"ZEPHYR" JONES

Real Name: Zephyrus Jones

Identity/Class: Human (World War II era)

Occupation: Space explorer

Group Membership: None

Affiliations: Lilius "Corky" Grogan, King Bolo, Prof. Reagan Lexico, Princess Tonka, Tasi;
    formerly General Roudo

Enemies: General Roudo, the Parrotmen;
    formerly Prof. Reagan Lexico, Tasi

Known Relatives: Morrison Jones (father, deceased)

Aliases: "Boss," "McDuff" (nicknames), "Zephyr-Jones" (misspelling of his name)

Base of Operations: Mobile throughout outer space;
    formerly Sebeka, Minnesota, USA

First Appearance: Daring Mystery Comics I#2 (February, 1940)

Powers/Abilities: Zephyr Jones did not possess any superhuman powers but he was a brilliant physicist and engineer.

    He was also an extremely skilled pilot and hand-to-hand combatant. In battle, he often utilized a pair of handguns.

    Jones travels through space in the Rocket-Ship that, while initially designed to travel 5000 miles per minute, ultimately proved capable of traveling much, much faster and farther than originally designed by jumpstarting its propulsion off explosions caused by igniting the gaseous bodies of stars.

Height: 6'2"
Weight: 190 lbs.
Eyes: Green
Hair: Reddish-brown

History:
(Marvel Mystery Handbook 70th Anniversary Special - Zephyr Jones entry - BTS) - Zephyrus "Zephyr" Jones was born in Sebeka, Minnesota an American citizen. He presumably eventually graduated college.

(Daring Mystery Comics I#2 (fb) - BTS / Marvel Mystery Handbook 70th Anniversary Special - Zephyr Jones entry - BTS) - Son of famous scientist and inventor Dr. Morrison Jones, who began building the experimental Rocket-Ship in an attempt to travel to Mars, Zephyr Jones decided to follow in his father's footsteps after his father's death under mysterious circumstances. Determined to complete his father's work, Zephyr, together with his close friend "Corky" Grogan, finished the Rocket-Ship in late 1939 and he prepared to use the Rocket-Ship to visit Mars despite one misfortune after another during construction.

(Daring Mystery Comics I#2) - As final preparations were made before the Rocket-Ship's launch, Zephyr and "Corky" met with the mayor as a small crowd gathered around the Rocket-Ship in awe. Minutes after shaking hands with the mayor, Zephyr and "Corky" launched the Rocket-Ship and they quickly hit the 5000 miles per minute speed they needed to get to Mars within a day but the instruments of the ship soon became unresponsive. Realizing someone must have tampered with the Rocket-Ship's instruments, Zephyr quickly turned on the safety controls in an effort to prevent a crash and when "Corky" asked how they would navigate to Mars with the instruments unresponsive, Zephyr replied that they would have to trust their luck. Zephyr noted how the Rocket-Ship's construction had been met with multiple misfortunes and "Corky" soon noticed a planet nearby, prompting Zephyr to remark how they couldn't possibly be close enough to Mars. Zephyr then suggested they land on the uncharted planet rather than spend an eternity floating in space without working instruments and once they had done so, both Zephyr and "Corky" found no signs of intelligent life.

    The duo was soon met by the Birdman General Roudo, who revealed that they were on the planet Sunev and that Sunevian legends spoke of an Earthman who would visit them. Roudo then led Zephyr and "Corky" to King Bolo and his daughter, Princess Tonka, who welcomed the terrans to his planet. Remaining on Sunev for weeks, Zephyr and "Corky" introduced its populace to Earth inventions such as movies, television, automobiles and radio and they learned about some of Sunev's advancements including an elixir for long life. During his stay, Princess Tonka began to develop romantic feelings for Zephyr Jones but Roudo, who was secretly a spy for the enemy Parrotmen, became jealous of Tonka's infatuation with Zephyr and decided to kill both Zephyr and "Corky." A short time later, Roudo officially accused Zephyr and "Corky" of being Parrotmen spies in the royal palace and presented evidence of notes taken by Zephyr regarding the Sunevian scientific advancements. King Bolo and other Sunevian elders then put Zephyr and "Corky" on trial and, despite disbelieving Roudo's accusations, Bolo had no choice but to imprison the two Earthmen and sentence them to death the next morning due to the evidence presented by Roudo.

