HEADLINE HUNTER
Real Name: Jerry Hunter
Identity/Class: Human (World War II Era)
Occupation: Journalist, foreign correspondent with the London Star
Group Membership: None
Affiliations: Lord Danvers, Ed, Ambassador Jordan, Mr. Reginald, von Groser, Reginald Whitney
Enemies: Mr. Cooles, Cramm, Frederich, Hans, Horner, Perry, Guy Stanford, Wilhelm von Logor, Lord Wotonby
Known Relatives: None
Aliases: None
Base of Operations: Mobile, usually at the offices of the London Star, London, England; home office headquartered in New York City, New York, USA
First Appearance: Captain America Comics I#5 (August, 1941)
Powers/Abilities: Jerry was an able hand-to-hand combatant. He was a capable airplane pilot, downhill skiier and possessed a surprisingly keen knowledge of chemistry.
Height: 5'11" (by approximation)
Weight: 175 lbs. (by approximation)
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Brown
History:
(Captain America Comics I#5/5 (fb) BTS) - Jerry Hunter worked for a
newspaper based in New York. During World War II, he took a position as
a foreign correspondent, working out of the offices of the London Star
on behalf of his home newspaper.
(Captain America Comics I#5/5) - In London, Jerry had to placate his editor in New York who wanted him to bring scoops to their paper. Jerry explained that when something happened in London, every other journalist in town heard of it at the same time. Jerry's managing editor Ed sent him to the US Embassy in London, where Ambassador Jordan revealed that a briefcase containing the food contract between the USA and UK had been stolen and could alert the Nazis to the locations of their convoys. The only people present with Ambassador Jordan before the briefcase disappeared were his secretary Mr. Billings, his legal adviser Mr. Cooles and English War Relief Society member Mr. Crawford.
Suddenly, an air raid siren sounded as a German plane bombed London. Jerry ran to the air raid shelter but saw Mr. Cooles running away from the shelter. Jerry found Cooles exited through a secret passage but on the other side, he was met a mob of Nazi spies working with Cooles. Cooles revealed he was actually a German, announcing his intent to bring the briefcase to Berlin for a reward. Cooles and the other spies dragged Jerry to the bomber plane they were taking back to Berlin and tied Jerry to a bomb. Cooles dropped Jerry through the bomb bay but by then, he had freed his hands and grabbed the plane's undercarriage. As the plane crossed into German space, Jerry released the bomb on the Grupp munitions work. Cooles thought one of his men had carelessly dropped a bomb. Taking out his gun, he killed the other spies. Just then, Jerry opened the door to the airplane's cabin and punched Cooles, took his gun and forced the pilot to turn back to London. Back in England, Jerry returned the papers to Ambassador Jordan and finally earned himself a scoop as his editor had hoped.
(Captain America Comics I#6/5) - Wandering around London in search of a story, Jerry found a factory which was being run by Lord Wotonby but closed to everyone. Recalling that Lord Wotonby had belonged to a pro-fascist organization, Jerry collected more information at a nearby pub and learned even the police didn't know what Wotonby was doing. That night, Jerry returned to the factory and vaulted himself over the fence using a sapling to spring him over. Jerry burst into the factory and found Wotonby had designed a massive tank for the Nazis. The tank set out into London while Jerry found an airplane by the factory. Jerry flew the plane in pursuit of the tank and dropped bombs on it but they had no effect. Jerry flew the plane directly at the tank and bailed out just before it struck the vehicle and destroyed it. Jerry fell into a river. Jerry won a medal for his heroics but his fall in the river gave him a cold. As he suffered with the cold, Jerry received a call for another story and quickly sprang back into action.
(Captain America Comics I#7/5) - After Mr. Reginald was framed for murder by Nazi spies, Jerry took an interest in his story. After meeting with Reginald and his cousin Perry, Jerry's investigation frustrated the spies, who clubbed him then threw him into a river but Jerry remained conscious, swam out of the river and clung on the rear of the spies' automobile, following them to their boss. The leader of the spies turned out to be Perry. Jerry caught the spies and saved Mr. Reginald from prison.
