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Rackman. Jakeoster contributes the following: Craig Mansfield is a dwarf who attains normal size with the aid of stilts ("racks"). He lives on his own private island off theFirst appearance: Clue Comics #12 (Hillman) Radar.
Pep Pepper is the latest a long line of circus folks. His father was a
strongman and acrobat and his mother was a "mentalist," and Pep inherits
both their powers, along with clairvoyant "radar vision." He works for
the side of right, fighting against the Germans during the war and then
against international lawbreakers after the war.
Radio Squad. See Sandy Kean. Ragman.
Jay Garson, Jr. is the Ragman, who "mops up the forces of crime." He is
assisted by Tiny. He has no powers, but uses a disguise as a derelict to
catch crooks off-guard.
Rainbow.
Jim Travis, after reading some comic books, decides to become a costumed
hero. He wants to outdo all the other heroes, though. He doesn't have any
powers, however, so he's not quite successful at knocking off, say,
Superman.
Rainbow
Boy. Jay Watson, he of no origin, is a worker for the
Wizard Kid Radio Program. He is constantly looking for news items he can
use, but too often these are actually about crimes and criminals. He was
for a time the sidekick of Hydroman
but then went on to fly solo. When Jay is exposed to the sun's light he
gains the ability to turn into Rainbow Boy; as R-Boy he can fly at the
speed of light and can mold his rainbow trail into any shape.
Rance
Keane. Rance, the "Knight of the West," is a wandering
cowpoke who fights crime and evil across the American frontier with the
help of his old friend Pee Wee Lee.
Rang-a-Tang.
Rang-a-Tang is the "Wonder Dog," an abnormally intelligent crime-fighting
canine. He is assisted in his exploits by Richy Waters, the Amazing Boy,
and by Detective Hy Speed.
Rangers
of Freedom. The Rangers of Freedom, consisting of Percy
Cabot, Biff Barkley, Tex Russell, and Gloria Travers, come together to
fight the villainous Super-Brain and equally villainous Germans. The Rangers
have no superpowers but are adventurous and good in a fight.
Raven
(I). Detective Sergeant Danny Dartkin, is frustrated
by criminals who outwit the law or who use the law to escape justice, and
so he puts on a costume and goes after those criminals, taking their money
and redistributing it to the poor of Gotham. He was aided by Lola Lash,
the daughter of NYC's police chief. He had no powers.
Raven
(II). He was a bird-costumed crimefighter who was also,
as Michael Norwitz points out, the lover of the Spider
Widow.
The
Ray. Happy Terrill, a reporter, is caught in a runaway
hot air balloon and is exposed to solar radiation when the balloon enters
the upper atmosphere. This gives him the ability to transform into the
Ray whenever he is exposed to light. His powers include flight, controlling
magnetic rays, and the ability to turn into a light beam.
Reckoner.
Matty
Martin puts on a formal tuxedo and mask to fight crime. He has no powers.
Red.
Red, with his partner Don Kerry, is
part of the "Anchors Aweigh!" team. He is a strapping young Naval ratings
who is sent to trouble spots around the world and fight criminals, spies,
and enemy agents. Red has no superpowers but is very tough.
Red
Bee. Rick Raleigh, an Assistant District Attorney, is
so frustrated at not being able to put more criminals away, due to the
slowness and incompetence of the courts and the technicalities that allow
criminals to elude justice, that he puts on a costume and fights crime
as the Red Bee. He has no superpowers but makes use of a bunch of trained
bees which he stores in his belt. (In some stories it was just one bee:
Mike.) He also has a "stinger gun."
Red
Blazer. Ted, a cowboy, is the subject of Dr. Morgan's
experiment with "Astro-Pyro" Rays, and from these gains the ability to
control heat and fire as well as fly. He is assisted by Sparky.
He uses these abilities to, you guessed it, fight crime.
Red
Coat Patrol. Sergeant O'Malley, a Canadian Mountie, is
assisted by his native partner Black Hawk and their wonder dog Flame in
the fight against Crime in the Rockies and the Canadian plains.
Red
Comet. Red Comet, who has no origin or secret identity,
works on and off Earth in the year 2040; he is the "mystery man of the
universe." He wars on his enemies, criminals and "warmongers." His abilities
are magically based; he has superstrength (enough to literally throw people
off the planet), telekinesis, an extrasensory attraction to criminals,
and the ability to explode bullets before they reach him.
Red
Cross. Dr. Peter Hall fights the Axis powers in occupied
Europe and Asia as the heroic Red Cross. He has no powers, but carries
and uses guns.
Red
Demon. Judge Straight becomes disgusted with crime and
assumes the costumed identity of the Red Demon to combat it.
