Editing Doc Savage (section)

===Doc Savage's aides===
Savage is accompanied on his adventures by up to five other regular characters (referred to in the 1975 movie and in marketing materials from the Bantam Books republication as "The Fabulous Five"), all highly accomplished individuals in their own right.

* [[Lieutenant Colonel]] [[Andrew Blodgett Mayfair|Andrew Blodgett "Monk" Mayfair]], an [[chemist|industrial chemist]]. Monk got his nickname from his [[simian]] build, notably his long arms, and his covering of red hair. He is in a constant state of "friendly feuding" with "Ham" Brooks. This began when his friend taught him some [[French language|French]] words to say to an officer and Monk repeated them, not knowing they were a string of insults. The result was a lengthy stay in the guardhouse.{{citation needed|date=May 2017}}
* [[Brigadier General]] [[Theodore Marley Brooks|Theodore Marley "Ham" Brooks]], an accomplished [[Lawyer|attorney]]. Ham is considered one of the best-dressed men in the world, and as part of his attire, carries a [[sword cane]] whose blade is dipped in a fast-acting [[anesthetic]]. His nickname was acquired when Monk, in retaliation for his guardhouse incarceration, framed Brooks on a charge of stealing hams from the commissary. In the only case which Ham ever lost, he was convicted of stealing the hams.{{citation needed|date=May 2017}}
* [[Colonel]] [[John Renwick (Doc Savage)|John "Renny" Renwick]], a [[civil engineer|construction engineer]]. Renny is a giant of a man, with "fists like buckets of gristle and bone." His favorite pastime is knocking the panels out of heavy wooden doors. He always wears a look of depression, which deepens the happier he grows. His favorite—and frequently used—expression, is "Holy Cow!"{{citation needed|date=May 2017}}
* [[Major (rank)|Major]] [[Thomas J. Roberts|Thomas J. "Long Tom" Roberts]], an [[electrical engineer]]. "Long Tom" got his nickname from using an antiquated cannon of that nickname in the successful defense of a French village in World War I. Long Tom was a sickly-looking character but fought like a wildcat.{{citation needed|date=May 2017}}
* [[William Harper Littlejohn|William Harper "Johnny" Littlejohn]], an [[archaeologist]] and [[geologist]]. Johnny has an impressive vocabulary, never using a small word when a big one could suffice. ("I'll be superamalgamated!" is a favorite expression.) Johnny wore eyeglasses with a magnifying lens over his left eye in early adventures—that eye having been damaged in World War I.<ref name=LostOasis>{{Cite book | first=Kenneth | last=Robeson | url=http://isbndb.com/d/book/the_lost_oasis_a03.html | title=The Lost Oasis: A Doc Savage Adventure | publisher=Bantam Books | year=1965 | isbn=978-0-553-06357-8 | access-date=August 8, 2011 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110918092323/http://isbndb.com/d/book/the_lost_oasis_a03.html | archive-date=September 18, 2011 | url-status=dead }}</ref> Doc later performed corrective surgery that restored Johnny's sight in that eye,<ref name=Manwhoshook>{{Cite book | last=Robeson | first=Kenneth | url=http://isbndb.com/d/book/man_who_shook_the_earth_doc_savage_43.html | title=The Man Who Shook the Earth: A Doc Savage Adventure | publisher=Bantam Books | year=1969 | isbn=978-0-553-04761-5 | access-date=August 8, 2011 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121016140900/http://isbndb.com/d/book/man_who_shook_the_earth_doc_savage_43.html | archive-date=October 16, 2012 | url-status=dead }}</ref> but Johnny retained the magnifier as a monocle for use both as a [[magnifying glass]] and as a memento.

In later stories, Doc's companions become less important to the plot as the stories focus more on Doc. The "missing" characters are explained as working elsewhere, too busy with their own accomplishments to help. Toward the end of the series, usually only Monk and Ham appear with Doc.

Doc's cousin [[Patricia Savage|Patricia "Pat" Savage]], who has Doc's bronze skin, golden eyes, and bronze hair, also is along for many of the adventures, despite Doc's best efforts to keep her away from danger. Pat chafes under these restrictions, or indeed any effort to protect her simply because she is female. She is also able to fluster Doc, even as she completely charms Monk and Ham.{{citation needed|date=May 2017}}