Purple Scar

Real Name: Dr. Miles Murdock

Identity/Class: Normal human

Occupation: Plastic surgeon

Affiliations: Police Captain Dan Griffin, Tommy Pedlar (the "Sticky-fingered Kid," reformed cat burglar come butler-valet-handyman)

Enemies: Gangsters

Known Relatives: John Murdock (brother, police detective, deceased)

Aliases: Purple Mask

Base of Operations: Akelton City

First Appearance: "Medals of Murder," Exciting Detective (Thrilling, Fall 1941)

Powers/Abilities: Sixth sense, able to sense danger.

History: Miles Murdock was fifteen years younger than his older brother, John. After their parents died when Miles was eight, John raised his sibling, and subsequently graduated from the police academy. Though Miles wanted to follow John's footsteps, John insisted he finish college first, and Miles ultimately became a doctor and skilled surgeon, specialising in plastic surgery, and rebuilding the faces of people disfigured by accidents. However, when John got too close to arresting a notorious gangster, he was gunned down in the street by the gangster's men late at night, and his body stripped nude to remove any identification and disfigured with sulphuric acid poured on his face, hands and feet, before dumping his body in the river. Despite the killers' efforts to obscure their victim's identity when Murdock's body was found two days later his long-time friend, Police Captain Dan Griffin, realised who the corpse was. Dan informed Miles, who created a mold of John's face, complete with scars, and became the crimefighting Purple Scar, assisted by his friend Tommy Pedlar, a one-time top burglar who had reformed when Miles saved his daughter's life.

Comments: Created by John S. Endicott.

   Purple Scar appeared in four novel length stories, all published in Exciting Detective:

CLARIFICATIONS: None.

Any Additions/Corrections? Please let me know.

Back to US Independents Page

Home

All images and characters depicted on this site are copyright their respective holders, and are used for informational purposes only. No infringement is intended and copyrights remain at source.