The Golden Age Directory: G

The text on this site, except where otherwise credited, is © copyright 2004 Jess Nevins, and may not be duplicated, in part or in whole, without my permission.

Gale Allen. Gale Allen is the distaff version of Bud Crandall, although active in the year 1990 A.D. rather than farther in the future. She is a member of the Woman’s Space Battalion and a fighter for good in the far reaches of space. She is helped by her sweetie, Captain Jack North, and sometimes works "in the fortified city of Buffalo." She is armed with blaster and spaceship.
First Appearance: Planet Comics #4 (Fiction House)

The Gargoyle. Dan Collins, a playboy fashion plate, fights crime in top hat and tails. He has no superpowers, although he does have guns.
First Appearance: Captain Aero #4 (Holyoke)

Garry. Garry is the youthful lab assistant and sidekick to Speed Gale. When the call comes for help Garry takes the secret formula alongside Speed and gains powers of flight and superstrength.
First Appearance: Super Duper Comics #1 (Cartoon Art Productions)

Gary Concord. Gary Concord is the Ultra Man, an adventurer of the future. To quote someone whose name I don't know:

Born on the battlefields of France, Gary Concord lost his parents during World War One and vowed "to wipe out war." In an underground bunker, Concord was on the verge of creating a chemical so powerful that he would use "its very frightfulness to force man to peace." In early July of 1950, a catastrophic world war struck the United States and bombing raids struck Concord's lab, knocking scores of chemicals to the floor. The volatile mixture created a foam that threatened to engulf the trapped Concord. Moments before he sank into the mixture, Gary at last hit upon and recorded his "formula for peace." Gary awakened to find the chemicals draining from his bunker thanks to an earthquake. To his astonishment, the year was now 2174! With mankind still racked by war, Concord (now enhanced with greater height and muscle due to the foam) returned to his formula for peace. Using derivatives of the foam, bombs struck war-mongering cities and placed their inhabitants in suspended animation. Hailed as a man of peace, Concord married a woman named Leanadra and they had a son, Gary II, in 2214. Concord died at the age of 100 (or 324) in 2239. Gary II continued his father's good works as Ultra-Man.
First Appearance: All-Ameican Comics #8 (DC)

Gary Hawkes. Gary is a top pilot and soldier of fortune who with his gunner Spike fights for good and profit around the world.
First Appearance: sometime before or in More Fun Comics #44 (DC)

Gary Morgan. Gary is a foreign correspondent who travels the world reporting on the war. He is helped by his sweetie and assistant Miss Watson.
First Appearance: Spitfire Comics #1 (Harvey)

The Gaucho. The Gaucho is a wealthy Argentinian rancher who fights crime in the Old West. He is assisted by his stereotype pal, Sanchez.
First Appearance: C-M-O Comics #1 (Centaur)

Gay Ghost. Keith Everet, the Earl of Strethmere in Ireland in the year 1700, is riding to Ulster to visit his love, Deborah Wallace, when he is shot and killed. His spirit is met by his ancestors, who send him back to earth to “avenge the evil that men do.” But he can’t return to Earth until Deborah dies for good—and she keeps being reincarnated. Finally, in 1941, Charles Collins, the boyfriend of Deborah Wallace’s direct descendant, is killed, and Keith, not able to wait any more, enters Charles’ body and reanimates it. He goes on to fight evil and spies. He can fly, has superstrength, can become immaterial, and has other plot-device powers.
First Appearance: Sensation Comics #1 (DC)

Genius Jones. Johnny "Genius" Jones, a young boy, is stranded on a desert island, just him and 734 books. He's there for a few years, and reads all of the books, taking every bit of information from them. Then he burns the books to attract the attention of a passing ship. Once back in civilization he sets himself up as the Answer Man, a costumed hero who answered questions and solved crimes and problems for a fee. He had no superpowers but had a very advanced lab and was very intelligent and learned.
First Appearance: Adventure Comics #77 (DC)

The Ghost. Brad Hendricks fought against the Germans in occupied Europe. He had no superpowers, but flew the whizzo Ghost Plane.
First Appearance: Daredevil Comics #5 (Lev Gleason)

The Ghost of Flanders. Rip Graves fought against the Germans in occupied Europe. He has above-average (but not superhuman) strength but no superpowers.
First Appearance: Hit Comics #18 (Quality)

Ghost Patrol. Fred, Pedro and Slim were members of the French Foreign Legion who were killed while attempting to avoid hurting innocents; they had been ordered to bomb innocent villagers but were dropping the bombs in the desert when their own plane exploded. (It had been sabotaged) Rather than going on to their final reward, they were stuck on this plane as ghosts, and decided to use their new status to fight the Germans and after the war ordinary criminals. As ghosts they could fly, walk through walls, and act invisibly. They could also materialize, but were vulnerable in that form.
First Appearance: Flash Comics #29 (DC)

Gimmick Girl. See Merry the Girl of 1000 Gimmicks.

