Quicksilver / Max Mercury
Created by Jack Cole
+ History
In Quicksilver's Quality Comics adventures, he was just a madcap adventurer. His creators never bothered to give him an origin story, or even an alter ego. After lying in limbo for many years, he was brought into the Flash family as Max Mercury (Flash v.2 #76, 1993). He played a major role in the life of the young speedster, Bart Allen (Impulse).
And although much has been revealed about this hero's past, his true name remains a mystery. In recent years, he has gone by the name "Max" both in uniform and in civilian life. This could mean that it is indeed his given first name. For the general purposes of this profile, the name "Max" will suffice…
Secret Origins: Windrunner
Max's story begins in 1838, when as a young fort messenger, he became friends with the local Blackfoot clan. His commander didn't share his affections, and before long the clan was ordered to be massacred. By the time Max discovered this, the only Indian left alive was their shaman. As he died, the shaman warned Max of the impending ambush and said a prayer to his wind and storm god. Max wept for his friend but did not believe in magic; he despaired that he could not prevent the ambush. But as he ran, he found himself traveleing faster than humanly possible! When he arrived on the violence, he quickly stripped the army of its weapons and caught every arrow with ease. Soon, the battle was finished—with no loss of life. From that day forward, Max vowed to prevent war between Americans new and old. The Blackfoot dubbed him Ahwehota, "he who runs beyond the wind." (Flash v.2 #97)
At some point after this, Max found that using his speed powers caused him to jump forward in time. He reemerged on 7 July 1881, in Mesa City, Arizona, which was beset by lawless men. Max's arrival in this time was witnessed by the sherriff's son, Johnny Tane. The boy saw Max emerge from a flash of lightning, where he then lay unconscious. Sherriff Tane took Max into his home but didn't trust him, and so locked him up in jail. The next day Johnny retrieved Max's bag and he styled himself into the Windrunner. Max then broke out of jail and set about ending the gang's terror. When the gang rode into Mesa City, they were greeted by a freak windstorm. This deterred most of them, but a few kept on and began setting the town on fire. Young Johnny picked up a gun and joined the fight. Once the dust had settled, Max raced off inspiring another hero in his wake—one day Johnny Tane would be known as the great Western gunfighter, Johnny Thunder. (Impulse Annual #2)
In 1893, while in New York, Max went by the name of Whip Whirlwind. He discovered the orphan asylum of Lady Pritchard, which she used as a cover for child slavery—putting kids to work in factories to pay for their keep. The children worked for the Schott Toy Company, run by a Archimedes Schott who was an uptight old miser (and ancestor to Winslow Schott, the Toyman). Schott didn’t hesitate to beat the children, which Max could not abide. Schott tried to get out of his deal with Pritchard by setting the factory on fire, which endangered all the children inside. All of them would have died, except that one escaped and found Whip Whirlwind, who rescued them all. (Speed Force Special)
In 1921, Max went by the name of Lightning when he helped Babe Ruth shake some thugs who wanted him to throw the World Series. Lightning rescued Ruth in time to race him to his game in the World Series. Max watched from the bleachers. (Flash 80-Page Giant #1)
Max Mercury goes by the Alias Max Crandall and has been known as Thunderpace, Whip Whirlwind and Ahwehota or „Windrunner‰, Max was a fort messenger in the 1830s. (The Flash: Secret Files and Origins #1)
Golden Years: Quicksilver
Classic madcap antics, courtesy of Jack Cole.
From National Comics #13 (July 1941)
Many times during his adventures as Quicksilver, Max mentioned having worked in a circus as an acrobat. (#28, 45) Those days remain a mystery, as does the motivation for resuming his crimefighting career.
