The Golden Age Heroes Directory: L

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Lady Danger. Valerie Vaughn is a crime-busting reporter. She is helped by her boyfriend, private eye Gary Grath.
First Appearance: Sensation Comics #84 (DC)

Lady Fairplay. Mary Lee, a schoolteacher, is given powers by Professor Amazo in an experiment. She decides to serve as "the goddess of chastisement" to a bad underworld that's in severe need of a spanking, oh, yes, yes! She has "unlimited energetic powers" which include strength, speed, and recovery.
First Appearance: Bang Up #1 (Progressive)

Lady Luck.  Lady Luck was actually Brenda Banks, a "debutante crime buster bored with social life" who decided to become a "modern lady Robin Hood." Her costume was not a traditional comic book vigilante, but was something...well, it looked like something that a Will Eisner femme fatale would wear. It was an emerald green gown, emerald green tights, a green hat, and a green silk veil over her face to disguise her identity. She solved blackmail cases, kidnapings, spies, and any other cases that came her way. As Brenda Banks she was in love with Police Chief Hardy Moore, but Moore's job was to bring in Lady Luck.
First Appearance: Smash Comics #42 (Quality)

Lady Satan (I). Lady Satan is a sorceress who fights the evil occult. Her magic is very powerful, allowing her to do just about anything, and she wears a ring in the shape of a serpent which can give off gasses from “dragon scales,” which allows her to “unveil the shadow world.”
First Appearance: Red Seal Comics #17 (Dynamic)

Lady Satan (II). Jakeoster contributes the following:

The character who appeared in Dynamic Comics # 2 & 3 (Dec 1941-Feb 1942) was a mysterious woman in a red evening gown
and a domino mask who fought for liberty and justice against the Nazis. Her weapon was a chlorine gun
First appearance: Dynamic Comics #2 (Dynamic)

Lance (I). Lance Larter is a friend of Arthur Lake and gains superpowers so that he can assist Arthur, aka The Sword. Arthur has superstrength.
First Appearance: Captain Courageous Comics #6 (Ace)

Lance (II). This is the sidekick of the Green Knight. He has no superpowers.
First Appearance: Bulls-Eye Comics #11 (Harry "A" Chesler)

Lance Hale. Lance Hale is a Great White Hunter type who adventures in Africa, finds the world's richest diamond in the "wilds of Rhodesia," and "passes through the Flame of Immortality." He also helped Daredevil to fight against Hitler "and his jungle hordes" on one occasion.
First Appearance: Silver Streak Comics #3 (Lev Gleason)

Lance Lewis. Jakeoster contributes the following:

Lance Lewis, Space Detective, fought interplanetary aliens and space menaces with the aid of his gorgeous girlfriend, Marna.
First appearance: Mystery Comics #3 (Better)

Lance O’Casey. Lance is a soldier of fortune who cruises the South Pacific looking for adventure and profit. He battles everything from Japanese to smugglers to pirates. He has no superpowers but is strong and good in a fight. He is helped by his pet monkey, Mister Hogan, and by a child, Mike.
First Appearance: Whiz Comics #2 (Fawcett)

Lance Rand. "Lance Rand--explorer and soldier of fortune has access to an ancient map which shows the location of the long lost continent of Atlantis. This city is supposed to have flourished thousands of years before the Egyptians. With his super-sub Lance attempts to locate the city and find its treasure...." He does, helped by his portly sidekick Tubby and various other crewmen. Lance has an "electric rod" to help him in his quest.
First Appearance: Catman Comics #1 (Holyoke)

Lando. Lando, Man of Magic, is a stage magician as well as the "greatest of magicians." He travels around both the US and abroad, his powers and his turban a warning and threat against all evildoers. He is not a backwards-talking magician, but can simply do his magic without incantations.
First Appearance: World's Best Comics #1 (DC)

Larry Kane. Larry Kane, "the Adventure Hunter," is a wandering, two-fisted adventure seeker who is known and feared by criminals. He has no powers but is good in a fight and an expert auto racer.
First Appearance: The Arrow #1 (Centaur)

Larry Steele. Larry  is a tough, two-fisted private eye.
First Appearance: sometime in or before Detective Comics #12 (DC)

Lash Lightning. See Flash Lightning.

