Crimes for a Penny (America's Greatest Comics #2)

Our latest tale involving the Crimson Crusaders of another world's Gotham opens in a courtroom, where special prosecutor Brian Butler is wrapping up an "airtight" case against a hapless defendant charges with the murder of John D. Rokkafeller. Yep, this wealthy magnate spells his name a bit differently on Earth-S, and apparently is also a magnet of malice directed towards him.

However, when the defendants' daughter Vera Brown (or Hobson, her father's name... the story can't seem to decide what to call her) protests as to her father's innocence, Butler suddenly withdraws his concluding statements pending further investigation, to the bafflement of a clearly bias judge presiding over this legal matter. Concerned, Judge Peabody orders an assistant to follow up with him as to Butler's whereabouts and such. Something is fishy about this guy's jurisprudence, or lack thereof.

Following up on the private investigator which the daughter hired, Mister Scarlet is too late to save the man's life but come across some rent-a-thugs and their hankerchief masked mastermind who evades capture.

Pinky soon learns of what  has transpired and joins his adopted father in following the trail of a mysterious coin which the masked man's hoods tried to steal from the dying detective. However, during the scrimmage with the criminals, the penny is lost.

Butler interviews Mister Hobson in his jail cell, and learns that he and Rokkafeller were business partners which left their joint venture in the alleged murderer's sole possession which gave Hobson motive. It would seem that Mister Butler, Esquire built up his criminal case based solely on circumstantial evidence! In any event, mention is again made of the coin.

Still nervous about the penny for some reason, the "White Hankerchief" (for lack of a better name) decides to kidnap Vera, although he leaves a trails which Scarlet and Pinky are able to track. Rescuing the distressed damsel, she reveals to our heroes that she reconifzes the voice of the malevolent masked man. 

Although not having the coin, with which the true murderer's name was etched upon, Butler is able to bluff to the court the next day that he obtained the coin which reveals the true culprit. Judge Peabody, it would seem, about the inject the councilor with lead from his hidden revolver before a bailiff restrains him. Turns out, the judge moonlit as a counterfeiter, which Rokkafeller discovered leading to his demise. Guess they don't pay Gotham magistrates the going rate afforded their social status as elsewhere!

• Supporting Scarlet: Pinky is ever ready to evade his ever present arch-enemy, the over-mothering Miss Wade.

• Red Romance: Those days of implied romantic undertones between Butler and Miss Cherry Wade seem a distance memory.

• Menacing the Mister: At this point, the biggest adversary in this series is the corrupt establishment of Gotham City elites, moreso then blue collar crooks.

• Crimson Capabilities: More athletic feats though most this time unseen. Some nice full body tackles.

• Fawcett Facts: Despite the image of a giant coin which Pinky was chasing, this is not their version of the Penny Plunderer's giant penny which became a prominent souvenir of another Gotham City Dynamic Duo.

Fawcett Comics Presents: Scarlet and the Gold #3

By the time that Brian and Pinky encountered was replicas of themselves and other heroes, they had already met Captain Marvel and his sister Mary. However, this brought into their own personal universe fellow Wow wonders Commando Yank and Phantom Eagle, whom they would also share several covers of their mutual comic with throughout the years.

The Voice - Murder Without Clues (Wow Comics #6)

Despite his social standing as a special prosecutor a g Gotham City, Brian Butler and his ward appeared not are traveling on a subway when several thugs board the transport to rob from its riders. This distracts them from noticing Butler and son "stripping from action" (terrible battle cry, Brian!) to become Mister Scarlet and Pinky, the Whiz Kid. While the Dynamic Duo are battling the hoodlums, and ominous voice known only as "the Voice" threatens those onboard. He somehow orchestrated not only this attempted heist, but directing another subway train car to head straight for his victims.

Thankfully, the train engineer averts this catastrophe in time. However our heroes track  down the Voicel revealing him the be the owner of the subway now near bankruptcy. Lots of corrupt businessman in this city!

When a threatening call to prosecutor Butler's office was received from a mysterious source, Mister Scarlet investigated further. This phone call was tied to the passing of Thomas Mendel. Encountering the culprit behind the crime by together the clues, the crimson crusader has a couple clashes with the masked menace including on train tracks where the two are nearly run over by a runaway locomotive.

