Freedom Fighters #11

Freedom Fighters #11 (December 1977)
title: "Divided We...Die??"
writer: Bob Rozakis
penciller: Dick Ayers
inker: Jack Abel
letterer: Milt Snapinn
colorist: Liz Berube
editor: Jack C. Harris
letter column: Jack C. Harris
cover: Rich Buckler & Jack Abel

Order of Appearance: The Ray opens the issue; we then see Doll Man in New York City; then Phantom Lady, Uncle Sam, and The Human Bomb are shown in Texas. The Black Condor does not appear in this story. 

Guest Stars:  None

Supporting Characters:
The Ray's mysterious benefactor, WGNY-TV reporter Martha Roberts

Opponents:
Chief Crazy Horse, Tall Tree, Rain-In-The-Face, and Thunder Cloud

Overall Summary: 
Three Freedom Fighters are in Dallas, the Ray is in upstate New York, and the Doll Man goes on trial in New York City!  

Plot Summary:

In some cabin in upstate New York, the Ray is recuperating from a bullet wound in his shoulder. The Ray, in his delirium, remembers how he became the Ray when he was caught in a cosmic storm while riding in a stratosphere balloon. He has been nursed back to health by a mysterious stranger who thinks the Ray and the Freedom Fighters are hunting for him. 

In New York City, the murder trial of Darrel Dane begins. We learn that the case against him is very bad, even though it is based entirely on circumstantial evidence.  

In Dallas, the Human Bomb, the Phantom Lady, and Uncle Sam are trying to establish new identities far from New York. Their lives as refugees are making them all a bit on edge. On the way to an employment office, they encounter four Native Americans begging for coins. 

The quartet then pray to their ancestors for help and are suddenly gifted with incredible powers: Chief Crazy Horse gets super-speed, Tall Tree gets super-growth ability, Rain-In-The-Face gains the ability to blast water from his hands, and Thunder Cloud gains the ability to blast lightning from his eyes. 

They immediately decide to rob a bank. The Freedom Fighters are still in the neighborhood, so they try to stop the bank robbery but fail. 

At Darrel's trial, it looks bad for him. It's revealed that the real killer called the victim's secretary away, and then Doll Man coincidentally (?) stumbled into the office while she wasn't there. He denies calling her away and killing the District Attorney. 

The Freedom Fighters come across the Native Americans again, and this time the Fighters use team-work to defeat them. The local police turn a blind eye while the Fighters escape. 

At Darrel's trial, he is found guilty of murder. 

Review: 

This is another well plotted and fun issue. Although I'm not sure exactly why the three Freedom Fighters went to Texas instead of to, say, New Jersey, it does allow for the introduction of the Native American bad guys. Of course, they are the weakest part of the story, but part of the dissatisfaction with them is 40plus years of improved cultural understanding. Besides, appreciation of all people and all races doesn't mean that there aren't bad Native Americans. I would have liked to have gotten a little more characterization of Chief Crazy Horse, Tall Tree, Rain-In-The-Face, and Thunder Cloud, but at least we do see that they are not all carbon copies of each other. They seem a bit of a stereotypical "gang," but for a 17-page comic book in 1978 I guess that it was you were going to get. I wish they had come back, and either been given some more characterization or maybe switched sides to be heroes. 

By the way, it is noted in the letter column of FF #14 that it was supposed to be made more clear that these men gained their powers from the demon Homilus (from FF #6) just like Black Condor did. Because these characters suddenly being given super-powers with no explanation is incredibly bad plotting, I welcome this explanation, although I don't know how we as readers were supposed to understand this! And the idea that the demon was still alive or active at this point would have been disconcerting! 

The origin of the Ray is helpful, but typical Golden Age stuff. What, exactly, is a "cosmic storm," and how in the world would you gain the ability to control light and heat by being caught in one? Oh, because comics? Okay. 

I hazard a guess that the majority of readers would have had NO idea who the Ray's benefactor was. My knowledge of other Quality heroes at the time I originally read this book was zilch. Did YOU know who Rod Reilly was? 

It's unfortunate that Rozakis could not have squeezed Black Condor into this issue somewhere. He is mentioned as being missing, and that's it! 

As for the trial of Doll Man, this is progressing nicely in comic-book time. The evidence against Darrel Dane is staggering, and it's not surprising that he is quickly found guilty. On the other hand, all the investigation and follow-up work that we will see next issue REALLY should have occurred before the whole thing went to trial. I'll write more about this next time. 

Black Condor Moment 

Black Condor does not appear in this issue!    

Doll Man Moment

Doll Man confronts the evidence against him with honesty.....doesn't he?!?   

Human Bomb, Phantom Lady, and 

Uncle Sam Moment

The Human Bomb, Phantom Lady, and Uncle Sam work together

to take out the Renegades.  

The Ray Moment

The Ray remembers his origin while he 

is recuperating from an attack by Silver Ghost. 

Best Moment

The whole story is based on the antagonists moaning about freedom and equality; 

the Dallas police have the final word on this. 

It works here because we know that the Renegades 

really WERE only out to help themselves.  

Worst Moment

Only in the DCU would four guys pray to their ancestors 

and then suddenly get endowed with super powers. Uh.....no.  

Moment They Could Have Been Cleared:

Similar to last issue, there wasn't a particular moment this time out where the Freedom Fighters could have cleared their names. I suppose Darrel's lawyer could have brought up all of the bogus charges against Doll Man to have them aired and swept away, but that probably wouldn't have worked, which is why he probably didn't do it. He also could have called on Batman, Green Arrow, and the Elongated Man as character witnesses (they met in JLA #s107-108), but that would have probably been too confusing. 

This issue's letter column was dedicated to answering fans' questions and requests, such as how to get the book published more often (buy more copies) and how Black Condor has more than one secret identity.  

Freedom of Information

• The group is called "The Renegades" on the cover, but never in the story.  
• This is the second cover in a row without Black Condor on it. Probably because.... 
• Black Condor does not appear in this issue. This is the first time that any member has missed an issue. 
• Starting this issue, the following "roll call" and introduction appears on page one. 

The Freedom Fighters

assembled by Len Wein