TRULY GONE&FORGOTTEN : AN ATTORN-AL FLAME

Is there anyone tragically less-empowered to fight crime than the District Attorney? Well, according to comic books, the answer is -- heck no!

With little more than the full power of the state, municipality or federal government behind them, the authority to command law enforcement and to enact and carry out prosecution, why, it's no wonder so many of these seemingly powerless officers of the law feel they must go outside the law they've sworn to uphold in order to make any reasonable headway against CRIME. 

In fact, this is the very reason that my favorite superhero of the Golden Age -- Assistant District Attorney Richard Raleigh -- sees the need to dress up in striped tights and diaphanous sleeves and take to the streets as THE RED BEE, the hero with a single bee in his belt buckle! Because otherwise he'd be helpless!

But it honestly seems like every role in the District Attorney's office has its own grim avenger of the night, from clerical work to elected office -- and here's a few to prove it!

Nice outfit. He should try adding some black to it. 

BLACK COBRA and COBRA KID
Created by George Tuska and Al Plastino
Appears in Dynamic Comics #1, Captain Flight Comics #6, 8 and 11 (Harry "A" Chesler, 1941-1947)

Jim Hornsby has it all -- or at least he has a secret identity as the crime-smashing Black Cobra, a job as a law clerk with the District Attorney's office, and the absolute seething disdain of his father ... who also happens to be the District Attorney!

An over-cautious intellectual, Jim Hornsby isn't the only Golden Age superhero to play the mild-mannered coward in his unmasked identity. He's also not the only one to earn the disapproval of his loved ones because of it -- but the Black Cobra's dad takes it to a new level. He just patently loathes his own son:

• Within range of Jim's hearing, Jim's father complains to a passing cop "Bah! That pantywaist prefers to remain a clerk!” 
• Dazzled by the costumed alter ego's derring-do, he spontaneously barks “I’d give ten years of my life to have a son like that Black Cobra!” 
• And, in response to Jim's attempt to point out vital, overlooked evidence in a baffling murder case, he complains  “I wish you were a he-man, Jim!” Hey, this has just become an HR complaint, pal!

"Let them do whatever they want! They're the only two people on Earth who mean anything to me!"

The withering lack of parental support aside, the Black Cobra proves to be a superb crimefighter. 

His strength and vigor (in his first appearance, anyway) are exceptional -- he leaps great heights and busts through glass, goes toe-to-toe with a big goon who was earlier tossing boulders around, effortlessly hops a ten-foot wall, and snaps rope as though it were thread. No origin is given for his amazing abilities but I think he's powered by his father's disappointment.

Even this gun-toting crook is taken aback.

Jim's superhuman powers disappear into the ether when he's paired up with his brother Bob, who joins the Black Cobra's war on crime (and fatherly affection) as "The Cobra Kid." Now relying only on their physical fitness and mental acuity, they at least get to spread the abuse out a little bit -- yes, Jim's father is also disappointed with his sissy of a youngest son, too! 

At a family dinner, for instance, the old man exhorts “I wish you boys were as daring as Black Cobra and Cobra Kid” while he struggles to carve a chicken, can you imagine? Can you imagine getting berated by your father while he barely manages to competently slice a cooked bird into portions? I bet a lot of you can! I bet some of you have been to a dinner like that! This guy seems like a treat!

It takes a few adventures for Jim and Bob to finally adopt an appropriately dark color scheme for their costumes, finally embracing the "Black" part of "Black Cobra." This is as opposed to their original color scheme, which I've chosen to call "Amazing Technicolor DreamCobra." Regardless, their cobra-hood turbans are probably the most unique headgear in comics.

These two panels were on opposite pages and I don't think I've laughed so hard reading a comic ever.

There were only three original adventures of the Black Cobra, but it seemed like more because they kept getting reprinted with different costume colors. Later reimagined as an agent of the FBI, the Black Cobra was briefly revived at Ajax-Farrell in 1954 under his own title, with loads of the backstory changed and their hateful pater set out to pasture, thankfully...

