|
DC Universe
[all categories]
Other DC Universe topics Obscure DCU Characters - Round V |
| Author | Topic: Obscure DCU Characters - Round V |
|
outpost2
Member |
posted February 23, 2002 12:37 AM
Welcome to Round V of Obscure DCU Characters. The purpose of this thread is to serve as a Q&A forum focusing on DC's many obscure heroes and villains. Rounds I through IV have been archived at http://www.infiniteearths.org/dcu/obscurecharacters_files/obscuredcu.htm and are available for download. If you're new to this topic, take a few moments to check out those previous threads. The Obscure DCU Characters list now stands at 365 characters, with a mere 100 of those left to be covered. Those remaining entries are marked with an asterisk. Grab a few and join the fun! * 1. Adam Strange II |
|
outpost2
Member |
posted February 23, 2002 12:43 AM
Item #121: CMDR. GLENN MERRITT, SGT. KEVIN TEMPEST, & CAPTAIN QUASAR Cmdr. Glenn Merritt was originally based on an action figure named Major Matt Mason. Mattel Toys had produced the "Major Matt Mason" line of toys from 1967-1970. Mason was an astronaut stationed on the Moon, and his accessories included the Jet Pack, Space Sled, Space Crawler, and Space Station. In 1968, a second astronaut, Sgt. Storm, was added under the Major's command. This was followed in 1969 by two final astronauts, Jeff Long and Doug Davis. The line also included a trio of aliens: Captain Lazer (1968), Callisto (1969), and Scorpio (1970). Callisto was a little green man from Jupiter, wielding advanced mental powers. Captain Lazer was from the planet Mars, and his height was nearly twice that of a normal Earthman's. Scorpio was an insect-like humanoid hatched on a planet in another galaxy, located in the star cluster Scorpio. He had a computer-like brain, and possessed the ability to read minds. Soon after birth, Scorpio felt a mental summons which he followed all the way to the Earth's moon. The source of the summons was Major Matt Mason, whom Scorpio quickly befriended. After the first Moon landing in July 1969, interest in Mattel's Man of Space waned, and the line was discontinued in the following year. Mattel had apparently commissioned a Major Matt Mason comic book from DC Comics in 1970. Given that assumption, when the toy line was canceled in that same year, Mattel's need for the comic would have disappeared. With a little reworking, DC likely produced the following tale, starring Cmdr. Glenn Merritt, Sgt. Kevin Tempest, and Captain Quasar. From Beyond The Unknown #7 (Oct-Nov 1970) - #8 (Dec 70-Jan 71) The year is 1999. Mankind is taking its first tentative steps to the stars. Cape Kennedy contacts the crew of Jupiter-Probe, the first manned craft to the solar system's largest planet. After the crew signs off, the Jupiter-Probe loses its outer-ship electronics systems. Suddenly, something hits the probe. Sensors indicate that the hull has been ripped open. The crewmen don their oxygen masks, but the effort is a futile one. They are boarded and attacked by alien invaders. Every one of the dozen or so astronauts are killed. Later, back on Earth, astro-physicist Dr. Glenn Merritt appears on Capital Hill before a top-level Washington conference. Dr. Merritt cannot believe that some of the committee members, especially Senator Archibald Beauregard, are suggesting that the Jupiter-Probe disaster might have been an accident. Merritt points out that the ship's hull was ripped wide open and the entire crew shot with laser-beams. The prior week, a space-station was mysteriously destroyed. The previous month, one of the Lunar bases exploded. Merritt believes that someone, or something, is out there waiting. He produces further evidence supporting his theory. His observatory recently began receiving radio signals that were clearly from intelligent beings. They don't know what the words mean, but it is obvious that it was not an Earth language. The committee is not entirely convinced but, over the objections of Senator Beauregard, it is suggested that Dr. Merritt receive sufficient funds to establish a monitoring post on the Moon. Merritt is forced to agree to a half-year time limit. He requests enough equipment to furnish a small bubble base, a crew of six trained astronauts, and, since he'll be using military facilities, an official rank. The committee grants Merritt one astronaut, and will arrange for him to be commissioned as a Space-Fleet Commander. Senator Woodrow tells Merritt that he wishes he could do more; at the very least, he will contact Space-Fleet Headquarters personally to ask for a good man to be assigned to the mission. Shortly, at Space-Fleet Headquarters, General Watkins receives word and assigns Sergeant Kevin Tempest, an enlisted astronaut, to aid Merritt. Tempest is highly qualified and intelligent, and has an extraordinary aptitude for machinery. Unfortunately, he is also known as a brawling troublemaker. Tempest is a problem that General Watkins is glad to get rid of. He begrudgingly packs and heads to Cape Kennedy, the center of America's space-effort. Soon, the mission is ready. As Cmdr. Merritt and Sgt. Tempest prepare to board their craft, Senator Beauregard arrives and warns Merritt that if he slips up even once, he'll see Merritt broken. The ship takes off without a hitch. Once free of Earth's gravity, Cmdr. Merritt orders Sgt. Tempest to switch from liquid fuel to atomics. The insubordinate Tempest tells Merritt to do it himself. He then begins to chide Merritt on his volume of The Collected Works of Shakespeare. Merritt knows that he must show Tempest who's boss, and begins berating him. As the Commander expected, a fight ensues. Tempest is unaware that Merritt was on the University Boxing Team, and obtained a black belt on the Karate Team. That, added to Merritt's understanding of zero-gravity, enables him to easily beat his belligerent co-pilot. As he had hoped, Merritt earns Tempest's respect, and the two make their peace. Suddenly, the ship's alarm sounds. Cmdr. Merritt detects three incoming alien spacecraft. The aliens show their hostility by firing a laser-beam at the ship, barely missing them. Tempest fires the weapon's systems, destroying one of the attackers. The two remaining ships engage them. They are fired on once again, only this time they take a hit in the gun-turret, melting the weapon and stunning Tempest. Defenseless, Merritt waits for the final blow, but at the last moment another alien ship arrives and fires on the attackers. One attacker is destroyed immediately, leaving the two remaining alien craft to battle it out. The ships trade weapon's fire until both become disabled. The rescuer's ship begins to fall to the Lunar surface. Merritt is relieved when he discovers that Tempest is still alive and well, and the two astronauts prepare to land. Once on the surface, they break out their jet-propelled vacuum-sleds in order to hunt for the fallen alien. They head for a trail of smoke vapor rising from a crater. When they locate their objective, the astronauts are amazed to see a ten foot tall alien standing outside his spaceship, not wearing any kind of protective spacesuit. As they approach, the alien that had just saved their lives inexplicably begins to fire upon them. Tempest's sled takes a hit, but Merritt is able to get the drop on the menace, knocking the creature out. The astronauts lash the alien to their sleds and bring him back to their ship, binding him before he awakens. When the alien finally regains consciousness, the two Earthmen are shocked to discover that he speaks perfect English. Their captive explains that his race has monitored Earth's broadcasts for many years, and that English is a rather simple language. When Merritt asks the alien his name, the creature responds that it is difficult to translate, but sounds something like "K-Way-Zzr". Merritt recognizes the word as being similar to the transmission he picked up at his observatory. The alien goes on to explain that he is a renegade and outlaw from Trogg, a planet in the Beta-Centauri system. He states that, although Earth is a war-like world, it is a poor second to Trogg in the art of destruction. From their earliest history, they have loved war. Their only glory is battle, their only art the graceful imparting of death. Hundreds of planetary periods before, they developed a space-drive, and took their warriors to nearby planets - - burning, crushing, erasing whole civilizations. At last, they had nothing left to conquer. Frustrated, their Leader, Ghorto, called a meeting of the Supreme Council. The Leader proclaimed that they must journey to the stars to find a worthy foe. He selected Earth, a world populated by beings nearly as mighty as they. It was at that point that K-Way-Zzr stood up, saying they should put an end to bloodshed, and turn their attention to peace. One Councilman proclaimed that K-Way-Zzr was speaking treason and should be arrested. K-Way-Zzr fled the Council and Trogg, determined to warn the people of Earth. He had been a Captain in the Troggian Space-Navy, so he had no problem commandeering a star-ship. Since the Leader had already prepared the vanguard of his Earth invasion, it was no problem for him to dispatch ships to follow. K-Way-Zzr hid in a space-warp, hoping to elude his pursuers and contact a responsible Earth government. When he saw their ship under siege, he intervened. When asked why he shot at them, K-Way-Zzr apologizes, explaining that he was stunned and was fighting instinctively. Merritt tells Tempest to warm up the transmitter so they can call Senator Beauregard with proof. Tempest says they should first free their captive, but when he has trouble pronouncing the name "Captain K-Way-Zzr", the alien suggests an easier name - - Captain Quasar. K-Way-Zzr then easily snaps his bonds, freeing himself. As they exchange greetings, Merritt shows K-Way-Zzr his .45 pistol, and looks over the alien's laser-projector gun. Shortly, just as the astronauts contact Senator Beauregard, two Troggians enter the airlock and fire on the crew, knocking out the transmitter. The invaders point their laser-projectors at the trio, telling them to drop their weapons. The Troggians state that Earthlings will be easily conquered, then inform K-Way-Zzr that, on orders of Leader Ghorto, he is to be executed for the crime of high treason. Before K-Way-Zzr can be killed, Tempest attacks one of the aliens, but is knocked down. Merritt and K-Way-Zzr use the diversion to fight back. During the battle, one of the laser-projectors is fired, striking the ship's wiring, plunging the ship into darkness. K-Way-Zzr gropes around in the dimly lit cabin for a weapon. He finds Merritt's .45 and shoots, wounding his fellow Troggians with the primitive firearm. Merritt switches on the emergency power circuit, and the trio place the aliens in the ship's brig. "Captain Quasar" joins the crew in their common enterprise to protect Earth and stop further attacks by the Troggian invaders. |
