Historic Formation of the All-Star Squadron

December 7th, 1941 was "a date which will live in infamy" as Franklin D. Roosevelt said, as the Japanese fleet launched an attack on Pearl Harbor, bringing the United States into World War II.

But, how did that date go in a fictional world where Superman was active since June, 1938, Batman since May, 1939, and there was a teams of heroes like the Justice Society of America and the Seven Soldiers of Victory?

So It Begins

That question was answered starting with Justice League of America #193 (August, 1981) in a special preview comic, by Roy Thomas, Rich Buckler, Dick Giordano and Jerry Ordway, as readers saw Flash, Green Lantern and Wonder Woman race and be captured by Solomon Grundy; Sandman, Johnny Thunder and Starman be taken down by the Sky Pirate; Dr. Fate and the Spectre be defeated by Fate's foe, Wotan; Superman, Batman and Robin be defeated by the Alchemist, Professor Zodiak) while opening a USO function; but, Hawkman, Atom and Dr. Mid-Nite were able to defeat their foe, the attacking Monster (all while being watched by a man in a trenchcoat).  If there was trouble on this day (December 7th, 1941), who could FDR call?  (The answer would be, "The All-Star Squadron", but they didn't exist yet.).

The Team Forms

Answers came in All-Star Squadron #1 (September, 1981 by Roy Thomas, Rich Buckler and Jerry Ordway), as Pearl Harbor was being attacked, Hawkman learned of the JSA's capture, fighting off King Bee with Plastic Man, and Dr. Mid-Nite and the Atom meet the man in the trenchcoat, the original Robotman, and the lot head to the White House as people begin to think of "The World On Fire".

Heroes Johnny Quick and Liberty Belle (who are reporters in their alter egos, and were both present during events chronicled in the Justice League issue as Johnny Chambers and Libby Lawrence) meet outside the White House as Hawkman and FDR decide to gather all heroes to find out what's going on....and the villain of the piece, time traveler Per Degaton. is revealed to the reader while he attacks the Shining Knight (of the Seven Soldiers of Victory) with his villainous minions.

Taking Action

The newly formed All-Star Squadron head west (adding Quality heroine, Phantom Lady as well), as Per Degaton, "The Tyrant Out Of Time" works on attacking San Francisco with the villains he had recruited from 1947, as Degaton figures this will get the USA to attack Japan first, allowing him to take over the world...and the newly formed All-Star Squadron defeat the villains (with them going back to their own time) and freeing the captive Justice Society of America, Shining Knight and Danette Reilly (who had been exposed to mystic forces and volcanic gas) in All-Star Squadron #2 and #3 (October and November, 1981 by Roy Thomas, Rich Buckler and Jerry Ordway), and the heroes begin to get an idea of "The Dooms Of Dark December".

Grim Reality

The All-Star Squadron, whose members include all the heroes mentioned above, get a look at the results of the attack on Pearl Harbor by flying there on December 8th, 1941 in All-Star Squadron #4 (December, 1981 by Roy Thomas, Rich Buckler and Jerry Ordway) in the "Day Of The Dragon King"....the heroes had planned to go to Japan immediately, but a new villain, the Dragon King, is introduced, who uses the supernatural power of items like the Holy Grail, and Spear of Destiny to create a mystical shield that affects supernatural and otherworldly powered heroes like Dr. Fate, Spectre, Johnny Thunder, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman and even Superman, making them work for the Axis forces, forcing the heroes to all retreat...and let the war be fought in conventional ways, as Danette Reilly learns her brother Rod was injured at Pearl Harbor.

In All-Star Squadron #5 (January, 1982 by Thomas, Buckler and Ordway), Danette learns her brother was the non-powered hero, Firebrand, now unable to be Firebrand for a time thanks to injury, and learns she received flame powers thanks to her time, takes over his mystery man name, and joins the All-Star Squadron in fighting a new menace, the Feathered Serpent, who is working with the Nazis...


...continuing the story, and adding Hawkman's girlfriend, Hawkgirl, into the mix as well....

