Captain Triumph

Captain Triumph was one of the few latter-day super-heroes introduced at the height of World War II, when paper was scarce. But Quality had come to understand the kinds of features that would sell. Captain Triumph was a character that was obviously 'inspired' by Captain Marvel. Both heroes summoned power from beyond, and were transformed by lightning. The character’s creator, Alfred Andriola, got an early start in comics drawing the popular “Charlie Chan” newspaper strip in the late 1930s.

Lance and Michael Gallant were born in 1919 with identical T-shaped birthmarks on their left wrists. Michael joined the U.S. Air Corps while Lance became a journalist. No matter what their differences, they shared an unbreakable empathic bond. In the fall of 1942, Lance and Kim Meredith were watching her boyfriend, Michael, come in for a landing. Soon after he landed, it was apparent something was amiss and the hangar exploded. Even though Lance found his brother alive, Michael’s life gave out just after asking Lance to care for Kim. Lance cried to the heavens for revenge and his brother’s spirit appeared to him in a flash of lightning. Michael’s spirit offered Lance terrific powers: super-strength, flight, and invulnerability. All he need do was touch the birthmark they had shared and Michael’s spirit would combine with Lance’s body, empowering them to become Captain Triumph. Naturally, their first mission was to solve the bombing that took Michael’s life. Some blamed Michael’s friend, Pop Mason, but the true culprit was the Nazi, Baron Von Bragg. (Crack Comics #27)

Lance was usually the only one who could see Michael’s ghost, but Lance also helped Kim to see and hear him. Together, they investigated the murderous twins, A. and Z. Spade. (#29) A. Spade escaped and kidnapped Kim in revenge. Poor Kim was brutally beaten but Spade’s new accomplice, Carim Bombay, double-crossed and killed him, then escaped. (#31)

Lance and Kim acquired an ally while on vacation at Winter Wonderland. They took pity on the circus clown, Biff, and used super-powers to help him “spice up” his act. Later, while skiing, Lance and Biff ran afoul of murder. In the course of finding the killer Zero, Lance revealed his dual identity to Biff. At the conclusion, Lance asked Biff to work with him as his assistant. (#30) More “plain” villains followed, such as the Raven, a hideous murderer (#34); a boss called Silent struck fear with only his fists (#43); and Silvertip was a con man who “called upon” ghosts. (#44)

Michael and the crew roamed the world, traveling first to Egypt in search of Dr. Marfree and his partner Vossburg, who had created a way to separate water and turn it into flame! Vossberg was murdered for their invention and Lance uncovered Marfree as the killer. (#35)

Captain Triumph’s Achilles heel was his need to actually touch his T-shaped birthmark. Writers regularly created circumstances which conspired to render Lance bound or unconscious, thus incapable of making the transformation. Once when Lance was knocked out, Michael compelled his brother to touch his hand to the mark. After changing back to normal, Lance was healed of his injuries, too. (#37) Another time, Michael coaxed a rat into chewing his ropes. (#38)

Gallant had unlimited financial resources but Biff was always trying to get rich. Cap helped Biff recover from a gold mine swindle (#42) but also stepped in to help with an oil well that actually struck oil. (#49)

The feature’s writing seemed to improve somewhat when Captain Triumph’s adventures began including super-villains like Khor. This strange scientist sought to strengthen humans with animal physiology. He used Captain Triumph as a guinea pig, forcing him with hypnotic powers to submit to his procedure. Triumph’s body resisted the disintegration suffered by Khor’s other victims and when defeated, Khor killed himself. (#47) In a strange town, Kim was kidnapped by a werewolf. The men took shelter in the home of a man named Raffrey, who naturally turned out to be the beast. Triumph showed no remorse in delivering a fatal blow, even after he’d reverted back into human form. (#51)

In the next town, they met the Porcupine, who wore a coat of killer quills that he threw with great accuracy. The quills were charged by electricity from the villain’s own body, a property which he acquired from stumbling into an electric chair at the penitentiary. The Porcupine could also topple walls by hurling himself at them. He died when he was short-circuited in water. (#52)

