The Saint. This is the comic version of the more famous literary character.
First Appearance: Silver Streak Comics #18 (Lev Gleason)

Sally O'Neil. She's a plainclothes policewoman.
First Appearance: National Comics #1 (Quality)

Samar. Jakeoster contributes the following:

 Samar was a typical blond jungle lord in typical jungle lord adventures.

Samson. Samson is a direct descendant of the Biblical Samson, wears the same general style of clothes (loincloth and sandals), and for no particular reason decides to fight crime. He has great superstrength and can perform Hulk-style leaps. He is vulnerable to having his hair cut, but it regrows in hours. He is assisted by David.
First Appearance: Fantastic Comics #1 (Fox)

Sand Hog. Bob Stevens is the "Sand Hog," the heroic tunneler who fights crime and...er...digs tunnels, specifically one under Long Island. He is helped by his boss, "Big Steve."
First Appearance: Amazing Mystery Funnies v2 n4 (Centaur)

Sandman. Wesley Dodd is a millionaire who is sickened by crime, and so he builds himself an undergound lab, invents a sleeping gas, and then goes to work putting the bad guys to sleep. He is helped by his girlfriend Dian Belmont and later by Sandy the Golden Boy, his child sidekick. In time he changes from his pulp-style overcoat and gas mask into a superhero-style costume. He is a member of the Justice Society of America. He has no powers but is good in a fight and uses a gas gun.
First Appearance: Adventure Comics #40 (DC)

Sandra of the Secret Service. Sandra is an agent of the American Secret Service. She is competent, capable of holding her own in hand-to-hand combat as well as hatching and carrying out plans of her own, and patriotic. She has no superpowers.
First Appearance: New Fun Comics #1 (DC)

Sandy Kean. Sandy Kean is a tough, no-nonsense cop in charge of the Radio Squad, a group of like-minded policemen who prowls the streets of the City, fighting crime and keeping in touch via that newfangled invention, radio.
First Appearance: More Fun Comics #11 (DC)

Sandy the Golden Boy. Sandy Hawkins is the orphaned newphew of Dian Belmont, the girlfriend of Wesley Dodd, aka The Sandman. Sandy ends up being adopted by Wes, and teams up with him to fight crime as Sandy the Golden Boy. Sandy has no superpowers but can fight real good.
First Appearance: Adventure Comics #69 (DC)

Scarab. Jakeoster contributes the following:

Peter Ward, an Egyptologist, would rub his magic Scarab Ring to transform into the crime-fighting Scarab. He was assisted by
Akh-tu-men, an intelligent black cat. As the Scarab, Pete was super strong, invulnerable, and could fly.

Sargon. Jakeoster contributes the following:

 John Sargent was a stage magician who gained magical powers from the Ruby of Life. When he wasn’t performing on
stage, Sargon used his magical powers to fight crime and other good deeds. He was assisted in his efforts by his rotund
sidekick/manager, Maximilian O’Leary.

Scarlet Arrow. Alan Bidel is the crime fighting archer the Scarlet Arrow.
First Appearance: Black Cat #5 (Harvey)

Scarlet Avenger. "The Scarlet Avenger in real life is Jim Kendall. He has devoted himself to wiping out gangland ever since the death of his wife and child. An airplane in which they were flying was hijacked because it was carrying a cargo of gold bullion. It crashed and all the occupants except Jim himself were killed. In the accident his facial muscles were paralyzed, and Jim is now the man who never smiles. Behind Kendall's stony face there is a giant scientific brain. He brings science to the aid of his crusade. He has fashioned for himself a scarlet robe, woven from steel into a super-fine, bullet-proof steel-mesh cloak. His identity is unknown even to his own aides. The flaming arrow is the emblem of the Scarlet Avenger!"
First Appearance: Zip Comics #1 (Archie)

Scarlet Nemesis. Rocky Ford is a smug, smirking private investigator by day. By night he is the crime-fighting Scarlet Nemesis. His partner at the detective agency is Judy Allen, although Rocky usually makes her clean the office and tries (but fails) to keep her out of the way in cases. Rocky does not know that Judy is really the Black Orchid, and is honorable enough not to remove her mask when he has the chance. The Scarlet Nemesis and the Black Orchid don't have any sort of formal arrangement, but if they appear at the same crime scene at the same time they'll work together. The Nemesis has no superpowers.
First Appearance: All New Comics #2 (Family/Harvey)

Scarlet Phantom. Jack Winstead is an ace reporter for the Evening Globe. Unfortunately, his inventor father is murdered just as he completes his invention, a "phantom cloak." The cloak, which doubles as a snazzy red costume for Jack, gives Jack invisibility whenever he wants it, and so Jack becomes the Scarlet Phantom to avenge his father and fight crime.
First Appearance: All New Comics #2 (Family/Harvey)

Scoop Scanlon. Scoop is the ace reporter for the Bulletin and someone who makes the news as often as he breaks it. He is assisted by his photographer pal Rusty.
First Appearance: Action Comics #1 (DC)

Scoop Smith. Smith was a top newshound, breaking stories and criminals' jaws with equal abandon. He was assisted by Blimp Black.
First Appearance: Whiz Comics #2 (Fawcett)

Scott Rand. Scott Rand is the young assistant to Dr. Joel Meade, the inventor of the "time car," which Scott pilots. Together they travel through time, having the usual time-traveler adventures.
First Appearance: Top-Notch #1 (Archie)

Secret Agent M-11. M-11 works for an unnamed American counter-intelligence agency and fights against "foreign spies and dangerous espionage agents."
First Appearance: Prize Comics #1 (Prize)

Secret Agent Z-2. Z-2 is the "Government Ace," a top criminal and espionage investigator for the American government. He is seconded to whichever Agency needs him the most.
First Appearance: Crash Comics #1 (Tem Publishing)

Secret Stamp. Roddy Colt is a New York schoolboy who, when crime occurs or danger threatens the USA, puts on "the good old uniform of victory" and becomes The Secret Stamp. He is known and admired--the Stamp, that is--and is a good rabble rouser in the name of patriotism. Colt always pulls a Clark Kent when the Stamp is needed and emerges later to claim that he got lost or some such excuse. The Stamp has no powers but is a good fighter.
First Appearance: USA Comics #7 (Timely)

