| Whiffy | |
|---|---|
 | |
|
Real Name |
Charles Villon |
|
First Appearance |
Black Fury Newspaper Strip (unknown date) |
|
Original Publisher |
Bell Syndicate |
|
Created by |
June Tarpe Mills |
Origin[]
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.
Notes[]
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.