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Firefly (Archie Comics)
Encyclopedia
The Firefly is a superhero
comic book
character created by Harry Shorten and Bob Wood for MLJ Comics
in 1940. He first appeared in Top-Notch Comics
#8. Artist Warren King and writer Joe Blair loaned their talents to many of the Firefly's installments.
The Firefly's real name is Harley Hudson, an entomologist
and chemist. He discovers that insects can lift masses greater than their own weight not because of the square-cube law
but because of their ability to coordinate their muscles. He teaches himself to coordinate his muscles as insects do and finds himself able to perform amazing feats. He then dons a costume and calls himself the Firefly. Thus, the Firefly, similar to the Black Hood
, another MLJ superhero, does not possess any real superpowers but is merely a man possessing great physical and mental prowess due to his natural abilities.
Harley Hudson's romantic interest is Joan Burton, a newspaper reporter. Her occupation was common for female characters in MLJ comics. Barbara Sutton, the romantic interest for the Black Hood
, and Jane Barlowe, the romantic interest for the Wizard, were both newspaper reporters. It cannot be ignored that Lois Lane
, Superman's romantic interest, was also a newspaper reporter.
The Firefly was a mainstay in Top-Notch Comics until its twenty-eighth issue, when MLJ changed its format from a superhero book to a humorous book. The popularity of superheroes waned in the late 1940s. The Firefly has had very few appearances since the 1940s, although when he did briefly reappear during the sixties in The Mighty Crusaders #4 he had gained the ability to glow brightly just like his namesake
.
Superhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
comic book
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
character created by Harry Shorten and Bob Wood for MLJ Comics
Archie Comics
Archie Comics is an American comic book publisher headquartered in the Village of Mamaroneck, Town of Mamaroneck, New York, known for its many series featuring the fictional teenagers Archie Andrews, Betty Cooper, Veronica Lodge, Reggie Mantle and Jughead Jones. The characters were created by...
in 1940. He first appeared in Top-Notch Comics
Top-Notch Comics
- Top-Notch Laugh Comics/Laugh Comix :In a change of editorial direction, from issue #28 the story emphasis changed to humor strips and the title became Top-Notch Laugh Comics to reflect this. All the long-running adventure series from Top-Notch Comics ended between issue #24 - Top-Notch Laugh...
#8. Artist Warren King and writer Joe Blair loaned their talents to many of the Firefly's installments.
The Firefly's real name is Harley Hudson, an entomologist
Entomology
Entomology is the scientific study of insects, a branch of arthropodology...
and chemist. He discovers that insects can lift masses greater than their own weight not because of the square-cube law
Square-cube law
The square-cube law is a principle, drawn from the mathematics of proportion, that is applied in engineering and biomechanics. It was first demonstrated in 1638 in Galileo's Two New Sciences...
but because of their ability to coordinate their muscles. He teaches himself to coordinate his muscles as insects do and finds himself able to perform amazing feats. He then dons a costume and calls himself the Firefly. Thus, the Firefly, similar to the Black Hood
The Black Hood
The Black Hood was originally a golden age character created by MLJ Comics, later known as Archie Comics. The Black Hood first appeared in Top-Notch Comics #9, October 1940 and became one of MLJ's most popular characters. He also had his own title, Black Hood Comics, a pulp magazine, and his own...
, another MLJ superhero, does not possess any real superpowers but is merely a man possessing great physical and mental prowess due to his natural abilities.
Harley Hudson's romantic interest is Joan Burton, a newspaper reporter. Her occupation was common for female characters in MLJ comics. Barbara Sutton, the romantic interest for the Black Hood
The Black Hood
The Black Hood was originally a golden age character created by MLJ Comics, later known as Archie Comics. The Black Hood first appeared in Top-Notch Comics #9, October 1940 and became one of MLJ's most popular characters. He also had his own title, Black Hood Comics, a pulp magazine, and his own...
, and Jane Barlowe, the romantic interest for the Wizard, were both newspaper reporters. It cannot be ignored that Lois Lane
Lois Lane
Lois Lane is a fictional character, the primary love interest of Superman in the comic books of DC Comics. Created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, she first appeared in Action Comics #1 ....
, Superman's romantic interest, was also a newspaper reporter.
The Firefly was a mainstay in Top-Notch Comics until its twenty-eighth issue, when MLJ changed its format from a superhero book to a humorous book. The popularity of superheroes waned in the late 1940s. The Firefly has had very few appearances since the 1940s, although when he did briefly reappear during the sixties in The Mighty Crusaders #4 he had gained the ability to glow brightly just like his namesake
Firefly
Lampyridae is a family of insects in the beetle order Coleoptera. They are winged beetles, and commonly called fireflies or lightning bugs for their conspicuous crepuscular use of bioluminescence to attract mates or prey. Fireflies produce a "cold light", with no infrared or ultraviolet frequencies...
.