Angel (Thomas Halloway)
The Angel is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by artist Paul Gustavson and an unconfirmed writer during the Golden Age of Comic Books, the Angel first appeared in Marvel Comics #1, the first publication of Marvel Comics' predecessor, Timely Comics.
The Angel is a non-superpowered detective who nonetheless wore a superhero costume.
Publication history
Created by artist Paul Gustavson and written either by him, Ray Gill, or another writer, the Angel debuted in Timely Comics' Marvel Comics #1. The Angel was among the more popular Timely characters after the "big three" of the Human Torch, the Sub-Mariner and Captain America. The Angel had over 100 Golden Age appearances — starting in that initial Marvel title, up through #79 ; as the sole backup feature in Sub-Mariner Comics #1-21 ; and in occasional appearances in All Winners Comics #1, The Human Torch #5, Mystic Comics vol. 2 #1-3,, Daring Comics #10.In Superhero Comics of the Golden Age, Mike Benton writes: "The Angel, like some of the other features that Gustavson drew and wrote, owed a heavy debt to the pulp magazine heroes and detectives. Like the Shadow and the Spider, the Angel had few compunctions about operating outside the law and using severe measures -- especially if it meant scaring the hell out of criminals."
In the Kree–Skrull War story arc, Rick Jones summons Angel, the Blazing Skull, the Fin, the Patriot, and the Vision via the Destiny Force to battle the Skrulls.
The Angel is one of the central characters of the eight-issue miniseries The Marvels Project, by writer Ed Brubaker and penciler Steve Epting.
Fictional character biography
A costumed detective with no superpowers, the Angel is among the few such heroes to wear no mask, and in his Golden Age appearances makes no effort to conceal his identity as independently wealthy Thomas Halloway, a former surgeon. Thomas' mother died in childbirth - consequently he was brought up in the prison where his father was a warden. There he was instructed by a number of experts, as well as a number of the inmates, which gave him a unique insight into the underworld. He earned his moniker when he saved one of these inmates from the chair. Though he wore a costume like a superhero, he wore no mask to conceal his identity. He later acquires the Cape of Mercury, which allows him to fly, but he has used this ability only occasionally, as on his campaign against the foreign spy Cat's Paw.The Angel was already active by the time of the first Human Torch and Sub-Mariner adventures, and active as far back as 1936. He fights alongside Namor against World War II "Nazombies", and was later retconned as a member of both the All-Winners Squad and the V-Battalion after the war. The Angel was also possibly a Secret Service agent for a brief period of time.
According to Jess Nevins' Encyclopedia of Golden Age Superheroes, the Angel "fights everything from gangsters to Brains in a Jar to crazed pygmies, including Armless Tiger Man, Count Lust, the Epicure of Crime, the Gargoyle, the Wolfman, and Dr. Hyde, who steals the eyes from victims and ransoms them back for $100,000."
Halloway remained active as an older character in 1990s comics, and was revealed as the primary force behind the murderous vigilante group Scourges of the Underworld, which assassinated a large number of lesser supervillains and archcriminals. Confronted by U.S. Agent, Angel was wounded during the battle and arrested, but subsequently released due to a lack of evidence.
Halloway's grandson, Jason Halloway, is given his grandfather's mask and weapons at the end of The Marvels Project #8.