Laughing Mask. Dennis Burton, a young Assistant D.A. from a long line of law enforcement officers, saw that it had become too difficult to convict gangsters, so he decided to take the law into his own hands, put on a glowing laughing mask, and with two .45s fight crime in his own way. After this appearance he apparently changed his name to the Purple Mask. Apart from his athleticism, he has no powers, and is definitely a killer vigilante, even shooting a bound and helpless gangster.
First Appearance: Daring Mystery Comics #2 (Timely)

Law's Legionnaires. See the 7 Soldiers of Victory.

Lectra. Richard Brandon is an electronics genius who puts on a costume and uses his abilities to fight crime as a member of the Triple Terror.
First Appearance: Top Top Comics #54 (Dell)

Lee Granger. See the Jungle King.

Lee Preston. Lee is a heroic nurse for the Red Cross aided by her friend Rick Royce.
First Appearance: Crack Comics #1 (Quality)

Liberator. Dr. Nelson Drew, a "bookworm professor" at Calflin University, discovers the long-lost ancient Egyptian "Lamesis formula." He makes the formula and drinks it, and gains superpowers thereby. Naturally, he decides to fight crime with it, although he is forced to maintain a cowardly front as Nelson Drew, which earns him the criticism of his girlfriend Annabel. When he takes the Lamesis formula he has superstrength.
First Appearance: Exciting Comics #15 (Better Publications)

Liberty Belle. Reporter Libby Belle Lawrence is a native of Warsaw and is forced to flee from Poland and then Holland when the Germans invade. She comes to America, famous for having swum the English Channel during her escape from France, and becomes a reporter. While visiting the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia she is given a replica of the bell. She is moved enough by the Bell that she feels the need to do more than just report the news. She puts on a costume and wears the replica as a belt buckle; when crime threatens Tom Revere, the man who gave Lawrence the bell replica, rings the real Liberty Bell, which causes Libby's belt buckle to vibrate. She has no superpowers but is a strong fighter.
First Appearance: Boy Commandos #1 (DC)

Liberty Guards. "Sons of a wealthy patriot, three brave and daring brothers, trained since childhood for their task--Smokey, Skipper, and Strut--have pledged their lives to Uncle Sam." They join the Army, Navy, and Marines but are made special agents by FDR himself.
First Appearance: Man of War Comics #1 (Centaur)

Liberty Lads. The Liberty Lads are Tom Fenwick and Will Meredith, two boy heroes active in Virginia during the Revolutionary War.
First Appearance: Champion Comics #2 (Harvey)

Lieutenant Drake. Lieutenant Drake works for Naval Intelligence, taking on spies, saboteurs, and other enemies of the American military.
First Appearance: Mystery Men #1 (Fox Features)

Lieutenant Hercules. Jakeoster contributes the following:

Lanky, potbellied, bespectacled Wilbur Klutz is a superhero for hire. He performs his superheroics in red long johns and a yellow cape. He has "hundreds of abilities," including super-strength, super-speed, super-wisdom, and the ability to fly.
First appearance: Green Lama #1 (Spark)

Lieutenant Lank. Lieutenant Lank, the "Robin Hood of Wartime," is an American do-gooder in the country of "Attainia," which is under attack by the enemy of "Castile d'Or." Lank uses his American know-how and skills as a fighter pilot to help the Attainians and possibly win the war for them.
First Appearance: The Arrow #2 (Centaur) Note: This is a continuation, presumably by the same hands, of the American Ace story. Interestingly, The Arrow #1 was a reprint of Funny Pages, but it isn't known what issue #2 is a reprint of. But issue #2 appeared on the newsstands after Marvel Mystery Comics #2 & #3, which may mean that the creator of the American Ace left Timely and went to Centaur, where s/he did the strip as "Paul J. Lauretta."