Senorita Rio. Rita Farrar is a successful Hollywood actress, but her fiance died during the Pearl Harbor bombings, and this has her very upset. She finally decides that she wants to serve her country in a direct way, and so fakes her own suicide, moves to Rio de Janeiro, and prowls Brazil and South America (that’s a big beat, right there), fighting the Germans, Japanese, and their agents and sympathizers. After the war she fights the newer enemies of America and has other adventures. She is a good fighter but has no superpowers.
First Appearance: Fight Comics #19 (Fiction House)

Sentinel. The nameless Sentinel is created by the "Spirit of America;" his costume is that of a Revolutionary War minuteman. He appears surrounded by a corona of flame.
First Appearance: Liberty Scouts #3 (Centaur)

Sergeant Bill King. Sergeant Bill King is a heroic British soldier active in Europe against the Germans.
First Appearance: Exciting Comics #1 (Better Publications)

Sergeant Blake. Sergeant Blake is a Canadian Mountie who helps the Indians and fights crime in the mountains. Sometimes he's also "Inspector Blake," an American detective who travels around the U.S. fighting crime.
First Appearance: All Great Comics #1 (Fox)

Sergeant Boyle. Sergeant Boyle is an ordinary, patriotic fighting man and soldier doing his best to help the U.S.A. against the evil Germans and Japanese. He has no superpowers.
First Appearance: Pep Comics #2 (Archie)

Sergeant Flagg. Sergeant Flagg is a two-fisted Marine active in Shanghai fighting for freedom and against the Japanese in this very racist strip.
First Appearance: Victory Comics #1 (Centaur)

Sergeant O'Malley. Sergeant O'Malley is a heroic Mountie aided by Black Hawk, his native guide and friend, and by Flame, his loyal and intelligent dog.
First Appearance: sometime before or in More Fun Comics #52 (DC)

Sergeant Spook. Sergeant Spook is an ordinary police scientist who is working on a chemical analysis when he "absent mindedly leans his pipe against a rack containing vials of chemicals." This sets off an explosion which kills him. However, luckily for us all, Sergeant Spook's ghost remains, and he decides to fight crime as a ghost. He can't be heard or seen but he can physically affect people and things as well as walk through walls.
First Appearance: Blue Bolt #1 (Funnies, Inc)

7 Soldiers of Victory. The 7 Soldiers came together to fight The Hand, who had summoned and was using various villains that the Soldiers had individually fought. They stayed together to fight other crimes. They consisted of the Crimson Avenger, Green Arrow, Speedy, the Shining Knight, the Star-Spangled Kid, Stripesy, and the Vigilante.
First Appearance: Leading Comics #1 (DC)

711. Daniel Dyce is a District Attorney with a good heart but faulty judgment, and when his friend Jacob Horn, who is Daniel's exact double, wants to see his wife give birth, Daniel agrees and switches places with him. The problem is that Jacob is on trial, and ends up convicted to life behind bars in Westmoor Prison. Daniel goes to the Big House, wearing number 711. Worse, Jacob gets hit by a car and dies on his way to see his wife, leaving Daniel in the clink for good. Daniel tunnels his way outside but finds that everyone has forgotten about him. Rather than reassume his identity, however, he decides to remain an inmate, but fight crime on the outside as 711, leaving calling cards behind so that his victims will know their fate. He has no superpowers. Michael Norwitz adds, "#711 was actually killed in action during a police shootout; over his body we saw the first appearance of Destiny, who took over his slot in Police Comics."
First Appearance: Police Comics #1 (Quality)

Shadow. Lamont Cranston gains the mysterious power to cloud men's minds so they cannot see him. He uses this power, his girasol ring, and a pair of trusty automatics to bring justice to an evil world. He is helped by Shadow, Jr.
First Appearance: Shadow Comics #1 (Street and Smith)

Shadow, Jr. This youth, whose name is either Donald Jordan or Donald Dart, is the sidekick of the Shadow.
First Appearance: Shadow Comics #6 (Street and Smith)

Shaman. Don Wickett is a crime-busting radio announcer for WWGL, but that's not enough for him. He wants to do more than that, so he puts on a mask and begins fighting crime. He is assisted by his secretary Kandy Wilson who is his sidekick Flame. He has no superpowers.
First Appearance: Golden Lad #5 (Spark)

Shangra. "Many centuries ago in a unknown region of Tibetan (sic) was born the 7th son of a 7th son of Shangra the Great, king of all the Tibetan country. He was endowed with great mastery of magic, supernatural ability and sorcery. History forgot him until two Americans flying to cover the Sino-Japanese War for their newspapers have engine trouble and accidentally land the plane in an unknown region." Joan Joyce and Jack Flynn are the reporters, Shangra centuries-old Tibetan wonderworker, and there you go.
First Appearance: Crash Comics #1 (Tem Publishing)

Shark. The Shark is the "son of Father Neptune" and fights for justice on the high seas. He is helped in this job by "Pops," aka Neptune Himself. From his first appearance"

Humans call him the Shark because he is most frequently seen in company with a school of large man eating sharks. But now we proceed to enter the secret home of His Majesty The Shark, king of all sea life. As we go on through this tunnel (which no human has ever seen) we find at the en a large steel door! When the door is open you step into an air lock. And the first thing you see after coming out of the air lock is the throne room of the Shark--other rooms are about the castle.

And now at last we see the Shark-Man himself--you will note his large webbed hands. His feet are also webbed, then too, you will note, the sharks that are swimming around him. They are his friends, the same as the apes are the ape-man's friends--in water the Shark has the strength of ten whales and can swim as fast as the same--but out of water he has no more strength than a mere man--but the Shark is gifted with a strong sense of hypnosis. He can make an image of himself appear out of any water as if he were a genie.

Inventions unknown to the outer world have been developed and used by the Shark--one being a one way television set whose receiver need be nothing but a blank wall.