    While in their cell awaiting execution the next morning, Zephyr and "Corky" discussed what to do about the situation and when they both agreed that it was a good thing they had not taught the Birdmen about firearms, Zephyr looked out the cell window towards the Rocket-Ship as he thought about using his Tommy gun aboard the ship. He soon noticed Roudo outside signaling an unidentified party and his suspicions that Roudo was signaling the enemy Parrotmen himself were soon interrupted by the arrival of the visiting Princess Tonka, who offered to help them in any way she could. "Corky" requested his violin case from the Rocket-Ship and Zephyr reiterated the request, knowing that "Corky" kept his Tommy gun in a violin case. Tonka quickly left to retrieve the case as the Parrotmen attacked the Birdmen civilization and she soon returned with the violin case, which Zephyr and "Corky" swiftly opened to reveal a Tommy gun and two handguns. Zephyr then used one of the guns to shoot the lock of their cell door and the two Earthmen immediately went into battle against the Parrotmen. One of the Parrotmen soon tackled Zephyr and the two grappled while two other Parrotmen grabbed "Corky" and attempted to fly away with him. Zephyr leaped onto one of the Parrotmen attacking "Corky" and flipped him over the roof, shooting the other Parrotman to rescue "Corky." The two Earthmen's firearms soon had the fearful Parrotmen on the run and when General Roudo himself tried to escape with them, Zephyr dove onto Roudo and downed him with a powerful left punch.

    With Roudo apprehended and faced with facts, he confessed to being a Parrotmen spy, proving Zephyr and "Corky"'s innocence. The two Earthmen then showed the Birdmen the secrets of their firearms so they could fend off any further Parrotmen attacks before repairing the Rocket-Ship for a return trip back to Earth. King Bolo and Princess Tonka came to see Zephyr and "Corky" off, with Bolo expressing hope that the two Earthmen might visit sometime again in the future or perhaps even establish regular travel between Sunev and Earth. Zephyr admitted that they were taking back pleasant memories and apologized for not being able to stay longer, at which point Princess Tonka planted a kiss on Zephyr, assuring him that they would not be forgotten. Zephyr and "Corky" then took over towards Earth.

(Mystic Comics I#1 / 3) - Having failed to reach Mars in their initial trip into space, Zephyr Jones and "Corky" Grogan weeks later made preparations for a second attempt at reaching Mars but before they could launch, a man begged to speak with Zephyr. Thinking that the man was another wishing to stop him from his Mars aspirations, the impatient Zephyr asked the man what he wanted and the man asked Zephyr to consider flying to a star rather the Mars before he was led away by security. After waiting for an updated weather report, Zephyr and "Corky" launched the Rocket-Ship anew and shortly after takeoff, the duo was confronted by the man, who had somehow escaped security and stowed away on the Rocket-Ship. Holding Zephyr and "Corky" at gunpoint, the man introduced himself as "mad astronomer" Prof. Reagan Lexico and assured the duo that they would not think him mad once they learned of his reasons for wanting to visit a star. Prof. Lexico then ordered Zephyr to set the Rocket-Ship's coordinates to the star Cygni but Zephyr refused, punching Prof. Lexico, only to be met with another stowaway, Reagan's daughter Tasi. Tasi also head Zephyr and "Corky" at gunpoint as Prof. Lexico got back to his feet before revealing that she had followed her father as he stowed away on the Rocket-Ship despite thinking her father's desire to travel to a star foolish.

    Zephyr questioned why Prof. Lexico wished to go to Cygni in the first place and Tasi explained how Prof. Lexico believed that an element called "Stardust" existed on Cygni that could cure any ailment known to man. Zephyr admitted that such an element would be amazing if it truly existed but noted that his Rocket-Ship would not be able to reach a star that was 16 billion light years away going its max speed of 5000 miles per a minute. Tasi begged Zephyr to at least try and, despite "Corky"'s objections, Zephyr agreed to try and pointed out a lesser star body nearby. After confirming from Prof. Lexico that every star was surrounded by a gaseous mass, Zephyr Jones used the Rocket-Ship's thrusters to ignite the gas around the nearby star body, causing an explosion that propelled the Rocket-Ship towards another star body. Repeating the same ignition and explosion trick, Zephyr and his crew hopped from star body to star body, making their way towards Cygni in record time, at one point even propelling their ship completely through a passing planet. Upon arrival on Cygni, Zephyr Jones and "Corky" Gorgan exited the Rocket-Ship to look around, suggesting that Prof. Lexico and Tasi remain behind for their own safety.

