FLAME

Real Name: Unrevealed

Identity/Class: Extraterrestrial (2,000 BC to Post-World War II Era)

Occupation: Actor, spy

Group Membership: The Warring Dogs

Affiliations: Various human masters

Enemies: The Invasion Council of the Warring Dogs

Known Relatives: His mate (deceased), Earth's canines (alleged descendants)

Aliases: The Wonder Dog

Base of Operations: Hollywood, California, USA;
    formerly Scylla, 7th Galaxy

First Appearance: Mystery Tales I#33 (September, 1955)

Powers/Abilities: Although Flame had the appearance of a Terran canine, he was actually an extraterrestrial with advanced intelligence. He was also possessed of a long lifespan, having lived more than 4,000 years. Flame could not perform human speech but was capable of speaking to his own kind.

Height: Unrevealed (approximately 2'0" at withers)
Weight: Unrevealed (approximately 50 lbs.)
Eyes: Black
Fur: Orange

History:
(Mystery Tales I#33/2 (fb)) - The extraterrestrial who would become known as Flame hailed from the planet Scylla in the seventh galaxy, homeworld of the Warring Dogs. Circa 2000 BC, Scylla began contemplating the destruction of Earth. "Flame" had discovered a flaw in the way their assault crafts carried their bombs but before he could fix the flaw, he was summoned before the Invasion Council of the Warring Dogs and ordered to reconnoiter Earth for their eventual assault. "Flame" soon befriended a human and gradually forgot about his espionage assignment. "Flame"'s mate accidentally died but had already given birth to a litter of their kind who became the ancestors of Earth's dogs. "Flame"'s long life enabled him to outlive his masters and over the centuries, he took many different humans to be his masters.

(Mystery Tales I#33/2) - By the 1950s, he had taken the name "Flame the Wonder Dog" and become a performer in Hollywood movies. One day, Flame began to hear a signal from his people and tried to warn his human master of the still-present threat of invasion but his master accused Flame of developing a Hollywood temperament and ignored him.

    The Invasion Council of the Warring Dogs teleported Flame to one of their assault crafts en route to Earth. The Council refreshed Flame's memory of what his assignment was supposed to have been and accused him of having become a traitor, having witnessed his actions over the centuries with their Thought Transmission Machine. The Council declared they would place Flame on trial for his actions before proceeding with the destruction of Earth. Examining the assault craft, Flame noticed the same flaw in the bombs' gauge he had observed centuries earlier had still not been corrected. Realizing he had an opportunity to save the Earth from destruction, Flame flung himself at the gauge and set off the ship's bombs; this caused a chain reaction which not only destroyed the vessel Flame was aboard of but likewise destroyed the entire invasion fleet. Flame died an unrecognized hero as his master in Hollywood believed he had simply run away.

Comments: Created by an unidentified writer and Sid Greene.

    This profile was prepared to celebrate our own Snood's birthday!

    The story claims all of Earth's canines are descended from Flame but canines have been part of recorded human history since well before 2,000 BC. It's more likely that Flame's descendants were simply indistinguishable from Terran canines and interbred with those who already existed at the time.

Profile by Prime Eternal.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Flame should not be confused with:

Invasion Council of the Warring Dogs

The Invasion Council of the Warring Dogs were citizens of Scylla of the Seventh Galaxy who were responsible for plotting their species' campaigns of conquest. When the Invasion Council resolved to destroy the planet Earth circa 2,000 BC, they assigned their agent who would become known as "Flame" to reconnoiter Earth for them alongside his mate. The Council used their Thought Transmission Machine to record everything "Flame" and his mate saw. The Invasion Council could see that "Flame" had become a traitor but withheld from disciplining him because they had just discovered a new galaxy with planets much richer than Earth for them to plunder. Over thousands of years, the Invasion Council led other assaults upon alien worlds before returning their attention back to the Earth.

In the 1950s, the Invasion Council sent their assault crafts towards Earth and broadcast a signal that Flame could detect but was unable to warn humanity, as he couldn't speak human languages. The Invasion Council teleported Flame from Earth to one of their crafts and reminded him of his original assignment as they prepared to place him on trial for betraying his people. However, Flame knew of a flaw in the bomb gauge aboard the assault craft and exploited it, causing the craft's bombs to explode and cause a chain reaction to destroy all the ships in the fleet. The Invasion Council were apparently all slain in the bomb blast.

--Mystery Tales I#33/2 (33/2 (fb), 33/2

images: (without ads)
Mystery Tales I#33/2, page 1, panel 1 (Flame, main)
Mystery Tales I#33/2, page 1, panel 2 (Flame, face)
Mystery Tales I#33/2, page 2, panel 7 (council)

Appearances:
Mystery Tales I#33/2 (September, 1955) - unidentified writer, Sid Greene (artist), Stan Lee (editor)

First posted: 07/15/2023
Last updated: 07/15/2023

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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