|
Koppy McFad
Member |
posted February 23, 2002 03:04 AM
THE MOONDANCERS This all female trio made only one appearance in a 1983 issue of World's Finest. At the time, Batman and Superman's friendship had been fraying due to the events that led Batman to quit the Justice League and form the Outsiders and this issue showcased how their bond had changed and also how it remained as strong as ever. The real names or origins of the Moondancers were never revealed. They were following the orders of a mysterious benefactor (whose identity was later revealed in that issue) but it was clear that they were working with him for a common purpose and were not his underlings. The three members were: The three were radical pacifists who had been secretly sabotaging military satellites. Batman was brought in to investigate and meets with three men-- a Carl Sagan-like astronomer, a gung-ho military general and a soft-spoken Japanese scientist-- who are all possible suspects as being the brains behind the plot. The next time the Moondancers attack the launch of a military satellite, Batman clashes with them, holding his own. Before escaping, Crescent Moon hit Batman with some sort of gas provided by their benefactor. She thought it would merely knock him out but instead, he is stricken with an incurable, fatal illness. Despite their estrangement, Superman is summoned to the missile base to save Batman. He determines that the only way to cure his old partner is to find some power source not of this Earth. So he flies off into space and plucks "the heart of a comet" out to use it as a cure for Batman. As he uses the extraterrestrial power source, the Sagan-lookalike, the general and the Japanese scientist all look on, very interested. Batman is cured but is still weak so Superman leaves him at the base and flies off to fight a crimewave that broke out in Batman's absence. The mysterious benefactor is then shown telling the Moondancers that he gave them the deadly weapon to use against Batman, knowing that Superman would be forced to find some invaluble new power source that he can use. Despite their misgivings about their ally, the Moondancers follow his instructions to obtain the new power source. They sneak into the rocket base and overpower the still-recovering Batman, taking the power source with them. But Superman and Batman follow them and soon have the Moondancers on the ropes. That is when their mysterious benefactor reveals himself-- the Japanese scientist, who it turns out, is a survivor of Hiroshima and is still unhinged by the event. He tries to use his weapon with the new power source, to destroy the missile base but Superman stops him. The scientist, now hysterical, rushes into the flames of his shattered weapon but is saved by Crescent Moon. The Moondancers tell Bats and Supes they never meant any harm but only wanted to bring about world peace. While disagreeing with their methods, Batman and Superman apparently decide to let them go with a warning. "You better not let us catch you doing this again," Superman says. "Don't worry, you won't catch us," the Moondancers reply. That was the last we saw of them. Whether this adventure is still within continuity is questionable. Of course, if anyone ever needs some radical peace-nik group for a story, the Moondancers are still there for the taking. You could even expand their membership: Full Moon, a werewolf, Hunter's Moon, a sniper, Blue Moon, an empath, etc. |
|
Koppy McFad
Member |
posted February 23, 2002 03:53 AM
THE SINO-SUPERMEN Not really characters. They were more of a type of character that debuted in Batman Family no. 19, sometime in the early-1980s and appeared only twice. First the backstory: in the pre-Crisis DC, Commissioner Gordon had a grown son who became a spy in Red China. He managed to escape the Chinese and get back to the States but apparently, the Chinese were so vengeful that Gordon's son felt it was too dangerous to come out in the open and so he remained in hiding in the US, not even telling his father or his sister, Barbara Gordon, Batgirl, where he was. Incidentally, Barbara Gordon was a congresswoman at the time, something that everyone seems to have forgotten. She used her government contacts to try and find out what happened to her brother and this eventually brought her into conflict with the Sino-Supermen. The Sino-Supermen were super-powered agents, created by Beijing. As Batgirl is later told by an intelligence agent, the Chinese refuse to believe that Superman, the Flash and all the other superheroes were created by accident and believe that they were secret products of the US government. The US, for its part, encourages such thinking, perhaps because they want the Chinese to waste their resources trying to come out with their own superheroes. The Chinese superbeings (who included women), were pretty much crude knock-offs of American heroes like Superman, Supergirl, Flash, Green Lantern and Batman, but with one glaring defect. Just a few seconds after they used their powers, these guys would BLOW UP. Despite this virtual death sentence, none of the Sino-Supermen ever displayed anything beyond a fanatical devotion to duty. They never got much of a chance to show off any characterization at all. Their appearances would go like this: Imitation Superman knocks open a wall., glows ominously, then explodes. Imitation Green Lantern blasts a crowd of cops, glows ominously and then explodes. Most of these suicide superbeings never got any lines. Eventually Batgirl finds out what happened to her brother. As for the Sino-Supermen, they are never heard of again. Their few appearances are likely no longer in continuity as Commissioner Gordon's grown son has been retconned away. Still if anyone needs some heavies for a story set in China, those low-cost labs can probably mass produce these guys by the thousands. |
|
Koppy McFad
Member |
posted February 23, 2002 06:24 AM
Now it's my turn to bring up a character. Maybe he was mentioned before but I didn't see it. Commando Yank An old Fawcett hero. Who was he? What were his powers, his background, his origin, his secret identity? Did he actually operate in the battlefields or was he another one of those home front heroes? Was he a major Fawcett character like Bullet Man or a minor throwaway character? Perspiring minds want to know. |
|
Kid Psychout
Member |
posted February 23, 2002 08:11 PM
Well, this is probably the place for it, so's can anyone also list some of the more obscure heroes DC owns the rights to? Madame Fatal and anyone heard of an old GL villian called the Dazzler? |
|
outpost2
Member |
posted February 25, 2002 08:59 PM
THE SEVEN SHADOWS Opal City, 1944. The Justice Society attempt to stop Johnny Sorrow, a small-time costumed crook who has stolen and donned a subspace vest prototype. Hawkman, Hawkgirl, Starman, and Sandman are unsuccessful in trapping their enemy, who uses the vest to phase in and out of normal space. Sandy the Golden Boy, sidekick to the Sandman, notices that the vest's glow seems to fade just as Sorrow phases back in, so he carefully takes aim with his special arrow-gun and, at just the right moment, fires. The arrow punctures the vest's harness and causes it to short-circuit. Johnny Sorrow, screaming in pain, is torn asunder by the hyper-dimensional forces. Sandy is horrified, believing that Sorrow's mask is all that remains of their foe. Six months later, a mysterious figure appears in Sandy's bedroom, kidnapping the boy and teleporting him away. Sandy wakes up, in costume, on the stage of an abandoned Chicago theater. The teen hero learns that Johnny Sorrow has been transformed by his encounter with the King of Tears, the "god" of the alien dimension known as the Subtle Realms. Sorrow then motions to the audience. Six members of the group called the Seven Shadows lie dead before them. Dr. Nowhere, Jake Justice, the Shard (a.k.a. the Luminary), Man-At-Arms, Lodestar, and the Veil were all killed when Johnny Sorrow revealed to them what he hid under his mask. Only the Scarab escaped, traumatized at what he had gazed upon. Just as Johnny Sorrow prepares to take his revenge on Sandy, Scarab and the Justice Society come to the rescue. After summoning the entity called the King of Tears, Johnny Sorrow hastily teleports away. Following an intense battle, the Spectre succeeds in containing the alien creature. Johnny Sorrow and the King of Tears would not surface again for over half a century, when they would once again be defeated by the Justice Society. |
|
outpost2
Member |
posted February 25, 2002 09:05 PM
New additions: *72.1 Commando Yank Recently completed: 121. Glenn Merritt |
|
datalore
Member |
posted February 26, 2002 03:46 PM
An odd fact I remember about the Sino-Supermen... ...that they felt that the U.S. had used their technology after their first encounter with Batgirl and created Firestorm (that, at the time, Firestorm was a new hero...and he showed up just after Batgirl encounted them for the first time...) And, weren't the Moondancers in Grant Morrison's Second Crisis? (I'd say around ANIMAL MAN #23-25?) (Also, let me just add how much fun this thread is...) |
|
Rajah
Member |
posted February 26, 2002 04:10 PM
MADAM FATAL An obscure Quality Comics character from the Golden Age, Madam Fatal was the world's first cross-dressing super-hero. Richard Stanton donned the unassuming disguise of a little old lady to fight crime on the homefront. Criminals never suspected that the harmless old woman was actually a costumed mystery man-- until it was too late! Madam Fatal's activities after the war are unrecorded. Eventually, Richard Stanton passed away of presumably natural causes. He is buried in Valhalla Cemetery (as revealed in JSA #1). Sadly, the only mourners at his funeral were the touring company of La Cage aux Folles, the musical known to American audiences as the inspiration for the film, "The Birdcage". Draw your own conclusions from that. |
|
S8ntmark
Member |
posted February 26, 2002 11:56 PM
Wow! Over 300 characters and you guys STILL have forgotten a few, namely... my favorites! I...Vampire: Andrew Bennett also did you do Matt Savage: Trail Boss? Heehee |
|
dnewton
Member |
