History:
THE FROZEN GHOST
Real Name: Francis Dillon
Identity/Class: Human ghost (Canadian) (Post-World War II Era)
Occupation: Thief
Group Membership: None
Enemies: Peter Collins, Jack Davis, Smitty
Known Relatives: None
Aliases: None
Base of Operations: Point Blanc (likely in Quebec), Canada
First Appearance: Captain America's Weird Tales I#74/2 (October, 1949)
Powers/Abilities: The Frozen Ghost is an apparent ghost which can manifest a solid body from ice whenever a snow storm breaks out in the region where Francis Dillon was killed. In its body of ice, the Frozen Ghost has sufficient strength to crush a man's throat. When the Frozen Ghost is done its work, it causes its body of ice to melt.
Height: Unrevealed (approximately 6')
Weight: Unrevealed (approximately 185 lbs.)
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Bald, black eyebrows
History:
(Captain America's Weird Tales I#74/2 (fb)) - Francis Dillon went on a crime spree in Pont Blanc which included robbing the bank, during which he murdered a bank guard with a knife, plundered houses, killing at least one home owner with a knife, and murdered at least one man in the street during a holdup. Dillon was finally captured and tried by judge Peter Collins, who sentenced him to hang by the neck until dead. Dillon remained unrepentant and vowed he'd have revenge on Judge Collins and all of Pont Blanc.
Within a week, Dillon escaped jail and fled into the foothills but a sudden winter storm came down. Caught in the wild without adequte protection, Dillon froze to death; his body was found two days after his death.
Now a vengeful spirit, Dillon's ghost went to the home of Peter Collins and transformed into an icy being, then strangled Judge Collins to death. A man named Smitty was passing by and saw Dillon's ghost but couldn't make other townspeople believe his story until after Judge Collins' body was found. People began calling Dillon "the Frozen Ghost."
A few weeks later, Dillon's ghost hunted down the foreman of the jury who had convicted him of his crimes. Again becoming the Frozen Ghost, Dillon strangled the foreman to death, then melted his body just as some other people approached.
The Frozen Ghost continued to kill people in Pont Blanc in the time that followed, celebrating his vengeance against the town.
(Captain America's Weird Tales I#74/2) - One night, Francis Dillon was seated inside the train station's hut when newspaper reporter Jack Davis arrived and asked to stay in the hut while waiting for a sleigh to pick him up. Not realizing whom he was addressing, Jack told Dillon everything he'd heard about the legend of the Frozen Ghost but said he didn't believe in it. Transforming into the Frozen Ghost, Dillon asked him if he believed now.
Comments: Created by an unidentified writer and artist.
Marvel was just getting into the horror genre in 1949 and started retrofitting some existing comics into horror books; turning Captain America Comics into Captain America's Weird Tales was easily the most bizarre publishing decision they made!
Point Blanc's name suggests it's located in Quebec.
The story's framing device is virtually identical to the 1931 short story "The Kill" bu Peter Fleming.
Profile by Prime Eternal.
CLARIFICATIONS:
Francis Dillon should not be confused with:
Peter Collins was the judge in Pont Blanc and was the official who sentenced Francis Dillon to hang by the neck until dead. When Dillon died and returned as the spectral Frozen Ghost, he sought revenge on Judge Collins and crushed his neck. Smitty witnessed Judge Collins' death but couldn't convince the people of Pont Blanc of what he'd seen until after Judge Collins' body was found.
--Captain America's Weird Tales I#74/2 (fb)
Jack Davis was a newspaper reporter from Center City who came to Pont Blanc in order to investigate the stories about the Frozen Ghost. When his sleigh failed to greet him at the train station, Jack waited inside the station hut and unwittingly shared the room with Francis Dillon himself. Jack told Dillon everything he'd heard about the legend of the Frozen Ghost and said he didn't believe in any of it, but then Dillon transformed into the Frozen Ghost and reached out to him, asking if now he believed.
--Captain America's Weird Tales I#74/2
Smitty was a resident of Pont Blanc and happened to be passing Peter Collins' home when he saw the ghost of Francis Dillon appear and assume the form of the Frozen Ghost, then kill Judge Collins. Smitty quickly told people in the town's general store about what he'd seen but none of them believed him until after Collins' body was found.
--Captain America's Weird Tales I#74/2 (fb)
images: (without ads)
Captain America's Weird Tales I#74/2, page 4, panel 3 (main)
Captain America's Weird Tales I#74/2, page 5, panel 4 (face)
Captain America's Weird Tales I#74/2, page 2, panel 5 (Collins)
Captain America's Weird Tales I#74/2, page 2, panel 1 (Davis)
Captain America's Weird Tales I#74/2, page 5, panel 1 (Smitty)
Appearances:
Captain America's Weird Tales I#74/2 (October, 1949) - unidentified writer, unidentified artist, Stan Lee (editor)
First posted: 07/01/2026
Last updated:
07/01/2026
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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