Casey the Crime Photographer

First Appearance (comics): Casey, Crime Photographer #1 (August 1949).
Appearances: Casey, Crime Photographer #1-4.
Years Active: 1950s.

Casey is a fast-talking, rough-edged, roughed-up, rumpled crime photographer ("the smartest, toughest news cameraman in the business") with a nose for trouble. He's a Boston Irishman, burly and hot-tempered but good at getting the job done. He keeps a .38 and a bottle of whiskey in his desk drawer, and is as tough with his fists and as good with his gun as he is good with his camera. He splits his time between doing his job and actually solving crimes. Although he solves the cases he gets involved in, Lieutenant (sometimes Detective Captain) Logan and Sergeant Manahan of the Boston Police Department hate his involvement in cases. Casey is accompanied by Ann Williams, a writer for Casey's newspaper and Flash's (possible) love interest; she's smart, experienced, tough, good with a gun, and not incapable of the occasional snappy one-liner. Casey works for Editor Burke, a Perry White-lookalike. Casey is not above going undercover in a gang in order to crack a big case and get a scoop; as often as not he is the cause of a crime being solved as the one arriving afterwards to take pictures. (That's Casey and Anne in the picture.)

Note: A spin-off of the popular Crime Photographer tv show (starring Darren McGavin), Casey's actual source was Flashgun Casey, the crime photographer tough guy character who originally appeared in Black Mask magazine but proved popular enough to star in pulp short stories, novels, movies, radio, and tv shows.

Note: Ronald Byrd notes that the "Human Torch vs. Namor" saga revealed that the Human Torch (I), Sub-Mariner, the The Angel, the Patriot, and Ka-Zar knew each other, but also that they were friends with a journalist named Casey.  To continuity geeks like me this means that it's at least possible if not likely that Casey is in fact in continuity and that he knew these heroes during the 1940s.

Note: Ronald also notes that Casey's police contact is Lieutenant Logan, and that Wolverine has ID that claims he is Detective Logan of the Nassau County P.D. in New York State. Of course, Casey is active in Boston, but who's to say that Logan never served in Boston?

Useful Casey Site

Flashgun Casey From the oh-so-useful Thrilling Detective site.