G-Man Gene:1940, Funny Pages #34/v4 #1 (Centaur). Ace G-Man Gene (no last name given) investigates a strange case of a dead operative and a haunted mountain which pits him against the Asian crime-lord Wu Chang aka Mad Ming. Gene has enough authority to operate fairly independently of reporting to superior officers, has access to and flies an autogyro and has as a girlfriend the capable Jinny who describes herself jokingly as a "safe expert, burglar and all around confidence woman."

Mad Ming does escape to bedevil the world in further stories. It appears G-Man Gene becomes Detective Gene Gerold and gains a kid side-kick by the name of Joey.

Green Giant: 1940, Green Giant #1 (Pelican). Brentwood works in a stocks brokerage office on Hall Street with an associate known as John Preston. Brentwood is also the hero known as the Green Giant. His first name and how he got his abilities are unknown, but he is able to control his size through his belt which is called a gravity defying device (which may explain why at his great size, his body does not collapse, vault over buildings like on the cover or destroy streets, etc). He's able to grow to great heights, able to grasp a car in his hand and with all the strength and invulnerability the size would suggest. Like Mighty Man, he may also be superstrong at normal size as in one panel he appears to be normal height but eaping across the skyline with the villain across his shoulders, or it may be just his belt making him super light thus allowing such feats even when not grown. In his one published adventure he goes after a gang counterfeiting stocks headed by Killer Jackson. The cover shows him in green pants, but his legs are bare in the story.

The Green Hornet. 1936, The Green Hornet (Radio show)/1940 Green Hornet Comics #1 (Helnit). Britt Reid is a crusading newspaper publisher by day and vigilante by night. Helping him in this is his sidekick Kato, a souped up automobile called the Black Beauty and gun that shoots knock-out gast. His extra-curricular activities soon have the police on his trail and he's thought to be the biggest crook of them all, a reputation he plays up. Former policeman and bodyguard of Britt, Mike Axford becomes a crime reporter thanks to his contacts on the force and one of the most persistant pursuers of the Green Hornet, trying to bring him to justice. This status quo is not to dissimilar to the pulp's Moon Man and would be used in slightly different variations with other comic heroes such as the Blue Beetle and the Black Hood.

Besides his sidekick Japanese/Oriental/Filipino Kato, only Britt's secretary Lenore Case knew his identity. Until a 1947 show where a reporter uncovered the secret while secretly working for Dan Reid, Britt's dad. Britt revealed his identity to his father. He was angry at first but then gave his approval, referring to a pioneer ancestor of Britt's in Texas and who acted as a vigilante, while the William Tell Overture plays in the background. This change in status quo gets carried over into the comics.

In the radio series, the Green Hornet did have a recurring foe who ran for several episodes, Mr. X. Each episode had the Green Hornet crashing some racket that Mr. X was running though the villain himself remained elusive. These episodes are reminiscent of the two movie serials that had a similar structure.

NOTE: It is supposed that Kato was made Filipino because of Pearl Harbor, but he is referred to as such in the radio series even before that date. There may be some early episodes where Kato is identified as Japanese, but they are not readily available. There is also a reason that Kato does not have a code-name of his own... while the crooks and cops think the Hornet is a crook and probably has a crew, Kato is not actually seen helping the Hornet, so it is not known that the Green Hornet has a masked Asian man helping him. He does some investigating for Reid and does serve as look out and back-up, but when he does fight, it's from concealment.

Green Knight: 1941, Dynamic Comics #2 (Harry "A" Chesler). Denis Knight dressed in a green costume in order to fight crime. In his first adventure he rescues a young lad who joins him as Lance.

Green Lama: Pulp: 1940, Double Detective (created by Kendall Foster Crossen writing under the name Richard Foster); Comics: Dec. 1940, Prize Comics #7 (Hillman). After graduating Harvard, Jethro Dumont went abroad and studied in Tibet. In the pulps and early comic appearances, he had ventriloquism, various mesmeric abilities, disguise skills, able to generate electrical shocks due to radioactive salts he digested, and above average but not super strength as well as some scientific knowledge in addition to his philosophies. His adventures in the pulps, he was aided by a few assistants that were unaware of his true identity. He seemed to go through some pains to keep his identity a secret. While Jethro Dumont was known to be a lama, he did most of his investigating as a Dr. Charles Pali and was usually disguised as him when operating as the Green Lama, so if anyone did suspect the Lama's identity, it would be as Pali and not Dumont. In fact, his first two aides Gary Brown and Evangl thought just that, despite being well acquainted with Jethro Dumont, who served as best man at their wedding after which they shortly retired in September of 1940. However, his true identity was uncovered by a mystery woman who also was a student of Buddhism, who would slip him clues and information, giving as her name Magga. Possibly, his servant Tsarong knew his secrets as well. Magga seems to have been a woman by the name of Pat Dell, though I don't know if Dumont figured that out. During these days, his sole super power was a shocking touch that could knock out opponents with minimum harm to them, come about by his digesting radioactive salts (can only guess at what that did to his life expectancy). Otherwise, he tried not to kill and carried no gun in battle though he didn't forbid his agents from doing so. He was decent in a fight but not superbly so, relying more on strategy and stealth to win the day.

