Formerly a corporal in the U.S. Army, Leonard “Len” Brown was an employee of T.H.U.N.D.E.R. who was stuck in a desk job and not happy about it. But T.H.U.N.D.E.R.’s inner council called upon him to wield an invention of the late Professor Jennings, an “electron molecular intensifier belt” or “Thunderbelt” (as he called it). Len Brown became the T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agent Dynamo. Dynamo is a tough, stoic, basically decent, somewhat beleaguered super-everyman who can be a little bit overwhelmed by the weird circumstances he finds himself in, as well as the pressures of his job, but always manages to carry on no matter what. His bosses were always riding him for not taking proper care of the belt, and eventually they altered the belt so that it would automatically turn off after thirty minutes. He is also somewhat nervous around women in spite of his remarkable ability to attract them. Fellow T.H.U.N.D.E.R. employee April Robbins and T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Squad member “Kitten” Kane (before she fell in love with Lightning). He and April casually dated, although he often flirted with other women. But perhaps his greatest romance was with one of T.H.U.N.D.E.R.’s foes, the ruthless Iron Maiden. She captured Dynamo for the Warlord and tried to force him to reveal the secret of the Thunderbelt. When he refused, and proved able to resist her truth serum, she became impressed with his strength and power and fell in love with him. Dynamo mourned her when he thought she’d died after the battle with Dr. Death. Iron Maiden clashed with Dynamo several times afterwards, and once framed him as a traitor to force him to join her, but she also came to his aid against other villains. Besides Iron Maiden, other foes of Dynamo include Red Star, Doctor Sparta and a mysterious race of alien invaders. Dynamo uses an “electron molecular intensifier belt” (Thunderbelt) which increases the mass of its wearer and makes him superhumanly strong. But the mass increase creates an enormous strain on the user and even someone with great stamina, like Brown, can only use it for thirty minutes at a time. It was attuned to Brown’s metabolism so that only he could use it. He also wore a metallic costume that would protect him when he couldn’t use the belt. Note: Tower Comics did not include a correct copyright notice on their books which, according to US copyright law at the time, caused them to enter the public domain immediately upon release.
Alias Dynamo |
Real Names/Alt Names Len Brown |
Characteristics Hero, T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents, Tower Comics Universe, Invulnerability, Super Strength, Counterculture Era |
Creators/Key Contributors Wally Wood, Len Brown |
First Appearance T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents #1 (November 1965) |
First Publisher Tower Comics [CB+] [GCD] |
Appearance List T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents #1-20 |
Sample Read T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents [CB+] |
Description Formerly a corporal in the U.S. Army, Leonard “Len” Brown was an employee of T.H.U.N.D.E.R. who was stuck in a desk job and not happy about it. But T.H.U.N.D.E.R.’s inner council called upon him to wield an invention of the late Professor Jennings, an “electron molecular intensifier belt” or “Thunderbelt” (as he called it). Len Brown became the T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agent Dynamo. Dynamo is a tough, stoic, basically decent, somewhat beleaguered super-everyman who can be a little bit overwhelmed by the weird circumstances he finds himself in, as well as the pressures of his job, but always manages to carry on no matter what. His bosses were always riding him for not taking proper care of the belt, and eventually they altered the belt so that it would automatically turn off after thirty minutes. He is also somewhat nervous around women in spite of his remarkable ability to attract them. Fellow T.H.U.N.D.E.R. employee April Robbins and T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Squad member “Kitten” Kane (before she fell in love with Lightning). He and April casually dated, although he often flirted with other women. But perhaps his greatest romance was with one of T.H.U.N.D.E.R.’s foes, the ruthless Iron Maiden. She captured Dynamo for the Warlord and tried to force him to reveal the secret of the Thunderbelt. When he refused, and proved able to resist her truth serum, she became impressed with his strength and power and fell in love with him. Dynamo mourned her when he thought she’d died after the battle with Dr. Death. Iron Maiden clashed with Dynamo several times afterwards, and once framed him as a traitor to force him to join her, but she also came to his aid against other villains. Besides Iron Maiden, other foes of Dynamo include Red Star, Doctor Sparta and a mysterious race of alien invaders. Dynamo uses an “electron molecular intensifier belt” (Thunderbelt) which increases the mass of its wearer and makes him superhumanly strong. But the mass increase creates an enormous strain on the user and even someone with great stamina, like Brown, can only use it for thirty minutes at a time. It was attuned to Brown’s metabolism so that only he could use it. He also wore a metallic costume that would protect him when he couldn’t use the belt. Note: Tower Comics did not include a correct copyright notice on their books which, according to US copyright law at the time, caused them to enter the public domain immediately upon release. |
Source Dynamo (Tower) – Public Domain Super Heroes Wiki |