HOTW- The Comet

 

From Wiki- The Comet (John Dickering) is a character that first appeared in Pep Comics #1 in January 1940. A little over a year later, the Comet was the first superhero to be killed in the line of duty.^[1] He died in issue #17 (July 1941), which also introduced his brother, a brutal hero called the Hangman. In Pep #1, in a story drawn by Jack Cole, young scientist John Dickering has discovered a gas fifty times lighter than hydrogen.^[3] By injecting small doses of the gas into his bloodstream, he is able to make great leaps through the air. After a number of injections, twin beams come from Dickering's eyes and when he crosses the beams, whatever he is looking at disintegrates. He makes a glass shield (visor) as that is the only thing his beams will not disintegrate, a weakness often used against him from the first story onwards.

I have only read about four stories featuring the Comet.  I love the costume and idea. It is kind of funny to think wholesome MLJ with Archie and friends had such brutal heroes in their midst.  They do share a universe, of sorts.  Of course, there have been several different versions since the 40s.