Son of Vulcan

Son of Vulcan
Son of Vulcan's debut. Cover art by Dick Giordano
Publication information
Publisher	Charlton Comics later by DC Comics
First appearance	Mysteries of Unexplored Worlds #46 (May 1965)
Created by	Pat Masulli and Bill Fraccio
In-story information
Alter ego	Johnny Mann
Species	demigod by adoption
Team affiliations	Roman gods
Notable aliases	Halciber Filius
Abilities	can transform into demigod possessing superhuman strength, speed & senses, flight, invulnerability to fire, & indestructible armor who can summon both fireballs & powerful ancient weapons from the forge of his adopted father Vulcan; later bestowed with all the powers of the entire Olympian pantheon (War of the Gods)

Son of Vulcan is the name of two comic book characters, one created by Charlton Comics in 1965, the other by DC Comics in August 2005. Son of Vulcan was one of the characters DC Comics purchased from defunct Charlton Comics in 1983.

Son of Vulcan first appeared in Mysteries of Unexplored Worlds # 46 (May 1965), retitled Son of Vulcan with issue # 49, and was created by writer Pat Masulli and artist Bill Fraccio. Charlton staff writer Joe Gill would write most of his stories. Predating the Charlton "Action Heroes" line, Son of Vulcan is not properly part of that group. His final Charlton story, "The Second Trojan War" in Son of Vulcan # 50 (Jan. 1966, the last issue), was the first professional work of writer and future Marvel Comics editor-in-chief Roy Thomas, with the previous issue having seen the character being given a new and more ornate costume designed by a young, cover-credited Dave Cockrum.

The original Charlton character was Johnny Mann, a scrawny but courageous reporter for an international news syndicate who had lost a leg while serving during the Korean War. Covering a bloody civil war on the Mediterranean island of Cyprete, he complained aloud while standing in the ruins of an ancient temple that the gods play with men's lives while leaving them defenseless against the forces of war and crime.

Taking offense, the Roman gods transported him to Mount Olympus where he was put on trial before Jupiter, all-powerful king of the gods, for his impudence. The war god Mars argued for his immediate destruction, but Vulcan, lame-legged god of fire and forge, spoke up in his defense, and Venus, goddess of love, agreed with Vulcan. In the end, bonding with the orphaned newsman over their similar disabilities, Vulcan agreed to adopt Johnny and share with him god-like powers that would help him fight injustice in the mortal world.