The origins of the criminal known as the Black Shark are largely unknown.  He was first encountered in mid-1940 when, known as the Lone Shark, he engaged in piracy operations of the Eastern Seaboard of the United States.  His primary modus operandi was to bring his sub alongside a cargo ship, attach via suction and then exit his sub in diving gear to enter the ship through a normal access point like a porthole.  There he quickly looted what he could and fled.  His activities eventually crossed the path of the Red Torpedo, a new adventurer operating in the same area. After encounters with the new hero became a source of considerable nuisance,  the pirate challenges him to a duel, intending to mine the meeting area and rid himself of the Torpedo once and for all.  To the Shark’s dismay, passing fish trigger the mines, allowing the Red Torpedo to get through.  After defeating two more of the Shark’s tricks, the Torpedo catches up to his sub and ultimately, engages in fisticuffs with the villain directly.  The older man is no match for the military-trained Torpedo and is quickly defeated and turned over to the authorities at the Norfolk Naval Base (Crack Comics #5).

The Shark soon escaped and engages in more acts of treasure hinting along the Eastern seaboard.  He discovers a race of beast men living in the deep caverns at war with a race of underwater warrior women known as Mermazons.  He attempts to aid them in their conquest of the Mermazons until he is defeated by the Red Torpedo (Crack Comics #7).  While the Shark was a ruthless adversary, he did have a grudging respect for his opponent, even once using black oil screen to help the Red Torpedo defeat an operation by Axis ships off America’s coast (Crack Comics #8).

As World War II began in earnest, the Shark – now known exclusively as the Black Shark – became a mercenary agent for Axis interests.  The includes collaboration with both European (Crack Comics #10, 18-20) and Pacific (Crack Comics #13-17) Axis interests.  One of the major activities of the Shark’s operations with the Axis was provision of high-end equipment.  This include a ship shaped like a whale (Crack Comics #14), amphibious tanks (Crack Comics #16) and cryogenic technology applied to their ships (Crack Comics #19).  While generally respected, the Shark was seen as a hireling and at times was betrayed or undermined by his Axis partners (Crack Comics #13).

The last recorded case with the Black Shark was in 1942.  What his activities were once the Red Torpedo left Earth-Two and whether he was countered by other water-borne adventurers such as Aquaman or Neptune Perkins is unknown.  A middle-aged man in 1940, it seems unlikely he survived into the 21^st century and what became of his armamentarium has not been revealed.