Micro-Face is a superhero character originally created by the artist Allen Ulmer and first appearing in 1943 in the series Clue Comics. He is an inventor who created a special mask that amplifies his powers of hearing as well as allowing him to create phantom sounds, and uses the mask to fight crime.
Micro-Face's original run was not particularly successful, and he was largely forgotten. The work did not have its copyright renewed and lapsed into the public domain under the old copyright rules that required an explicit renewal. The character came to renewed attention in 2021 as the subject of a series by the NPR podcast Planet Money about how intellectual property is handled.[1][2][3][4]
Description edit
Origin story edit
Tom Wood was a factory worker and a failed inventor. When his brother, Jim, was killed by Big Boston's gangsters, Tom promised to avenge Jim's death so invented a "Micro-Mask"—a full-face mask that contained a built-in microphone (which allowed him to amplify and throw his voice), a hearing amplifier, and "photoelectric lenses" that gave him x-ray vision. He could also attach telephone wires to his mask to make phone calls. Tom offered the invention to the U.S. government, only to be turned down.
Regardless, he used it to become "Micro-Face".
Appearances in popular culture edit
Micro-Face came to renewed attention in 2021 as the subject of a series by the NPR podcast Planet Money about how intellectual property is handled.[5][2][3][4]
References edit
- ^ "Planet Money Buys A Superhero". NPR. Retrieved May 3, 2021.
- ^ a b Doran, Michael (September 8, 2021). "NPR and comic book vets team to revive the Golden Age superhero Micro-Face … no, really". GamesRadar+. Retrieved October 3, 2021.
- ^ a b Levitt, Hayley (October 19, 2021). "Planet Money Turns Forgotten Superhero Micro-Face Into a Musical". Playbill. Retrieved April 5, 2022.
- ^ a b Mosher, Julianne (March 26, 2021). "Port Jeff artist's legacy lives on through NPR podcast". Port Times Record. Retrieved April 5, 2022.
- ^ "Planet Money Buys A Superhero". NPR. Retrieved May 3, 2021.
External links edit
This article incorporates material derived from the "Micro-Face" article on the Public Domain Super Heroes at Fandom (formerly Wikia) and is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike License (April 5, 2022).
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