Blackhawk #109 is an issue of the series Blackhawk (Volume 1) with a cover date of February, 1957.
Synopsis for "The Avalanche King"
A brilliant geologist goes over to the Commies and uses his knowledge to cause avalanches in the Andes, to destroy some South American defense projects, in Chile, Bolivia, and Peru. Blackhawk deduces his identity and tracks him down. The Blackhawks save his beautiful daughter's life, even though she is working with her father. When the evil scientist orders the Blackhawks' deaths, she protests and then saves the Black Knights out of gratitude. The good guys capture the geologist.
Appearing in "The Avalanche King"
Featured Characters:
Antagonists:
- Communist Party
- Dr. Vicaro, The Avalanche King (First appearance)
- his gang
- Dr. Vicaro, The Avalanche King (First appearance)
Other Characters:
- Maria Vicaro
Locations:
Vehicles:
- Blackhawk Lockheed F- 90Cs
Synopsis for "Blackhawk the Sorcerer"
During a tropical storm, the Blackhawks seek shelter on an uncharted island. There they find refugees from the Norman invasion of England in 1066. The Normans are in charge, with English slaves under their thumb. They capture Blackhawk and Andre, and mistake Blackhawk for a sorcerer when he uses a flashlight. He continues to generate "magic" by communicating with the rest of the team by belt radio. The team uses their jets to produce an eclipse of the moon, daylight at night, and rain. The Normans are defeated, the English slaves are freed, and English Democracy is restored in this tiny unknown bit of Britain. The Blackhawks depart after promising to bring the outside world into contact with this new nation.
Appearing in "Blackhawk the Sorcerer"
Featured Characters:
Antagonists:
- Baron Leroy
- his men at arms
- DeGuiche
Locations:
- Norman Castle Island, in the South Seas.
Vehicles:
- Blackhawk Lockheed F- 90Cs
Synopsis for "The Raid on Blackhawk Island"
Blackhawk relieves Chuck from guard duty at their Victory Museum, where they keep watch over the powerful and dangerous machines they have defeated in the past. Suddenly a message comes over the intercom: Blackhawk is being attacked by the Electronic Brain.
When they get to the museum, they find a pit in the floor and Blackhawk's cherished golden gun melted nearby. The team erects a monument to their fallen leader and vows to carry on in his name. Soon they are under attack by the War Wheel, the Flying Tank, and the Steel Octopus; all under the control of a costumed villain who calls himself the Question Mark. Chuck figures out the true identity of the Question Mark, Blackhawk himself. He was suspicious because the villain knew about their secret parachutes and heard their plans over their belt radios, but he was convinced when he recognized a special "caw" that Blackie only used for the chief. Blackhawk devised the scheme as a test to find who could take over the team if something happened to him. The finding: that any and all of them could take command if needed.
Appearing in "The Raid on Blackhawk Island"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
Locations:
Items:
- Electronic Brain
- War Wheel
- Flying Tank
- Steel Octopus
Vehicles:
- Blackhawk Lockheed F- 90Cs
Notes
- Avalanche King
- The unnamed Colonel, from an unnamed Army, who briefs the Blackhawks at the front end of the story, is not identified by nationality, although he looks and sounds American. The "United World" is no longer mentioned, and is unlikely to exist in Earth-One continuity, where there already is a United Nations.
- Blackhawk the Sorcerer
- In 1066, Norman Castle Island was a floating island, and encountered a small flotilla of Norman ships, carrying English Slaves to Normandy. The floating island continued to drift until it became lodged on a tropical reef, somewhere between Asia and Blackhawk Island. There the Island people established a feudal society, modeled after medieval Britain, with Norman Lords and English serfs.
- "The Raid on Blackhawk Island" was reprinted in The Greatest 1950's Stories Ever Told.
- The Victory Museum Secret Weapons each have some history:
- An "Electronic Brain" appeared in 1956, in Blackhawk #102. An earlier "Electronic Brain" appeared in 1954 in France, in Blackhawk #81.
- The original War Wheel appeared in 1952 in Malkaria, in Blackhawk #56.
- That War Wheel was sunk in quicksand, and may have existed in a parallel universe.
- This Museum-piece War Wheel's designer or builder or operator or nationality are not named in this story.
- The original Flying Tanks appeared in 1956 in West Germany, in Blackhawk #106.
- "Killer Shark's Steel Octopus" appeared in 1954 in the Pacific Ocean, in Blackhawk #81.
- Three of these super weapons, but not the Octopus, will next appear in Blackhawk #113.
- The Victory Museum Secret Weapons each have some history:
Trivia
- Also appearing in this issue of Blackhawk was:
- "Shorty"