When his foe takes the bait Scarlet left behind, Mister Butler invites several suspects via a newspaper headline to meet and springs the trap on the man behind the mask, an actor named Ked Allen, who had been blackmailing the murder victim for years until Mandel got sick of it.

Some remarkable parallels occur between Scarlet and the sixties superhero sensation in television's Batman. First, a snappy reportoir with their sidekicks Pinky and Robin, respectively. Second, cheesy villains that provide just enough of a challenge for the heroes. Three, awesome sound effects. Just look at that panel!

• Supporting Scarlet: Once more we witness Butler/Scarlett's detective abilities on display.

• Red Romance: Imagine if Pinky never entered the picture, then Mister Scarlet would have Miss Wade's undivided attention.

• Menacing the Mister: The Voice has a cool gimmick but non descriptive appearance when we meet him. Allen's adversarial alter ego has a neat pulp style disguise but nothing special in his technique.

• Crimson Capabilities: Pinky has become adept at evading the notice of Miss Wade's watchful eye. Although she can't still believe that he isn't making a break for crime fighting at the earliest opportunity.

• Fawcett Facts: Now only two appearances each issue in Wow Comics and other features are crowding the dynamic duo from the cover! Is a Mister Scarlet and Pinky comic in the horizon? Sadly, no.

Mr. Hyde - The Hummer - Mr. Scarlet Meets Blackbeard (Wow Comics #4)

With this issue, Mister Scarlet joins a large fraternity of superheroes with a sidekick. The first, of course, was Batman, who was joined by Robin in March of 1940. Then, there was Speedy, who debuted alongside his mentor Green Arrow in September of 1941, and Sandy, whose first case alongside Sandman was in October 1941. Of course, Wing was the junior chauffeur of his employer, both in his boss's civilian and costumed identities, and would later adopt a uniform like that of Crimson Avenger's. Star-Spangled Kid was already around but since it was his adult chauffeur who was his sidekick, that doesn't exactly count.

Other prominent sidekicks were Buddy in  July 1940 (who aided Uncle Sam), Toro in September 1940 (alongside Human Torch), Roy the Super Boy also in September 1940 (mentored by the Wizard), Dusty in January 1941 (assisting the Shield), and Bucky in March 1941 (side-by-side with Captain America. And these were only kids who teamed up with older established heroes. Many costumed and non-costumed adults also befriended costumed crusaders during this formative era in superheroics.

While Pinky first appeared in October 1941, as he and his guardian took on the Death Battalion of Mister Scarlet's former foes, the lad's chronological first appearance was in Winter of 1941.

In this origin tale, Pinky seems to be living a happy childhood raised by his widowed mother, until a madman named Mister Hyde breaks into their home and slays her. Immediately thereafter, special prosecutor Brian Butler and his secretary Miss Wade are charged with finding him suitable guardianship, initially with an orphanage. However, after several days there, one of Pinky's instructors... a man named Mister Jelke... had an odd reaction to a book which transformed him into the villainous Hyde.

The man-monster's next prey was Gotham City's mayor within his home, although Mister Scarlet corners the bestial baddie. Chasing him to the nearby orphanage, when Scarlet leaps over the home's wall in pursuit of Hyde, instead he finds Jelke who states he saw no one rush by him. However, Pinky lives up to his future nickname as the Whiz Kid, piecing together from a monocle left behind that his instructor secretly is carrying on another life.

Assembling a remarkably similar costumed to that of his hero, Pinky seeks to track down Mister Hyde and avenge the death of his mother. But he is delayed by Mister Scarlet himself, who joins him in battling the villain. Together, after an initial reversal, this new Dynamic Duo defeat Mister Hyde. Reverting to his true identity as Jelke, he drinks poison rather than be captured.

Towards the end of this initial adventure, Pinky deduces that Butler and Scarlet are one in the same, which the attorney later accidentally confirms. Miss Wade forms a motherly attachment to the lad, and will frown on his costumed career.

On their next case together, Pinky already wants to becoming his mentor's full time sidekick. Of course, Miss Wade chastises the boy as being a mystery man is a dangerous occupation for someone of his age. 

Meanwhile, a convicted killer is released from prison, and seeks revenge on the attorney who locked him away. Soon after, he seeks out that attorney's former secretary, Miss Wade herself. Mister Scarlet saves her life, although when Miss Cherry sees the lad she makes him promise not to pursue the criminal known as the Hummer.

