| Master Man | |
|---|---|
 | |
|
Real Name |
Unknown |
|
First Appearance |
Master Comics #1 (March 1940) |
|
Original Publisher |
Fawcett |
|
Created by |
Harry Fiske and/or Newt Alfred (see Notes) |
Origin[]
Master Man was stronger than untamed horses, swifter than raging winds, braver than mighty lions, wiser than wisdom, and as kind as Galahad. When he was a boy, he was weak, but a wise doctor gave him a magic vitamin capsule (the Vitacap) containing all known energy sources. After ingesting the capsule, the boy not only became the strongest man on earth, but also gained super-speed and invulnerability.
As an adult, he built a castle made of solid rock on top of a high mountain peak. From there he could observe his surroundings and respond to calls for help.
Public Domain Appearances[]
- Master Comics #1-6
Notes[]
- Master Man's exact creator is uncertain: his only story was drawn by Newt Alfred but, that issue's cover was drawn by Harry Fiske, leaving the question open as to who drew him first. Along with that, no writer for the story has ever been credited.
- Master Man was one of the many characters that National Publications (the predecessor of DC Comics) threatened to go to court over because he was too similar to Superman. In this case, Fawcett backed down and stopped publishing stories featuring Master Man.
- Master Man would go on to become a partial inspiration for the High, a character created by Warren Ellis during his run on Stormwatch. The High had an origin similar to that of Golden Age Superman, but his original costume, general appearance and mountain base were nearly identical to Master Man's.