(Captain America Comics I#8/3) - As a mysterious "plague of death" affilicted London, Jerry went to investigate its cause and was suspicious when he heard two men speaking German. Grabbing the back of their automobile, he rode with them to a farm, where he learned the men were Nazi agents treating their farm products with poison, which was causing the plague. The spies caught Jerry and tried to force him to swallow the poison but he fought his way out of their grasp and drove away on their tractor. One the spies got into an airplane and tried to drop the poison on him but he abandoned the tractor just in time. Grabbing a rake, Jerry snagged the undercarriage of the plane then climbed into the cockpit and slugged the pilot with a wrench. Jerry took control of the plane and arranged for Scotland Yard to arrest the spies.
(Captain America Comics I#9/3) - Now in Switzerland, Jerry investigated a series of "accidents" where men had been killed around a hotel in the Swiss Alps. Believing the German refugee scientist von Groser could be next, Jerry went to ask him what he knew about other Germans in the Alps. Just then, two German men asked von Groser to join them on a bobsled ride. As the bobsled went down the hill, Jerry saw one of the men draw out a knife. Jerry realized these men were Nazi spies. Grabbing a pair of skis, Jerry went after the bobsled. The manager of the hotel got in Jerry's way, ostensibly welcoming the journalist, but Jerry shoved the manager aside as he continued his pursuit. Jerry caught up to the bobsled and scooped von Groser off the vehicle then threw one of his ski poles at the sled, causing it go over the cliff of the mountain. The leader of the spies then intervened and tried to make Jerry walk over the cliff himself but Jerry swung around at the last moment and punched the spy leader, knocking his gun from his hand. Removing his mask, Jerry identified him as the hotel manager. As they scuffled, Jerry kicked the manager over the cliff and to his death.
(Captain America Comics I#10/3) - Back in London, Jerry was ordered by his editor to obtain an exclusive interview with Reginald Whitney about his trip to Moscow. As Jerry entered the hotel, he was attacked by Gestapo agent Wilhelm von Logor. Knocking Jerry out, Logor stole his press pass and went to Whitney's room. Reviving, Jerry donned a bellboy's uniform and traveled up to the room, arriving just in time to save Whitney's life from Logor.
(Captain America Comics I#12/5 (fb) - BTS) - Jerry published a story about English Navy maneuvers. Following this, a section of the fleet was attacked and sunk by the Nazis. Guy Stanford's paper the Tattler retaliated by claiming Jerry's information had been responsible for the attack on the fleet.
(Captain America Comics I#12/5) - Jerry found himself harrassed by violent mobs in London, stirred up by the Tattler's stories about him. Noticing a strange cloud in the air. Jerry tested it with a piece of chemically-treated paper he just happened to be carrying. When the paper turned yellow, it proved the presence of poison gas in the cloud. Jerry quickly ran to a radio station and told them to warn the public but the radio frequencies were all being jammed by the Nazis. Running back to the London Star, Jerry had the paper put out a circular to warn the public of the poison gas. Jerry joined a pilot as he dropped the circulars across the country but a Nazi plane attempted to shoot them down. Jerry threw a bag of circulars from his plane and hit the Nazi plane's propeller, causing it to fall from the sky. Investigating the wreckage, Jerry discovered Guy Stanford's body, proving he had been a Nazi agent all along. Jerry was exposed to some of the gas but made a full recovery. With his good name cleared, Jerry was eager to get on to his next assignment.
(Captain America Comics I#13/5) - While Jerry was interviewing British publisher Lord Danvers, Nazi agent Horner parachuted to England and claimed he wanted to help the British war effort. Horner requested an audience with Lord Danvers and Jerry went with him. Lord Danvers was excited at the prospect of gaining credible intelligence on Nazi activities. However, Horner was actually there to kidnap Lord Danvers and bring him to Berlin. Joined by another agent, Cramm, the duo discussed their plans that evening in Lord Danvers' home but Jerry was spying on them and burst in on the duo. However, Cramm overpowered Jerry, knocking him unconscious and the two spies left with Lord Danvers as their prisoner. Reviving, Jerry took a motorcycle and pursued the spies' car to an airfield just as they were boarding. Jerry drove over Cramm then disembarked the motorcycle and punched out Horner. The two spies were turned over to the military, Lord Danvers was freed and Jerry had another great story for his paper.
