Freedom Fighters #5

Freedom Fighters #5 (April 1976)
title: "The Rise And Fall of King Samson"
writer: Bob Rozakis
penciller: Ramona Fradon
inker: Vince Colletta

colorist: Liz Berube

letterer: Milt Snapinn
editor: Tony Isabella
letter column: Tony Isabella
cover: Rich Buckler & Vince Colletta

Order of Appearance: In one group scene on page one: (from left) The Human Bomb, Uncle Sam, and Phantom Lady; later in the story Black Condor, Doll Man, and The Ray appear together in the same scene (L~R). 

Guest Stars: Wonder Woman

Supporting Characters:
NYC DA David Pearson, news reporter Martha Roberts  (debut)

Opponents:
King Samson and the Silver Ghost

Overall Summary: 
King Samson uses the malfunctioning glove of the Silver Ghost to turn Wonder Woman to silver! When the Freedom Fighters attempt to cure her, they accidentally revive the deceased Silver Ghost! 

Plot Summary:
Wonder Woman has been turned to silver, which confuses and saddens Uncle Sam, Phantom Lady, and the Human Bomb. But thanks to something Phantom Lady says, the Human Bomb remembers how he had cured his friends of the same problem (back in FF #2). He theorizes that if he combines his explosive powers with King Samson's silver glove using Wonder Woman's magic lasso as a conduit, the power transference would revitalize Wonder Woman. 

Both the Human Bomb and Phantom Lady show their bravery here, as they have to get in close enough to King Samson to lasso him, and then trade explosive punches. 

The energy backlash does fix the magic lasso (but he's able to break it!?!) and then does revitalize Wonder Woman. However, the excess energy backlash somehow jumps back to the Silver Ghost's corpse, somehow reviving him!?! 

At the Manhattan jail, the remaining three Freedom Fighters are being interviewed by the Press, in the person of Martha Roberts and her camera crew. This upsets Doll Man, because his dead girl friend from Earth-X was that world's Martha Roberts, and this one is the spitting image of her! As the Ray tries to tell the Freedom Fighters' side of the story, they see Silver Ghost fly away from the city morgue. Rashly, they break out of jail and follow him. 

Uncle Sam brings Wonder Woman to the armory where they had once intended to live, and he watches over her until she fully recuperates. Nearby, the Human Bomb and Phantom Lady manage to keep King Samson at bay. Suddenly, the Silver Ghost himself arrives and uses a power he had not shown before: the ability to mentally control his silver glove. He forces King Samson to turn his left hand on himself, turning himself to silver. 

Luckily for the Human Bomb and Phantom Lady, the other three Freedom Fighters are hot on Silver Ghost's tail. There is a huge free-for-all on the streets of New York, and during the fight Doll Man realizes that he somehow has telekinetic powers. Also, now the Silver Ghost has mental powers, too, and is able to silverize things just by thinking them silver! 

Just as soon as DA Pearson and the police arrive, the Silver Ghost has disappeared. The Fighters don't think that they will be believed, so instead of trying to talk they fly off. 

Several hours later, just as DA Pearson is readying a charge of murder against the Freedom Fighters, Wonder Woman walks into his office, hale and hearty. The murder charge is cancelled, but all other outstanding charges remain. 

Review: 

This is a great issue for Phantom Lady, Human Bomb, and Doll Man fans, as these three members shine the brightest this time out. 

I admit that this story is a fun little read, and as a kid I really enjoyed the almost non-stop action. As an adult, I appreciate it even more for what it is (and isn't). New writer Bob Rozakis was handed a plot by Marty Pasko that he had to write his way out of, and I think he did a helluva job. His solution for saving Wonder Woman was clever, the way he re-assembled his team was good, and the bravery shown by Phantom Lady and Human Bomb especially really made an impression on me. 

Of course, the idea that Wonder Woman would not insist on clearing the Freedom Fighters' names, or escorting them back to the United Nations to ask for refugee status, or bringing them to the JLA satellite for safety, is just preposterous. Sure, Rozakis needed to end this plot and move on to the next, but this just makes Wonder Woman look incompetent, or cruel. 

The other thing I really loved about this issue is the introduction of Earth One's Martha Roberts. I had no historic knowledge of these characters, so had no idea that there had been a girlfriend (who was Doll Girl, of course). But someone obviously knew it, and Martha's introduction here gives our heroes a civilian POV that will be important for the rest of the series. And their slowly simmering love affair is just fun to watch. 

On the other hand, the introduction of heretofore unseen telekinetic powers by not only Doll Man but also the Silver Ghost is NOT fun. I know that we see Doll Man's abilities at least once or twice again, but I hope we don't see Silver Ghost's mental abilities again. "Thinking" something silver seems like a power set that would be practically unbeatable. Speaking of the Silver Ghost, I'm not sure I like the idea of him coming back to life, either. Just as we were finally rid of him and King Samson, he comes back. Well, we'll see how that works out....

But not next week! Next week we get a real change-of-pace story as we all head off... to a baseball game?!? 

Black Condor Moment 

Black Condor knocks out two guards with just a little bit of help 

from Doll Man! 

Doll Man Moment

Doll Man realizes that he has a new power: telekinesis!   

Human Bomb Moment

The Human Bomb manages to reverse the silverizing glove effects again. 

Nice job, Roy!   

Phantom Lady Moment 

Phantom Lady handles her phantom powers in an expert way!  

The Ray Moment

The Ray melts the wall of the county jail so that he and his buddies can escape!  

Uncle Sam Moment

Uncle Sam mostly stands around this issue, but he does get to help 

the Human Bomb during their fight with the Silver Ghost. 

Best Moment

This Earth's Martha Roberts makes her debut, 

who just happens to be a doppelganger of Doll Man's dead girlfriend!  

Worst Moment

Wonder Woman is unconscious, but Uncle Sam still insists on watching over her, 

taking BOTH of the strongest characters out of the story.  

Moment They Could Have Been Cleared:

If we ignore the idea that Wonder Woman could have spoken up for and cleared the Freedom Fighters, the next best idea to clear their names would have been for Black Condor, Doll Man, and the Ray to bring the news crew with them when they escaped. Then there would have been actual film proof that the Silver Ghost was not dead, and that he was trying to kill them. Seems like that might have helped. 

Freedom Fanmail
This issue's letter column introduces the book's new editor, Tony Isabella. and new writer, Bob Rozakis. Also, Frank Antonides of Freehold, NJ asks them to redesign the letter page header, so Tony requests all the artists "out there" to submit new letter column illustration ideas. Also, there is a quick note to check out Wonder Woman #228 to find out how King Samson was able to silverize and then break Diana's magic lasso, something we all know he should not have been able to do. Click to enlarge it for an easier-to-read version. 

Freedom of Information

• Each of the members appear on the cover again.
• No explanation is given as to how King Samson was able to silverize and also break Wonder Woman's magic lasso. Anybody "out there" have a copy of WW #228 handy? 
• Although Black Condor, Doll Man, and the Ray were stripped of their uniforms when they were placed in jail last issue, they are fully decked out in this story. There is a quick "the news wants you in your costumes" quote to explain the change.  
• This is the debut of Doll Man's telekinetic powers. 
• Martha Roberts is described as a GBS Special Correspondent.  

The Freedom Fighters

assembled by Len Wein