However, Pinky is not dissuaded from trying to bring in the Hummer whom he runs across on the street, although the villain is able to overpower the lad and then holds he and Mister Scarlet hostage as a result. Escaping a near watery death, tied to the base of a pier at high tide, the crimson crusaders tackle Hummer together... bringing him to justice. Although Miss Wade pieces together that Pinky is disobeying her!

For their third tale, Brian and Pinky are at a costumed party at the Van Hoff estate, along with Miss Cherry Wade. When the evil Bluebeard and his pirate gang attempt to kidnap Mrs. Van Hoff, their plans are disrupted by the actual Scarlet and Pinky who are still wearing their masquerade gear. After pursing Bluebeard, with Pinky saving a captured Mister Scarlet before the pair overpower the scurvy dog, it is revealed that the arch pirate is the Van Hoff's cousin Tom!

• Supporting Scarlet: Pinky becomes a fully functioning assistant to Mister Scarlet, seemingly achieving ace acrobatics and determined deductions without any training! A true prodigy.

• Red Romance: Miss Cherry Wade seems to have shifted her attention from a hot/cold love/hate relationship with Brian and his colorful alter ego, to being a mother figure for Pinky.

• Menacing the Mister: None of the villains our pair faced were notable, except to provide Pinky with a motive to be a mystery man...er...lad.

• Crimson Capabilities: As mentioned, Pinky is perfectly suited for Scarlet as to both physical and mental abilities.

• Fawcett Facts: While his appearance as a sidekick was towards the end of the initial wave of such justice juniors, Pinky is notable as the first... and most prominent... of Fawcett's sidekicks. Unless you count Captain Marvel Junior, who was a junior partner but had mostly his own adventurers. It would be quite sometime before a second sidekick would appear.. aiding our other crimson crusader on this blog.

The Mummy Ray - The Black Clown - The Laughing Skull (Wow Comics #3)

Our first of three tales involves a crackpot inventor who invents a powerful weapon he labels a "mummy ray". Why? Well, as he zaps a poor carousing cat outside his window, it turns into a lifeless skeletal mass. Excited as to he prospects of this new deadly device, the inventor.. Phineas Cox... approaches Henry Hewitt, manager of the Defend America League (whatever that is). Hewitt chases his volatile visitor away, impelling Cox to cry out that he will show the country the power of his device.

Later, we see a poor damsel strolling on the way to who knows where, and gets zapped by the mummy ray, held by the masked marauder known as the Black Thorm. Why her, why there, why at that time... none of these questions are answered. However, this makes him a threat which Brian Butler hears broadcast over the radio. Through some unspecified detective work, the prosecuting protector of the powerless tracks Black Thorn first to a bank housing defense funds and an armory, each guarded by the next victims of the Ray. In the first confrontations, Black Thorn uses his headpiece to knock the wind out of his adversary. It appears during their next encounter that Black Thorn has slain the crimson crusader, but in actuality it was a spare costume draped on one of the former guards which Scarlet uses to lure the villian out in the open. A rematch leads to Mister Scarler knocking out his opponent. Unmarked, the Thorn is revealed as Hewitt, who stole Cox's ray to use against America. This will be the core concept of Black Thorn's return, alongside other freakish foes.

The next malevolent maniac that Mister Scarlet faced would remind one of another caped crusader's arch-enemy. This tale begins with, could it be, Brian and his sassy secretary Miss Cherry Wade on a date at the circus. There, the couple meet its owner, Harry Parish after which the pair see some slithering snakes that get under Miss Wade's skin.

Jump to the home of banker George Reardon, who while going over financials gets a big slimy python gives him his last ever hug. When news of this is broadcast on the airwaves, Butler changes into his ever handy superhero spandex and races to Reardon's bank, where a couple of hoods of making off with some funds therein. Battling the dastardly duo, he faces their boss the Black Clown, who has a python... perhaps the same one that made George's acquaintance, to likewise show our colorful crusader some animal affection. Instead, Scarlet bursts from its grasp, and tracks the Clown and his minions to the apartment of Petrie, business associate of Reardon.

