The Sword

Real Name: Arthur Lake

Identity/Class: Human transformed by magic.

Occupation: School boy

Affiliations: the Lancer (Lance Larter, sidekick), Merlin (Moe Lynn)

Enemies: Genius, Morgana

Known Relatives: John Lake (father)

Aliases: None.

Base of Operations: U.S.A.

First Appearance: Captain Courageous Comics #6 (Ace Periodicals)

Powers/Abilities: Able to transform from his teenage form into (an apparently slightly older) superhero form when he draws Excalibur from it's stone sheath. In his transformed state, the Sword has the strength of "many times ten" men.

History: Arthur Lake was the son of industrialist John Lake, president of the Lake Aircraft Company. Accompanying his father on a business trip, the scrawny Arthur discovered the tomb of King Arthur, complete with the fabled sword Excalibur sheathed in a stone. Pulling the sword out, he gained superhuman powers, which he used to fight Nazis, saboteurs and the weapon's ancient enemy, Morgana, as the superhero "The Sword."

Arthur draws ExcaliburArthur kept Excalibur hidden in a secret spot, where he could get to it in the event of emergencies. He soon gained a pair of allies, when his friend Lance Larter and Moe Lynn, a worker at his father's plant, gained powers of their own - both Lance and Moe magically transformed whenever Arthur pulled Excalibur from the stone, wherever they might be; Lance became the heroic Lancer, with similar powers to the Sword, while Moe became Merlin.

 (Captain Courageous Comics #6, Super Mystery Comics vol.3 #3 to vol.5 #3, Lightning Comics vol.3 #1) No synopses available.

Comments: Image used on bottom right of this page courtesy of Darrin Wiltshire's Micro Heroes site, used with permission.

Thanks to Joe Bromhead for information on this character.

Thanks to Jess Nevins for allowing me to use information from his excellent Golden Age Heroes Directory. Thanks also to Richard Boucher & Darrin Wiltshire @ PR-Publications for permission to use information from their equally brilliant collection of Golden Age Sites, PR Publications. Their knowledge of Golden Age characters far outstrips my own.

The Lancer

Real Name: Lance Larter

Identity/Class: Human transformed by magic.

Occupation: School boy

Affiliations: The Sword, Merlin

Enemies: Genius, Morgana

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

The Sword (left) and the Lancer (right)Base of Operations: U.S.A.

First Appearance: Super Mystery Comics vol.3 #4 (Ace Periodicals)

Powers/Abilities: Superhuman strength. Armed with a magical lance.

History: Whenever his friend Arthur Lake draws the sword Excalibur to transform into the hero known as the Sword, Lance also transforms, becoming the Lancer.

Comments: None.

Merlin

Real Name: Moe Lynn

Identity/Class: Human transformed by magic.

Occupation: Aircraft factory worker.

Affiliations: The Sword, the Lancer

Enemies: Genius, Morgana

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: U.S.A.

First Appearance: (Ace Periodicals)

Powers/Abilities: Unknown - presumably some magical powers

History: Exposed to the same magic which transformed young Arthur Lake into the Sword, plant worker Moe Lynn became Merlin.

Comments: None.

CLARIFICATIONS: The Sword should not be confused with

The Lancer should not be confused with

Merlin should not be confused with

Any Additions/Corrections? Please let me know.

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