This He-Man made his sole appearance in a one-shot comic book titled TALLY-HO COMICS. This book was published by Baily Publishing Company back in December 1944.
It seems that Sampson Hercules Muckles was a strong yet simple man from Snood, North Dakota. In fact, he's strong enough to physically move a house from one location to another -- all on his own. According to this story, Muckes is the guy with a thousand muscles. It's even rumored that he's made entirely of muscle -- except for the bone in his head!
At the age of 25, Muckles was the last surviving male in his family. His grandmother sent for him to take over his dead uncle's business, He-Man, Inc. He-Man, Inc., is a special school that helps men develop moral and physical stamina.
For reasons that make no sense, Muckles is unable to touch metal. It gives him goose-pimples. Fortunately, his grandmother has a special talisman that she keeps hidden away in the handle of her umbrella, which takes away his weakness to metal. Now that Muckles' weakness to metal has been overcome, he proudly adopts He-Man as his name.
Which is a good thing, because Grandma Muckles is suddenly attacked by a couple of mobsters with a gun. It seems that Grandma Muckles accidentally took the mobsters' umbrella the other day and they want something that's hidden away in it badly. Fortunately, He-Man can move houses. So dispatching two mobsters in two panels is pretty easy!
It seems that the umbrella handle that He-Man was carrying around contained the combination code for a safe. which means that He-Man has more than enough strength to take care of himself, with or without his grandmother's magic talisman!
I really love the idea of a public domain He-Man. I just really don't like this public domain He-Man. Which is a shame, because I really wanted to like this public domain He-Man!! This He-Man is a simple hick from the Midwest. I really would like to take the character and re-shape him a little bit. I would take the essentials of the character, but play him a little more seriously.