Fox Universe

Dynamite (September 1940)

First Appearance - Weird Comics 6, September 1940

Alter Ego - Peter Thor

Group Affiliation - Mystery Men of America (1942 - 1946 grouping), The Liberty Warriors

THE EXPLOSION MAN

At some point in the summer of 1940, twenty one year old Peter Thor was exploring a mine he had inherited from his uncle, that had been locked in a trust for him since he was six. The mine was rumored to have a dangerous vein filled with an unknown gas, and had been boarded up since his uncle's death.

Peter recklessly investigated and caused an explosion - miraculously he found himself unharmed and with the power to create explosions with his hands and feet, through stamping and kinetic energy, like some kind of human bomb.

He was also immune to the effects of his own blasts and even fire, though his clothes tended to burn away. With this in mind, Peter constructed a science hero costume so he could fight crime and avoid losing his clothes through a special formula a scientist friend of his had devised.

Briefly considering calling himself Dynamite Thor, he settled on just Dynamite.

In September 1940 Dynamite debuted, taking out a gang of industrial sabateurs led by the magnate, John Holmes, also known under the alias "Dead John". Active around New York City, Peter spent his time enjoying his fortune, with his girlfriend Glenda and occasionally playing hero for kicks.

His next case took him up against a group of Nazi spies led by the sultry Magda, who returned with her aides Bauer and Muller to plague him during the war years.

Dynamite also earned the emnity of the bald spymaster, Meierhoff.

Despite his infrequent activity, Dynamite was well known enough to be contacted in February 1942 to be invited to the inaugural meeting of the wartime Mystery Men of America on March 8th 1942. This honor caused him to rededicate his career towards aiding the war effort for the duration, and as he was "local" to the Manhattan Biltmore HQ of the team, he was a frequent presence on missions and socially around HQ.

A few years later, Dynamite was tapped as part of a small squad sent to London to intercept Izan, the Spymaster, along with Izan's ex wife turned allied science hero, American Doll, The Birdman and US Jones.

The four became fast friends and were known by the nickname "The Liberty Warriors" and in 1948 when they reunited on a case that took them to Washington DC, and a team up with newer heroes, Electro and the Phantom Lady, the six made it official.

The Liberty Warriors were the only team of the 1950's, the rest having disbanded or retired, so Dynamite's profile and popularity significantly increased. However as he didn't wear a mask, and had an "unfortunate" ressemblance to a popular actor, despite his flame red hair, this increased recognition had some unforeseen side effects.

On several ocassions an enterprising reporter or ambitious detective tried to make a case that Dynamite's secret identity was actor, Kirk Douglas. One time this blew up into national news, which obliged Dynamite to arrange a meeting with Douglas to shake hands and greet each other in front of the cameras. Both men remarked that apart from their hair colour they could be twins!

By the 1960's the Liberty Warriors were far less active and infrequently seen. But Peter Thor and his friends did attend a reunion of the wartime Mystery Men of America put on in 1964 by the third and most famous grouping. During that event, all heroes present were subjected to chronal rays as a villain named The Time Emperor attempted to drain immortal heroes like Thor and Wonderman of their years. It backfired and almost all of the heroes present ended up being deaged back to their prime.

Dynamite and his team continued to be active for the next few decades but gradually faded into obscurity.