Origin
Hit by a lightning bolt during practice, football star Fred Parrish gets into a plane to seek help when he is hit by another bolt so that he and the plane crash into a cavern and the subterranean world of Deltos. There he is revived by the scientist ruler of Deltos Dr. Bertoff with an injection of radium.
On recovering, Fred finds that the combination of the radium and the lightning has given him vitality and strength beyond ordinary men. Bertoff dubs him Blue Bolt the Lightning Man.
Teaming with Dr. Bertoff, the new Blue Bolt is given a suit to contain the extra energy, and a lightning gun (called the Cycotron) to become the protector of Deltos against many strange foes, the most prominent of which in the first year is the Green Sorcereress.
With the final defeat of the Green Sorceress, Dr. Bertoff turns his Telescreen on the surface and discovers that the world is embroiled in a devastating war. Blue Bolt returns to the surface to do his part for the American war effort.
Fred is soon joined by Lois Blake who visits the subterranean world and is powered up to become his side kick.
After a time both Blue Bolt and Lois move back above ground where Blue Bolt’s enhanced abilities fade – so do Lois’s – and both abandon their blue costumes, she for regular street clothes and he for the uniform of the Army Air Corps.
Of note, Blue Bolt was the first character created by the team of Joe Simon & Jack Kirby who left the character after 10 issues. Without Simon & Kirby, the fantastic elements are gradually dropped from the strip.