Obscure Big 2 characters with their own features

[MWGallaher]

In the last 20 years, it's seemed like no Marvel or DC character is so obscure that someone hasn't revived them for use somewhere or another. But occasionally, I still discover some obscure feature that, to the best of my knowledge, has remained at peace in the graveyard of forgotten heroes.
Today I found the existence of Gil Kane's "Chane of the Golden Hair", who had three installments in Savage Sword of Conan, "Bront", who had four installments in the same magazine, some co-written by artist John Buscema, and most intriguingly, a character called "Black Brother", who made his only appearance in Savage Tales #1, in a story by Sergius O'Shaughnessy (Denny O'Neill) and Gene Colan and Tom Palmer!
It's easy to imagine why Bront and Chane have lain fallow--Marvel hasn't done much in the Sword & Sorcery genre in years, and only every really did well with Conan. But I'd love to know if "Black Brother" ever made a surprise appearance, or to hear anything about the character from someone who actually has a copy of the hard-to-get ST#1. All the other tales from that issue have been reprinted, including the somewhat-less-obscure "Femizons" story, but no "Black Brother"!
Over at DC, there are a few obscure headliners I've long been familiar with: Space Marshal, Code Name Falcon, to name a couple, but I wonder if there are any others that got brief but obscure shots in their own features?

[benday-dot]

In the last 20 years, it's seemed like no Marvel or DC character is so obscure that someone hasn't revived them for use somewhere or another. But occasionally, I still discover some obscure feature that, to the best of my knowledge, has remained at peace in the graveyard of forgotten heroes

Not quite a response to your great question MW, but I did want to echo the above sentiment of yours. I have some fond memories that ensued from having picked up Fantastic Four #177 back in 1976. The comic is one of those tryout issues that periodically pop up in group comic titles from as comic creators look to indulge in some fanciful introductions . In this issue the Frightful Four are looking for a new recruit to join them in preparation for another battle against the Fantastic Four.

It's a semi-humorous interlude in a larger struggle. The Frightful Four successively interview the rather famous Thundra, and then such luminaries as the Osprey, Ultra Man, the Texas Twister, and the Brute. The successful candidate is the Brute, but I recall laughing at the other would be ephermeral and entirely lame characters Marvel dreamed up for this story.

Years later I found out maybe I shouldn't have laughed so hard. You are quite right MW nobody is safe in comics graveyard. Both the Texas Twister and Ultra Man have been revived despite the fact that the latter had a mortal fear of fire (in a combat against the Fantastic Four it is not a surprise he didn't make the grade). Only the Osprey as far as I can tell never made a further appearance in a Marvel comic book. It might have something to do with the fact that he professed no superpowers whatsoever.;)

[MWGallaher]

I well remember that one, myself, b-d! (In fact, it was a mention of Thundra in the "12 days" thread that led me to "Black Brother", since she was retconned into being one of Savage Tales #1's "Femizons"!).

[gentlesatirist]

...now there was a great character. Had to love late 70s Marvel. They should have had him fight the Human Fly.

Surprising that Marvel never found a way to use Man from Atlantis in their overall universe. Probably licensing issues there. Would have liked to see Patrick Duffy square off vs. Namor.


- FE

[Lone Ranger]

As far as know, I don't think Manphibian from the Legion of Monsters mag ever made another appearance.

[Cei-U!]

It's Captain Ultra, by the way. Ultra Man, depending on how you spell it, is either the Superman of Earth-3 or the pre-Green Lantern star of All-American Comics in the early '40s. What's funny about the Captain is that George Perez gave him a deliberately garish costume that's actually subtler and in better taste than most of the costumes GP's designed in earnest.

Cei-U!
I summon the eyesore!

[Lone Ranger]

I summon the eyesore!

Kurt

You've given me a great idea for a supervillain.

His name is Eyesore, and his costume is so gaudy and garish that it causes everyone within a 100 foot radius to suffer from temporary insanity.

He would, of course, be designed by George Perez.

Perhaps he could be Triathlon's archnemesis.

[gentlesatirist]

...brought to mind Rima, the jungle girl.

Did she appear anywhere outside of her 7-issue DC series in 1974-75?

Was amazing they picked her to be in a few episodes of SF in the late 70s. Proof that a - DC had few viable female characters and b - jungle stories are cool to animate.


- FE

[Rob Allen]

Rima, the jungle girl.

Did she appear anywhere outside of her 7-issue DC series in 1974-75?

Not sure if she appeared in any other comics, but the comic itself was an adaptation of a novel, which, I think, was in the public domain.

I wonder if the novel helped inspire the creators of Sheena, the first "jungle girl" in comics.

[Cei-U!]

...brought to mind Rima, the jungle girl.

Did she appear anywhere outside of her 7-issue DC series in 1974-75?

Indeed she did. Rima was the central character in the 1905 novel Green Mansions by W. H. Hudson. I presume the novel had entered the public domain by the time DC adapted it for comics.

Cei-U!
Green Mansions, incidentally, was made into a movie in 1959 starring Audrey Hepburn, of all people, as Rima!

[Lone Ranger]

Green Mansions was also adapted for Classics Illustrated in the mid 50s.

I've got a copy of it somewhere.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v471/scottandkat/CBR/GreenMansions.jpg

[benday-dot]

It's Captain Ultra, by the way. Ultra Man, depending on how you spell it, is either the Superman of Earth-3 or the pre-Green Lantern star of All-American Comics in the early '40s. What's funny about the Captain is that George Perez gave him a deliberately garish costume that's actually subtler and in better taste than most of the costumes GP's designed in earnest.

Cei-U!
I summon the eyesore!

Thanks for catching that Cei-U... as usual you are on the ball about these things. My copy is quite buried so I didn't fact check, and GCD was perhaps too chagrined by the existence of Captain Ultra to have bothered mentioning him.

But... Audrey Hepburn was Rima... now that will be worth checking out!

[benday-dot]

As far as know, I don't think Manphibian from the Legion of Monsters mag ever made another appearance.

Manphibian... I didn't believe it until I just checked it out. From a tale aptly titled "Crude Vengeance" I see. Looks exactly like Creature from the Black Lagoon by way of a Japanese monster movie.

[MWGallaher]

Manphibian was the character Dave Cockrum accidentally sold to both DC and Marvel. As I recall, by the time Marvel decided to publish the Manphibian story, Dave had already worked another version of the character into Legion of Super-Heroes (who was then renamed Devilfish). Oops. Maybe that's why we never saw either of them again (so far as I know).
In any case, Dave woulda been the best artist ever for a Creature from the Black Lagoon series, no?
-----
Another obscurity that came to mind since the initial post:
The Brothers Link. This was a feature in Marvel's Astonishing Tales, during its short-lived expansion to 25 cent size in the early 70's. It's the old psychically connected identical twins routine, with one a cop and one a hoodlum. The characters showed up as costumed villain Gemini to confront Ka-Zar a few issues later.

[Cei-U!]

Weren't the Manphibians used again in the Jones/Anderson Ka-Zar? I remember seeing their habitat marked on the Savage Land map in the Official Handbook years ago.

Cei-U!
Jus' wonderin'!

[Sir Tim Drake]

Darn it, I was hoping I'd never see MW's avatar. I'd still rather see than be it, though.