All-Star Squadron #35

All-Star Squadron #35 (July 1984)

title: "...That Earths May Live!"
writer/editor: Roy Thomas
penciller: Rick Hoberg
inker: Bill Collins
letterer: Cody

colorist: Gene D'Angelo
letter column: Roy Thomas

cover: Rick Hoberg & Jerry Ordway

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

Other Stars:  Hourman; the Spectre; Liberty Belle, Johnny Quick, Starman, Firebrand, Neptune Perkins; cameos by Hawkgirl, Hawkman, Batman, Robin, and Plastic Man

Opponents:
Tsunami, Baron Blitzkrieg, the Imperial Japanese Navy

Overall Summary: 
The All-Star Squadron defeats Tsunami on Earth 2 while the Freedom Fighters defeat Baron Blitzkrieg on Earth-X, and the Spectre is still dead.   

Plot Summary:

Tsunami attacks Liberty Belle and Johnny Quick, hovering on a buoy after the submarine they were on exploded. Before she can harm them, however, Starman and Firebrand arrive. Thinking she is defeated, Starman goes off to capture the Japanese seamen, while Firebrand offers to take Belle and Johnny back to the mainland. Johnny gets jealous, and flies off on his own just as Tsunami sends another tidal wave at the two women. Neptune Perkins rises from the submarine, too, and battles Tsunami. 

The Spectre continues to struggle to stop Earth-X from merging with Earth 2. 

On Earth-X, Baron Blitzkrieg has chained the Freedom Fighters and Hourman up at one of the deserted forts on one of the channel islands off the coast of Santa Barbara. Baron Blitzkrieg explains that after he was psychologically blinded in his last battle with the All-Star Squadron, he went back to Germany. He was undergoing various attempts to cure him when he felt Uncle Sam's psychic energy as Sam was moving between Earth 2 and Earth-X. The Baron willed himself to follow, where he found that his sight was somehow restored. 

Blitzkrieg then met up with the Earth-X Nazis in Occupied France, then met and fought Midnight and Doll Man. He communicated with his associate on Earth 2 and had the Nazis there plan various incidents of sabotage to keep the All-Star Squadron members busy. Baron Blitzkrieg joined the Japanese Imperial Navy in order to help with their attack on Santa Barbara. 

After the Baron had joined the Japanese they gave him their captive, Hourman. Intrigued, he decided to try to figure out the secret of Miraclo. He knows that Hourman gets his powers from Miraclo, but suspects that Hourman is now suffering from drug withdrawal from not having any more access to it. The Baron wants the formula for Miraclo so that he can use it on himself and get even stronger, and possibly cure his blindness. 

Hourman mentions that he was working with black light, so the Baron grabs Phantom Lady, whose weapon is a black light ray. He grabs her black light ray bracelet off her arm and is going to work with it when the Red Bee suddenly arrives, hitting him over the head with a piece of wood and knocking the black light ray to the ground.

 

Red Bee foolishly baits Baron Blitzkrieg, not understanding how powerful he is. While the others look on, the Baron kills Red Bee. 

The Ray, although still chained to the wall, manages to activate Phantom Lady's black light bracelet, and its rays bathe Hourman, rekindling the traces of Miraclo still in his system. Hourman breaks free and fights the Baron, too. 

Pushed past his limits, Uncle Sam also breaks free of his chains and joins the battle against Baron Blitzkrieg. Hourman frees the others and verifies that Red Bee is dead. Baron Blitzkrieg's Nazi guards arrive and there is a free-for-all until the sky itself begins to collapse. 

Fearing that the world is going to be destroyed, the Baron and his men return to Earth 2 via the Baron's mental powers. The Spectre arrives just after they leave, telling the Freedom Fighters that they have to return to Earth 2 to right the cosmic balance. However, because three Nazis went to Earth 2 with the Baron, three of the Freedom Fighters have to stay behind. 

After a quick argument, Uncle Sam, the Ray, and Black Condor decide to stay, and the Spectre whisks Phantom Lady, Doll Man, and the Human Bomb back to Earth 2. 

Meanwhile, back on Earth 2, Tsunami breaks free from Neptune Perkins and manages to escape from him. On shore, Baron Blitzkrieg and his three Nazis appear before Liberty Belle and Captain Cannon. The Baron is again blinded, so becomes hysterical and in a flash of light he and his Nazis disappear. Johnny Quick, Starman, and Firebrand arrive, and Liberty Belle admits that she is interested in Johnny; he feels the same, and they kiss. Suddenly, the three Freedom Fighters, Hourman, and the Spectre return. They tell the others what has happened, and everyone mourns Red Bee.  

