Fox Universe

The 1930's

The 1930's - Pulp avengers and the coming of the Science Heroes.

During the 1930's Dr Fung and his long time partner, Dan Barrister Senior continued to travel the world, solving cases and adventuring. By 1934 however, Dr Fung was on his own, and Dan Senior was believed dead by his family and the world at large. Some years later, a case would reunite Dr Fung with Dan's son, Dan Barrister Junior, who would take his father's place as the great detective's partner. With Dr Fung now getting on in years, Dan Junior also acted as the duo's muscle.

Jetsun, The High Lama of the City of Flames sensed that once again the mystic barriers between the Realm Beyond and the Earth were weakening. For the first time since the western heroes had sacrificed so much to shut down the last breach in 1886, the planet was in danger of becoming a target for new invasions.

In America, a person of interest to the Flame lamas was the young genius and inventor, Phillip "Flip" Falcon, who had completed his doctorate and was now working on a machine that would one day allow Dr Falcon to first view, then travel to the Realm Beyond. Jetsun knew from ancient prophesy given to his forebears by a time traveling older version of Flip Falcon, that certain events were destined to play out and the Great Age of Heroes was upon the world.

Falcon was a student of the genius future "mad science villain" Dr Randolph Mordale, later known as Dr Mortal, who was also pursuing his own sinister ends thanks to future knowledge imparted to him as a younger man, by a time traveler from the future.

In a little more than half a decade, Flip would "discover" what he called "The Fourth Dimension" and use of his machine would cause the dimensional barriers to slowly tear a rift in the fabric between that reality and our own. To that end, in 1933 he sent his young pupil, who had earned the title of Yarko the Great, back to his homeland of America to prepare.

Yarko, who had studied at the City of Flames and in other connected mystic communities, established himself as a stage magician and occult detective, aiding the police department in his home city of Boston, before spreading to other cities and countries. In 1934, a second student, Zanzibar the Magician followed suit, relocating to New York City.

In February 1935, a mysterious pulp avenger that the papers dubbed "The Mystery Man" began to operate, also in New York City. This was the sign the High Lama had waited for - he knew that the reincarnation of the City's great champion, Wu Deha would find his way to Tibet and the age of costumed and powered heroes would truly begin.

In late 1938, vacationing reporter, Fred Carson found himself lost high in the mountains. He wandered past the mystic gates that were designed to keep outsiders from the Valley of Flames. Only those who were meant to be there would even have seen the way. Jetsun went to greet the half dead young man, and took him into the high temple near the entrance to the valley.

After Fred had recovered, Jetsun gifted him with the ring of Wu Deha, and only told him if he was the destined one the ring would give him great powers - he would be the earth's mightiest mortal, a true wonderman!

Fred donned the ring and was transformed, gaining the red robes of Wu Deha. Subsequent training over the next few months allowed him to mentally rearrange the molecules of the outfit to a tight form fitting costume. It would be another 4 years until he learned his full origin as Wu Deha's reincarnation, but Fred was content with the explanation that he had been chosen to be a mighty champion in the fight against evil.

Returning home to the US, Wonderman started making news headlines in the opening months of 1939, where he was dubbed the first "science hero." - Yarko, Zanzibar and the Mystery Man gained greater prominence in his wake.

Jetsun then sent his pupil 19 year old Gary Preston home to America, for the first time since the boy was a baby. Gary used his access to the powers of the source flame as The Flame, debuting some months after Wonderman.

During the summer of 1939, as anticipated, other unrelated science heroes began to gain powers and operate as costumed crimefighters. Green Mask in New York, Chicago's Blue Beetle and the vastly powered alien, Stardust who operated all over.

In the fall, the lamas also activated the power of the bloodline descended from their founder, the extra-dimensional Utnapishtim, who was also the ancestor of Gilgamesh and the first Samson. His latest descendent became the hero known as the Samson of the 20th century.

Earlier in 1939, Dr Flip Falcon had managed to get his machine working and began to adventure in the "Fourth Dimension", later tweaking it for his original purpose, time travel. He counted among his enemies the rogue Flame City lama, Chang, who was also building a machine to breach dimensions.

While the Age of Heroes that started in 1939 was famous for its costumed and powered science heroes, others were starting on their path to wonder including pilot adventurers Wing Turner and Captain Kidd, and plucky young girl newsreel reporter, Patty O'Day among others. 1939 was also the year that the old knight, Don Quixote was accidentally transported through time from the early 1600's to the "present day."

Spies, lawmen and intelligence operatives including K-51, D-13, Lt Drake of Naval Intelligence, Yank Wilson and Richard Kendall also started their careers in the 1930's and had gained good reputations by 1939.

1939 was the pivotal year, but the Heroic Age was about to really take of, come ... 1940!