The Destroyer in the 1940s

[Captain Good]

Several Golden Age appearances of the Destroyer are currently incorrectly listed under Brian Falsworth or Roger Aubrey, rather than under Keen Marlow, who does not even have a character list.

Keen Marlow's first appearance as the Destroyer was in Mystic Comics #6 (1941). When Brian Falsworth first appeared as the Destroyer in The Invaders #18 (1977), he implied to Captain America that "Keen Marlow" was a fictitious identity he had adopted, and the Angel's narration in The Marvels Project #7 follows this. However, The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Golden Age (2004) and The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A–Z (2009–10) confirm that there were two Destroyers: the American Marlow and the British Falsworth, both of whom received a variant super-soldier serum from Eric Schmitt. They agreed to maintain the same identity to sow confusion among their enemies.

The entry for Destroyer in OHotMU A–Z #3 says that Falsworth "acquired a variant sample of Schmitt's formula from a fellow prisoner", but Union Jack's entry in OHotMU A–Z #12 states that Falsworth, Marlow and Schmitt were all imprisoned together: the fellow prisoner was Schmitt himself. This means that Falsworth was present off-panel when Marlow received the serum in Mystic Comics #6, while Marlow was likewise present off-panel when Falsworth received it in Marvels Project #7. OHotMU A–Z #12 suggests that Falsworth and Marlow started out as the Destroyer simultaneously, but #3 says that Falsworth only took on the identity for the first time during Marlow's absence in England following the events of All Winners Comics #3. Falsworth gave up the identity on becoming the second Union Jack in Invaders #19, and Roger Aubrey stepped into Falsworth's bucket boots to become the third Destroyer in Invaders #26.

OHotMU A–Z #12 gives Mystic Comics #8 as the first appearance of Falsworth as Destroyer, but he only actually appears on the cover fighting the Terror Den goblins; the second story inside with the Destroyer battling von Maus the Manhunter is confirmed as an appearance of Marlow.

OHotMU A–Z #3 describes which of the other Golden Age appearances were Marlow and which were Aubrey. In the listings below I've added a short description to aid identification with the narrative in OHotMU A–Z. Several appearances of Marlow are not described there, but can be identified as such either due to the presence of his girlfriend Florence von Banger or by being set in the Pacific; Aubrey remained in Europe for the duration of the war.

All Winners Comics #6 is listed twice: OHotMU A–Z #3 confirms that it was Aubrey who fought the Stone Man, but Marlow also briefly appears in his own identity as a reporter.

DESTROYER I/Kevin "Keen" Marlow/"Louis Kramer"
{MYSC 6} ~ M/PROJECT 7-BTS - given serum by Eric Schmitt
ALLWC 2/3 - Herman Berg
MYSC 6/2 - The Scar
MYSC 7
ALLWC 3/5 - Dr Dragon
MYSC 8/3 - von Maus the Manhunter
ALLWC 4/5
MYSC 9
ALLWC 5/7 - Inga von Leche
MYSC 10
ALLWC 6/2
USAC 6/3 - Brander
USAC 10/2 - Frank Craben
ALLWC 10/5 - Frank Piraud
USAC 13/2 - Jerry Crane
MYSC2 1/3 - Juggernaut
AMAZINGC 1/4 - The Face
MYSC2 2/4 - Mount Fuji
USAC 14/4
MYSC2 3/4 - Mother Ting
CMPLTC 2/3
ALLSC 6/3 - Captain Suicide
MYSC2 4/2 - Los Angeles
DARC 11/3
USAC 16/2 - Bloody Baron
KIDK 9/3 - robot planes
USAC 17/4 - Pineapple Gang
DARC 12/5 - Numbers Bellman
KIDK 10/2 - Ken Houdin
ALLSC 10/3 - Rocky Scarpulla

OHotMU A–Z #3 says that "Marlow's subsequent postwar activities remain unrecorded, his ultimate fate a mystery to this day." He appears as an old man in Destroyer #1–5 (2009).

DESTROYER II/Brian Falsworth/"Keen Marlow"
INV 19-FB
M/PROJECT 7 ~ MYSC 6-BTS - given serum by Eric Schmitt
MYSC 6/2
ALLWC 2/3
MYSC 7
{MYSC 8/cover} - Terror Den goblins
USAC70A
ALLWC 3/5
M/PROJECT 7
MYSC 8/3
ALLWC 4/5
MYSC 9
INV 18
INV 19 (1-15)
INV 21-FB
See Union Jack II

I've left USA Comics 70th Anniversary Special as an appearance of Falsworth, but it could just as easily be Marlow. One German soldier says the Destroyer is American, while another tells him he is British – their confusion tactic was working.

