Lee Walter Travis
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In the DC Comics universe, Lee Walter Travis is the alter ego of the first of three incarnations of the Crimson Avenger. The original Crimson Avenger premiered in Detective Comics #20, dated October 1938 (predating the appearance of that title's most famous character, Batman, who debuted in #27). He was a wealthy newsman named Lee Walter Travis residing on Earth-Two who took up the identity of the Crimson Avenger to battle crime.
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[edit] History
The Crimson Avenger had many similarities to the Green Hornet, including a sidekick named Wing who was an Asian valet and a gas gun that he used to subdue opponents. He initially dressed in a red trenchcoat, a fedora, and a red mask covering his face; except for the red, he was visually similar to The Shadow. Later, when superheroes became more popular than costumed vigilantes, his costume was changed to a more standard superhero outfit, consisting of red tights,yellow boots, trunks and crest, and a "sun" symbol which was recently revealed to have been a stylized bullet hole. Some months after this, the Crimson Avenger made his first appearance in Leading Comics #1 with the Seven Soldiers of Victory.
[edit] Origin
Two separate accounts of the Crimson's origins have been printed which complement each other in some areas, but contradict in others. The first origin story appeared in Secret Origins #5, and was written by Roy Thomas, with art by Gene Colan. Taking place in late October of 1938, it relates the history of Lee Walter Travis, a member of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade during the Spanish Civil War, and as a young publisher of the Globe-Leader, a paper devoted to progressive causes, such as the support of war victims in Asia. A hard working and forward thinking publisher, Travis nevertheless seemed devoted to selling newspapers and his place in the social set, qualities which did not go unnoticed by fellow journalist Claudia Barker, who was interviewing Travis for Downtowner magazine, and Wing How, Travis' valet and chauffer. Wing in particuar was gently vocal in his distaste for wealthy American's prediliction for solving problems like the war in Asia with parties and charity events.
That would change with a costume ball being held at the Van Gilder estate on the evening of Halloween. Clad in a "highway robber" costume ordered by his secretary, Lee Travis made his first appearance as the Crimson Avenger on the night of Orson Welles famous broadcast of The War of the Worlds. Having gotten advance notice of the radio show, a group of criminals dressed in alien-like costumes took advantage of the ensuing panic in order to rob the Van Gilder party of funds raised for Chinese war victims. In the ensuing melee, Claudia Barker was shot while one of the criminals tried to steal her gold lighter.
Holding the dying woman in his arms, Travis heard her last words, "Qui Vindicet Ibit". An enraged Lee Travis went after the criminals in his limousine, while the broadcast by Welles went on, sending the nation into a state of panic. With Wing at the wheel, the Crimson exchanged gunfire with the costumed thieves, driving them into a ditch. Ably assisted by Wing, the Crimson was able to subdue the criminals and retrieve the money. Among the effects were Claudia's gold lighter inscribed with "Qui Vindicet Ibit", which is Latin for "The avenger will come". When the police arrived, Travis and How quickly drove away, letting it be said that a mysterious "Crimson Avenger" stopped the thieves, and giving Lee Travis a more meaningful purpose to his life.
[edit] Final Days
In a one shot story named "Whatever Happened to the Crimson Avenger?" featured in DC Comics Presents #38, Lee Travis finds out that he is suffering from an incurable terminal disease. In his hospital room brooding about his situation, Travis spots a ship blinking SOS with its lights. Sensing trouble, Travis dons his suit one last time and heads out to investigate. He discovers the ship was taken over by criminals seeking to steal its cargo of explosively unstable chemical waste and the captain was trying to summon help. Travis engages the criminals but is unable to prevent a grenade from starting a fire that threatens to cause a massive explosion. Knowing he was dying anyway, the Avenger makes the crew abandon ship while he pilots the ship to a safe distance and is killed with the satisfaction he is going out heroically and spectacularly. When the crew reach the shore and they are asked by the police that who were they saved by, the captain says that he never saw the face of the man. It can be assumed that nobody actually knew where Lee Travis had disappeared to or that the Crimson Avenger was responsible for saving the city.
[edit] Legend
The legend of the Crimson Avenger does not die, however, due to an early good deed that night. On his way to the tanker, he saves a young boy who has fallen out of an apartment window and returns the child to his mother. The woman promises to tell her son of the man who saved him once he is old enough to remember.
Grant Morrison has established that in various Justice League stories, the original mask, hat and cloak of the Crimson Avenger are used in a special ritual whenever a new member joins the JLA. This ritual is presumably used by the Justice Society of America as well.
