HOWARD GLEASON

Real Name: Howard Gleason

Identity/Class: Human mutant/mutate (see comments) (1950s era)

Occupation: Unrevealed (see comments)

Group Membership: None

Affiliations: Barton J. Kimball, Sabatini

Enemies: None

Known Relatives: Nina Gleason (wife)

Aliases: "Howie"

Base of Operations: Unidentified American city

First Appearance: Spellbound I#26/2 (February, 1956)

Powers/Abilities: After unknowingly being hypnotized, Gleason was able to unleash the fantastic power of his determination, such that he could do anything he set his mind to; by concentrating, he could manifest the powers of a "superman," including the ability to fly and superhuman strength (possibly Class 5 or higher).

Height: Unrevealed (6'; by approximation)
Weight: Unrevealed
Eyes: Unrevealed
Hair: Blond

History:
(Spellbound I#26/2 (fb) - BTS) - Howard Gleason was troubled--despite being well-liked and happily married, he felt as though he wasn't getting much out of life; he was tired of just being a nice guy, and had a longing to be great and important.

(Spellbound I#26/2) - One day after work, Howard was having a cup of coffee at a cafe, while he waited to catch the bus to take him home. He started a casual conversation with the stranger sitting next to him at the counter, and told him about his feelings of disappointment with his life. As the stranger intensely gazed into his eyes, he told Howard, "There is nothing a man can't do if he concentrates hard enough!" Suddenly, Howard noticed the bus pulling away, so he bolted from the counter and chased after it, determined to catch it; but so great was his concentration, his determination, that Howard was startled when he realized he was flying!

   Figuring that if he could fly, he could do anything he made up his mind to do, Howard left the bus far behind and flew back home. After demonstrating his power of flight to his wife Nina, he told her that he would be a changed man from now on, and he would do great and important things; but Nina begged him not to be different, and insisted she loved him the way he was.

   The next day, Howard was filled with a burning desire to be great and important at his job, and he diligently performed his tasks; his coworkers noticed the change in him--he didn't take the time to talk or joke with his fellow employees anymore. By the week's end, his coworkers believed he was trying to show them up, and they began to dislike him; but not so for their boss Mr. Kimball, who was so impressed by Howard's outstanding work performance that he gave him a promotion and a pay raise.

   Believing there was nothing he couldn't do, Howard set out that night to leave his mark on the world. While flying through the sky, he noticed a car speeding into the path of an oncoming train; concentrating with all his might, Howard swooped down and lifted the car to safety, then spoke to reporters afterward--he told them that performing any superhuman act was merely a matter of concentration.

(Spellbound I#26/2 - BTS) - Howard apparently flew off to perform more superhuman feats.

(Spellbound I#26/2) - But when Howard's friends read about his amazing rescue, and the many heroic deeds that followed, none of them seemed to care, nor did they even speak with him anymore, and even Nina was drifting away from him. Feeling lonely and depressed, Howard wished that he could be normal again, because he was so much happier that way... but he seemed to be doomed to the life of a superhuman being.

   A few weeks later, while he was flying over the city, Howard saw a billboard advertising the performance of Sabatini, the world's greatest hypnotist, at the Palace Theater--the face on the billboard was of the same stranger at the cafe who had told Howard he could do anything if he concentrated hard enough! Figuring that the hypnotist was the cause of his incredible powers, Howard thought Sabatini could also make him ordinary again, then he could win back his wife and friends.

   Howard flew to the theater just as the hypnotist was beginning his performance; he pleaded with Sabatini to return him to normal.

(Spellbound I#26/2 - BTS) - Sabatini apparently reversed the hypnotic procedure, and within a few days, life was once again the way it had been in Howard Gleason's normal time--he went back to his old job, everybody at the office was his friend again, and he and Nina resumed their life of marital bliss.

(Spellbound I#26/2) - One morning in their home, Howard and Nina were enjoying breakfast together; when Nina noticed that it was 8:30, she warned Howard that he'd miss his bus to work, so she rushed to the front door ahead of her husband, holding his hat ready in her hand. Howard dashed by her and rushed to the corner, but it was too late, for the last bus roared by. Then Nina saw the determined look on Howard's face as he leaped into the air and flew after the bus...

Comments: Created by Carl Wessler and John Romita.

In this 4-page story--The Stranger's Eyes!--Howard's true nature was never revealed--perhaps he was a latent mutant, and when Sabatini hypnotized him, it unleashed his full potential.