Shark Brodie. Shark is a soldier of fortune working the South Seas.
First Appearance: Fight Comics #1 (Fiction House)

Sheena. Sheena is the first and the greatest of the female versions of Tarzan. Just go to the link and drink in the wonders of Sheena.
First Appearance: Jumbo Comics #1 (Fiction House)

The Shield. Joe Higgins suffers from a tragedy as a child when his father Tom, an agent for the FBI, is killed in an explosion set up by one of his enemies. The dying Tom tells his son about a formula he'd been working on but had not completed; the name of the formula is SHIELD, for Sacrum, Heart, Innervation, Eyes, Lungs, and Derma. Joe goes to school and becomes a chemist. He completes his formula but before making use of it finds out who his father's killer was and goes after him. Joe is badly beaten and then left at the site of another explosion. Joe slinks back to his lab, badly wounded, and rubs the formula into his body. He seals himself into a special suit and then lies under "flouroscopic rays" for 12 hours. This alters his body enough that he has superpowers, and he uses them to fight the bad guys as the SHIELD. He joines the FBI, with only J. Edgar Hoover and his immediate boss Col. Henry Boyle knowing his secret identity. He is helped by Dusty. The Shield has superstrength, invulnerability, can perform Hulk leaps, and wears an indestructible costume.
First Appearance: Pep Comics #1 (Archie)

Shining Knight. Justin, a knight of Camelot's Round Table, ventured from Camelot to fight an ogre. He succeeded, but fell into a crevasse where he and his winged horse Winged Victory were frozen in ice for centuries. He is thawed out at the beginning of World War Two and becomes guardian of Winston Churchill and a fighter for the Allies. He is assisted by and is a member of the 7 Soldiers of Victory. He has no superpowers, but his horse, Winged Victory, has wings and can fly, his magic sword can cut a hole through anything and deflect bullets, and his armor is invulnerable.
First Appearance: Adventure Comics #66 (DC)

Shipwreck Roberts. Roberts is an adventurer, diver, and salvage man active in the South Pacific and fighting everyone from mad scientists to giant octopi. He also makes use of minisubs in his adventures. He is assisted by "Deep Sea Doodle." (Could I make up a name like that? Would I?)
First Appearance: Master Comics #1 (Fawcett)

Shock Gibson: see Human Dynamo.

Sidi. Sidi is the racist stereotype sidekick of the Magnet. Although he is stereotypical in  speech and actions he is also quite capable, a good fighter and tracker.
First Appearance: Complete Book of Comics and Funnies #1 (Better)

Silver Scorpion. Betty Barstow, the secretary to private detective Dan Hurley, is on her way to a costume ball, in superheroine-style costume, when she decides to investigate a crime her boss didn't want to look into. She solves the case, using her jiu-jitsu skills, and decides to make a practice of fighting crime.
First Appearance: Daring Mystery Comics #7 (Timely)

Silver Streak. The title character was a taxi driver who had the misfortune to be hypnotised by a swami with a penchant for building race cars. Unfortunately, the swami's best race car, the Silver Streak, seems to be targeted by someone or something, for every time someone drives it they are attacked and killed by a giant insect. The taxi driver is attacked and killed, but the swami brings him back to life and puts him behind the wheel of the Silver Streak to find the bad guy. Then, without much explanation, he becomes a costumed hero with a "secret fluid" in his blood which allowed him to defy gravity. He was partnered with Mercury, later Meteor. The Streak also had a superfast pet falcon named Whiz, who like Mercury got his powers from a blood transfusion. The Streak's superpowers include superspeed and flight.
First Appearance: Silver Streak Comics #3 (Lev Gleason)

Simba. Simba is a heroic lion.
First Appearance: Jungle Comics #1 (Fiction House)

Skip Schuyler. Skip Schuyler is a Lieutenant in the U.S. Army who goes on "special government assignment" wherever there's trouble. Naturally, this brings him around the world, always fighting for the U.S. of A. and always winning. He has no superpowers but is a good fighter.
First Appearance: Sometime before Adventure Comics #40 (DC)

Skull Squad. The Squad consisted of Jock Macgregor, a Scotsman, Jimmy Jones, a Yank, and Kent Douglas, a Brit. They fought the Nazis.
First Appearance: Wings Comics #1 (Fiction House)

Sky-Devils. Lt. Ronald Wolverstone-Clod is a British fighter pilot. Lt. Rene D'Auvergne is a "French World War ace and expert swordsman." They are the Sky-Devils, the assistants to K-4.
First Appearance: Daring Mystery Comics #2 (Timely)

Sky-Devils. Ronald Byrd, mighty-thewed barbarian prince, contributes this:

Ginger Maguire, for whom "Sky Girl" was simply a nickname rather than a secret identity of any sort, was the star of several World War II aviation adventures, although, unlike virtually every other heroine of the era, Ginger was not putting on any dumb act and apparently WAS a genuine less-than-liberated mental lightweight, constantly in search of a husband as well as a career in aviation (two rather mutually exclusive goals in the 1940s mindset, one would think). Post-war, Sky Girl got a job as a waitress (and went from redhead to blonde) but continued to be drawn into aerial adventures. She had no powers.

Skyman. Allen Turner, raised by his scientist to be a perfect human, grows up to be outstanding in body and mind. With the money he receives from his uncle's will he fulfills his vow of fighting crime from on high. Skyman has no powers, but he is a scientist and inventor of great ability and has a high tech airplane called the Wing. The Wing is boomerang shaped and flies by the power of the Earth's magnetic poles. It can achieve speeds of 800 mph and hover , allowing Skyman to descend on a cable.
First Appearance: The Skyman #1 (Columbia)

Sky Ranger. Bruce is a heroic pilot, and Pug and Hap are his two friends (Hap's the kid). Together they have adventures.
First Appearance: The Funnies #45 (Dell)

The Skyrocket. "Through his technical knowledge and flying experience, Ted Barry, ace investigator for the Department of Justice, became known only as the Skyrocket." Ted pilots a fighter plane, and does it well.
First Appearance: Bill Barnes Comics #1 (Street & Smith)

"Skyrocket" Steele. "Skyrocket" Steele Doyle is a two-fisted pilot and adventurer in the year "X" ("about 2500 A.D.") who has various adventures on- and off-planet with his friends Sari Marston and Peter Muhr.
First Appearance: Amazing Mystery Funnies v1 n2 (Centaur)

Sky Wizard. This nameless inventor and scientist cranks out miraculous inventions to help him in the war on crime. He is aided by his Sikh or Indian manservant Keeshan.
First Appearance: Miracle Comics #1 (Hillman)

Skywolf. Paul Storm is Polish, but after the German attack, in which he loses his wife and child, he becomes a citizen of no country. He puts on a mask, designs a special plane, and becomes a terror of the air. He has no superpowers.
First Appearance: Silver Streak Comics #4 (Lev Gleason)

