SHOCKER

Real Name: Dalt Kendall

Identity/Class: Human mutate (see comments; World War II)

Occupation: Criminal, scientist

Group Membership: None

Affiliations: His eels and unidentified henchmen

Enemies: Miss America (Madeline Joyce)

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: His laboratory

First Appearance: Miss America I#2/1 (November, 1944)

Powers/Abilities: Having an unusual appearance (thin build, dead-white and clammy-looking skin, and large "fish-eyes"), the Shocker could store and project electrical energy. He was an exceptional swimmer, and could survive for extended periods of time underwater. He possibly also had telepathic abilities (see comments).

History: (Miss America I#2/1 (fb) - BTS) - The Shocker's past is unknown, but at some point he established a hidden lab and bred gigantic eels. He studied and lived the lives of the eels in the water, and gradually built up an immunity to them until he could withstand and store their electrical force.

(Miss America I#2/1) - One day, the Shocker went to the city to rob a bank just as it was closing. As he held a gun on the teller, two bank guards came to subdue him, but he hurled electrical bolts from his hands, leaving the guards charred and electrocuted. Madeline Joyce happened to be at that same bank (to deposit her uncle's war bonds), and she changed into her costume to fly after the Shocker as he raced off in a stolen getaway car. The Shocker headed for the river and jumped off the dock but never came back up.

  The police conducted a search, but found no trace of the Shocker's body -- Miss America learned this at the police headquarters, and overheard on a police radio that the Shocker had just robbed a jewelry store and was headed to the waterfront. As she flew overhead, Miss America spotted the Shocker jumping into the river near the same dock he had jumped off earlier. Flying into the water, Miss America was unable to capture the Shocker, who easily out swam her. Forced to return to the surface, she changed to her civilian clothes, and as Madeline Joyce, she went to the Department of Docks and Harbors; there, she found the plans to an abandoned tunnel that was located near the docks, and she suspected it was the Shocker's hideout.

  Going to the entrance of the tunnel, Madeline found a watchman on duty -- thinking it odd that an abandoned tunnel would have a watchman, Madeline kicked his chair over, knocking the Shocker's henchman unconscious before he could press an alarm button. After changing into her fighting costume, Miss America followed the tunnel down to the Shocker's lab. The Shocker was just completing his work on an experiment, but then devoted his full attention to Miss America. After showing her the tank of gigantic eels, the Shocker briefly explained the source of his powers, then he shot electrical bolts at Miss America, using only enough power to stun her because he was planning to throw her in the eel tank. Miss America flew up to the ceiling to avoid being struck by the villain's lethal lightning, and after formulating a plan, pretended to hit her head on the ceiling and dropped to the floor "unconscious".

  As the Shocker turned his powers off to pick up the fallen heroine, Miss America revived and hit the Shocker on the chin with her knee. Stunned by the blow, the villain made a desperate but feeble effort to recall his powers. Miss America threw a couple of punches, then calling on all of her power in one supreme effort, the heroine threw a third punch which lifted the electric evil-doer into the air and sent him flying into the eel tank, where he was devoured by his monsters.

Comments: Created by an unidentified writer and Ken Bald.

The Shocker never gave any specific details on the origin of his powers, so I'd speculate that maybe he was a normal man who gave himself eel-like qualities by chemical means (a la Curt Connors/The Lizard @ Amazing Spider-Man I#6).

I came to the conclusion that the Shocker had telepathic abilities because of the following events in the story:

1. The Shocker was able to sense Miss America in his lab, even though his back was turned.
2. Miss America seemed to be entranced while in the Shocker's lab, unable to take any action against him while he worked on his experiment.
3. The Shocker advised Miss America not to try to escape via the secret exit because it led to the river and she would drown before she found her way to the surface, to which Miss America thought, "The devil can read my thoughts!" (...yeah, or else maybe he's a good guesser).
4. Or the Shocker could have sensed Miss America by the electricity the human body generates.
   --Gammatotem

Anyway, considering this was the Shocker's one-and-only appearance, and his grisly death at the end, it's pretty unlikely we'll ever learn any more about him.

His real name was revealed in Miss America's profile in OHotMU A-Z HC#7.

And a BIG Thank You to Pappy's Golden Age Comics Blogzine for letting me use the scans for this story!

Profile by John Kaminski

CLARIFICATIONS:
The Shocker has no known connection to:

• Shocker (Herman Schultz), Spider-Man foe @ Amazing Spider-Man I#46
• Shocker, aka. Paralyzer, Resistants and Mutant Force member @ Captain America Annual#4
• any other characters with similar names or powers

The Shocker's lab

Located in an abandoned tunnel near the river, the Shocker's lair was fully equipped with scientific devices and housed a tank of gigantic electric eels.

--Miss America I#2/1

The Shocker's eels

Bred by the Shocker from common electric eels, they were of a colossal size and had an immeasurable store of electric power. They devoured their creator when Miss America knocked him into their tank. The eels were later killed by the police with gas, and then turned over to a museum for display.

--Miss America I#2/1

images:
Miss America I#2/1, p13, pan3 (main)