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DAVID MARCUS

Real Name: Captain David Marcus

Identity/Class: Normal human (World War II era)

Occupation: Captain

Group Membership: U.S. Navy

Affiliations: Crew (Ed, Cabot, others) of the U.S. Sting Ray (hull number unrevealed; submarine class unrevealed)

Enemies: Imperial Japanese Navy and associated Japanese merchant shipping

Known Relatives: Brother (name unrevealed)

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Mobile in the Pacific Ocean

First Appearance: Battle#69/3 (April, 1960)

Powers/Abilities: Captain David Marcus has received U.S. naval training and seen extensive combat action. He is a very capable, brave and respected submarine captain, and was very familiar with his assigned  vessel the Sting Ray. Marcus is ready to sacrifice himself in battle and has an intense dislike for the Imperial Japanese military. He smokes cigars while commanding.

Height: 5'10" (by approximation)
Weight: 175 lbs. (by approximation)
Eyes: Dark blue
Hair: Blond

History:

(Battle#69/3 (fb) - BTS) - Captain David Marcus, experienced commander of the U.S. naval submarine Sting Ray, along with the rest of his crew, saw film footage of captured U.S. military (including seamen) receiving harsh treatment at the hands of their Japanese military captors; it served to steel the men's resolve to destroy their Japanese enemy. The Sting Ray shipped out from base to attack Japanese ships in the Pacific Ocean.

(Battle#69/3) - The Sting Ray's crew successfully sank a Japanese military oil tanker, finishing it off with its cannon; Marcus watched as survivors floundered. The sub submerging again, Marcus received notification that his brother, also a seaman, had been captured by the battleship Nikko Maru and sent to internment camp. Angry, Marcus hunted the shipping lanes for more Japanese targets but found nothing until orders came that two Japanese battleships were in the area. Marcus found them and fired well-aimed torpedoes that split one battleship. The second ship (coincidentally the Nikko Maru) used depth charges that breached the submarine's hull. Marcus ordered the crew to abandon ship; not wishing any to be captured and with the flooding sub sloped forward, he listened for the battleship, gauging its position, then fired aft torpedoes into the ship that luckily hit the enemy's magazine. Marcus escaped using underwater breathing equipment but was knocked unconscious by the exploding battleship. The crew were rescued and Marcus woke in hospital. He was told by his Executive Officer that he would be assigned a new vessel but same crew. Marcus was grimly satisfied that he had sunk the ship that had captured his brother.

Comments: Created by Jack Kirby & Joe Sinnott.

Coloring shows him initially with black hair, then blond when the water gushes in (compare the two headshots). Let's go with dirty hair on this one.

This was later reprinted in the The Complete Kirby War and Romance (2021), a great collection of Kirby's work beyond his super-hero and scifi stuff.

Grand Comics Database suggests Jack Kirby was the likely writer.

This profile was completed 09/17/2021, but its publication was delayed as it was intended for the Appendix 20th anniversary's celebratory event.

Profile by Grendel Prime.

CLARIFICATIONS :
Capt. David Marcus has no known connections to:

Sting Ray

The U.S. naval submarine Sting Ray was commanded by Captain David Marcus. A relatively small sub, it was stationed in the Pacific Ocean and assigned to target Japanese vessels during World War II. After sinking a Japanese military oil tanker, the Sting Ray was assigned to hit two new Japanese battleships in the area. Captain Marcus used well-aimed torpedoes to sink the battleship, but the Sting Ray's hull was breached during the battle and sank. Most/all of the crew survived.

 

 

 

 

 

 

--Battle#69/3

images: (without ads)
Battle#69/3, p3, pan3 (main image)
   p4, pan6 (headshot, periscope)
   p6, pan1 (sinking)
   p2, pan6 (Sting Ray, top view)
   p3, pan5 (Sting Ray, front view)

Appearances:
Battle#69/3 (April, 1960) - uncredited (writer), Jack Kirby (pencils), Joe Sinnott (inks), Stan Lee (editor)

First posted: 09/23/2021
Last updated: 09/22/2021

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.

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