Alter Ego: Albert Elwood
Occupation: Inventor
Known Relatives: None
Team Affiliation: None
Base of Operations: Gotham City & Metropolis
First Appearance: World's Finest Comics [1st series] #131 (Feb 1963)
Height: ~ 5 ft. 10 in. Weight: ~ 170 lbs.
Eyes: Black
Hair: Brown

History: When a new criminal organization, the Octopus Gang, starts a crime wave across the nation, crackpot inventor Albert Elwood decides to use his skills to help stop the crooks. Elwood creates a number of fantastic weapons and dons the costumed identity of the Crimson Avenger, continuing the legacy of a previous lawman of the same name.

When the Octopus Gang attempts to steal gold dust from a stage coach re-enactment in Gotham City, Batman and Robin are ready and waiting. As the dynamic duo race towards the hirelings, the Crimson Avenger suddenly appears firing a fire-gun, the flames from the gun encircling the crooks. He then uses another device which sends out bubbles of force with which to enclose the bandits. The criminals duck, and the bubbles smash into Batman and Robin, enabling the criminals to escape. The Crimson Avenger introduces himself, apologizing for his "small error", then departs.

Later, the Octopus Gang tries to rob a Metropolis Bank. As Superman decends upon the crooks getaway car, the Crimson Avenger drives up and sends out a robot ram's head to smash the vehicle. The ram's head runs amuck, distracting Superman and allowing the gang to once again escape. Using his x-ray vision, Superman learns the Crimson Avenger's secret identity. Before Superman can lecture him, the new hero drives off.

After returning to his workshop, Elwood reads the newspaper and learns that his exploits are being mocked. He becomes enraged by their ungratefulness and vows to show everyone.

That night in Metropolis, Superman, Batman, and Robin meet to discuss stradegy in handling the Octopus crisis. Superman's hearing picks up an alarm from the Ancient Arts Museum. The trio corner the crooks in the museum. As they are about to capture them, the Crimson Avenger appears. As he shoots his new weapon, a balloon effect ray, he begins to sneeze wildly. The sneezing throws off his aim, causing the ray to hit Superman and Batman. The two heroes become bloated and float helplessly up in the air. The Crimson Avenger apologizes to Robin, stating that he is allergic to the nearby roses. Realizing that the roses are artificial, Robin accuses the Avenger of faking the sneeze. The Crimson Avenger punches Robin and escapes.

Later, after the balloon effect wears off, Superman, Batman, and Robin look for clues in the Elwood's workshop. Batman deduces that Elwood has been captured by the Octopus Gang and replaced by one of its members. The heroes begin to trail the gang by following traces of a broken ink bottle. Meanwhile, in the crooks' hideout, the Octopus orders the false Crimson Avenger to check on Elwood. Moments later, the heroes burst in. The Octopus orders his men to attack, while he runs towards a large wall switch. The Octopus orders the heroes to stop, warning them that the switch will detonate a bomb hidden under Metropolis' streets. Just then, a man dressed in the garb of the Crimson Avenger emerges from the back room weilding a kryptonite ray rifle. He tells the Octopus to have the others tie up Batman and Robin, while he keeps Superman at bay with the kryptonite. When the Octopus removes his hand from the switch, the Crimson Avenger blasts him instead! After the criminals are rounded up, the Crimson Avenger reveals himself to be Elwood! Elwood explains that the phoney Avenger was distracted when the heroes burst in, enabling him to use the knockout gas in his gimmick ring to gain the upper hand. Elwood states that he is hanging up his costume and returning to his inventing career, leaving the crimefighting to them

Weapons and Powers: The Crimson Avenger's arsenal included: a fire-gun which generated an expanding circle of fire; a bubble-gimmick which enabled him to ensnare criminals in a bubble of force; a robot ram's head used to smash cars; a balloon ray which caused a temporary bloating and floating effect; a kryptonite ray rifle; and a gimmick ring containing knockout gas.