His occupation was never mentioned, but Howard worked in an office environment, so I'm guessing he was an accountant.

The end of the story seemed to imply that Howard retained his superhuman powers, even after Sabatini supposedly removed them--maybe he went on to become a member of--or shared adventures with--the First Line.

Howard would seem to have powers similar to Gladiator (Kallark) of the Shi'ar Imperial Guard, whose vast psionic-fueled powers rely on his self-confidence.

Howard's "origin" reminds me of Captain Ultra (Griffin Gogol), whose superpowers were unlocked by an alien hypnotist--I wonder if Sabatini could have some connection with that same hypnotist.

Profile by Ron Fredricks.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Howard Gleason has no known connections to:

• George Beeman - average man who was temporarily mutated into a "superman" by cosmic rays--Strange Tales of the Unusual#8/4
• Tad Carter - mutant who could fly--Amazing Adult Fantasy#14/2
• Karen Gleason - reporter--Cable II#80
• Nick Gleason - aka Wolf Cub, mutant--Chamber#1
• Gleason's Gym - Las Vegas gym where Right-Winger and Left-Winger practiced--Captain America I#347
• any other characters with similar names

Barton J. Kimball has no known connections to:

• Jason Kimball - aka Genii of the Young Gods--Thor I#202
• any other characters with similar names

Sabatini has no known connections to:

• Miracle Man (Joshua Ayers) - former hypnotist, later magic user--Fantastic Four I#3
• Edward Morgo - hypnotist who attempted to rob a movie theater audience--Amazing Adult Fantasy#8
• Vittorio Sabatini of Earth-93060 - former assistant to Marcello, took over after his death--Sludge#1
• Manny Sabatine - former whaler, Sub-Mariner associate--Marvel Comics Presents I#45/4
• Sleepy Eyes - mentalist who placed the residents of Central City in a trance--Yellow Claw#4/3
• any other hypnotists or characters with similar names

Nina Gleason She was happily married to Howard Gleason; but after Howard was hypnotized and became a superhuman being, Nina was distressed because she loved him the way he had been. Nina became emotionally withdrawn from Howard, who was obsessively determined to be great and important; but the two were reunited when Howard had the hypnotic procedure reversed, and seemingly became an ordinary man again. However, a few days later, Nina was again distressed when she saw her husband flying after a bus. --Spellbound I#26/2

Barton J. Kimball He was Howard Gleason's boss. After Howard was hypnotized and could accomplish superhuman feats with the power of his determination, Kimball noticed Howard's outstanding work performance and awarded him with a promotion and a pay raise. Later, when Howard was seemingly returned to normal, Kimball let him return to his previous position. --Spellbound I#26/2

Sabatini Billed as the "world's greatest hypnotist," Sabatini (first name unrevealed) was booked to perform at the Palace Theater. Late one afternoon, while he was dining at a cafe, he engaged in a casual conversation with Howard Gleason. When Gleason mentioned that he wanted to achieve more in his life, Sabatini hypnotized him and gave him the ability to utilize his determination to achieve superhuman feats.

But some weeks later, Gleason interrupted Sabatini's stage performance; he begged the hypnotist to reverse the procedure and return him to normal. Sabatini apparently complied, however Gleason still seemed to retain his power afterward. --Spellbound I#26/2

images: (without ads)
Spellbound I#26/2, p4, pan7 (main image - Howard Gleason, flying after bus)
Spellbound I#26/2, p2, pan3 (headshot - Howard Gleason)
Spellbound I#26/2, p2, pan2 (Howard Gleason, flying over bus)
Spellbound I#26/2, p3, pan7 (Howard Gleason, lifting car out of the path of oncoming train)
Spellbound I#26/2, p2, pan4-5 (Howard Gleason shows Nina he can fly)
Spellbound I#26/2, p4, pan6 (Nina Gleason)
Spellbound I#26/2, p3, pan2 (Mr. Kimball promotes Howard Gleason)
Spellbound I#26/2, p1, pan1 (Sabatini, sitting at cafe counter)
Spellbound I#26/2, p1, pan2 (Sabatini hypnotizes Howard Gleason)
Spellbound I#26/2, p4, pan1 (Sabatini's face on billboard; Howard Gleason flying [right])
Spellbound I#26/2, p4, pan3 (Sabatini on stage; Howard Gleason [background])

Appearances:
Spellbound I#26/2 (February, 1956) - Carl Wessler (writer), John Romita (pencils/inks), Stan Lee (editor)

First posted: 12/31/2024
Last updated: 12/31/2024