Forgotten superheroes : Joe Simon and Jack Kirby

THE BLACK OWL

In 1940, Doug Danville, being a bored and wealthy playboy, decided to add meaning to his seemingly pointless life by fighting the criminal element hand to hand.

Originally calling himself "K the Unknown," he quickly changed his identity to that of The Black Owl. His original outfit was a tuxedo and an owl mask, but he soon switched to a blue and red costume.

At one point during his career, The Black Owl fought alongside The Green Lama, Yank & Doodle, and several other heroes to defeat Frankenstein's monster.

Finally, after more than three years of crimefighting, Danville decided to do something even more meaningful with his life; he joined the army and fought in World War II.

Before leaving, he passed on the costume and identity of The Black Owl to Walt Walters. Whatever became of Danville after the war is not known.

STUNTMAN

Fred Drake is a member of The Flying Apollos circus troupe. When his partners are killed in what seems like an accident, but which is soon revealed to be murder, he wages war on criminals, using his acrobatic skills and lightning reflexes.

THE VAGABOND PRINCE

Long before the Vagabond Prince who guested with the Mighty Thor in the late 1960s, there was an earlier incarnation.

Aided by Chief Justice and The Jester, he cracked down on crime in an outfit more fitting to a Quality Street chocolate box.

CAPTAIN 3-D

When young Danny Davis opens a book containing the adventures of a yellow-suited superhero named Captain 3-D, the character comes to life.

What made this 1953 series remarkable was the fact that it was, indeed, in 3-D. You had to wear cardboard 3-D glasses to get the full effect.

FIGHTING AMERICAN

When Marvel revived Captain America in 1954, Joe and Jack decided to remind the world how a star-spangled hero should be done.

He started off battling the Commie threat but after the McCarthy heroes was toned down to become more a satirical figure instead.

PRIVATE STRONG

Another patriotic hero who first appeared in 1959. He was dreamed up by Joe and Jack as a response to plans to update golden age hero The Shield.

He could hurl bolts of lightning, had super-speedy reflexes, could survive underwater, see in the dark and survive extreme heat and cold.

THE FLY

Way before Spider-Man cam The Fly. Tommy Troy was an orphan who tried wearing a ring with a fly-shaped emblem he found.

It summoned Turan, one of the Fly People who explained that, ages ago, the Fly People ruled the Earth.

They used magic in their wars, in the ultimate one of which they reduced most of their population to common houseflies.

Only a few Fly People managed to escape to another dimension, where they waited for "one person.pure of heart" to fight crime and greed.

By rubbing the ring and saying "I wish I were the Fly," he exchanged bodies with the other dimension and became a costumed adult superhero.

The Simon & Kirby Superheroes, with an introduction by Neil Gaiman, is published by Titan Books, priced £35.