DAN BENTON

Real Name: Dan Benton

Identity/Class: Human (Post-World War II Era)

Occupation: Tiger hunter

Group Membership: None

Affiliations: Carl Ainsley, Tonka

Enemies: Tigers

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Malabu, British Malaya

First Appearance: Rugged Action I#1 (December, 1955)

Powers/Abilities: Dan Benton was an excellent hunter and tracker. While hunting tigers he carried a rifle.

Height: Unrevealed (approximately 5'11")
Weight: Unrevealed (approximately 165 lbs.)
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Blond

History:
(Rugged Action I#1/2 (fb)) - Dan Benton made a name for himself in British Malaya as a tiger hunter. He grew proud and arrogant in his abilities. Although he was not well liked, people respected him for his hunting prowess. One day, he was summoned to a village in the interior of Malaya where a man-eating tiger had been bothering the people. Benton arrived at the village shortly after another resident had been carried off by the tiger. Benton went in pursuit of the tiger and soon found him. The tiger charged at Benton. Benton fired his rifle but the tiger swerved in time for the shot to miss. With no time left for a second shot, Benton was helpless as the tiger pounced upon him and mauled him. Benton passed out.

    When he revived, Benton found himself in Malabu being tended to by a doctor. He'd been badly mauled but his doctor told him that unless blood poisoning set in, he'd be all right. In time, Benton made a full physical recovery but mentally he was broken. Haunted by nightmares of the tiger and now afraid to hear a tiger roar, Benton fell apart. He soon became an alcoholic.

(Rugged Action I#1/2) - One day, Benton awoke, having passed out in an alley, to find district commissioner Carl Ainsley hovering over him. Ainsley informed him that the other White men in Malabu had bought him a ticket back to the United States, wanting him to leave Malaya rather than have him degrade himself in the streets. When Benton suggested he'd like to swap his boat ticket for a bottle of rotgut, Ainsley declared that if he were "only half a man," he'd beat him.

    Benton wondered why he'd refused the ticket, considering how badly he wanted to leave Malaya, but admitted to himself he couldn't stand to accept charity. Benton returned to his shack and recalled the events that left him a drunken mess. Just then, a group of sailors appeared in the door, hired by Ainsley to collect Benton and drag him by force to the boat. As they advanced on Benton with blackjacks to beat him unconscious, Benton grabbed a torch and swung at them. One of the sailors struck Benton and knocked the torch from his hand, causing it to burn down his entire shack. The sailors fled from the fire while Benton shambled away from the blaze and collapsed, wishing he could die.

    Benton was found by Tonka, who lived in a village in the nearby jungle. Tonka and his people carried Benton to their village and tended to his injuries from the fight. As Tonka cared for him, Benton realized for the first time in his life, he had made a friend.

    Benton lived quietly in Tonka's village for weeks until one night, he heard a commotion in the village as a man-eating tiger had been seen. Tonka sent runners to Malabu to bring Ainsley and his men. When Ainsley arrived, he was unimpressed to see Benton there. Just then. a villager announced Tonka had been dragged away by the tiger. Concerned for his friend, Benton accompanied Ainsley as he pursued the sound of Tonka screaming. Just before they reached the tiger, Benton heard Tonka's screaming stop and realized his friend was dead.

    Ainsley aimed his rifle at the tiger but when he fired, the tiger swerved at the last moment-- just as the tiger Benton had faced before had done. The tiger charged Ainsley but Benton grabbed Ainsley's rifle and fired it at the tiger, killing it in revenge for Tonka's death. Benton went to Tonka's body and confirmed his friend was dead. At that moment, Benton realized he had finally overcome his fear and he no longer needed alcohol. Ainsley thanked Benton for saving his life and complimented him on his marksmanship. Benton declared he was going to get a shave, bath and fresh clothes because it was time for him to resume being a tiger hunter.

Comments: Created by an unidentified writer and Vic Carrabotta.

    This profile was completed 06/18/2025 but its publication was delayed, as it was intended for the Appendix's 25th anniversary celebratory event.

Profile by Prime Eternal.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Dan Benton should not be confused with:

Carl Ainsley

Carl Ainsley was the district commissioner in British Malaya. Ainsley was ashamed to see Benton shambling drunkenly through the streets and wanted him deported back to the United States. When Benton refused to leave, Ainsley hired men to force him out of the country but they failed when their scuffle with Benton caused a fire. Later, when a man-eating tiger threatened Tonka's village, Ainsley was summoned to help save the village, reuniting him with Benton. Ainsley tried to shoot the tiger but his shot missed. Benton then grabbed Ainsley's rifle and shot the tiger dead. Ainsley congratulated Benton for his excellent marksmanship.




--Rugged Action I#1/2

Tonka

Tonka was a Malayan villager who found Dan Benton nearby the ruins of his burned-down shack. Tonka transported Benton back to his village in the jungle and tended to Benton's wounds. Benton considered Tonka the first friend he'd ever had. When a man-eating tiger threatened his village, Tonka sent word to District Commissioner Ainsley to assist them. Before Ainsley arrived, the tiger attacked Tonka and dragged him into the jungle. By the time Ainsley and Benton arrived, Tonka was dead. Benton regained his lost courage by killing the tiger as revenge for Tonka.



--Rugged Action I#1/2

images: (without ads)
Rugged Action I#1/2, page 2, panel 2 (Dan Benton, main)
Rugged Action I#1/2, page 4, panel 5 (Dan Benton, face)
Rugged Action I#1/2, page 5, panel 6 (Carl Ainsley)
Rugged Action I#1/2, page 4, panel 7 (Tonka)

Appearances:
Rugged Action I#1/2 (December, 1955) - unidentified writer, Vic Carrabotta (artist), Stan Lee (editor)

First posted: 09/09/2026
Last updated: 06/18/2025

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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