LEMO DOUGLAS

Real Name: Lemo Douglas (see comments)

Identity/Class: Human (1940s era)

Occupation: Mad scientist

Group Membership: None

Affiliations: His henchmen

Enemies: Hercules (Varen David)

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: His estate

First Appearance: Mystic Comics I#4/2 (July, 1940)

Powers/Abilities: Although having no paranormal physical abilities, Lemo Douglas was an inventive genius who created the "mechanical monster"; he was also apparently skilled at brain surgery.

Height: Unrevealed (5'7"; by approximation)
Weight: Unrevealed (160 lbs.; by approximation)
Eyes: Unrevealed
Hair: Bald

History:
(Mystic Comics I#4/2 (fb) - BTS) - The past of Lemo Douglas is unrevealed, but at some point in his estate's laboratory, the evil inventor created the "mechanical monster," a huge tank-like vehicle that could bore through the earth.

   Lemo transported his invention by truck to the empty countryside near his estate, then tested the "mechanical monster" by tunneling through the ground underneath a nearby traveling circus -- he created a minor earthquake as his vehicle bored the subterranean tunnel.

(Mystic Comics I#4/2) - As the earthquake shook the circus, it caused the center pole of the main tent to crack; but before the heavy canvas collapsed on the panicking audience, circus-strongman Hercules (Varen David) prevented the disaster by using his incredible strength to brace the pole until his fellow circus-workers could replace it. An hour later, Hercules took a walk to survey the damage, and he saw Lemo's invention emerge from the earth.

   Lemo was quite pleased to see the harm he had caused -- people didn't know him yet, but they would...and he was determined to rule the world...or else he'd smash it to bits! Following the successful test of his invention Lemo drove the "mechanical monster" into the truck and transported it back to his estate -- he was unaware that Hercules was following him.

   When Hercules infiltrated Lemo's estate and killed three fierce guard dogs, Lemo ordered his henchmen to capture him; but the four thugs were no match for the giant man, who easily defeated them. Lemo climbed back into the "mechanical monster" and fired earth-shaking bolts from the machine's turret at Hercules, which knocked the giant senseless. Just as his henchmen were about to shoot the unconscious Hercules, Lemo came running up and ordered them to stop, because the giant strongman had a "perfect body" that he wouldn't allow them to destroy, for Lemo had other plans in mind...

   Lemo had his men carry the stunned Hercules into his laboratory, where the giant was strapped to an operating table and anesthetized -- Lemo intended to perform surgery on Hercules' brain, to make the giant into his slave. But Hercules' system was too powerful for the anesthetic, and as Lemo brought the scalpel to the giant's skull, the pain jerked Hercules back to consciousness, and the revived strongman began to strain at his bonds. Lemo's panicking henchmen fled, and Lemo himself realized his mistake at letting Hercules live, because the giant was too powerful to control.

   Lemo rushed back to the "mechanical monster" and fired at his own lab, with Hercules still inside -- before the giant could completely break free from his bonds, tons of wood and masonry crashed down upon him as the lab collapsed. Certain that Hercules was now dead, Lemo drove the "mechanical monster" to a nearby city to create more havoc.

   But the mighty Hercules was unharmed -- he pushed aside the debris and finally burrowed out of the wreckage of Lemo's lab, then chased after the evil inventor and his engine of destruction.

   After catching up to the "mechanical monster," Hercules climbed to the roof of a building and jumped down upon the rolling juggernaut, only to be repelled by bolts of electricity when he made contact with the vehicle's electrified hull.

   As the "mechanical monster" continued to roll down the city street, Hercules noticed a covered manhole in its path; figuring that there couldn't be any rays coming from the bottom of the vehicle (...otherwise, it would blast the ground out from under it), Hercules ran in front of the advancing "mechanical monster," then removed the cover and climbed inside the manhole. As the vehicle passed over him, Hercules lifted the "mechanical monster" from below and hurled the infernal machine into the air -- when it crashed back down to the street, there was the flash of a great explosion, which put an end to the threat of Lemo Douglas and his evil reign.

Comments: Created by an unidentified writer and Malcolm Kildale.

He was only identified as "Lemo" in five captions of this 7-page story; but the Hercules profile in Marvel Mystery Handbook: 70th Anniversary Special revealed that his surname was "Douglas".