His adventures were also chronicled in PRIZE COMICS #7, Dec. 1940 - 34, 1943, though one didn't see most of his aides. It had been a few months, so one can assume that Gary and Evangl retired from adventuring to lead a respectable life as farmers. Along the way in the course of his pulp chronicles, he had attracted the friendships and aid of Ken Clayton and adventuress Jean Ferrell as well as the continued presence of the mystery woman Magga, but they are mostly off scene from these exploits. Likewise, in these adventures Dumont seems to have shed the Dr. Pali identity. His foes were getting more powerful such as Stopwach, the man who was also a master of Tibetan hypnotism and the Frankenstein Monster where he helped the heroes Black Owl, Yank & Doodle, and Dr. Frost. In a couple of stories during this run, he displayed full blown magical powers. In one, he fought the devilish Mephistopheles, and in this one case, he calls forth past American patriots to help fight his cause ala Kid Eternity.

In 1944, a year after both the pulp and Prize comic run came to a close, another publisher would take on publishing the Green Lama's adventures, starting off with a slight retelling of the origin. Though this too is supposed to be from Crossen, the Lama had undergone some mighty big changes. He still wore a green hood, but instead of the green robes, his costume was green tights complete with cape and his long-time meditative phrase (Om! Ma-ni pad-me Hum! "Hail! The Jewel in the Lotus Flower!") now gave him super-strength and flight as it telepathically linked him to monks in Tibet who echoed the phrase. It all looked very good as done by Mac Raboy. By this point, Tsarong definitely knew his identity.

Around this time, another woman calling herself Magga would re-appear, only in a solo adventure sporting the powers and Raboy designed costume of the Green Lama and called Magga the Magnificent {April, 1946, Atoman Comics #2 (Spark)}.

The Green Lama also had his own short-lived radio series. In these, he called his aide, Tulku, the honorific that Dumont was usually referred to in the pulps implying a reversal of status. Because it was a radio series, details are sparse. He is considered handsome from the reactions of the female characters, seems to be commonly known as the Green Lama (or at least does not take take pains to disguise himself) and his mantra gives him limited strength, possibly a single super-powered punch ala Iron Fist.

Green Mask (I): 1939, Mystery Men Comics #1 (Fox) Michael Shelby's father is a Congressman and has been marked for death by the Grim Circle. When Congressman Shelby is gunned down, Michael is mortally wounded. Family friend Professor Lascomb rushes to save the young man and subjects him to his untested Vita-Ray machine that should heal him. The machine has a short, and subjects him to a super-charge, however. When he comes to, Shelby is not only healed but he's a miracle man, with super-strength, invulnerability and the ability to fly. He vows vengeance on his father's murderers and all crime and decides to take up an identity that will strike terror in the hearts of criminals, the Green Mask. A young orphan is hurt when the Circle tries to rub the Green Mask out. Subjected to the same treatment, minus an accident, he gains the same powers and takes on the identity, Domino ("little mask") and becomes the Green Mask's sidekick. Least that's what the text says, Domino doesn't seem to be able to fly. Shelby's girlfriend is Olivia Tracy. NOTE: This origin story wasn't told until GREEN MASK #1, almost a year after his first appearance and he didn't seem to have a side-kick for almost that long. Domino's first appearance in Mystery Men Comics #11 would have been on the stands about the same time as Green Mask #1. Before his origin, he possessed above average strength and capabilities, but not necessarily comic book superhuman levels. He liked to skulk around in the shadows a lot, and had acquired a paralyzer gun that would temporarily paralyze opponents (gone after a few issues). In those days, his identity was only known to Daily Globe reporter "News" Blake whom he gave scoops to.

He also gains a girlfriend in Olivia Tracey and the loyal chunky chauffeur Mr. Peters.

Green Turtle: 1944, Blazing Comics #1 (Enwill Publishing). The Green Turtle's real name and origin are unrevealed. He fought crime and evil mostly in China. His teenaged sidekick is Burma Boy who was taught English by missionaries, which the Green Turtle was pleased to discover. He had no powers but is a capable fighter and pilot and had the nifty "Turtle Plane". He has a hidden lair in Tibet. We never see him without his mask or get an origin. Every time he is about to take Burma Boy into his confidence, a case arises that requires his attention.