DESTROYER III/Roger Aubrey (does he ever use the Marlow name?)
From Dyna-Mite
INV 26 - assumes Destroyer identity
INV 34 - Master Man
MYSC 10
ALLWC 5/7
ALLWC 6/3 - Sculpture
ALLWC 7/5 - Switzerland
ALLWC 8/5 - Madam Satan
USAC 8/2 - chemically simulated deaths
ALLWC 9/5 - Gloria Delacroix
USAC 9/2 - Louis Frankel
KIDK 4/2 - force field machine
ALLWC 11/5 - Hitler clones
USAC 11/2 - British commandos
ALLWC 12/5 - French resistance
M/CP 156/2 <--moved here
KIDK 6/2 - giant magnet
MSU 9
TWELVE:SH
TWELVE 1
M/CP 156/2
CV 1-FB
...etc.

Some appearances could be of either Marlow or Aubrey. USA Comics #12/2 and Kid Komics #5/2 are both set in Berlin, and were both published before Marlow left Europe as described in Mystic Comics vol 2 #1.

Marvel Comics Presents #156/2 is mostly in German, but when the Destroyer does speak in English I get the impression it's with an English accent, so I've left it under Aubrey. I've moved its placement earlier, though, as it seems to fit more with the heavy RAF bombing raids on Berlin in early 1944 than with the final stages of the Battle of Berlin as shown in Twelve.

I would have thought the final page of Marvels #1 would be sometime after the invasion of Germany from the west in Spring 1945, which would mean this is an appearance of Aubrey, but other characters' listings seem to place it much earlier in the war, which means it could be Marlow. Is there a previous thread that discusses this placement?

[ShadZ]

Florence von Banger?!?

[Col_Fury]

ah, the Mighty Destroyer. One of my favorites.

I don't remember where the interview was, but I recall Roy Thomas saying that one of his few Marvel regrets was retconning Keen Marlow into "just" an alias. I was happy when I (finally) saw that had been "fixed" and have been intending to get around to straightening out Marlow's appearances for a while now, but I keep getting distracted by other things. Well done, Captain Good! Thanks for saving me the trouble!

As for Aubrey using the Marlow identity, we'd have to re-read his Golden Age appearances, as well as M/CP 156/2, MSU 9 and probably the Twelve comics to be sure. If he calls himself or responds to Marlow, then yeah. If not, then probably not. There also might be a mention somewhere in the Citizen V minis.

I'd be inclined to stick USA Comics #12/2 and Kid Komics #5/2 in Keen Marlow's chronology as a default.

If there was a conversation about the end of MARVELS #1, it would have been over a decade ago. If I recall correctly, it was placed early in the war as a symbolic "end of the beginning" for the Marvels (as Sheldon called them). When they entered the war they were fully "Marvels." Also, they're parachuting into a castle, not a military base, to be fair. I currently have this part of the comic happening on July 4, 1942.

Thanks again, Captain Good!

-edit-

re: Shadz
Yep. Florence von Banger. The '40s were a fun time!

[zilch]

Related to Lilly von Sctupt, probably.

-z

[Captain Good]

Well done, Captain Good! Thanks for saving me the trouble!

Nae danger chief!

I'd be inclined to stick USA Comics #12/2 and Kid Komics #5/2 in Keen Marlow's chronology as a default.

In that case, going by the publication dates, they would fit here:
DESTROYER I
...
ALLWC 10/5
USAC 12/2
USAC 13/2
KIDK 5/2
MYSC2 1/3
...

The reason I thought the scene in Marvels #1 would be late in the war was because of the presence of Sheldon himself. We know from Captain America: Patriot #2 that Casey was a US Navy photographer, but Sheldon was a 4F civilian. It seems very unlikely such a person would be infiltrated into occupied Europe—let alone Germany itself—just to take pictures, but after the Normandy landings, war correspondents following close behind the advancing line would have been commonplace. We can take it the castle is supposed to be in Germany as the annotated edition of Marvels says it was based on the one in Where Eagles Dare.

[robfj]

USAC#13 and KIDK#5 both have cover dates Summer 1944. But if we go by actual publication dates then KIDK#5 was 15th June and USAC#13 was 30th June, So they should reverse their order.

DESTROYER I
...
ALLWC 10/5
USAC 12/2
KIDK 5/2
USAC 13/2
MYSC2 1/3
...

The dates are taken from the Catalog of Copyright Entries. Grand Comic Book Database also reports the date for KIDK#5 but doesn't say anything about USAC#13.

[Captain Good]

Thank you for the correction robfj.

I've had a look through some of the Official Handbook entries for the other characters who appear at the end of Marvels #1 and they support a year of 1942 for this mission, though there is some contradiction as to exactly when in 1942.

The entries for Black Marvel in OHotMU Golden Age and OHotMU A–Z #1 say ""in late 1942 he accompanied the Invaders and others on an attack against a European Axis base". Black Widow's entries in OHotMU A–Z #1 and Marvel Mystery Handbook also say "late 1942".

