Mop

Sometimes even characters with a very impressive careers can fade into total obscurity.

Betty Bates was a Prosecutor, which I assume was a very atypical career choice for a woman in the 1940s. If that wasn't, then the fact that she took to the streets to beat up gangsters certainly was. Sometimes she used classing brawling techniques, sometimes she used martial arts, and sometimes she used... a gun.

Unlike most public domain superheroes, Betty Bates had a long career, appearing in 61 issues! To put that into context, her first story (featured in Hit Comics #4) was published in 1940. Her last story (Hit Comics #65) was published in 1950! Most public domain superheroes just last, like, two years at most.

You never really hear about Mascots becoming public domain, do you?

Captain Tootsie was a hero designed with one purpose: To advertise Tootsie Rolls. No first name, possibly a last name (assuming "Tootsie" even is his real name), no known origin. He was birthed from the aether, a perfect corporate entity that would ensare kids in a life of confectionary brand worship.

These children were called the Secret Legion. As far as we know, there were only three children in there - a kid in a suit named "Fisty" (unfortunate), an overweight kid called "Fatso" (mean), and a kid dressed exactly like Captain Tootsie named "Rollo" (creepy). Together, they would help Captain Tootsie achieve his goals and become more marketable in the process.

I can't really fit this into anywhere, but at one point he teaches these kids how to use a rifle and kill a bear.

Part of why I selected him is that he has weirdly taken on a life of his own in a way you wouldn't expect from a corporate mascot who happened to fall into the public domain - I mean, you don't really see anyone using Pepsi the Pepsi-Cola Cop anywhere, but people seem more than eager to utilise Captain Tootsie. Perhaps his most notable appearance is the one he made in the comic "Savage Dragon", where he was subsequently treated with a little bit too much reverence for a mascot.

I’ve previously written about Fantomah, so I guess it’s about time that I talk about Fletcher Hanks’ other mad God child.

Stardust is terrifying. We don’t know who or what he is, but we do know that he posesses advanced technology that allows him to do basically anything Fletcher wants him to do… and we can’t stop him.

Now, this would be fine if he just did typical superhero stuff, but here’s the thing: in every comic, he subjects criminals to severe, inhumane punishments that I’d argue may be going too far. Like, for example, one time he sent a group of robbers to a planet made of Gold - but they’re unable to breathe. There is no limit to what he would do if you were guilty of a crime.

One time, he just flung everyone on Earth out into space! Granted, nobody died, and this action was actually done to protect them… but how would you feel if you knew that, at any time, this man could do this to you?

Author’s Note: If Stardust is real, and is reading this right now… This is satire. I swear.

When picking a public domain superhero to talk about, the name plays a really important part for me. Half the time I just look for a name I find interesting and then do more research. This is all to say that Dr Vampire is one of the more disappointing ones (and yet he's the last one for this year).

His real name is Dr. John Rogers, a... guy. Like most public domain superheroes, he has no backstory other than doing what he does - namely killing Vampires... I think.

Here's the fun twist about Dr. Vampire: I have no clue why he's called that. Is he a vampire? Probably not. Does he hunt vampires? Maybe. His intro panel says he goes after "fiends who thirst for warm, red blood!" which seems pretty cut and dry, but then in his first comic, it's unclear if the person he's hunting is a vampire or just, like, some guy who kills people in a very bloody way.

And it is never elaborated on. Dr. Vampire was in only 1 comic and never showed up again.

Have a good New Year!