Comments: Created by Stan Lee and Harry Fisk.
There is some question as to who drew Headline Hunter's adventures but this profile uses the credits as printed in the Marvel Masterworks: Golden Age Captain America volumes.
Headline Hunter is notable for being the earliest feature character known to be created by Stan Lee - he had written a handful of stories prior to the first Headline Hunter adventure but Headline Hunter was the first time he co-created a new character to star in their own adventures.
This profile was completed 06/19/2021, but its publication was delayed as it was intended for the Appendix 20th anniversary 's celebratory event.
Profile by Prime Eternal.
CLARIFICATIONS:
Headline Hunter should not be confused with:
Mr. Cooles was a German spy loyal to the Nazi regime. He functioned as legal adviser to US Ambassador Jordan in London. When Jordan came into possession of a contract between the USA and UK for food, Cooles stole the papers. Soon after, a German bomber attacked London and during the tumult, Cooles escaped through a secret passage in an air raid shelter to meet with fellow spies and smuggle the papers to Germany. Reporter Jerry Hunter followed Cooles through the secret passage but Cooles and his allies overpowered him. They tied Hunter to a bomb they intended to drop from their bomb bay on the way back to Germany but Hunter freed his hands and caught the undercarriage. As they flew over the Grupp munitions work, Hunter released the bomb he had been tied to. When Cooles saw the explosion, he assumed one his allies had thoughtlessly dropped a bomb and took his gun, shooting his allies. Hunter then tore open the door to the cabin, overpowered Cooles and forced the pilot to take them back to England.
--Captain America Comics I#5/5
Cramm was a Nazi spy who meet up with Horner after he pretended to have defected to the UK. As Cramm and Horner plotted together to kidnap Lord Danvers and bring him to Germany, Jerry Hunter burst in and attacked the two men. Cramm overpowered Hunter and he and Horner held Lord Danvers at gunpoint as they ferryed him in a car to an escape plane waiting in a nearby field. However, just as Cramm and Horner were loading the plane, Jerry Hunter caught up and drove over Cramm with his motorcycle. The kidnapping plot was foiled and Cramm, who survived being run over, was sent to prison in the Tower of London.
--Captain America Comics I#13/5
Lord Danvers was one of England's biggest newspaper publishers and believed in using his newspapers to keep public opinion aroused and informed about the ambitions of Nazi Germany. While he was being interviewed by Jerry Hunter, Lord Danvers learned that the German officer Horner had surrendered to the British and wanted to reveal the truth about conditions in Germany to Lord Danvers. Lord Danvers was eager to aid Horner and permitted him to stay at his home. However, Horner had actually been sent to kidnap Lord Danvers and bring him to Germany. Fortunately, Jerry Hunter came to Lord Danvers' rescue and stopped the two spies before they carried Lord Danvers into their escape plane.
--Captain America Comics I#13/5
Ed was Jerry's managing editor at the London Star. He was responsible for sending Jerry out on many of his assignments, such as interviewing Ambassador Jordan and interviewing Reginald Whitney.
--Captain America Comics I#5/5 (#6/5 - BTS, 7/5, 8/3, 10/3, 12/5, 13/5,
It's possible that "Ed" is his nickname, as editor is his profession.
Fredrich (right) and his ally were both spies working for Nazi Germany in England. They helped spread the poison which caused the "plague of death" but Fredrich and his partner made the mistake of speaking German to each other while Jerry Hunter was spying on them. Jerry followed them to the farm, where the poison was being spread through food and he turned the spies over to Scotland Yard.
