Bee-Man

Bee-Man is a fictional superhero in comic books published by Harvey Comics, who briefly appeared during the period historians and fans call the Silver Age of Comic Books. He was created by writer Otto Binder and artist Bill Draut.

Publication history

Bee-Man appeared during a mid-1960s superhero fad that accompanied the rising popularity of Marvel Comics and the success of the campy television series Batman. When Harvey Comics, which specialized in such children's characters as Richie Rich and Little Dot, entered the superhero field in 1966, it hired veteran comic-book artist, writer and editor Joe Simon to create the imprint Harvey Thriller. This line included the titles Double-Dare Adventures, Thrill-O-Rama and Unearthly Spectaculars and such superheroes as Bee-Man, Spyman, Magicmaster, Glowing Gladiator, Tiger Boy, and Jack Q Frost.

Bee-Man, by writer Otto Binder and artist Bill Draut,^[1] debuted as the cover feature of Double-Dare Adventures #1 (Dec. 1966).^[2] His sole stories were the seven-page "The Origin of Bee-Man" in issue #1 and the 12-page "The Revolt of the Queen Bee", illustrated by Dick Ayers, in issue #2 (March 1967), on which he was also the cover feature.^[2] Shortly afterward, the Harvey Thriller imprint ended.

Despite his truncated career, the character — who in the origin story itself is referred to not as Bee-Man but as the Bee — developed a small cult following amid fans of obscure 1960s Silver Age superheroes.^[3]

Fictional character biography

NASA technician Barry E. Eames, feeling underappreciated, sabotaged a space probe returning from Mars, hoping to capitalize on whatever valuable commodity it might contain. Stung by Martian bees that had returned within the craft, which resembled a meteorite, he developed super strength and an ability to rapidly self-heal. Escaping from authorities, he returned to the craft, where he was kidnapped to the Martian satellite Deimos.

There, giant bees imprisoned him, informed him they planned to conquer Earth, and inexplicably granted him a costume with bee-themed weapons. Eames escaped to Earth, where he sided with the bee-like conquerors. Government scientists cured him of the psychological condition that caused his betrayal of humanity, and he went to work for an organization called the F-Bee-I.

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