Girl Commandos. The sidekicks to Pat Parker, this quartet of American, English, Chinese, and Russian girls acted as distaff versions of the Boy Commandos, fighting against the Germans.
First Appearance: Speed Comics #35 (Harvey)

Gladiator. Jakeoster contributes the following:

The Gladiator was really art connoisseur Dan Kenneth. He fought crime dressed as a Roman gladiator.
First appearance: Fantastic Comics #23 (Fox)

Golden Arrow. Professor Paul Parsons develops a gas that would revolutionize air travel. He is testing the gas in a cross-country balloon trip with his wife and child when the balloon is shot down by Brand Braddock, who wants the formula for himself. Paul’s son, Roger, is the only survivor. Roger is carried off by a mountain lion before Braddock can arrive. Roger is then saved from the mountain lion by prospector Nugget Ned. Ned overhears Braddock talking about what happened and vows to keep Roger’s identity a secret. Ned raises Roger, who grows up in the wilds, developing wonderful strength, reflexes, and eyesight. He becomes uncanny with a bow and arrow, making the tips of the arrows out of the gold which Ned finds. When Roger becomes a man Ned has a heart attack and dies, although not before telling Roger who his real father was. Roger, on his mighty horse White Wind, avenges his fathers death and then goes on to fight crime on the frontier as the Golden Arrow. The Arrow had no superpowers but was almost superhumanly good with his bow and arrow.
First Appearance: Whiz Comics #2 (Fawcett) Note: Michael Norwitz prompts me to mention that some of the Golden Arrow's adventures took place in the Old West, although he also crossed over with Captain Marvel and the other Fawcett characters in one story.

Golden Girl (I). Peggy Shane finds a sliver of Golden Lad’s Heart of Gold, and when she utters the magic words “Heart of Gold,” she gains powers like Golden Lad’s. She puts on a costume and fights crime alongside him. She can fly and has superstrength.
First Appearance: Golden Lad #5 (Spark)

Golden Girl (II). Betsy Ross, a WAC and secret government agent working for the FBI, was friends with Steve Rogers and Bucky Buchanan during the early years of the war, and was romantically involved with Steve Rogers. When Bucky is shot in action, in 1948, Captain America chooses her to replace Bucky. He trains her and she puts on the yellow costume of the Golden Girl and helps Cap; at one point she teamed up with Namora and Sun Girl. She has no powers, but is a good fighter.
First Appearance: Captain America Comics #66 (Timely)

Golden Lad. Tommy Preston, working in his grandfather's antique shop, finds the Mixtec/Aztec "Heart of Gold," an artifact empowered by “the blood of a thousand martyred Aztecs” and which gives “strength and courage” to those pure of heart and devoted to justice. Tommy only has to utter the words “Heart of Gold” (in English, of course) and gain his powers, which he uses to fight crime. Later on Tommy is helped by Golden Girl. Tommy has superstrength and can fly.
First Appearance: Golden Lad #1 (Spark)

Great Defender. Stormy Foster is a meek, small, timid and frail clerk in a pharmacy when he accidentally discovers a “super vitamin pill.” When he takes the pill he gains great strength and invulnerability. Stormy keeps up the façade of a meek pharmacy clerk and puts on a costume and fights crime as the Great Defender.
First Appearance: Hit Comics #18 (Quality)

Green Arrow. Olvier Queen is a playboy millionaire with a keen interest in Indian artifacts and lore. He is traveling to Lost Mesa, hoping to get "valuable Indian remains," when he runs across Roy Harper and Quoag. Roy was marooned on Lost Mesa after a plane crash which left him with only Quoag, the family "Indian servant." Roy trained himself to be an expert with a bow and arrow. Oliver finds Roy and Quoag at about the same time that several crooks find Oliver. There's a battle that ends with Oliver and Roy fighting off the criminals and Quoag dead. Roy and Oliver team up to fight crime as the costumed Green Arrow and Speedy. Green Arrow is a member of the 7 Soldiers of Victory. Green Arrow does not have any superpowers, but is an ace archer, has a variety of trick arrows, and drives the Arrowmobile, a pseudo-Batmobile.
First Appearance: More Fun Comics #73 (DC)

Green Falcon. The Green Falcon is Robin Hood in all the particulars except name.
First Appearance: Blue Ribbon Comics #4 (Archie)

Green Giant. This character, who is originless and whose alter ego is “Brentwood,” fights crime. He is invulnerable and is roughly 15 stories tall.
First Appearance: Green Giant #1 (Pelican)

