Airboy Comics (1945)

Airboy Comics continued the adventures of Airboy from the earlier Air Fighters Comics, published by Hillman Periodicals from 1945 to 1953 across 89 issues. The central figure is David Nelson Jr., a teenage pilot who flies a living aircraft called Birdie, a plane with mechanically flapping wings capable of extraordinary maneuvers. Originally a wartime hero taking on Axis aerial forces, Airboy transitioned into peacetime adventure after 1945, confronting smugglers, criminals, and international threats. The supporting cast included Valkyrie, a former enemy pilot who becomes a recurring female adventurer, as well as The Heap, a shambling muck-creature whose strips pioneered a template that would later influence characters like Swamp Thing and Man-Thing. Hillman's production values were strong throughout the run, with notable talent including Simon and Kirby contributing during the book's early years. The series balanced youthful heroics with genuine aerial action, making it one of the more enduring aviation-themed comics of the Golden Age. Airboy's transition from Air Fighters numbering gave the title its characteristic mid-run entry point and broader civilian readership appeal.