    Zephyr and "Corky" searched Cygni for signs of life for an hour before coming upon a band of Cygnian dwarves that had captured Prof. Lexico and Tasi while the two heroes were out exploring. Returning to the Rocket-Ship, Zephyr and "Corky" devised a rescue plan but as soon as they exited the Rocket-Ship, they were attacked by more dwarves. When the super-heated, dense-bodied dwarves proved immune to their Earthly firearms, Zephyr and "Corky" escaped back to the Rocket-Ship and Zephyr came up with a plan to use the ship's fire extinguishers against the heated dwarves. While Zephyr and "Corky" drove off the dwarves, Prof. Lexico and Tasi escaped their bounds and fled into the Cygnian caves, only to be quickly surrounded once more. Zephyr and "Corky" arrived on the scene seconds later and the two extended a rope between two cliffs and used it to knock the dwarves over a cliff side. Prof. Lexico and Tasi then made their way back towards the Rocket-Ship as more dwarves arrived to shoot poison darts at Zephyr and "Corky." "Corky" was soon knocked out but Zephyr carried him along the way as he attempted to escape the pursuing Cygnian dwarves. Zephyr ultimately used a smaller rock to cause an avalanche in the cave to stop the dwarves and he soon made it back to the Rocket-Ship, where Prof. Lexico and Tasi awaited his return. All four boarded the Rocket-Ship and as Zephyr prepared for takeoff, Tasi revealed that, while they were waiting on Zephyr and "Corky" return, her father had acquired fifty pounds of the "Stardust" element. Zephyr then took off and they all headed back towards Earth.

Comments: Created by Joe Cal Cagno and Fred Schwab.

    Artist Fred Schwab is credited as "Fred Schwartz" in both of Zephyr Jones' Golden Age appearances.

    It's somewhat funny in Daring Mystery Comics I#2 when Zephyr Jones flips the WINGED Parrotman off the roof of his prison. Like that would really do much long term good since the Parrotmen could FLY...

    The story in Daring Mystery Comics I#2 ends with a promise that Zephyr and "Corky"'s adventures would continue in the next issue of Daring Mystery but they did not, instead appearing next in Mystic Comics I#1...Similarly, Mystic Comics I#1 ends with a promise that Zephyr would return in the next issue, only he never appeared again...in any story. In my opinion, it's VERY possible that Zephyr Jones is still out there somewhere in space, awaiting a new writer to reintroduce him to today's comic readers. He could still be young, in fact! In his first appearance in Daring Mystery Comics I#2, we see a panel where Zephyr is holding a beaker and explaining to "Corky" Grogan how the natives of the planet Sunev had discovered an elixir of long life that would extend a person's lifespan into the 300-400 year range. While it's never outright stated, it seems very possible, if not even likely, that Zephyr and "Corky" both ingested some of the elixir, given that Zephyr is holding it in his hands at the time of the explanation. So some writer could easily bring him back in a modern story and explain away his still-youthful age as Zephyr having ingested the alien elixir during his stay on Sunev.

    Zephyr Jones has profiles in the Marvel Mystery Handbook 70th Anniversary Special and the OHotMU A to Z HC Vol. 14.

    Zephyr Jones' modern OHotMU entry in the Marvel Mystery Handbook 70th Anniversary Special identities Roudo as "Count" Roudo but Daring Mystery Comics I#2 identifies him as "General" Roudo. I suppose Roudo could be both: a count by blood and a general by occupation?

    This profile was completed on 8/25/2026 but its publication was delayed, as it was intended for the Appendix's 25th anniversary celebratory event.