Foiling these plans as well, Scarlet still can't corner the slippery Black Clown who lunges out of the window into the night air. Suspecting that the snakes which his foe uses originated from the circus, Scarlet calls Miss Wade to inform her of this to likewise let the authorities know. Instead, she shows up at the circus and becomes a captive pawn of the Black Clown, who sends out his muscleman from Borneo to tackled Mister Scarlet. Our hero beats this bruiser, then acrobatically grabs his secretary whom the villain threw down from above as a distraction. Overpowering the Black Clown, Mister Scarlet discovers he was really Parish. Miss Wade ascertained that Parish was going bankrupt, sought a loan from the bankers and when failing to get it, hatched this scheme. He is the fifth of six returning rogues who will plague Scarlet again.

This last man to vex Mister Scarlet is the so-called Laughing Skull. He first appears tormenting a man named Jones with threatening letters, then kidnaps him, burying him alive! Somehow, word of this gets out into the newspapers, catching our legal eagle's eye and attention. Brian Butler is on the case.

However, before that can happen, a "queer nut" according to dutiful dotting damsel Miss Cherry Wade bursts into the special prosecutor's office, admitting to Mister Butler, Esq. and his secretary that he is fact that mastermind behind this crime. Escorting him out, Brian and Miss Wade discuss the need for Mister Scarlet to enter the fray. And so, later that evening, it is that caped crusader who is copping a squat on top of a tombstone in Hillside Cemetery, where Jones disappeared, and witnesses Skull and his thugs to push their next victim Henry Mize into a grave. Inexplicably, Scarlet hides behind one tombstone in front of two hit-men, then reappears behind them!

Though Mister S. makes short work of these two thugs, their boss chucks a brick from above at Scarlet's head, knocking him out, then get away. Waking up, our colorful crimefighter is once more approached by the odd man stating he is the Laughing Skull, although Scarlet asks questions of a nearby owl as to "who" is the Skull rather than inquire further of this strange fellow.

Returning to his office the next day after the police apparently save Mize, he is notified by Miss Wade that John Dodd has also been threatened by the Skull. Dodd is a banker. Apparently, Gotham is an unsafe place to live if you are a banker. Donning is cape and cowl, Butler heads over to Dodd's home and is confronted by the Skull, then shortly thereafter yet again by the weirdo once more professing guilt. Our Laughing larcenist and is men get the drop on Scarlet, and when he regains consciousness he if face to face with the Skull. However, a hand from an open window... another open window in this city... passes him a knife allowing Scarlet to tear free from his ropes. Oh and catching the plummeting body of Miss Wade, who adopted her employer's modus operandi and breaking in open windows but not keeping her balance.

Meanwhile, back at the cemetery, Skull and his men are planning to abscond with their "third victim" (wait, wasn't Dodd the third one?) named George Brown. Before they can do this, Mister Scarlet overwhelms the crooks and unmasks the Laughing Skull... as the strange fellow who kept approaching he and Miss Wade. Turns out, he was Dodd who was blackmailing his victims into helping him out of debt.

• Supporting Scarlet: This is the last solo tale of Mister Scarlet, as he will soon be joined by another caped crusader. Wanna guess his age? Remember, this is the age of Robin, Speedy, Sandy, Bucky, Dusty... boy wonders all.

• Red Romance: At least now we have Brian and Miss Cherry going to the circus together, presumably on a date (their first?). Butler is on his best behavior lately, not bursting into her apartment unannounced. Mister Scarlet chastises her for following him to Dodd's digs as a "disobedient secretary", worried for her safety. Her reply? "Oh, just wait till I get my breath back!"

• Menacing the Mister: We now have six costumed creeps from the last three tales and these three: Doctor Death, the Ghost, Horned Hood, Black Thorn, Black Clown and the Laughing Skull. When we see them, and their enemy, again... we will see their tenacity.

• Crimson Capabilities: So Mister Scarlet seems to glide effortlessly through the air, though not a solid indication of his rumored "flying abilities" as yet. Definitely has a sturdy skull, to absorb multiple flows to the head without losing a step.

• Fawcett Facts: Soon...the above sinister six will assemble... on October 15, 1941. A landmark issue and historical first as we will discuss.

Melodious Death - Mr. Scarlet Meets the Ghost - The Horned Hood (Wow Comics #2)

Since his last appearance, which was also his first appearance, in the winter of 1940, evidently big plans were in the works for our red raider, as not one nor two but three tales were penned of him for the upcoming summer 1941 Wow Comics edition! From these tales, the mythos of this masked manhunter were built upon, from his hot and cold relationship with secretary and girl friday in Miss Cherry Wade, to his first repeating rogues revealing themselves in each of these three adventures.