posted February 27, 2002 01:26 AM
Just one question I need to know. What is everyone's favourite obscure DC character from Rounds I to V? |
|
Hellstone
Member |
posted February 27, 2002 06:33 AM
Just want to add some appearances and dates to Koppy McFad's posts. The Moondancers appeared in: The Sino-Supermen appeared in: |
|
John Moores 3
Member |
posted February 27, 2002 07:06 AM
I don't think I've made an appearance on an obscure characters thread since the first or second one! All right: Commando Yank - Fawcett characters are a bit of a blind spot for me, but I can tell you that he had no super-powers, sometime Johnny Quick artist Dan Barry drew his stories for a while. He appeared in WOW COMICS #6 and lasted through (I think) to #69, wherein WOW became REAL WESTERN HERO. Hunchback - got slightly more for you. From WOW COMICS #2, 1941: "Allan Lanier, son of a wealthy family, has long sought a way to fight crime and its instigators! Hitting upon a plan that an ugly dwarfed menace should strike sheer horror into the hearts of bad men, Lanier becomes the terrible Hunchback, spine-chilling figure of the night!". Lanier was harsh on criminals, beating them with a club and on one occasion in his four issue run, strangling a corrupt D.A. to death! His outfit was green. Mr. Alpha - Only appearance: ALL STAR COMICS #50 (12/49-1/50) Mr. A is a criminal, not a hero. A graduate of Midwestern U. (class of '38) alongside one Jason P. Garrick, Ted Kincaid commits crime at the same time as the ten-year reunion (actually a year late!) based on geology (crime foiled by Hawkman and the Atom), meteorology (foiled by Doc Mid-Nite and Black Canary), zoology (foiled by Flash and Wonder Woman) and metallurgy (foiled by Green Lantern). However, at some point in the "small team" proceedings, the JSAers are captured, but rescued by a mysterious stranger, who turns out to be Paul Turnbull, another classmate of Garrick's. Turnbull had predicted in his yearbook that he would become Mr. Alpha and commit crimes based on the sciences he studied. Kincaid, who had lost all his money on the stock market, remembered this and sought to make Turnbull the scapegoat. Mr. Alpha wore a blue and red costume with a belt with an "A" as its buckle. He was referenced briefly in AMERICA VS. THE JSA #4, referred to as Fred, not Ted Kincaid. Garrick reported that Kincaid "went straight" after he'd served his jail sentence. I do have some information on Wildfire (a Quality heroine not to be confused with generic Quality pilot Spitfire, from CRACK COMICS), but I'll have to dig it out. All I know off the top of my head is that she was in SMASH COMICS, was an intended member of the All-Star Squadron, but was replaced by the second Firebrand because DC editors didn't want her to be confused with the Wildfire from the Legion, and that she is briefly glimpsed in GOLDEN AGE #4. She has a very strange hairdo that is supposed to look like flames, but she looks a little like a sunflower! More to come.... |
|
datalore
Member |
posted February 27, 2002 08:40 AM
The Moondancers were in comic book limbo when Animal Man went there (it frustrated me since I got a good run of the later 16 issues of ANIMAL MAN recently, and couldn't remember all those folks Buddy ran into...only found out about the Moondancers by PURE accident and remembered they were the ladies I couldn't identify...ditto on Tabu in the Vixen issues (12 was where my run of these ANIMAL MAN issues began...and Grant didn't give us her name there; I know he named the two yellow aliens too, but again, not in the issues I got...) And, in line with the obscure characters (and another topic on Hitman...a little info on the aliens who created the new bloods...and in honor of my finding a set of the Bloodlines trading cards...and did you know they only had pictures of the aliens; so for anyone who might have gotten a set of those cards and want to know about the aliens...) BLOODLINES ALIENS ANGON This Bloodlines alien was a red armored female who was the embodiment of anger. Her and the other six of her group escaped Pax's universe to come to this dimension. Encountered by Lobo and the forces of L.E.G.I.O.N., they suffered the loss of one of their number (which limited their shape-changing abilities to their alien form and one humanoid form), and then crash-landed their pod-ship in the Mullholland nature preserve, a swamp outside of Metropolis. She created the new blood heroes of Edge, Ballistic, Jamm, Prism, and, with all of her brethren, had a hand (or tentacle) in creating Pax. She did not survive the birthing of the Taker. GEMIR This Bloodlines alien was a flame haired, red armored male with arm-wings in alien form who was the embodiment of greed. He and the other six of his group escaped Pax's universe to come to this dimension. Encountered by Lobo and the forces of L.E.G.I.O.N., they suffered the loss of one of their number (which limited their shape-changing abilities to their alien form and one humanoid form), and then crash-landed their pod-ship in the Mullholland nature preserve, a swamp outside of Metropolis. He created the new blood heroes of Joe Public, Myriad, Sparx, Cardinal Sin, Samaritan and, with all of his brethren, had a hand (or tentacle) in creating Pax. He did not survive the birthing of the Taker. GLONTH This Bloodlines alien was a fat, purple armored male who was the embodiment of gluttony. He and the other six of his group escaped Pax's universe to come to this dimension. Encountered by Lobo and the forces of L.E.G.I.O.N., they suffered the loss of one of their number (which limited their shape-changing abilities to their alien form and one humanoid form), and then crash-landed their pod-ship in the Mullholland nature preserve, a swamp outside of Metropolis. He created the new blood heroes of Loose Cannon, "Hitman" Tommy Monaghan, Chimera and, with all of his brethren, had a hand (or tentacle) in creating Pax. He did not survive the birthing of the Taker. LISSIK This Bloodlines alien was a red-haired, purple armored female who was the embodiment of lust. Her and the other six of her group escaped Pax's universe to come to this dimension. Encountered by Lobo and the forces of L.E.G.I.O.N., they suffered the loss of one of their number (which limited their shape-changing abilities to their alien form and one humanoid form), and then crash-landed their pod-ship in the Mullholland nature preserve, a swamp outside of Metropolis. She created the new blood heroes of Anima, Nightblade, Hook, Terrorsmith (co-created with Venev), Mongrel, and, with all of her brethren, had a hand (or tentacle) in creating Pax. She did not survive the birthing of the Taker. PRITOR This Bloodlines alien was a blue armored male with butterfly-wings in alien form who was the embodiment of pride. He and the other six of his group escaped Pax's universe to come to this dimension. Encountered by Lobo and the forces of L.E.G.I.O.N., they suffered the loss of one of their number (which limited their shape-changing abilities to their alien form and one humanoid form), and then crash-landed their pod-ship in the Mullholland nature preserve, a swamp outside of Metropolis. He created the new blood heroes of Lionheart, Geist, and, with all of his brethren, had a hand (or tentacle) in creating Pax. He did not survive the birthing of the Taker. SLODD This Bloodlines alien was a yellow armored male who was the embodiment of sloth. He and the other six of his group escaped Pax's universe to come to this dimension. Encountered by Lobo and the forces of L.E.G.I.O.N., he was killed by a grenade stuffed in his mouth by Lobo. His loss limited the others shape-changing abilities to their alien form and one humanoid form). He created the new blood hero of Layla and, with all of his brethren, had a hand (or tentacle) in creating Pax. It was by feeding his dead form to the the Taker that the Taker emerged from the pod in the Mullholland nature preserve outside of Metropolis. VENEV This Bloodlines alien was a six-armed, green armored female who was the embodiment of envy. Her and the other six of her group escaped Pax's universe to come to this dimension. Encountered by Lobo and the forces of L.E.G.I.O.N., they suffered the loss of one of their number (which limited their shape-changing abilities to their alien form and one humanoid form), and then crash-landed their pod-ship in the Mullholland nature preserve, a swamp outside of Metropolis. She created the new blood heroes of Argus, Razorsharp, Terrorsmith (co-created with Lissik), Gunfire (and possibly Ragnarok), and, with all of her brethren, had a hand (or tentacle) in creating Pax. She did not survive the birthing of the Taker. TAKER, THE What the seven Bloodlines aliens were feeding with the spinal fluid they had collected from humans across the earth. When it was birthing from the Bloodlines' aliens pod-ship, it send out a subliminal call to all the new bloods created by the destruction caused by the aliens (and proving that there is a subtle telepathic link between all the new blood heroes). The Taker was able to immobilize a contingent of earth heroes directed to the scene by Amanda Waller, including various members of a special Justice League Task Force (with members from both Justice League America and Justice League International, as well as old Justice League of America members), the New Titans, the Team Titans, Deathstroke, Robin, Superboy, the Eradicator, Green Lantern (Kyle Rayner) and even Etrigan the Demon. The Taker was stopped by the combined forces of the new blood heroes (who had discovered they could literally combine their powers into one being, thanks to the help of the Animus of Anima). His body was taken away by Lobo under the direction of Vril Dox II and the L.E.G.I.O.N. A Taker clone was created by the Quarum and stopped by the Blood Pack (a collection of new bloods led by Jade), and hitman Tommy Monaghan and his friend, Natt the Hat, sacrificed their lives to stop an organization within the United States Government from grafting alien parts to humans in order to create new meta-humans they could control. Sorry for this little alien invasion, but hope folks find it of interest (and I'll likely come back with some stuff on the new bloods who had no other appearances other than the ANNUAL and in BLOODBATH...if this is of interest...) ...now, back to your regularly scheduled Obscure characters... |
|
S8ntmark
Member |
posted February 27, 2002 09:59 AM
I'm beginning to think that The Dead Detective sounds absolutely
wild! Brilliant! I cant wait to go out and hunt do those issues of WASTELAND.
