- Blue Bolt
Blue Bolt is a fictional
American comic book superhero created by writer-artistJoe Simon in 1940, during the period fans and historians refer to as theGolden Age of Comic Books .Publication history
Initially published by
Novelty Press , "Blue Bolt Comics", one of the earliest comic books titled after a single character, ran 110 issues, cover-dated June 1940 to August 1951. Its namesake hero was created by writer-artistJoe Simon forFunnies Inc. , one of the earliest comic-book "packagers" that produced outsourced comics on demand for publisher entering the fledgling medium. By the second issue, Simon had enlistedJack Kirby as the series co-writer/artist, starting the first pairing of the future comic book legends who shortly there after createdCaptain America and other characters. As Simon recalled in a 1998Comic-Con International panel in San Diego,California ,:The two teamed for fewer than 12 issues, turning over the book to successors including Dan Barry, Tom Gill and
Mickey Spillane , before his creation of the detective characterMike Hammer in novels.As the popularity of superheroes began to fade in the post-
World War II era,, Blue Bolt was transformed from a superhero into a plainclothes type of hero.In 1949, Novelty Press sold its assets, including Blue Bolt, to series cover artist
L. B. Cole due to the growing criticism over violence in comic books. [ [http://www.toonopedia.com/bluebolt.htm Blue Bolt] Don Markstein's Toonopedia ] Using his new assets, Cole began his own company,Star Publications . By 1951, "Blue Bolt Comics"' name had been changed to "Blue Bolt Weird Tales of Terror" and featured the type of horror covers epitomized byEC Comics . A couple of issues after the name change, the Blue Bolt was dropped in favor of horror stories. With issue #120 (published in 1953) the title was changed to "Ghostly Weird Stories".Fictional character biography
After college football star Fred Parrish is struck by lightning during practice he boards a plane in order to seek help. This plane is struck by a second bolt of lighting, causing the plane to crash. Finding himself underground, Parrish is found by a scientist named Bertoff who heals him using an experimental radium treatment. This treatment gives Parrish super powers.
Using his powers and a lightning gun given to him by Bertoff, Parrish takes up the name the Blue Bolt and battles the underground forces of the evil Green Sorceress. After a year, the Blue Bolt discovers that
World War II has started. He journeys back to the surface to fight against the Nazis.Footnotes
External links
* [http://www.toonopedia.com/bluebolt.htm Don Markstein's Toonopedia]
* [http://www.comics.org/series.lasso?SeriesID=202 Grand Comics Database Project: Blue Bolt Comics]
* [http://www.comics.org/series.lasso?SeriesID=785 Grand Comics Database Project: Blue Bolt Weird Tales of Terror]
* [http://fortressofortitude.wordpress.com/2008/05/07/the-dynamic-duo/ A Simon&Kirby Blue Bolt story]
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