Herr Dwarf
Real Name: Dwarf (first name unrevealed; see comments)
Identity/Class: Human mutate;
citizen of Germany (World War II era)
Occupation: Terrorist;
formerly psychiatrist
Group Membership: Nazi party
Affiliations: Adolf Hitler, his gang (Mugsy and unidentified others)
Enemies: Captain Wonder (Steve Jordan), Tim Mulrooney
Known Relatives: None
Aliases: "Sawed off little runt" (nickname used by Captain Wonder)
Base of Operations: Unrevealed;
formerly "an
old deserted broken down house," Washington D.C.;
formerly
Berlin, Germany
First Appearance: Kid Komics I#2 (Summer, 1943)
Powers/Abilities: German psychologist Dwarf was an expert on the human mind and how to best manipulate people into doing his bidding. His powers of persuasion were augmented to superhuman levels through unrevealed means (see comments). Using a human skull as a focal point, he could mentally contact people via long distance and take over their bodies. He was able to see and hear whatever they saw, as well as control their actions. For instance, when Dwarf wrote something, his victims copied whatever he had written. Despite his relatively small stature, Dwarf was a capable fighter, holding his own against super-powered opponents like Captain Wonder and Tim. Dwarf wore a monocle.
Height: 3'8" (by
approximation)History:
(Kid Komics I#2) – The day after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Adolf
Hitler called in prominent Nazi party member and psychiatrist Dwarf, who
was infamous for his superhuman ability to bend people to his will.
Hitler ordered the diminutive operative to the United States where he
set up shop in an old, abandoned house near Washington D.C. Taking
plenty of time to prepare for the mission at hand (see
comments), Dwarf hired several underlings, including Mugsy.
With his team in place, Dwarf eventually launched a campaign of terror
against the United States. Over the next several weeks, Dwarf was
responsible for the death of seven key political figures by hypnotizing
them from afar and forcing them to cause their own deaths, right after
Dwarf made sure they left a suicide note, which also listed who the next
victim would be. In the Summer of 1943, one of
his latest victims was the elderly Senator Hammond. Hammond's death left
the police baffled, despite the clues left behind by Dwarf.
(Kid Komics I#2 - BTS) – Learning of the mysterious
suicides from the papers, Captain Wonder and his sidekick Tim traveled
to Washington to investigate the situation. The note left by Hammond
before he died announced his fellow Senator Dobbs would be next. Wonder
and Tim decided to stay near the senator to make sure they’d be able to
act as soon as the killer showed himself.
(Kid Komics I#2) – With some of his underlings already in place near the
house of Dobbs should he fail to take over the senator, Dwarf used
his long distance hypnotic powers, while holding a human skull, to
quietly take control of his target. Viewing the world through his
target's eyes, the Dwarf spotted the heroes and decided Captain Wonder
would be his next victim. He then wrote another suicide note, with Dobbs
forced to do the same, before he made the senator shoot himself through
the head with his own pistol.
(Kid Komics I#2 - BTS) – Captain Wonder and Tim realized too late Dobbs
wasn't himself and were unable to prevent his death. Rattled from
watching a man kill himself right before their eyes, they were still
recovering when they they reacted to a noise outside created by Dwarf’s
henchmen. Leaping into action, the heroes found themselves captured by
the gun toting criminals who took them to a nearby house while waiting
for the Dwarf’s orders. However, Wonder and Tim freed themselves and
started beating on the criminals. The gang’s leader made a run for
it, rushing to a car and driving to the Dwarf’s hideout while Wonder and
Tim used their superhuman strength and endurance to follow the car on
foot. Arriving before the heroes, the criminal told his associate Mugsy
to shoot the two heroes on sight. Despite having his automatic
rifle at the ready, Mugsy was no match for Captain Wonder who knocked
him out. At the same time, Tim had snuck into the house and was captured
by the Dwarf and his forces. Furious his sidekick might be hurt or
worse, Wonder rushed in only to get ambushed and knocked out as well.
(Kid Komics I#2) – Wonder and Tim were reunited and chained up, to find themselves in the presence of the Dwarf who boldly announced he was their new master. Tim scoffed at the notion, forcing the Dwarf to use his hypnosis on Captain Wonder, seemingly bending the hero to his will (in reality, Wonder only played along). Dwarf ordered Wonder to throw Tim into a lava pit conveniently located under his base. However, Wonder signaled Tim at the last moment before throwing him towards Dwarf and his men. Tim beat up the tiny man, but the Nazi gave as good as he received and knocked Tim aside before trying to run away from Captain Wonder, jumping across several platforms hanging over the lava. Wonder gave chase, finally catching up with the Dwarf at the heart of the fire pit. The wily villain almost succeeded in making Wonder fall off the platform to his death, but Tim used his expert aim (honed by playing high school football) to throw a gun he found on the floor at Dwarf, making him lose his balance and fall to his death in the lava. Captain Wonder commented his young partner had ensured the killer had a just death even as the Dwarf’s corpse sizzled away on top of the molten rock.
Comments: Created by Frank Giacoia (pencils).
Dwarf, or Herr Dwarf as he's actually and rather conveniently named, was one of the few villains Captain Wonder and Tim faced who had actual super powers. Though it was never made clear if the Dwarf's ability to mind control those around him was due to an innate mutation (making him an early mutant) or that the skull he always used during his hypnosis rituals contained mystical powers that allowed him to literally work his magic. Do we
know his last name is Dwarf? Herr is German for "Mister," and there are plenty
of super-type-characters with the title "Mister"-something, where the surname
(last name) is not actually the word associated with "Mister."
Mister Justice,
for example.
Profile by Norvo.
CLARIFICATIONS:
Herr Dwarf should not be confused with
Mugsy served as one of the henchmen of
the Dwarf during his operation in the United States. Tasked to guard the
Dwarf's main base not too far from Washington D.C., the thug stood ever
ready to use his automatic rifle to shoot whoever approached without
authorization. Mugsy was alerted to the
imminent arrival of Captain Wonder and Tim by one of the Dwarf's fellow
henchmen who had tried to outrun the duo by car following a foiled
kidnapping attempt. Despite his best intentions, Mugsy was unable to hold
off Captain Wonder and was easily knocked out.
-- Kid Komics I#2
images: (without ads)
Kid Komics I#2, p15, pan2 (main image)
Kid Komics I#2, p5, pan2 (closeup)
Kid Komics I#2, p17, pans3,4,5 (dies)
Kid Komics I#2, p13, pan2 (Mugsy)
Appearances:
Kid Komics I#2 (Summer, 1943) - Frank Giacoia (pencils), Vincent Fago
(editor)
Last updated: 07/27/14
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