Not nearly as well known as the world famous Dali--or the other chartreuse crimefighter considered his closest contemporary, The Green Lama is still a unique enough character to be set apart from the other pulp heroes of his time. Here are a few at-a-glance tidbits about the little-known Lama:

1. Though The Green Lama endured throughout the entire decade of the 1940's, none of the media within which he was featured ever propelled him to superstardom. From his first appearances in the pulp novel series Double Detective (which ran 1940-1943) and his breakout role in Prize Comics #7 (also in 1940), his own eight-issue comic title (1944-1946) to his shortlived radio show, he seemed to be a Lama of all trades... and master of none.

2. What is a Green Lama, you ask? Well, in this case it's a wealthy, listless American who treks to Tibet, spends ten years there and returns to the U.S. as a fully ordained Tibetan Lama, released into his "wicked society to spread enlightenment." He does so by using special powers he garned in Tibet to foil bad guys on his own soil.

3. The Green Lama's chief superpower was his body's ability to radiate electric shocks after drinking "radioactive salts."

4. Like most pulp heroes, The Green Lama had his own club, Green Lama Club, that readers could join for a whopping membership fee of one dime.

+ click to zoom