Quality Comics was a comic book company from the Golden Age of Comic Books. It operated from 1937 to 1956 and sold many anthology comic books that starred superheroes, many of which were adopted by DC Comics when they purchased Quality Comics, and others were not, entering the public domain.
711 711 was created by George Brenner and published by Quality Comics. 711 first appeared in Police Comics #1 (August 1941) and lasted until #15 (January 1943), when he was killed.
Daniel Dyce was a District Attorney who was almost an exact twin of his friend, Jacob Horn. Jacob was soon to be sent to prison, but wanted to see his wife give birth, so Daniel agreed to become a prisoner in Jacob's place. However, Jacob is killed in a car crash on the way to the hospital, so Daniel was stuck in jail. Daniel was able to tunnel himself free, but instead of escaping, he decided to return to his cell. Each night he uses his tunnel to go outside and fight crime, then returns before the morning. Dyce adopts the name 711, a reference to his prisoner number. One of his enemies is the costumed villain Brickbat.
After two years of adventures Daniel Dyce was killed by the mobster Oscar Jones. The hero Destiny sees this take place, and starts his crime fighting career when 711 died, replacing his feature in Police Comics.
Like many early comic book heroes, 711 did not wear a traditional costume but rather was modeled after the traditional pulp magazine heroes. He wore a green cape, a brown business suit, and a wide-brimmed fedora which cast his eyes in shadow. 711's trademark was a calling card made of a mirror with bars painted over it; when an unlucky criminal would look at the card, they would see themselves behind bars.
Brenner replaced 711 with a new hero — a mysterious figure who discovers that he has the powers of clairvoyance and teleportation, and uses them to bring 711's murderer to justice. The new hero christens himself "Destiny", and continues the series.
Following the Golden Age, many of the Quality Comics characters were purchased by DC Comics, while others lapsed into the public domain. DC has used 711 only once in their publications, a Millennium Edition reprint of his first appearance.
Abdul the Arab
Abdul the Arab first appeared in Smash Comics #1 (August 1939). Abdul is an Arab sheikh who is aligned with the British intelligence agencies in the Middle East. He was originally created by Vernon Henkel.
Ace of Space The Ace of Space first appeared in Feature Comics #38 (November 1940).
Angles O'Day Angles O'Day first appeared in Ken Shannon #1 (October 1951).
Archie Atkins Archie Atkins, Desert Scout first appeared in Military Comics #1 (August 1941).
Arizona Ames / Arizona Raines Arizona Ames first appeared in Crack Western #63 (November 1949). His name was changed to Arizona Raines without explanation in issue #66 (May 1950).
Atomictot Atomictot first appeared in All Humor Comics #2 (Summer 1946).
The Barker Carnie Calahan was a circus barker who first appeared in National Comics #42 (May 1944).
Betty Bates Betty Bates, Lady-at-Law first appeared in Hit Comics #4 (October 1940). She is a tough criminal defense attorney in 1940's New York who relied on unconventional (and dubiously legal) methods. She was notably one of the only female attorneys practicing at the time.
Betty Bates in other media Elizabeth Bates appears in the Creature Commandos episode "Chasing Squirrels", voiced by Linda Cardellini.
Bill the Magnificent Bill the Magnificent first appeared in Hit Comics #25 (December 1942).
Black Condor
The Black Condor first appeared in Crack Comics #1 (May 1940).
Blackhawk
The Blackhawks first appeared in Military Comics #1 (August 1941).
Black Roger Black Roger first appeared in Buccaneers #19 (January 1950).
Black X
Black X (Richard Spencer) is a secret agent who first appeared in Quality's Feature Funnies #13 (1938). In August 1939, Black X moved from Feature to Smash Comics. In the first five issues of Smash Comics, the character was called Black Ace, then he reverted to the original name. His sidekick is Batu, a telepathic Indian.