Sky Wolf. Larry Wolfe is the Sky Wolf, a Blackhawk-like leader of a team of anti-German pilots. The Wolf is the best of the bunch, of course, but the others are feared by the Germans themselves. There's the Turtle, a brave Pole whose tongue was cut out of his mouth by the Germans, and who communicates with the others by tapping Morse Code with his head. There's the Judge, an aging Brit rejected by the RAF because of his age but still a top pilot. There's Cocky Roche, a "tough little cockney with a quick wit and a sharp tongue." And then there's the Wolf, who hears a wolf's head over his uniform. They fly special planes which can separate into two separate aircraft when required.
First Appearance: Air Fighters Comics #2 (Hillman)

Slam Bradley. Slam is a two-fisted, fight-first think-later private eye who prowls the mean streets of Cleveland. He’s not that bright, but he’s tough enough to make up for it. He is assisted by his partner Shorty Morgan. He had no superpowers, not that he ever needed them. On at least one occasion he went into outer space and fought against aliens. No foolin'!
First Appearance: Detective Comics #1 (DC)

Sleepy. Terry Wake is the teen-age manager of boxer Bob White. He is also Sleepy, the sidekick to the Bob's crime-fighting Nightmare.
First Appearance: Clue Comics #1 (Hillman)

The Sniper. This nameless character was a sharpshooter against the Germans in Occupied Europe.
First Appearance: Military Comics #5 (Quality)

Socko Strong. Socko Strong is a very much like Joe Palooka. That is, he a good-hearted and very strong boxer who uses his pugilistic skills to fight for good. His adventures bring him around the world. He's helped by his scrawny newspaper photographer friend Jerry Indutch.
First Appearance: Adventure Comics #40 (DC)

Solar. "Solar, Master of Magic" has a diamond from King Solomon's Mines. This gives him the "power of performing miracles." With that and his "Cape of Mystery" (which turns him invisible) Solar fights crime and the German menace.
First Appearance: Captain Aero #1 (Holyoke)

Solar Legion. In the year 2140 Man has just reached the stars. Interstellar pirates roam the spaceways. Luckily, a doughty two-fisted pilot and explorer named Adam Starr strikes back, attacking the pirates and forming the justice-sworn Solar Legion.
First Appearance: Crash Comics #1 (Tem Publishing)

"Solid" Jackson. Professor Xerxes Herakles Jackson, "known as 'Solid' to his intimates," is a top scientific detective as well as a stout puncher.
First Appearance: Jeep Comics #1 (R.B. Leffingwell)

Sorceress of Zoom. The Sorceress of Zoom is the ruler of a magical cloud city which appears and disappears as she wills it. In the city she "rules the fantastic creatures created by her magic spell." She tries to use her magic to take over the world but is defeated by the pure heart of Janice and the two fists of her boyfriend Tom.
First Appearance: Weird Comics #1 (Fox)

Space Admiral Curry. Space Admiral Curry is a skilled master of spaceships and men and takes control of "the universe" when it is threatened by the evil Rocko.
First Appearance: Planet Comics #5 (Fiction House)

Spacehawk. Spacehawk is a Neptunian who comes to Earth to fight for "the great nation of America" and for peace across the planet. His lover is Queen Haba of Noom, on Neptune. He has telepathy, invulnerability, and can fly, as well as having access to advanced alien technology.
First Appearance: Target Comics #5 (Funnies, Inc)

Space Legion. The Legion, led by Rock Braddon and Captain Graves, are the policemen of space and Earth in the far future of the late 21st century.
First Appearance: Crack Comics #1 (Quality)

Space Rangers. In the year 2300 C.E. civilian, passenger and merchant travel between the planets has increased to such a degree that the Earth, perhaps in anticipation of a surge in space piracy or perhaps in reaction to it (the story doesn't say), organizes the Space Rangers, a group of "fearless and daring" men, to "insure the safety of the sky travellers." Bob Raleigh and his pal Nibbs are the main characters of the strip and the best agents of the Space Rangers. Raleigh has a good record, and when the "Black Hawk" (alternatively, "Blackhawk") resumes his "terrorizing" of "the skies," robbing "plinium...the only known substitute for radium," Raleigh and Nibbs are assigned by their boss "the Commander" to track him down. They do, attacking his headquarters on Mercury, escaping from capture, rescuing Alyse, the Blackhawk's daughter, and using their ship's disintegrator on the Black Hawk. In a later adventure they deposed Carl Formes, the mad scientist and dictator of the planet of Glakor. (They do so by blowing him up)
First Appearance: Mystic Comics #2 (Timely)

Space Smith. To quote Mike Benton:

Space Smith...had a "girl companion" named Diana and they were "interplanetary explorers who patrol the far reaches of space to keep shipping an passenger lines clear of marauding pirates."  Space and Diana happily shared routine duties like blasting space hijackers and dumping them into vats of melted radium.

Spade of the Secret Service. Spade is a mystery man, an agent "of a hundred faces and a thousand tricks." No one knows who he is, only that he fights for American and against the enemies of freedom. He always leaves his symbol behind: a card with the Ace of Spades on it. He reports directly to the President.
First Appearance: Victory Comics #1 (Centaur)

Sparkler. Red Morgan finds a suit which allows him to turn invisible. He uses this to fight crime as the Sparkler.
First Appearance: Wham Comics #1 (Centaur)

Spark Man. Omar Kavak, a classical violinist, experiments with electricity until he finds away to charge himself up without harming himself. He then uses his ability to fight crime and then the Japanese as a soldier. He shocks the enemy through a special pair of gloves.
First Appearance: Sparkler Comics #1 (United Features)

"Spark" Stevens. "Spark" is a two-fisted, brawling sailor on the U.S.S. Dragon. He and his pal Chuck, both wireless operators, get into all sorts of trouble on their own and while fighting the Axis.
First Appearance: Wonderworld #3 (Fox Features)

Sparky (I). Sparky is the Red Blazer's sidekick. He has no superpowers, however.
First Appearance: Pocket Comics #1 (Harvey)

Sparky (II). Sparkington J. Northrup was the sidekick of the Blue Beetle. He wore the same bulletproof blue chainmail and also took the mystery vitamin 2X, which gave him the same superstrength as the Beetle.
First Appearance: Blue Beetle Comics #13 (Fox)

