Codename: Barracuda

Real Name: Unknown

Identity/Class: Human mutate

Occupation: Secret agent

Affiliations: Frollo

Enemies: WAM; King Cobra

Known Relatives: None.

Aliases: None.

Base of Operations: Active worldwide.

First Appearance: Lion (10 Sep 66 - 24 Feb 68)

Powers/Abilities: Exceptionally fit with prodigious fighting skills; possesses superhuman strength. Barracuda is armed with a number of gadgets, including pen-sized flamethrowers, a jet car, and hidden blades secreted in the soles of his boots, useful for cutting bonds.

History: Barracuda was a exceptional secret agent working for the UN against forces that would harm mankind. Accompanying him on his missions was Frollo, another agent with superhuman strength, the result of both of them being exposed to an unidentified form of radiation during an early mission.

(Untitled story, Lion Annual 1969). Barracuda and Frollo are called in by the UN when plagues of rats start attacking major cities around the world. They trace the incidents back to the terrorist group WAM, the War Against Mankind, and its leader, Count Vargas, who is using high pitched sonic machinery to provoke the animal attacks. Thanks to the interference of the two agents Vargas is killed by his own maddened rats, and the machinery is destroyed in a fire they start.

Comments: I debated for a while whether Barracuda deserved an entry on the list of superhumans - there are lots of highly skilled soldiers, cops and secret agents in the British comics of this era. But Barracuda stands out even then, with high-tech gadgetry worthy of Batman and the physical prowess to fight tigers with his bare hands or climb buildings with one arm broken and in a cast. Added to this is Frollo's incredible strength, which easily verges on the superhuman.

Since originally writing the above paragraph, Chris Ward has written in to confirm that both Barracuda and Frollo actually had out and out superhuman strength.

Among the evil foes Barracuda and Frollo faced was the villainous King Cobra.

Alberto Becattini informs me about some Spanish and Italian artist who worked on this strip. "There were a couple of unknown Spanish artists on this, and Italian artist Antonio Sciotti, who worked through the Giolitti Studio in Rome. In Italy, 6 pocket-sized issues were published in the "Il mio romanzo" series (Meroni Publishing) between 30 June 1967 and 30 November 1967 (issues #2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12). All of these had Sciotti art."

In India Barracuda and Frollo were reprinted as C.I.D. Lawrence and Judo David. Thanks to Haja Ismail for this information.

CLARIFICATIONS: None.

Any Additions/Corrections? Please let me know.

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