Doctor Strasser

Real Name: ? Strasser

Identity/Class: Normal Human, unconventional technology user;
    German citizenship (WWII Era)

Occupation: Doctor, Physician, Saboteur, Killer

Group Membership: Unrevealed, likely Fifth Column;
    possibly German Army or Nazi party

Affiliations: His interns (Adolf, Hans, Otto)

Enemies: The Patriot (Jeff Mace), the U.S.A. Government (Department of Defense, Needham)

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: His clinic, in the country far outside New York City

First Appearance: Marvel Mystery Comics#30/4 (April, 1942)

Powers/Abilities: Dr. Strasser was a physician and a scientist. He had extensive knowledge of human anatomy, biology and chemistry, which were coupled with his ruthlessness.

    He discovered the way to transform blood into hydrogen using the right mix of powdered potassium. Applying the process to human beings, he transformed their bodies into floating corpses.

Height: 5'8" (approximately)
Weight: Approximately 200 lbs.
Eyes: Unrevealed
Hair: Unrevealed

History: (Marvel Mystery Comics#30/4 (fb) - BTS) - Dr. Strasser had a clinic far outside New York. He was considered a specialist in blood transfusion.
    However, he actually was a German spy, and many of his doctors and interns worked for Germany as well, with the goal of sabotaging the American war effort.

    His extensive knowledge of human anatomy, biology and chemistry, coupled with ruthlessness led him to create a method to kill people, transforming their blood into hydrogen. The side effect of this process was that the corpse bloated and could float at long distances and heights.

    So, he and his helpers applied this method to kill several people connected to the Department of Defense, actually slowing America's defense program.
    The bodies, recovered and studied by the Police of New York, far from Strasser's Clinic, were only a faint clue of how to find the killer.

    (Marvel Mystery Comics#30/4) - Jack Casey, reporter, investigated about the strange case of the floating corpses. The Police had connected the victims to the Department of Defense. The only other clue was that the victims were receiving blood transfusions, so Jack had the idea to get a scientific opinion from Dr. Strasser.

    Jack piloted an airplane, and Jeff Mace and Mary Morgan were with him when one of the corpses that was released by Dr. Strasser's clinic floated near the plane. The corpse hit the airplane, which soared without control and crashed into the clinic walls. Jack and Mary fainted, but Jeff guessed that something was suspicious, so he donned the Patriot uniform but soon was intercepted by the interns, who captured him.

    Dr. Strasser had the Patriot strapped on a stretcher, and he goadily confessed that he was the killer, boasting about his scientific method to transform the blood in hydrogen using powdered potassium. So speaking, Strasser injected the lethal dose into the body of Needham, the Chief Defense Commissioner, killing him. The Patriot could do nothing but  watch the man dying and starting to float. However, Jeff's strength let him break the straps before the Doctor could do the same to him. This time, the Patriot vanquished Otto, Hans and Adolph, the interns, and in the rumble Dr. Strasser accidentally received a dose of his serum and died, floating toward the ceiling. 

Comments: Created by Al Fagaly.

    It is unrevealed if the transformation of the blood and the floating started to happen when the victim was still alive. It is unlikely. Would that be the case, Dr. Strasser, Needham and all the victims could be considered human mutates with a super-human (uncontrollable) power, even if for few seconds before their death.

    The connection between the clinic and the victims remains unrevealed. It is likely that some of the interns and Strasser's helpers were also operative units that identified and kidnapped the victims. Had the operatives murdered the victims in a more conventional way, and far from the clinic, it would have it made more difficult to trace the killings back to Strasser. The motives of such an astonishing method of murder most probably covered up in the subsequent publicity from the newspapers. The horrific deaths and the deep, unresolved mystery were a means to undermine the spirit of the American population.

Profile by Spidermay.

CLARIFICATIONS:

• Major Johann Strasser - World War II Nazi, former commander of Devil's Island--Combat Kelly and the Deadly Dozen#5
  
• or any other character with a similar name.

Needham

    Needham was a normal human.

    He was the Chief Defense Commissioner. In such an important position of power he was a perfect target for the enemy saboteurs.
   

    Needham was kidnapped and brought to the clinic, as were many other victims.

    He was still alive when Dr. Strasser injected the lethal dose of potassium. His blood was transformed in hydrogen, his body bloated, full of the light gas and floated toward the ceiling.

--Marvel Mystery Comics#30/4

Images:
Marvel Mystery Comics#30/4, p4, pan4 (Dr. Strasser)
Marvel Mystery Comics#30/4, p5, pan1 (head shot)
Marvel Mystery Comics#30/4, p4, pan7 (the floating corpse of Needham)

Appearances:
Marvel Mystery Comics#30/4 (February, 1942) - Al Fagaly (artist)

First posted: 05/03/2024
Last updated: 05/03/2024

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