Kardak the Mystic Magician

"Well Balthar!  There's some good in anybody -- if you know how to bring it out!!"

~ Kardak the Mystic

KARDAK THE MYSTIC MAGICIAN
Real Name:  Unknown 
First Appearance: Top-Notch Comics # 1 (December 1939)
Publisher:  MLJ/Archie Comics
Creator:  C.A. Winter and Harry Shorten

Recommended Links:
* Link to Public Domain Super Heroes Page

"Kardak, the Mystic Magician, has uncanny, unexplainable powers which are fortunately used for the suppression of evil!"

When he made his first appearance, Kardak was simply called "The Mystic".  In his third adventure, the story title changed to Kardak the Mystic, which is where we learn his name.

Kardak started out with some wild adventures, traveling to an undersea kingdom and then going on a long trek over several issues to reach the Land of the Master Brahmins, who were magical enemies of civilization.   Once he defeated them, his adventures became more mundane, as he fought against crime and corruption, as well as against some just mean folks!   He helped the unlucky and stood up for the poor and downtrodden.

Balthar (Kardak's servant), Lorna Delroy (Kardak's fiancee) and Kardak himself.

Kardak traveled at first with his fiancee, Lorna Delroy, and later with a servant, Balthar.  His magic could accomplish almost anything, except it would not work against the dead.   Kardak's magic resided in his eyes and when his eyes were covered, his magic disappeared. 

A sampling of the many ways he used his abilities is listed below:

• Became invisible.
• Changed objects from one thing to another.
• Sent his shadow to do tasks.
• Created fire.
• Controlled the weather, such as creating gales.
• Changed his size to shrink or grow into a giant.
• Created illusions.
• Used hypnosis.

Kardak the Mystic Magician appeared in Top-Notch Comics # 1-2 and then # 4-27.  When the comic changed names to Top-Notch Laugh Comics, he appeared in issues # 28 and 29.

The first comic below is his first appearance in Top-Notch Comics # 1, where he is only referred to as The Mystic.   The second comic is Top-Notch Comics # 4, where he is first called by his name, Kardak.

Top-Notch Comics # 1:

Top-Notch Comics # 4:

Zambini the Miracle Man

"Serve civilization well, and you shall never regret it!"

~ Zambini the Miracle Man

ZAMBINI THE MIRACLE MAN

Real Name:  Zachary Zambini 

First Appearance: Zip Comics # 1 (February 1940)

Publisher:  MLJ/Archie Comics

Creator:  Joe Blair and Ed Wexler

Recommended Links:
* Link to Toonopedia Page

"Zambini, the Master of Magic, has many miraculous powers, but the greatest is his ability to compel an evil force to return like a boomerang to the place where it started.  Zambini's services are free, but he will serve only on the side of justice!"

Zambini fought against both common criminals and con-artists as well as evil magicians and magic-users.  Wearing first a green and then later a blue turban, he traveled around the world in his quest to fight for justice and mercy.  Often doing stage magic when performing for audiences, Zambini was in reality a powerful magician.

Here are some examples of how his powers manifested, often by him speaking magical spells:

• Owned a boomerang amulet that caused evil to return to where it

  

  Zambini's last words in Zip Comics # 35.

  began.
• Hypnotism.
• Could change an object's size or appearance.
• Had a radioscopic mind that picked up distress calls.
• Could teleport.
• Could fly.
• Could control the weather.
• Could cast illusions.
• Could become invisible.

Zambini was very powerful as he once defeated Satan and caused Hell to freeze over.  He had one major weakness though- he lost his powers at the touch of another person's hand.

Zambini appeared in Zip Comics # 1-35.

Here is his first appearance in Zip Comics # 1.