against Dar Harat. 3/85
Robbie Robertson.
Other Costumed Heroes:
The Prowler. 10/79-12/79.
The Sub-Mariner. Prince Namor of fabled Atlantis. 2/83-4/83, 10/96-x/97.
Doctor Strange. Master of the mystic arts. 4/92-10/92.
Daredevil. Blind and highly acrobatic, costumed hero whose other senses more than compensate for his lack of sight. 10/92-5/93, 2/10, 2/13-5/13.
Punisher. Vigilante who nonetheless fights for the good, but sometimes with questionable means.
The Beast. Blue-furred mutant, a member of the X-Men. 12/93-2/94.
Wolverine. 6/09-9/09, 5/10-6/10.
Iron Man. 3/10, 6/10-9/10.
The Thing. 11/10-1/11.
Thor. 12/11-4/12.
Notable Adversaries:
J. Jonah Jameson. ongoing.
Big Time. Plain clothed criminal obsessed with clocks. x/09-11/09.
Clown-9. AKA Hardy Laurel. 5/12-9/12.
The Chameleon. 10/01-1/02.
Dar Harat. “Most feared terrorist organization on earth.” 8/84-3/85.
Dr. Doom. 1/77-2/77, 4/78-6/78, 12/81-3/82 …10/91-3/92.
Dr. Octopus. 2/77-5/77, 1/81-3/81 … 9/06-12/06, 6/09-9/09.
Electro. 1/09-5/09.
Hobgoblin. 12/93-2/94.
The Kingpin. 7/77-9/77, 12/78-3/79, 3/80-5/80 …, 6/94-9/94, … 1/99-3/99 … 2/13-5/13+
Krang, Warlord of Atlantis. 2/83-4/83.
Kraven the Hunter. 10/77-12/77. 7/79-10/79 … 12/04-x/05, 10/12-1/13.
Loki. 12/11-4/12.
Magneto. 4/01-7/01.
The Mole Man. 10/10-1/11
Morbius. A living vampire. 2/11-6/11.
Mysterio. 3/78-4/78.
The Puppet Master. 7/10-9/10.
The Rattler. 5/77-7/77.
Rhino. x/05-4/05.
Robin the Good. Bearded thief popular with the public who robs from the rich and apparently gives to the poor. Willing to pose for pictures with those he most politely robs. 3/96-6/96.
Sabretooth. 1/10-6/10.
Sandman. 9/09-12/09.
Scorpion. 7/01-10/01.
The Shocker. 8/07-9/07.
The Vulture. 4/08-8/08.
Original Chroniclers
Active: 1/3/77-2011+
APARTMENT 3-G
1961-2011+
Roommates of Apartment 3-G:
Margo Magee. Spoiled rich girl attempting to make it on her own, the dark-haired brunette begins as a secretary, but later becomes a show business publicist, agent, and manager (and later owner) of an art gallery.
Abigail “Tommie” Thompson. Attractive red-haired nurse who tends to be cautious and conservative in her choices and struggles with a sense of herself as boring.
LuAnn Wright Powers. Naïve and largely unaware of the impact she has on men, LuAnn is a blonde-haired school teacher who resembles the actress . LuAnn is absent from the narrative, immediately after her marriage to Garth Powers from 11/64 until her return in x/67. When her husband is declared missing in action, she continues on as an art teacher, ultimately emerging as a talented painter who also works at Mills Gallery.
Origin: The narrative begins with Margo, Tommie, and Lu Ann moving in together into a new apartment. Margo and Tommie have been roommates before, but this is the first time that Lu Ann, fresh from South Dakota, has lived on their own.
Abilities and Attributes:
Appearance: Tommie is said to resemble a youthful Lucille Ball, Margo a youthful Joan Collins and Lu Ann, Tuesday Weld. Beth, like Lu Ann, is blonde.
Modus Operandi: The narrative alternates between the three women, though Margo and LuAnn are featured more often than Tommie. While initially amused by their larger than life neighbor, Aristotle Papagoras, the three women soon come to regard him as a surrogate father figure and value his advice. Stories often revolve around the men who move into the adjoining apartment. LuAnn is the only woman of the three to have left the apartment, when she decides to marry Garth Powers. Beth Howard takes her place, but also leaves after securing her romantic interest in Dr. Lester Pride. LuAnn, alone while her husband serves in Vietnam, moves back in with old roommates. When LuAnn’s husband is declared missing in action, LuAnn refrains from romance for several years, but finally resumes a social life in the mid-seventies.