--Captain America Comics I#8/3
Hans (right) and his associate were two German spies sent to the Swiss Alps to murder German refugees including von Groser. When Hans and his associate invited von Groser aboard a bobsled, intending to knife von Groser to death during the ride, Jerry Hunter saw one of them wielding the knife and intervened, saving von Groser. Throwing a ski pole at the bobsled, Hunter made the vehicle go over a cliff, sending both spies to their deaths.
--Captain America Comics I#9/3
Herr Horner was a prominent Nazi officer who pretended to defect to the UK, offering Lord Danvers information about the true conditions in Nazi Germany. Lord Danvers was so compliant that he put up Horner at his house. However, Horner was actually sent to kidnap Danvers and bring him to Germany and was assisted by the spy Cramm. When Jerry Hunter overheard the two Nazis making their plans, he burst in on them. Cramm knocked Hunter out and the two men left with Lord Danvers as their prisoner as they took a car to an airfield where their escape plane waited but Hunter soon followed on a motorcycle and stopped the two Nazis, saving Lord Danvers. Horner was sent to prison in the Tower of London.
--Captain America Comics I#13/5
Ambassador Jordan was the US ambassador to the United Kingdom during World War II. When his briefcase containing treaty papers between the USA and UK for supplies of food were stolen, Jordan was afraid that the papers would fall into the hands of the Nazis and imperil fleets carrying food supplies across the Atlantic Ocean. Jordan suspected either the thief was either his secretary Mr. Billings, his legal adviser Mr. Cooles or English War Relief Society member Mr. Crawford. After he told his story to Jerry Hunter, Hunter subsequently exposed Mr. Cooles as the thief and returned the papers to Jordan before they could be smuggled into Germany.
--Captain America Comics I#5/5
Perry was Mr. Reginald's cousin. A Nazi sympathizer, he had two of his associates murder a Hollywood movie star nearby Mr. Reginald so that the police would assume his cousin was the killer and thereby Perry would inherit his cousin's estate. At the same time, he thought the people of the USA would blame England for the movie star's death and thus fracture the alliance between the two nations. When Jerry Hunter investigated the murder, Perry sent his two German allies to murder him by throwing him into a river but Jerry survived and captured the three men, exposing Perry as the leader of the spies.
--Captain America Comics I#7/5
Mr. Reginald was a wealthy Englishman who came upon the body of a murdered man and found himself accused of the murder. Jerry Hunter took an interest in the case and discovered Mr. Reginald's cousin Perry had intentionally set up to be framed for murder so that he could obtain Reginald's inheritance.
--Captain America Comics I#7/5
Guy Stanford was a journalist who worked for a London newspaper called the Tattler. He was also secretly a Nazi spy. After Jerry Hunter published a story in the London Star about the English Navy, Stanford published an article claiming that information Hunter shared in that story led to an assualt on the fleet, causing mobs to form against Hunter. Guy then helped the Nazis spread a poisonous gas over England. When Hunter discovered the gas, he printed up circulars warning the country and started dropping them from an airplane. Guy flew a Nazi reconnaissance plane after Hunter's plane and attempted to shoot him down but Hunter threw a batch of circulars at Stanford's plane. The circulars wrecked the plane's propeller and the vehicle crashed to Earth, killing Stanford. Finding Stanford's body in the wreckage, Hunter had proof that Stanford had been a Nazi agent all along.
--Captain America Comics I#12/5
Von Groser was a German scientist who fled from the Nazis to Switzerland. He then wrote anti-Nazi editorials for the newspapers. As he went on a skiing holiday in the Swiss Alps, a spy ring being run by the manager of von Groser's hotel tried to murder him. Fortunately, reporter Jerry Hunter witnessed an attempt on von Groser's life and ultimately slew the spies, saving von Groser.
--Captain America Comics I#9/3
Wilhelm von Logor was a special agent for the Gestapo who posed as reporter "Will Jenks" in London. Acting as a rival to the London Star, "Jenks" pretended he wanted to steal the assignment to interview Reginald Whitney from Jerry Hunter and knocked him out near the lobby of Whitney's hotel so that he could gain access to Whitney's room with Hunter's press pass. However, once he was alone with Whitney, "Jenks" revealed his true identity and that he had come to murder Whitney before his story about Moscow could harm Germany in the press. Fortunately for Whitney, Jerry Hunter entered the room disguised as a bellboy and knocked out von Logor with a good punch.
