| Faceless Phantom | |
|---|---|
 | |
|
Real Name |
Commissioner Baxter |
|
First Appearance |
Thrilling Comics #1 (February 1940) |
|
Original Publisher |
Nedor |
|
Created by |
Alexander Kostuk and Richard Hughes |
Origin[]
The Faceless Phantom was the first opponent of the hero Doc Strange. Like Strange, the Phantom created a formula that gave him super strength and durability, although to a lesser degree than Strange. He coveted the "Delta Ray Gun", a powerful weapon that could destroy anything its red ray touched, including tanks and battleships. He kidnapped its inventor Professor Thompson, father of Virginia Thompson, Doc Strange's fiance. The Phantom wore a skull mask and was seemingly defeated by Strange at the end of this first encounter.
In Thrilling Comics #7 (Aug. 1940), the Faceless Phantom returned with an improved formula that equaled Strange's original. Luckily, Strange had also upgraded his own formula, giving him the ability of flight. The Phantom fell from an airplane while battling Strange.
In Thrilling Comics #29 (Aug. 1942), the Faceless Phantom returned again to work with the Nazi saboteur Z-3, first using a ""Konga snake"" meant to both hypnotize and paralyze Strange. Strange fought off the hypnotic effects but played along, following the Phantom's orders to learn his schemes, which included the collapse of a bridge, the kidnapping of Strange's teammates, and escape via a Nazi ""battle-wagon"". Strange sinks the ship, but the Phantom survives.
Powers and Abilities[]
In addition to the strength and durability given to him from his formula the Phantom had the ability to vanish in a cloud of purple mist. Doctor Strange suspected the ancient Egyptian chemical "Kalodin" was the reason and found a re-agent to counter it from an old manuscript.
Golden Age Appearances[]
- Thrilling Comics #1, 7, 29
Notes[]
- The Nedor comics were renewed by Popular Library, which was eventually bought out by Fawcett Books. When Fawcett went out of business, Popular Library was sold to Warner Bros. A number of different publishers, however, are currently/have been using these characters without any lawsuits from Warner Bros., so any action over them is (probably) unlikely. They are still, however, "use at your own risk" characters.