The Green Hornet. Britt Reid, the grand-nephew of the Lone Ranger, is a bored playboy who with his Filipino valet Kato fights crime. He has no superpowers, but is good in a fight, drives a fast roadster called the Black Beauty, and has a sleep-gas gun.
First Appearance: Green Hornet Comics #1 (Harvey)

Green Knight. Denis Knight dressed in armor and fought criminals. He was assisted by the Lance (II). He had no superpowers.
First Appearance: Bulls-Eye Comics #11 (Harry "A" Chesler)

Green Lama. Jethro Dumont, a very wealthy college student, is interested in Buddhism and travels to Tibet to learn more about it. He studies it for several years, eventually becoming an ordained priest. At this exalted level he gains powers when he chants the "Jewel Lotus mantra," om mani padme om. So he decides to return to the US and do something good with his powers: fighting crime. He sets up in a manse on Park Avenue and is assisted by his Tibetan valet, Tsarong. He has invulnerability and can fly.
First Appearance: Green Lama # 1 (Prize)

Green Lantern. Alan Scott, a young engineer, is the only survivor of a sabotaged train wreck. He wanders away from the accident but takes with him a green lantern. It begins talking to him, telling him that it fell to Earth as a meteor hundreds of years ago, having been transofrmed into a Chinese lamp and then a train lantern via its green energy. Alan is the newest owner and is the one to fulfill its prophecy. Alan agrees, puts on a costume, makes a ring from the lantern, and fights crime. He is a member of the Justice Society of America. His ring has a 24-hour-long charge, and with it he can do anything he wants to. However, after 24-hours the charge is gone and he is powerless. Also, the ring, which can make green shapes and constructs, is vulnerable to wood.
First Appearance: All-American Comics #16 (DC)

Green Mask (I). Michael Selby (later Shelby), an independently wealthy private eye, first becomes the Green Mask to fight crime. Later on he is placed in a "vita-ray" chamber and subjected to "super-charged shocks." These give him powers, and he deides to fight crime and rackets as a "miracle man." He is assisted by Domino. Michael can fly through the air, has super-strength and invulnerability, and also has various other plot-device powers. He also has and uses guns.
First Appearance: Mystery Men #1 (Fox)

Green Mask (II). Johnny Green (no relation except through the name of the hero to Green Mask (I)) gets angry at "crime and injustice." So angry, as a matter of fact, that when he sees either happening he changes into a full-sized, very strong and very angry adult--the Green Mask--and goes out and slaps around crime. Once the threat has passed he turns back into a very tired Johnny Green. He has no superpowers apart from changing into an adult--and we all do that, eventually.
First Appearance: Green Mask #12 (Fox)

The Green Mist. See Amazing Man.

Green Turtle. The Green Turtle, originless and nameless, fought crime and evil in the US but primarily in China. He was assisted by Burma Boy. He had no powers but was good in a fight and flew the "Turtle Plane" against the enemy.
First Appearance: Blazing Comics #1 (Enwill Publishing)

Grenade. Jakeoster contributes the following:

Bruce Corbet was inspired to put on a costume and call himself the Grenade in order to avenge his brother who had been
killed by a Nazi potato-masher.
First appearance: Captain Flight #5 (Four Star)

Grim Reaper. Bill Norris fought crime and German and Japanese agents in occupied Europe and America as the costumed Grim Reaper. He had no superpowers but had and used guns (twin .45s).
First Appearance: The Fighting Yank #7 (Better)

Grit Grady. "The little tramp steamer Suzy-Q lazily plows thru the South Pacific Ocean...its owner Grit Grady, adventurer, is as usual looking for trouble...."
First Appearance: Captain Aero #1 (Holyoke)

The Guardian. Jim Harper is a product of New York's Suicide Slum, one of the worst parts of the city. He returns to it as an adult, now a police man, and vowing to make the slum a better place. He gets beaten up by local hoods and realizes that he can't fight them under the law. So he breaks into a costume shop, puts together a disguise (paying for it, of course), and goes and beats up the hoods. He is assisted by the Newsboy Legion. He has no superpowers but is good in a fight and carries a bulletproof shield.
First Appearance: Star-Spangled Comics #7 (DC)

Guardian Angel. Hop Harrigan decides to becomes a costumed fighter just like all the other kids are doing and becomes the Guardian Angel.
First Appearance: All-American Comics #25 (DC)

"Gunner" Thompson. "Gunner" is a "champion pistol shot" and a freelance adventurer who hires out to people and towns in need of crimefighters.
First Appearance: Exciting Comics #1 (Better Publications)

G-2. G-2, aka Don Leash, was a top secret agent for the U.S. government.
First Appearance: National Comics #27 (Quality)

G-5. See X-5.

Introduction
As
Bs
Cs
Ds
Es
Fs
Gs
Hs
Is
Js
Ks
Ls
Ms
Ns
Os
P-Qs
Rs
Ss
Ts
Us
Vs
Ws
X-Zs