List of Mystery Men characters in DC?

[golgi]

Who are they? Is there a complete list somewhere?

[MajorHoy]

Who are they? Is there a complete list somewhere?

First off, how are you defining "mystery men" here?

Second, "when" are you defining them? Are you talking since the start of the New 52 in the comic books? Or are you going back to an even older timeframe?

[golgi]

First off, how are you defining "mystery men" here?

Second, "when" are you defining them? Are you talking since the start of the New 52 in the comic books? Or are you going back to an even older timeframe?

Anytime. I guess I'm talking about characters like The Twelve, written by JM Straczynski.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Twelve_(comics)

[codystarbuck]

Mystery Men is the 40s slang for superheroes, so that covers everybody in a costume, at DC or All-American. That means:

Superman, Batman & Robin, Wonder Woman
The entire JSA-Dr Fate, Spectre, Hourman, The Flash, Green Lantern, Hawkman, The Atom, Johnny Thunder, Black Canary, Dr Mid-Nite, Starman, The Sandman, Mr Terrific, Wildcat
The Seven Soldiers of Victory-Crimson Avenger (& Wing), Vigilante, Star Spangled Kid & Stripesy, Green Arrow & Speedy, Shining Knight
The Freedom Fighters (at Quality, then)-Uncle Sam, Doll Man, Black Condor, The Human Bomb, The Ray, Firebrand, Phantom Lady
The entire All-Star Squadron- the aforementioned, plus-Tarantula, Captain Triumph, The Whip, Mr America, Manhunter (Dan Richards and Paul Kirk), Liberty Belle, Johnny Quick, Red Bee, Magno, Miss America, the Guardian, Red Tornado, Merry (Girl of 1000 Gimmicks), Robotman, Air Wave, Amazing Man, Commander Steel, Firebrand 2, Hawkgirl, Zatara, Sargon, Dr Occult, Little Boy Blue & the Blueboys, Red Torpedo, Jester, Neon the Unknown, Stormy Foster, Quicksilver/Max Mercury,
Plastic Man, Midnight
Charlton characters-Blue Beetle, Judo Master & Tiger,
The entire Marvel Family-Capt. Marvel, Capt. Marvel Jr, Mary Marvel, Uncle Dudley, the 3 Lt. Marvels
Aquaman

I'm sure I'm forgetting some....

[MajorHoy]

Anytime. I guess I'm talking about characters like The Twelve, written by JM Straczynski.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Twelve_(comics)

By the way, I'm sure you're aware those are Marvel characters, not DC?

Mystery Men is the 40s slang for superheroes, so that covers everybody in a costume, at DC or All-American.

This is what you're dealing: EVERY Golden Age character that put on a mask / costume and fought crime would have been considered a "mystery man," even Superman since he did have a secret identity and thus was a "mystery".

Now, if you want more modern-day stories focusing on that aspect of the characters, things like DC's All-Star Squadron would have been a perfect place to look. Over at Marvel, there was the series The Marvels Project that focused on the Golden Age aspect from a Timely Comics standpoint.

Also of interest may be the first couple of issues of the DC Universe Legacies series from several years back.

[MajorHoy]

http://www.cosmicteams.com/jsa/img/A...adron_1680.jpg


http://static1.comicvine.com/uploads..._page__023.jpg


http://static.comicvine.com/uploads/...02_006_007.jpg

[MajorHoy]

Also, don't know if these may be of any help (and you may have to weed through the lists of Golden Age characters to decide who was a "mystery man" and who was just an action hero like Slam Bradley):

* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catego...ge_superheroes

* http://dc.wikia.com/wiki/Category:Golden-Age_Characters

* http://www.herogoggles.com//DC-goldenAgeHeroes.html

[golgi]

Thanks, guys!

[codystarbuck]

By the way, I'm sure you're aware those are Marvel characters, not DC?

This is what you're dealing: EVERY Golden Age character that put on a mask / costume and fought crime would have been considered a "mystery man," even Superman since he did have a secret identity and thus was a "mystery".

Now, if you want more modern-day stories focusing on that aspect of the characters, things like DC's All-Star Squadron would have been a perfect place to look. Over at Marvel, there was the series The Marvels Project that focused on the Golden Age aspect from a Timely Comics standpoint.

Also of interest may be the first couple of issues of the DC Universe Legacies series from several years back.

And before that, The Invaders.

You can also get stories like that in Power of Shazam, which featured some that involved old Fawcett heroes, like Spy Smasher and Minute Man, which brings me to Starman. Starman crossed over with Power of Shazam, via Minute Man. It also explored the past via the Times Past single issue stories. There, you got old Ted Knight stories, Brian Savage as an Opal City lawman, stories with Ted and cousin Sandra Knight (Phantom Lady), Ted and the Jester, Ted's affair with Black Canary (based on their Brave and the Bold team-ups), a story with the wives and girlfriends of the JSA. There's the JSA mini-series, that preceded the James Robinson and David Goyer revival, before Geoff Johns took over. That covers the characters in WW2, facing Steve Ditko's Stalker.

There is also the Tony Harris JSA Elseworld, JSA: The Liberty Files, which has a pulpy take on the JSA. Of course, James Robinson and Paul Smith's The Golden Age covers the same kind of post-war look at Golden Age heroes that the Twelve had, though it predates it by 15 years (nearly 20, for the end of The Twelve).

[Anodyne]

The Phantom Stranger. For a long time his true identity was unknown both to the readers and to the other characters; however, the latest version, AFAIK, casts him as Judas, the betrayer of Jesus.

[Lee Stone]

For me, 'mystery men' is a more specific type of hero of the pulp era (or any setting that is more real world based).
Usually masked men (and women) with either no powers or very minor 'accent' type abilities, such as: Batman, Dr. Mid-Nite, Hourman, Sandman, Tarantula, Black Canary and their ilk.

[batnbreakfast]

DC is in the process of reprinting Matt Wagner's Sandman Mystery Theatre

but I also stringly recommend taking a look at

Lobster Johnson (Dark Horse)
The Shadow (Dynamite/Matt Wagner)

[Lee Stone]

DC is in the process of reprinting Matt Wagner's Sandman Mystery Theatre

but I also stringly recommend taking a look at

Lobster Johnson (Dark Horse)
The Shadow (Dynamite/Matt Wagner)

I second these.
Especially, the excellent Sandman Mystery Theatre.

All the 'Year One' type books by Wagner at Dynamite were done with much the same flavor as Sandman Mystery Theatre.

Even Batman: Year One (although not by Wagner) was very 'mystery men'/pulp feeling.

Also Black Beetle by Francavilla.