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TOMMY

Real Name: Tommy (last name unrevealed)

Identity/Class: Human

Occupation: Private investigator

Group Membership: None

Affiliations: Kitty Blake, Old King Cole

Enemies: None

Known Relatives: Mother (name unrevealed), father (name unrevealed)

Aliases: "Doubting Thomas" (nickname used by partygoers

Base of Operations: Missouri

First Appearance: Journey Into Unknown Worlds I#38/2 (October, 1955)

Powers/Abilities: Tommy is a talented private investigator with a shrewd mind.

Height: Unrevealed
Weight: Unrevealed
Eyes: Unrevealed
Hair: Unrevealed

History:

(Journey Into Unknown Worlds I#38/2 (fb) - BTS) - Growing up, Tommy had little use for imagination and always found himself looking for the careful verification of facts and hard proofs. Even as a young child, he found nursery rhymes non-sensical and he didn't believe in Santa Claus. Though his parents were sometimes distressed, they believed that Tommy would make a talented private investigator someday.

(Journey Into Unknown Worlds I#38/2 - BTS) - When Tommy grew up, he did become a private investigator, and he soon found himself enamored with Kitty Blake, the new secretary at his office, and he asked her out. On their date, he found himself criticizing a movie out loud, speaking of all of the inconsistencies, and the crowd grew annoyed. Somehow charmed by Tommy, Kitty invited him out to a masquerade party, and he found himself willing to go so he could try and win her over, though he did not want to wear a costume. The night he went to the party, Tommy got the address wrong and he found himself in a field full of people in costume who danced around a man who identified himself as Old King Cole. The King laughed and explained that he threw a party once per year so he could convince those without imaginations to believe in things beyond them. 

    Finding himself charmed, in spite of himself, Tommy asked how to find Kitty and he was sent back another direction toward a store, where he realized he'd gotten the address wrong. Finally arriving at Kitty's home, Tommy discovered that glowing letters appeared on his clothes that spelled out "Doubting Thomas." Kitty, dressed as a princess, was charmed by his costume and invited Tommy inside to meet her friends.

Comments: Created by Larry Lieber.

Tommy's character arc explores the tension between skepticism and imagination. While he begins as someone firmly grounded in logic and facts, the masquerade experience allows him to open up to joy, creativity, and personal connection, without losing who he is.

Tommy was never seen because he was part of a text story.

Masquerade was reprinted in Amazing Adventures I#1/2 (June, 1961).

Profile by Chadman.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Tommy has no known connections to:


Kitty Blake

(Amazing Adventures I#1/2 - BTS) - Kitty Blake took a job as a secretary for a private investigation firm and she was soon asked out by Tommy, who criticized a movie out loud all through their first date. Kitty invited Tommy to a masquerade and he agreed to attend. She dressed as a princess, and she was pleased when Tommy showed up wearing a Doubting Thomas costume.

--[Journey Into Unknown Worlds I#38/2]


Old King Cole

(Amazing Adventures I#1/2 (fb) - BTS) - Old King Cole, the merry king from the nursery rhymes, and his compatriots enjoyed hosting parties in the mortal world once per year so that they could convince someone who lacked imagination to believe in him and others like him. By sustaining these beliefs, Old King Cole could sustain his own existence.

(Amazing Adventures I#1/2 - BTS) - Old King Cole and the others held one party that was attended by Tommy, and Cole convinced the man to believe in them. He sent Tommy on his way with magic letters on his jacket that spelled out "Doubting Thomas."

--[Journey Into Unknown Worlds I#38/2]


Images: (without ads)
Journey Into Unknown Worlds I#38, p20, pan1 (main image)


Appearances:
Journey Into Unknown Worlds I#38/2 (October, 1955) - Larry Lieber (writer), Stan Lee (editor)
Amazing Adventures I#1/2 (June, 1961) - Larry Lieber (writer), Stan Lee (editor)


First Posted: 09/30/2021
Last updated: 04/21/2025

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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