Eye (Centaur Publications)

The Eye is a fictional comic book character created by Frank Thomas and published by Centaur Publications. The character had no origin story, and existed only as a giant, floating, disembodied eye, wreathed in a halo of golden light.[1] This powerful being was obsessed with the concept of justice, and existed to encourage average people to do what they could to attain it for themselves. If the obstacles proved too great, the Eye would assist its mortal charges by working miracles. Time and space meant nothing to the Eye and it existed as a physical embodiment of man's inner conscience.

The Eye
Publication information
PublisherCentaur Publications
First appearanceKeen Detective Funnies vol. 2 #12
(December 1939)
Created byFrank Thomas
In-story information
Team affiliationsThe Protectors
AbilitiesOmnipotence
Immortality
Teleportation
Invisibility
Transvection
Telekenisis
Pyrokinesis
Heat/X-ray vision
Ability to work miracles

The Eye appeared in the pages of Centaur's Keen Detective Funnies for 16 issues (cover-dated December 1939 – September 1940), in a feature entitled "The Eye Sees". The feature began with the book's 16th issue, and continued until the title folded after its 24th issue (September, 1940). Following its run in Keen Detective, Centaur promoted the Eye to its own book, Detective Eye, which ran for two issues (Nov.-Dec. 1940) before folding as well.[2]

A copycat feature called "The Hand" appeared in Harvey Comics' Speed Comics issues #12-13 (March-May 1941), with a huge disembodied hand tapping people on the shoulder and admonishing them for their wrongdoing.[3]

Characteristics

The Eye had the ability to fly, appear and disappear, melt solid steel and bring invisible forces to bear, but had to work with human agents to fight crime.[4] The Eye was a magical being "to whom time and distance are nothing — who bares man's thoughts and pierces his conscience!"[5]

Don Markstein writes:

The Eye missed being properly referred to as simply a flying eyeball by never quite being seen floating freely, or shown from behind. It seemed to have skin, even lashes, attached, and was sometimes surrounded by what looked like yellow fire. It could have been interpreted as a giant humanoid, peeping through a flaming hole in the air. No explanation was ever given as to where it came from or what made it what it was. It was just there, turning up from time to time to help a good guy and/or hinder a bad one, neither of which would be seen in subsequent stories. It talked (again, without a mouth) like an omnipotent, omnibenevolent being, with a strong flair for melodrama. Was it supposed to be the Eye of God? Not stated, tho most stories began with lengthy captions alleging that time and distance meant nothing to it.[6]

The Eye was assisted by human Jack Barrister, who helps the Eye pursue criminals and bring them to justice."[7]

Golden Age appearances

The Eye had eleven Golden Age appearances. They included

  • Keen Detective Funnies vol. 2, #12
  • Keen Detective Funnies vol. 3, #1
  • Keen Detective Funnies #18–24
  • Detective Eye #1–2

Reprints

In 1987, Michael T. Gilbert included one of the original Centaur Publications Eye stories in the first issue his two-part anthology comic, Mr. Monster's Hi-Shock Schlock.

Revivals

In 1992, Malibu Comics revived several Centaur heroes—which by that time had lapsed into public domain—as the superhero team the Protectors. A reworked version of the Eye appeared as a supporting character throughout the series' 20-issue run through 1994.[8]

References
  1. Yoe, Craig (2018). Super Weird Heroes Vol. 2: Preposterous But True. Yoe Books. p. 70. ISBN 978-1631408588.
  2. Benton, Mike (1992). Superhero Comics of the Golden Age: The Illustrated History. Dallas: Taylor Publishing Company. pp. 160, 168. ISBN 0-87833-808-X. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
  3. Mitchell, Kurt; Thomas, Roy (2019). American Comic Book Chronicles: 1940-1944. TwoMorrows Publishing. p. 100. ISBN 978-1605490892.
  4. Morris, Jon (2015). The League of Regrettable Superheroes: Half Baked Heroes from Comic Book History. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Quirk Books. p. 46. ISBN 978-1-59474-763-2.
  5. Mitchell, Kurt; Thomas, Roy (2019). American Comic Book Chronicles: 1940-1944. TwoMorrows Publishing. pp. 40–41. ISBN 978-1605490892.
  6. Markstein, Don. "The Eye Sees". Don Markstein's Toonopedia. Retrieved 14 January 2020.
  7. Nevins, Jess (2013). Encyclopedia of Golden Age Superheroes. High Rock Press. p. 94. ISBN 978-1-61318-023-5.
  8. Letters page, The Protectors #20, 1994.
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