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STRANGLER

Real Name: Julius Conrad

Identity/Class: Normal human (WWII era)

Occupation: Serial killer

Group Membership: None; posed as New York City Police Department officer

Affiliations: None

Enemies: Challenger (Bill Waring), police, his victims

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: New York City, USA

First Appearance: Mystic Comics I#6/5 (October, 1941)

Powers/Abilities: Strangler is a fit man with excellent stealth capabilities and an exceptionally strong vise-like hand grip. His mental state changed in the direct light of a full moon and he felt compelled to kill.

Height: 5'10"
Weight: 145 lbs.
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Brown

History:

(Mystic Comics I#6/5 (fb) - BTS) - Julius Conrad became entranced by the light of the full moon and felt compelled to murder by strangulation. He procured a city policeman's uniform as a disguise and took to the night streets for lone victims.

(Mystic Comics I#6/5) - Conrad strangled four victims in one night and police were baffled. The police commissioner called in the heroic vigilante Challenger (Bill Waring), who had read of the case in the morning newspaper. Waring considered the now-dubbed Strangler to be an egoist and so his pride and vanity should be the target. The evening paper ran a front-page challenge to the Strangler from Challenger. Strangler thought he could avoid it but direct moonlight triggered his murderous compulsion and he wandered the city streets. He soon found Challenger; they briefly fought but Strangler fled, accidentally leaving a policeman's white glove behind. On his way home, Strangler killed again. But the lost glove gave a clue to Challenger and all police from key precincts were summoned to headquarters the next night. Each policeman took a turn to go into an unlit room with an open window and put their hands gently on Challenger's throat. When it was Strangler's turn, he fought his impulses, but the moonbeam surged his bloodlust and he leaped onto Challenger's chest and began choking him. The ruckus alerted police and Strangler threw Challenger out the window, who caught telephone wires to break his fall. Avoiding gunfire, Strangler also jumped out. Wires snapped and the two fought savagely, but the killer became entangled in the wire, choking his neck tighter the more he struggled, and he died. The Commissioner considered it "poetic justice."

Comments: Created by uncredited writer & Al Bare.

    This premise is based on "lunacy" (derived from "lunar" (Latin: Luna)) or "Full Moon Fever" in which the full moon is blamed for episodes of strange behavior in some people. See the astronomy.com online article for a brief history and dismissal of the concept.

    Strangler's real name was revealed in the Marvel Mystery Handbook 70th Anniversary Special.

    This profile was completed on 09/29/2025 but its publication was delayed, as it was intended for the Appendix's 25th anniversary celebratory event.

Profile by Grendel Prime.

CLARIFICATIONS :
The Strangler has no known connections to:

images: (without ads)
Mystic Comics I#6/5, p8, pan1 (main image)
   p3, pan4 (headshot)
   p7, pan3 (police cap, about to strangle)

Appearances:
Mystic Comics I#6/5 (October, 1941) - uncredited writer, Al Bare (artist), Joe Simon (editor)

First posted: 09/05/2026
Last updated: 09/29/2025

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

Non-Marvel Copyright info
All other characters mentioned or pictured are ™ and © 1941-2099 Marvel Characters, Inc. All Rights Reserved. If you like this stuff, you should check out the real thing!
Please visit The Marvel Official Site at: http://www.marvel.com.

Special Thanks to www.g-mart.com for hosting the Appendix!

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