| Young King Cole | |
|---|---|
 | |
|
Real Name |
Kingston "King" Cole Jr. |
|
First Appearance |
Young King Cole #1 |
|
Original Publisher |
Novelty |
|
Created by |
Unknown |
Origin[]
Kingston "King" Cole Jr. was a young detective who operated in Big City, USA. His father, Kingston Cole, was a renowned detective who founded the Cole Detective Agency.
Even when he was young, King knew that he was smarter than other kids. He attended Langdon Prep School and, like his famous cousin, he was able to graduate two years early. King went on to attend an unnamed State College, where he completed a four-year degree in two and a half years, graduating summa cum laude. During his time there, he became an accomplished athlete. He was a captain of the wrestling team, constantly made first or second place in cross-country races and generally excelled in gymnastics, aquatic sports and self-defense.
The Cole Family: Kingston Cole Sr, Kingston Cole Jr and Richard Cole
Upon graduating, King told his father that he would like nothing more than to work for Cole Detective Agency. The elder King was more than happy to accept. But a little over a week later, an unnamed U.S. government agency ordered Kingston Cole to go on a secret mission. He decided that he had no choice but to turn over the company to his son until he returned.
At first, the members of Cole Detective Agency had doubts about their new boss, but King Cole Jr was able to prove himself fairly quickly. It wasn't long before they worked as well-oiled machine, bringing criminals down in with deduction, research, subterfuge and occasionally brute force. Their most persistent enemy was the notorious Spade Gang. No matter how many times they stopped them, some gang member got away and rebuilt it from scratch. They were assisted by Dick Cole on at least one occasion.
Cole Detective Agency[]
King was assisted by three Cole Detective Agency employees:
- Antony L "Whip" Steele - the former police commissioner and Cole's second-in-command.
- Iris Morland - the beauty and the brains of the group, she had extensive expertise with fingerprints and other forensic techniques. This being the 40s, she was often the one handling the clerical duties.
- Ursus Graham - a former circus strongman and the group's muscle. At first, he had little regard for King, seeing him as a weakling, but he eventually came around.
When Kingston Cole returned from his mission, he allowed his son to remain head of Cole Detective Agency. He was still more than happy to offer advice and other assistance if necessary.
Powers and Abilities[]
King Cole Jr's biggest asset was his brilliant mind and eye for detail. While King Cole Jr. didn't have his cousin's borderline super-human abilities, all the sports he did in college made him more than capable of holding his own in the fight (and other dangerous situations). His only weakness was his poor eyesight. The fact that he had to wear glasses to see clearly proved to be a liability time and time again, but he was usually able to persevere in spite of it.
Public Domain Appearances[]
- Young King Cole vol. 1 #1-4
- vol. 2 #1-6
- vol. 3 #1-12
- Criminals on the Run vol. 4 #1-7
- vol. 5 #1
- Crime Fighting Detective #12, 17