In the first tale "Melodious Death", special prosecutor Brian Butler and Miss Wade are working through their legal case workload, when strange music radiates from a nearby window. Quickly changing into his scarlet spandex, our hero finds the deceased body of orchestra pianist Campini. It seems that the musician had delivered to him an odd melody that he found himself playing until stuck in a cord that inexplicably led to his demise.

Shaking down a hood, as would become his standard m.o., Mister Scarlet ultimately used a note left with the victim with a postdate to somehow track down the culprit and his goons. The ghastly looking Doctor Death was the man behind this crime, although Scarlet needed prove to pin on him. So, leaving the shaken hood at the base of a stairway, Scarlet impelled his adversary to make his next move. That move, to strike at the next man of three that were on his list... a Mister Ravelle.

Once more, Scarlet shows his creepy side as a man with no barriers, once more lunging in midair into the apartment of Miss Wade, who provided him with a key to cause of Campini's death. Poison laced in the paper that contained the notes of the sheet music which was Campini's last performance.

At Ravelle's home, Mister Scarlet made quick work of Doctor Death and his hoods, although it seemed at first that Death had our protagonist somehow sweating for his life! And through deduction, Scarlet ascertained that Doctor Death was in fact Ravelle, who had recently been fired from the symphony and sought revenge on the man he blamed for this.

But never fear, Doc Death would return...as would the next two villains this issue!

In "Mister Scarlet Meets the Ghost", we see our colorfully clad crimefighter this time prowling the streets of the yet to be named Gotham City in pursuit of problematic prey.

Henry Suffridge, the Orphan Society's president, discovered that one of his board members has stolen from that organization's funds. Three candidates as to who this could be... Petrie, Crane or Jones. As each man left the meeting, the mysterious Ghost sent out his minions to scare one of the trio, leaving Mister Jones in a panic when a Mister Scarlet on patrol found him.

Assuring the businessman there is no such thing as ghosts, our caped crusader decided to approach Suffridge himself to see is the president knew anything about this. From a distance, the sheet-clad ghosts working for our arch-villain were spying Scarlet. Meanwhile, Mister Scarlet had a plan.

When next seen, the masked Brian Butler is, yet again, somersaulting through the perpetually open window of his secretary, jarring her from her slumber. Then, almost as suddenly, he leave! What is this guy's deal?

Tracking down the Ghost and goons, who now have cornered Jones and seek to scare him into admitting who the criminal is that is stealing from the Orphan Society, one of their number throws off his sheet to reveal... Scarlet himself.

Making quick work of the thugs, are daring do-gooder reveals his suspicions which turn out to be true, that Suffridge himself was the Ghost who was seeking to distract attention from claims that he himself was the crook behind this theft.

Never fear, the Ghost would reappear, although we first need to meet the third member of this budding battalion of bad guys.

When the Maharaja Jewels were being displayed in the local museum, they were a temptation to much for the Horned Hood to resist. Realizing as Brian Butler that his alter ego would be needed to guard these jewels, Mister Scarlet was on hand later that night when professional henchmen Rocco and Slugger broke in to steal these priceless items, as their boss looked on. Busting up the dastardly duo, Mister Scarlet's attention was distracted as the Hood got away with his ill-gotten gains. Once more muscling information from one of the felons, Mister Scarlet tracked down the jewels to a local fence who seemingly got the drop on the hero, as his boys overwhelmed the hero. Never fear, Scarlet broke through his bonds without breaking a sweat, and once more force one of his captors to reveal the hideout of Horned Hood.

But before facing his the floppish fiend himself, Scarlet decided to revisit his favorite pasttime, breaking into Miss Cherry Wade's flat! At this point, it is quite obvious she's fed up with her employer's frequent visits, although still insists on leaving her windows ajar! Then, after trouncing both his remaining cronies and the Hood himself, Scarlet brought the jewels back to their rightful owners. Another case closed.

• Supporting Scarlet: At this point, Miss Cherry Wade really would like someone else to occupy the attention of Brian and his other identity.

• Red Romance: As for the caped and cowl crusader who during daytime hours plays the part of her Miss Wade's boss, Mister Scarlet seems to be throwing out not-so-subtle hints of interest.

• Menacing the Mister: Three foes who would later reappear... together with others... in their next appearance! Indeed, Doctor Death, Ghost and Horned Hood were the first recurring rogues of many that would face Scarlet throughout the years.

