The House of Dolmann
Encyclopedia
was a British comic strip from the pages of Valiant
. The serial ran weekly from 1966 to 1973. The serial was among the titles reprinted in Vulcan from 1975 to 1976. Eric Bradbury
drew the majority of the strips produced.
It concerned the adventures of crime-fighting inventor Eric Dolmann. He created a roster of robots that looked like puppets, each with special abilities, and used them to combat crime where he found it. Dolmann kept his identity secret from the public, and when not fighting crime had a small business repairing and servicing other mechanical puppets and dolls. Dolmann usually fought small-time criminals such as gangsters or racketeers.
's Captain Britain
series, where a character named Puppetman is referred to as having been killed, along with his robots, by The Fury
.
A more substantial reference came in another Moore-related comic, Wildstorm
's 2006 Albion
series. In this, Dolmann had been imprisoned by the British government, but his daughter Penny (who did not appear in the Valiant stories, and is based on Leo Baxendale
's Bad Penny comic) still has possession of some of his robots, and sets out to free him. Dolmann himself is seen briefly in flashback
, and later his grave is shown.
several of Dolmann's puppets resemble those later created for Charles Band's Puppet Master
movies, with Pinhead bearing a more than passing resemblance to Togo and Jester to Giggler and the Mole resembling a cross between Blade and Tunneler.
Valiant (comic)
Valiant was the title of a British boys adventure comics anthology which ran from 1962 to 1976. It was published by IPC Magazines and was one of their major adventure titles throughout the 1960s and early 1970s.-Publication history:...
. The serial ran weekly from 1966 to 1973. The serial was among the titles reprinted in Vulcan from 1975 to 1976. Eric Bradbury
Eric Bradbury
Eric Bradbury was a British comic artist who primarily worked for Amalgamated Press/IPC from the late 1940s to the 1990s....
drew the majority of the strips produced.
It concerned the adventures of crime-fighting inventor Eric Dolmann. He created a roster of robots that looked like puppets, each with special abilities, and used them to combat crime where he found it. Dolmann kept his identity secret from the public, and when not fighting crime had a small business repairing and servicing other mechanical puppets and dolls. Dolmann usually fought small-time criminals such as gangsters or racketeers.
The Dolls
Among Dolmann's robot puppets were the following: -- Togo - modelled on a Sumo Wrestler, Togo provided brute strength.
- Raider - modelled on a British Commando, Raider was used for stealth, and carried a gun.
- Astro - the pilot for Dolmann's unusual flying device, the Dolmobile.
- Mole - a somewhat manic looking figure with claws for hands, used for digging operations.
- Micro - a superheroSuperheroA superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
-styled doll that could fly, and contained a radio transmitter - usually used either for flushing out crooks, or for when Dolmann wanted to contact the authorities without revealing himself. - Elasto - modelled on a male gymnastGymnastGymnasts are people who participate in the sports of either artistic gymnastics, trampolining, or rhythmic gymnastics.See gymnasium for the origin of the word gymnast from gymnastikos.-Female artistic:Australia...
, this robot could stretch its limbs to a large extent. - Giggler - modelled on a jester, this robot was usually used for disorientating or distracting criminals.
- Trailer - this robot had searchlights for eyes, and was used for tracking villains.
Other appearances
Dolmann was briefly referenced in Alan MooreAlan Moore
Alan Oswald Moore is an English writer primarily known for his work in comic books, a medium where he has produced a number of critically acclaimed and popular series, including Watchmen, V for Vendetta, and From Hell...
's Captain Britain
Captain Britain
Captain Britain , briefly known as Britannic, is a fictional character, a superhero appearing in the comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Chris Claremont and Herb Trimpe, he first appeared in Captain Britain Weekly, #1...
series, where a character named Puppetman is referred to as having been killed, along with his robots, by The Fury
Fury (Marvel Comics)
The Fury is a fictional character created by writer Alan Moore and illustrator Alan Davis as an antagonist for the Marvel Comics hero Captain Britain...
.
A more substantial reference came in another Moore-related comic, Wildstorm
Wildstorm
WildStorm Productions, or simply WildStorm, published American comic books. Originally an independent company established by Jim Lee and further expanded upon in subsequent years by other creators, WildStorm became a publishing imprint of DC Comics in 1999...
's 2006 Albion
Albion (comics)
Albion is a six-issue comic book limited series plotted by Alan Moore, written by his daughter Leah Moore and her husband John Reppion, with covers by Dave Gibbons and art by Shane Oakley and George Freeman. As a result of a deal forged by Vice President Bob Wayne of DC Comics and Publishing...
series. In this, Dolmann had been imprisoned by the British government, but his daughter Penny (who did not appear in the Valiant stories, and is based on Leo Baxendale
Leo Baxendale
Leo Baxendale is a British cartoonist, who was the creator of the classic Beano strips Little Plum , Minnie the Minx , The Bash Street Kids and The Three Bears .Leo Baxendale was at the end of his National Service days in the RAF, when he decided he...
's Bad Penny comic) still has possession of some of his robots, and sets out to free him. Dolmann himself is seen briefly in flashback
Flashback (narrative)
Flashback is an interjected scene that takes the narrative back in time from the current point the story has reached. Flashbacks are often used to recount events that happened before the story’s primary sequence of events or to fill in crucial backstory...
, and later his grave is shown.
Trivia
By an odd coincidenceCoincidence
A coincidence is an event notable for its occurring in conjunction with other conditions, e.g. another event. As such, a coincidence occurs when something uncanny, accidental and unexpected happens under conditions named, but not under a defined relationship...
several of Dolmann's puppets resemble those later created for Charles Band's Puppet Master
Puppet Master (film)
Puppet Master is a 1989 horror film written by Charles Band and Kenneth J. Hall, and directed by David Schmoeller...
movies, with Pinhead bearing a more than passing resemblance to Togo and Jester to Giggler and the Mole resembling a cross between Blade and Tunneler.