"The laughing Robin Hood," as he was called, Quicksilver was an enigma of the Golden Age. He first burst onto the scene in New York City, to battle the diminutive and vengeful Von Lohfer, who had a vendetta against one J.B. Rockland. Quicksilver wasted no time—in a matter of minutes he dismantled Von Lohfer's plans and captured the villain before he even knew what was upon him! (National #5)
His adventures began to span the country. He inexplicably put down a feud in the Kentucky hills (#10)
One tale may have given a clue to Quicksilver's civilian identity, but the truth was never revealed. When the News Star paper ran a story criticizing the Rascelli mob, a reporter there tried to war his editor about it. Sure enough, the mob later tried to kidnap the editor—and Quicksilver was there to protect him. (#12)
V. Snatch McGatt and Wizard Ward from rigging a boat race. Wears a bulletproof suit. by Jack Cole. (#13)
C.J. Merton, who payed men across America to stir things up in his favor. Merton was scheming to become President, under a new party banner, and to rule as a dictator. (#16)
Somehow, Quicksilver had inside information that helped him clear the name of a man who was slated for execution, Tom Jameson. Our hero uncovered the true mastermind, crime boss Bikazo, who had sought to discredit the District Attorney. (#17)
His next case also involved a District Attorney's case, this one against a mobster called Dutch Hanson. Hanson kidnapped the State's witnesses (incluidng one Miss Carol Thomas) and had his own gang impersonate them at the trial. Quicksilver turned the tables and freed the captives, making them up to look like Hanson's gang. In the courtroom, the accused was confused, and confessed to everything. (#18)
He finally encountered a gang who could match his mettle when a crime boss invented a drug that would give his henchmen ten times their normal skill. One of them, Joe, became ten times faster. But Quicksilver's guile and unpredictability swung the battle in his favor. (#20)
The game got serious when Japanese bombers managed to make it to San Francisco. Quicksilver took to the air and dismantled the fleet. (#22)
More black folk. south america Zimbamboo. Took him over a day to run to South America. uncovered a strange plot where Germans were faking the eruption of a volcano in order to obtain cheap labor—when the natives sacrificed people into the volcano! 26
Acrobatic skills came in handy at the circus, where he tracked down the murderous duo of Sandor the strongman and his love, Zarna. Although Sandor was guilty of murder, he did it to win Zarna's love. When the police came for Sandor, Quicksilver pleaded mercy for him, implicating Zarna as the ringmaster. Regardless, it was too late for Zarna—Sandor had killed her in a rage. (#28)
World War II
As America entered the war, Quicksilver established a secret headquarters under Oakwood Park, helper Hoo Mee. x-ray liquid temporarily imbued Hoo Mee with x-ray vision. (#29)
met his romantic match when in the heat of battle, he stole a kiss from the femme fatale, Idaho. Later, her gang captured the hero and she was charged with killing him. She faked the shot and when her cohorts found out, they killed her—just as she drove their car into the river! Quicksliver was upset by the news. (#30)
He once returned to his old circus and visited his clown friend, Joe. (#31)
demonstrated a knowledge of chemistry, could pilot a plane joined te Civilian Air Patrol, watching the South Pacific for Japanese activity. (#34) claimed that taking a "good swig of ocean water" kept him in shape by replenishing his bodies salts.
Indian Shoshone helped him search for Japanese in Alaska. After saving the widow Bailey together, the woman took a shine to Shoshone, inviting him to become her handyman. (#36)
In 1942, Quicksilver also joined the All-Star Squadron, an assembly of nearlly all America's mystery men. (Young All-Stars #27) The extent of his participation with the group is unknown.
Pre-Crisis
The following events are no longer a part of current Earth-0 continuity…
When the first Crisis (on Infinite Earths) struck Earth-2, Quicksilver heeded
Uncle Sam's call-to-action and joined a grouping of the Freedom Fighters to
fight the Axis powers on a parallel world dubbed "Earth-X." (All-Star
Squadron #50, Crisis #1, Who's Who Update '87 #5) 
This
group included all heroes originally published by Quality Comics. It is still
possible
that Quicksilver participated in the Freedom Fighters.
No further mention was made of Max in this timeline, but decades later, when the Freedom Fighters migrated to Earth-1, it was assumed that all their other super-comrades had perished in the war. (Freedom Fighters #6)
Postwar
In 1949, Max was helping Jay on an investigation against the Screaming
Skull. Max was soon captured by the Skull and placed inside a 'supersonic fear
generator', which due to the vibrations, added to his own speed causing him
to start to fade away. Jay arrived in time, and by matching his vibrations
to Max's, he hoped to stop him from vanishing. He was making some headway and
when it seemed like they were finsihed, both MAx and Jay emerged and defeated
the Skull. Afterwards, Jay mentioned when they moved faster, it was like they
were tapping into something else. Max just shrugged it off, elling Jay he should
consider that possibility. (Flash Secret Files #1) The
story places the event in 1949, but the timeline in the back of the issue says
1947. Those Secret Files timelineshave had many many errors. Using 1949 would
allow placement the tale after his stint in National.