They should bring him back for a Vertigo mini or one shot.
|
|
Hellstone
Member |
posted February 27, 2002 10:28 AM
John Moores is back on the obscure track. I've missed you, pal.
Datalore - thank you for the Moondancers info. If they were seen in "comic book limbo", then their last appearance was ANIMAL MAN #25 (July 1990), "Monkey Puzzle". |
|
Ace Arn
Member |
posted February 28, 2002 07:58 AM
DYNO-MAN 1st and only appearance: Superman #206 (May 1968), "The Day Superman
Became an Assassin" Dyno-Man is the hero of the planet Sorrta, and an "old buddy" of Superman's, which is why the Man of Steel was invited to Sorrta to participate in a parade in Dyno-Man's honor. During the parade, the vehicle Dyno-Man was riding in exploded, killing the hero. Dramon, the head of Sorrta's security police, accused Superman of murder and had his men slap a red-sun belt on him to neutralize his powers. Superman was assigned an attorney, an attractive blonde named Rilora Dorc, but the evidence was against him: witnesses claimed they saw a heat ray from Superman's direction destroy the vehicle (even though his heat vision is invisible); a forged videotape showed Superman fighting with Dyno-Man on an earlier visit to Sorrta; and a confession made by Superman (under the influence of a drug). Rilora uncovered evidence that Dramon killed Dyno-Man and framed Superman as part of a plan to make himself dictator; but before she could present it, a crazed lynch mob broke Superman out of jail and tried to execute him. However, Dyno-Man showed up at the last second, saving Superman and removing his red-sun belt. It seems that Dyno-Man knew about Dramon's plan, and substituted a lifelike android for himself in the parade. Together, the two superheroes rescued Rilora from death at Dramon's hands, and Dramon himself fell into the path of his own metalizer ray, transforming him into metal and fusing his body to a metal wall in the Sorrtan prison. The parade was rescheduled, this time honoring three heroes: Dyno-Man, Superman, and Rilora. |
|
John Moores 3
Member |
posted February 28, 2002 11:07 AM
Nice to be back. I've got an obscure suggestion for y'all: 70s Superman foe Whirlicane, and his android(s) Thunder and/or Lightning. I like that story, but could use a bit of a reminder of it. On that note, anyone remember Solarman, from about the same time, when Superman lost his powers, when dressed as Clark due to the machinations of the alien Xvier? |
|
Ace Arn
Member |
posted February 28, 2002 11:17 AM
Originally posted by John Moores 3: On that note, anyone remember Solarman, from about the same time, when Superman lost his powers, when dressed as Clark due to the machinations of the alien Xvier? If I recall correctly, he was an unnamed criminal scientist who attempted to give himself powers on a par with Superman's by wearing a vest covered with solar cells. I believe Superman defeated him by overloading his vest with heat vision. |
|
Comix_Fan_I_Am
New Member |
posted February 28, 2002 12:55 PM
What about Ragman? Anyone else remember him? Is he considered obscure?? |
|
The Vigilante
Member |
posted February 28, 2002 01:37 PM
Here's a couple of more I know...assuming that the Pulsar we're talking about is the one I've noted. #52 - Burp The Twerp (from http://members.tripod.com/originalvigilante/burpthetwerp.htm ). Burp the Twerp (the Super Son of a Gun) was a man to watch out for...when last seen, he had Plastic Man shaking in his boots! Well, kinda anyway. Burp the Twerp was a one-page humor feature that ran in several Quality Comics publications in the forties, including BLACKHAWK and POLICE COMICS. His shtick was that he had every power of every super-hero...but unfortunately he was a considerable klutz and things didn't quite go the right way for him most of the time. The strip was "signed" by Ralph Johns, but this was just another pseudonym for the legendary Jack Cole, creator of Firebrand, Midnight, Woozy Winks and, of course, Plastic Man. Burp premiered in the second issue of POLICE COMICS, co-inciding with the second adventures of Plastic Man, Midnight, Firebrand and several other popular Quality features. Naturally for a humor strip, there wasn't a whole lot of continuity to be concerned with. The strips that I have read are all fairly funny, in a Basil Wolverton-Powerhouse Pepper way. I think the one episode of any real noteworthiness is the page in POLICE COMICS #23 (December, 1943), in which Jack Cole's star, Plastic Man, makes a brief cameo appearance (which was reprinted in Ron Goulart's Focus on Jack Cole). After the demise of Quality Comics, Burp the Twerp made only one more appearance. DC Comics' SECRET ORIGINS #30 (Volume 2), featured the secret origin of Plastic Man. Roy Thomas, Stephen DeStefano and Paul Fricke. Thomas and DeStefano put Burp the Twerp in the background, and had the little guy meet Woozy Winks and Plas at the end of the story. After Burp left, Plas told Woozy who it was, and warned "If you ever get him mad at us, he'll come back and take over, and then we're all out of business!" Well, that hasn't exactly happened yet...but there are still those of us who are waiting... #254 - Pulsar (from http://members.tripod.com/originalvigilante/braveandbold198.htm ). First Appearance: The Brave And The Bold #198 The Black Heart, a band of urban terrorists, are surrounded by the police in their Gotham Village headquarters, but manage to escape even the Batman and vow revenge on Katy, the woman who betrayed them to the authorities. Meanwhile, Val Armorr, the 30th Century Legionnaire known as Karate Kid, returns to the old tenement he lived in when he resided in the 20th Century for a short while, looking for his old girlfriend Iris Jacobs. A super-powered assassin named Pulsar, apparently hired by the Black Heart, breaks into the jail in which Katy is being held. The Batman prevents her murder, and in the ensuing confusion, she manages to escape, killing a passing motorist for his car. When she crashes the vehicle, Iris Jacobs helps her into her apartment. Soon after, Karate Kid shows up as well, but has to leave when seeing a news report about Pulsar's attack. He meets up with The Batman (who remembers him from his own sojourn into the 30th Century), and they compare notes and clues to realize that Katy is at Iris's apartment, arriving at the exact same time as Pulsar and the Black Heart. The Black Heart members were defeated by Batman, Pulsar was apparently killed by one of the Black Heart, who booby-trapped his costume and power staff. Iris managed to subdue Katy. As everyone is hauled off to jail, Val tells Iris that he was actually there to invite her to his wedding to Princess Projectra. Iris became heart-broken over that and Val went back to the 30th Century without her. Note: This issue featured the first DC Comics work for Chuck Patton, who later went on to pencil quite a few issues of Justice League of America, during the Detroit League era. He does a rather good job on this story. This tale was also a conclusion of sorts for the short-lived KARATE KID comic, as well as a lead-in to THE LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES ANNUAL #2, which featured the actual wedding of Karate Kid and Princess Projectra. |
|
outpost2
Member |
posted February 28, 2002 06:07 PM
Vig, I just checked out your web site. Great stuff! Quite a bit of your material would be appropriate here. So, if you're game, how about: Heckler, King Faraday, Ragman, Spanner's Galaxy, Vext, Yankee Doodle, and (when finished) Thriller. With regard to Pulsar, it looks like there were two characters of the same name. IIRC, the other Pulsar was from NEW ADVENTURES OF SUPERBOY. Glad to see that John Moores is back. Anyone know if some of the other earlier contributors (Mikishawm, D.R. Black, etc.) are still lurking around? |
|
Ace Arn
Member |
posted February 28, 2002 06:10 PM
Originally posted by outpost2: With regard to Pulsar, it looks like there were two characters of the same name. IIRC, the other Pulsar was from NEW ADVENTURES OF SUPERBOY. I'm not sure, but could you be referring to Pulsar Stargrave, the Legion villain who at different times claimed to be Brainiac 5's father and the original Brainiac? |
|
highthief
Member |
posted February 28, 2002 06:31 PM
ISIS Isis was a made for TV character who shared air time with Shazam, or Captain Marvel as he is better known. The Isis segments featured high school teacher Andrea Thomas, who discovered an ancient Egyptian amulet while on an archaeological expedition. Through the amulet, Andrea was given super strength, super speed, the power of flight, and a form of telekinesis. Like Billy Batson before her, Andrea literally transformed into a new superhero, the inimitable Isis. Also like her male counterpart, the heroine received her powers from an ancient legendary source, the Egyptian goddess Isis, by intoning the magic words, "Oh mighty Isis!" Andrea used these newfound powers to right wrongs and defend the helpless and downtrodden. Joining her on the show were pet crow Tut, fellow teacher Rick Mason, and students Renee Carroll and Cindy Lee. Somehow, the other humans never managed to figure out her secret identity. After two seasons together, the heroes parted ways. Isis continued to fight evil under the new title 'The Secrets of Isis' from 1977-78. Both heroes later returned to Saturday morning in animated form, Isis as part of 'Tarzan and the Super 7' and Captain Marvel as half of 'The Kid Super Power Hour With Shazam'. DC ran a book for Isis from 76 to 78, I believe. |
|
outpost2
Member |
posted February 28, 2002 07:09 PM
Ace, The Obscure Characters list is becoming like the mythical Hydra...