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Continuing the Fight 

The heroes continued the fight against the Axis on the homefront, as All-Star Squadron lasted 67 issues (and 3 Annuals), eventually adding most of the Golden Age heroes to its roster (and covering comic history to about April, 1942).  The series also filled in DC history, exploring what happened to the Quality heroes on December 7th (and how they went to another Earth, stopping the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, allowing the Nazis to win World War II....and forming the Freedom Fighters under Uncle Sam), as well as adding to the history of Earth-2, and the Justice Society of America (including future members Hawkman's partner Hawkgirl,  Sandman's partner Sandy, Wildcat, Mr. Terrific and Robin), the Seven Soldiers of Victory, and even other Golden Age characters like Johnny Quick, Liberty Belle, Robotman and Plastic Man...

...with later additions to the team, like Tarantula, the Guardian, TNT and Dan the Dyna-Mite, Air Wave, Manhunter, Zatara, Sargon, Mr. America, Midnight, the Whip, Dr. Occult, and even World War II heroes created later, like Steel (renamed Commander Steel after the assistance of the All-Star Squadron in freeing him from Baron Blitzkreig), as well as new heroes like Firebrand and Amazing Man, and facing off against the Marvel Family and the Monster Society Of Evil...

...but it all started on one day, and the machinations of Per Degaton.

DC Invasion Crossovers Extra

Invasion aftermath...and a few extra secrets of the Invasion! as well.



Not every part of the Invasion! was covered in official crossovers, or its own 3 issues, and here are a few of the secret tales that filled in a few holes in Invasion!, and helped to place a few missing members of the DC Universe in one of its biggest events.

Suicide Squad and Titans

In Suicide Squad #23 (January, 1989 by John Ostrander, Kim Yale, Luke McDonnell and Karl Kesel), had Bronze Tiger, Vixen and Duchess facing the Warlords of Okaara and Thanagarians in Russia with the Rocket Red Brigade, Nemesis and Captain Boomerang fighting Khunds in Australia, and the introduction of computer guru Oracle (off-panel).  With New Titans #52 (January, 1989 by Marv Wolfman, George Perez and Bob McLeod), Speedy and Danny Chase were trying to find Titans to help in the Invasion! while the active members of the team (including Nightwing, Cyborg, Starfire, Jericho, Changling and Raven) were in space, finding out the history of Donna Troy/Wonder Girl.

Hawk and Dove and Power Company?

One of those Titans still on Earth, was the original Hawk (Hank Hall), and he participated in the Invasion! with his new partner, the new female Dove as seen in Hawk and Dove #1 (June, 1989 by Barbara and Karl Kesel, Greg Guler and Scott Hanna), filling in a little of their cameo in Invasion! #2.  Metropolis lawyer, Josiah Power, who would form the Power Company, got his powers from his metagene triggered by the gene-bomb detonated in Invasion!, and there were a few flashbacks to that time in Power Company Josiah Power #1 (March, 2002, by Kurt Busiek, Keith Giffen and Al Milgrom).

First Strike Aftermath

You may have noticed on the crossovers in the previous two articles that the crossovers were labeled either "First Strike" or "Aftermath".  For reading order, you read the First Strike issues between Invasion! #1 and #2, and the Aftermath issues between Invasion! #2 and #3, with reading the title crossovers with Flash first, then Manhunter; Superman first, then Adventures of Superman; Wonder Woman before Captain Atom; Firestorm the Nuclear Man before Starman; with Suicide Squad and Hawk & Dove happening between Invasion! #2 and #3, and New Titans and Power Company Josiah Power dealing with the Invasion! in general (but more or less around/before Invasion! #2).  

Atom and Superman

After the Invasion!, Atom (Ray Palmer) declined to rejoin the Justice League in Power of the Atom #9 (February, 1989 by Roger Stern, Graham Nolan and Keith Wilson) even as the team's membership was swelling (mostly as he didn't like Guy Gardner).  Superman had held to his promise and left Earth, with stories starting a lengthy outer space adventure, starting with Superman #28 (February, 1989 by Roger Stern, Kerry Gammill and Brett Breeding) and Adventures of Superman #451 (February, 1989 by Jerry Ordway).