Blazing Skull's entries in OHotMU Golden Age and OHotMU A–Z #2 say "In mid-1942 he joined the superhuman Invaders in battling the renegades known as Battle-Axis; shortly after this, he accompanied the Invaders and other heroes in a mission behind enemy lines." The fight against the Battle-Axis was in Invaders vol 2, which was stated to take place in June 1942. The entry for the Vision in OHotMU Golden Age says "Shortly after this encounter [with the Battle-Axis], he joined the Invaders and others in an assault on Nazi territory". The more detailed profile on the Vision in OHotMU A–Z #12 places it between the appearance of the Sewer Men in Marvel Mystery Comics #36 (published October 1942) and helping Jerry Walters and joining a USO tour in MMC #37 (November 1942).

I think Aubrey's previous history with the Invaders makes Marvels #1 more likely to be him than Marlow. Col Fury's 4 July date is hardly "late 1942", but then October isn't really "shortly after" June, either. If we stick with July then it would fit here:

DESTROYER II/Roger Aubrey
...
INV 34
MARVELS 1
ALLWC 6/3
...i.e. no change from where the MCP already has it, after my deletions above are taken into account.

[wolframbane]

What was the reason they retconned more people as the Destroyer? Was it like Cap, where he had appearance up to 1953, but then was retconned to be frozen since 1945?

[Col_Fury]

Nope, nothing like Cap.

I don't remember the details, but I think that Roy Thomas just wanted to use the Mighty Destroyer character in the Invaders series. I'm guessing here, but maybe he retconned Keen Marlow into just an alias as a way to explain why the Mighty Destroyer basically made no appearances after the war? I'm pretty sure he used the Mighty Destroyer origin in order to give Falsworth powers so that he could then become the new Union Jack... but then he made Aubrey the New Mighty Destroyer so the character could continue to appear... bleh. I dunno.

I *do* know that Roy later regretted the retcon, though.

[Leoparis]

What was the reason they retconned more people as the Destroyer? Was it like Cap, where he had appearance up to 1953, but then was retconned to be frozen since 1945?

No good reason actually. It happened in Roy Thomas' Invaders. It's one of the most polemical things he did.
He created a WW I British superhero, Union Jack, then figured the son of this character would be the Destroyer, then when the son took over the Union Jack identity, the son's lover became the new Destroyer. The original had a girlfriend. Roy Thomas' version was gay. Then Robert Kirkman brought back the original, Keen Marlow, and the Handbook people have been sorting the mess, creating a rather complicated but interesting backstory. Glad to see we are going to sort out their entries.

[MarvelBoy2002]

BTW, guys, why the MAX mini-series is considered non-canon?

[ShadZ]

BTW, guys, why the MAX mini-series is considered non-canon?

Per Wikipedia

Written by Robert Kirkman and drawn by Cory Walker, it starred a version of the character Keene Marlow depicted, according to Kirkman, under "the assumption that he's had an ongoing series since the '40s, so I'm basically writing 'issues #701-#705' ..."

'

It's hard to fit a Destroyer who never retired and instead fought crime continually from the 1940s to the 2000s into Earth-616 continuity...

ShadZ

[loki]

BTW, guys, why the MAX mini-series is considered non-canon?

Per Wikipedia

Written by Robert Kirkman and drawn by Cory Walker, it starred a version of the character Keene Marlow depicted, according to Kirkman, under "the assumption that he's had an ongoing series since the '40s, so I'm basically writing 'issues #701-#705' ..."

'

It's hard to fit a Destroyer who never retired and instead fought crime continually from the 1940s to the 2000s into Earth-616 continuity...

ShadZ

How so? We've got an entire Lost Generation of heroes in that period who rarely get mentioned. He'd fit right in there. Keep in mind that if Marlow retired in, say, 2000, he's now pre-dating the "modern era" which per the sliding timescale means the FF made their initial flight sometime circa 2005ish.

[Leoparis]

I've been reading it twice today to see if anything makes it non-canon. It definitely occurs in its own corner but so did Dr Strange, Hulk, Nick Fury, Patsy & Millie in the 1960s. Or the horror series, Eternals and Machine Man under Kirby in the 1970s. And so on.

A compromise solution would be if it happened in a different country than the USA. We see lots of tall modern buildings but these now exist on every continent.

What we need is a black and white population. UK and Canada are unlikely too because we have seen their superhero/prime responders structure so many times. It should be a rarely seen country, preferably English-speaking. A West Indies island? South Africa?

[loki]

I've been reading it twice today to see if anything makes it non-canon. It definitely occurs in its own corner but so did Dr Strange, Hulk, Nick Fury, Patsy & Millie in the 1960s. Or the horror series, Eternals and Machine Man under Kirby in the 1970s. And so on.

A compromise solution would be if it happened in a different country than the USA. We see lots of tall modern buildings but these now exist on every continent.

What we need is a black and white population. UK and Canada are unlikely too because we have seen their superhero/prime responders structure so many times. It should be a rarely seen country, preferably English-speaking. A West Indies island? South Africa?

Plenty of corners of the US we don't visit that often, and which have fairly few resident heroes.