Sparky Watts. Sparky Watts was an ordinary college student trying to raise funds by selling magazines when he made the fateful choice to try to pitch them to Doc Static, a slightly odd inventor. Static agreed to buy some of Sparky's magazines if Sparky would agree to be a subject of one of Doc's experiments. Doc irradiates Sparky with cosmic rays, and Sparky gets superpowers, which he uses to fight crime, the Axis, and radioactive mutants, among others. Sparky has superspeed, superstrength, and invulnerability.
First Appearance: Big Shot Comics #14 (Columbia)

Spectre. Tough cop Jim Corrigan gets set up by mobster "Gat" Benson and thrown into the river in a barrel of cement. Corrigan dies, but instead of going on to heaven his spirit is met by a "Voice," which tells him he must return to Earth as a ghost to fight against crime. Corrigan returns as the revenant the Spectre, and fights against criminals mortal and occult. The Spectre's powers are immense, and he can do almost anything; when he is faced with someone or something more powerful than he, he approaches the "Voice" and gets help and extra power. He is assisted by Percival Popp, "Super Cop," and is a member of the Justice Society of America.
First Appearance: More Fun Comics #52 (DC)

Spectro. Bob Morgan has the ability to read minds and judge the souls of people. If they’re criminals, he deals with them.
First Appearance: Wonder Comics #1 (Better)

Speed Centaur. Speed Centaur is a member of a race of centaurs living in the Arctic. Unfortunately, an earthquake hits which destroys Speed's race. He is the only survivor and is brought to America by "Reel" McCoy, a reporter for the Daily Views. Speed decides to fight crime. Besides being a centaur, he has no superpowers.
First Appearance: Amazing Mystery Funnies #12 (Centaur)

Speed Gale. This nameless scientist discovers a formula which gives him the powers of flight and superstrength. He uses them to fight crime as Speed Gale. His m.o. is to wait in his lab for an emergency call on his Super Selective Radio Transmitter; when such a call comes, he and his sidekick Garry take the formula and fly off to deal with the malfeasors.
First Appearance: Super Duper Comics #1 (Cartoon Art Productions)

"Speed" Karr. "Speed" Karr is the teenaged, African-American sidekick of Red Robbins. Speed (or Speedy, depending on the story) is clever, resourceful, and a good detective.
First Appearance: All Your Comics #1 (Fox) Note: Much to my surprise "Speed" is wholly without stereotype. Even more astonishing to me is that the Red Robbins stories treat blacks in a fair and non-racist way--as people, without the horrible speech patterns and worse illustrations that mar so many other early comics. Red himself treats African-Americans as individuals and equals. It's amazing, but the Red Robbins stories are really quite ethnically progressive, and "Speed" is quite simply the best black character of the Golden Age comics. Who would have guessed that someone like this would come from Fox?

Speed Martin. Speed Martin is an ace newsreel cameraman who with his friend Mickey films the war and fights it, too.
First Appearance: The Funnies #45 (Dell)

Speed Saunders. Speed is an ace investigator for the Boat Patrol (later just a general police investigator) in an unnamed metropolis. He has no powers.
First Appearance: Detective Comics #1 (DC)

Speed Silvers. Speed is a heroic train driver who pilots a powerful, sleek train and does good for various people. He is assisted by Mike Muldoon, his co...what do they call the train driver's assistant, anyhow? Co-driver? Speed has no superpowers but as you might expect has learned to be good with his fists. He probably has had to, enduring the mockery of the other guys for his chosen profession.
First Appearance: Amazing Adventure Funnies #1 (Centaur)

Speedy. Roy Harper was marooned on Lost Mesa after a plane crash which left him with only Quoag, the family "Indian servant." He trained himself to be an expert with a bow and arrow. Some years later he is found by Oliver Queen, who rescues him and adopts him after Quoag is killed by criminals looking for Oliver. Roy becomes Speedy, the sidekick to Oliver's crime-fighting alter ego Green Arrow. Speedy has no superpowers but is an ace archer and has a variety of trick arrows.
First Appearance: More Fun Comics #73 (DC)

Spencer Steel. Spencer Steel is a two-fisted private eye.
First Appearance: sometime before or in Jumbo Comics #9 (Quality)

Sphinx.Ellsworth Forrester puts on a costume and fights crime as the Sphinx.
First Appearance: Exciting Comics #2 (Better)

Spider. Tom Hallaway, a wealthy playboy, decides that there's too much crime in the world and that he needs to do something about it. So he puts his skill at archery to good use, donning a cheery costume and nailing criminals as the Spider. He is helped by his valet and chauffeur Chuck. He is a killer vigilante. He has no superpowers but is very, very accurate with his arrows, has a "spider seal" that forces victims to drop their guns, uses various trick arrows, and the Black Widow, an enormously fast car.
First Appearance: Crack Comics #1 (Quality)

Spider Queen. Sharon Kane is the "sworn enemy" of all wrongdoers, and fights crime in a spider-themed costume. Jakeoster adds:

Spider Queen fought crime in a red skirt and mask, light blue blouse open to the navel, and yellow sash, cape, and boots.  Her specially designed bracelets ejected spider webbing!!!  Her detective boyfriend was Mike O'Bell.

Spider Widow. "Wealthy and beautiful sportswoman of society" Dianne Grayton gets bored with all that leisure time in her life and decides to become "the most horrible dispenser of justice of all times." She disguises herself as a withered old crone and uses spiders to frighten and punish the Bad Guys. Her power, such as it is, is the control of black widow spiders, and she is athletic and a good fighter.
First Appearance: Feature Comics #57 (Quality)

Spider Woman. Scott Nesmith contributes the following:

Since the death of her father, Dr. Goddard, Helen Goddard lives alone in his cabin in the Ozarks. When criminals arrive at the cabin intending to use it for a hideout, Helen dons a green, yellow and red leotard and a purple robe with a giant insect-headed hood and attacks them as Spider Woman. Despite being "afraid to use a gun," Spider Woman manages to capture the criminals using their fear of her appearance and her fathers animal traps. Spider Woman has no super powers.