Action Comics Weekly

Where was the crossover for one of DC's oldest titles, Action Comics?  Well, from May 24th, 1988 to March 14th, 1989, it was Action Comics Weekly, featuring short tales in serial form, featuring Superman and other members of the DC Universe.  The characters in ACW weren't left out of Invasion!, as Green Lantern, Black Canary, the Demon, Phantom Stranger, Deadman and Speedy were in various of the crossover issues....and Wild Dog even had a cameo in a panel in Invasion! #2!

L.E.G.I.O.N. and Justice League Europe

In the wake of widening of the DC Universe, there were a few new titles added to the line up, coming from Invasion!.  Starting with L.E.G.I.O.N. '89 # 1 (February, 1989 by Keith Giffen, Alan Grant, Barry Kitson and Mike DeCarlo), following the adventures of some of the aliens we met during Invasion! including Coluan Vril Dox, rock hard Dryadian Strata, mystery alien Stealth, Cairn police Garryn Bek, "the Durlan" and Talok VIII planetary champion Lyrissa Mallor (and, following their adventures showed ties to Brainiac, and later, the 30th Century Legion of Super Heroes!).  The JLI formed a European branch (rolling out from Justice League International #24) in Justice League Europe #1 (April, 1989 by Keith Giffen, J. M. DeMatteis, Bart Sears and Pablo Marcos), with new (or rejoining) members of Elongated Man, Rocket Red, Wonder Woman, Animal Man, Flash (Wally West), Metamorpho and Power Girl under the leadership of Captain Atom (who had strained his relationship with the rest of the JLI due to his history).

Even Snapper Carr (an honorary JLAer from the team's first appearance, who got powers in Invasion! #1), and a group of humans who also got powers (Dexter Fairfax, Moshe Levy/Dust Devil, Mrs. Levy, Amos Monroe/Crackpot, Fritz Klein/Frag, Carlotta Rivera/Jolt, and added cat alien, Churl Jenkins were the group called the Blasters, got a one-shot special, the Blasters Special #1 (1989) by Peter David, James Fry and Robert Campanella.  Their outer space adventures continued in the Valor title, and Snapper later reappeared in Hourman in the early 21st Century (eventually relating the fate of the Blasters).

Better still, the Suicide Squad story was recently reprinted in Suicide Squad: Rogues in 2016, the New Titans story reprinted in New Titans: Who Is Donna Troy tradepaperback of 2005 , and Justice League Europe #1 can be found in Justice League International tradepaperback #5 of 2011, so it should be easy to find these stories, along with the tales around them to add more meaning!

DC Invasion Crossovers Part 2

Invasion! was a three issue limited series by DC Comics in the later 1980s that crossed over with many of its titles.


Already covered some of them last time, here's the rest of the bannered crossovers of the time.

Firestorm

Firestorm was, at this time, a hero with his own mind, coming from the merging of Ronnie Raymond and Mikhail Arkadin (Martin Stein was not known to be part of the matrix at this time).  In Firestorm The Nuclear Man #80 (1988 by Robert Greenberger, Tom Grindberg and Sam DeLaRosa), Firestorm was recruited (along with his similarly nuclear powered friend, Firehawk) and Power Girl to battle Khunds (freeing Starman along the way), and the lot work to free America's first spaceman, Adam Strange (which happens in Starman #5).  In Firestorm The Nuclear Man #81 (January, 1989, by John Ostrander, Tom Grindberg, Arne Starr and Sam DeLaRosa), Firestorm returns to his normal life, but ends up reforming in Russia to help hero group Soyuz (young Russian heroes with mutant powers) fight Stalnoivok (a villain of extreme strength, who has gone mad battling aliens).

Atom

Ray Palmer was fighting his time traveling foe, Chronos, when the Invasion! hit.  The shrinking hero formed an alliance with Chronos in Power of the Atom #7 (Holiday, 1988, by Roger Stern, Graham Nolan and Keith Stan Wilson). freeing humans trapped by the Khunds. In Power Of The Atom #8 (January, 1989,  by Stern, Nolan and Wilson), Atom checks on the world's repair efforts (meeting Green Lantern along the way), finds that Chronos ended their truce by killing a Thanagarian Wingman (Ray thinking for a second it might be his friend, Hawkman), and goes to confront his foe as something bad happens for Earth (resolved in Invasion! #3).

