Blue Tracer
Encyclopedia
Blue Tracer is a Golden Age of comics superhero, created by Fred Guardineer
and published by Quality Comics
. His first appearance was in Military Comics #1 (August 1941).
, along with the rest of Quality Comics
' properties in the 1950s. However, the character had lapsed into public domain
before that. The Blue Tracer has not been used by any company since his original publication, nor have his original adventures been reprinted, other than a Millennium Edition of his first appearance.
engineer
working with the army
in a secluded section of Ethiopia
. While working, his team is attacked by a group of supernatural
beings named the M'bujies. The M'bujies wound Dunn and kill his teammates. Dunn is rescued by "Boomerang" Jones, an Australia
n soldier who had been given up for death and is now fighting his own private war against the Nazis. After Dunn regains his strength, the two men create a super-vehicle out of captured Nazi equipment that they name the Blue Tracer. It can become a tank
, airplane, or submarine
. They then use it to destroy the M'bujies and escape the jungle.
The two travel the world and fight the Axis forces during the rest of the war, with Dunn at the head and Jones as his sidekick
. The last appearance of the Blue Tracer was in Military Comics #16, according to the Grand Comics Database
. The Blue Tracer allows Dunn and Jones to travel on land, under the sea, and in the air. It has many weapons, and can deflect small arms fire easily.
Fred Guardineer
Frederick B. Guardineer was an American illustrator and comic book writer-artist best known for his work in the 1930s and 1940s during what historians and fans call the Golden Age of Comic Books, and for his 1950s art on the Western comic-book series The Durango Kid.A pioneer of the medium...
and published by Quality Comics
Quality Comics
Quality Comics was an American comic book publishing company that operated from 1939 to 1956 and was an influential creative force in what historians and fans call the Golden Age of comic books....
. His first appearance was in Military Comics #1 (August 1941).
Publication history
Blue Tracer first appeared in issues 1 through 16 of Military Comics. The character was acquired by DCDC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
, along with the rest of Quality Comics
Quality Comics
Quality Comics was an American comic book publishing company that operated from 1939 to 1956 and was an influential creative force in what historians and fans call the Golden Age of comic books....
' properties in the 1950s. However, the character had lapsed into public domain
Public domain
Works are in the public domain if the intellectual property rights have expired, if the intellectual property rights are forfeited, or if they are not covered by intellectual property rights at all...
before that. The Blue Tracer has not been used by any company since his original publication, nor have his original adventures been reprinted, other than a Millennium Edition of his first appearance.
Fictional character biography
Blue Tracer's origin story is told in his first appearance, in Military Comics #1 . William "Wild Bill" Dunn is an AmericanUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
engineer
Engineer
An engineer is a professional practitioner of engineering, concerned with applying scientific knowledge, mathematics and ingenuity to develop solutions for technical problems. Engineers design materials, structures, machines and systems while considering the limitations imposed by practicality,...
working with the army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
in a secluded section of Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
. While working, his team is attacked by a group of supernatural
Supernatural
The supernatural or is that which is not subject to the laws of nature, or more figuratively, that which is said to exist above and beyond nature...
beings named the M'bujies. The M'bujies wound Dunn and kill his teammates. Dunn is rescued by "Boomerang" Jones, an Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n soldier who had been given up for death and is now fighting his own private war against the Nazis. After Dunn regains his strength, the two men create a super-vehicle out of captured Nazi equipment that they name the Blue Tracer. It can become a tank
Tank
A tank is a tracked, armoured fighting vehicle designed for front-line combat which combines operational mobility, tactical offensive, and defensive capabilities...
, airplane, or submarine
Submarine
A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
. They then use it to destroy the M'bujies and escape the jungle.
The two travel the world and fight the Axis forces during the rest of the war, with Dunn at the head and Jones as his sidekick
Sidekick
A sidekick is a close companion who is generally regarded as subordinate to the one he accompanies. Some well-known fictional sidekicks are Don Quixote's Sancho Panza, Sherlock Holmes' Doctor Watson, The Lone Ranger's Tonto, The Green Hornet's Kato and Batman's Robin.-Origins:The origin of the...
. The last appearance of the Blue Tracer was in Military Comics #16, according to the Grand Comics Database
Powers and abilities
Neither Dunn nor Jones have any superpowers, but Dunn is a good fighter and skilled engineerEngineer
An engineer is a professional practitioner of engineering, concerned with applying scientific knowledge, mathematics and ingenuity to develop solutions for technical problems. Engineers design materials, structures, machines and systems while considering the limitations imposed by practicality,...
. The Blue Tracer allows Dunn and Jones to travel on land, under the sea, and in the air. It has many weapons, and can deflect small arms fire easily.