781 – Super Chief

A panel from the Super Chief story in All-Star Western #117, December 1960
A panel from the Super Chief story in All-Star Western #117, December 1960

The cover of All-Star Western #117 (Dec 1960) proclaims him as the “Wonder Warrior of the Woodlands”. Super-Chief is actually Flying Stag, an Iroquois chief in the 1400s who is given super physical powers by the Manitou spirit and a fallen meteor. He is told to hide his identity under a horned buffalo mask and to fight for justice among the American Indians. Superhero + Western genre = ok, let’s try it!

The story appears to be written by Gardner Fox and drawn by Carmine Infantino, though the artwork made me think this was more experimental. Some of the spirit bits gave me a Sandman vibe!