New Guardians

The New Guardians were heroes that came out of the last DC crossover, Millennium, and were a group of heroes (Ram, Gloss, Floro, Extrano, Harbinger and not pictured, Jet) who, working with former Green Lanterns Arisia and Kilowog, faced the Warlords of Okaara in New Guardians #6 (Holiday, 1988 by Cary Bates, Joe Staton and Mark Farmer) with fatal results for a member of the team.  In New Guardians #7 (February, 1989 by Bates, Staton and Farmer), the team splits up to deal with the loss, and team sorceror, Extrano, gains a crystal skull to focus his power.

Doom Patrol

A later incarnation of the Doom Patrol, with original members Robotman and the Chief, and newer members temperature controlling Celsius, Negative Woman (similar powers to Negative Man), energy blasting Tempest, magnetic Lodestone and fiery Scott Fischer work with alien foe of the Patrol, Garguax (who was not invited into the Alien Alliance) against the Gil'Dishpan, to save Atlantis (along with help from Aquaman, Aqualad and the Sea Devils) in Doom Patrol #17 (1988 by Paul Kupperberg, Graham Nolan and Timothy Dzon), with the team losing a new member.  In Doom Patrol #18 (January, 1989, by Kupperberg, Nolan and Dzon), the team deals with the loss, as former Negative Man Larry Trainor is injured in a crash, and Negative Woman Valentina Volstok loses her powers, as the rest of the team gathers for the funeral for their fallen comrade (and leads into Invasion! #3, where another new member also perishes).

Batman and Spectre

Batman was recruited to battle Thanagarians, Durlans and Khunds in Cuba by Maxwell Lord in Detective Comics #595 (1988, by Alan Grant, John Wagner, Irv Novick and Steve Mitchell), and the Spectre kept the supernatural members of the DCU (Madame Xanadu, Deadman, Demon, Dr. Fate, Phantom Stranger, Tala and Zatanna) out of the conflict (with one exception, as seen in Invasion! #2), in Spectre #23 (Holiday, 1988 by Doug Moench and Chris Wozniak).

Superman

Superman had his two issues after Invasion! #2, the Aftermath issues, starting with Superman #27 (January, 1989 by Roger Stern, Kerry Gammill and Brett Breeding) with an exhausted Clark Kent (Superman), getting some rest, while Gangbuster goes to attack Luthor (who is protected by Brainiac, though not that well, as Brainiac went into a coma trying to read Gangbuster's mind), then Gangbuster is confronted by the Guardian, who finds out that Gangbuster is.... next in Adventures of Superman #450 (January, 1989), revealing who this Gangbuster really is, and leading Superman to decide that it is too dangerous for him to stay on Earth (and we also see the prototype Supergirl, Matrix, with the Kents in this issue).  Superman prepares to leave Earth (but events lead him back for Invasion! #3).

Justice League International

The current Justice League is pretty busy fighting Khunds with Wonder Woman, so Mr. Miracle's assistant, Oberon and future hero, Booster Gold, are left to defend their HQ in  Justice League International #22 (1988, by Keith Giffen, J. M. DeMatteis, Kevin Maquire and Josef Rubinstein) from miniaturized Khunds.  The team regathers in Invasion! #2, plus many other heroes, and in Justice League International #23 (January, 1989 by Giffen, DeMatties, Maquire and Rubinstein), sees the gathering of the Injustice League (Big Sir, Cluemaster, Major Disaster, Multi-Man and Clock King, and the not pictured Mighty Bruce) form to raid a Khund ship, with disastrous results (for the Injustice League), facing Guy Gardner (then, onto Invasion! #3, and meeting more heroes).

The invasion had ended, and the pieces needed to be picked up....and they were in Justice League International #24 (February, 1989), with an expansion of the current JLI of Blue Beetle, Fire, Guy Gardner, Ice, Batman, Mr. Miracle, Captain Atom, Rocket Red, Booster Gold and Martian Manhunter), into a new team with Elongated Man, Wonder Woman, Power Girl, Animal Man, Metamorpho and Flash (Wally West) (and Hawkman and Hawkwoman leaving).....with more on that to follow, and of these stories, only the Justice League Internationals have been collected so far (#22 in their 3rd TPB, and #23 and #24 in their 4th)!