Max Mercury—Zen Master of Speed
Quicksilver returned to action decades later, coaxed out of retirement by both Jay Garrick and Johnny Quick. They found him working in a subway token booth and Jay recalled their 1949 adventure against the The Screaming Skull. Jay also knew of Quicksilver's other aliases—Lightning, Max Mercury, Whirlwind of the West, and Blue Streak. The speedsters tricked him into using his quick reflexes, which finally gave himaway. (Flash v.2 #76) Quicksilver, now calling himself Max Mercury, agreed to help Jay and Johnny against the threat posed by Barry Allen. Allen had supposedly returned from the dead, but was actually Professor Zoom in disguise. In his first confrontation with Zoom, Max demonstrated his prowess as the so-called "zen master of speed." He'd lost none of his cunning or agility. (#77)
When Max met the Flash, Wally West, he helped the young hero overcome his perceived "speed limits." Max claimed that the only thing holding Wally back was his own fears. (#78) After failing to capture Zoom, Max and the others visited Jay Garrick in the hospital (from a broken leg). Max reminded Wally that to beat Thawne, Wally would have to overcome his fears. Wally succeeded, suckering Zoom into returning to his own time. (#79)
Terminal Velocity: When Wally had to use Johnny Quick's speed formula to help boost his own to save a crashing helicopter, it caused the whole city to "freeze." To him, it seemed like everyone was frozen but he was actually moving faster then the speed of light. After thinking he was alone with no possible way to fix things, Max appeared and gave him a bit of a fright. Max was able to maintain the same speed as Wally, but not for as long. After walking through the city, Max helped Wally to see that life and death goes on without him. That he can't be everywhere at once, no matter how hard he wanted to. After giving him some cryptic warning, time resumed normally and Max disappeared again. (Flash v.2 #91) 91,96-101
Impulse series: Impulse moves to Manchester Alabama with Max Mercury
Dead Heat (108-112) Max alongside Jesse Quick, John Fox a future Flash originating from the 27th Century, Libby Lawrence a.k.a. Liberty Belle, XS and Impulse, & Jay make on panel appearances at Johnny Quick‚s funeral. John Fox mentions that Johnny will not lose his place in history, Max asks if that was a comforting lie John told Jesse, John fails to clarify the validity of the declaration, Max thanks John anyway. (#112)
Emergency Stop (130-132)
The Human Race/The Black Flash (136-142)
Chain Lightning (145-149)
The Dark Flash Saga (152-154,157-159)
Flash Annual #11-12
When Max and Jay Garrick found Wally West looking quite dead, they discover that he's been displaced in time, and ultimately turns up with two broken legs. (Flash v.2 #130) To keep the Flash's image in the public eye, Max and others took turns donning the Flash's uniform. Max was then possessed by a villain called The Suit, (#131) who was dispatched by Wally West. Max deduced that Wally's "death" was due to the Speed Force being drained, not his life energy. (#132)
—Very special thanks to Kyle Wellington and Benjamin Hall
Notes
Although Quicksilver's feature began in National Comics #5, his actual first appearance was issue #4, where a little blurb (at the end of the "Windy Breeze" cartoon) heralded his coming with text and picture: "Tell your friends about it!" He was one of Quality's longest-running super-heroes, lasting until National #71 (April 1949).
Unlike his speedy contemporaries, Quicksilver used his powers much more dynamically. He was a bit more of an acrobat, and could be seen bouncing, leaping and tumbling through the city streets. Jack Cole's illustration style lent a real sense of motion and excitement to the character. It's no surprise that the Quicksilver strip lasted for so long. It's a thrill to read. It's action is sparse on words and this speedster boasts feats not preformed by the likes of the Flash.
Quicksilver was created by Jack Cole, though he did not draw the strip very much. The young Nick Cardy often drew the strip. Earlier that same year, Cole had also created the speedster called the Silver Streak, in Silver Streak Comics #3 (March 1940) for Lev Gleason Publications (unlike Quicksilver, this character wore no silver). DC's Flash predates both of these characters by a least a few months, debuting in Flash Comics #1 (January 1940). DC's Johnny Quick came after them all, in More Fun Comics #71 (September 1941).
described as a "whilrwind" in National #28.
Though his costume looks blue and white, it was described as "black and silver" in National #17.
+ Powers
Quicksilver (Max Mercury) possesses super-speed, derived from tapping into the Speed Force. He used his ability in a more acrobatic way than other speedsters. He was apparently adept at gymnastics, as he would often combine his speed with acrobatic maneuvers. He could also use his speed to fly (or perhaps to effect the result of flying by building sufficient momentum).
In comparison to other speedsters, Max is faster than Johnny Quick but perhaps not as swift as the Flashes. However, his mastery of the Speed Force allowed him a degree of cleverness which gave him advantages.
Took a boat instead of running on water (#31)
Appearances + References
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