Charles Villon, nicknamed “Whiffy,” was a ruthless gangster with a penchant for dressing in full drag. Whiffy also wore way too much perfume, a fact graphically indicated by wavy stink lines that emanated from his massive body. Whiffy’s prim, sour mannerisms give him the air of a stereotypical gay villain, and he was revealed to be a convincing cross-dresser who used his extensive wardrobe to pull a con (he was a smuggler of stolen European art). However, even this hoary trope gained some nuance when it was further explained that Whiffy had been a member of the French Resistance during the war, and that disguising himself as a woman had enabled him to escape the Nazis, who had had more than one reason to hunt him. He was a foe of Miss Fury. Surprisingly, the American public at the time didn’t seem to have a problem with a cross-dressing and (probably) gay character. They seemed to care more about the “skimpy” outfits Miss Fury and her female supporting cast wore.
Alias Whiffy |
Real Names/Alt Names Charles Villon |
Characteristics Villain, Master of Disguise, Black Fury Newspaper Strip, Newspaper Strip Characters, World War II Era, French |
Creators/Key Contributors June Tarpe Mills |
First Appearance The Black Fury (Newspaper strip, Bell Syndicate, April 6, 1941) |
First Publisher Bell Syndicate |
Appearance List The Black Fury (Newspaper strip, Bell Syndicate, April 6, 1941), Miss Fury (Retitled newspaper strip, November 30, 1941), Miss Fury #1-8 (Reprints, 1942-1945) |
Sample Read Miss Fury [CB+] |
Description Charles Villon, nicknamed “Whiffy,” was a ruthless gangster with a penchant for dressing in full drag. Whiffy also wore way too much perfume, a fact graphically indicated by wavy stink lines that emanated from his massive body. Whiffy’s prim, sour mannerisms give him the air of a stereotypical gay villain, and he was revealed to be a convincing cross-dresser who used his extensive wardrobe to pull a con (he was a smuggler of stolen European art). However, even this hoary trope gained some nuance when it was further explained that Whiffy had been a member of the French Resistance during the war, and that disguising himself as a woman had enabled him to escape the Nazis, who had had more than one reason to hunt him. He was a foe of Miss Fury. Surprisingly, the American public at the time didn’t seem to have a problem with a cross-dressing and (probably) gay character. They seemed to care more about the “skimpy” outfits Miss Fury and her female supporting cast wore. |
Source Whiffy – Public Domain Super Heroes Wiki |