I'm currently reading the second volume of
Black Bat Mystery from Airship 27, specifically completing the second (of four) story, The
Black Bat at Bay by Joshua Reynolds.
Because I'm not familiar with all the characters from the pulp era, and partially because of his rather generic name, I didn't clue in right away that the Jim Anthony that appears was himself featured in magazines in the early 40's. The name is vaguely familiar, but that's about the extent of my knowledge about him.
I can understand, however, the appeal of using him in a
Black Bat tale. Educating myself through Wikipedia (and sharing below for those who are also unfamiliar), the similarities are evident.
Jim Anthony was described as "half Irish, half Indian, and all-American". He inherited great wealth and physical attributes. He could see in the dark, was super strong, and had a sixth sense. He excelled in several subjects, including physics, psychiatry, and electro-chemistry. He owned businesses around the country, including the Waldorf-Anthony Hotel in New York, where he maintained a penthouse apartment and secret laboratory. There was also the Tepee, his hidden mansion in the Catskills Mountains, and the Pueblo in the southwest, a hotel/resort built at an oasis by Anthony.
His father was Shean Boru Anthony, an Irishman who had traveled the world as an adventurer, becoming rich in the process. His mother was Fawn Johntom, daughter of a Comanche chief.
Anthony was aided by several others:
- Tom Gentry, large, Irish, served as chief pilot, chauffeur and man Friday.
- Dawkins, English butler
- Mephito, Anthony's grandfather, a Comanche shaman who guarded the Tepee.
- Delores Colquitte, daughter of Senator Colquitt and Anthony's love interest.
The first ten novels pitted Anthony against a variety of super-villains bent on the destruction of the United States. The first three had Anthony go up against Rado Ruric. After Spies of Destiny, the Anthony stories were changed to a more hard-boiled detective stories. This was probably done by direction of the publisher. The larger-than-life elements were dropped, along with most of his supporting characters, leaving only Tom Gentry.
In
Black Bat at Bay, we get get the "super" version (though I don't recall Anthony running around wearing nothing but bright yellow shorts).
Frankly, I would have preferred the more "hard-boiled" version. In a brief commentary following the story, Reynolds explains that he attempted to have the two characters appear to be evenly matched but while working my way through the story, I found that the Bat seemed outclassed. Without giving anything away, even when the
Black Bat got the upper hand on Anthony, it felt as though it was due to the latter allowing it to happen. Maybe it's just my perception from expecting
Black Bat to dominate the opposition.
Speaking of perceiving, please allow me to share this sharp pinup by Andres Labradra.
That's McGrath that
The Black Bat is terrorizing, but what I particularly enjoy about this piece is that Tony Quinn's scarring around the eyes is visible. It's constantly mentioned within the character's adventures yet many artists ignore it. Writers make reference to a piercing, frightening gaze and Labrada very much captures that. Well done.
