Freedom Fighters #13 (April 1978)
title: "The Amazing Origin, The Deadly Return, The Startling Secret of The Black Condor!"
writer: Bob Rozakis
penciller: Dick Ayers
inker: Jack Abel
letterer: Milt Snapinn
colorist: Jerry Serpe
editor: Jack C. Harris
letter column: Jack C. Harris
cover: Rich Buckler & Jack Abel
Order of Appearance: Most appear in one group scene on page one: (L/R) Phantom Lady, The Ray, The Human Bomb, Uncle Sam, Doll Man, and newest member Firebrand; Black Condor appears on page two
Guest Stars: None
Supporting Characters:
WGNY-TV reporter Martha Roberts
Opponents:
possessed Black Condor, the demon Homilus
Overall Summary:
A possessed and super-strong Black Condor is back, and he wants to convert his friends to Evil!
Plot Summary:
During a WGNY-TV News Update, the newscaster tells us that the Freedom Fighters have freed Doll Man from the electric chair at the New York State Prison. He also notes the absence of the Black Condor, and the appearance of Firebrand; he suggests that perhaps they are the same man. He suggests that the Freedom Fighters are trying to change identities to elude the law.
Meanwhile, on Interstate 4 heading into Vermont, the Freedom Fighters and Martha Roberts are attacked by a wild and crazy Black Condor, who tosses their WGNY-TV news van on its side as if it were paper. The Ray melts a hole in the roof so that they can escape.
Black Condor knocks Uncle Sam a block away, then stands up to the Human Bomb's touch. Black Condor grabs the women, even a phantomized Phantom Lady, and flies off.
As they fly off, Martha begs Phantom Lady to come up with a plan to defeat Black Condor. She thinks back about Condor's origin. He was born Richard Grey, Junior, and was brought to Mongolia by his archeologist parents. He was the sole survivor of a raid on his parents' troop by Mongol warriors.
When a condor arrived at the site of the massacre, instead of eating him she took him back to her nest. He grew up there, trying to learn how to fly like his nest-mates. Eventually, he managed to learn how to ride the air currents.
Later, Richard Grey, Jr is tutored by a hermit named Father Pierre. He learns languages and culture and all about the Western world. A year later, Father Pierre is killed by the Mongol Raider named Gali Khan. Black Condor uses his ability to fly to fight against evil, first in Asia and then in the United States. He resembles US Senator Thomas Wright, so when Wright is assassinated, Black Condor takes his place.
But that origin story doesn't help the women escape from the currently crazed Condor's clutches.
Back on the country road, the men right the news van and argue about what to do next. Doll Man suddenly suggests that they head towards Rutland, Vermont because he has a hunch that is where Black Condor is heading.
The men catch up to Black Condor, who is waiting for them in the middle of the town. Before the men can attack, however, a bolt of mystic lightning strikes each of them and Phantom Lady, transforming each of the Freedom Fighters into blue-hued super-powered "zombies."
Surprisingly, Firebrand is not affected, so he leaps onto a roof to get away from their attack. However, this leaves Martha at their mercy, which of course they don't have. Considering being a "live coward" versus a "dead hero," Firebrand is shamed into trying to defend Martha from his possessed team-mates.
Firebrand grabs a live wire and attacks the Ray, who starts to absorb the energy. He then starts to absorb the electrical energy out of his friends, too. Eventually the Freedom Fighters except for the Ray are back to normal. The Human Bomb then steps up and causes the Ray to overload all of his energy out into the night sky, reverting him back to normal, too.
Black Condor explains that he had been falling gradually under Homilus' mental control ever since the demon attacked them back in FF#6. Eventually he could no longer free himself. Luckily, Homilus had not met Firebrand before, so he remained free of the demon's influence.
Tom Fagan pops up, wondering what the excitement is all about, but the Freedom Fighters say hello and then head out.
Elsewhere, someone is watching the WGNY-TV broadcast with coverage of Firebrand. This man recognizes Firebrand and wants him dead.
Review:
I can remember seeing Black Condor show up at the end of last issue and thinking, "It's about time!" One of my favorite things about reading group books was enjoying the comings and goings of the various members. On the other hand, Freedom Fighters pretty clearly had SIX (then seven) members, and for one to be gone for such an extended time really brought me down.
And what a return this is! This is basically "Black Condor kicks his friends' asses and. oh yeah, we learn his origin." The action choreography flows nicely, the "escape" to Rutland makes sense, and the final face-off against Homilus is well done. This is one of my favorite issues in this series.
Now, that being said, I do have a few comments. Firebrand has no particular powers, right? And yet he manages to stand up against his more super-powered team-mates for a page or two. This seems strange. Also, even though this is meant to be Firebrand's redemption, his changing his mind from being an opportunist to being a hero was awfully fast. I suppose the violence against Martha is worse than is what is implied, and that forces him to make a sudden conversion. Still, I have to admit that I never particularly warmed to Firebrand, partly due to his reluctance here to save a literal damsel in distress.
Black Condor Moment
Black Condor is able to beat up all of his friends, such as flipping Human Bomb into the van.
Doll Man tries to knock Black Condor out,
but finds that Zombie Black Condor's head is now as hard as a brick.
Firebrand steps up and shows that he's not a coward after all.
The Human Bomb tries to use his explosive power against Black Condor.
It doesn't work.
Phantom Lady Moment
Phantom Lady tries to "phantom out" but Black Condor can still grab her!
The Ray MomentThe Ray is able to blast all of the demon's energies out of his friends.
Uncle Sam MomentUncle Sam thinks he's stronger than Zombie Black Condor.
He's wrong.
Firebrand figures out that the Ray's energies can free the Freedom Fighters
from the demon's possession.
Worst MomentSure, hang out with condors long enough and you'll learn how to fly.
Moment They Could Have Been Cleared:
For the first time in awhile, the story is self-contained and there was no chance for the Freedom Fighters to prove their innocence to the world. Maybe next time!
This issue's letter column was mostly answering fan's questions about the "new" Fighters' logos (actually original from the Golden Age) and where else we could find Dick Ayers' art. Also, JCH requested post cards telling him who was everyone's favorite Fighter.
Freedom of Information
- Although this issue is all about Black Condor, he fails to appear on the cover!
- To be a Senator in the United States you must be over 30 years old, so in theory Black Condor is the second oldest member of the group (after Uncle Sam). Although, he isn't really Tom Wright, so there's no way of telling how old he really is.
The Freedom Fighters
assembled by Len Wein
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