All-Star Squadron #23
(W) Roy Thomas (A) Jerry Ordway, Rick Hober, Mike Machlan (DC Comics, 1981)
Synopsis
When Fate Thy Measure Takes…! Dr. Fate and the Atom go to Fates Salem Tower to find the self proclaimed “Amazing-Man”. Who is this mysterious young man with the ability to absorb the properties of any material he touches and why is he holding on to Dr. Fate’s old helmet? Bonus: The secret origin of Will Everett, aka Amazing-Man.
Notes
The book was published in ‘81, the story is set in the 40’s, and William Everett aka Amazing-Man feels like he came right out of the 70’s.
Just like Tyroc in Superboy and the Legion of Superheroes, we have a young, angry Black man who is mistaken as an enemy of our so-called heroes. At this point I’m convinced that this angry Black man trope is a go-to template for writers attempting to introduce diverse characters into their story lines.
What I like most about this character is his power set. He’s able to absorb the properties of any object he touches; a piece of metal, a wooden table etc.
The character is a bit of a journeyman hopping from super team to super team. You can follow all the bread crumbs here.
FUN FACT
In the 1950s, his secret identity was revealed to the general public by J. Edgar Hoover. This act endangered the lives of Everett’s wife and family. During the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s, the murder of his nephew alongside two other civil rights activists spurred his involvement in the Civil Rights Movement of the time. (Via Wikipedia)