Lieutenant Marvels. The Lieutenants are Tall Billy Batson, a Texan, Hill Billy Batson, from the Ozarks (no stereotyping there, of course), and Fat Billy Batson, from Brooklyn. One day each realized that their name was the same as Billy Batson's--they knew about Billy and Captain Marvel from reading the comics--and wondered if saying "Shazam!" would work for them. They tried it, and found that it did. They then gained the powers of Captain Marvel. Michael Norwitz reminds me that the Lts. Marvels' powers worked only when they said "Shazam!" simultaneously with Fat/Brooklyn Billy. 
First Appearance: Whiz Comics #21 (Fawcett)

Lightning. Fred Larkin, a career soldier and son of a general, has (through no origin) gained the ability to fire electricity from his fingers, as well as being in possession of superstrength and speed. He uses these abilities to fight crime and evil.
First Appearance: Jumbo Comics #15 (Fiction House)

Lightning Girl. Isabel Blake, a friend of Lash Lightning, is given his powers when the almost unconscious Lash accidentally pumps "thousands of volts" of electricity through her body. Instead of killing her it gives her his powers. She a variety of superabilities, including flight, electricity generation, radiating "lightning heat," and superspeed. She becomes Lash's sidekick. She can also track Lash via their shared "lightning impulses." She is recharged by electricity.
First Appearance: Sure-Fire Comics #13 (Ace)

Link Thorne. Link Thorne, the “Flying Fool,” is a tough guy pilot who’ll fly anywhere under any conditions: "will fly anything, anywhere, anytime--if it's worth my time...I'll go for a golden opportunity--if there's enough GOLD in it!" He runs Blockbuster Flight Service, an air charter service located near Shanghai, and is assisted by Wing-Ding. Link has no superpowers but is a great pilot.
First Appearance: somewhere in or before Airboy Comics v4 n5 (Hillman)

Lion Boy. John and his nameless wife are in Africa when they are killed, leaving their infant son to be raised by lions. Naturally, he grows up to be like Tarzan.
First Appearance: Hit Comics #6 (Quality)

Li'l Professor. The Professor (no last name) lives with his wife and their son (grandson?) Oswald in domestic happiness (well, not really, since the Professor and his wife squabble a lot, and the wife doesn't like Rudy). The Professor, an inventor, comes up with his "latest and most successful invention," Rudy the Robot. Rudy is controlled in thuswise:

     Y'see, Oswald, this instrument strapped around my waist has a keyboard just like a typewriter which controls the
     robot--suppose I want a book--I push the letter "B"...I concentrate on the word "book" and Rudy's mind is so sensitive it catches
     my thought waves.

Despite the obvious sentience of Rudy (when he's threatened with being junked, he cries) the Professor orders Rudy around, having him
paint the house and do other menial work. A crime boss called "The Groom," however, sees the value of Rudy (at least, for crime) and tries
to steal him. The Professor, who is feisty and a good fighter despite his age, foils this plot, with the help of Rudy. Rudy has a burglar
alarm attached to him, is programmed for fighting, has a robot's aim and a robot's superstrength.
First Appearance: Daring Mystery Comics #8 (Timely)

Little Boy Blue. Tommy Rogers, the son of the District Attorney, overhears his father talking about the trouble he's having with criminals. Tommy gets together with his friends Tubby and Toughy, and they put on costumes and fight crime as Little Boy Blue and the Blue Boys. Little Boy Blue has no superpowers.
First Appearance: Sensation Comics #1 (DC)

Little Hercules. Little Hercules is only a twelve-year-old child, but in the words of the head of "the leading scientists of the world," "his brain has made us older men of science look like children." Little Hercules has created a new explosive which he calls "Dynopop." The "leading scientists," obviously impressed, make Hercules "a Doctor of all the Sciences." Naturally, foreign agents want to get their grimy foreign hands on the formula, and try to steal it from them. But Hercules is nearly as strong as his namesake, quite capable of knocking much larger adults out and smashing boulders with one blow, and when his plane, the "Sky Bird," is blown up in mid-air, Hercules is not harmed by the explosion or the fall.
First Appearance: Daring Mystery Comics #5 (Timely)

