Real
Name: Bill Reed War Eagle
Real
Name: Bill Reed
Identity/Class: Human technology user
Occupation: Millionaire adventurer
Group Membership: None
Affiliations: Bonnie
Enemies: The Wrench
Known Relatives: Mrs. Reed (mother)
Aliases: None
Base of Operations: New York City
First
Appearance: Crime Does Not Pay Comics#22 (Lev
Gleason, July 1942)
Powers/Abilities: Able to fly using artificial wings. Exceptionally strong, though not superhumanly so.
Height: Unrevealed
Weight: Unrevealed
Eyes: Unrevealed
Hair: Blond
Summary: To compensate for legs weakened by a childhood illness, Bill Reed designed artificial wings and became the flying hero War Eagle.
History: (Crime Does Not Pay Comics#22) - A victim of infantile paralysis, in 1921 young Bill Reed was left with weakened legs, forcing him into a wheelchair. Informed that his condition might take years to clear, if ever, he became determined to make his body as strong as it could be and he exercised compulsively, developing exceptional upper body strength, but he remained unable to walk more than a few steps with the aid of leg braces. He fell in love with a friend, Bonnie, but felt unable to express his feelings, believing she deserved someone who was not crippled. However, when he chanced to witness a drunken suitor making unwanted advances on her, Bill tried to intervene, only to be easily beaten when his weak legs gave way under him. The confrontation set Bill to pondering, and as he looked for something to fill his life, he became interested in early designs for flying machines. Within weeks he managed to design artificial wings, figuring he didn't need strong legs to cover ground when he had those. After a couple of years of leaping around using the wings, he found that this new style of exercise had unexpectedly built his leg muscles up to those of a normal person. Deciding he wanted to do something useful with his life, he became a costumed crimefighter, launching his career as War Eagle in 1929 by taking on the gangs selling illegal alcohol. He continued his crimefighting all the way into World War II, when he took on spies and saboteurs, such as the group led by the Nazi known as the Wrench.
Comments: Created by Alan Mandel.
Appearance checklist (not including reprints): Crime Does Not Pay Comics#22
CLARIFICATIONS:
War Eagle should not be confused with:
First Posted: Circa 27/09/2004
Last updated: 27/05/2023
Any Additions/Corrections? Please let me know.
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