Duke O'Dowd

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Duke O'Dowd, also known as the Human Meteor, is an American soldier, originally from Texas, formerly of the French Foreign Legion. He is a skilled pilot, fighter, and stuntman.

Biography

Upon entering the Legion, O'Dowd made enemies with Karl von Hond, whom he soon discovered to be "selling military secrets to fighting Arab tribes." O'Dowd found himself at odds with von Hond and his cohorts, but was able to fight them off—shooting and killing von Hond in the process—and report them to his Legion superiors.[1] O'Dowd soon grew bored of the ground forces and applied for a transfer to the Legion's aerial division. While waiting on his transfer, O'Dowd witnessed the commandant's young daughter get caught in an observation balloon and carried high into the air. He quickly hopped into a small plane and put his Texan roots to use, lassoing the girl and attempting to fly her to safety. But they were accosted by an unknown, hostile plane, and O'Dowd engaged them in a dogfight. The enemy's bullet struck O'Dowd's fuel tank, and he and the girl were forced to parachute away. The enemies caught up to the two however, pulling them into the plane, separating them and knocking out O'Dowd. He woke in an Arab citadel, prisoner of a sheik. O'Dowd was able to escape and rescue the girl, flying back to his Legion base with a stolen plane. The Legion uncovered that the sheik's men were indeed responsible for the balloon incident in the first place, and intended to capture the commandant's daughter all along. Longing for home, O'Dowd requested an honorable discharge from the Legion. He was granted it, and set out for the United States.[2]

But O'Dowd's return home was not to be. His plane got caught in a tornado over the Himalayas and crash-landed in the lost city of Bayakura, where he was welcomed by the natives as the fulfillment of a prophecy. He was taken to their Supreme Ruler Leng-Lu, who told him that he would be granted powers in Bayakura that would allow him to go forth and fight evil elsewhere in the world; Leng-Lu died moments later, seemingly content. O'Dowd met with Wah Le, who was in charge of Bayakura's highly advanced science and technology. Wah Le gave O'Dowd a "Wonder Belt," an atomically powered piece of equipment that gave him the powers of flight, super strength, and an affinity for magnetism. O'Dowd used his new powers to defeat an evil sect within Bayakura led by Frango and Wah Le assumed the mantle of Supreme Ruler.[3] As part of his new heroic lot in life, O'Dowd was sent to New York City to challenge dangerous gang leader Nad Neurod. Neurod and his sizeable gang caught the city by surprise that night, cutting all electricity and using the opportunity to rob banks. Arriving in New York, O'Dowd took the fight to Neurod's henchmen, easily deflecting their bullets with the "contramagnetic" field supplied by his belt. However, he was disabled by a stiff blow with a wooden gun butt to his head and tied up. Nonetheless, O'Dowd was able to free himself, and soon brought Neurod and his men to justice.[4]

References

  1. Champion Comics #6h: "Duke O'Dowd of the Foreign Legion." (April 1940) Worth Carnahan.
  2. Champion Comics #7h: "Duke O'Dowd." (May 1940) Worth Carnahan.
  3. Champion Comics #8k: "Duke O'Dowd." (June 1940) Appel, George. Worth Carnahan.
  4. Champion Comics #9a: "Duke O'Dowd, The Human Meteor." (July 1940) Turner, Robert. Worth Carnahan.