Eisner Academy Archive #4 - Black Max
Black Max
History.
The Black Max was a paranormal agent working for the Axis Powers during WWII. According to his own version of history, he was a WWI
aviator who was downed and crippled, and, in a attempt to heal himself, ended up transformed into what he called a "Scientific Vampire".
During the war, he ran up against a number of Allied heroes, including Captain Jack Valiant and the Secret Squadron, and members of the
Liberty League.
Many of these encounters would result in what, at the time, seemed like certain death, however, he had an uncanny ability to be able to return
from seemingly impossible odds. Whether this was a paranormal ability, or just the result of advance planning or dumb luck, is unknown.
Whether he survived the end of WWII, and if he did, any subsequent activities remain unknown.
Powers.
The Black Max called himself a 'Scientific Vampire', and he certainly looked the part, resembling the hideous Count Orlok from the classic
silent film 'Nosferatu'. At times, he displayed greater than human strength, reflexes and durability. and had long fangs and claws which he
could use as weapons. He could see in the dark, and had exceptional hearing, capable of hearing sounds far beyond human levels. He was
an accomplished aviator and engineer, favouring advanced prototype aircraft designed to look like WWI-era biplanes, and had mastered a wide
range of sciences, mostly biological and chemical, which he used to create monsters to be unleashed on the allies as terror weapons. One
of his most common creations were squadrons of Giant Bats, which he took as a kind of signature.
Most of his creations and devices were built with a gothic horror motif - bats, spiders, and similar spookshow paraphenalia.
He occasionally commanded a small Squadron of less grotesque scientific vampires which he referred to as his 'Bat Staffel', all of whom wore
silver bat insiginae on their uniform.
Appearance.
The Black Max was tall and skeletally thin, with a bulbous, malformed skull and wide, bat-like ears. His eyes were extremely pale and bulging,
with pin-prick pupils. His mouth was thin-lipped and puckered, but was able to open unnaturally wide, and was brimming with razor sharp
fangs. His thin, milk-white skin stretched over his angular bones like aged parchment, and his hands ended in long, jagged claws that
resembled nothing so much as the talons of some hideous bird of prey.
He habitually wore the uniform of a WWI German flier, complete with a long, black, fur-lined coat, and peaked cap with a silver bat motif on the
front. His only concession to colour was the scarlet, swastika armband on his right arm.
History.
The Black Max was a paranormal agent working for the Axis Powers during WWII. According to his own version of history, he was a WWI
aviator who was downed and crippled, and, in a attempt to heal himself, ended up transformed into what he called a "Scientific Vampire".
During the war, he ran up against a number of Allied heroes, including Captain Jack Valiant and the Secret Squadron, and members of the
Liberty League.
Many of these encounters would result in what, at the time, seemed like certain death, however, he had an uncanny ability to be able to return
from seemingly impossible odds. Whether this was a paranormal ability, or just the result of advance planning or dumb luck, is unknown.
Whether he survived the end of WWII, and if he did, any subsequent activities remain unknown.
Powers.
The Black Max called himself a 'Scientific Vampire', and he certainly looked the part, resembling the hideous Count Orlok from the classic
silent film 'Nosferatu'. At times, he displayed greater than human strength, reflexes and durability. and had long fangs and claws which he
could use as weapons. He could see in the dark, and had exceptional hearing, capable of hearing sounds far beyond human levels. He was
an accomplished aviator and engineer, favouring advanced prototype aircraft designed to look like WWI-era biplanes, and had mastered a wide
range of sciences, mostly biological and chemical, which he used to create monsters to be unleashed on the allies as terror weapons. One
of his most common creations were squadrons of Giant Bats, which he took as a kind of signature.
Most of his creations and devices were built with a gothic horror motif - bats, spiders, and similar spookshow paraphenalia.
He occasionally commanded a small Squadron of less grotesque scientific vampires which he referred to as his 'Bat Staffel', all of whom wore
silver bat insiginae on their uniform.
Appearance.
The Black Max was tall and skeletally thin, with a bulbous, malformed skull and wide, bat-like ears. His eyes were extremely pale and bulging,
with pin-prick pupils. His mouth was thin-lipped and puckered, but was able to open unnaturally wide, and was brimming with razor sharp
fangs. His thin, milk-white skin stretched over his angular bones like aged parchment, and his hands ended in long, jagged claws that
resembled nothing so much as the talons of some hideous bird of prey.
He habitually wore the uniform of a WWI German flier, complete with a long, black, fur-lined coat, and peaked cap with a silver bat motif on the
front. His only concession to colour was the scarlet, swastika armband on his right arm.