Red
Dragon. Bob Reed's parents are killed by the Japanese.
Bob, still a teenager, swears vengeance, and spends years studying "ancient
sorcery." He gains enough power to take on and defeat all the Japanese
he comes up against. He is assited by Ching Foo, a Chinese friend, and
by his pet komodo dragon Komodo. The Red Dragon, by holding his hands together
and saying "Po-She-Lo," gains magic powers, including flight, matter transformation,
and illusion projection.
Red
Gaucho. "Born in South America of Yankee parents, the
Red Gaucho grows to widespread fame by his dashing, smashing methods of
battling crime and oppression." He generally does the Zorro thing, laughing
as he fights, dressing like a gaucho and using a whip and a sword. Some
of his early opponents are communists rather than fascists.
Red
Hawk (I). The Red Hawk was actually a plane. Jan Valor
was a heroic American pilot and fighter who with his girlfriend Tanka helped
General Mikhailovitch and the Chetniks of "Jugoslavia" to fight against
the German menace. They fly the Red Hawk, a fighter, and allow the rebels
to use it as well; the Red Hawk is not otherwise remarkable as an instrument
of war.
Red
Hawk (II). Major Red Hawk is a "free lance fighter of
the skyways and a full-blooded American Indian who beats the Japs at their
own game." His tribe is never named, and he looks quite Anglo, but he's
definitely
a Native American, making him one of the earliest (if not the earliest)
character of that kind.
Red
Logan. Red is the "ace reporter of the Times Courier"
and an enemy of crime. He operates in England and America and is assisted
by his Russian friend Ivan.
Red
Mask. The Red Mask is a jungle/safari guide (no name
given) active in the South Pacific who puts on a mask and fights evil-doers
(including white men who threaten the natives) when he has to.
Red
Panther. The Red Panther is a costumed Tarzan clone.
Red
Raven. The Red Raven was the only survivor, as a child,
of a plane crash with an island in the sky. He was adopted by the king
of the island's inhabitants--birdmen. He grew up and was given artificial
wings by the king and was then sent back to the world to eradicate the
"elements that make for unhappiness in the world." He could fly.
Red
Riley. Red Riley is a "hard-boiled fighting cop of the
river and harbor patrol."
Red
Robbins. Red Robbins, origin unknown, is "the fastest
man in the world." He has superspeed and uses it to fight crime. He is
helped by "Speed" Karr.
Red
Rocket. Rod Page puts on a costume and fights crime.
Red
Reeves. Red is a more-or-less ordinary American boy until
he meets up with a genie and is granted magic powers. He uses them to fight
crime.
Red
Rube. Reuben Reuben, an young orphan, finds the castle
of his ancestors and discovers that the castle is full of the ghosts of
those ancestors. The ghosts are all named "Reuben Reuben," and they grant
him special powers, which he uses to fight crime. When Reuben says the
magic words "Hey, Rube!" (maybe his ancestors were carny workers?) he turns
into Red Rube, who has the powers of each of his ancestors, who were similarly
super-powered.
Red
Seal. Red Seal is the unorigined, powerless sidekick
of Manowar. He may be an FBI agent,
and he is definitely in top physical shpae and a good fighter.
Red
Skeleton. Red is a mystery writer for Crimely Publications.
His boss, editor Stanley Dee, is none too happy with him, however, since
his plots are not what Dee expects. So Red goes in search of a better story,
along with his female assistant Deena. Red's not a traditional hero (on
his first exposure to a corpse he faints) but when he has to he comes through,
using his knowledge of "jui-jitsu" to take down a mobster. He gets help
from Deena, too, who is quick and able with a gun and who rejects his attempts
at romancing her with "save it, Casanova."
Red
Tornado. Ma Hunkel fights crime in her neighborhood as
the costumed Red Tornado. She is a member of the Justice
Society of America. She has no superpowers, but is big and strong.
Red
Torpedo. Jim Lockhart retires from the U.S. Navy but
can't stand the quiet of retirement, and so develops the Torpedo, a one-man
submarine. With it he becomes the "Robin Hood of the deep," keeping the
peace on the seven seas. He has no power, but he does have the Torpedo,
which can fly as well as move on the ship's surface and below it. The Torpedo
is also armed with laser-like weapons in its stern.
Red,
White & Blue. Sergeant Red Dugan of Army G2, Whitey
Smith of the Army, and Blooey Blue of the Navy make up Red, White &
Blue, three stalwart enemies "against the insidious forces bent on sapping
the strength of this great world power, the United States of America!!"
