Yellowjacket Webnesdays: Bygone Bug Boys

Welcome to our new weekly feature, Yellowjacket Webnesdays. Of course, this is a play on words... and a sneaky way to insert both characters into our title. Today we introduce Yellowjacket from the precursor to Charlton Comics known as E.Levy/Frank Comunal, and the Web from MLJ Comics.

Wait, introduce the Web? Didn't we introduce him last year? Well yes, and no. It has something to do with time as measured in comics, and retroactive continuity or retcons. Or rather, a son carrying on his father's family name. Meet John Raymond Sr., Professor of Criminology.

The golden age Web was originally criminologist Professor John Raymond. We will get into his origin next week, when we learn alongside his student turned future girlfriend Rose Wayne (no, not that one) his secret origin (which we actually already considered in a convoluted way) next week. However, this John battled Nazis during the 1940's, while that John was around decades later in the 60's through the 80's. Still with his youthful vigor and vim. Plus, Mighty Crusaders v2 #9, during the Trial of the Shield storyline, had testimony of the John Raymond Senior, with a footnote that he was the golden age version of the Web. We'll go with that explanation.

Another hero cut from the same mold of a costumed bug boy was Vince Harley, as crime fiction writer that needed inspiration for his latest masterpiece. Thankfully, it arrived right on his doorstep when he soon learned that from adversity comes opportunity, particularly when you have a rare immunity and mastery over something which most men dread. This would create an opportunity to become something more, a costumed avengers known as the Yellowjacket (no not the ant turned giant turned temperamental scientist). Only not until next week.

As we progress through our Bug Boy's tales, we'll discover how their lives truly parallel one another. As if they are almost thinking each other's thoughts through the dimensional divide that separates their fictional worlds. Like in the last page above of Yellowjacket's feature, how "John" looks around when the gun is actually pointed at "Vince". Surreal! Will these students of the sinister succumb to superheroing? Surely! We'll see more in seven days...until then...