Freedom Fighters #6

Freedom Fighters #6 (Feb 1977)
title: "Witching Hour for the Warrior Wizards!"
writer: Bob Rozakis
penciller: Ramona Fradon
inker: Bob Smith
letterer: Ben Oda
colorist: Liz Berube
editor: Tony Isabella
letter column: Tony Isabella
cover: Rich Buckler & Vince Colletta (?)

Order of Appearance: Uncle Sam, The Ray, Black Condor, The Human Bomb, Doll Man, and Phantom Lady

Guest Stars:  None

Supporting Characters:
Martha Roberts, Tom Fagan

Opponents:
Silver Ghost's former gang, Enstra and the Warrior Wizards, Homilus the demon

Overall Summary: 
The Freedom Fighters seek to hide in Rutland, Vermont but must try to stop an attempt to bring a demon to Earth. 

Plot Summary:
At Yonkers Raceway, three members of the Freedom Fighters fight Silver Ghost's old gang as they try to rob the place. When several of them rush out into the field and hijack some horse buggies, the Ray and Black Condor go into action and capture them. Meanwhile, Uncle Sam interrogates one. Unfortunately for our heroes, the gang thinks that the Silver Ghost is dead. When the police arrive, the three heroes make a hasty retreat after the Ray absorbs the lights of the stadium, leaving everyone in the dark. 

At the same time, at the apartment of Martha Roberts, WGNY-TV news reporter who has become an ally, Doll Man finishes fixing a power dampener so that the Human Bomb can finally take off his suit. They all see the fight at Yonkers on the news and the fact that the Ray had to blacken the arena. They talk about wanting to get out of New York, so Martha suggests they go up to Rutland, Vermont, where she has a family cabin they can use as a hide-out. 

Unfortunately, using the Halloween celebration as a cover, a coven of Warrior Wizards are planning on opening a gateway to Hell to release the demon Homilus. It's always something, right? Their plan is for Homilus to possess the President; then the coven will know unlimited power. However, they still need to acquire a human sacrifice. They happen across Martha in the forest on her way to her family's cabin, so they kidnap her.  

Back at the cabin, Doll Man is worried, so he goes out looking for her. He finds the Wizards and sees that Martha is their prisoner. Doll Man uses his new telekinesis powers to animate one of the Human Bomb's gloves to alert the others that he needs them. 

The Freedom Fighters fight the Warrior Wizards and free Martha. However, one of the wizards is accidentally killed when Phantom Lady phases out of the way of a sword. This death frees Homilus! 

Homilus is initally pushed back by the touch of the Human Bomb, so Uncle Sam suggests a full Bomb attack will destroy it utterly. Meanwhile, Homilus has reached out and taken control of Black Condor. The Ray has to blast him unconscious in order to keep him from helping the demon. 

The Human Bomb strips off his protective suit and Uncle Sam then drops him on Homilus. The full extent of his explosive power succeeds in destroying the demon.  

Later, the Freedom Fighters appear during the Rutland Halloween Parade, along with two famous Atlanteans who Ramona Fradon is famous for illustrating.  

Review: 

This is probably my least favorite cover of Freedom Fighters, as the colors and image are just a bit too creepy for my tastes. However, the story itself is fun and fast-paced. I love how some Fighters are tracking down the Silver Ghost's gang (how, exacly? Haha) whil Doll Man is showing off his scientific prowess but helping his pal Human Bomb out. Now Roy can finally get out of that asbestos suit and take a shower! 

Also, the return of Tom Fagan and the Rutland, Vermont Halloween is a welcome addition. I had gotten a back-issue copy of JLA #103 by this point, and had read the Avengers visit to Rutland in the 83rd issue of their book, so I knew of the place. My grand-parents lived in Vermont so as a kid I always hoped to one day visit Rutland. Of course, if it's got covens of wizard warriors and other nasty things hanging about, maybe it's better that I never did get to go. 

I found it entertaining that one of the wizard warriors supplied their own human sacrifice. I guess I find Bob Rozakis' ironic humor more interesting than Marty Pasko's. And as a huge Human Bomb fan I LOVED getting to see more of him, as he stripped down to blow Homilus to little bits. 

One last thing about the story. I'm reprinting this panel above because as an original reader I totally skimmed over this, when it is actually a HUGE plot point in the book for the entire next year! So read it over one more time; I promise, it will be referenced again next issue! 

On the other hand, wouldn't it have been better if the wizard warriors had waited a week to see just who had won the 1976 Presidential election before calling Homilus up from Hell? I mean, what is Homilus going to do for the next few days while it waits for the election results, watch Laverne & Shirley? 

 

This is the last issue of  Freedom Fighters to be drawn by the great Ramona Fradon. After four issues under her belt she is moving on to The Super Friends, where she will spend the next four years before retiring from comic books to draw the newspaper comic-strip, Brenda Starr. 

Ramona is a wonderful artist and craftsperson, but there were times when her style seemed a tad too cartoony for my tastes. Inker Bob Smith was doing fine work on her pencils, though, so I'm sure I was anxious as to who would replace them. 

Black Condor Moment 

Black Condor flies into a goon trying to steal a racing horse, 

then tosses him into another goon to knock them both out!    

Doll Man Moment

Doll Man uses his brand-new telekinesis powers to 

alert his friends that he needs their help!  

Human Bomb Moment

The Human Bomb strips down to his tighty whities 

in order to blow up the demon real good.   

Phantom Lady Moment 

Phantom Lady "phases" out, causing one bad guy to kill another. 

Ouch!  

The Ray Moment

The Ray absorbs all the light at the race track 

so that he and his pals can escape in the darkness.  

Uncle Sam Moment

Uncle Sam leaps tall buildings in a single bound, 

carrying a bad guy no less....!  

Best Moment

Doll Man is able to create a tool to allow the Human Bomb to get out of his protective suit! 

Worst Moment

Martha Roberts plays a pretty heavy "damsel in distress." 

I would have preferred a TAD more fight in her.  

Moment They Could Have Been Cleared:

This one takes a bit of an explanation but check out the panel below. Roy Lincoln aka the Human Bomb is reading a magazine called GOTHAM about him and his friends. So... how cool would it have been if Batman had showed up in another issue or two having SEEN this magazine, and committing to helping his Earth-X friends prove their innocence? 

 

Freedom Fanmail
This issue's letter column announces that Ramona Fradon will be leaving the book after this issue. She is moving on to Super Friends, which she will stay on for four years. Click to enlarge it for an easier-to-read version. 

Freedom of Information

• Doll Man and Phantom Lady do not appear on the cover. 
• The cover art is not signed, but Mike's Amazing World of Comics credits it to Rich Buckler & Vince Colletta. 
• Starting with this issue, the Roll Call of the Freedom Fighters appears on the splash page of each issue. This will continue throughout the rest of the series. 
• We get our first good luck at the face under the Human Bomb mask this issue: Roy Lincoln has strawberry-blonde curly hair, in a look I imagined would have better fitted The Ray! 
• Tom Fagan and his Halloween parade and festival of Rutland, VT has appeared several times in various comics, such as Avengers #83,  Batman #237, Marvel Feature #2, JLA #103, Thor #206-207, Amazing Adventures #16, Avengers #119, DC Super-Stars #128, and JLA #145.  
• There is an ad for Kamandi #49 in this issue, featuring art by Dick Ayers. Remember that name.

The Freedom Fighters

assembled by Len Wein