Harold "Tex" Thompson was an international adventurer, then a masked vigilante, then a spy. He was one of few American mystery men active in the European theater, operating as Mister America and later the Americommando. After the war, he founded the commercial superhero team Hero Hotline.
History
Origin
Tex Thompson was a blond haired Texas boy who abandoned the lifestyle of an oil baron to pursue adventure across the world. He was typically accompanied by his loyal friend Bob Daley. Their lighthearted globe-trotting and thrill-seeking ended in 1940, when the Nazis sank an American liner carrying food to Europe. Thompson was watching over this liner and was presumed dead by the world at large. The disaster inspired him to don a patriotic costume, dye his hair black, and wield a whip to fight for his country as Mr. America. He also invented and used a magic carpet, which doubled as a cape.
Thomson's friend Bob Daley also donned a costume and became his sidekick Fatman. Also of great assistance to Tex and Bob were the remarkable Gargantua T. Potts and, later, "Miss X", who was secretly the daughter of Tex's boss, D.A. Maloney.
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World War II
Main article: World War II
Mr. America was a member of the well-publicized All-Star Squadron, but his main contribution to the war effort was more clandestine. Thompson was asked by President Roosevelt himself to go to Nazi Germany and infiltrate the Gestapo. Thompson took on the identity of "Hauptmann Riker" and began his mission. He also acted as a costumed hero behind enemy lines, with the new name Americommando. His most frequent adversaries were Doctor Ito (also known as the Little One), a diminutive German/Japanese assassin, and the Queen Bee. He worked for the Americans for several years behind enemy lines.
During the bombing of Dresden, Thompson encountered Mr. Terrific, and the two worked together to save innocent German lives. After Thompson revealed to Mr. Terrific that there were no munitions factories in Dresden for the Allies to bomb, Thompson entered a burning building to save a small girl. The building collapsed around him and he was once again presumed dead.[1]
Once again, Thompson had managed to escape death. He later emerged to create the Hero Hotline. While leading this organization, Thompson went by the code name "Coordinator."[2]
Powers and Abilities
Abilities
- Acting: He infiltrated the Nazi Secret Police, posing as a Gestapo officer.
- Equestrianism: Thompson was a rancher before being a mystery-man.[3]
- Espionage
- Disguise: Thompson used theatrical make-up to disguise himself as various underworld figures,[4] and later on in his role as "Hauptmann Riker."
- Gadgetry
- In the early 1940s, Tex Thompson invented a flying carpet.[5]
- Hand-to-Hand Combat (Basic)
- Multilingualism: He speaks German.
- Weaponry
Paraphernalia
Transportation
- Magic Carpet / Cape
Weapons
- Tex would wear quick-draw revolver holsters when traveling abroad, and concealed handguns when in America.
- Mr. America wielded a bullwhip.
- Hauptmann Ruger wore a side-arm.
Notes
- Although this character was originally introduced during DC's Earth-Two era of publication, their existence following the events of the 1985–86 limited series Crisis on Infinite Earths remains intact. However, some elements of the character's Pre-Crisis history may have been altered or removed for Post-Crisis New Earth continuity, and no longer apply.
- Tex's last name was spelled "Thomson" from Action Comics #1, June 1938, to Action Comics #55, Dec 1942, about four and a half years. After that, until the end of the series, in Action Comics #74, July 1944, his real name was seldom if ever used, just "Americommando." At some point late in his career,[citation needed] post-WWII, Tex's last name quietly changed from "Thomson" to "Thompson."
- Mr. America's Flying Carpet was introduced in Action Comics #42, and it was used in the stories until at least Action Comics #49. After that, as Americommando, he still wore the cape, and did a great deal of diving and leaping and swinging about, but it was no longer identified as a flying carpet.
- At least in the pre-Americommando phase of his career, Tex Thomson lived in Brooklyn, New York.[6]
- In his role as "Hauptman Otto Riker," Thompson wore a monocle. This fake identity came to an end in Action Comics #56, when it was exposed by the wily Dr. Ito.
Related
- 103 Appearances of Harold Thompson (New Earth)
- 9 Images featuring Harold Thompson (New Earth)
- 3 Quotations by or about Harold Thompson (New Earth)
- Character Gallery: Harold Thompson (New Earth)
Footnotes
- ↑ JSA Returns: National Comics #1
- ↑ revealed by the writer of Hero Hotline, Bob Rozakis.
- ↑ Action Comics #1
- ↑ Action Comics #26
- ↑ Action Comics #42
- ↑ Action Comics #13
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