NOTE: The comic and character is fairly unique in that great pains were taken to never show his face beyond the covers. It is speculated because he was intended to be actually Asian, but there was reticence on having an Asian lead superhero. However, the Green Turtle only wears trunks, gloves, boots and mask and cape, thus he shows a whole lot of skin. While the rest of the Asians are colored yellowish-brown, the Green Turtle is clearly colored pink ala a caucasian. If the speculation is true and the hero was meant to be Asian, editorial and/or the colorist sabotaged the creator's efforts. The supposition does not really answer why his face was not shown as it would be far simpler to render his mask in such a way that the eyes couldn't be seen ala goggles or Batman's white slits than to stage each scene without seeing his face. So, it would be very disingenuous for that to be the reason behind not showing his face. There are two other instances where comic book creators have done this. Zack Mosley did something similar with the insanely handsome character Downwind Jaxon, a sidekick and co-pilot to Smilin' Jack. He was so handsome, his appearance would drive women crazy with passion. But, his face was never shown to the readers. Fox's Bronze Man kept his face hidden for the exact opposite reasons, it was horribly disfigured in the War so readers never saw his full face front on unless it was covered by his bronze mask. Also, if he was intended to be Asian, the importance of the scene when he discovers that Burma Boy speaks English is lost. Whatever the intent, a comic goes through many hands to publication and what makes it to the stands is the actual product, thus the Green Turtle IS a Caucasian character.

Grim Reaper: 1944, America's Biggest Comic Book #1 (Better). Bill Norris started off fighting the German menace ("hope for all freedom fighters -- nemesis of the Axis") but migrated at stopping crime. For the most of his run, he was merely good with his fists and guns. In his first story, he also used a noose to good effect.

A couple of curious moments in that first story, though. When the German says G.R. isn't human, the hero replies that he was wondering when he'd notice that. And, his trick with the rope to get the saber off the wall, it looks as if the rope is doing that under its own accord. Leads me to wondering if there was a bit more to the character than I have always thought.

Origin: Bill Norris was in Paris for his education when the Nazis came through and was too stubborn to leave. When he sees an old man being beaten, he comes to his defense and gets thrown in a concentration camp. Pierre Laroux, another old man or possibly the same one, is tortured every day and Bill tries to help him but is beaten for his efforts. Laroux dies, but not before revealing to Bill that he's a leader of the Underground and knows of the location of General Moret who waits to escape to Africa in order to organize forces to liberate France. Norris then escapes, goes to the Underground, and has them fashion a costume for him to strike terror in the Nazi hearts. He gets Moret to Africa and continues his fight against the Germans. His costume is described as being black and sometimes it appears as if it's all black with purple highlights. Other times the shirt is definitely white which indicates the purple areas are supposed to be black?

Grimm, the Ghost Doctor: 1944, Bomber Comics #1 (Elliot Publishing). Dr. Grimm specialized in helping out the disbelieving police in solving crimes with supernatural angles. He is armed with a ghost disintegrator. Very similar to Quality's Fero, though sporting some white hair. My research into leads me to believe this is not coincidental. Elliot had already been involved in a lawsuit with Fawcett in 1942 over DOUBLE COMICS that Elliot just re-packaged other publisher's stories with a new cover, often featuring never seen elsewhere heroes such as the Green Light up above.

Gun Master: 1946, Clue Comics #10 (Hillman). Long ago in Tibet, a monk named Kattak Po discovered gunpowder and created a rudimentary gun. However, the secret to the powder and the first gun are stolen and he is mortally wounded. He manages to send a letter to his eldest son, charging him with the mission to track down the culprit and destroy the secrets because of the danger and evil they pose the world. His son spends years on the mission only to likewise be killed and pass the mission on to his son.

The secrets are obviously not contained, guns proliferate, changing the faces of war, crime and empires. Likewise, the mission changes. Not able to destroy all guns, the mission becomes one to curtail its availability and uses in crime and evil endeavors. The older descendents of Kattak Po, the oldest addressed as "Little Father. They reside in a modern brownstone, but never seen entering or leaving. The active agent is Dumas Poe, given a silk scarf called a "Kattak" with the name of their ancestor to remind him of their mission. He's trained in various skills as well as mastering the weapon they are sworn to destroy, the gun. He tends to shoot to disarm or wound and then wade in with his fists. However, he will shoot to kill on occasion as well. With the passage of centuries, their is obviously mixed marriages as Dumas appears thoroughly caucasian (due to the limitations of print, he may actually be more Eurasian). NOTE: An interesting psychological dichotomy or hypocrisy about this character's motivation and actions that's rarely on view in comics. In order to destroy guns, he is a master of using one and quite capable. He will blow up a shop manufacturing or illegally selling guns without a moment's hesitation and without even really considering who owns the building, collateral damage or loss of life. Puts me in mind of Batman (orphaned due to crime, becomes a vigilante in order to uphold law and order), Skyman (orphaned by plane crash so he masters aircraft design in order to make air planes safer), and the later Peter Cannon (a man who desires inner peace but is thrust into the role of active crime fighter), and Peacemaker (a man who loves peace so much, he's willing to fight and kill those that threaten it). The strip would be handled by many hands, including Simon and Kirby, and Dan Barry. His name is spelled both as two words and one word.