• Crimson Capabilities: Tremendous strength, to burst out of bonds so easily. Daring acrobatics from ledge to ledge, without nary a rope in sight. Astute observational and/or bold assumption skills.

• Fawcett Facts: Still no outside connections to the greater Fawcett-verse. But soon...

Will the streak of multiple tales in a single issue continue? Let's find out...

The Coming of Mister Scarlet (Wow Comics #1)

Special prosecutor Brian Butler debuted as a fairly focused fighter facing ferocious felons. Immediately, it was revealed in his first appearance that he had a dual identity, although thus far no further details were provided as to his alter ego of Mister Scarlet. Some of the questions left unanswered:

1. How did he receive the extensive training needed to attain such physical feats as he will demonstrate in his costumed crusade?
2. What motivated him to become a mystery man, as superheroes of his day were then known?
3. Why, oh why, would he clad himself in scarlet spandex from head to toe, complete with a yellow cape referred to as a "beach towel"?
4. How far back does his colorful crimefighting career go, as a criminal in story refers to him by name alluding to an established reputation.
5. Who is Cherry Wade, the dependable secretary of Brian Butler who seemingly knows of her boss' nighttime activities?
6. When did Brian and Cherry realize that they loved each other, as first he declares his affection to her and later she returns feelings back towards him?

The story begins with a mystery relating to the murder of a city councilman. Butler as special prosecutor is tasked with the case of ascertaining who is behind this, which he promises the council he will learn within 72 hours. Instead of inquiring the police as to investigating this crime, Brian launches into his first chronicled case as Mister Scarlet, tracking down a stool pigeon Rocco who leads him to councilman Jonas Ludwell. Seems like he was right in not asking for the help of the local flatfoots, as a beat cop named O'Mahoney knows that Rocco, as a hitman, doesn't deserve to be walking free down the streets of this unidentified city, yet lets him keep on strolling. However, a note from Scarlet tips off Officer O'Mahoney that Rocco is best behind bars.

Before visiting the crooked councilman, Scarlet swoops into the flat of Cherry, awaking her from her slumber to pen a letter to be delivered to the Council. Then, he visits his prey Ludwell who is accompanied by gangster Mike Shannon, and despite overwhelming numbers, Mister Scarlet is able to take out all of these goons. Pieces fall in place, as the mystery mastermind soon stands revealed!

The next day, Butler meets with the City Council, and reveals yet another not heretofore referred to councilman and "financier" named Warren Crane is the puppeteer behind these sinister schemes. Ascertaining from paperwork which Scarlet purloined from Shannon, the politician who had been slain was tired of being a pawn in the underworld's schemes, and was thus eliminated. Case closed, although the depths of corruption in Butler's city merits his attention, clad during the day in a suit and at night in sensational spandex.

A few amazing things occur in this initial story. First, Mister Scarlet seems to effortlessly glide from rooftop to rooftop, and carries a firearm for which he keeps in his holster. He doesn't use it except to threaten Rocco, yet the grim grimace he uses to stare down various hoods is either a convincing act or a deeply disturbing sense of anger brewing within him. The nature of this has yet to be revealed. Although as plainclothes Butler, he decks Crane as glibly as Scarlet did with hoods, showing that Brian has no fear of his alter ego being discovered.

Still, it is the relationship with Cherry Wade that will continue to define and refine the characterization of Brian for years to come. The subtext with their relationship indicates a deep affection restrained by... something. But what is not yet identified, although we can answer the following questions:

• Supporting Scarlet: The only recurring character to appear in this tale is Miss Cherry Wade, as she will be known through the years. Is she just an assistant, a romantic interest, or just a confidant. Time will reveal how their roles as supervisor and secretary will develop and reverse as circumstances change.

• Red Romance: Once more, Miss Wade seems to vacillate between hot and cold with her supervisor.

• Menacing the Mister: No lasting adversaries, except for the evil that festers within the city.

• Crimson Capabilities: Surprising agility and acrobatic feats displayed. Possibly some gadgets. Keep an eye on his piece, which is much more than a gun.

• Fawcett Facts: Gotham City is identified as the burg that Butler/Scarlet protects.

Definitely modeled after a Dark Knight published elsewhere, we will see many comparisons between Mister Scarlet and Batman. From the tortured temperament and weapon wielding during their early days, each would be tempered by significant sidekicks they'd both soon meet...