The Brain

Real Name: Gordon Bell

Identity/Class: Human empowered by the spirit of his hero father (apparently)

Occupation: Unknown

Affiliations: Unknown

Enemies: The Mummy Man, the Finger

Known Relatives: Unnamed father (deceased, a hero of WW I)

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Canada (presumably)

First Appearance: Active Comics#1 (Commercial Signs, February 1942)

Powers/Abilities: Super strength and flight. Also, by going into a deep trance, he gains a form of prescience, able to see things happening far away (thanks to Dansen T. Stahl for this last bit of info).

History: When a "great hero of WW I lies dying" he is addressed by a "friendly spirit". He informs the spirit that "Like freedom, I'll never die! My spirit will live on in my son!" Sure enough, "the offspring was given visionary powers that enabled him to destroy Nazis operating in Canada in 1939."

Comments: Created  and written by Leo Bachle. He appeared in Active Comics from 1942-46.

Thanks to Mac Murdock for sending me the bottom two images of this character. Mac noted that the colours of the Brain's costume were not consistent from one issue to the next. Most colour images come from the covers, but the top image is from the Brain's only colourized story, and so might be considered the canonical costume colouring.

Dansen T. Stahl sent me some information about this character which originally appeared in Rocket Blast Comi-Collector, a fanzine. Information on this character was originally provided to the magazine by Howard P.Siegel.

In the case of the Brain, his costume was described thus: "Leotard. Dark-coloured tights. Wide belt. Waist-length cape. Dark-coloured gloves {which look as if they are part of the leotards and end in peaks on either side of the forearms}. Dark-coloured cowl {which does not cover nose, ears, or back of neck}." Thanks to Dansen for both this info and details of the Brain's origins.

CLARIFICATIONS: Not to be confused with

Any Additions/Corrections? Please let me know.

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