Dec 31, 2025
The Crimson Avenger miniseries house ad (circa May 1988)
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The Crimson Avenger miniseries house ad (circa May 1988)
Avengers West Coast 63, cover date October 1990, introduced Dr Roy Sanford, Daniella Tomaz, Living Lightening (Miguel Santos), Jennifer, and Roger. They were created by Roy Thomas, Dann Thomas, and Paul Ryan. The issue has a notable blooper where US Agent refers to himself as Jack Daniels instead of John Walker. ("When Lives the Lightening" Avengers West Coast 63, Marvel Comic Event)
Breaking Down the Hall of Justice Mural in Superman, Part 10: Hugo Danner
Originating in Philip Wylie’s 1930 novel Gladiator, Hugo Danner was a pulp-era superhuman whose feats partly inspired Superman’s creation. Roy and Dann Thomas later brought him into DC continuity through Young All-Stars. Born in the late 19th century with superhuman strength, speed, and resilience from his parents’ experiments, Danner tried to use his powers for good but became disillusioned by humanity’s flaws. He faked his death, retreating to Maple White Land in Brazil, where prehistoric beasts and the isolated Accala people lived. There he sought to create a race of metahumans, the “Sons of Dawn,” by replicating his father’s formula.
His brief return to America resulted in a son, Arnold Munro, raised unaware of his heritage. As Iron Munro, Arnold became a post-Crisis on Infinite Earths stand-in for Superman in retroactive Golden Age stories. Iron Monroe's marriage to Phantom Lady (also on the mural) give Hugo familial links to, the Atom, Starman, and modern-day Manhunter Kate Spencer — making Danner a real-world and fictional starting point for many of DC’s metahumans.
Group Affiliations: Sons of Dawn
Speculation: Danner’s scientific origin makes him the first mural character powered by science rather than magic, creating a contrast that could be thematic in a film. His morally ambiguous “perfect race” experiment could tie into Peacemaker's themes of supremacist ideologies, while his descendants’ ties to multiple heroes make him perfect for an ensemble legacy story.
First Appearance (Novel): Gladiator (1930) by Philip Wylie First DC Appearance (DC): Young All-Stars (1987) #10
Recommended Reading:
Gladiator (1930) – Original prose novel
Young All-Stars (1987) #10–11, 28–31 – DC introduction and expanded backstory
Legend (2005) – Wildstorm adaptation of Gladiator by Howard Chaykin
Next Up: Part 11: Ghost of Flanders / Rip Graves
Doctor Strange #12: Some Enchantress Evening
by Roy Thomas/Dann Thomas; Jackson Guice; Gregory Wright and Janice Chiang
Marvel
On this day in 1984, DC published the first issue of America vs. the Justice Society by Roy and Dann Thomas, Rafael Kayanan, Rich Buckler and Jerry Ordway.
The four-issue miniseries was set on Earth-2 and revolved around the secret diaries of Batman, who had died on that Earth. The diaries supposedly accused the JSA of treason during World War II, so they were put on trial ... only for the diaries to turn out to be a ruse. Batman was actually using the diaries to help the JSA apprehend the time-traveling villain Per Degaton.
Have you read Jonni Thunder (1985) by Gerry Conway, Dann Thomas, Roy Thomas, and Dick Giordano?
Yes
Partially
No
I've never heard of this
Plastic Man meets Elongated Man by Mike Clark
Eternals The Herod Factor #1 (November 1991) by Marvel Comics
Written by Roy and Dann Thomas, drawn by Mark Texeira, Bob McLeod, Chris Ivy, Mark McKenna, Ian Akin and Sam De La Rosa. cover by Mark Texeira.