The Avenger: Difference between revisions

A man with a face as frozen as his soul, who battles super-crime so that no others should suffer as he has.

 

Notably, after [[World War Two]], the radio producer discovered that it still had distribution rights to a radio program of "The Avenger", and created an [[In Name Only]] remake. In this program, the Avenger was biochemist and police scientist Jim Brandon, who'd invented a [[Psychic Powers|Telepathic Indicator]] that allowed him to pick up strong thoughts from a great distance, and the "Diffusion Capsule" which reacted with a serum [[Professor Guinea Pig|to which he'd acclimated himself]] and "cloaked him in the black light of [[Invisibility]]". Along with his "lovely assistant" [[The Watson|Fern Collier]] and a frequently-baffled police inspector, Brandon investigated crimes in a blatant [[Follow the Leader]] of ''[[The Shadow]]'' radio show.

 

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* [[Being Watched]]: Benson pointed to the importance a lesson taught to him by "a so-called Arizona badman" : "When you go to a place where you have the least suspicion of being watched, son, don't come out the same hole you went in."

* [[Blasting It Out of Their Hands]]: Subverted. The Avenger avoids killing opponents but doesn't aim for their limbs either. He attempts to "knock out people by creasing their skulls". Which would indicate he aims for their heads and estimates the wounds to be superficial.

* [[Bulletproof Vest]]: "The Flame Breathers" (1940) introduced bulletproof clothing for the Avenger and his aides. They feature regularly in subsequent stories.

* [[Common Eye Colors]]: Benson has extremely light gray eyes, "like chips of ice". Mac's eyes are "bitter" blue, Smitty's are a "baby" blue, and Nellie's are a "china doll" blue.

* [[The Eeyore]]: Mac is this--unless the odds are truly hopeless, when he suddenly cheers up.

* [[Embarrassing Middle Name]]: Smitty doesn't like either his first or his middle name.

* [[Heroic Albino]]: Not in the true medical sense, but Benson was drained of all color.

* [[Heroic BSOD]]: The three weeks Benson spent in the sanitarium after his family's disappearance.

* [[I Call It Vera]]: Mike and Ike. Mike is his favorite firearm, Ike his throwing knife.

* [[Improbable Aiming Skills]]: The Avenger often uses these. According to his narration, he was a teenager when "a madman with a hatchet" tried to kill him. The incident inspired Benson to learn to throw hatchets himself. "He could split a knot at thirty feet" (9 meters). He also practiced throwing axes and knives. Years later, he practiced with firearms. He reportedly could "hit that dime at fifty paces".

* [[Renaissance Man]]: Benson is supposedly an expert in aerodynamics, dentistry, Egyptology, engineering, hypnosis, law, linguistics, locksmithing, medicine, military tactics, and psychiatry. With written works in each field. Besides that he is a pilot, a musical composer, a sculptor and a military adviser.

* [[Retired Badass]]: Benson starts the series as one of these. After earning "his last half million" in Australia, Benson decided to retire. He, Alicia and Alice had spent two years vacationing in Bermuda, Hawaii, California, Florida, and Alaska. Then that fateful flight to Montreal occurred.

* [[Super Senses]]: Benson mentions his "miraculous hearing" has served him well "in steaming jungles and Antarctic cold, in city and wilderness". He reportedly can catch distant sounds, while the people around him fail to notice anything. His eyes could see in the dark. At least one story, "The Devil's Horn", claims that his "eyes could take on telescopic power when necessary. Just as they could examine a close object with almost microscopic ability".

* [[Thou Shalt Not Kill]]: Benson killed a man in Tahiti, years ago. The experience convinced him never to do it again, learing his [[Improbable Aiming Skills]] to facilitate this. However, The Avenger has no qualms about using a [[Batman Gambit]] to maneuver criminals into a position where they will suffer a [[Karmic Death]] if they continue to act villainous.

* [[Trademark Favorite Food]]: Josh is partial to the maple nut sundaes served in Mac's drugstore.

[[Category:Thriller Literature]]

[[Category:The Avenger]]