- This article is about the 1930-40s character. For the modern Marvel Comics character formerly known as the Angel, see Archangel (comics). For other uses, see Angel (disambiguation)
| The Angel |
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Story splash from Sub-Mariner Comics #1
Art by Paul Gustavson
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| Characteristics |
| Alter ego |
Thomas Halloway |
Team
affiliations |
V-Battalion |
| Abilities |
Flight |
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The Angel (Thomas Halloway) is a fictional superhero in the Marvel Comics universe, created by writer-artist Paul Gustavson during what comics fans and historians call the Golden Age of comic books. He first appeared in Marvel Comics #1 (Oct. 1939), the first publication of Marvel predecessor Timely Comics. The Angel, like Batman, is a non-superpowered detective who nonetheless wore a superhero costume. Gustavson cited Leslie Charteris' pulp-novel detective, Simon Templar, the "Saint," as a model for the Angel.
Publication history
The Angel was the next-most-popular Timely character after the "big three" of the Human Torch, the Sub-Mariner and Captain America, with more than 100 Golden Age appearances — starting in that initial Marvel title (which changed its name to Marvel Mystery Comics with issue #2), up through #79 (Dec. 1946); as the sole backup feature in Sub-Mariner Comics #1-21 (Spring 1941 - Fall 1946); and in occasional appearances in Mystic Comics and Daring Comics. A simulacrum of the Angel was temporarily created from the mind of Rick Jones, along with those of the Blazing Skull, the Fin, the Patriot, and the Golden Age Vision, to aid the superhero team the Avengers during the Kree-Skrull War, in The Avengers vol. 1, #97 (March 1972).
Fictional character biography
A costumed detective with no superpowers, the Angel is among the few such heroes to wear no mask, and in his Golden Age appearances makes no effort to conceal his identity as independently wealthy Thomas Halloway, a former surgeon. He later acquires the "mystic cape of Mercury"[1], which allows him to fly, but he has used this ability only occasionally, as on his campaign against the foreign spy Cat's Paw.[2] The Angel was already active by the time of the first Human Torch and Sub-Mariner adventures,[3] and active as far back as 1936.[4] He fights alongside Namor against World War II "Nazombies",[5] and was later retconned as a member of both the All-Winners Squad and the V-Battalion during the war.[6] Holloway remains active as an older character who was revealed as the primary force behind the murderous vigilante group Scourges of the Underworld,[7] which has assassinated a large number of lesser supervillains and archcriminals. To escape USAgent, he fakes his own death.[8]
Angel (Tom's brother)
| Angel |
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| Characteristics |
| Alter ego |
Halloway (first name unrevealed) |
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Due to continuity differences between Tom's appearance and a previous set of appearances, his brother has been retconned as one of two men who had assumed the identity of the Angel and substituted for his brother on numerous occasions including fighting Stinger. In modern times, he was living as a homeless man in and beneath Manhattan, where he was ambushed and murdered by the supervillain Zeitgeist[9]. He has also appeared in The Incredible Hulk vol. 2, #432-433 (Aug.-Sept. 1995) and in Marvel Super-Heroes vol. 3, #7 (Oct. 1991). It is unknown what occurred between the brothers and why Tom's brother ended up homeless.
Bibliography
Golden Age
- All-Winners Comics #1 (Summer 1941)
- The Human Torch #5[a] (Summer 1941)
- Marvel Comics #1 (Oct. 1939)
- Marvel Mystery Comics #2-79 (Dec. 1939 - Dec. 1946)
- Sub-Mariner vol. 1, #1-21 (Spring 1941 - Fall 1946)
- Mystic Comics vol. 2, #1-3 (Oct.-Winter 1944)
- Daring Comics #10 (Winter 1944-45)
Modern Age
- Captain America vol. 1, #442
- Citizen V & the V Battalion: The Everlasting #1-2 (March-May 2002)
- Marvel Knights Spider-Man #9
- Marvels #1
- Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Golden Age
- USAgent #1-4 (June-Sept. 1993)
Reprints
- Marvel Masterworks: The Golden Age Human Torch (Marvel, 2005)
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- "Blitzkrieg of the Living Dead", generally but unconfirmably credited to Bill Everett: The Human Torch #5[a] (Summer 1941)
- Marvel Mystery Comics #1 (Dec. 1999)
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- "And the Case of the Armless Tiger Man", by Paul Gustavson and Allen Bellman: Marvel Mystery Comics #26 (Dec. 1941)
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- "Quarantine for Murder", by Ron Garn and Gustav "Gus" Schrotter: Marvel Mystery Comics #42 (April 1943)
Footnotes
- ^ Marvel Mystery Comics vol. 1 #11
- ^ Marvel Mystery Comics #20 (June 1941)
- ^ Marvel Comics #1
- ^ Daredevil Vol. 2, #66
- ^ The Human Torch #5[a] (Summer 1941)
- ^ Citizen V & the V-Battalion: The Everlasting #1 (March 2002)
- ^ USAgent vol. 1, #3 (Aug. 1993)
- ^ USAgent vol. 1, #4 (Sept. 1993)
- ^ Mark Gruenwald (w), Dave Hoover & Sandu Florea (p), Dan Bulanadi (i). "Broad Stripes And White Stars" Captain America, volume 1, #442 August 1995 Marvel Comics
References