But, wait!  There is more!

DC Invasion Crossovers Part 1

Invasion! was a three issue mini series in 1988, by Keith Giffen, Bill Mantlo, Todd McFarlane, P. Craig Russell, Al Gordon, Josef Rubinstein, Tom Christopher, and Bart Sears, covering a gathering of the Alien Alliance (headed by the Dominators) to unite against the heroes of Earth.

The first issue was devoted entirely to the Alien Alliance, and the kidnapping of humans from Earth to be tested for a genetic anomaly....which some people on Earth were found to have, that allowed them to manifest super human abilities when hit with extreme stress or danger.

This first issue set the stage for First Strike and Aftermath (the second and third issues of the series), as well as the two issues of individual titles of the heroes of the DC Universe, some of which are detailed below.

Flash

The Flash of Invasion! was Wally West, who, being Kid Flash until the supposed death of his mentor, Barry Allen, fought on as the Flash.  Flash fought the Durlans (shape-changing aliens) in Cuba, where his father (Rudolph West) was also hiding in Flash #21 (1988), and Flash #22 (January, 1989), in issues by William Messner-Loebs, Greg LaRocque and Larry Mahlstedt, and Flash also worked with the Manhunter.

Manhunter

Manhunter was a man named Mark Shaw, who worked for the Manhunters (precursors to the Green Lantern Corps), but turned against them, and became a bounty hunter of super-villains.  Manhunter was paid by Wally's mom to go down to Cuba to help Wally (thus he also ended up fighting the Durlans as well, using his training and energy baton) in issues of Manhunter #8 (Holiday 1988) and #9 (January, 1989) by Kim Yale, John Ostrander, Frank Springer and Pablo Marcos, in tales intertwined with those of Flash and Invasion!

Checkmate

Ordinary men had to step up during the Invasion, and the knights of the secret government organization, Checkmate! were as likely as any to do the job.  Checkmate #11 (Holiday, 1988) dealt with humans working with the aliens to unseat the government in England, while Checkmate #12 (February, 1989) dealt with the knights keeping Cape Canaveral safe (and dealing with the Dominators last assault on mankind) in two stories by Paul Kupperberg, Steve Erwin and Al Vey.

Animal Man and Swamp Thing

Animal Man (the man with animal powers) and Swamp Thing (a powerful Earth Elemental both got a little involvement in the battle.  In Animal Man #6 (Holiday 1988 by Grant Morrison, Chas Troug and Doug Hazlewood), Buddy Baker (a.k.a Animal Man) faced off against a Thanagarian warrior and artist, with a little help from Hawkman, while Swamp Thing #81 (Holiday, 1988, by Rick Veitch and Alfredo Alcala) didn't have Swamp Thing in it (as the Dominators sent him away the issue before, fearing their plant-based technology would be vulnerable to a plant elemental), and this issue dealt with his wife, Abby Cable, dealing with a widowed alien.

Superman

Superman had two monthly titles at this time, so we deal with the First Strike issues of his here.  In Superman #26 (1988 by Roger Stern, Kerry Gammill and Brett Breeding), Superman dealt with the supernatural menace of Baron Sunday, as well as attacks by the Thanagarians and the machinations of Luthor and Brainiac, with Captain Atom looking for Superman, but only finding the Guardian (and a new Gangbuster emerging to help people in Metropolis as well).  In Adventures of Superman #449 (1988, by Jerry Ordway and Dennis Janke), Guardian fights Gangbuster while looking for Superman, finding the man of steel but losing Gangbuster.  Jimmy Olsen helps out, getting Superman to Captain Atom, and leading him to meet with the Dominators (and leading into Invasion! #2).

Wonder Woman

Wonder Woman is recruited to help by Black Canary in Wonder Woman #25 (1988 by George Perez, Chris Marrinan and Will Blyberg), helping the Justice League International against the warrior Khunds, while in Wonder Woman #26 (January, 1989, also by Perez, Marrinan and Blyberg), Wonder Woman works with Captain Atom and Etta Candy to free Steve Trevor from the shape-changing Durlans.