--Captain America Comics I#10/3
Reginald Whitney was a representative of England who visited Moscow early in the UK and USSR's alliance against Nazi Germany. Whitney believed that the information he had to share about conditions in Moscow would injure Germany once publicized. Jerry Hunter was assigned by the London Star to interview Whitney but Gestapo agent Wilhelm von Logor, posing as reporter Will Jenks, stole Hunter's press pass in an attempt to assassinate Whitney. However, Hunter arrived dressed as a bellboy and Whitney let him into his hotel room. Once von Logor was about to kill Whitney, Hunter burst in and punched von Logor unconscious, saving Whitney's life.
--Captain America Comics I#10/3
Lord Wotonby was an Englishman who served in Parliament but because of his participation in a pro-fascist organization, he was driven out of office. In revenge, Lord Wotonby allied himself directly with Nazi Germany and turned over a factory to their design, using it to build a massive tank to wreck havoc upon London. Lord Wotonby helped drive the tank himself during the attack but they were opposed by Jerry Hunter, who flew a plane full of explosives directly into the tank, destroying it and apparently killing Lord Wotonby.
--Captain America Comics I#6/5
He had quite a few facial scars reminiscent of
dueling scars, such as those Baron Wolfgang von Strucker has. Perhaps
they were dueling partners.
images: (without ads)
Captain America Comics I#5/5, p1, pan1 (Headline Hunter, main)
Captain America Comics I#5/5, p1, pan3 (Headline Hunter, headshot)
Captain America Comics I#5/5, p3, pan6 (Mr. Cooles)
Captain America Comics I#13/5, p4, pan2 (Cramm)
Captain America Comics I#13/5, p2, pan5 (Lord Danvers)
Captain America Comics I#10/3, p1, pan3 (Ed)
Captain America Comics I#8/3, p3, pan1 (Fredrich)
Captain America Comics I#9/3, p1, pan3 (Hans)
Captain America Comics I#13/5, p2, pan8 (Horner)
Captain America Comics I#5/5, p2, pan2 (Ambassador Jordan)
Captain America Comics I#7/5, p3, pan2 (Perry)
Captain America Comics I#7/5, p2, pan1 (Mr. Reginald)
Captain America Comics I#12/5, p5, pan6 (Guy Stanford)
Captain America Comics I#9/3, p2, pan7 (von Groser)
Captain America Comics I#10/3, p1, pan1 (Wilhelm von Logor)
Captain America Comics I#10/3, p3, pan7 (Reginald Whitney)
Captain America Comics I#6/5, p5, pan3 (Lord Wotonby)
Captain America Comics I#6/5, p4, pan3 (Wotonby's tank)
Appearances:
Captain America Comics I#5/5 (August, 1941) - Stan Lee (writer), Harry Fisk (artist), Joe Simon (editor)
Captain America Comics I#6/5 (September, 1941) - Stan Lee (writer), Harry Fisk, Joe Simon (editor)
Captain America Comics I#7/5 (October, 1941) - Stan Lee (writer), Harry Fisk, Joe Simon (editor)
Captain America Comics I#8/3 (November, 1941) - Stan Lee (writer), Harry Fisk (artist), Joe Simon (editor)
Captain America Comics I#9/3 (December, 1941) - Stan Lee (writer), Warren Kremer (artist), Joe Simon (editor)
Captain America Comics I#10/3 (January, 1942) - Stan Lee (writer), Warren Kremer (artist), Joe Simon (editor)
Captain America Comics I#12/5 (March, 1943) - Stan Lee (writer/editor), Warren Kremer (artist)
Captain America Comics I#13/5 (April, 1942) - unknown writer, unknown artist, Stan Lee (editor)
First posted: 09/01/2021
Last updated:
08/29/2021
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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