eliminate one item and two more take its place! |
|
Ace Arn
Member |
posted February 28, 2002 10:34 PM
FLORA, THE GIRL IN THE GOLDEN FLOWER 1st and only appearance: Strange Adventures #18 (March 1952), "The Girl
in the Golden Flower" One spring day, a tiny spore drifted into Earth's atmosphere from space, and landed in a flowerbox outside the window of astronomer Brad Mulford's cottage. A few days later, Brad noticed an oddly colored flower in the box that he didn't recognize, and couldn;t identify from any of his botany books. Shortly after that, one hot night, Brad had a dream that he was standing in a scarlet desert on an alien world, and fireballs were falling from the sky. He met a girl named Flora, and rescued her from the fireballs by bringing her to a river. The next morning he noticed the odd flower withering from too much sun, and gave it some extra water. It also occurred to him that the flower's colors matched those of the girl in his dream. Some time later, on a rainy night, he dreamed of Flora again. This time, he saved her from a flood caused by giant raindrops. The next morning, he noticed the flower sagging from too much water. Brad began to suspect that the flower was somehow telepathically communicating with him, causing him to have these dreams. He moved the flowerbox to the windy side of his cottage, and sure enough, the next night he dreamed of saving Flora from a violent hurricane. The next morning, he transplanted the flower into a hothouse where it would be protected. For the rest of the summer, the flower thrived, and Brad dreamed every night of visiting worlds beyond our solar system with Flora by his side. But when autumn arrived, Brad had a final dream in which Flora died in his arms, saying that they would meet again. In the morning, Brad found the flower had died. But just then, the doorbell rang. It was a pretty blonde transfer student named Flora Everard, who was sent to meet Brad by a professor at the university... and she had a funny feeling that she and Brad had met each other somewhere before.... (This story was reprinted in the MYSTERY IN SPACE trade paperback in 1999.) |
|
outpost2
Member |
posted February 28, 2002 11:04 PM
Adding to highthief's entry... Isis appeared in the following DC Comics: New additions: Recently completed: |
|
outpost2
Member |
posted February 28, 2002 11:37 PM
Whoops. Hellstone was going to cover the Flora entry. Guess I should have re-posted the to-do lists from Round IV. Sorry guys. The following should represent the latest commitments: Outpost2's to-do list (2 entries): Hellstone's to-do list (7 entries): John Moores 3's to-do list (1 entry): And, if he wishes, The Vigilante's to-do list (6 entries): |
|
Hellstone
Member |
posted March 01, 2002 08:57 AM
That's all right - I'm not that proud. The Assemblers entry (which will include Blue Jay, Silver Sorceress, Wandjina, Captain Speed, Bowman II, and Tin Man) is on its way. It's just that I've bud on JLofA #87 (their first appearance) on eBay, and will see if I can get the issue before I write the entry. The Terrific Whatzit and Sponge Man will come in time. |
|
Hellstone
Member |
posted March 01, 2002 09:00 AM
By the way, the Flora story was also reprinted in DC SPECIAL #3, the all-girl issue. Here, Flora shared the space with DC's female "icons" such as Wonder Woman, Black Canary, and Supergirl. |
|
datalore
Member |
posted March 01, 2002 10:17 AM
Consider this a start on the Captains of Industry (I should get more, and Major Victory will get more under the Force of July, and Firehawk and Maser/Air Wave II rate their own, IMHO). Firehawk Catalyst Maser Major Victory Silver Swan (Post-Crisis) |
|
Ace Arn
Member |
posted March 01, 2002 11:35 AM
Sorry, I didn't realize that we were supposed to register. In that case, if the Arrows of Alaska, Crusader, Missile Men, and the Dazzler are available, put me down for them. I'll try to dig out the issues they were in over the weekend. |
|
The Vigilante
Member |
posted March 01, 2002 01:56 PM
Originally posted by outpost2: Vig, I just checked out your web site. Great stuff! Quite a bit of your material would be appropriate here. So, if you're game, how about: Heckler, King Faraday, Ragman, Spanner's Galaxy, Vext, Yankee Doodle, and (when finished) Thriller. No problem, will do...or will get to over the next week or so. I'll wait to do King Faraday though, since I'm waiting on the mail for a copy of SHOWCASE #50 so I'll finally have all of what's been reprinted of the original DANGER TRAIL. --Rich |
|
The Vigilante
Member |
posted March 01, 2002 02:08 PM
296.1 SPANNER'S GALAXY Spanner's Galaxy was a six-issue limited series by Nicola Cuti and Tom Mandrake. For those who have never read the series, a long, long time ago, the Kaborians arrived on Earth and brought the age of chivalry to the then-primitive society. Over the years and centuries that followed, the inhabitants of Earth lost touch with that part of their early culture and eventually united the entire Milky Way Galaxy under a Confederation of Free Worlds, in which trade and commerce flourished wildly. The Kaborians, and their art of chivalry, were largely forgotten. Polaris Spanner was born on the planet Proxie, which was also known as Spanner's World, where his father Rigel ran a jelly farm and did research. A jelly farm grows jellies, which are giant amoeba-like creatures made of protoplasm, which is the basic building block of most furniture a kitchen utensils of the time, and was stronger than plastic. Spanner fell in one of the jelly pens when two of his alien friends demonstrated how to "castle", disappearing and leaving a pair of Kaborians in their place. His injuries were so severe that the Kaborians castled back with him to their home planet so he could get immediate medical treatment. Spanner had just returned from a trip to Star City with his father, where his father ran into some trouble purchasing a "shek", which was a strange and unique weapon, and Spanner met a young thief named Andromeda Jones. The Kaborians who castled in had actually been the ones causing trouble for Spanner's father, as they had wanted to purchase the shek, so that it could be buried with the warrior who had used it. After recuperating from his injuries, Spanner stayed on Kabor and was taught ancient Kaborian combat techniques that included the use of the shek as an offensive and defensive weapon (it was could act as everything from a boomerang to a laser shield). He was also taught the theory and practice of "castling", which was a means of teleportation that could be used on objects and for travel. Castling involved basically switching places with something else somewhere else. Spanner took the vows to become a Kaborian Knight, and was prepared to go out into the universe and bring the practice of chivalry with him. After working on, and later taking a partnership in the Medeusian freighter, The Persius, Spanner castled into the midst of a group of bounty hunters (called "pounders") and discovered that there was suddenly a very high price on his head, by the President himself. Marcus Baka, a former magistrate on Proxie, was set up as the head of the operation to capture Spanner. Meanwhile, Andromeda was uniting her own guild of pounders, under the colorful name of The Bluestar, and was planning to go after Spanner herself for the reward. Spanner had become the most wanted man in the galaxy. In the course of his travels to escape his many pursuers, Spanner met up with a small furry and very resourceful creature that was a Gadgeteer, which he nicknamed "Gadj". Gadgeteers have the uncanny ability to put any devices together using whatever parts and junk they have at hand and make them work. He also learned that the authorities had released information that said that Spanner was carrying a plague infection called The Hades Germ, a disease that could wipe out an entire planet in the course of a few days. With the support of his family, Spanner finally turned himself into the authorities, and he was confined, with Gadj to a small asteroid for the protection of the rest of the galaxy. After six months in his asteroid prison, one of the Kaborians castled with Spanner, taking him back to the home world he trained on. He was brought there for trial, for having violated the Kaborian law, which states "no castler may castle to avoid jeopardy if it means placing another castler in jeopardy." Spanner pleads guilty to avoid having an old school friend die in combat to prove his innocence. His sentence was to be served in yet another prison while wearing "the Mask of Nygug". The mask was made of narconium, which prevent the force lines needed for castling from passing into Spanner (everything else, air, light, sound, food, etc. could pass through unabated). Before he could serve his Kaborian sentence, a woman on a flying Kamado Dragon abducted Spanner. She turned out to be one of his police interrogators, a woman named Tenna. Tenna had done some research that proved Spanner had been framed, because the Hades Germ did not exist. Tenna returned his shek and she and Spanner talked with Commander Richard Harris, who had been working under Baka in the operation to find Spanner. He soon discovered that Baka himself had started the entire situation. The former pounder had wanted the power gem in Spanner's shek to use as a power source for a unique black hole weapon one of his compatriots had developed, with which he hoped to hold the universe for ransom. Baka and Spanner met in combat and Baka actually defeated Spanner, but was prevented from killing him by Andromeda. Baka slew the young woman and took off with the power gem from the shek. Spanner became a hero in all corners of the galaxy, and the President appointed Spanner and Gadj as his "Personal Agents Extraordinary". Spanner's first job was to hunt down the newest person on the most wanted list: Baka. Appearances: Spanner's Galaxy #1-6, Who's Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe #21 363.1 YANKEE DOODLE The character of Yankee Doodle has a rather strange history. He was a Silver Age super-hero who didn't appear in print until 1992. Now as strange as that might seem, Yankee Doodle became something considerably stranger than I think his original creators could've ever envisioned. DOOM PATROL #51 (January 1992) marked the first appearance of the man known as Yankee Doodle. But he was apparently originally intended to see print back in May of 1964, in SHOWCASE #50. In fact, the cover of DOOM PATROL #51 features a re-colored version of the Mike Sekowsky/Frank Giacoia cover for that issue. For some strange reason, both the cover and Yankee Doodle were pulled from SHOWCASE #50, which instead did an issue of reprints of old King Faraday adventures (under the collective title of "I Spy"). The only information we have on the original treatment of the character can be found on the cover: Prof John Dandy used a strange spray to become the blank-faced Yankee Doodle, "master of disguise". He looked considerably like Steve Ditko's The Question minus the hat, a similarity that Morrison would actually use in the DP story. The concept of the character may have also influenced the creation of The Unknown Soldier in STAR-SPANGLED WAR STORIES. Grant Morrison brought in Yankee Doodle during the final Brotherhood of Dada story arc he did in Doom Patrol. For those not familiar with The Doom Patrol, the team was originally a group of three "freaks" (Cliff Steele/Robotman, Larry Trainor/Negative Man, Rita Farr/Elasti-Girl) brought together by the enigmatic Niles Caulder, who was also known as the Chief. The team went through various incarnations, and started handling very strange and surrealistic menaces under the auspices of Morrison (best known for his work on ANIMAL MAN). According to Morrison's story, John Dandy worked as a special government operative attached to the Pentagon's Unusual Operatives Division. He had used his cover as an archaeologist to steal the research notes of a Professor Rodor, which helped him create a special gas (housed in a special ballpoint pen) that solidified on contact with air to produce a malleable skin. He adopted the codename of "Yankee Doodle" and was apparently very successful in his work for the government. Longtime comics fans will recognize that Rodor was in fact the man who provided the Question with the unique technology to create the blank facemasks he wears as a part of his costume. At this point, the origin of Yankee Doodle takes a leap off the diving board of the surreal. Dandy volunteered to follow a bureaucrat into the City Under The Pentagon because the man had stolen a lot of sensitive documents. The City is a sort of other dimensional netherworld from which the Pentagon derives power, strange operatives and even policy at times. At least that is my personal interpretation of what Morrison was trying to get across to the readers. No one who goes down there is ever really the same again, and Dandy was no exception. "There were garbled radio messages of enormous structures walking, people or things with tunnels for eyes...and then we lost all contact" was how the Major tried to explain it to Ms. Roddick as they went to see Dandy to enlist his aid. A year later, something claiming to be John Dandy came back. Something strange had happened to his face, and he told everyone that he had swapped his original face for what he had now. Dandy was brought up out of the City to help the government in its quest to prevent Mr. Nobody (of the Brotherhood of Dada) from becoming President. Mr. Nobody had used the bicycle of Albert Hoffman to create a near-nationwide state of hallucinogenic bliss, and he was now offering the voters the opportunity to enter the Painting, the quasi-dimension that had changed him from old Doom Patrol enemy Mr. Morden into the two-dimensional and multi-facted Mr. Nobody. Dandy and the government forces attacked Nobody and the Brotherhood at one of their rallies. They made short work of most of the Brotherhood of Dada, and Dandy hurled one of his many faces onto Mr. Nobody's, which changed him back into Morden and allowed Dandy the opportunity to impale him on a piece of wood. The Love Glove (a Brotherhood of Dada member) and Cliff Steele prevented Dandy from finishing the job. Military snipers destroyed the only method of saving Mr. Nobody by incinerating the painting, and he eventually just faded away. Cliff tossed Dandy across the street into the roof where the snipers were located, possibly killing him in the process. Any one who read Grant Morrison's Doom Patrol series knows he has a definite knack for making the weird out of the mundane...Cliff Steele was the only real normal character in the book after a while, and he was a human brain encased in a robot body. Yankee Doodle was another example of this, but it was much easier to take than a lot of these metamorphoses because we didn't really know the character...Dandy had a history but the readers had never met him before this single story. It wasn't like the transformation of Larry Trainor into Rebis, or even Rhea Jones' changes during the Geomancers storyline. Appearances: Doom Patrol (2nd series) #51, 53 |
|
outpost2
Member |
posted March 01, 2002 02:42 PM
Ace, typically no formal registering is expected. Usually it's just a free-for-all. However, occasionally someone will say "I'll do such-and-such". I should have copied those few posts from Round IV to Round V at the very beginning. My mistake. That said, the entries you mentioned (Arrows of Alaska, Crusader,
Missile Men, and the Dazzler) are now on your "informal" to-do list.
|
|
The Vigilante
Member |
posted March 01, 2002 08:41 PM
Would Hero Hotline be obscure enough for the thread? I just ask cuz I
finally got their mini-series again so all their appearances are here in
my greedy little hands --Rich |
|
outpost2
Member |
posted March 01, 2002 11:27 PM
I would say Hero Hotline qualifies as obscure. Consider them #143.1. FYI, in addition to ACTION COMICS WEEKLY and the HERO HOTLINE mini, they appeared in GUY GARDNER: WARRIOR #29, SUPERBOY v3 #65, and an issue or two of SWAMP THING v2 and WONDER WOMAN v2 (sorry I don't have the exact issues). Looking forward to this one. Hmmmm, I just remembered something else. Zeep the Living Sponge (of the Hotline's Night Crew) appeared prior to HERO HOTLINE #2, as part of the Dial 'H' for HERO series in ADVENTURE COMICS #483. You may want to look into that too. |
|
outpost2
Member |
posted March 02, 2002 12:01 AM
I going to add two items, then grab them plus one more: 56.1 Captain Marvel (the android) |
|
outpost2
Member |
posted March 02, 2002 12:02 AM
CAPTAIN MARVEL Alter Ego: Capt. Marvel, Prof. Roger Winkle History: Sometime prior to the mid-1960's, on a world in another solar system, an atomic war threatened to destroy that planet's humanoid civilization. The volcanic tribes of that world were warring with other groups over food and land. They even built a humanoid warrior called the Destroyer to eliminate anything that prevented the volcano people from expanding. A group of scientists gathered together to build something that would balance out the destruction, before the world's inevitable end came. They created a marvel of science, an artificial man, with amazing powers which would be used for the good of mankind. They named him Captain Marvel, the human robot. Marvel was given rigorous training to master the special abilities that were built into him. By speaking the word "Split!", the sentient robot could separate his body parts and control the flying pieces. Upon speaking the word "Xam!", the sections reconnected. He could even command individual parts by speaking such commands as "Fingers off!", "Hands off!", or "Feet run!". After time, he would only have to think the words in order to execute the commands. Marvel soon learned of the nuclear devastation of his planet, and of his special purpose. The knowledge of his world's people was preserved in his computer mind; he was to use it to help others. The scientists underscored the importance of rejuvenating his source of energy on a daily basis. They explained to Marvel that the medallion on his chest contained a material they call "X". By rubbing his hand over it, he would retain his powers at maximum. On one test run, Marvel was used to chase the Destroyer off-planet, stopping the advance of the volcano people. Then, one fateful day, the final atomic bombs fell. Marvel was given astro-boots that would enable him to travel through space. He barely got 1,000 miles off the planet before it exploded. Marvel became a space wanderer. After an unknown period of time, Marvel found Earth, circa 1965. He approached the planet, but the heat of re-entry weakened him. A teenager named Billy Baxton spotted the falling stranger and ran away in fear. Marvel sent his hand to stop Billy, causing Billy to faint. Upon waking, Billy was calmed and they became friends. Billy explained all about the Earth and it's people. He helped Marvel get a suit of clothes, and helped establish his civilian identity as Captain Marvel (presumably explaining the "captain" title by claiming "Mr. Marvel" was a retired military man). Soon, Marvel landed a job as a writer for an important press service and purchased a home. Shortly after that, tired and dazed by his long ordeal, Marvel developed temporary amnesia. Luckily, Billy arrived and helped refresh his memory. Marvel would continue to have occasional lapses about his early life, usually requiring someone or something to jog his computer mind. Captain Marvel initially wore no mask in his alternate role as super-hero, but he soon gained recognition because of his global exploits. Marvel realized he would need a better secret identity, and thus created the alter ego of Prof. Roger Winkle. Winkle got a job as a professor at Dartmoor University, located in the small northeastern town of Riverview. He donned a mask as an added measure to conceal his new identity. Captain Marvel's career lasted a number of years, and during that time he battled many menaces, including the Destroyer, the only other survivor of his doomed homeworld. Marvel's ultimate fate is unknown. Weapons and Powers: Captain Marvel had the ability to split off some or all of his body parts and mentally control them as they flew through the air. He could fly at great speeds and over large distances using his miraculous astro-boots. He was intelligent and clever due to his computer brain, and his robot form made him quite durable during battle. He had laser beam eyes, and could emit sonic waves, electronic force fields, and electrical shocks. He needed no air to breathe, had a resistance to electricity, could sense radioactivity, and could make analytical tests using his senses of smell and taste. Later, Marvel even learned how to make his street clothes invisible through mental commands, revealing his uniform underneath. Comments: Although he was a robot, Roger Winkle occasionally dated Linda Knowles. However, he was greatly affected by magnetism, and shied away from doctors, indicating that his robotic form contained a great deal of metallic parts which could be readily detected. It is therefore doubtful that his relationship with Miss Knowles ever progressed beyond the dating stage. |
