Name: Sea Devils
Universe: Earth-1
First Appearance: Showcase #27

History:
While most of America had its face turned to the skies and the exploration of the stars in the 1960s, the band of adventurers known as the Sea Devils turned their sights to the depths of the world’s seas.

Dane Dorrance was the unofficial leader of the Sea Devils. The son of a highly decorated World War II Navy frogman, young Dane wanted only to prove himself worthy of his father’s respect, and to win the senior Dorrance’s swimming flippers. They were a "trophy’ won by his father from a senior partner for heroic action during the war, and were worn while winning his country’s highest honor. Like a lucky scarf worn by an aviator, the flippers were a coveted sign of honor for frogmen.

To earn this prize, Dorrance set off to single-handedly locate a legendary sunken treasure. On one of his numerous dives to find the sunken galley, Dorrance came to the rescue of a fellow diver, Judy Walton. She too was on the trail of the sunken treasure, although for reasons different than Dorrance’s. An actress, Walton coveted a role in a motion picture to be called Sea Devils, but the picture’s producer wanted a well-known star for the part. Walton reasoned that if she could find the treasure, the publicity would make her famous enough to satisfy the producer’s criteria. With the help of her teenage brother Nicky, she set out to gain fame.

Biff Bailey was also in search of this legendary treasure. Bailey too had reasons beyond the gaining of wealth for his quest: he sought to impress a girl. Though strong as a bull, Bailey was terribly clumsy, especially in front of women. A friend recommended that Bailey take up scuba diving, figuring that learning to handle himself underwater would teach Bailey some grace. It didn’t help him terribly much on land, but he did become a proficient and capable diver.

The four divers joined forces to find and raise the treasure, surviving a bizarre trial by fire full of sea monsters and creatures thought long extinct. After it was all over, the quartet decided to remain together to explore the waters of the world. Judy suggested they utilize the name of the film she would now never appear in, and they set forth as the Sea Devils.

The team stayed together for many years, traveling the Earth’s seas and waterways, exploring deeper and farther into this unknown oceanic depths than any other human beings. Their exploits became global news, and the Sea Devils were the recognized experts in their field.

Research and exploration were not their only activities, however. They spent much of their time battling a bizarre and deadly array of undersea creatures and foes, including Octopus Man, Mr. Neptune, The Human Tidal Wave, Manosaur, Man-Fish, and Captian X, as well as discovering a number of ancient underwater civilizations, many bent on conquest of the air-breathing world above.

The Sea Devils have been in semi-retirement in recent years, each member pursuing his or her own career in oceanography or related fields. Dorrance worked for a time with the Forgotten Heroes and has since returned to solo activities. Should the necessity arise, however, each has agreed to leave whatever he or she is engaged in to heed the call of the seas…and the Sea Devils.