VIRUS VIGILANTE (15)
By:
December 24, 2020
One in a series of posts about the Antiviral Alliance, a now-forgotten squad of comic-book vigilantes who during the years leading up to (and through) WWII worked tirelessly to prevent another Spanish Flu-like pandemic. Fun fact: The original intercompany crossover, this “event” would inspire National Comics and All-American Publications to form the Justice Society of America in 1940–1941.
Using the moniker Doctor Nemesis, Dr. James Bradley investigated medically oriented crimes, relying on a hypodermic full of a truth serum he’d discovered… and a powerful punch. (He was particularly concerned with the spread of disease. The Surgeon, who unleashes plague-bearing rats on the city, is one of his nemeses.) However, despite Bradley’s medical expertise and concern with the spread of disease, his mask left much to be desired. He joined the Alliance in 1941, part of the second (and final) wave that included Blazing Skull, The Challenger, The Thunderer, and the Human Bomb.
Publisher: Ace
First appearance: Lightning Comics #6 (April 1941)
Tip o’ the mask to Jess Nevins.
INTRODUCING… THE ANTIVIRAL ALLIANCE. PRE-COMICS: THE MOON MAN (1933). ORIGINAL TRIO (joined forces in 1939): THE CLOCK | SANDMAN | FANTOM OF THE FAIR. AND THEN THERE WERE SEVEN (joined 1940): THE SHADOW | LADY LUCK | THE LAUGHING MASK | KINKS MASON. SECOND-WAVE SIX (joined 1941): BLAZING SKULL | THE CHALLENGER | THE THUNDERER | DOCTOR NEMESIS | HUMAN BOMB | THE VIGILANTE. LATE TO THE PARTY (joined post-1941): MICRO-FACE | THE DESERT EAGLE.
SIMILAR HILOBROW SERIES: MEET THE L.I.S. | 4CP FRIDAY — themed comic-book detail galleries | CHESS MATCH — a gallery | COMICALLY VINTAGE | DC — THE NEW 52 | FILE X — a gallery | KIRB YOUR ENTHUSIASM — 25 writers on 25 Jack Kirby panels | SECRET PANEL —Silver Age comics’ double entendres | SKRULLICISM