Charlton Comics version
The original Charlton character was Johnny Mann, a scrawny but courageous reporter for an international news syndicate who had lost a leg while serving during the Korean War. Covering a bloody civil war on the Mediterranean island of Cyprete, he complained aloud while standing in the ruins of an ancient temple that the gods play with men's lives while leaving them defenseless against the forces of war and crime.
Taking offense, the Roman gods transported him to Mount Olympus where he was put on trial before Jupiter, all-powerful king of the gods, for his impudence. The war god Mars argued for his immediate destruction, but Vulcan, lame-legged god of fire and forge, spoke up in his defense, and Venus, goddess of love, agreed with Vulcan. In the end, bonding with the orphaned newsman over their similar disabilities, Vulcan agreed to adopt Johnny and share with him god-like powers that would help him fight injustice in the mortal world.[2]
By calling on Vulcan's aid, Johnny would transform into a superhuman demigod, whole again and mightily muscled and clad in indestructible Roman-style armor and shield with the power to summon both fire and powerful ancient weapons from his adopted father's forge. However, it was the judgment of Jupiter that his powers could be removed from him at any time if the gods ever decided he was unworthy of them. Mars often plots against him to make him lose favor with Jupiter or destroy him and was exiled from Olympus for this.
As the Son of Vulcan, Johnny had several adventures where he battled both a jealous Mars and the Asian arch-criminal Dr. Kong (the so-called "meanest man alive" who resembled a cross between Fu Manchu and Dracula) but remained a little-known hero.
During the "Crisis on Infinite Earths" storyline, Son of Vulcan is seen on New Earth fighting the Anti-Monitor's Shadow Demons. He vanishes from existence after the Anti-Monitor is defeated.[3]
DC Comics version
During the War of the Gods storyline, the Roman gods intend for Son of Vulcan (now known on Olympus as Halciber Filius, a Latinized version of his name, and endowed with all their divine powers rather than just those of Vulcan) to be their champion against the Greek gods' champion, Wonder Woman. However, he refuses, with Captain Marvel being chosen in his stead. Son of Vulcan investigates the cause of the war and meets Harmonia, daughter of the Greek god Ares. The two learn that the war was part of a plan by the sorceress Circe to gain absolute power. Son of Vulcan and Harmonia fall in love, but are killed in battle. Vulcan personally escorts their souls to Elysium.
