Shield IV

Real Name:

Bill Higgins
Joined Mighty Crusaders:

History: 

Mighty Crusaders No. 1
November 1965
Story: “The Origin of the Shield” (5 pages)
Editor: Richard Goldwater
Writer: Jerry Siegel
Artist: Paul Reinman
Feature Characters: The Shield I (Joe Higgins; last appearance in PEP COMICS #65; next appears in FLY MAN #34; becomes an iron statue in this story), The Shiled IV (Bill Higgins; first chronological appearance; origin revealed in this story; next chronological appearance in FLY MAN #31)
GA: Fly-Man, Fly-Girl, Black Hood, Comet (probably isochronally with Mighty Crusaders story in this issue)
Villains: The Eraser (first appearance; next appears in BLUE RIBBON COMICS V. 2 #6), Spy-Lord, the Evil Three, various crooks (first and only appearance for all)
Synopsis: Many years after the apparent death of the original Shield, his assassin, the Eraser, must face a second Shield who is out for vengeance.

Fly Man No. 34
November 1965
Story: “Evilo the Tempter” (10 pages)
Editor: Richard Goldwater
Writer: Jerry Siegel
Artist: Mike Sekowsky
Feature Character: The Shiled IV (between MIGHTY CRUSADERS #1 / 2)
GS: The Comet (between MIGHTY CRUSADERS #1 / 2)
GA: The Shield I (last appearance in MIGHTY CRUSADERS #1; as a statue)
Cameo appearance: Fly-Man, Fly Girl, Black Hood
Intro: King Sward (in flashback; only appearance)
Villains: Evilo (first appearance; dies in this story), Big Mike, Mugsy, Agnak (first and only appearance for all), Gryphorg (first appearance; destroyed in this story)
Comment: Shortly after this story the Shield helps the Mighty Crusaders fight Inferno the Destroyer in MIGHTY CRUSADERS #2.
Synopsis: The Shield and the Comet team up to fight Evilo the Tempter, a powerful ancient sorceror released from suspended animation.

Fly Man No. 35
January 1966
Story: “The Thousand Foes of the Shield” (10 pages)
Editor: Richard Goldwater
Writer: Jerry Siegel
Artist: Paul Reinman
Feature Character: The Shiled IV (between MIGHTY CRUSADERS #2 / 3)
Villains: The Batty Bomber, Starko the Merciless, the Wily Brainwasher, Gar-Fan, other space pirates (first and only appearance for all), She-Lah (a female robot; first appearance; destroyed in this story)
Comment: Shortly after this story the Shield helps the Mighty Crusaders fight the Wizard and Hangman in MIGHTY CRUSADERS #3.
Synopsis: The Shield is lured into a trap wherein a thousand enemies from space wait to destroy him.

Fly Man No. 36
March 1966
Story: “Suffer, Shield, Suffer” (10 pages)
Editor: Richard Goldwater
Writer: Jerry Siegel
Artist: Paul Reinman
Feature Character: The Shiled IV (between MIGHTY CRUSADERS #3 / 4)
Intro: Mr. Macharino (only appearance)
Villains: The Hangman (between MIGHTY CRUSADERS #3 / 4), a Web impostor (first appearance; next appears in the Web story in this issue)
Comment: Shortly after this story the Shield helps the Mighty Crusaders and other heroes fight the Wizard, the Hangman, and the Spider in MIGHTY CRUSADERS #4.
 This story continues in the Web story in this issue.
Synopsis: The Shield is framed for the destruction caused by missles with his image on them, and ends up having to fight the Hangman.

Fly Man No. 37
May 1966
Story: “The Gladiator From Tomorrow” (10 pages)
Editor: Richard Goldwater
Writer: Jerry Siegel
Artist: Paul Reinman
Feature Character: The Shiled IV (between MIGHTY CRUSADERS #4 / 5)
Intro: Mr. Moriarity (only appearance)
Villains: The Gloater, various crooks (first and only appearance for all)
Comment: Shortly after this story the Shield helps the Mighty Crusaders and other heroes fight the Spider and the Nameless One in MIGHTY CRUSADERS #5, then helps the Mighty Crusaders in their encounter with the Maestro in MIGHTY CRUSADERS #6, then teams up with Black Hood to fight Hammerhead in MIGHTY CRUSADERS #7.
Synopsis: The Gloater, a gladiator from the future, comes to the 20th Century to pick a fight with the Shield.

Mighty Comics No. 48
July 1967
Cover: Shield vs. Amoeba Man; Hangman vs. Phantom of the Penitentiary //Paul Reinman
Story: “The Shield Vs. the Amoeba Man” (12 pages)
Editor: Richard Goldwater
Writer: Jerry Siegel
Artist: Paul Reinman
Feature Character: The Shiled IV (last appearance in Fly Man #37; next appears in MIGHTY CRUSADERS (2nd series) #9 (flashback))
Supporting Character: Nancy Zenith (last appearance in issue #45; last appearance)
Villains: PERIL (last appearance in issue #45; last appearance), the Amoeba Man (first appearance; probably destroyed in this story), Nicky Starzyl (first and only appearance), the Wizard (last appearance in FLY MAN #38; last appearance)
Comment: Sometime after this story, Bill Higgins gives up his Shield identity and joins the Air Force.
Synopsis: PERIL creates another artificial super-being, the Amoeba Man, to battle the Shield.