They are helped by top FBI agent Doris West. They have no superpowers but
are strong and clever and good in a fight.
"Reef"
Kinkaid. "`Reef' Kinkaid is a daring adventurer and soldier
of fortune--on his thirty-foot cruiser he combs the South Seas in search
of adventure." He ends up in a lost world with the scientist Doctor Lang,
Lang's daughter Marian, and "the little native Safari."
Reef
Ryan. Ryan is a two-fisted explorer of space.
Rex.
Rex, the "King of the Deep," is the designer, builder, and operator of
a high-tech supersubmarine. He uses it for the good of all mankind. He
is helped by his sweetie Nan Barlow and his friend Dirk.
Rex Dexter. To quote from Rex's debut: One of the features of the Fair of 1939 was the rocketing of a space ship to the planet Mars. Piloted by young Montague Dexter and his wife, the ship soared on its course, the anxious world receiving word from it every hour, until...1960 1970 1980 1990 2000, the years pass.Rex, being a native Martian, doesn't need an oxygen helmet to breath in the Martian atmosphere. He is also friends with the Martians and the acknowledged link between tehm and Earth. Once he returns to Earth he makes friends and challenges and defeats evil humans, for both Earth and Mars. He has no superpowers. First Appearance: Mystery Men #1 (Fox Features) Rex
Elliott. Rex Elliott is a top-notch pilot and flight
instructor who works at a "secret Army Air Base near Australia" (near Australia?
What, in New Zealand?) fighting against the Japanese.
Rex King. Ed Love contributes the following: Deep in the heart of the African jungle, Rex King, man of adventure, is enjoying the good life with his faithful black panther Kato. [Sometimes Kato's name is given as Jet--Jess] When some threat to his adopted home springs forth, Rex King leaps into action as a gliding hero in a sleek black outfit. Whether it's the "thieving white man's jungle magic" terrorizing the native Ohtams, or crooked traders bent on stealing the secrets of the jungle to use for their own corrupt purposes, Rex King is there to guard against the insidious evil that threatens this peaceful land. Later Rex King adopts the id of the Black Fury (II?). Black Condor-like wings allowed him glide.First Appearance: Super Magician Comics #1 (Street & Smith) Rex
Swift. Rex Swift is a top agent for the Secret Service.
Reynolds
of the Mounted. Reynolds is a heroic Mountie who patrols
Canada with his pilot friend Red.
Rick
Evans. Rick Evans is an internationally-known teen adventurer
who uses his spaceship to fight crime and help people. He is assisted by
his pals Stringbean and the winsome Astra.
"Rick"
Masters. "Rick" is a foreign correspondent who travels
to wherever the news is and reports it. He is helped by his assistant,
the portly and balding "Skinny."
Rick
O'Shay. Rick O'Shay is a brawling American adventurer
and mercenary. He is assisted by his "ever-faithful Arab servant Mekki."
Rio
Kid. The Rio Kid is a wandering cowboy on an “eternal
quest for adventure.”
Rip
Carson. Rip Carson is a two-fisted adventurer, a parachute
trooper during WW2 and then an ace fighter pilot during Korea.
Risks, Unlimited. See Rip Carson. Robin.
Dick Grayson, a child acrobat, watched in horror as his parents were killed
through the work of a gangster. The Batman
is on the trail of the gangster, and makes the child his helper and legal
ward, and together they brought down the gangster. Robin is partnered with
the Batman but is not, during the Golden Age, a member of the Justice
Society of America. Robin has no powers but was trained by the
Batman and is a skilled fighter and acrobat. He also has a neat utility
belt.
Robotman.
Dr. Robert Crane and his assistant Dr. Chuck Grayson are just completing
an android body which will "keep alive a human brain whose owner had died."
But darn the luck, just then a group of thugs break into the lab and try
to steal whatever's inside. Crane tries to stop them and gets shot for
his troubles. Crane, as he dies, tells Grayson to put his brain into the
robot body. Grayson does so, and Crane wakes up in the body of the android.
He creates a human mask for himself and takes on a new identity, that of
Paul Dennis. He tracks down his killers, gets back together with Joan Carter,
his girlfriend, and then goes out to fight crime, with the help of his
talking robot dog Robbie. Robotman has superstrength, acute mechanical
eyes, "microphonic ears," and is fueled by several hundred horsepower,
although he can and does run down and need recharging.
Rocke
Wayburn. Rocke Wayburn is an "adventurous rover" who
roams the South Seas and the dockfronts of America looking for adventure.
Rocket
Boy. Billy Wood is a young boy who Cal Martin, aka Rocketman,
gives a jetpack to. Billy, as Rocket Boy, helps Cal fight crime. He has
no superpowers but can fly via the jetpack.
