Two separate accounts of the Crimson Avenger's origins have been printed which complement each other in some areas, but contradict in others. The first origin story appeared in Secret Origins and was written by Roy Thomas, with art by Gene Colan. Taking place in late October 1938, it depicts Lee Walter Travis, the young publisher of the Globe-Leader, a paper devoted to progressive causes. At a costume ball on Halloween, Travis appears in a "highway robber" costume. This is the night of Orson Welles' famous broadcast of The War of the Worlds and — having gotten advance notice of the radio show — a group of criminals dressed in alien-like costumes takes advantage of the ensuing panic in order to rob the party guests. The villain's murder a young journalist, and Travis is enraged, going after the costumed thieves and exchanging gunfire. Travis drives the thieves into a ditch and disappears before the police arrive, now inspired to become the Crimson Avenger. The use of Orson Welles' War of the Worlds in the story was inspired by the fact that the Crimson Avenger's first comic book appearance was dated Oct 1938, the same month as the radio broadcast.
