We've wondered before at how Dr. Spectro got his powers (my favorite is still "Bitten by a radioactive Christmas tree"), but did you know that he actually had an earlier incarnation as a foe of the Charlton hero Captain Atom? Don't worry though, the original outfit was almost as bad:
You may note that this particular comic bears the "Approved by the Comics Code Authority" seal, which I frankly find astounding. If old white men running around in black leotard tops with rainbow spandex stockings and black socks isn't against the Code, then what good was it? Surely that would be more scarring to a child than zombies or axe murderers. I have to wonder if the fashion horror of the 1970's isn't directly attributable to this appalling lack of oversight by the people responsible for protecting our children.
Luckily the outfit is saved by the combination of skin-tight skull mask and flaring epaulets and ... wow, I couldn't even get through that sentence with a straight face. Or straight fingers. Whatever, look, we're not here to parse metaphors, people, we're here to make fun of old guys in black socks!
It's no wonder he's billed as "Master of Moods" because let's be honest, if you had to go out looking like that you'd be one moody bastard, too.
Oh. My. Gawd. That is one profoundly hideous get-up. Like maybe a ’59 Buick collided with a gay pride parade?
So let me get this straight, this guy has the power to control moods but is called Doctor Spectro? Did he get his powers from an alien mood ring?
To be fair, he isn’t actually wearing a rainbow colored costume. He’s only wearing red, blue, and yellow. Does that mean he hates secondary colors? Is that why he became a villain?
Only PRIMARY colors are good enough for DR. SPECTRO! Maybe that’s a giant mood ring in his chest, that would be appropriate.
Apparently his shtick was that he would shoot color beams out of those ridiculous gauntlets that would make people feel a particular emotion corresponding to the color.
He also had a night gig standing around at the local Sherwin Williams paint store serving as a living color wheel, which is handy. Super gadgets don’t come cheap.
I have to know – does this mark the first use of the ’emotional spectrum’ in a DC-related product? (I know it’s not DC, but I’m thinking this guy was Charleston, who DC bought out…am I right in that?)
This was a Charleston character, yes, later acquired in the mega deal by DC. I do not know if this is the FIRST emotional spectrum character ever, though.
Whatever DC paid for Charleston it was too much.
That has to be one of the worst costumes I have ever seen. After reading that subtitle all i could even think was that he must have gotten his powers from a radioactive mood ring
Hey the Charleston guys inspired the Watchmen characters, in fact Moore ripped them right off when he wasn’t allowed to use the originals. Plus they gave use the Question, Captain Atom, Blue Beetle and other such DC mainstays. Those are good things, no?
It’s the next big ’70s fad! You’ve heard of the mood ring. Well truth be told you’d have to shove it in someones face so they could see your mood. No fears, friends, now theres the mood suit. Yes with the mood suit your friends will be able to tell what mood your in from clear across the room. The mood suit, get your today! (Warning: Mood suit may depict several moods all at once rather than just the one you’re in at the moment. Wearing the mood suit may also prove how truely lame you are.)