According to Jess Nevins' Encyclopedia of Golden Age Superheroes, his enemies include "the foreign spy Baron Basil, the Death Squadron and their Suicide Torpedoes, Proxoss the Revolutionary, the Hunchback of Notre Dame, the Legion of Living Bombs, and the femme fatale Madame Doom."
In 1939, Black X tangled with the seductive spy Madame Doom, and over the course of several stories, he fell in love with her, wondering if he could betray his country to be with the agent of an enemy nation. Discovering that she's building an army of exploding human bombs in a 1940 story, Black X renounced his affection, and Madame Doom apparently died in an explosion—although she continued to return periodically through 1943.
The character continued in Smash Comics until issue #85 (Oct 1949).
Blaze Barton Blaze Barton first appeared in Hit Comics #1 (July 1940).
Blimpy Blimpy first appeared in Feature Comics #64 (January 1943).
The Blue Tracer Captain Bill Dunn and Boomerang Jones, crew of The Blue Tracer, first appeared in Military Comics #1 (August 1941). The Blue Tracer is the name of Bill Dunn's super-vehicle, which can become a tank, airplane, or submarine.
The Blue Tracer appeared in issues #1 through #16 of Military Comics. The characters were acquired by DC Comics, along with the rest of Quality Comics' properties in the 1950s. However, these characters had lapsed into public domain before that.
The Blue Tracer's origin story is told in the first appearance, in Military Comics #1. William "Wild Bill" Dunn is an American engineer working with the British Army in a secluded section of Ethiopia. While working, his team is attacked by a group of supernatural beings named the M'bujies. The M'bujies wound Dunn and kill his teammates. Dunn is rescued by "Boomerang" Jones, an Australian soldier who had been given up for dead and is now fighting his own private war against the Nazis. After Dunn regains his strength, the two men create a super-vehicle out of captured Nazi equipment that they name the Blue Tracer. It can become a tank, airplane, or submarine. They then use it to destroy the M'bujies and escape the jungle. The two travel the world and fight the Axis forces during the rest of the war, with Dunn at the head and Jones as his sidekick.
According to Jess Nevins' Encyclopedia of Golden Age Superheroes, the Blue Tracer's foes "range from Nazis to the Yellow Butcher of Koko Nor to Dr. Schwein, who has created a regeneration formula for German soldiers."
The last appearance of the Blue Tracer was in Military Comics #16, according to the Grand Comics Database.
The Blue Tracer would later appear many years later in the 2018 Freedom Fighters series. The vehicle is portrayed as the Freedom Fighters mobile base and is piloted by a man named Cache.
Bob and Swab Bob Masters and Swab Decker first appeared in Hit Comics #1 (July 1940).
Bozo the Iron Man
Bozo the Iron Man and Hugh Hazzard first appeared in Smash Comics #1 (August 1939).
Bruce Blackburn Bruce Blackburn first appeared in Feature Comics #32 (May 1940). He became The Destroying Demon in issue #39 (December 1940).
Burp the Twerp Burp the Twerp first appeared in Police Comics #2 (September 1941).
Candy O'Connor
Candace "Candy" O'Connor first appeared in Police Comics #37 (December 1944).
Captain Cook Captain Cook of Scotland Yard first appeared in Feature Funnies #13 (October 1938).
Captain Daring Captain Daring first appeared in Buccaneers #19 (January 1950).
Captain Flagg Captain Jim Flagg first appeared in Hit Comics #22 (June 1942).
Captain Triumph
Captain Triumph first appeared in Crack Comics #27 (January 1943).
Casey Jones Casey Jones first appeared in Hit Comics #1 (July 1940).
Chic Carter Chic Carter first appeared in Smash Comics #1 (August 1939). He became The Sword in issue #24 (July 1941).
Choo Choo and Cherry Choo Choo LaMoe and Cherry Lane first appeared in Military Comics #35 (January 1945).
Clip Chance Clip Chance, student athlete at Cliffside College, first appeared in Feature Funnies #7 (April 1938).
