Annual
#3 December 2002

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Cover

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Contents

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The Target

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Black Terror

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Magno and Davey

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Yank and Doodle

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Vulcan

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Thesson, Son of the Gods

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Letters/Cover Gallery

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Back Cover

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   -Black Terror, Magno, Yank and Doodle, and Vulcan scans by me.

   -Target scans by Bill Nolan. From Pure Excitement Comics CD #7, The Target and the Targeteers vol.2.

   -Thesson digital pictures by Bill Nolan.
 

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This year we pay tribute to Bill Nolan's Pure Excitement Comics! To do so, I 'm bringing you some of Bill's favorites, as well as a brand new story from him, Theseus, Son of the Gods! In addition, Bill has given me permission to reprint the contents of his various CDs, which should be VERY good news for those who missed them! In fact, the Target story that starts us off was on his final volume! In addition, I should note that the Magno and Vulcan stories were both in early issues of PEC (#1 and 7 respectively), and are reprinted now at a larger size!

The Target and the Targeteers     -Story taken from Target Comics vol.2 no.4 Novelty Press Inc. June 1941      -Writer- Bob Wood      -Penciler- Bob Wood      -Inker- Bob Wood     -A.K.A.- Niles Reed, Tom Brown, and, Dave Foster     -Known Powers- None     -Other Information: Niles Reed, a metallurgist, was orphaned at 16, leaving only his older brother Bill, a district attorney, as family. His brother was framed for murder and sentenced to death. A masked Niles freed Bill on the way to prison, only to be killed by one of the guards while making the escape. Now alone in the world. Niles soon met Tom and Dave, both orphans of crime, and formed a fast friendship. One night while playing darts, Tom made an analogy between crime and the target they were using which inspired Niles. He soon crafted bulletproof costumes out of flexable metal for the trio, and they begin their lives as the Target and the Targeteers!    -Known Appearances- Blue Bolt 102-104 (reprints 106-110); 4 Most Comics vol.1 no.1-no.2, vol.5 no.1; Target Comics vol.1 no.10-vol.10 no.3

Black Terror and Tim     -Story taken from America's Best Comics #26  Visual Editions Inc. May 1948      -Writer- Unknown      -Penciler- Unknown      -Inker- Unknown     -A.K.A.- Bob Benton and Tim Roland     -Known Powers- Black Terror: Strength, invulnerability Tim: None     -Other Information: An accident during an experiment with formic ether vapors gave pharmacist, Bob Benton, superhuman strength and invulnerability which he used to fight crime and espionage as the Black Terror! Not much about Bob's personal life was ever given but it was generally known that he, in some way, knew the Black Terror. His degree of strength varied but for some reason he could always be knocked out by a blow to the head.      Tim Roland was a delivery boy for Bob Benton who somehow discovered Bob's other life and became the Kid Terror (as far as I know though that name was only used in Exciting Comics #69). Tim had no powers of his own, thus slightly easier to beat than Black Terror. Though he played second fiddle to Black Terror for most of his career, Tim got to take center stage in Exciting #69 (reprinted in Pure Excitement Comics 24).     -Known Appearances- America's Best Comics 1-31; Black Terror 1-27; Exciting Comics 9-69

Magno and Davey     -Story taken from Super-Mystery Comics vol.2 no.1 Ace Magazines Inc. April 1941      -Writer- Unknown      -Penciler- Jim Mooney      -Inker- Jim Mooney     -A.K.A.- Unknown and Davey Landis     -Known Powers- Various magnet powers, Davey draws his powers from Magno via his suit.     -Known Appearances- Four Favorites 1-26; Super-Mystery Comics vol.1 no.1-vol.5 no.5

Yank and Doodle and the Black Owl     -Story taken from Prize Comics #49 Feature Publications Inc. January 1945      -Writer- Unknown      -Penciler- Unknown      -Inker- Unknown     -A.K.A.- Yank- Rick Walters; Doodle- Dick Walters; Black Owl- Walt Walters     -Known Powers- None     -Other Information: Rick and Dick Walters fought crime solo on the homefront in the beginning of WWII. Then a hero called the Black Owl retired and went into the service. The twin's father, Walt, took up the Black Owl mantle unknown to his children (until Prize #45) and fought alongside them.     -Known Appearances- Prize Comics 13-68

Vulcan     -Story taken from Super-Mystery Comics vol.2 no.1 Ace Magazines Inc. April 1941      -Writer- Unknown      -Penciler- Jack Binder      -Inker- Jack Binder     -A.K.A.- Unknown     -Known Powers- Master of all flame and heat, super-strenght, and flight.     -Other Information: Vulcan was a descendant of the Roman god of fire, and born on an island in the South Pacific.     -Known Appearances- Four Favorites 1-3; Super-Mystery Comics vol.1 no.1-vol.3 no.2

Thesson, Son of the Gods     -Story taken from Exciting Comics #2 Better Publications Inc. May 1940      -Writer- George Mandel      -Penciler- George Mandel      -Inker- George Mandel     -A.K.A.- John Thesson     -Known Appearances- Exciting Comics 2-8