Profile by Proto-Man.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Zephyr Jones should be distinguished from:

Lilius "Corky" Grogan

Lilius "Corky" Grogan was a close friend of Zephyr Jones who helped him complete the advanced Rocket-Ship initially designed by Zephyr's father, Dr. Morrison Jones. Despite several setbacks, the Rocket-Ship was completed by Jones and Grogan and together, they set off on a mission to travel to Mars, a dream shared by Dr. Morrison Jones prior to his death. Once in space, however, the Rocket-Ship's instruments went awry due to outside tampering and they were forced to land on the uncharted planet Sunev. Introduced to Sunev's Birdmen inhabitants, Grogan and Jones were befriended by Birdmen King Bolo and his daughter Princess Tonka and they taught the Birdmen about several advancements such as radio and motion pictures. Birdmen General Roudo soon became jealous of Zephyr Jones and he used Zephyr's notes about Birdmen advancements to put them on trial for spying for the Birdmen's enemies, the Parrotmen. Reluctantly sentenced to death by King Bolo due to the evidence provided by Roudo, Grogan and Jones awaited their execution in a jail cell until Princess Tonka visited and Grogan convinced her to retrieve his violin case from the Rocket-Ship. Tonka did as she was asked and Grogan opened the violin case to reveal a stash of Earth firearms inside, which he and Jones used to drive away the invading Parrotmen. Hailed as heroes, Grogan and Jones bid the Birdmen farewell and returned to Earth. Weeks later, they renewed their intentions to travel to Mars but their second attempt was met with stowaways Prof. Reagan Lexico and his daughter Tasi, who sought the mythical "Stardust" element from a star. Agreeing to help them locate the elemental panacea on the star Cygni despite Grogan's objections, Zephyr Jones used the Rocket-Ship to boost from star to star until they arrived on Cygni. When Prof. Lexico and Tasi were taken captive by the Cygnians dwarf natives, Grogan and Jones mounted a rescue mission but Grogan was knocked out during the escape back to the Rocket-Ship. Jones carried Grogan back himself and they quickly departed Cygni, Prof. Lexico having acquired fifty pounds of "Stardust" while Grogan and Jones were returning to the ship.

--Daring Mystery Comics I#2 (Marvel Mystery Handbook 70th Anniversary Special - Zephyr Jones entry - BTS, Daring Mystery Comics I#2, Mystic Comics I#1 / 3,
Dr. Morrison Jones

Dr. Morrison Jones was a famous scientist who had aspirations of traveling to Mars. To complete this goal, he designed the experimental Rocket-Ship spacecraft but he died under mysterious circumstances, leaving his son Zephyr to continue his work. Zephyr ultimately completed Dr. Jones' Rocket-Ship and twice used it to go into space, neither time making it to Mars.

--Daring Mystery Comics I#2 (fb) - BTS
Prof. Reagan Lexico

Prof. Reagan Lexico was an astronomer whose believe that a mythical "Stardust" element could cure all known ailments was met by ridicule and the nickname of "Mad Astronomer." Determined to prove the existence of "Stardust," Prof. Lexico dreamed of traveling to a star and when he learned that Zephyr Jones was attempting a space launch to Mars, Prof. Lexico visited the launch site to plead his case for Jones changing course to the star Cygni instead. Zephyr brushed off Lexico and he was taken into custody of the launch site security but Lexico soon escaped and stowed away on Jones' Rocket-Ship, unaware that his daughter Tasi had followed him aboard. Once the Rocket-Ship was in the atmosphere, Prof. Lexico held Zephyr Jones and his friend "Corky" Grogan at gunpoint and demanded they travel to Cygni but Zephyr punched Lexico, prompting Tasi to reveal her presence as well. After Tasi explained that "Stardust" could cure all ailments, Jones agreed to try a trip to Cygni by boosting his ship's speed via the ignition of starry gases. Upon arrival on Cygni, Prof. Lexico and Tasi were ordered to stay behind in the ship while Jones and Grogan investigated the starry body but Prof. Lexico and Tasi were both soon captured by the Cygnian dwarf natives. Jones and Grogan mounted a rescue mission and Prof. Lexico and Tasi escaped back to the Rocket-Ship, where Prof. Lexico gathered fifty pounds of "Stardust" before Grogan and Jones arrived behind them. All four then departed Cygni towards Earth.

