is for The Liberty Legion.
(This is an eleventh hour change from my original "L", which was Longshot....hence my 'luck' clue yesterday)
Way back in 1942, Captain America's junior partner Bucky was in a pickle. Ya see, his pals in the supergroup, the Invaders, had been captured and brainwashed by the evil Red Skull! It was up to Bucky to rescue them, but he knew he couldn't do it alone.
So, he put out a rallying cry and assembled his own team of patriotic, home-front heroes to help him get his pals out of the jam they were in.
Those who answered the call were:
- The Patriot: (Jeff Mace) A top notch hand to hand combatant and military strategist.
- Ms. America: (Madeline Joyce) She could fly, had super strength and limited invulnerability
- The Whizzer: (Robert Frank) Could run at about 100 mph.
- The Thin Man: (Bruce Dickson) He could stretch, slip in between cracks, and resist injuries due to his pliable nature.
- Jack Frost: (Mythological winter spirit) Could create and project cold and ice for various effects.
- Blue Diamond: (Elton T. Morrow) Was invulnerable to most forms of harm.
- Red Raven: Coming from a long lost tribe of 'bird people', he had a costume that allowed him to fly as well as other 'advanced' (for the 40s) gadgets.
Way back when, I was really a big fan of a book Marvel Comics was putting out, called The Invaders. It featured Captain America, his sidekick Bucky, the Sub Mariner, the original Human Torch and his sidekick Toro. Set back during World War II, the Invaders fought against the Axis powers at home and abroad.
I've always been a big fan of team books, so when I saw the above issue that featured a new group...one like the Invaders...I was immediately hooked.
Back then, as a young kid without the magical thing we know as the 'internet' to reference, I had no clue that all the characters had originated back in the (real) 1940s and were featured in the old Timely Comics, the golden age predecessor to Marvel Comics. Writer Roy Thomas, needing more 'patriotic type' heroes, put the team together.
While they never got a title of their own, the Legion guest starred in quite a few books over the years....mainly as individual characters...and the old characters from the Golden Age of comics were re-woven back into Marvel continuity.
Tune in Monday to find out more about a member of the Legion...
43 comments:
Wow! With that team anyone in any pickle (massive or gigantic) could be saved.
Invaders were similar to the Teen Titans. Too bad they never got their own comic.
Mark,
This comic book stuff is really interesting.I'm getting into it AND anyone by the name of Bucky can't be all bad.
Thanks and have that fabulous week end.
Naturally, these are all new to me. However, I love the NAMES. They are so creative. In conjunction with their respective powers... ::awesome::
It's weird to think of those comic book heroes being so old. The minds that created them were so imaginative.
I love when characters are unearthed and dusted off to be used again. Fun post!
That's quite a theme. You posted later than usual today.
There are so many groups of superheroes! It's hard to keep track of them all.
Allison (Geek Banter)
(I want to apologize if I didn't get a chance to comment on your blogs yesterday. It was a bit hectic r/l and I'm still playing catch up. As always, though, I do appreciate you taking the time to read and comment here...thank you!)
@Lee: I know! They were a fun bunch of heroes, as well :)
@Alex: Yeah, back then I would have killed for a Liberty Legion monthly title. I really thought it was a great group.
@Manzanita: Haha...thank you and you do the same :)
@Robin: I agree...I like how the names are simple, yet pretty much tell you what they can do (for the most part)
@Susan: I always love when they dust off the golden age heroes and give them a bit of an update...it really gives a sense of continuity, which is nice.
@lostinsidethecovers: I totally agree! :)
@Sheena: I know...yesterday got hectic and I didn't get a chance to pre-write my post for today. Then, at the last minute, I remembered the Legion and figured I'd scrap my originally planned hero for this group. :)
This entry is fantastic and is getting sent to my comic book loving eldest son immediately!
Thanks for a great post!
jean
I thought of Teen Titans-I use to watch some of it, with my kids!
I love the colors and learning more of what was! I wish they would to a tribute to these creations! They truly are golden :D
Thanks Mark, this is so fun! I will go back and see what I missed~
Marvel rocks!
This team seems pretty cool. Looking forward to meeting one of the members on Monday. (No worries on getting too busy to come visit...as you can see, I am playing catch up, too- sometimes life just gets in the way)
The Whizzer has a most unfortunate name! What a varied group this was.
Checking-in with the A-Z blog hop. :) Thanks for teaching me stuff I'd never (in a million years) know. You're so passionate about this, and it shows through in your writing. Great job!
Dana at Waiter, drink please!
I'm interested in any wartime stuff, so it's funny to see the swastika guy on the front of that book and how the whole Axis of Evil would be dealt with in the comic world. They would have been the ultimate villains at the time.
Okay now I'm impressed, well, again! Where do you find these? I don't remember the Liberty Legion, but I do remember parts of the team. How's that for weird? Great flash back, and can't wait for Monday!
