MARTY MALLEN

Real Name: Marty Mallen

Identity/Class: Human (Post-WW II Era), magic user

Occupation: Thief

Group Membership: None

Affiliations: None

Enemies: Mrs. Foley

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: unnamed city (New York City?), 1950's

First Appearance: Marvel Tales I#113 (April, 1953)

Powers/Abilities: Marty Mallen possessed a hooded coat which, when wrapped around him, would render him entirely invisible.

History: (Marvel Tales I#113)- Marty Mallen was a small-time thief living a rat-infested apartment who stole a bag from a man at a railroad station, not realizing that the owner was glad to be rid of it. When Marty brought it back to his apartment, all that he found inside was an immense coat. He decided to try it on just as his landlady Mrs. Foley burst in, demanding he pay his rent. When Mrs. Foley was unable to see him, Marty realized that the coat had made him invisible, and tested it out in a mirror to be sure.

Marty set out with the coat to the home of an old man who was known to be a miser, surrounded by money he didn't trust to place in a bank. Marty entered his home invisible, and strangled the old man to death. He continued like this, stealing valuables from all sorts of people, gradually accumulating a chest full of money and jewels.

Just as Marty was proposing a toast to the rats in his apartment, Mrs. Foley knocked at his door, with a policeman next to her. He turned invisible again, once again avoiding detection. He planned to escape the apartment, but couldn't carry the chest while invisible without attracting attention. Unknown to Marty, the police were at the apartment building because Mrs. Foley was preparing to use poison gas to kill all of the rats. Trapped inside with no one aware of his whereabouts, Marty was killed by the poison along with the rats.

Comments: Created by an unknown writer and Tony DiPreta.

I wonder if there's any connection between Marty's coat and the Hood (Parker Robbins)?

by Prime Eternal

CLARIFICATIONS:
Marty Mallen should not be confused with:

• Maller, shopping mall thief, @ Howard the Duck II#8
• Dr. Mallory, Aislinn, time traveler, @ Iron Man III#59

Non-Marvel Copyright info
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