Captain Atom

Nuclear powered hero wrapped in an alien metal shell, Captain Atom, is recruited by the U.S. government to head up the response to the aliens in Captain Atom #24 (1988, by Cary Bates, Greg Weisman, Pat Broderick and Romeo Tanghal), with the JLI's Maxwell Lord, the Suicide Squad's Amanda Waller and General Wale Eiling (secretly of the Captain Atom Project), and they find a Durlan spy disguised as Steve Trevor in their midst (leading back into Invasion! and the later Wonder Woman story).  In Captain Atom #25 (January, 1989, by Bates, Weisman, Broderick and Robert Smith), the heroes celebrate what they thought was a victory until situation change (leading into Invasion! #3).

Starman

Will Payton was a man struck by a beam from outer space, allowing him to control his density, fly and limited shape-change, which he used to become the hero, Starman.  Dealing with a group of powered people called the Power Elite, Starman is recruited into the Invasion in Starman #5 (Holiday, 1988 by Roger Stern, Tom Lyle and Robert Smith), after being kidnapped by a Durlan, and then fighting Khunds with Firestorm, Firehawk and Power Girl.  Then, after Invasion! #2, in Starman #6 (January, 1989 by Stern, Lyle and Smith), Will is part of clean-up duty across the world, along with Green Lantern, Atom, Power Girl and Blue Beetle, and runs into the Power Elite again as time for Earth runs out....

Invasion continues...

...and the 3 issue mini-series is collected in tradepaperback, with Animal Man's issue in the Animal Man TPB of 1991, Swamp Thing in Swamp Thing: Infernal Triangles TPB of 2007, and the Superman tales would make it into a Superman: The Man of Steel Volume 11 (if there is to be one), and the Wonder Woman issues would be in the second Wonder Woman by George Perez Omnibus due out in 2017, with the rest of the tales presented here needing collection.....

....and more tales to follow in a new column!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Seems odd for Superboy to spoil a meal, but that's what happened in Superboy #59 (September, 1957) with this cover by Al Plastino.

In the story, "Superboy's Underground Exile", by Otto Binder and Al Plastino, Superboy started to only travel underground after a missile test near Fort Knox.  Soon after, Superboy spends his time searching for gold....and he did this, distracting people into thinking the missile made him radioactive, to replace the gold in Fort Knox, which he accidentally turned to lead (and wanted to prevent a worldwide panic).

Two other stories in this issue as well, one where Superboy meets an adult Luthor (as "Superboy Meets Amazing Man" by Jerry Coleman and John Sikela) which is contradicted by later stories that place Superman and Luthor at the same age (and it is in Adventure Comics #271 of April, 1960 where the teenage Luthor first turned to crime), and another story, "The Super-Dreams of Superbaby" with art by John Sikela, wherein Superboy has to go to the moon to fix a note he left there back when he was a baby, or risk revealing his identity as Clark Kent!

Such adventures are what we're thankful for!  Happy Thanksgiving!

Aliens of Invasion

Invasion!

Something to be feared, when coming from beyond our Earth, and DC's heroes dealt with this threat decades ago (and will be dealing with it again on their live action CW shows).

Hard to tell your invaders without a scorecard, so here's a few facts to help you keep the Alien Alliance members straight.

Dominators

This group first appeared in Adventure Comics #361 (October, 1967), though, it would likely have been the descendants of the one Earth's heroes would face, as the Dominators seen there were in the time of the Legion of the Super-Heroes, one thousand years past the publication date of the issue by Jim Shooter, Curt Swan and Jim Mooney.  The Legion faces the "Unkillables", descendants of some of Earth's most notorious killers like Lee Harvey Oswald, John Wilkes Booth and Brutus, send to menace members of the United Planets by a rogue Dominator.  Usually, the Dominators work in tandem, but, as this shows, sometimes their most dangerous plans come from one member of their race acting out against the others.

Durlans

The first Durlan readers see came in Action Comics #267 (August, 1960) by Jerry Siegel and Jim Mooney, as Supergirl tried to join the Legion of the Super-Heroes in the 30th Century, and met other applicants, including Durlan Chameleon Boy.  Cham used a familiar form of an orange humanoid with pointed ears and antennae, used by many Durlans in the 30th Century, but in the 20th Century, at the time of Invasion!, members were a little looser, obscuring their forms....as their shape-shifting came about due to a devastating war on their homeworld.