Rocketgirl.
Doris Dalton is the fiancee of Cal Martin, Rocketman,
and when Cal invents a flying jetpack he gives one to her. She helps him
fight crime as Rocketgirl. She has no powers but can fly via the jetpack.
Rocketman.
Cal Martin, an inventor and adventurer, creates a "three-cartridge rocket
pack" jetpack that allows him to fly through the air. He makes one for
his fiancée Doris Dalton, and together they fight crime and the
Germans as Rocketman and Rocketgirl.
They are partnered with Billy Wood, a young boy who they gave a jetpack
to and who helps them as Rocket Boy.
Cal has no powers but can fly with the jetpack.
Rocket
Rooney. Rocket is a spaceship pilot and adventurer in
the far future. He and his "boon companion," Professor Watts of the Technical
Research Bureau," go exploring and have various adventures on- and off-planet.
Rocket has no superpowers but is actually a good scientist as well as being
a two-fisted type.
Rockman.
Rockman (he doesn't seem to have any other name) is the leader/king of
the underground kingdom of Abysmia, which is located somewhere underneath
the United States and consists of the descendants of the first white inhabitants
of the American continent. He's been monitoring events aboveground for
some time when he finally loses his patience and leaves for the surface,
to help America against its enemies. He has access to advanced science,
including monitoring equipment and a "digger car." He has exceptional speed
and fighting ability, has a supertough body, limited superstrength, does
not need oxygen to breath and is immune to the pressures of the sea-depths.
Rocky
Ryan. Rocky is a two-fisted freelance adventuring type;
to quote from his first appearance, "into the British fort at Bunnu on
the northern front of a turbulent India rides a lone traveller (sic) on
a foam-flecked horse, a free-lance adventurer, a man that fights with a
grim smile, a man that lives and breathes action and daily strife, Rocky
Ryan...."
Rod
Rian. Rod Rian is a heroic agent for the Inter-Planetary
Police (or the "Sky Police") in the year 2500 AD. He keeps the space lanes
free of pirates.
Rodeo
Rick. Rick is a heroic cowboy.
Roko
the Amazing. High school art student and, of course,
great patriot Lon Crag is drawing a picture of Menelaos when the picture
comes to life and grants him a wish; Lon's is that he wants to be "a great
and good hero...like Captain America!" Menelaos tells him that when he
says "Ilium" (or "Illium," as in the panel above--it was none too consistent)
he "will have the wisdom of Ulysses, the battle-prowess of Agamemnon and
the invulnerability of Achilles" (along with Achilles' weakness). Lon says
the word and turns into a tall, muscular man with a small, round, red shield
(with the Greek three-dancing-legs design on it), and goes off to fight
evil. In addition to the powers of Ulysses, Agamemnon, and Achilles, he's
also got superstrength and can fly.
Roy
Lance. Roy Lance is an international globe trotter who
prefers Africa to "civilization."
Roy
the Super Boy. Roy was an orphan shoeshine boy who had
the good luck to be discovered by Blaine Whitney, aka The
Wizard. Blaine sees something in Roy and takes him under his
wing, training him to be his sidekick, Roy the Super Boy. Roy is also a
member of the Boy Buddies. He has no
superpowers.
Rudy the Robot. See the Li'l Professor. Rulah
the Jungle Goddess. Rulah is Jane Dodge, a rich American
orphan who is bored and flying over Africa when her plane crashes in the
jungle. Rulah is left in rags, so she skins a giraffe, saves a native tribe
from white trickery, and becomes a Sheena-clone. She has no superpowers
but is good in a fight and has a pet panther named Saber.
Runaway
Ronson. Runaway Ronson is the "streamengineer," the driver/conductor
of a super-fast train.
Rurik.
Rurik is a king of the Danes who travels the seas of the Baltic, North,
and Atlantic oceans in search of adventure during the years of the Vikings.
He goes as far as the Antarctic, where he even finds a lost world. He is
helped by his faithful fumbler Reith.
Rusty
(I). Rusty is the sidekick of Major
Hornet. In his spare time he is a member of the Pals
of Freedom. He has the same costume and like him has no powers.
Rusty
(II). Rusty is, in civilian life, the ward of Don Stevens;
in costumed form he is the sidekick of the Defender.
He is a good fighter but has no superpowers.
Rusty
(III). Rusty is a strapping young adventurer who fights
evil around the world and tries to make a profit thereby. He is helped
by his "pals," the beautiful brunette Duchess and a kid gang, led by the
blond Steve. Rusty has no superpowers but has the usual explorer/adventurer
set of skills.
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