[1] The character is presented as a Harvard-educated lawyer,[2] holding the military rank of brigadier general, and known as a dandy.
He wore spectacles with a magnifying lens for use in field work over his left eye, rendered sightless by a war injury.
In the book Escape from Loki by Philip José Farmer, it is stated that Johnny was in Germany in a civilian capacity when the war broke out.
[2] The character is presented as an industrial chemist, holding the military rank of lieutenant colonel, and physically distinct, described as resembling a great ape.
[1] He is shown to love a good brawl, beautiful women, and needling his friend "Ham" Brooks.
[4] In the story "The Phantom City", Monk purchases an odd-looking pig, described as having long legs, large floppy ears, and sharp teeth, in Bustan for one qirsh.
[2] Long Tom Roberts is one of the characters referred to as "The Fabulous Five", the primary assistants of Doc Savage, and first appears with the full name Thomas J.
[3] Physically he is described as sickly-looking and awkward with a pale complexion, buck teeth, one enormous gold tooth in front, big ears, and a large forehead.
The explanation of his nickname is also given as a result of an event during the war where he help to defend a small European village using an ancient cannon known as a "Long Tom".
In the novel Brand of the Werewolf, Doc Savage learns that his uncle was murdered in the Canadian Northwest forest.
In the debut novel, The Man of Bronze, Doc Savage learns that his father was murdered in Central America.
Clark Savage assembled a team of scientists to train the mind and body of his son to near-superhuman abilities almost from birth, granting Doc Savage great strength and endurance, a photographic memory, a mastery of the martial arts, and vast knowledge of the sciences.
A police report describes her as, "Five feet seven, slender, nice form, tan, golden eyes, hair sort of like dark copper.
[15] In her last pulp appearance, I Died Yesterday, Pat relates, "I turned and walked away, wondering if the miracle that Doc had been working for had happened, and I was cured of my liking for adventure, or whether it was just that I was still scared.
A young Doc and his father search for their patriarch, Stormalong Savage, a merchant mariner, who they believe to be lost on the mysterious Skull Island.