|
Koppy McFad
Member |
posted March 02, 2002 12:57 AM
VIRAGO Sole appearance: Green Arrow # 12, still on sale if you're lucky. She was a female superhero operating out of Philadelphia. An apparent rookie, she had about a dozen arrests to her credit, mostly muggings, breaking and enterings, etc. While out on patrol on the rooftops of the city, she was lured into a trap by a tape recorded cry for help. The mysterious villain, Onomatopeia, wounded her with a rifle and then, as she lay kneeling helpless and wounded on the ground, he put a pistol to her head and shot her dead. Instant obscurity. Origins: unknown. Secret identity: unknown. Powers: no apparent powers although she did the usual swinging on the rooftops with a rope. If she had any powers, they didn't come in handy against a guy with a gun. Her name was suppose to be ironic because she was actually quite a good-looking lady. I assume she was created mainly to show what a dangerous fellow Onomatopeia is. Credit her to Kevin Smith. |
|
Koppy McFad
Member |
posted March 02, 2002 05:43 AM
The Jihad They were the first opponents as well as the opposite number of the Suicide Squad. They were absolutely ruthless in killing and the Squad in turn had little hesitation in killing them. The Jihad's acts of terrorism were chillingly reminiscent of the September 11 atrocity and their battles with the Suicide Squad set the tone for the series which remains one of the most exciting and genuinely suspenseful runs in recent comic history. I will list only brief thumbnail synopses about the Jihad to avoid spoiling the fun of anyone who might be interested in buying back issues of this excellent title. Despite their Islamic name, the Jihad were not primarily religious. They were terrorists for hire, created or recruited by the government of Quarac (the DC universe version of Iraq), with a little help from the Soviets. Many of their members were clearly not Muslims. But almost all of them had some grudge with the United States or some U.S. ally. They usually had names taken from various myths and legends, which conveyed their menace. They made their debut in the first issue of the first run of SUICIDE SQUAD by seemingly slaughtering an entire American airport full of people and crashing Airforce One with the president on board. The Suicide Squad heard that they were planning an attack on an American target and the team struck first, sneaking into the Jihad's base in an abandoned Nazi fortress in Quarac and going after each of the Jihad's members. But despite being decimated by the Squad, the Jihad reassembled and went after the Squad, this time in New York (including the World Trade Center.) Eventually, in issue no. 26, the Suicide Squad's team leader Colonel Rick Flag sneaked back into the old Nazi fortress and set off an old atom bomb supposedly destroying the Jihad. Despite this, individual Jihad members survived (while others were grotesquely resurrected) and continued to plague the Squad both individually and as a group. The Jihad members largely did not engage in banter so little was known about their backgrounds. They killed people. That was what they were suppose to do. The key members were: Rustam: the field leader. Possibly Iraqi or Iranian. He could conjure up a flaming scimatar which could slice through anything. He had the drive and intensity to match Flag's so the two were in a way, counterparts to each other. We never learned his origin. Manticore: a beast-like creature with great strength and speed, partial invulnerability and who could fire his "claws" like bullets and launch grenades from his scorpion tail. A product of genetic manipulation. Jaculi: a young man from a desert tribe. He had bursts of super-speed and hurled exploding javelins. He was later replaced by a female version who appeared to be of East Asian origin. Again, no origin was given for either of them. Djinn: an electronic man, given solid form by a computer program. He could "phase" through objects, scrambling electronics. He could also just plan break someone's neck with his bare hands. He was later replaced by a female version called Ifrit. Ravan: an Indian belonging to the Thugee cult. A master of ritual assasination. He had no powers but was extremely skilled in combat. He was later recruited by the Suicide Squad. Koschei, the deathless: an American scientist who was working to create superbeings, first for the Russians, then the Jihad. After being mortally wounded in the first Suicide Squad attack on Quarac, he discovered that his body had been re-animated, using his own technology. By putting implants on dead bodies, Koschei could control them to do his bidding and his killing. It is later revealed that he had an old relationship to Flag. Babd: an 10-year-old Irish girl who had mental powers. She could drive people wild, even seizing control of Superman's mind briefly. Agni: presumably another Indian. A human flame thrower who confronted Captain Cold in New York. Chimera: the Jihad's teleporter. It is soon revealed that she has other loyalties. Some of the Jihad members survived the end of the first run of the SUICIDE SQUAD and since most of the members were artificially created, it wouldn't be hard for new versions of the Jihad members to be spawned. Whether any writer would want to use such terrorist characters in today's charged atmosphere remains to be seen. |
|
Xero
Member |
posted March 02, 2002 07:55 AM
Vig, the Bronze Tiger didn't kill Kathy Kane/Batwoman, the League of Assassins did while he was hypnotized into kicking Batman's ass. |
|
Xero
Member |
posted March 02, 2002 07:58 AM
All the Jihad members who weren't foreign nationals like Badb (who was Irish), or Koschei (who was Russian) were Quaracis. |
|
Hellstone
Member |
posted March 02, 2002 10:49 AM
This thread has never been so crowded and ALIVE before. That's great. Vigilante - fyi, Tim Trench (a pre-Crisis friend of Wonder Woman and a detective with his own back-up series in DETECTIVE COMICS) donned a mask and joined Hero Hotline in an issue of Mark Millar's SWAMP THING. Koppy McFad - the Jihad returned in OUTSIDERS with a new Djinn and a new Manticore, among others. Not to mention the Dervish, who has later shown up as a villainess in GREEN LANTERN, WONDER WOMAN, and elsewhere. |
|
The Vigilante
Member |
posted March 02, 2002 11:57 AM
Originally posted by Hellstone: This thread has never been so crowded and ALIVE before. That's great.  Vigilante - fyi, Tim Trench (a pre-Crisis friend of Wonder Woman and a detective with his own back-up series in DETECTIVE COMICS) donned a mask and joined Hero Hotline in an issue of Mark Millar's SWAMP THING. This is what I love/hate about this thread...just when you think you've
got everything down, you find the most obscure characters have appeared
somewhere else Tim Trench in a mask? Who's idea was that? Yow! Off to milehigh.com again lol --Rich |
|
outpost2
Member |
posted March 02, 2002 12:29 PM
DIAL 'H' FOR HERO Dial 'H' for HERO was always a fun and interesting concept. A teen-ager would dial H-E-R-O on a magic H-Dial and transform himself or herself into a randomly selected super-hero. The saga of the H-Dial began with Robby Reed, way back in late 1965. Robby Reed lived in Littleville, Colorado with his grandfather and their housekeeper Miss Millie. Robby was a science prodigy, with a well-stocked lab in the rear of his house. One day, he was out at Valley Ridge with some friends, when suddenly he fell into a subterraean cavern. He discovered a telephone-like dial made of a peculiar alloy, with a strange inscription on it. The dial was the handiwork of extraterrestrials. Robby took the dial home and deciphered the inscription. He learned that, by dialing H-E-R-O, he could become a randomly chosen super-hero. He reverted to normal by dialing O-R-E-H. Since he was billed as "The boy who can change into 1,000 super-heroes", one must wonder if "one thousand" was a true limit. Robby disappeared for a while, returned briefly in 1976, then faded into obscurity. Fifteen years after the debut of the original feature, a new series began. This one however did not mention Robby Reed. Christopher King had just moved with his family to a New England town named Fairfax, into what was rumored to be a haunted house. One day, he went exploring in the attic with Victoria Grant, a fellow student at Hamilton Junior High School. The two teens found an old chest which contained a wristwatch and a watch pendant. They quickly learned that the faces concealed H-Dials. These dials differed slightly with the original, Robby's had ten dial holes while these had only four, but the concept