Daxamites 

The first time a Daxamite appeared was in Superboy #89 (June, 1961) by Robert Bernstein and George Papp, and this was when Mon-El met Superboy (just a little before the current age of heroes, as Superboy was Superman, as a boy, learning to deal with his powers in Smallville).  Daxamites have powers similar to Kryptonians (flight, super-strength, invulnerability, vision powers), but without the weakness to Kryptonite.  Instead, their weakness is common lead, and it is fatal to any Daxamite who is exposed to it.

Thanagarians

Thanagarians lived on a planet with an advanced police force, as revealed in their first appearance in Brave and the Bold #34 (February-March, 1961) by Gardner Fox and Joe Kubert.  At that time, police officers Katar and Shayera Hol came to Earth to track down a criminal, and stayed to learn Earth police techniques.  Various invasions and tyrannical rulers of Thanagar have taken it's toll on its people, and the once proud Nth metal winged Hawkmen symbol of law and order had turned into flying fascists, bent on controlling other races (though as Hawkgirl can attest, their history gets confusing sometimes). 

Gil'Dishpan 

The Gil'Dishpan really first appeared in Adventure Comics #293 (February, 1962) as the Brain Globes of Rambat, attacking Superboy in his home of Smallville in a story by Jerry Siegel, Curt Swan and George Klein, with a more formal introduction in Legion of Super-Heroes #307 (January, 1984) by Paul Levitz, Keith Giffen and Larry Mahlstedt.  As the Brain Globes, they turned Superboy's friends, the Legion of Super-Heroes, against him, and were instrumental in the formation of the Legion of Super-Pets (Krypto the Super-Dog, Streaky the Super-Cat, Beppo the Super-Monkey and Comet the Super-Horse), while, later, in the 30th Century, members of their race usually were involved in nefarious actions, and keeping things flowing smoothly, as they were not of much use in physical confrontations, needing to be confined to their globes.

Psions

Originally briefly glimpsed in Witching Hour #13 (February-March, 1971) by Alan Gold, Marv Wolfman and Gray Morrow, the Psions were scientists, that like to experiment (and they considered every other race inferior, and useful only as experiment subjects).  They lived in the Vegan system (home of the Omega Men, and a zone that the Guardians of the Universe had barred Green Lanterns from).  The Psions were also instrumental in enhancing the solar powers of New Teen Titan, Starfire, and her sister, Blackfire, as the sisters escaped one of their solar based experiments.

Citadel

The Citadel first were mentioned in Green Lantern #137 (February, 1981) by Marv Wolfman and Joe Staton, and these hulking aliens were leaders of evil empire which ran the Vegan system, being the brutish forces that the alliance of the Omega Men fought against, though harboring a secret of their own, that of being a race of clones.

Warlords of Okaara 

The Warlords of Okaara were a fierce warrior race (thus, the name), and the earliest mention of them came about in New Teen Titans #13 (November, 1981) by Marv Wolfman, George Perez and Romeo Tanghal.  They trained many of the ruling class of the worlds of the Vegan system, including the children who would grow up to be Primus and Kalista of the Omega Men, and Starfire and Blackfire.

Khunds

But, no race in the galaxy were as savage of the Khunds, introduced in Adventure Comics #346 (July, 1966) by Jim Shooter and Sheldon Moldoff.  True, that was the 30th Century version of this race, which gave the Legion of Super-Heroes one of its most serious traitors in their mist, as well as introducing new Legion members of Karate Kid, Princess Projectra, Ferro Lad and Nemesis Kid...but they were just as ferocious in our time as they would be in the future.  The Khunds were a race devoted to war, brutal in their dealings with all other peoples.

These were the forces aligned against Earth in Invasion! #1 (1988) by Keith Giffen, Bill Mantlo and Todd McFarlane, as well as the second and third issue of that mini-series (and quite a few crossover issues at the time).


Earth's response to the alien Invasion.....and check back for a little more Invasion! coverage coming soon!