Profile by Ron Fredricks.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Lemo Douglas has no known connections to:

The "mechanical monster" has no known connections to:

Lemo Douglas' "mechanical monster"

Created by evil inventor Lemo Douglas, it was an armored tank-like vehicle that could bore through the earth.

It could fire "earth-shaking bolts" from its turret, and its outer hull was protected by a repelling electrical field; however, its underside was unprotected by this field (...otherwise, it would blast the ground out from under the machine).

Lemo planned to use the "mechanical monster" to become ruler of the world; but as he drove it to create havoc in a nearby city, Hercules (Varen David) was able to lift it from its unprotected underside, and he hurled it into the air. When it came crashing back down to the street, the "mechanical monster" was destroyed as it exploded, and Lemo was apparently killed in the blast.

(Comment: This vehicle was never identified by any specific name, but a caption described it as "the mechanical monster".)

--Mystic Comics I#4/2

Lemo Douglas' estate

Located in the countryside near an unidentified American city, the property was surrounded by a high gated wall, and protected by three fierce guard-dogs.

It had at least one structure -- a laboratory, where Lemo Douglas built his "mechanical monster".

Lemo later used the "mechanical monster" to destroy the lab building when he had Hercules (Varen David) trapped inside.

(Comment: The laboratory was the only building seen in this story -- presumably, there was also a mansion located somewhere within the walled property.)

--Mystic Comics I#4/2

Lemo Douglas' henchmen

They were four thugs (none identified) who were armed with conventional handguns. They worked for evil inventor Lemo Douglas and assisted him with his scheme to use his "mechanical monster" to become ruler of the world.

When the giant circus-strongman Hercules (Varen David) infiltrated Lemo's estate to put an end to his plans, the henchmen went to confront him; but they were no match for Hercules' superior strength, so Lemo fired an earth-shaking bolt from the "mechanical monster" that knocked the strongman senseless.

Just as one of the henchmen was about to shoot the unconscious Hercules, Lemo ordered him to stop, because he wanted to perform brain surgery on the giant and make him his mindless slave.

But before the operation could be performed, Hercules revived and began to break free -- realizing their giant foe was too powerful for them, the panicking henchmen abandoned Lemo and ran off.

--Mystic Comics I#4/2

images: (without ads)
Mystic Comics I#4/2, p5, pan5 (Main Image - Lemo Douglas)
Mystic Comics I#4/2, p3, pan4 (Headshot - Lemo Douglas)
Mystic Comics I#4/2, p3, pan3 (Lemo Douglas operating "mechanical monster"; unidentified henchman (right))
Mystic Comics I#4/2, p5, pan3 (Lemo Douglas, about to perform brain surgery on Hercules/Varen David)
Mystic Comics I#4/2, p3, pan1 ("mechanical monster" emerging from ground; Hercules/Varen David (background))
Mystic Comics I#4/2, p6, pan4 (Lemo Douglas driving "mechanical monster" out of truck (front view))
Mystic Comics I#4/2, p6, pan8 ("mechanical monster" driving through city (rear view), as Hercules/Varen David jumps off building)
Mystic Comics I#4/2, p7, pan7 ("mechanical monster" explodes after Hercules/Varen David hurls it )
Mystic Comics I#4/2, p5, pan6 (Lemo Douglas uses "mechanical monster" to destroy laboratory building of his estate)
Mystic Comics I#4/2, p4, pan5 (inside walls of estate, Lemo Douglas' henchmen battle Hercules/Varen David (center))
Mystic Comics I#4/2, p5, pan4 (two henchmen flee as Hercules/Varen David begins to break free)

Appearances:
Mystic Comics I#4/2 (July, 1940) - unidentified writer, Malcolm Kildale (pencils and inks), Martin Goodman (editor)

First Posted: 05/12/2022
Last updated 05/12/2022

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

Non-Marvel Copyright info
All other characters mentioned or pictured are ™ and © 1941-2099 Marvel Characters, Inc. All Rights Reserved. If you like this stuff, you should check out the real thing!
Please visit The Marvel Official Site at: http://www.marvel.com

Special Thanks to http://www.g-mart.com/ for hosting the Appendix, Master List, etc.!

Back to Characters