The virile, strapping Golden Age Red Tornado was in reality virile, strapping 1940s New York housewife "Ma" Hunkel.

Not long after she acquired her own small grocery store, Ma Hunkel's daughter Sisty was kidnapped by gangsters and, inspired by the exploits of the original Green Lantern, Ma became a costumed hero herself. Even after her daughter was rescued, Ma encountered many circumstances where she could continue to use her costumed identity as the Red Tornado and soon became a force for good in her neighborhood. Sisty and neighbor boy Dinky also joined in the fight as the Cyclone Kids.

Although the Red Tornado was believed to be, from all appearances, a man, she was in actuality one of the very first super-heroines of the 20th Century.

Ma received little or no respect from the other crime-fighters of her day.