The death of Michael’s godfather, Emmet Darcy, caused mayhem with his inheritance. With Michael dead, Lance intended to donate the money to medical research. But one Vyra “Gallant” came out of the woodwork claiming to be Michael’s widow. Lance ultimately proved her marriage certificate was a forgery. (#53) The Gallants’ only known relative was an unnamed aunt. (#59)

In one issue only, Kim was shown engaged to Lance, and she made public displays of affection towards Captain Triumph. Lance was framed for the murder of a gossip columnist who wrote about the couple. (#56) Kim was now linked to Captain Triumph, and a young woman sought her for Cap’s help against Mr. Pointer (Burke Smyser). This crook could seemingly kill merely by pointing, but in reality he was firing a small sliver of ice laced with a deadly poison. (#61)

The feature ran through Crack #62, after which the title was renamed Crack Western in late 1949 (a move which saved the book from cancellation for four more years).

DC

Captain Triumph was never really 'reintroduced' by DC but there was a reprint made in 100-Page Super Spectacular #DC-18, the story from Crack Comics #42 (May 1946).

Captain Triumph is reputed to have shared one adventure with the Justice Society but no details are available. (Starman v.2 #62) In early issues of Starman, the Mist told the Shade that he had killed Triumph in the 1970s. The Shade seemed to acknowledge the event, but the Mist suffered from dementia and must have misremembered events.

In 2002, Lance Gallant reappeared again in The Titans #36—but it was a less than flattering portrayal. Gallant was revealed as the murderer of Liberty Belle’s fiancé, Philip Geyer. Triumph had followed Libby and Geyer home one evening and discovered that Geyer’s intentions towards her were less than honorable. In a rage, Gallant slew Geyer. Lance blamed ghostly Michael for the murder.

unwittingly activated a "weapon of continuity destruction" a comic book that altered reality. . after things were supposedly set right, Captian Triumph fell from the sky! (Harley Quinn vol. 3 #50)

This Triumph knew that he on another world and he could not hear his brother. Harley tasked by Jonni DC, the continuity cop to set things right. When he found out she was respojnsible he became angry. (#51)

They ultimately worked together and Harley brought him back to the airfield (named "Andriola" after the character's creator) where he earned his powers. In a flashback reteelling of his oriigin, it was a the Three Witches who were responsible for giving Captain Triumph the power to avenge his brother's death. Note: The story features cameos of Miss America, the Ray, the Red Bee, Midnight and [clown?].

Elseworlds

Captain Triumph was a major figure in James Robinson’s The Golden Age series. This series was labeled as an “Elseworlds,” and considered outside mainstream continuity. Robinson’s Lance Gallant was tormented by the constant presence of his dead brother.

Captain Triumph was the inspiration for the character called Triumph in John Arcudi’s 2002 Elseworlds series, JLA: Destiny. DC created its own character called "Triumph" (Justice League America #91, 1994) who also had blond hair, but who was never specifically linked with Captain Triumph.

Captain Triumph II

NAME + ALIASES: Unrevealed

GROUP AFFILIATIONS: The Crusaders, S.H.A.D.E., the Freedom Fighters

FIRST APPEARANCE: Uncle Sam & Freedom Fighters vol. 2 #3 (Jan. 2008)

Nothing is known about the second Captain Triumph. She is a government operative who joined the Crusaders, a group who opposed the Freedom Fighters. (Uncle Sam and the Freedom Fighters vol. 2 #3) She eventually joined the latter group, too. (#7)

Powers

By touching a T-shaped birthmark on his wrist, Lance Gallant would combine with the spirit of his dead brother, Michael. The lightning-fast transformation infused the resultant Captain Triumph with super-strength, flight, and invulnerability. He needn’t touch the mark personally; touching it against other surfaces also triggered the transformation. As twins, they had always shared an empathic bond. In spirit form, Michael also had limited control over the material world. With great effort he could convey the essence of a message to people and animals, and could move matter in minor ways. After changing back to normal, Lance could find himself healed of mortal injuries. One advantage of Michael’s spirit form was that he was intangible and could investigate anyplace.