A team of scientists assembled by his father deliberately trained his mind and body to near-superhuman abilities almost from birth, giving him great strength and endurance, a photographic memory, a mastery of the martial arts, and vast knowledge of the sciences. Doc is also a master of disguise and an excellent imitator of voices. He is a physician, scientist, adventurer, detective, inventor, explorer, researcher, and, as revealed in The Polar Treasure, a musician. Dent described the hero as a mix of Sherlock Holmes’ deductive abilities, Tarzan’s outstanding physical abilities, Craig Kennedy’s scientific education, and Abraham Lincoln’s goodness. He also described Doc Savage as manifesting “Christliness.” Doc’s character and world-view is displayed in his oath, which goes “Let me strive every moment of my life to make myself better and better, to the best of my ability, that all may profit by it. Let me think of the right and lend all my assistance to those who need it, with no regard for anything but justice. Let me take what comes with a smile, without loss of courage. Let me be considerate of my country, of my fellow citizens and my associates in everything I say and do. Let me do right to all, and wrong no man.” By the third story, Doc already has a reputation as a “superman”.
Appearance List Pulps: Doc Savage Magazine (181 issues in various entries and alternative titles, 1933-1949). Novels: All 181 stories reprinted by Bantam Books (1964-1990). Radio: Doc Savage 26 episode 15-minute serial (1934), Doc Savage (1943), The Adventures of Doc Savage 13 half-hour episodes (National Public Radio, 1985). Comic books: Shadow Comics vol. 1 #1–3 (1940), Doc Savage Comics #1-20 (1940-1943), Shadow Comics vol. 3 #10 (1944) to vol. 9 #5 (1948, though did not appear in every one), Supersnipe Comics #9 (June 1943).
Sample Read The Polar Treasure: A Doc Savage Adventure [Internet Archive]
Description A team of scientists assembled by his father deliberately trained his mind and body to near-superhuman abilities almost from birth, giving him great strength and endurance, a photographic memory, a mastery of the martial arts, and vast knowledge of the sciences. Doc is also a master of disguise and an excellent imitator of voices. He is a physician, scientist, adventurer, detective, inventor, explorer, researcher, and, as revealed in The Polar Treasure, a musician. Dent described the hero as a mix of Sherlock Holmes’ deductive abilities, Tarzan’s outstanding physical abilities, Craig Kennedy’s scientific education, and Abraham Lincoln’s goodness. He also described Doc Savage as manifesting “Christliness.” Doc’s character and world-view is displayed in his oath, which goes “Let me strive every moment of my life to make myself better and better, to the best of my ability, that all may profit by it. Let me think of the right and lend all my assistance to those who need it, with no regard for anything but justice. Let me take what comes with a smile, without loss of courage. Let me be considerate of my country, of my fellow citizens and my associates in everything I say and do. Let me do right to all, and wrong no man.” By the third story, Doc already has a reputation as a “superman”.
