Shazam!
The Golden historic period heroThe Gay Ghostwas the subject of a stealth retcon by DC Comics that set about to not only neuter his in - universe history , but rewrite his older event as well . For a reference debuting in 1942 , the Gay Ghost had quite a dingy blood account . unluckily , readers never took to the character and he only come out sporadically at best , never ever receiving his own series . Still , DC saw fit to change a critical aspectof the Gay Ghost during reprints : his name .
The Gay Ghost first appeared in 1942’sSensation Comics # 1.Killed by bandit while on his way to propose to the lovemaking of his life Deborah Wallace , 18th century Irish nobleman Keith Everet is award powers by his ancestors to return to Earth - but only after Wallace returns to Ireland . 100 later , Wallace ’s American descendant ( also key Deborah Wallace ) journeys to Ireland with her fiancé Charles Collins . Nazi spy fire Ireland , Charles is kill , andKeith after own Charles ' bodyto kill the Nazis and unravel away with Deborah Wallace to fight law-breaking in America as the Gay Ghost .
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The Gay Ghost had some tough story element - Keith infamouslypretended to be Charlesinstead of reveal his true identity to Deborah Wallace , for one - but his name became date within a decade as the colloquial meaning of the world " gay " change . Creator Gardner Fox see the writing on the wall and focused on other bookssuch as the Justice Society of America . The Gay Ghost only appeared semi - regularly until 1945 , but years later , reprints were ordered by DC ( especially sinceSensation Comicswas an anthology serial that featured Wonder Woman ) - and arrive on shelf with a small-scale change .
DC editorial had settle to rename Keith Everet ’s alter - ego to theGrimGhost for all future appearances . alas , this change extended to the reissue as well . This retcon is consanguineous to DC Comics reprint erstwhile takings of Captain Marvel ( back when he was possess by Fawcett ) with his name alter to Shazam in a Golden - Age book . Language , however , is ever - change ; while DC attempted to modernise the Gay Ghost ’s name , the comic of the Silver Age were dominant with colloquium that advanced audience now find awkward . To cite a well - known example : the infamousBatman # 66,published in 1951,centered around the Joker do a " boner " : fifties take in for an embarrassing mistake , fault , or pillow slip - up . Try as they might , no publisher can future - proofread their comedian , and trying only serves to muddy up the water of comics history .
The Gay Ghost ’s last appearance was inAnimal Man # 25 in 1990 . Since then , Keith Everet ’s front has n’t decorate a single issue . His dark line of descent wouldperhaps have lick well for a Bronze Age characterthan a colorful Golden Age hero , and his rewritten name in reality embarrass alternatively of help his popularity ( another hero called Grim Ghost was launched in 1975 and became pop enough to warrant a 2010 revival).The Gay Ghostis a footer in cartoon strip chronicle , but serves to showcase just how firm colloquialisms in terminology can acquire .
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