Fox Universe

Yarko (1933)

First appearance - Wonder Comics 2, June 1939

Alter ego - Unknown - awarded name and title of Yarko the Great

Group affiliation - The Syndicate of the Weird, The Mystery Men of America

NOTES: When Yarko first appeared it was obvious that he already was quite well known in certain circles and had a "history", so his activities have been backdated to 1933. During the 1933 to 1938 period, Yarko was known mostly as a flamboyant stage magician, while some also knew him as a "mystical detective" that aided the police on occasion. It was widely believed his "magic" was the result of trickery and illusion. At some point in 1939, after the appearance of Wonderman and other early members of the science hero community, Yarko was finally acknowledged as a powered hero.

SHROUDED ORIGINS

When he was only a small boy, the individual that would become known as Yarko was identified as a person with great mystic potential, by the Lamas in the hidden Tibetan City of Flames, in accordance to one of their ancient prophesies.

What is known is that Yarko hailed from an affluent family in Boston, who after meeting with representatives of the Flame City agreed to send him to study with a community of mystics in India, where he was mentored by Rani Bey, and studied alongside Labi Bey, a younger child and the son of Rani.

At certain points the boy mixed a conventional education with a mystical one, spending some time in the City of Flames but also returning to America to study, ending with a degree from Oxford. After this, and still in his early twenties he returned to India to complete his final rites. He was bestowed the name of Yarko and the honorific: The Great, and also presented with a mystic jewel of great spiritual and magical value, called the Ada La Hoda (one of two such mystical gems - the other was the Ada La Hida).

In 1933, the young man returned to complete his studies at Havard University, while also setting up a stage persona under the name of Yarko the Great, which he used as a cover for his mystic activities. Following graduation he began to operate all around the world and gained a reputation in many quarters. Though primarily based in Boston when in the US, Yarko was often to be found in New York and elsewhere, where he teamed up with fellow mystic and his good friend, Zanzibar. The two also met the pulp hero known as The Mystery Man and were acquainted with the oriental sleuth, Dr Fung.

By 1939 he was well known to the police (who he aided many times) and soon to the public as a science hero.

Prepared for a long brewing war with the "Realm Beyond" (the extra dimensional source of all magic and much evil, known after 1939 as "The Fourth Dimension"), Yarko and Zanzibar gathered a team of mystics and scientific heroes known as the Syndicate of the Weird.

The team included Waukheon (the Native American mystic known as The Birdman), Labi Bey, the science hero Dynamo, Doctor (later Professor) Phillip "Flip" Falcon, and Marga, then known as The Panther Woman.

In 1942 Yarko joined the wartime Mystery Men of America and thanks to his slow aging, remained a member of the science hero community for many decades to come.