Gold Key Heroes

[Shin Mefilas]

Gold Key Comics was created in 1962 and has spawned a lot of cool super hero titles. While they went defunct in 1984 some of their characters are getting new comics even today thanks to Valiant, Dark Horse and now Dynamite.

What makes the world of Gold Key interesting is that all their heroes exist in the same universe but at different times and places, a theme that connects them even now.

 

Turok, Son of Stone, Dinosaur Hunter

 

 

 

In its original run Turok was the story of a Turok a native american warrior trapped in Lost Land with along with his brother Andar. To begin with the series had an ongoing story but eventually became a story of the week series. The pair would face off against Dinosaurs (called Honkers because of the noises they make), many different tribes of primitive humans, prehistoric mammals and the odd monster or giant insect with nothing but their wits, knifes and arrows. While often not very scientifically accurate (although they do try) the series is fun for 60's era comic. However series never had a proper conclusion and Turok and Andar never escaped the lost lands   .

 

Valiant's Dinosaur Hunter is a squeal to the original although their is a bit of retconing. For example the Lost Land is not an inescapable valley but  a place cut of from normal space/time that is connected to different points in past, present and future. Turok  and the lost land  were introduced in a big cross over where other Valiant heroes where fighting a being called Mothergod who had taken control of the lost land and tricked Turok into serving her. After helping the heroes to defeat Mothergod the lost land was destroyed and Turok was finally free but now stuck in the present day. The majority of the series see's Turok fighting the dinosaurs, primitive humans and the abominations of Mothergod who like himself are appearing across the world. This series was also very good, unlike his predecessor it had an ongoing story and character development for Turok. This series was also a more violent then Son of Stone but unlike other comics at the time it doesn't feel out of place or forced. Turok also got something of a upgrade. Years of fighting int beasts of the lost land has made him much stronger then he was in Son of Stone and he is now armed with his signature Tek-Bow thanks to Mothergod.

 

Acclaim Comics Turok series was more of a re-imagining of the Turok universe. In this series Turok is not the character's name, but rather a title meaning 'Son of Stone'. The Turok must protect the barriers between this dimension and the others—the axis of all worlds being The Lost Lands, a place where creatures from across time and space had been dragged and where "Time has no meaning". Joshua Fireseed, the latest Turok, must travel between alternate universes stopping those who would try to conquer the Lost Lands, and thus all of the Multiverse with it. This series is notable for inspiring the Video Game series of the same name. I'v heard good thing about this series but never read it. I have played all the games which are awesome. Dark Horse took a stab at Turok in 2010 but because of license costs the series was very short lived. While its not perfect it was good start to a series. Currently Dynamite comic has the rights to Turok and their series seems to be doing well. I have yet to read it.

 

Magnus Robot Fighter.

 

 

Magnus is from the year 4000. At this time humanity has become over dependent on robots to the point were we even let them make important decisions for us because we have become so indulgent. With the threat of rouge robot or evil human domination on the horizon a robot known as 1A (a name which implies that he is the very first robot of his type ever manufactured) who seems to be self-aware and possess emotions, raised and trained Magnus to defend humanity. Magnus, as his title suggests, is powerful enough to engage robots in unarmed combat and was trained in a special style of martial arts geared specifically towards fighting them by taking advantage of their weak points. However he is not invincible so he wears cloths that repel laser and plasma weapons.  He also has a special implant in his head that allows him pick up and understand robot communication signals.

 

Doctor Solar, Man of the Atom

 

 

Dr. Raymond Solar is out on a field in Atom Valley when an atomic bomb detonates prematurely. Although his body is converted to pure energy and hurled into space, Solar's consciousness has somehow survived; through sheer will he converts himself back to solid matter and drifts to earth as a misty green liquid. Reforming himself, he discovers that he has no heartbeat but is "a walking atomic power plant," By boosting his energy--eating cobalt pills, drinking down test tubes full of a radioactive isotope or exposing himself to lightning, for example--he turns green and can become a beam of light to enter places unseen, transform himself into electricity, fly through the air at supersonic speed, trace radio waves, fire lightning bolts from his eyes, live underwater by surrounding himself with an electrical field and melt objects with atomic heat. Perhaps his most remarkable ability is being able to stimulate molecules in the air, thus amplifying sounds made years earlier. Although he cannot be harmed by gunfire, drugs or physical assault, Dr. Solar can destroy himself if he ever uses too much energy. Solar must also wear protective goggles even when he is out of costume, lest his lightning vision cause him harm. Unhappily, Solar is so dangerously radioactive that, even wearing his cadmium-lined clothing, he can be in contact with other people for only a few minutes. The rest of the time he lives in an isolation chamber at a lab in Atom Valley.

 

The Valiant version of Solar's powers are over energy as he is a being of pure energy. He can convert himself or other energy to matter and back again. His powers are limited by his mind's ability to think them up. He has split himself into more than one "being" so that he may stay on earth and search the universe at the same time. He can absorb a sun, and even bond with one. He has the ability to travel outside of space-time where reality doesn't exist. He does follow the laws of conservation as he can run low on energy. He recharges best with absorbing radiation forms of energy. The limits of his power was never found as he never was killed.

 

Might Samson

 

 

 

In the aftermath of a nuclear war, the world is populated by small tribes of humans as well as mutated plants and animals.  Born to the peaceful N'Yark tribe in what was once New York City, young Samson possesses the strength and agility of 10 men.  It is no problem for him to lift a car or catch a spear in flight.  When his mother is killed by warlike invaders, Samson vows to use his powers to "protect the weak from the powerful, the good from the evil."  Immediately thereafter he fights the most fearsome monster of the future world, the towering liobear. Though he defeats the upright beast, it mauls him, costing him an eye. Found and nursed back to health by a young woman named Sharmaine, Samson takes up with her and her father Mindor, a scientist who re-learns 25th century technology in the laboratory he has set up in an old bank vault. With their help Samson defends N'Yark from ravenous mutants and savage warlords.

 

 

Doctor Adam Spektor

 

 

 

Doctor Adam Spektor is an occult investigator who during his various inquires has found himself facing not only the occasional fake psychic but a number of real occult menaces from vampires (including Dracula), to werewolves, to mummies, swamp beasts, Frankenstein's monster, and other strange creatures. On occasion, he also got to see "how the other half lives," having his soul trapped in the body of a living mummy, having to claw his way out of a premature grave, and drinking the formula of the infamous Dr. Jekyll, temporarily transforming him into the monstrous Mr. Hyde. At one point he was even turned into a werewolf for a few months. Fortunately, however, his expertise in the occult and his supernatural connections were so good that he quickly found a cure. Dr. Spektor’s arduous tasks however have been made more bearable by his succession of beautiful assistants such as his Sioux secretary and lover Lakota Rainflower, his cousin Anne Sara, and his eventual new love interest Lu-Sai. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[durendal]

I was only introduced to Solar, Magnus and Turok through the Valiant Comics.  I kinda liked how Valiant weaved the story in between the characters.  Unity is actually one of my favorite story arcs in the Valiant universe.  The way they made Phil Seleski turn to be exactly like his childhood hero Dr. Solar, and how they explained the capabilities of Magnus through the fact that he was the child of the Harbinger Torque.

 

It was a shame that Valiant shut down.  Even though the weren't as successful as the other publishers, the story they produced are top notch for me.  They don't need to rely on gimmicks, they had a solid story to tell.  Although later on they did jump on the gimmicks band wagon.  I still own several Valiant comics, including the first appearance of Ninjak, which was worth quite a sum of amount, buy now probably worth a buck or two.