| The Thunderbolt | |
|---|---|
 | |
|
Real Name |
John Flatchley |
|
First Appearance |
Master and Man (in Detective Story Magazine, 1920-1921) |
|
Original Publisher |
Street & Smith |
|
Created by |
Johnston McCulley |
Origin[]
The Thunderbolt was a masked avenger who wore all black and a smooth, tight fitting black hood with a yellow lightning bolt on the forehead. After he returned from World War I, he inherited $200,000 from his uncle and decided to investigate the origins of the money. Learning that it had come from shady deals, he decided to punish the Big Six involved in those deals, by stealing their ill gotten gains. He is a decorated World War I fighter pilot, big game hunter, and was a member of an expedition to the North Pole. He is from a prominent family and was a talented student of architecture. He is tall, strong, handsome and extremely athletic. He is stealthy and carries an unloaded automatic pistol with him, which he uses to scare opponents. He does not kill.
He was pursued by Detective Martin Radner, and had affections for a woman named Agnes Larimer.
Pulp Appearances[]
- "Master and Man", Detective Story Magazine, May 4 1920, short story
- "The Kidnapped Midas", Detective Story Magazine, June 29 1920, short story
- "The Big Six", Detective Story Magazine, September 7 1920, short story
- "The Thunderbolt Collects", Detective Story Magazine, December 11 1920, short story
- "The Thunderbolt's Jest", Detective Story Magazine, June 4 1921, short story
- "The Thunderbolt's Engagement", Detective Story Magazine, July 30 1921, short story