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Pyroman

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Pyroman
Pyroman on the cover ofStartling Stories#18.
Publication information
PublisherNedor Comics
AC Comics
First appearanceStartling Comics#18 (December 1942)
Created byJack Binder
In-story information
Alter egoDick Martin
Team affiliationsSMASH
AbilitiesSummon electricity
Transmit electrical bolts
Magnetize metal
Electrical force field generation
Electromagnetic pulses
Flight via magnetic currents and radio waves

Pyromanis a fictionalsuperherothat appeared incomic bookspublished byNedor Comics.His first appearance was inStartling Comics#18 (December 1942), with art byJack Binder.[1]This character was later revived by bothAC Comicsand America's Best Comics.

Nedor Comics

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Pyroman is the secret identity of research student Dick Martin. Due to his work with high voltage electricity, his body develops the ability to store electrical current. He discovers this ability after he's framed for murder by a saboteur, and sentenced to die in theelectric chair.[2]After clearing his name, he decides to use his powers to fight crime.[3]

According toJess Nevins' Encyclopedia of Golden Age Superheroes,"Pyroman fights evil men like Venomi and his Black Boas, Schneubel (who uses a weapon to recreate Mars' environment in America), Dr. Fosfor and his semi-sentient living flame, and would-be world-conqueror Dr. Zucca and his city-destroying Tornado".[4]

Pyroman appeared in numerous Nedor Comics titles during the 1940s. His lastGolden Age Appearancewas inAmerica's Best Comics(no relation to theDC Comicsimprint) #29 (January 1949). Many of his cover appearances were drawn by artistAlex Schomburg.[5]

AC Comics

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Pyroman was one of the many Nedor Comics' characters revived by AC comics in the late 1990s. AC Comics reprintedStartling Comics#23 asGolden-Age Men of Mystery#9 (August 1998).[6]His sole original appearance was in a new story written forAll-Hero Retro Comics Annual#1 (1998).

America's Best Comics

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Alan Mooreused Pyroman, along with many other Nedor Comics characters, for hisTom Strongseries. InTom Strong#12 (June 2001), Pyroman was revealed to have been a member ofSMASH,a superhero team that had been placed in suspended animation after an alien invasion from the Moon in 1969 and revived 30 years later thanks to the efforts of Tom Strong. SMASH disbanded shortly thereafter. When SMASH reformed three years later, Pyroman rejoined the team.

Dynamite Entertainment

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In 2007, Pyroman was again one of several Golden Age characters used, this time inDynamite Entertainment'sProject Superpowerswritten byJim Kruegerand drawn byAlex Ross.[7][8]

References

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  1. ^Markstein, Don."Pyroman".Don Markstein's Toonopedia.Retrieved2 April2020.
  2. ^Mitchell, Kurt; Thomas, Roy (2019).American Comic Book Chronicles: 1940-1944.TwoMorrows Publishing. p. 159.ISBN978-1605490892.
  3. ^Benton, Mike (1992).Superhero Comics of the Golden Age: The Illustrated History.Dallas: Taylor Publishing Company. pp. 184–185.ISBN0-87833-808-X.Retrieved1 April2020.
  4. ^Nevins, Jess (2013).Encyclopedia of Golden Age Superheroes.High Rock Press. p. 212.ISBN978-1-61318-023-5.
  5. ^Mougin, Lou (2020).Secondary Superheroes of Golden Age Comics.McFarland & Co. p. 170.ISBN9781476638607.
  6. ^[1]Grand Comics Database, last accessed 14 February 2007
  7. ^"Newsarama.com (July 18, 2007):" Ross and Krueger onSuperpowers",by Matt Brady".Archived fromthe originalon October 9, 2007.RetrievedJuly 25,2007.
  8. ^Superpowers (team)at the Comic Book DB (archived fromthe original)
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