Cyril "Speed" Saunders is a

DC Comics DC Comics (originally DC Comics, Inc., and also known simply as DC) is an American comic book publisher owned by DC Entertainment, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery. DC is an initialism for "Detective Comics", an American comic book seri ...

character, first appearing in ''

Detective Comics ''Detective Comics'' (later retitled as ''Batman Detective Comics'') is an American comic book series published by Detective Comics, later shortened to DC Comics. The first volume, published from 1937 to 2011 (and later continued in 2016), is ...

'' as the first featured character in the anthology series around the

Golden Age of Comic Books The Golden Age of Comic Books describes an era in the history of American comic books from 1938 to 1956. During this time, modern comic books were first published and rapidly increased in popularity. The superhero archetype was created and ma ...

created by E.C. Stoner. He is depicted as an adventurer and detective during the 1930s and 1940s. He would then later be revived in a supporting character role as the retconned grandfather of the current Kendra Saunders, and first cousin to the original Hawkgirl, Shiera Sanders Hall.

Publication history

Speed Saunders is the first featured character in the longest running series

anthology In book publishing, an anthology is a collection of literary works chosen by the compiler; it may be a collection of plays, poems, short stories, songs, or related fiction/non-fiction excerpts by different authors. There are also thematic and g ...

American comic book An American comic book is a thin periodical literature originating in the United States, commonly between 24 and 64 pages, containing comics. While the form originated in 1933, American comic books first gained popularity after the 1938 publ ...

series of

named ''

'' in the first issue of the series starting in March 1937. He was regularly featured in the anthology series for about 50 issues. In 1999 James Robinson and David S. Goyer used the character in ''JSA Secret Files'' #1.

Fictional character biography

Cyril started as a G-Man, working in the FBI's River Patrol Division. In addition to being a G-Man, he also seemed to be both an adventurer and detective depending on the needs of the story. He investigated murder cases, and also once fought with a mad scientist who'd transplanted a human brain into an ape. Eventually, it was revealed that he was a private investigator and later a member of the OSS. During that time he meets Wesley Dodds and the two become lifelong friends (''JSA Secret Files'' #1 1999). In 1938 Saunders became involved in the

Office of Strategic Services The Office of Strategic Services (OSS) was the first intelligence agency of the United States, formed during World War II. The OSS was formed as an agency of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) to coordinate espionage activities behind enemy lines ...

(OSS), participating in counterespionage operations throughout

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

(''JSA Secret Files'' #1 1999). In the modern era, Cyril finds his orphaned granddaughter, Kendra Saunders; he takes her in and begins training her in hand-to-hand combat and other skills. He knows that she has a great destiny as the next

Hawkgirl Hawkgirl is the name of several superheroines appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The original Hawkgirl, Shiera Sanders Hall, was created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Dennis Neville, and first appeared in ''Flash Comics'' ...

. Cyril joined his friend Wesley Dodds on a trip to

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...

Tibet Tibet (; ''Böd''; ), or Greater Tibet, is a region in the western part of East Asia, covering much of the Tibetan Plateau and spanning about . It is the homeland of the Tibetan people. Also resident on the plateau are other ethnic groups s ...

, and the

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. It is on Mt. Kailash that the two meet with the Gray Man. The two men receive the location of three babies, one of which is to receive the essence of Dr. Fate and so become the newest incarnation of that hero. Saunders leaves Wesley on that Mount to take the information to

Alan Scott Alan Ladd Wellington Scott is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, and the first character to bear the name Green Lantern. He fights evil with the aid of his mystical ring, which grants him a variety of powers. H ...

and the JSA, as well as to Sanderson Hawkins (''JSA Secret Files'' #1 1999). Once in China proper, Cyril also contacts his granddaughter Kendra and gives her information on one of the babies. He tells her to go to

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and to protect that baby (''JSA'' #2 1999).

Publication history

Fictional character biography

References

Further reading