The Clock
The Clock first appeared simultaneously in Funny Pages v1#6 (November 1936) and Funny Picture Stories v1#1 (November 1936) published by the Comics Magazine Company. He debuted at Quality Comics in Feature Funnies #3 (December 1937).
Comet Kelly Lt. Douglas "Comet" Kelly first appeared in Hit Comics #22 (June 1942).
Cyclone Cyclone first appeared in National Comics #1 (July 1940).
Daffy Dill Daffy Dill first appeared in Smash Comics #41 (March 1943).
The Death Patrol The Death Patrol first appeared in Military Comics #1 (August 1941).
Destiny Destiny first appeared in Police Comics #15 (January 1943).
Destroyer 171 Lt. Commander Harvey Blake, the skipper of the U.S.S. Pawnee (Destroyer 171), and Executive Officer Fred Conroy first appeared in National Comics #23 (June 1942). Blake's name was given as "Lake" in issues #23-24, #26 and #29, and as "Blake" in issues #25, #27-28 and #30-53.
Doll Girl
Martha Roberts first appeared in Feature Comics #27 (December 1939). She became Midge in Feature Comics #77 (April 1944), followed by Doll Girl in Doll Man #37 (December 1951).
Doll Man
Doll Man first appeared in Feature Comics #27 (December 1939).
Don Glory Don Glory first appeared in Hit Comics #8 (February 1941).
Eagle Evans Eagle Evans first appeared in Police Comics #1 (August 1941).
Eric Falcon Eric Falcon first appeared in Buccaneers #19 (January 1950).
Ezra Jones Ezra Jones first appeared in Blackhawk #9 (Winter 1944).
The Fargo Kid The Fargo Kid first appeared in Feature Comics #47 (August 1941).
Fear Fear first appeared in Modern Comics #49 (May 1946).
Firebrand
Firebrand first appeared in Police Comics #1 (August 1941).
Frontier Marshal U.S. Marshal Bob Allen first appeared in Crack Western #63 (November 1949).
G-2 G-2 first appeared in National Comics #27 (December 1942).
The Gallant Knight Sir Tyrone Neville first appeared in Feature Funnies #7 (April 1938).
Ghost of Flanders The Ghost of Flanders first appeared in Hit Comics #18 (December 1941).
The Hawk The Hawk (T. James Harrington II) first appeared in Feature Funnies #2 (November 1937).
Hawks of the Seas The Hawk first appeared in the U.K. in Wags #17 (April 23, 1937). This story was reprinted in the U.S. in Feature Funnies #3 (December 1937). This character is different from the 'T. James Harrington II' version (see above).
Her Highness and Silk Her Highness and Silk first appeared in Hit Comics #27 (April 1943).
Human Bomb
The Human Bomb first appeared in Police Comics #1 (August 1941). Hustace Throckmorton first appeared in Police Comics #15 (January 1943). The Bombardiers first appeared in Police Comics #21 (August 1943).
Inferior Man Inferior Man first appeared in Military Comics #7 (February 1942).
Invisible Hood
The Invisible Hood first appeared in Smash Comics #1 (August 1939).
Jack and Jill, Super Sleuths Jack Doe and his wife Jill Doe first appeared in Hit Comics #1 (July 1940).
Jester
The Jester first appeared in Smash Comics #22 (May 1941).
Joe Hercules Joe Hercules first appeared in Hit Comics #1 (July 1940).
Johnny Doughboy Johnny Doughboy first appeared in Military Comics #14 (December 1942).
Just 'n' Right Just 'n' Right first appeared in The Doll Man Quarterly #1 (Autumn 1941).
Ken Shannon Ken Shannon first appeared in Police Comics #103 (December 1950).
Kid Dixon Danny "Kid" Dixon first appeared in National Comics #1 (July 1940).
Kid Eternity
Kid Eternity first appeared in Hit Comics #25 (December 1942).
The Kid Patrol The Kid Patrol first appeared in National Comics #1 (July 1940).
Lady Luck