A serial from the 30s!!!
THE MASKED MARVEL(1943)
Ok, this is a stretch to call a superhero movie(serial)
but it is very Batman-like in that the hero wears a mask
and uses his physical prowess to defeat the bad guys!
As with most movies and serials filmed in this time period
this is about the Japanese trying to get the upper hand on
the US and its allies! And with all serials of the day, each
installment ends on cliffhangers! This is actually pretty good
and a must watch for all serial fans!! A-
From IMDb.com:
Made during the height of World War II, The Masked
Marvel is 12 chapters of pure stunts and thrills.
Despite the poor acting of the four leading men who
are the "Marvel" suspects, the action-packed fights
and rousing cliffhangers, plus the marvellous stunt
work by Tom Steele and his team compensates.
The special effects by the Lydecker brothers are
first-rate, as good as any major studio - if not
better.
I have watched this serial a dozen times and still
get excited and caught up in the adventure. If anyone
wanted to begin a serial collection, this could do
well as an introduction. It's Republic Pictures at
the top of the studio's game. - bobbloom