Lance Larkin (Earth-Two)

In the early 1940s, Lance Larkin befriended a powerful Arabian chieftain, Akmed Ben Toured, and performed an espionage operation against the Sheik's rebel enemies.^[2] He later aided the British Army in overrunning the mountain fortress of the Cult of Assassins at Alamut.^[1]

Nomadic by nature, Larkin journeyed to South Asia in early 1941. He encountered some Thuggees in Burma, and recaptured an escaped Axis spy named Zordoff in Sumatra.^[3] Hearing a rumor about a "flying dragon," in Siberia, Larkin ventured there next, and encountered a tribe of pterodactyl-riding ape-men. Then he returned to southeast Asia, for two months, before moving on.^[4]

Intending to visit his plantations in Sumatra, Larkin took passage on a Chinese junk, which was set upon by a four-ship pirate fleet commanded by the notorious Sea Khan. This happened at about the time that a pursuing pair of U.S. destroyers caught up with that fleet, which was quickly destroyed.^[5] Reaching Sumatra and riding inland, Larkin encountered a gang of former miners, turned kidnappers, and after some initial trouble, he captured them all alive.^[4]

Finally returning to the Norman-Larkin Gold Mine in West Sumatra province, Larkin found that significant amounts of finished gold were being pilfered by a strange burrowing race, the albino Owl Men: pale pygmies with enormous eyes, living underground, blind in full daylight. These people had been enslaved by a human outlaw, who was captured by Larkin. Lance Larkin's stated intention at that time was to "smoke out" these natives, and find out if they make good mine workers.^[6] It is not known whether he followed through on this plan, nor how it worked out if he did. No further records exist of Larkin's own whereabouts or activities.

Powers and Abilities

Abilities

Horsemanship
Marksmanship: Shooting a rifle one-handed, on galloping horseback, Larkin can hit six out of six shots.^[4]
Hand-to-Hand Combat (Basic)
Tracking

Paraphernalia

Transportation

Horses: Omar, Satan

Weapons

revolver, rifle

Notes

This version of Lance Larkin, including all history and corresponding appearances, was erased from existence following the collapse of the original Multiverse in the 1985–86 Crisis on Infinite Earths event and later restored following the rebirth of the infinite Multiverse during the Dark Crisis of 2022–2023. Even though other versions of the character may have appeared, this information does not apply to those versions.
Larkin performed some of his uncanny marksmanship with an "automatic rifle,"^[4] which technically is a "semiautomatic" rifle, but in the 1930s that's what they were called.
Larkin was wealthy, and apparently owned several horses. He rode Omar in More Fun Comics #64 and #65, and rode Satan in #67, #68, #69, and #70. He also owned some plantations in Sumatra,^[5] and half of a gold mine in West Sumatra.^[7]
In December 1941, the Japanese Empire would invade the Dutch East Indies. Larkin's Sumatran holdings would presumably be looted and expropriated at that time.

Lance Larkin (Earth-Two)

Contents

History