Strong Man

Origin

His real name is never revealed, but the man who would come to be known as Strong Man started out life as a thin but agile boy whose parents were aerialists with Cooper’s Carnival, starting his training at age 10 to become an aerialist himself this is cut short when a line snaps and he plummets to the ground.

After being put in a full body cast the “doctor” tells his parents “I didn’t know there were that many bones in a body that could be busted, even if he knits fifty percent he’ll be a cripple for the rest of his life”

Hercules, the carnival strong man, and little person ring leader The General, however have other ideas.

Dedicating themselves to his development, they are joined in his training by his uncle Wandami the Great who teaches him the magician’s art, western star Tim Thorpe who instructs him in the whip and lariat, judo master Hirokino, and Professor Wisdom, the “man with the encyclopedic memory,” so that another ten years finds the boy a man at the height of human health and strength.

Finding that he’s now too big to be an aerialists he’s not sure what he should do, after Hercules suggests that he become a circus strong man like him, he is struck by an inspiration.

Declaring the children of the day spend too much time watching TV and living off vitamins he would start a business promoting exercise, and good food.

Donning a colorful costume and calling himself Strong Man he does just that and soon has a number of young trainees.

However it’s not long before Strong Man, along with Herk and The General, find themselves involved in more than just physical training as he has to deal with spies, criminals, Thuggie assassins, and other menaces.

Creators

Created by Superman co-creator Jerry Siegel, and Sheena co-creator Bob Powell shortly after Siegel & Shuster’s last collaboration Funnyman failed, Strong Man would only last four issues.

It is notable that during the series that Siegel, despite Strong Man doing such things as snapping a flagpole off at the base and using it to joust with a helicopter, repeatedly states in the text that `Strong Man is no superman, but a normal man who has gained his strength though training, exercise and good food, just like you can!