Richard "Buck" Dare was a reporter for the "Tribute", an American newspaper published in England, when he volunteered for a special assignment. Although the US was not yet officially involved in World War Two, it supported the Allies in various ways.

There were some who wanted to go further (as in WW1) when young volunteers joined the French Layette Flying Corps before America entered the fray. Buck Dare was chosen as a modern version of those fliers, attached to the Royal Air Force.

For several months Buck worked with a super-secret organisation called simply the Group, not officially connected with the government. He was given the code name Captain X, going on special missions in an experimental plastic aircraft he called "Jenny."

In Kent, near the Great Chatham Naval base, Captain X had a secret hangar where Jenny was kept and cared for by his friend and grease monkey, Stuffy. It was, of course, reporter Buck Dare who gave the public those stories which could be revealed. His first mission was never disclosed. His last recorded one involved stopping the Nazis using a deadly gas that killed in moments, leaving the victim with a hideous grin. It is believed it was similar to the Joker-venom.

Shortly after America entered the War, Buck was transferred to new duties, operating behind enemy lines. First, however, he spent a short time on leave in Atlantic City. There he met a young woman named Patricia, and they had a torrid affair. Buck went back to Europe unaware that Patricia was pregnant.

Patricia found love with Theodore Rockwell, who cared enough for her to accept Dare's son as his own. So, when Buck returned in 1945, he found Patricia happily married with a 2 year old son he didn't know was his.

Soon the cold war caused the Group to reactivate Captain X - known during the war by the code name "Aviator" - now began secret operations behind the iron curtain. He formed a group called the X Protocol.

In time, age caused Dare to quit and disband the protocol. In 1972 he heard of Patricia's death, apparently due to uncertainty about her son who had vanished, being given a new identity under the FBI's witness protection program. Blaming the son for the mother's death, Buck found he was now known as Ed Raymond, and his son was Ronald Raymond (who would become Firestorm). When he went after Ed, Buck discovered the truth - that he was his son.

Captain X was unintentionally killed in battle by Stalnoivolk.