Compton Moore (Street & Smith)

The Shadow of Wall Street

Gallery

Real Name

Compton Moore

Current Alias

The Shadow of Wall Street

Identity

Secret

Alignment

Good

Affiliation

Moore & Calhoun

Base Of Operations

New York City

Characteristics

Gender

Male

Eyes

Nondescript

Unusual Features

His eyes are said to fluctuate from matte to shiny.

Status

Citizenship

American

Marital Status

Single

Occupation

stockbroker

Origin

Origin

Creators

Frank S. Lawton

First appearance

Last appearance

Fame and Fortune Magazine (February 1929)

Fame and Fortune Magazine (February 1929)

History

When Compton Moore discovered for himself the crookedness of Wall Street shortly after partnering with Hiram Calhoun, he resolved to study the corruption and find a way to curtail it. He soon learned that his own partner was also tainted when Calhoun wanted their firm to take on an illegitimate transaction.

Moore managed to keep their firm from taking on the transaction, but Calhoun took it on himself in his own private dealings. (Likely referring to the secret market manipulations of the financier cabal whom Moore challenged in the story.) Moore, with his confessed flair for melodrama, adopted the guise of The Shadow of Wall Street and sought to sabotage Calhoun and his cabal's schemes while providing insider knowledge about the stocks they sought to manipulate so that the small-time investors they planned to steal from made away with small fortunes.

Moore's identity as The Shadow was eventually discovered by John Hayden, a young aspirant hired on as Moore and Calhoun's secret secretary. When Hayden revealed his knowledge of Moore's secret after The Shadow struck a final blow against the cabal's schemes, Moore announced to Hayden alone that he was retiring from his run as The Shadow and returning his full attention to running his and Calhoun's business.

Powers and Abilities

Powers

None

Abilities

• Disguises: The Shadow wears a business suit similar to other stock brokers that often changes colors. His only distinguishing costume piece is a gray cloth with eyeholes that he drapes over his head as a mask.

• Investment and Insider Knowledge
  

Paraphernalia

Equipment: None known.
Transportation:

• Sports automobile
  

Weapons: None

Notes

• Compton's The Shadow doesn't possess stealth powers. Instead, he relies on his natural speed and his environment to appear and disappear. This gives The Shadow a reputation as a ghost, though he is anything but.
• The Shadow never speaks. His only noted interaction with another character was a firm gesture.
  

Trivia

• Compton's The Shadow is similar to the Lamont Cranston's The Shadow only in his eerie laugh and his stealth. Though Walter Gibson and John Nanovic deny that Frank Lawton's The Shadow did not influence their version of the character, he is still perceived as a precursor.

See Also

• Appearances of Compton Moore (Street & Smith)
• Character Gallery: Compton Moore (Street & Smith)
• Quotations by Compton Moore (Street & Smith)