Who Is Underdog? Origin, Powers and Key Facts

Underdog is a American Mythology Productions comic book character, the alter ego of Shoeshine, with over 64 comic issue appearances. Created in 1960 for the General Mills company by the Dancer Fitzgerald Sample advertising agency, Underdog is a staple of the children's comic/cartoons, famous for collateral damage and power pills.

Who is Underdog?

Voiced by comic actor Wally Cox, Underdog always spoke in rhyme. Although the lead character was a clear parody of Superman, his series found a devoted following for a while due to its charm, its subtle satiric jabs at the politics of the day, and its love of unabashed puns. (For example, one foe was a race of flying saucer-shaped robots with the ability to cast magical spells: naturally, they were called 'Flying Sorcerors'.) In order to encourage children to take their vitamins, many episodes would have a moment when an overwhelmed Underdog would chant the following: "The secret compartment of my ring I fill with an Underdog Super-Energy Pill!' Then he'd pop open his ring's secret compartment, swallow the pill, and find himself with a brief power-up. During the series original runs, many small children would recite that same chant just before taking their own nightly vitamin pill. Unfortunately, over the years, this pro-vitamin tablet sequence was reinterpreted as involving illicit drugs, and so many reruns of the series now edit out that moment.

Key facts

Underdog is of animal origin. The character is published by American Mythology Productions. With 64 recorded issue appearances, Underdog ranks among the most featured characters in comics.