Gold Nuggets: No Powers? No Problem!

The Obscure Adventures of Comics' Greatest Generation!

Long before superheroes could routinely bench press buildings and funnel the power of suns, a huge percentage of Golden Age mystery men (and women) took care of things without superpowers. Many of these more humble heroes fought on the home front protecting America from common criminals and enemy saboteurs, but many others took the fight right into the heart of the Axis itself...armed only with only their fists and a feisty, can-do spirit.

One of these two-fisted terrors was The Grim Reaper who, though not the personification of death like his mythic namesake, could still kick the living crap out of Nazis....as this montage from Wonder Comics #1 (1944) makes perfectly clear (click on the panels for a larger view).

Isn't that final panel of the Grim Reaper cutting a swath through a Nazi horde spectacular in a sprawling, Cinerama kind of way? Better yet, he didn't need laser vision, cosmic brain blasts, or flame breath to do it. Just a costume, courage, and two flashing fists (and the occasional firearm)!  

Oh...and don't forget:

 

(I had to look twice to make sure there wasn't an "S" after the word "rubber")

Comments

[Rick]

This was a good post. I never even heard of the Grim Reaper from the 40's.

[Sebastian]

Too cool, Mark. Thanks.

[Nimbus]

Wow, that was action-packed! Is this Grim Reaper still under copyright or now in public domain (and thus probably due to reappear with all the other golden age heroes that are currently being revived)?

And what's going on with his cape? Did he use too much starch or are there wires in that thing? :)

[ShadowWing Tronix]

I believe he's one of the characters currently used in Project Superpowers over at Dynamite, but I could be wrong.

[Irish Al]

I had to look twice to make sure there wasn't an "S" after the word "rubber"

And a stray 'r' in fats.