Great Post mark! I loved Liberty Legion. It sure was a wild marvel.
I'm really enjoying learning about the comic world.
Strength in numbers! Who can beat a hero team?
Never heard of this one either!! TO GOOGLE I GO!
Your theme is spectacular!
Hugs!
Valerie Nunez and the Flying Platypi
@Allison: I know and things are much easier since the internet came along :) Thanks again for the shout out on your blog, I appreciate it!
@Jean: Thank you and I hope he enjoys it :)
@Ella: I agree and that's why I'm always glad when they dust off some of these old characters and feature them in other books.
@Rebecca: Thanks and you're right...it just takes one day to get behind, unfortunately :)
@Christine: LOL...that's what my wife said, too."The Whizzer? really?" She got a good laugh out of that.
@Dana: Thanks and thank you for stopping by :)
@Nick: Definitely agree....the comics got a lot of mileage out of the Nazis as baddies, for sure!
@Lisa: Thank you! I remember them from when I was young and read comics and I -really- enjoyed them. They were fun and didn't try to take themselves too seriously. Times have changed and, unfortunately, comic books have too.
@Spacerguy: Hey, thank you and glad you liked it :)
@Regina: Thank you very much :)
@Sherry: Very true. It's always nice to have someone watching your back!
@Valerie: Haha....yes, Google can give you 'the rest of the story' :) Thank you, glad you're liking it!
It looks like this Jack Frost does more than just nip at your nose!
Liberty Legion is a new one for me. Must have been a pain for Ms. America though, being the only girl of the group. :)
@Cynthia: Heh, yeah, especially if you were a Nazi...then it might be a punch :)
@Elise: Well, I'm sure the rest of the Legion were well behaved. Especially since she was probably the strongest member :)
Did Bucky have a superhero name or did he just go by "Bucky?"
@Diane: Bucky was his codename...his real name was James Buchanan Barnes.
This should be a movie...like now, cause I want to watch it!
Karen
I'm always really fascinated with anything related to WWII-era. I can see how they would assemble a winning team to fight the Axis. It's cool to get these little comic history lessons :)
Interesting that the guy celebrating his defeat of the Invaders has a swastika on his chest! I had no idea of the history behind these comics, your theme is really cool.
these posts remind me of big bang theory. the justice league episode was the best!!
so many comics!
Hey Mark,
The Liberty Legion sure seem like a force to be reckoned with. And yes, Ms America does seem to be rather surrounded by a bunch of raging testosterone.
Still, they'd be no match against Scooby-Doo and the gang! :)
Hope you had a good weekend, Mark.
Gary :)
The Legion sounds like a fun team comic book group, although The Whizzer needed a better name. My mind went straight to the toilet there . . .sorry. :)
I'd never heard of this group. Ms. America's costume is cute. I've really missed out by not reading comics.
KC @ The Occasional Adventures of a Hermit & Oh Frog It
Your posts are SO informative. You're filling in all kinds of gaps in my education.
As Christine above said, The Whizzer really does have a most unfortunate name!
Your posts are SO informative. You're filling in all kinds of gaps in my education.
As Christine above said, The Whizzer really does have a most unfortunate name!
I can't help but wonder what some of those old comics would sell for these days.
@Karen: Same here...that'd be so cool :)
@Shell: I really like WWII stuff, myself...from old movies, to radio shows, to comics of the time. Great stuff :)
@Julie: Yep, it's the Red Skull...an evil Nazi villain who was also in the Captain America movie (played by Hugo Weaving) :)
@Tara: I really need to watch that show, sometime :)
@Gary: LOL....you may just be right. Not sure how'd they fare against Scooby and the gang! Have a great weekend, yourself :)
@Tyrean: Haha, I know...I'm sure he's probably heard it all, though I suspect it probably didn't have the same meaning back then :)
@KC: They weren't around too long, but they were a fun group. Thanks for stopping by and commenting :)
@Kern: haha...thank you!
@Jeff: Depending on their condition, it could be quite a bit.
Your theme is so interesting...I never got into comics as a kid but did enjoy Archie and the gang...also loved the Sunday comics...guess it's not really the same! Thanks for sharing bud!
Shannon at I Survived and Now I Run
Interesting last minute change. I am really loving this comic book theme. I thought I remembered my comics from when I was a kid, but each time I read your blog post, I realize how much I'd forgotten...or never knew.
Not a fan of the Red Skull. Bucky and the gang seem nice enough though.
Julie
Another fun post... I never knew that teams as large at the Legion were formed. The largest one I know if is the Fantastic Four.
This is the first time I've heard of this comic. Thanks for sharing!
www.modernworld4.blogspot.com
HI Mark .. I always find it so interesting that things that were around in the 1940s were as advanced (if not more so) than later variants .. Cheers Hilary
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