The Steel Claw
Publication information
Publisher: IPC Magazines/ Quality Comics/Wildstorm (DC Comics)
First appearance: Valiant #1 (October 6, 1962)
Artists : Jesús Blasco Tom Kerr, Massimo Belardinelli, Carlos Cruz, Reg Bunn.
Writers : Ken Bulmer, Tom Tully.
The Steel Claw is the definitive centerpiece of the 1960s British adventure comic Valiant, published by Fleetway Publications. Making its debut in the very first issue
on October 6, 1962, the strip ran continuously for over a decade, anchoring
the weekly anthology and becoming one of the most successful and
syndicated British comic creations of all time.
Within the pages of Valiant, the character underwent a dramatic evolution
that mirrored the changing pop-culture landscape of the 1960s and 70s.
The Era of Villainy (1962–1963)
When the strip launched in Valiant #1, Louis Crandell was not a hero. He was a bitter, brilliant assistant to the scientist Professor Barringer. After a lab explosion fused a nuclear grid shock through his prosthetic metal hand, Crandell discovered he could turn invisible for short bursts—except for his steel claw.Driven mad by the power, he used his invisibility to terrorize Britain.
In his early Valiant appearances, he was a genuine, high-stakes supervillain, threatening to destroy cities, extorting governments, and matching wits with the military.
The Secret Agent Era (1963–1965)
Recognizing the character's massive popularity, the creators initiated a redemption arc. Crandell's insanity wore off, and remorseful for his crimes, he offered his unique stealth
abilities to the British Government.He was recruited into the Shadow Squad, a highly classified espionage unit run by a commander known as "The Chief."This era shifted The Steel Claw
into a gritty, Cold War spy thriller, highly influenced by the surging global popularity
of James Bond. Crandell traveled the world fighting megalomaniacs, rogue states, and alien threats.
The Superhero Transformation (1966–1967)
By the mid-1960s, the American "superhero boom" (led by Marvel Comics and the Batman TV show) hit the UK. Valiant adapted by transforming Crandell once again.He donned a sleek, grid-patterned superhero costume.His famous steel claw was upgraded into a modular weapon, capable of firing lethal electrical blasts, knockout gas, and sleep rays, or even detaching to act independently.
The Freelance & Detective Era (1967–1975)
When the superhero craze faded, the strip pivoted into an action-detective format. Crandell left the government to become a freelance investigator and adventurer. This era featured some of his most bizarre and sci-fi-heavy storylines, including the famous "Reign of the Brain" arc, where he fought a giant, disembodied alien brain that took over Britain.
The End of the Valiant Run
The original weekly strip finally concluded in Valiant in 1973, though Crandell continued to appear in Valiant Annuals and holiday specials until 1975, right before Valiant
merged with Battle Picture Weekly.
%20V4.%20%20Compiled%20and%20edited%20by%20H.%20C.%5Bold-fashionedcomics.blog%5D_1970-05-02-18.jpg)
%20V4.%20%20Compiled%20and%20edited%20by%20H.%20C.%5Bold-fashionedcomics.blog%5D_1971-06-05-18.jpg)
%20V4.%20%20Compiled%20and%20edited%20by%20H.%20C.%5Bold-fashionedcomics.blog%5D_1972-09-30-24.jpg)
%20V4.%20%20Compiled%20and%20edited%20by%20H.%20C.%5Bold-fashionedcomics.blog%5D_1972-10-28-26.jpg)
%20V4.%20%20Compiled%20and%20edited%20by%20H.%20C.%5Bold-fashionedcomics.blog%5D_1973-10-27-25.jpg)
%20V4.%20%20Compiled%20and%20edited%20by%20H.%20C.%5Bold-fashionedcomics.blog%5D_1973-10-27-26.jpg)
5 volumes totaling more than a thousand pages
Compiled and edited by H. C.
We thank H. C. for his courtesy in offering our reader
this magnificent compilation.