Little Leaders. The Little Leaders were formed by Mickey and the Kitten and several other youths who wanted to be leaders as children to the youth of America.
First Appearance: Catman Comics #8 (Holyoke)

Little Wise Guys. The Little Wise Guys is a tough, Brooklyn-style street gang of young boys who have run away from their respective homes and orphanages. Their members are Peewee, Jock, Scarecrow and Meatball (later Curly), and they are taken under the wing of the Daredevil and made his sidekicks and apprentices in crime-fighting.
First Appearance: Daredevil Comics #4 (Lev Gleason)

London. Marc Holmes, a radio newscaster, is covering the Blitz when he sees the need to inspire his fellow Brits in their struggles against Jerry. He becomes the costumed London to do so and to take the battle to the German spies in England. He has no superpowers.
First Appearance: Daredevil Comics #2 (Lev Gleason)

Lone Eagle. This nameless and originless character is a skilled pilot fighting against the Germans in the skies over Europe and occasionally on the ground in England and France. He has no superpowers.
First Appearance: Thrilling Comics #3 (Better)

Lone Warrior. Stan Carter's father was the "world's greatest scientist," and before he died he inoculated his two sons, Stan and Dicky, with the "Power Elixir." This gave both of them a W-shaped scar on their chest and superpowers, including superstrength and superspeed. They use these powers, and the Wonder Ship, a flying car/submarine/tank, to fight crime as the Lone Warrior and Dicky. By day Stan Carter is an Army enlistee.
First Appearance: Banner #3 (Ace Periodicals)

Loop Logan. Loop Logan is an Axis-fighting air ace assisted by his "faithful servant," the (Asian) Indian Clatra.
First Appearance: Blue Ribbon Comics #1 (Archie)

Loops and Banks. Loops McCann and Banks Barrows are a pair of American test pilots in China who are tossed from their Marine Base and end up helping the Chinese general the Red Dragon to fight against the Japanese invaders. They have no superpowers but are good mechanics and better fighter pilots.
First Appearance: Military Comics #1 (Quality)

Lucky Byrd. "Lucky Byrd is a flying cadet at Randolph Field, Texas...our 'West Point of the Air.'"
First Appearance: Target Comics #1 (Funnies, Inc)

Lucky Coyne (I). Lucky is a detective who was inspired by the Two-Face school of management and detection. He carries a coin, and when faced with a key decision flips it. If it comes up heads, he takes action and does something. If it comes up tails, he does not. He is helped by Terry. Lucky is, of course, a good detective, athlete, and shot.
First Appearance: Dynamic Comics #1 (Harry 'A' Chesler)

Lucky Coyne (II). Lucky Coyne is a tough police detective and private eye who takes over the identity of "Bat Yardley" and uses it to capture criminals.
First Appearance: Top-Notch Comics #1 (MLJ) Note: There has been some confusion in the past over whether Lucky Coyne (I) & Lucky Coyne (II) are the same character, with Lucky Coyne (II) being called "Bat Yardley" in some places, an earlier version of this Directory included. Having now read Top-Notch Comics #1 I'm firmly convinced that there's no relation between Coyne (I) & Coyne (II), and that the duplication of name was coincidence only.

Lucky Landers. Lucky Landers is an American war correspondent reporting on the war and fighting against the Axis in London and New York City.
First Appearance: Catman Comics #1 (Holyoke)

Lucky Lawrence. Lawrence is a tough Marine who takes on and defeats German and Japanese agents and soldiers both at home and abroad.
First Appearance: Thrilling Comics #30 (Better)

Lucky Lawton. Lawton is a cowboy sheriff.
First Appearance: Slam-Bang Comics #1 (Fawcett)

Lucky Lucifer. Lucky Lucifer is an American flyer who joins the Allies in England to fight the Axis.
First Appearance: Colossus Comics #1 (Funnies)

Lum Sims. Lum is a blatant Little Abner lift.
First Appearance: Colossus Comics #1 (Funnies)

Lynx. "Jim," an origin- and nameless vigilante, fights crime with the help of Blackie the Mystery Boy. "Jim" has no powers.
First Appearance: Mystery Men #14 (Fox Features)