Number 1294: Outfoxing the Fox

We continue with our Furry Fiends and Foes theme week at Pappy's.

Ever notice how few characters with “black” in their name are black? Like Black Owl, who appeared in Prize Comics. Not even his costume is black. I guess the name sounded good, but it doesn't describe him, or the color of his costume. Black Owl began his career in 1940 as Doug Danville, another millionaire playboy (yawnnnn!) who felt a calling to be a costumed hero. (Don't these guys have something better to do, like sail their yachts or watch their money grow in Cayman Island banks? Oh well, mine is not to question why...)

In his early days Doug wore a tuxedo and an owl mask, but later switched to the red and blue superhero costume.

In this story from Prize Comics #22 (1942), Doug goes after a villain who looks something like our villain yesterday, the Black Rat. Jack Binder is credited by the Grand Comics Database with drawing the story. (I don't know who wrote it, and based on a plot based on a series of unlikely events piling up until the denouement the author is wise not to claim it.) Binder had a comic art shop which also did work for other clients like Fawcett, and I wouldn't be surprised if the Black Owl, as well as yesterday's Bulletman entry, aren't from Binder's shop.