Arrow Shots: Vigilante

Adrian Chase was a tough District Attorney in New York City, working with Robin of the Teen Titans to take down the crime families (running from New Teen Titans #23, #26, #27, #29, #30, #33 and #34 of 1982 and 1983 by Marv Wolfman and George Perez)...until the crime families hit back, killing Adrian's family and wounding him, leading Chase to take up the masked identity of the Vigilante...

Origin

It was in New Teen Titans Annual #2 (1983) by Marv Wolfman and George Perez that Adrian became the Vigilante after his family was killed (and Adrian had been declared dead as well).  Still, he recovered, and with help, took out the man who killed his family as the Vigilante.  In Vigilante #7 (June, 1984) by Marv Wolfman, Chuck Patton and Mike DeCarlo, it was explained how Adrian was trained by the spirits of the dead and given a regenerative healing factor, which allowed him to recover and mete out justice, with his infra-red goggles, guns and other weapons.

On His Own

Vigilante #1 (November, 1983) introduced Adrian's helpers, J.J. Davis and Theresa Gomez, by Marv Wolfman and Keith Pollard, with a more adult approach to handling violent crime. Vigilante #2 (January, 1984) by Wolfman, Pollard and Pablo Marcos, saw Adrian doubting himself already, going after Leonard Kord for assault against a nun, but after a savage battle with the man, finding out he was not the perpetrator.

Villains

Adrian did face foes who weren't in need of understanding, such as the hitman duo of Sabre and Cannon introduced in Vigilante #5 (April, 1984) by Marv Wolfman, Keith Pollard and Romeo Tanghal, as well as the Electrocutioner, a one-time foe of Batman's, who started to menace Adrian as of Vigilante #8 (July, 1984) by Marv Wolfman, Ross Andru and Mike DeCarlo (and these villains would return to vex Vigilante multiple times).

Adrian Quits

Adrian's heart became heavy because of the severity of the crime he faced (as well as losses along the way), and with Vigilante #19 (July, 1985 by Marv Wolfman, Paul Kupperberg, Denys Cowyn and Rick Magyar), gave up being Vigilante (as he was also being appointed a judge at the time). Someone else took over the costume, prompting Nightwing (formerly Robin) to confront Adrian, and with Vigilante #21 (September, 1985 by Paul Kupperberg, Tod Smith and Rick Magyar), Adrian promises to find the more violent Vigilante and stop him.  Adrian does, and another man takes over being Vigilante for a while

Adrian Returns

But that doesn't last, as unstable hero Peacemaker takes out the newest Vigilante in Vigilante #36 (December, 1986 by Paul Kupperberg, Denys Cowan and Kyle Baker), with Adrian returning to combat his killer, starting in Vigilante #37 (January, 1987) by Paul Kupperberg, Tod Smith and Rick Magyar, beginning to work with now ex-NYPD officer Harry Stein and Valentina Volstok (Negative Woman of the Doom Patrol).

Adds The Black Thorn

Adrian continues his battles against violent criminals and attacking terrorists, and even meets assassin, Black Thorn in Vigilante #45 (September, 1987) by Paul Kupperberg, Tod Smith and Rick Burchett, and the two become very close, continuing that relationship in the next issue, Vigilante #46 (October, 1987) also by Kupperberg, Smith and Burchett.  Harry Stein gets recruited into a secret government organization by Valentina Volstok, with Harvey Bullock of Gotham Police Department also getting involved.

The End

The trail of the terrorists lead to Gotham, with Batman getting involved and not liking the Vigilante in Vigilante #47 (November, 1987 by Kupperberg, Smith and Burchett), but Harvey gets Batman on board for now, and then due to falling into the water, everyone thinks Vigilante is dead.  Harvey is recruited for the government organization as well, and Black Thorn returns briefly as well, until Adrian realizes he might be more of menace than those he fights, and takes himself out of the game for good by giving himself final, fatal justice in Vigilante #50 (February, 1988 by Paul Kupperberg, Steve Erwin and Jack Torrance).

A quick highlight of the life of Adrian Chase and his version of the Vigilante (showing, though, that he never met Green Arrow in the comics).


Though only lasting 50 issues and 2 Annuals, Vigilante changed the mindset of comics in general at the time...


...making one wonder what a true hero was, what he could and couldn't do, and truth of the toll taken on the hero for being a hero, as well as the difference between the law and justice, and justice and revenge.