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Slam Bradley
Samuel Emerson "Slam" Bradley is a fictional character that has appeared in American comic books published by DC Comics. He is a private detective who exists in DC's main shared universe. The character concept was created by DC Comics founder Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson and developed by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, who both later became more well known as the co-creators of Superman. As one of the first ever DC characters, the character first appears in the Golden Age of Comic Books in the anthology title Detective Comics, being introduced in the first issue. He later commonly was associated with Batman and other spinoff Batman characters when revived.
Slam Bradley appears in Batwoman, portrayed by Kurt Szarka.
Conceived by Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson and developed by Superman creators Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, the character first appeared in Detective Comics #1 (March 1937) and is depicted as a hard bitten, tough private eye who loves working for dames, but prefers the platonic company of his boy sidekick "Shorty" Morgan. The character originally starred in his own stories during the Golden Age, and later was revived in supporting character roles. Slam Bradley was originally outlined by Wheeler-Nicholson in a May 13, 1936 letter to Siegel. The letter stated: "We need some more work from you. We are getting out at least one new magazine in July and possibly two. The first one is definitely in the works. It will contain longer stories and fewer. From you and Shuster we need sixteen pages monthly. We want a detective hero called 'Slam Bradley'. He is to be an amateur, called in by the police to help unravel difficult cases. He should combine both brains and brawn, be able to think quickly and reason cleverly and able as well to slam bang his way out of a bar room brawl or mob attack. Take every opportunity to show him in a torn shirt with swelling biceps and powerful torso ala Flash Gordon. The pages are to run the same size as New Comics but to contain eight panels a page instead of six."
Reportedly, the character's appearance was based on actor Victor McLaglen. Some[who?] commentators have noted the similarity of Bradley's appearance to Superman, Siegel and Shuster's most famous creation for DC, who first appeared the following year, although the two had created the earliest version of Superman in 1933, and were shopping the character around the comic industry around the time Bradley was created. Similarities have also been noted between Shorty and future Superman villain Mister Mxyzptlk, who first appeared in 1944.
The Golden Age Slam Bradley stories have never been reprinted, except for once on microfiche. In September 2018, DC Comics announced the Detective Comics: Before Batman Volumes 1 and 2 Hardcover Omnibus Set, which would reprint stories scanned from original copies from the first 26 issues of the series prior to Batman's first appearance, which would have included several early Slam Bradley stories. However, the omnibus set was cancelled in November of that year, with no official reasons given.
The character first appeared as one of several ongoing features, in the debut issue of Detective Comics – originally an anthology series – in March 1937. He debuted a year before Superman's first appearance, and two years before Batman would become the title's lead feature. In Detective Comics #20, Slam Bradley learned how to use magic, and used it to turn another magician into an ape. The character's adventures continued as Batman was introduced in issue #27, continuing as a supporting feature until Detective Comics #152 (October 1949). According to Jess Nevins' Encyclopedia of Golden Age Superheroes, "He fights ordinary criminals, Yellow Perils, stage magicians, the Human Fly, creatures from the year Two Billion, the Man-Beast, and on at least one occasion space aliens."
Slam was replaced in Detective Comics #153 by Roy Raymond, TV Detective. Bradley would not make another significant appearance for over 32 years and his sidekick Shorty Morgan disappeared completely.
The character was originally operating out of Cleveland, then later in New York City, Slam and his sidekick "Shorty" Morgan often had humorous, fight-filled adventures, often going undercover in various professions to catch their man. Though most stories had a mystery element, "Slam" was more likely to solve them with his fists than his brains.
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Slam Bradley
Samuel Emerson "Slam" Bradley is a fictional character that has appeared in American comic books published by DC Comics. He is a private detective who exists in DC's main shared universe. The character concept was created by DC Comics founder Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson and developed by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, who both later became more well known as the co-creators of Superman. As one of the first ever DC characters, the character first appears in the Golden Age of Comic Books in the anthology title Detective Comics, being introduced in the first issue. He later commonly was associated with Batman and other spinoff Batman characters when revived.
Slam Bradley appears in Batwoman, portrayed by Kurt Szarka.
Conceived by Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson and developed by Superman creators Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, the character first appeared in Detective Comics #1 (March 1937) and is depicted as a hard bitten, tough private eye who loves working for dames, but prefers the platonic company of his boy sidekick "Shorty" Morgan. The character originally starred in his own stories during the Golden Age, and later was revived in supporting character roles. Slam Bradley was originally outlined by Wheeler-Nicholson in a May 13, 1936 letter to Siegel. The letter stated: "We need some more work from you. We are getting out at least one new magazine in July and possibly two. The first one is definitely in the works. It will contain longer stories and fewer. From you and Shuster we need sixteen pages monthly. We want a detective hero called 'Slam Bradley'. He is to be an amateur, called in by the police to help unravel difficult cases. He should combine both brains and brawn, be able to think quickly and reason cleverly and able as well to slam bang his way out of a bar room brawl or mob attack. Take every opportunity to show him in a torn shirt with swelling biceps and powerful torso ala Flash Gordon. The pages are to run the same size as New Comics but to contain eight panels a page instead of six."
Reportedly, the character's appearance was based on actor Victor McLaglen. Some[who?] commentators have noted the similarity of Bradley's appearance to Superman, Siegel and Shuster's most famous creation for DC, who first appeared the following year, although the two had created the earliest version of Superman in 1933, and were shopping the character around the comic industry around the time Bradley was created. Similarities have also been noted between Shorty and future Superman villain Mister Mxyzptlk, who first appeared in 1944.
The Golden Age Slam Bradley stories have never been reprinted, except for once on microfiche. In September 2018, DC Comics announced the Detective Comics: Before Batman Volumes 1 and 2 Hardcover Omnibus Set, which would reprint stories scanned from original copies from the first 26 issues of the series prior to Batman's first appearance, which would have included several early Slam Bradley stories. However, the omnibus set was cancelled in November of that year, with no official reasons given.
The character first appeared as one of several ongoing features, in the debut issue of Detective Comics – originally an anthology series – in March 1937. He debuted a year before Superman's first appearance, and two years before Batman would become the title's lead feature. In Detective Comics #20, Slam Bradley learned how to use magic, and used it to turn another magician into an ape. The character's adventures continued as Batman was introduced in issue #27, continuing as a supporting feature until Detective Comics #152 (October 1949). According to Jess Nevins' Encyclopedia of Golden Age Superheroes, "He fights ordinary criminals, Yellow Perils, stage magicians, the Human Fly, creatures from the year Two Billion, the Man-Beast, and on at least one occasion space aliens."
Slam was replaced in Detective Comics #153 by Roy Raymond, TV Detective. Bradley would not make another significant appearance for over 32 years and his sidekick Shorty Morgan disappeared completely.
The character was originally operating out of Cleveland, then later in New York City, Slam and his sidekick "Shorty" Morgan often had humorous, fight-filled adventures, often going undercover in various professions to catch their man. Though most stories had a mystery element, "Slam" was more likely to solve them with his fists than his brains.