Bulletman and Bulletgirl

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Bulletman and Bulletgirl

Spy Smasher #2 (1941). Art by Charles Sultan.
Cover of Bulletman #3 (1942). Art by Mac Raboy.

Publisher Fawcett Comics (1939–1953)
DC Comics (1976–present)
First appearance Nickel Comics #1 (1940, historical)
The Power of Shazam! #8 (1995, canon)
Created by Bill Parker
Jon Smalle
Characteristics
Alter ego James "Jim" Barr and Susan Kent-Barr
Affiliations Shazam's Squadron of Justice
All-Star Squadron
Abilities Chemically-induced super-strength and intelligence, Gravity Regulator Helmet allows each to fly and deflect bullets.

Bulletman was a Fawcett Comics superhero created by Bill Parker and Jon Smalle for Nickel Comics #1 in May, 1940.

Jim Barr was the son of a police officer who was killed and as a result took it upon himself to fight crime. Like many characters of the time, he used chemistry to develop powers for himself; in his case greater muscle mass and brain power. He also invented a Gravity Regulator Helmet (which was bullet shaped and gave him his name), which allowed him to fly and deflect bullets.

Shortly after Bulletman began his crime-fighting career, he created a second helmet for his girlfriend and later wife Susan Kent, who adopted the name Bulletgirl.

Bulletman and Bulletgirl were Fawcett Comics' second most popular characters after Captain Marvel and the Marvel Family. They were acquired by DC Comics along with the rest of the Fawcett comics stable of characters in 1972. However, the characters lapsed into public domain prior to the said acquisition, which would later allow AC Comics to reprint their Golden Age adventures.

During this period of time, Bulletman and Bulletgirl appeared with fellow Fawcett heroes to form Shazam's Squadron of Justice against the forces of King Kull. Their age appeared to be as it was in the 1940's without explanation. They subsequently appeared a few times with Captain Marvel and his family.

Bulletman and Bulletgirl were eventually retrofitted into DC Universe continuity as members of the All-Star Squadron, and in the pages of The Power of Shazam were given a daughter named Deanna Barr, who donned her mother's helmet and operated briefly under the name Windshear. Bulletman and Bulletgirl also appeared in Alex Ross and Mark Waid's Kingdom Come limited series.

In 2005, a new Bulletgirl known as Bulleteer was introduced as one of the Seven in Grant Morrison's Seven Soldiers of Victory. She is unrelated to these older heroes, though her costume is to some extent inspired by theirs. In issue #3, Susan Barr appeared in a brief cameo, visiting her successor.

Bulletman and Bulletgirl later re-appeared in the pages of Infinite Crisis on the newly reborn Earth-S along with the other Fawcett superheroes.

[edit] Trivia

Ad for 1970's GI Joes including Bulletman.

In the late 1970's, the Hasbro toy company produced an apparently unlicensed Bulletman action figure as part of its GI Joe toy line. This foot-tall toy was very similar in appearance to the classic Fawcett character, except that it had vacuum metalized silver arms, and bare legs (slightly reminiscent of the Japanese henshin character, Ultraman).

[edit] External links