The Gladiator

Real Name: Harry Barker

Identity/Class: Human armed with magical artifacts

Occupation: Archaeologist; president and head troubleshooter of Adventure Unlimited

Affiliations: The ghost of Hannibal

Enemies: Mr.Destiny; John Dillinger, Rasputin, Attila the Hun and the James Gang

Known Relatives: None known

Aliases: The Glowing Gladiator

Base of Operations: Unknown

First Appearance: Double-Dare Adventures #1 (Harvey Comics, December 1966)

Powers/Abilities: Armed with the Sword of Achilles, which can transform into any weapon with but a thought. He also has a magical headband, armour (which allows his sword arm to "act without restraint"), a gauntlet ("of golden spikes which will ward off even the most deadly blows"), and of course the amulet, allowing him to talk to Hannibal.

History: Harry Barker is the President and head troubleshooter of Adventure Unlimited, a company which carries out archaeological missions of unusual natures for it's clients (way before Indiana Jones or Relic Hunter). Harry is hired by Mr.Destiny to find the Amulet of Hannibal, and sets off to do so. In Carthage, Tunisia, he searches some ruins, only to fall into a deep pit. Finding himself in the "Room of Eternal Dedication", he finds the amulet, which links his mind to the ghost of the great general himself! The ghost passes on his own magical clothing and weapons to Harry, turning him into the heroic Gladiator.

Back in civilisation The Gladiator faces a number of threats, villains and criminals summoned from the past by Mr.Destiny's Time Transporter - Dillinger and the James Gang, brought forward to rob a bank and provide Destiny with funding, then Rasputin and Attila the Hun to battle his new foe. Defeating them, the Gladiator tracks Destiny back to his lair, only to have his true enemy escape through time.

Comments: Created by Jim Steranko - thanks to Mike Murphy for informing me of this.

Drawn by Bob Powell.

He's only called the Gladiator in the story - it's just in the titles where he is called "Glowing".

CLARIFICATIONS:

Any Additions/Corrections? Please let me know.

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