Number 1260: The Human Dynamo!

Charles “Shock” Gibson was born in this story from Speed Comics #1 (1939), one of those wildly improbable origins found in superhero comic books. A splash of chemicals, a bolt of lightning, and ZAP! Charles becomes superhero Shock Gibson, the human dynamo.

Shock's colleague, Dr. Blitzer, who witnesses Shock's new abilities, tells him he has “the strength of a thousand men!” Being a clean-cut American scientist of the fair play persuasion, Shock decides to use his powers for good, instead of for bagging chicks (I made up that last part). Anyway, his first adventure, 25 pages worth, moves like the comic book's title promises. Shock chases villains who are in an airplane, bounding his way across America to the Rocky Mountains. There he encounters a mad scientist. The scientist produces some zombies, but such zombies as you and I have not before seen.

I've mentioned before how the standards for comic book artwork changed rapidly from these early days, after the field exploded in popularity in the wake of Superman's success. A few years later Shock joined the military and was fighting the Japanese, and had artwork much elevated from his origin. Tomorrow I'll show you a story where Shock has a different costume (no sharkfin helmet, but an added mask), and the advantage of art by the terrific Bob Fujitani.