#dann thomas

Originating in Philip Wylie’s 1930 novel Gladiator, Hugo Danner was a pulp-era superhuman whose feats partly inspired Superman’s creation. Roy and Dann Thomas later brought him into DC continuity through Young All-Stars. Born in the late 19th century with superhuman strength, speed, and resilience from his parents’ experiments, Danner tried to use his powers for good but became disillusioned by humanity’s flaws. He faked his death, retreating to Maple White Land in Brazil, where prehistoric beasts and the isolated Accala people lived. There he sought to create a race of metahumans, the “Sons of Dawn,” by replicating his father’s formula.

His brief return to America resulted in a son, Arnold Munro, raised unaware of his heritage. As Iron Munro, Arnold became a post-Crisis on Infinite Earths stand-in for Superman in retroactive Golden Age stories. Iron Monroe's marriage to Phantom Lady (also on the mural) give Hugo familial links to, the Atom, Starman, and modern-day Manhunter Kate Spencer — making Danner a real-world and fictional starting point for many of DC’s metahumans.

Group Affiliations: Sons of Dawn

Speculation: Danner’s scientific origin makes him the first mural character powered by science rather than magic, creating a contrast that could be thematic in a film. His morally ambiguous “perfect race” experiment could tie into Peacemaker's themes of supremacist ideologies, while his descendants’ ties to multiple heroes make him perfect for an ensemble legacy story.

First Appearance (Novel): Gladiator (1930) by Philip Wylie First DC Appearance (DC): Young All-Stars (1987) #10

Recommended Reading:

Gladiator (1930) – Original prose novel

Young All-Stars (1987) #10–11, 28–31 – DC introduction and expanded backstory

Legend (2005) – Wildstorm adaptation of Gladiator by Howard Chaykin

Doctor Strange #12: Some Enchantress Evening

by Roy Thomas/Dann Thomas; Jackson Guice; Gregory Wright and Janice Chiang

On this day in 1984, DC published the first issue of America vs. the Justice Society by Roy and Dann Thomas, Rafael Kayanan, Rich Buckler and Jerry Ordway.

Eternals The Herod Factor #1 (November 1991) by Marvel Comics