BLACK SATAN
Created by Charles Sultan
Appears in Yankee Comics #1 (Harry "A" Chesler, 1941)

“A district attorney during the daytime, Howard Flynn adopts the role of the dreaded Black Satan for his nightly crusade against crime." Let me guess, he wakes up tired? 

So begins the sole outing of the stylish Black Satan, whose sleek uniform is one bad out-FIT, Jim: Black tie, puff sleeves, gold trim, domino mask and I think toreador pants. Red pants, anyway. Nice. 

Whatever's going on in that second panel, it looks great!

The Black Satan extends that sense of style to everything he does. When his boss, Mayor Clement, agitated by upcoming election woes, demands that Flynn's office "do something" about notorious racketeer Joe Herron, the dapper double-breasted District Attorney promises to have it wrapped up by morning -- or else! (It's not explained what the "or else" is but it sounds definitive!)

Within panels, Black Satan is punching his way up the underworld ladder to find Herron. When his furious fisticuffs don't do the trick, he can always fall back on his signature sidepiece -- a special gun which temporarily blinds his foes! And, when their vision clears, they get to set peepers on Black Satan's sleek (if gruesome) calling card -- a screeching face, half-skull and half-devil.

What was most stylish about Black Satan was the art, or at least its aspirations. Creator Charles Sultan was working out of the Eisner/Iger shop, and it's easy to tell! While the action was sometimes unclear, the bold lines and evocative silhouettes were nonetheless striking and gave Black Satan another facet of a strong visual identity. 

Four with one blow!

Too bad that, despite nabbing Herron well before morning, there was never another Black Satan adventure to be had -- regardless of the mayor cooing, in relief, about the adventurer: “He’s my idea of a man!” 

THE VEILED AVENGER
Appears in Spotlight Comics 1-3, Red Seal Comics #16 (Harry "A" Chesler, 1944-1946)

Lest you begin to wonder if you world of the District Attorney is completely hung-up on masculinity, there's always The Veiled Avenger to consider! 

Ginny Spears sometimes seems like the only one with any guts around the District Attorney's office. Secretary to the DA himself, Ginny is tough-as-nails and hep to the latest underworld mischief -- thanks in no small part to Skippy, her school-aged street informer. Imagine Huggy Bear, except he looks like a kewpie.

Surrounded by incompetents on every side, from her officious boss to dimwitted detectives, it's often up to Ginny and her whip-wielding alter ego to put a stop to the crooks that the law can't handle!

Tough tot.

On Ginny's part, that frequently manifests as over-stepping her authority -- she issues a warrant over police radio at one point, tells her boss to subsequently sit on it, and straight up slaps a cop who blew an interrogation. The office of secretary to the District Attorney allows some privileges, apparently.

As for what The Veiled Avenger offers, it's this: Whips, Whips and More Whips! 

Hiding her identity behind a gossamer birdcage veil and a wide-brimmed hat, probably what mostly preserved Ginny's secret ID was that everybody in the room was keeping their eyes on her signature weapon -- a whip, wielded with ferocious accuracy!

Among the skills which she exhibited with whip in hand were: Whipping a gun out of a guy's hand, breaking a guy's wrist, knocking a guy over, making a guy shoot another guy, making a guy shoot himself in the whole open mouth, and making a guy drop a hand grenade on himself. That's some whip!

Being the DA's secretary gives one the authority to slap a cop.

More often than not, The Veiled Avenger would disarm a foe with her whip, then claim their gun and start using it in lieu of the whip. Makes you wonder why she bothers with the whip in the first place!

One of the most enjoyable elements of The Veiled Avenger is her brass-plated tough-guy talk. "Drop that roscoe, big boy," she warns one baddie, "Or I’ll slash my crop across your kisser!" At another crook, she threatens to "Rip you to ribbons," and barks at yet another "Don’t get romantic, rat. You’re heading for the hoosegow!" 

And it seems to work! Once crooks realize that the Veiled Avenger is on the scene, they make for the hills -- and fast!

Hell sports a whip.

If just in attitude, The Veiled Avenger is one of the more hardcore heroes of the Golden Age of Comics. Even thought she sports a name that sounds like a real subtle way to get insulted at a party, she also sports a whip -- and, as far as I can tell, she just carries it to be mean!