The Spirit. Denny Colt, a criminologist, is battling with the evil Dr. Cobra when he is drenched in Cobra's formula, which is intended to put all of Central City in a coma. Colt is rendered senseless, and believed dead, so he is buried in Wildwood Cemetery. He appears at the doorstep of Police Commissioneer Dolan two days later, explaining that he'd only been in suspended animation. He decides to remain dead and fight crime as the costumed Spirit. His girlfriend is Ellen Dolan, and his assistant is Ebony White. He has no superpowers but is really, really, really tough.
First Appearance:

Spirit Man. Spirit Malcolm works from a hidden base to watch the world and find crime. When he does, he attacks it with the help of his assistant Ray Williams. He has no superpowers as such, but uses the Futurscope, which "projects on a screen any action that is going on in any part of the earth" and the Mistodine ray, which sends Malcolm's spirit to the location on which the Futurscope is trained, and the Rayodine gun, which is a simple blaster.
First Appearance: Silver Streak Comics #1 (Comics House)

Spirit of '76. Gary Blakely, a cadet at West Point, is outraged at crime, and so decides to fight it as a costumed hero. (If he went public his career at the Point would be in jeopardy) He puts on a patriotic disguise and carries the fight to the bad guys. He has no powers but is a good fighter and wears a bulletproof cloak.
First Appearance: Pocket Comics #1 (Harvey)

Spitfire (I). Black Douglas, a sailor, is stranded on a volcanic island in 1741. He falls asleep and wakes up two centuries later, discovering that he can now breath flame as well as a poison gas and fog. He uses these abilities to fight crime. He's also handy with his rapier and flintlock.
First Appearance: Spitfire Comics #1 (John F. Mahon)

Spitfire (II). Ted Adams is a top fighter pilot with the Eagle Squadron.
First Appearance: Crack Comics #15 (Quality)

Spot Savage. Spot Savage is a two-fisted reporter who'll do anything to get a scoop.
First Appearance: All American Comics #1 (DC)

Spurt Hammond. Stop laughing! That's his name, alright? He's "Spurt Hammond, Planet Flyer," and he's a young American pilot (later a Lieutenant in the "American Interspace Lines") in the war-torn future of 25,000: "there is a war on the moon which is overrun by war lords much the same as in present day China." Naturally, Spurt (I'm not making that up, you know) gets involved and helps end some of the conflict.
First Appearance: Planet Comics #1 (Fiction House)

Spy. Bart Regan is The Spy, a two-fisted, very tough agent of the U.S. Secret Service and enemy of all things anti-American and criminal. (The two are synonymous, of course)
First Appearance: Detective Comics #1 (DC)

Spy Chief. See the Spy-Master.

Spy-Master. Jeff Cardiff is the Spy-Master, a spy smasher and devout foe of all things anti-American. He later went by the name "Spy Chief" and later still "The Cloak."
First Appearance: Big Shot Comics #1 (Columbia)

Spy Smasher. Alan Armstrong, an ace pilot and playboy of leisure, is the confidant of his fiance Eve's father, Admiral Corby. Admiral Corby suspects spies and needs help. So Armstrong puts on a costume and uses his wits and Gyrosub  to hunt down the enemies of America as well as criminals. After the war he changed his name to Crime Smasher and concentrated on criminals. He is sometimes helped by Eve, who knows his secret identity. He has no superpowers, but is an expert pilot and has the Gyrosub, which combines "the functions of an airplane, auto gyro, speedboat, and submarine."
First Appearance: Whiz Comics #2 (Fawcett)

Stampy. Bobby Stevens is the cousin of Kenneth Stevens, and Bobby, after coming to visit Kenneth, discovers that Kenneth is actually the flying crime-fighter Airmale. Bobby is eager to help, so he gets some of Kenneth's "flying fluid" of his own and becomes Airmale's sidekick Stampy. Stampy can fly and wears a sample gravity belt, like Airmale, which regulates his weight.
First Appearance: Prize Comics #40 (Prize)

Starman. Ted Knight, an amateur astronomer and gentleman of leisure, invents the "gravity-rod," which "utilizes the powerful infra-rays from the distant stars." He uses his gravity-rod to fight crime and evil. He has no superpowers, but with his gravity-rod he can fly, construct force-fields, project energy blasts, and perform whatever tricks the plot required of him.
First Appearance: Adventure Comics #61 (DC)

Star. Star is the female assistant of Moon Girl. She has no superpowers.
First Appearance: Animal Fables #23 (E.C.)

Stardust. Stardust the Super Wizard had almost unlimited powers; he could fly through space and change other people into animals.
First Appearance: Fantastic Comics #1 (Fox)

Star Rover. Ray Darrow, the Star Rover, is a wandering adventurer in the future, moving from planet to planet and doing good wherever he goes.
First Appearance: Doc Savage Comics #1 (Street and Smith)

Star Pirate. Star (no other name given) is the “Robin Hood of the Spaceways,” who with the help of his beloved sidekick Trodelyte, aka “Trody,” robs from the space-rich and gives to the space-poor.
First Appearance: Planet Comics #12 (Fiction House)

Stars and Stripes. Pepper, Van, and Whitey, three American soldiers, escape from a German concentration camp. They sign an oath in their own blood to fight the Germans and protect America. They have no powers.
First Appearance: Stars and Stripes Comics #4 (Centaur)

Star-Spangled Kid. Sylvester Pemberton is a child millionaire. Rather than spend his money on something frivolous, like toys, Syl has a social conscience, and when he  sees a pro-German demonstration he breaks it up, with the help of Pat Dugan, a former boxer. They become friends and decide to fight crime, Syl as the Star-Spangled Kid and Pat as his chauffeur and costumed sidekick Stripesy. He is a member of the 7 Soldiers of Victory. He has no powers, but thanks to Pat has a car which flies and acts as a submarine.
First Appearance: Star Spangled Comics #1 (DC)

"Star-Spangles" Branner. Ray Branner is "Star-Spangles" Branner, a young teenager who helps the war effort by fighting against the Axis scum. He is helped by his two child friends, Dixie and Candy Kane.
First Appearance: C-M-O Comics #1 (Centaur)

Steel Fist. Timothy Slade is a worker in an industrial plant who suffers from an accident which takes off his right arm. He has the arm and hand replaced with a working iron version, and when saboteurs are on the prowl he puts on a costume and goes after them.
First Appearance: Blue Circle Comics #1 (Rural Home Publishing)

