Created by:
Abner Sundell & Edd Ashe
Real Name:
Dudley Bradshaw
Joined Mighty Crusaders:
Mister Satan is not a member of the Mighty
Crusaders.
First Appearance:
Zip Comics 1, February 1940
Origin:
Untold
History:
Meet Mr. Satan, the Danger Devil. His name
meant to instill fear in the defilers of justice. As strange and
incongruous as his chosen appellation might appear on its face,
the stories bring to the fore a different interpretation. The
name Satan means more than simply 'the devil'. It additionally
means 'adversary' and 'to accuse'. Dudley Bradshaw uses the
strange moniker Mr. Satan to act as the adversary and accuser to
injustice and its champions. Far from being evil, Mr. Satan
fights it and triumphs over deviltry at every turn. Mr. Satan
first appears ZIP COMICS #1 and the story gives the only clues
to Mr. Satan's origin: "Dudley Bradshaw, wealthy young playboy
who is in reality none other than Mr. Satan-international
detective and soldier of fortune."
If the stories never reveal Mr. Satan's origin or motives, they
do reveal a bit about the man. Dudley Bradshaw is a
mild-mannered playboy, always playing the coward in
juxtaposition to his alter ego. This helps hide his identity as
Mr. Satan from those farthest and closest to him, especially to
Doris O'Day*, the woman he loves. ZIP COMICS #3 introduces
Mr. Satan to Doris; a plucky, intelligent woman of means. Dudley
falls in love with her, though she thinks him a contemptible
coward and loves Mr. Satan instead. Doris speaks volumes of Mr.
Satan when she says to him, "You call yourself devil, but you've
been my guardian angel!" This isn't the only time people make
reference (conscious or otherwise) to the name's incongruity, as
in the same story when the man Sliro (who turns out the villain
of the story) says, "Mr. Satan! Thank heavens you came!"
Mr. Satan does not sport any superpowers or special gadgets. In
one story, he utilizes a bomb, though there appears nothing rare
about its composition. His sedan is without apparent special
design. His costume appears to offer him little advantage aside
from protecting his identity and affirming to the criminals
their folly when they face Mr. Satan.
His skills as a fighter and acrobat are formidable if not
impossible. He has only two recurring villains; Sliro and Killer
Novaki. The pair seems to be ordinary gangsters, with all the
cunning that entails. They appear in just two of the stories.
Despite his mundane set of skills and equipment, Mr. Satan is an
incredibly intriguing character. It is arguable that the
obscurity of his origin actually increases his intrigue. Many
questions surface upon attempting to delve into the mysteries of
Mr. Satan. Why did he choose such an odd name? What motive,
aside from being wealthy, does he have for fighting crime? The
labyrinth of Mr. Satan's past remains obscure and mysterious.
Mr. Satan is an enigmatic crime fighter.
It seems appropriate his origin remain shrouded in mystery. When
it comes to paying the devil his due, the criminals who faced
him could make the check out to Mr. Satan, the Danger Devil!
*Presumably not a reference to the famous actress Doris Day, as
became famous after than the stories.
Powers & Weapons:
An
Olympic level athlete, master of hand to hand combat, superior deductive
abilities.
Checklist:
