Fighting Yank

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The Fighting Yank is the name of several fictional comic book superheroes.

Fighting Yank (Nedor Comics)

Startling Comics #10 (Sept. 1941)
Art by Elmer Wexler
Publication information
Publisher Nedor Comics
First appearance Startling Comics #10 (Sept. 1941)
Created by Richard E. Hughes
Jon L. Blummer
In story information
Alter ego Bruce Carter III
Team affiliations SMASH
Abilities Superhuman strength, invulnerability, flight (with the aid of a magical cloak)

Contents

[edit] Nedor Comics

[edit] Publication history

The initial comic-book character called Fighting Yank first appeared in Nedor Comics' Startling Comics #10 (Sept. 1941), during the period fans and historians call the Golden Age of comic books. He was created by writer Richard E. Hughes and artist Jon L. Blummer. Later artwork was produced by Jack Binder's studio.

Fighting Yank was created during World War II as a patriotic hero similar to The Shield and Captain America. He was one of Nedor Comics more successful characters, eventually replacing Captain Future in Startling Comics. In September 1942, Fighting Yank received his own title. Fighting Yank also appeared in America's Best Comics until that series was canceled in 1949.

[edit] Fictional character biography

Bruce Carter III obtained his superhuman powers when the ghost of his ancestor Bruce Carter I, a hero from the American War of Independence, appeared to him and showed him the location of a magical cloak that could give the wearer invulnerability and super strength. Only Carter III's girlfriend, Joan Farwell, knows of his dual identity.

Along with this magical cloak, Fighting Yank's outfit also included a tri-corner hat, square buckles, an American flag on his chest, a white shirt, and blue pants.

[edit] Timely Comics

Fighting Yank (AC Comics)

Fighting Yank #1 (2001)
Art by Eric Coile (pencils) and Bill Black (inks).
Publication information
Publisher AC Comics
First appearance Fighting Yank #1 (2001)
Created by Eric Coile

The 1940s precursor of Marvel Comics had a character also named Fighting Yank who made a single appearance in Captain America Comics #17 (Aug. 1942), in the story "The China Road" by writer-artist Jimmy Thompson. This Fighting Yank was American espionage agent Bill Prince, who fought Japanese agents in China under the code name Fighting Yank. Apart from a mention in the modern day U.S. Agent mini-series, he has not been seen since.[1]

[edit] AC Comics

AC Comics reprinted some of the Nedor Comics' Fighting Yank adventures, beginning in 1994. The company then briefly revived the character, who made some appearances in the series Femforce before being killed in Femforce #35.

In 2001, the company then created a new character of the same name. His series, set in 1950s America, found this Fighting Yank and sidekick Kid Quick defending the U.S. from Cold War Communist enemies. The stories were written and drawn by Eric Coile in style the creator said was an homage to Captain America and Fighting American co-creator Jack Kirby.[2]

[edit] America's Best Comics/DC

[edit] Bruce Carter III

Writer Alan Moore revived the original Nedor Comics Fighting Yank, Bruce Carter III, along with other Nedor characters that had entered the public domain, for his series Tom Strong, on the DC Comics' imprint America's Best Comics. In Tom Strong #12 (June 2001), he revealed the Fighting Yank as a a member of SMASH, a superhero group that had been placed in suspended animation after an alien invasion from the Moon in 1969. Awakened 30 years later, Fighting Yank joined his former comrades against those extraterrestrials. In the fight against the aliens, he was killed while trying to project his daughter, Carol.

Fighting Yank (Carol Carter)

Fighting Yank II (center) on the cover of ABC: A-Z, Terra Obscura and Splash Brannigan
Art by Rachel Dodson and Terry Dodson.
Publication information
Publisher America's Best Comics (DC)
First appearance Tom Strong #11 (Jan. 2001)
Created by Alan Moore (writer)
Chris Sprouse (artist)
In story information
Alter ego Carol Carter
Team affiliations SMASH
Abilities Superhuman strength, invulnerability, flight (with the aid of a magical cloak)

[edit] Carol Carter

Tom Strong #11 (Jan. 2001), revealed that when Carol Carter had reached adulthood, she'd gained the same powers as her father, and joined him in his fight against evil. In 1969, the two were placed in suspended animation alongside other members of the superhero team SMASH, and were awakened 30 years later. Carol lost her powers when her father was killed trying to save her life. With the disbanding of SMASH, she left her superhero career behind and became a teacher.

Moore's Terra Obscura spin-off series revealed that Carter III's spirit remained on Earth but was unable to be seen or heard. Eventually, SMASH returns to action when the planet is threatened by hero-turned-villain Mystico. Acting on a suggestion from the Green Ghost, Carol tries on her late father's tri-corn hat. This allows her to see the ghost of her father, who gives her his mystical cloak, bestowing his former powers upon her once more. Bruce Carter III now aids Carol just as Bruce Carter I had done for him. Uncomfortable with the name Fighting Yank, since it was her father's identity, Carol finally decided on the hero name of "Fighting Spirit". She also entered into a romantic relationship with fellow superhero Ms. Masque.

[edit] Dynamite Entertainment

The publisher Dynamite Entertainment said in 2007 that Fighting Yank would be the protagonist among several public domain Golden Age characters appearing in the comic-book series Superpowers, by writer Jim Krueger and artist Alex Ross[3]

[edit] In other media

Mego Toy Company brought out an action figure named Fighting Yank in the early 1970s. The toy line was dropped in 1999 after Mego was sued by Hasbro, who claimed the Mego figure was a copy of their G.I. Joe action figure.[4]

[edit] Footnotes

  1. ^ International Hero: "Timely's Fighting Yank" Last accessed 2/15/2007.
  2. ^ Superheroes ETC.: Review of Fighting Yank #1 Last accessed 2/15/2007.
  3. ^ Newsarama.com (July 18, 2007): "Ross and Krueger on Superpowers", by Matt Brady
  4. ^ Mego Museum. Last accessed 2/15/2007.

[edit] References