Angel (Timely Comics)
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The Angel (Thomas Halloway) is a fictional superhero in the Marvel Comics universe, created by writer-artist Paul Gustavson during the 1930s-'40s Golden Age of comic books. He first appeared in Marvel Comics #1 (Oct. 1939), the first publication of Marvel predecessor Timely Comics.
The Angel, like Batman, was a non-superpowered detective who nonetheless wore a superhero costume. Gustavson cited Leslie Charteris' pulp-novel detective, Simon Templar, the "Saint", as a model for the Angel.
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[edit] Publication history
The Angel was the next-most-popular Timely character after the "big three" of the Human Torch, the Sub-Mariner and Captain America, with more than 100 Golden Age appearances — starting in that initial Marvel title (which changed its name to Marvel Mystery Comics with issue #2), up through #79 (Dec. 1946); as the sole backup feature in Sub-Mariner Comics #1-21 (Spring 1941 - Fall 1946); and in occasional appearances in Mystic Comics and Daring Comics.
A simulacrum of the Angel was temporarily created from the mind of Rick Jones, along with those of the Blazing Skull, the Fin, the Patriot, and the Golden Age Vision, to aid the superhero team the Avengers during the Kree-Skrull War, in The Avengers Vol. 1, #97 (March 1972).
[edit] Character biography
A costumed detective with no superpowers, the Angel was among the few such heroes to wear no mask, and he made no effort to conceal his identity as independently wealthy Thomas Halloway, a former surgeon. He later acquired the "mystic cape of Mercury" (the mythological god, not Marvel character Mercury a.k.a. Makkari), which allowed him to fly, but used this ability only occasionally.
Marvel Comics #1 depicted the Angel was as having already been active by the time of the first Human Torch and the Sub-Mariner adventures, suggesting he was the Marvel universe's first costumed hero of the wartime era. His appearance in a flashback in Daredevil Vol. 2, #66 establishes he was active as far back as 1936.
The Angel remains active as an older character who was revealed in USAgent #3 (Aug. 1993) as the primary force behind the murderous vigilante group Scourges of the Underworld, which had assassinated a large number of lesser supervillains and archcriminals. In USAgent #4 he faked his death.
[edit] Angel (Tom's brother)
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Due to continuity differences between Tom's appearance and a previous set of appearances, his brother has been retconned as one of two men who had assumed the identity of the Angel and substituted for his brother on numerous occasions including fighting Stinger. In modern times, he was living as a homeless man in and beneath Manhattan, where he was ambushed and murdered by the supervillain Zeitgeist in Captain America Vol.1, #442 (Aug. 1995). In is unknown what occurred between the brothers and why Tom's brother ended up homeless.
[edit] All appearances
- Captain America vol. 1 #442
- Incredible Hulk vol. 2 #432-433
- Marvel Super-Heroes vol. 3 #7
[edit] Bibliography
[edit] Golden Age
- All-Winners #1
- Daring Comics #10
- Human Torch Comics #5
- Marvel Comics #1
- Marvel Mystery Comics #2-79
- Mystic Comics vol. 2 #1-3
- Sub-Mariner vol. 1 #1-21
[edit] Modern Age
- Avengers vol. 1 #97
- Captain America vol. 1 #442
- Citizen V & the V Battalion: Everlasting #1-2
- Marvel Knights Spider-Man #9
- Marvels #1
- Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Golden Age
- USAgent #1-4
[edit] Reprints
- Marvel Mystery Comics #1 (Dec. 1999)
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- "And the Case of the Armless Tiger Man", by Paul Gustavson and Allen Bellman: Marvel Mystery Comics #26 (Dec. 1941)
- The Golden Age of Marvel Comics (Marvel, 1997) ISBN 0-7851-0564-6
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- "Quarantine for Murder", by Ron Garn and Gustav "Gus" Schrotter: Marvel Mystery Comics #42 (April 1943)
