NED FLANDERS

Real Name: Ned Flanders

Identity/Class: Human (1950s era)

Occupation: Fish store proprietor

Group Membership: None

Affiliations: Charlie, Doctor Borden

Enemies: Pete, Tom

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: "The Fish Man" (in story title only)

Base of Operations: His fish store, somewhere in an unidentified American city

First Appearance: Mystic#56/5 (February, 1957)

Powers/Abilities: Although he seemed to be a normal human with no paranormal abilities, Flanders' facial features had taken on the likeness of a fish, and his eyes became bulging and bulbous--Flanders attributed this condition to his spending too much time amongst the fish in his store (see comments); although he found himself unable to close his eyes, Flanders was able to sleep with them open when he was physically exhausted.

Height: 5'8" (by approximation)
Weight: 150 lbs. (by approximation)
Eyes: Unrevealed
Hair: Bald

History:
(Mystic#56/5 (fb) - BTS) - The past of Ned Flanders is largely unrevealed, but he eventually owned a store where he sold a variety of fish. Flanders' business was very successful, and he spent much of his time taking care of his fish.

(Mystic#56/5) - After a particularly busy Saturday, Flanders was closing up his store for the night when Charlie stopped by. Seeing how hard Flanders had been working, Charlie was concerned about the long hours his friend spent at his business, and he advised him to think about retiring--he jokingly remarked that Flanders was even beginning to look like a fish! But Flanders insisted that he couldn't quit, because he was too devoted to his fish.

   Charlie noticed that Flanders had a lot of cash on hand from the day's sales, and he told him that he should have deposited it in the bank; but Flanders explained that he had been too busy all day, and that he'd take care of depositing the money on Monday morning. Flanders still had a few things to do before locking up, so Charlie wished him a good night and left.

   But outside, two crooks--Pete and Tom--had been watching Flanders' fish store all day--they knew the store had done a lot of business that day, and that the owner hadn't taken any money to the bank, so all the cash was still in there with him.

   Meanwhile, Flanders happened to glance at his reflection in the mirror, and he saw that he really was starting to look like a fish! He decided he'd better see a doctor about his condition, but he was so exhausted that he first turned out the lights, then settled in his office chair to take a nap.

   Pete and Tom noticed the store's lights were out, so they walked into the unlocked door and found Flanders sound asleep in his office. But as they began to search for the cash in Flanders' desk, they were shocked when they noticed that Flanders' eyes were wide open, and he was staring right at them. In a panic, the two frightened robbers fled out of the fish store and ran right into the arms of a police officer--the cop had spotted their car parked out front and figured they were up to something shady.

   Some time later, Flanders awoke from his nap, apparently oblivious to the attempted robbery by Pete and Tom. Flanders telephoned Doctor Borden about the terrible problem he was having--he told the doctor that he'd been around fish for so long that his eyes had become like theirs; worse yet, his eyes wouldn't close, and he had been sleeping with them open! (see comments)

Comments: Created by an unidentified writer and Bob Powell (artist).

This was only a 3-page story, so we never learned the details of Flanders' bizarre affliction-- maybe he was a mutant with metamorphic powers and he could take on the aspects of other life-forms; or maybe his condition was the result of some supernatural curse; or maybe I'm just putting too much thought into this goofy story...

But what I'd like to know: Flanders was alone in his office...so how did he know he slept with his eyes open?!

Profile by Ron Fredricks.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Ned Flanders/"The Fish Man" has no known connections to:

Charlie has no known connections to:

Pete and Tom have no known connections to:

Charlie

An associate of Ned Flanders, Charlie (last name unrevealed) stopped by Flanders' fish store one Saturday evening just as Flanders was closing up.

Concerned by how tired Flanders appeared to be after a busy day, Charlie told his hard-working friend that since he'd done so well with his business, he should think about retiring; Charlie remarked that Flanders was even beginning to look like a fish. But Flanders insisted he couldn't quit because he was too devoted to his fish.

When Charlie saw how much cash Flanders had on hand from the day's sales, he told Flanders that he should have deposited the money in the bank; but Flanders told him he had been too busy all day, and that he'd deposit the money on Monday morning.

Flanders still had a few things to take care of before he locked up for the evening, so Charlie wished him a good night and left the store.

--Mystic#56/5

Pete and Tom

A pair of unarmed robbers, Tom and Pete (last names unrevealed) were waiting in their car outside of Ned Flanders' fish store on a Saturday night. After watching the store all day, they knew that the business made a lot of money, and that the owner hadn't taken the day's receipts to the bank yet, so all the cash was still in the store with him.

When they finally saw the store's lights go out, they walked into the unlocked door and found Ned Flanders asleep in his office chair. As they began to search through the desk for the money, Pete alerted Tom that Flanders had his eyes wide open, and he was staring right at them; in a panic, the two frightened robbers ran out of the store and into the arms of a police officer--the cop had noticed their car parked out front and figured they were up to something shady.

As the police officer placed them under arrest and escorted them away, the terrified Tom swore that it was their first and last attempted robbery; when the cop asked the two crooks why they were so scared, Tom replied (in regards to Flanders' freakishly large eyes), "That guy in there...he...he never sleeps!"

(Pete and Tom were unaware that Ned Flanders had been asleep the whole time, and that he was suffering from some unspecified condition that left him with large fish-like eyes that he couldn't close (see comments).)

--Mystic#56/5

images: (without ads)
Mystic#56/5, p1, pan1 (Main Image - Ned Flanders (as viewed through a fish tank)
Mystic#56/5, p2, pan2 (Headshot - Ned Flanders looking at his reflection in mirror)
Mystic#56/5, p3, pan6 (Ned Flanders sitting at desk, telephoning Dr. Borden)
Mystic#56/5, p3, pan7 (Ned Flanders telling Dr. Borden about the problem with his eyes)
Mystic#56/5, p1, pan1 (Charlie (as viewed through a fish tank) tells Ned Flanders he's starting to look like a fish)
Mystic#56/5, p1, pan3 (Charlie saying good night to Ned Flanders)
Mystic#56/5, p2, pan1 (Tom and Pete waiting in their car outside Ned Flanders' fish store (Charlie walking out) )
Mystic#56/5, p3, pan3 (Pete and Tom scared off by sleeping Ned Flanders (whose fish-like eyes are wide open) )
Mystic#56/5, p3, pan5 (Tom and Pete being placed under arrest by police officer)

Appearances:
Mystic#56/5 (February, 1957) - unidentified writer, Bob Powell (pencils and inks), Stan Lee (editor)

First Posted: 03/27/2019
Last updated: 03/27/2019

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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