Steel Shark. Lieutenant Commander Bob Steel commands the submarine R-14. He is nicknamed "the Steel Shark," and uses the power of his nickname to fight against the Axis.
First Appearance: Victory Comics #1 (Centaur)

Steel Sterling. John Sterling decides to become a crimefighter after his father is rubbed out by the mob. He studies chemistry and discovers a formula which gives his body the hardness of steel. He doses himself with this formula and then jumps into a vat of molten steel, which makes his body steel-strong and steel-hard. He then goes on to become a private detective. He has, as mentioned, steel skin and superstrength. He can also rub his "electrolized tongue" against his teeth to tap into telephone wires. He can run fast enough to leave a sonic boom behind him. He is vulnerable to magic, however.
First Appearance: Zip Comics #1 (Archie)

Steele Kerrigan. "Paroled from prison after he was framed by the underworld, Steele takes up the cudgels of justice to wage unceasing warfare against the forces of evil, in an effort to purge his name of the taint of a prison number."
First Appearance: Police Comics #1 (Quality)

Steve Carson. Steve is the tough, no-nonsense leader of the Federal Men, although in later stories he appears independent of them.
First Appearance: New Comics #2 (DC)

Steve Case. "Steve Case, Crime Rover," is a two-fisted, tough-as-nails crime feature writer for a large metropolitan newspaper.
First Appearance: All New Comics #1 (Family/Harvey)

Steve Conrad. Steve Conrad is a two-fisted explorer and adventurer who ends up exploring the subterranean world of Mikishawm (see Cotton Carver and Mark Lansing).
First Appearance: New Comics #5 (DC)

Steve Malone. Malone was a crusading, two-fisted D.A. who hated crime so much that he would use his guns to end it.
First Appearance: Detective Comics #18 (DC)

Steve Stacey. "Steve Stacey, sky detective, is a special investigator for the Civil Aeronautics Authority in Washington, D.C."
First Appearance: Blue Ribbon Comics #1 (Archie)

Storm Curtis. Storm Curtis is a top Captain for the Coast Guard, rescuing those in need and fighting crime and spies.
First Appearance: Prize Comics #1 (Prize)

Strange Twins. Twins separated at birth, Douglas and Rodney Strange are led down opposite paths in life. Douglas becomes a "famous detective of Scotland Yard," and Rodney becomes the "leader of cutthroats and thieves in the dens of Limehouse." They meet and clash as adults.
First Appearance: Hit Comics #1 (Quality)

Streak Sloan. Streak Sloan is a boy reporter who solves crimes.
First Appearance: Master Comics #1 (Fawcett)

Stripesy. Pat Dugan is a former boxer who becomes, thanks to the vagaries of fate, the chauffeur and sidekick of the Star-Spangled Kid. He is also a member of the 7 Soldiers of Victory. He has no powers but is a good boxer and fighter and an ace mechanic and
inventor.
First Appearance: Star Spangled Comics #1 (DC)

Stoney Dawson. Stoney Dawson is a middle-aged and somewhat portly police detective--you'd never guess, looking at him, that he was meant to be the hero of the strip--who is a two-fisted ball of fury when necessary. He has no superpowers but is surprisingly good with his fists.
First Appearance: Amazing Adventure Funnies #11 (Centaur)

Strongman. Percy van Norton, a playboy, acquires a "secret book of yogi" and studies it for years until he becomes "the world's most perfect man," with "the strength of countless humans and a brain without peer." He puts his superstrength and genius-level mind to work fighting crime. (He also has a "boomerang rope")
First Appearance: Crash Comics #1 (Tem Publishing)

Strong of the Secret Service. Lee Strong is one of the Secret Service's top agents, and so goes on a wide range of assignments that SS officers wouldn't usually take.
First Appearance: Doc Savage Comics #1 (Street and Smith)

Stuff, the Chinatown Kid. Stuff is the Chinese-American sidekick of the Vigilante. He has no powers.
First Appearance: Action Comics #45 (DC)

Stuntman. Fred Drake is a member of the Flying Apollos, a team of circus acrobats. The two other Apollos are murdered and Fred decides to investigate the crime undercover. He does so, meanwhile being hired by Don Daring to be his double and stuntman. Drake is partnered with Daring and Sandra Sylvan, an actress. He has no powers.
First Appearance: Stuntman Comics #1 (Harvey)

Subbie. Subbie was a miniature version of Namor, the Sub-Mariner. The only origin given for him was in a caption, where he was described as being "Father Neptune's own nephew." In his first appearance he was bored and went to Father Neptune and was given a sailor's uniform and a PT boat, and with both he went out to fight crime and the Axis. His resemblance to Namor, in power, appearance, and attitude, is noted by the kids, and it was implied that the link between the two would be explored in the future, but nothing more was ever done with Subbie. He has Namor's powers, although he does not have winged ankles and cannot fly.
First Appearance: Kid Komics #1 (Marvel)

Sub-Mariner. The Sub-Mariner was the child of an American ship captain and Fen, an Atlantean woman. The pair married, but when American ships blasted through the ice sheets of the Arctic and destroy most of Fen's people, she deserts the captain and raises her son, Namor, to hate surface dwellers. So when he turns twenty, he goes on a rampage against surface dwellers. But eventually he mellowed and began fighting the Axis powers for the Allies, teaming up with Captain America and the Human Torch. In 1948 he gained a female companion, Namora. He was also a member of the All-Winners Squad. Sub-Mariner has superstrength, can fly via the wings on his ankles, and can live underwater indefinitely.
First Appearance: Marvel Comics #1 (Marvel)

Sub-Zero Man. A crew of Venusians, who conveniently look like humans, are on their way home through space when they hit an asteroid. The asteroid doesn't destroy the ship, as it's made of a frozen mist, but it does freeze the ship's crew. One of the crewmen nonetheless manages to reach the controls and steers the "atom ship" to Earth. It lands near Salt Lake City. The Venusian, still covered in ice, painfully makes his way to the nearest building, which again conveniently happens to be full of scientists experimenting with "gamma radiation." They thaw the Venusian out with the help of gamma rads, but the Venusian is then found by the police, who think that he's killed the rest of the crew. The Venusian runs away, but discovers that everything he touches turns into ice. After saving Salt Lake City from a flood people trust him, he learns how to control his power, and he begins fighting crime. He has an Inuit sidekick named Freezum. In addition to his freezing touch he can freeze things and people by just looking at them and bullets "crumble to bits" when they touch him.
First Appearance: Blue Bolt #1 (Funnies, Inc)