--Mystic Comics I#1 / 3
Rocket-Ship

The Rocket-Ship was an experimental spacecraft initially designed by the famous Dr. Morrison Jones but when he died under mysterious circumstances, his son Zephyr and his friend "Corky" Grogan completed the Rocket-Ship and became determined to use it to complete his father's work of traveling to Mars despite several setbacks. The Rocket-Ship was successfully launched but once in the atmosphere, its instruments became unresponsive due to outside tampering and Jones and Grogan were forced to land on the uncharted planet Sunev. When the Sunevian Parrotmen later attacked the Birdmen that had befriended Jones and Grogan, they had Birdmen Princess Tonka retrieved Grogan's violin case from the Rocket-Ship and used the stash of firearms hidden inside to drive off the Parrotmen. Following repairs to the Rocket-Ship, Jones and Grogan then used it to return back to Earth and weeks later, they made a second attempt to reach Mars. This time, Prof. Reagan Lexico and his daughter Tasi stowed away on the Rocket-Ship in an effort to force Jones and Grogan to travel to the star Cygni to retrieve the mythical cure-all "Stardust" element. Jones agreed to help and bypassed the Rocket-Ship inability to go more than 5000 miles per minute by boosting the ship's propulsion using explosions of starry gases caused by the Rocket-Ship's thrusters to essentially hop from star to star until they reached Cygni. Once they all had encountered the violent Cygnian dwarf natives and acquired fifty pounds of "Stardust," all four quickly departed Cygni in the Rocket-Ship.

The Rocket-Ship was equipped with sufficient armor to protect its crew from the vacuum and pressures of outer space and it was designed to travel at a max speed of 5000 miles per minute.

--Daring Mystery Comics I#2 (Mystic Comics I#1 / 3,
Tasi

Tasi was the daughter of eccentric astronomer Prof. Reagan Lexico and she, like most, disbelieved Prof. Lexico's theory of the mythical cure-all "Stardust" element. Despite her disbelief, Tasi soon witnessed her father stow away on Zephyr Jones' Rocket-Ship bound for Mars and she quickly followed him onto the spacecraft moments before it launched. Once the ship was in the atmosphere, Tasi witnessed her father hold Zephyr Jones and his friend "Corky" Grogan at gunpoint and when Prof. Lexico was punched by Zephyr, Tasi revealed her presence and held up Jones and Grogan herself to protect her father. Tasi then explained her father's belief in "Stardust" and begged Zephyr to at least try to reach the star Cygni for her father's sake and Zephyr agreed, using starry gases to hop the Rocket-Ship from star to star until they successfully reached Cygni. Tasi and Prof. Lexico were soon taken captive by the Cygnian dwarf natives but they managed to free themselves as Jones and Grogan were mounting a rescue. While Jones and Grogan dealt with the Cygnian dwarves, Tasi and her father escaped back to the Rocket-Ship, where Prof. Lexico acquired fifty pounds of "Stardust" before Jones and Grogan arrived. They all then departed Cygni towards Earth.

--Mystic Comics I#1 / 3
images: (without ads)
Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z HC Vol. 14, Zephyr Jones entry, main image (Zephyr Jones, main image)
Daring Mystery Comics I#2, p6, pan2 (Zephyr Jones, headshot)
Daring Mystery Comics I#2, p4, pan2 (Zephyr Jones in pilot's cap)
Mystic Comics I#1, p24, pan2 (Zephyr Jones in blue uniform)
Daring Mystery Comics I#2, p11, pan3 ("Corky" Grogan)
Mystic Comics I#1, p20, pan2 (Prof. Reagan Lexico)
Daring Mystery Comics I#2, p4, pan1 (Rocket-Ship)
Mystic Comics I#1, p25, pan3 (Tasi)

Appearances:
Daring Mystery Comics I#2 (February, 1940) - "Voyage to Sunev" story - Joe Cal Cagno (writer), Fred Schwab (art), Martin Goodman (editor)
Mystic Comics I#1 (March, 1940) - "Zephyr Jones & His Rocket-Ship" story - Joe Cal Cagno (writer), Fred Schwab (art), Martin Goodman (editor)
Marvel Mystery Handbook 70th Anniversary Special (2009) - Michael Hoskin (head writer, coordinator), Ronald Byrd, Anthony Flamini, Stuart Vandal, Kevin Garcia, Jacob Rougemont, David Wiltfong, Sean McQuaid (writers), Gus Vazquez, Tom Smith (select character art), Mike Fichera, Jason Lewis (art refurbishment), Pond Scum (art reconstruction), Jeff Youngquist (editor)

First posted: 09/05/2026
Last updated: 08/25/2026

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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