was still the same. These new dials however had a one hour time limit. If either dial was in use, the other would glow to signal the wearer that he or she may be needed. They later learned that the dials tapped into the vivid imagination of Nick Stevens, a schoolmate of theirs, in order to generate their heroic identities. In one of their last recorded adventures, Chris and Vicki learned the origin of their dials. A few years back, Robby Reed was in one of his super-hero identities, when he became trapped by a super-villain. He dialed D-I-V-I-D-E, which transformed him into two entities: the good Wizard and the evil Master. The Wizard created the two new H-Dials, while the Master plagued the teens behind-the-scenes. The two entities ultimately merged back together, and Robby, tired of the role of hero, gave his dial to the kids' friend Nick Stevens. Some time later, Chris and Vicki returned, but not in the way anyone would have expected. The two had gone away to college and drifted apart. Vicki had gotten in with a bad crowd and was corrupted by the cult known as the Children of the Sun. Eventually, Vicki came after Chris, with the desire to kill him. Chris went to his house looking for his dial, but found it was missing. He ran from Fairfax, and finally contacted the New Teen Titans for help. After an intense battle, during which it was learned that Vicki was beginning to store residue H-Dial energy, Vicki disappeared. Chris later learned that he too had absorbed H-Dial energy, and began to change from hero to hero against his will. Later still, Chris was abducted by the Wildebeest, an enemy of the Titans, but was soon after rescued. Recently, the teen named Hero Cruz found Vicki's H-Dial among the artifacts stolen by the Scavenger. After some help from his friends the Ravers, Hero got to keep the dial. Soon after he acquired it however, Vicki Grant came looking for it. After a nasty fight, Vicki was subdued and returned to normal. Hero Cruz was last seen, along with Chris King, at a party hosted by members of the Titans. Although that brings the story of the dial "up-to-date", that's not where the story ends! During a weird temporal mishap, the 30th century Legion of Super-Heroes found themselves briefly in the 25th century. While there, one of their friends, Lori Morning, was secretly given Robby Reed's H-Dial by the Time Trapper, which he had stolen from its display at the Space Museum. Lori currently possesses the dial in her new home in the 30th century. When last seen, the dial had been shorted out and no longer appeared to be functional. That *is* where the story ends! However, you can find a concise summary of the history of those wonderful H-Dials at the following link: http://www.infiniteearths.org/dcu/dialhforhero_files/dial_h.htm . The H-Dials : The current whereabouts of H-Dial #1 is unknown. It was last seen in the possession of Nick Stevens. (In the post-Zero Hour continuity, this dial will end up in the Space Museum in the 25th century. When last seen, the 25th century H-Dial was in the 30th century, where it was shorted out; it is believed to be non-functional.) The current whereabouts of H-Dial #2 is unknown. It was last seen in the possession of a corrupted Vicki Grant and the Children of the Sun. H-Dial #3 is currently in the possession of Hero Cruz. The H-Dial users : Robby Reed obtained H-Dial #1 in HOUSE OF MYSTERY #156; he gave the dial to Nick Stevens in NEW ADVENTURES OF SUPERBOY #49. The criminal "Daffy" Dagan used H-Dial #1 in HOUSE OF MYSTERY #158. Robby Reed's girlfriend, Susan "Suzy" Shoemaker, used H-Dial #1 in HOUSE OF MYSTERY #169 and SILVER AGE SECRET FILES #1. Members of the Justice League of America used H-Dial #1 in SILVER AGE: CHALLENGERS OF THE UNKNOWN #1 and SILVER AGE 80-PAGE GIANT #1. Chris King obtained H-Dial #2 in LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES [2nd series] #272; he internalized the power by HAWK & DOVE [3rd series] ANNUAL #1; he was last seen fraternizing with the Titans in THE TITANS SECRET FILES #2. Vicki Grant obtained H-Dial #3 in LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES [2nd series] #272; she was corrupted by the Children of the Sun by NEW TEEN TITANS [2nd series] #45; she internalized the power by SUPERBOY & THE RAVERS #13; she last appeared as a villainess in WONDER WOMAN [2nd series] #175. Nick Stevens obtained H-Dial #1 in NEW ADVENTURES OF SUPERBOY #49; he was last seen in CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS #12. Hero Cruz obtained H-Dial #3 in SUPERBOY & THE RAVERS #5; he was last seen fraternizing with the Titans in THE TITANS SECRET FILES #2. In the pre-Crisis reality, the criminal Nylor Truggs used the 30th century H-Dial #2 in NEW ADVENTURES OF SUPERBOY #50; it was destroyed in battle in the 20th century; this story was retconned out by the Crisis. In the post-Zero Hour reality, Lori Morning obtained the 25th century H-Dial #1 in LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES [4th series] #91; she used it to become a heroine in the 30th century; it became non-functional in LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES [4th series] #125. |
|
Hellstone
Member |
posted March 02, 2002 01:38 PM
I don't want to compete with you or anything, Outpost, but maybe we can complement each other. (I hope you won't take offense.) Here is my own, more "Who's Who"-styled summary of the H-Dials and
their wielders. It was originally written for Kim Jensen's "Definitive DC
Guide" and has been updated with info from the (quite) recent "Silver Age"
series and Vicki's cameo in "Wonder Woman". /ola The Unofficial "DIAL H FOR HERO" Biography "Sockamagee! What's happening to me?" - Robby Reed STATS: *First Appearance of the Hero Dial: House of Mystery #156 (January, 1966) To this day, six prominent users of the H-Dials have been noted: *Robby Reed (First appearance: House of Mystery #156, January 1966.) HISTORY: The original H-Dial (a.k.a. the Hero Dial) is an enigmatic object whose origin is clouded in mystery. Its first recorded whereabouts are from about ten years ago, when an over-intelligent (some may call him "goofy") teenager named Robby Reed was caught in the middle of a crime rampage in his hometown of Littleville. Pushed down a cliff at Valley Ridge, Robby miraculously survived and found himself in a previously unexplored cavern. There, Robby discovered a strange kind of dial inscribed with an unknown language (later identified as the alien "Esperanto" called Interlac). Robby took it home, and somehow - through a very good sense of language or maybe by some mental link to the dial - Robby was able to decipher the ten alien characters into equivalents of Earth's A, D, E, H, I, L, N, O, R, and V. For some reason, he then felt the urge to dial the equivalent of the letters H-E-R-O. "Sockamagee!! What's happening to me?" Robby cried to himself. Well, what do you know. In an instant, the youngster had transformed into a super-hero. And with the transformation came an immediate knowledge of his powers and of his "hero name". As "Giant Boy", Robby fought the criminals from the Thunderbolt organization he had encountered earlier. To this day, it has not been revealed where this dial came from. Nor has it been discovered how it could generate the identities of superheroes, a phenomenon very typical for the modern western world. But the fact remained - Robby Reed could become a new superhero every time he dialed the four letters. He became "the boy who can change into 1,000 super-heroes". Still, the public thought that Robby was a new hero every time he appeared. And in a sense - he was. Cometeer, the Mole, Radar-Sonar Man, Hypno Man, Yankee Doodle Kid, Chief Mighty Arrow, Astro - Man of Space... in these and numerous other guises, Robby battled the Thunderbolt organization, the Cougar-Man, the Terrible Toymaster, and many other menaces. When he instead dialed O-R-E-H, he became Robby again. Sometimes the identities were very peculiar - like the super-sweet King Kandy, the infant Mighty Moppet, or the utterly ridiculous shapes of "Whoozis", "Whatzis", and "Howzis" (the latter three made Robby think the dial was making fun of him). Now and then, the Dial would also transform him into an existing superhero, like Plastic Man, or one yet to be born, like Tommy Tomorrow. Robby Reed had been orphaned at an early age. Robby's father had been a detective with the Middleton Police Force (working together with John Jones a.k.a. the Martian Manhunter) and a good one at that, naturally making a lot of enemies. Mobsters killed both Robby's parents in an act of revenge. Robby's maternal grandfather Eli moved the boy to Littleville, where he raised him with the help of Eli and one Mrs. Millie. Eli constantly refused to talk about Robby's parents, his daughter's death on the irresponsible actions of his son-in-law. Growing up with an emptiness inside him, Robby's secret life of super-heroism may have helped him to fill that void. Although Robby mostly had a very modest hero career in Littleville, he once had a proud adventure together with the Justice League of America. The criminal Injustice League had absorbed all the knowledge of the JLA's powers, secrets, and battling techniques, and there was nothing the JLA could do that the villains could not anticipate. The Leaguers' only rescue was to borrow the H-Dial and become heroes never previously seen. As Marionette (the Flash), Mod-Man (Atom), Miss Fortune (Black Canary), Doc Fission (Superman), Minuteman (Batman), Terra Firma (Aquaman), Poltergeist (Green Arrow), and Go-Go (Martian Manhunter) the JLA brutally outmatched the Injustice League, and later their master, the alien conqueror Agamemno. Afterwards, the JLA acknowledged Robby as their equal and he thanked them for just once letting him play in the big leagues. There has been references made to a second meeting between Robby and the JLA, but this has not yet been recorded. The dial was not totally risk- |