Suicide Smith. Smith is a "blitzkrieg buster" during WW2, a fighter pilot who initially leads a team known as the Air Commandos. Later on he becomes a solo operatives, assisted by a young sidekick, Chuck Hardy, and Hinda, a female spy. He has no powers.
First Appearance: Wings Comics#1 (Fiction House)

Sun Girl. During the Golden Age Sun Girl's private identity and origin were never revealed; she fought the bad guys and replaced Toro as the Human Torch's sidekick. Well, okay, it's not quite as brief or simple as all that. While her origin was never revealed, some things about her were known. She had friends in the scientific community she could call upon at any time. Oh, and she's also, according to Sun Girl #3, "the nation's most popular personality," so famous and popular that when a giant ape-creature from Brazil is loose in the city, an Admiral says, "I would suggest the atom bomb rather than sacrifice the life of Sun Girl!" Her efforts to capture the animal are broadcast internationally and listened to with great interest across the world, from China to Russia to South America to the North Pole. When Sun Girl succeeds in capturing the beast, schools across the United States are closed for a day in her honor. Some textual evidence indicates that she'd been active for more than the short amount of time her stories credit her with; she is seen to be familiar with a mad scientist who is being released from prison after a long stretch in The Big House, and one story in Sun Girl #1 is told narrated by a grown man and judge, who was rehabilitated, as a teenager, by Sun Girl, thus implying that either the story is set in the future or that Sun Girl was active for twenty years or more.
First Appearance: Sun Girl #1 (Timely)

Super American. The nameless Super American is a native of Earth in the 23rd century, a time and place where everyone has superpowers. The Super American comes back in time to WW2 Earth to fight against the Axis and help humanity. He has flight and superstrength.
First Appearance: Fight Comics #15 (Fiction House)

Super Ann. Super Ann is Ann Allen, a wealthy heiress who has adventures and fights crime as she travels around the country. She is helped by "Freckles" Doyle and Susan Green, her two girlfriends, and by Foxey, a fox terrier she saved from a beating. Super Ann has no superpowers but is agile, acrobatic, and is good in a fight.
First Appearance: C-M-O Comics #1 (Centaur)

Superboy. The younger version of Superman, in his days as a hero in Smallville.
First Appearance: More Fun Comics #101 (DC)

Superhorse. In ordinary civilian life Superhorse is Cloud, the friend and companion animal of Peter. But when danger threatens and evil looms Peter becomes The White Rider and Cloud becomes the "amazing animal of might and intelligence," Superhorse, an equine of "almost human mentality."
First Appearance: Blue Bolt #1 (Funnies, Inc)

Superkatt. This nameless and originless cat fights trouble by putting on the bonnet and diaper of Junior, the child of his human family, and flying into battle. He has the power of flight.
First Appearance: Giggle Comics #9 (American Comics Group)

Superman. Kal-El is the last son of Krypton, sent from that dying planet by his biological parents. He landed on Earth and was raised by a good couple, the Kents, to fight for truth, justice, and the American way. He is a newspaper reporter when not fighting crime and supercriminals. He often teams up with Batman and Robin, though theirs is not an official partnership; he is also a member of the Justice Society of America. He cannot fly (not during the Golden Age), but he is nearly invulnerable, has superstrength, speed, and heat vision.
First Appearance: Action Comics #1 (DC).

Supermind. See Supermind's Son.

Supermind's Son. Dan Warren is the son of Supermind, aka Professor Warren. The Prof lives in his labs on the top of a mountain, where he keeps track of the world's troublemakers. The Professor irradiates his son with an "ultra-frequency apparatus," which gives Dan "superhuman energies." Dan, who is "living dynamic power," flies into action when the Professor spies trouble. Dan can fly, has superspeed, has an electric forcefield which melts bullets and allows him to survive explosions and burn through metal, and can communicate telepathically with the Professor. Dan and the Prof. watch the world through their Televisioscope.
First Appearance: Popular Comics #60 (Dell)

Supermouse. "Soupie" gets his superpowers from super cheese. When trouble threatens he chomps on Great Goudas and Super Stiltons and flies into action. He lives in a house with his wife Mabel. He can fly, is invulnerable, has superstrength and supersenses.
First Appearance: Coo Coo Comics #1 (Standard)

Super Slave. Jane and Cappy, two fishermen, are out fishing when they are blown ashore in a storm. They find a bracelet that, when scratched, summons up the tall, blond Aryan Super Slave. He's got the usual undefined genie powers--he can grow to super size, shrink, part the waters, etc--and he is quite happy to obey Cappy and Jane's commands. No origin is given for him.
First Appearance: Mystic Comics #5 (Timely)

Supersnipe. Koppy McFad, "the boy with the most comic books in America," decides to emulate his literary heroes and fight crime. He is a good athlete but has no powers, although he can "fly" when he fills his uniform with helium.
First Appearance: Shadow Comics #15 (Street and Smith)

Swift of the Secret Service. See Rex Swift.

Swing Sisson. Swing is the leader of a Big Band band. Unfortunately, well, you know the music business. It's trouble-prone, and Swing inevitably encounters crime and has to fight his way to freedom. He's helped by Bonnie Baxter, his singer, and Toby Tucker, his saxophone player.
First Appearance: Feature Comics #49 (Quality)

Sword (I). Chic Carter covers crime as a reporter but is disgusted because of the limitations of the law and his own slowness in getting the scoop on crime. So he takes the law into his own hands, fighting the bad guys and getting fresh scoops as the Sword. He has no superpowers but is uses and is good with a rapier.
First Appearance: Smash Comics #24 (Quality)

Sword (II). Arthur Lake, a weak boy, is in England on a trip with his father when he discovers King Arthur's Tomb and his sword, Excalibur. When Arthur pulls out Excalibur he gets superpowers. He is partnered with Lance Larter, who gains similar superpowers and becomes The Lance (I) when Arthur becomes The Sword. Arthur, when wielding Exclibur, gains the "strength of many times ten" men.
First Appearance: Captain Courageous Comics #6 (Ace)

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