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STARR RYDER

Real Name: Starr Ryder

Identity/Class: Normal human (1950s era)

Occupation: Adventurer;
   formerly circus performer (equestrian)

Group Membership: Dr. Ryder's archaeological team;
   formerly Bonham Bros. Circus

Affiliations: Marvel Boy (Bob Grayson), Pete Mason, Pietro (last name unrevealed)

Enemies: Madame La Morte, Marvo, Samson, Soviet saboteurs at Amalgamated Anthracite

Known Relatives: Dr. Ryder (father, first name unrevealed), uncle (name unrevealed)

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Mobile internationally

First Appearance: Marvel Boy I#2/2 (February, 1951)

Powers/Abilities: Starr is a former circus performer in equestrian tricks and maintains an excellent level of health. Starr has also learned a few mind-reading techniques from circus performer Marvo.

Height: 5'4" (by approximation)
Weight: 120 lbs. (by approximation)
Eyes: Gray
Hair: Ginger

History:

(Marvel Boy I#2/5 (fb) - BTS) - The niece of the late owner of Bonham Bros. Circus, Starr Ryder worked as an equestrian performer in in the circus, garnering local fame. She was also understudy to Marvo, the circus' mind-reader, for a time.

(Marvel Boy I#2/5) - Investigating insurance fraud, Marvel Boy (as Bob Grayson) infiltrated the circus troupe as a trapeze performer, where he met Starr. His keen senses alerted him to Starr reading his mind and she gave him a friendly warning to stay away from Marvo (who was secretly using insurance fraud to avoid bankruptcy). Concerned about Grayson's sudden involvement and friendliness with Starr, the nefarious Marvo had his lackey, the strongman Samson, tie up Starr, but she escaped with Grayson's stolen pillbox of strength pills to help the hero. Grayson foiled Marvo's plot and secrets were revealed. Starr was starstruck that Grayson was the super hero Marvel Boy and they had dinner together.

(Marvel Boy I#2/2) - Mason and Starr called for Marvel Boy's help to eliminate smoldering fires in underground Pennsylvanian coal fields. Seeing that the fires had escalated to very dangerous levels, Marvel Boy ordered Starr to get the police while Mason got information on the company Amalgamated Anthracite, owner of the most dangerously affected mine. Marvel Boy stopped Soviet saboteurs with the police pulled in by Starr arresting them. Marvel Boy weakened the underground fires and Starr congratulated him.

(Astonishing#4/1) - Starr visited Marvel Boy in his New York headquarters to tell him she had quit the circus and was accompanying her father on an archaeological dig of Sicilian tombs. Once in Sicily, Starr and her father had trouble keeping local guides like Pietro, who were too scared to enter the "Screaming Tomb." Separated in the catacombs and frightened by the dire scream of the vampiric Madame La Morte, Starr urgently called Marvel Boy, who rushed over. Starr re-entered the catacombs with Marvel Boy but they were overpowered and bound by Madame La Morte's zombie-like servants. Marvel Boy's light blasting gauntlets destroyed the animated cadavers, and Marvel Boy and Starr pursued the villain, freeing Starr's father and the expeditionary force along the way. Seemingly having destroyed the fiend, Marvel Boy chided Starr, telling her to go help her father while he bricked up Madame La Morte's coffin. The expeditionary force left the catacombs together.

Comments: Created by Bill Everett.

    While Bill Everett was the artist, it's not 100% confirmed he was the writer. However, Everett seems to be the most likely writer; see the Grand Comics Database.

    This profile was completed 08/01/2021, but its publication was delayed as it was intended for the Appendix 20th anniversary 's celebratory event.

Profile by Grendel Prime.

CLARIFICATIONS :
Starr Ryder has no known connections to:

images: (without ads)
Marvel Boy I#2/2, p4, pan3 (main image)
Marvel Boy I#2/5, p6, pan4 (headshot)
Astonishing#3/5, p5, pan3 (green top)

Appearances:
Marvel Boy I#2/2 (February, 1951) - Bill Everett (writer(?), pencils, inks), Stan Lee (editor)
Marvel Boy I#2/5 (February, 1951) - Bill Everett (writer(?), pencils, inks), Stan Lee (editor)
Astonishing#4/1 (June, 1951) - Bill Everett (writer(?), pencils, inks), Stan Lee (editor)

First posted: 09/02/2021
Last updated: 08/29/2021

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

Non-Marvel Copyright info
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