The Red Tornado

Ma Hunkel, a tough, no-nonsense mother from a working-class neighborhood, fashioned a makeshift costume from a red union suit and a cooking pot to protect her community from local criminals — becoming one of comics' first female superheroes and an intentionally comedic Golden Age figure.

Few characters carry the charm and history of The Red Tornado, a Golden Age original who first burst onto the scene in All-American Comics #40 in 1942, brought to life by the legendary Bill Finger and Irwin Hasen. Born at the height of comics' most mythic era, this DC character has shared pages with some of the most iconic figures in the medium — Green Lantern, The Flash, Alan Scott, Hawkman — genuine royalty of the Golden Age pantheon. With appearances stretching across an extraordinary 83 years and a presence in Justice League of America alongside that storied legacy, The Red Tornado is a living thread connecting comics' earliest days to the present. Two key collector issues mark their significance, making any encounter with this character in the longbox a genuine find worth celebrating.