Finally published an audiobook on a character I wanted to record for the longest time. Leo Saint-Claire aka the Nyctalope. Maybe one of the first original vigilanté superheroes was created by Jean de la Hire in the 1900's. In a nutshell
"The Nyctalope, real name Léo Saint-Clair, is a pulp fiction hero created by French writer Jean de La Hire in 1911. He may be the first cyborg (an individual with both organic and mechanical body parts) in literature and is seen as a significant precursor to the superhero genre. The character has an artificial heart and powers such as excellent night vision, which is the source of his name." - source Wikipedia
When you think about it, France seems the be the birthplace of this style of characters starting with the Scarlet Pimpernell conceived by Hungarian-born Emma Orczy in 1899. Unlike The Scarlet Pimpernel, the Nyctalope seems to be one of those forgotten heroes who would have disappeared from view if it wasn't for the English translations by Brian Stableford.
There are fortunately some fan projects on youtube trying to keep the character alive. Maybe I'll make more videos on the old heroes that inspired (or were blatantly ripped by) the super heroes of today.