History
Balthar was a sorcerer and practitioner of black magic during the 1940s. In winter of 1942 he became so fed up with the local children which were harassing him that he left his home to study in solitude upon the nearby Bald Mountain. Seeking to summon the devil to attain ultimate power, Balthar used his magical skills to summon a creature calling itself Satan. Satan granted Balthar more power and the ability to kill with his eyes and gifted him with the Lamp of Evil, in exchange for which Balthar had to become his emissary on Earth and bring him the greatest champion of good. Balthar, grateful of his new master's gifts, agreed to follow his orders. After Satan returned to his realm, Balthar used his crystal ball to conjure up the image of the man his master sought and was surprised to find that it was the costumed hero Captain America and then began a plot to lure the hero to him.[1]
Balthar descended from his mountain solitude and used his death stare to start a murder spree around Camp Lehigh attracting the attention of Captain America and his partner Bucky. Finding that the murder spree was not working fast enough, Balthar found a den of crooks hoping that they would lead him to Captain America. As fate would have it, Cap and Bucky were searching underworld hideouts and happened upon the crooks den shortly after Balthar made his arrival and convinced the gang to work with him. During the fight between Cap, Bucky and the mobsters Balthar left leaving behind his Lamp of Evil. When the fight was over, the Lamp suddenly disappeared in a flash of light, which made the heroes so tired that they camped out in a nearby bait-man's hut. As they slept, Balthar kidnapped Bucky and left a note for Captain America challenging him to a duel for the boys life on Bald Mountain.[1]
Awakening, Cap found the note and rushed after his young sidekick. There, Captain America battled Balthar, and when the villain was losing he attempted to use his death stare on the hero. However, Captain America blocked the sorcerer's gaze with his shield and its reflective surface redirected Balthar's death gaze back upon him, killing him instantly.[1]
However, even in death Balthar completed his part of the bargain: bringing Captain America to Bald Mountain, and here Captain America battle with the creature calling himself Satan, a battle the hero managed to win.[1]