Shock Gibson

Shock Gibson
Shock Gibson with Black Cat and Captain Freedom, Speed Comics no. 35, November 1944. Artwork by Alex Schomburg.
Publication information
Publisher	Brookwood Publications
First appearance	Speed Comics #1 (Oct. 1939)
Created by	(writer) unknown (artist) Maurice Scott
In-story information
Alter ego	Robert Charles Gibson
Species	Human
Place of origin	Earth
Partnerships	Black Cat, Captain Freedom, Tedd Parish, and the Girl Commandos
Abilities	Superhuman strength Fire bolts of lightning Flight

Shock Gibson is a fictional comic book superhero who first appeared in Speed Comics #1 (Oct. 1939), from Brookwood Publications (a company later absorbed by Harvey Comics). He was created by artist Maurice Scott, who drew it through issue #11, and an unknown writer. His 1939 introduction makes him one of comic books' earliest superheroes.

In the debut story, "The Human Dynamo", scientist Robert Charles Gibson perfects a formula that allows people to directly store, generate, and control electricity, and tests this formula on himself. The formula increases his strength, gives him the power to fire bolts of lightning, and grants him the power of flight.

He is one of the several superhero characters to join the U.S. Army in the wake of World War II, fighting the Japanese military forces both in and out of costume. Shock Gibson teams up with other Harvey Comics characters such as the Black Cat, Captain Freedom, Tedd Parish, and the Girl Commandos (mostly in two-page text stories). The character remained in print in various Harvey publications through 1948.

Other artists associated with the character includes Al Avison, Arthur Cazeneuve, and the possibly pseudonymous Peter Jay, who introduced a new costume in Speed Comics #12 (March 1941).

Shock Gibson is among the public domain characters Image Comics revived in anthology title The Next Issue Project in 2007.