Review: 

Well, there you have it, the so-called "origin" of the Freedom Fighters. I'm sure some of you out there enjoyed it, but for me....well, this whole story arc is probably one of my least favorites in my long history of reading comics. In my opinion, almost nothing done in the past few issues was worth doing, and what was done wasn't done well. I know that sounds harsh, but I am just diametrically opposed to everything writer/editor Roy Thomas did with the Freedom Fighters. 

But let's start with the good points. First, the art by Rick Hoberg and Bill Collins is excellent. As you can see on each of the pages I reprinted here, the two men took their time and made an outstanding effort. I'm a sucker for clear, clean lines like these (as opposed to, say, the murkier or sketchier styles of Gene Colan or Frank Miller) so I have no complaints about the art. Just look at that page directly above this text, the last page reprinted. The triple group shots of Uncle Sam, the Ray, and Black Condor on the left side and bottom, and the Human Bomb, Hourman, Doll Man, and Phantom Lady shot at the top. This is great stuff! 

And an individual shout out to the colorist Gene D'Angelo, who makes these pages pop.  

No, my criticism falls squarely on Roy's shoulders. First, as I've said before I was not a fan of moving the six Freedom Fighters from Earth 2 to Earth-X. I really liked the idea of there being a separate (Quality Comics) Earth where the Nazis won World War 2, and I didn't see the need to "link" the worlds by having characters going back and forth between them. Still, if that is what Roy and DC wanted to do, I would have to take it. But then what happens in this issue? Roy blows the ending! It's like he can't make up his mind! He splits the team up by having some go and some stay!?!  That dilutes the idea that these six heroes would create bonds and become friends through adversity! Seriously, who thought this was a good idea? I can only imagine that it was done so that Roy would have Phantom Lady to play with for a bit longer, but the idea of splitting the team up before it has a chance to gel is just plain stupid. 

Also, I disagree with the thrust of the story. The shoe-horning inclusion of Baron Blitzkrieg into the action, and the whole "Hourman is addicted to Miraclo" plot-line take the spotlight away from the Freedom Fighters! In fact, take another look at the cover of this issue. The Freedom Fighters aren't even the main characters in their own origin story! This is fine for an Hourman story, but this is supposed to be a Freedom Fighters story! I can't tell you how angry it makes me when I read this issue and get reminded again that most of the Freedom Fighters do nothing except stand around in chains. Bad, bad, bad. 

Also, side note: nothing evokes fear like a gold, orange, and pink clad Nazi. Sheesh, couldn't somebody have redesigned Baron Blitzkrieg's uniform? He's blind? No kidding!! 

Still, no matter how badly I thought the Freedom Fighters got treated in this story, I heave an extra scoop of scorn on Roy for the callous treatment he gave to Red Bee. Similar to the wanton massacre he executed on the five Quality heroes a few issues ago, here he has Red Bee literally get beaten to death, meaninglessly, while the Freedom Fighters simply watch it happen! 

If Red Bee's peril had made Uncle Sam break free, then it might have served a purpose. Had Red Bee's death served as a distraction, allowing Doll Man to shrink to escape his chains, maybe it would have been worth it. But as it's written, Red Been is murdered for no good reason. He doesn't even put up a good fight! This to me has to be one of the worst deaths of a super-hero in comics history. It's just totally pointless. 

Now, I'm not going to argue that Red Bee was a great character. I'm a Freedom Fighter fanatic, but I'm not crazy. Still, he had potential, and Roy wasted it. Think about it for a second: your only ability is the power to control (?) bees. So you swim (close to 15 miles?!?!) from the Japanese ship to the island. Then you lay low for awhile as you hunt around the island for a few bees. THEN you attack, and your bee friends fly up into Baron Blitzkrieg's mask, distracting him. You get a chance to break Uncle Sam or Human Bomb free before the Baron turns on you. This would have been WAY more heroic, don't you agree? 

So the story ends, the Spectre returns half the team to Earth 2, we'll lost Uncle Sam, the Ray, and Black Condor, but Doll Man and the Human Bomb will now be permanent members of the All Star Squadron. Riiiight..... 

Based on the ending of this story, I assume that we will see Phantom Lady again soon. Not so sure about the other guys. 

Black Condor Moment 

Black Condor takes a stand.    

Human Bomb Moment

The Human Bomb shows his willingness to sacrifice himself.  

The Ray Moment

The Ray manages to turn on the black light ray, 

which leads to Hourman being able to escape. 

Uncle Sam Moment

Uncle Sam finally challenges the Spirit of America. 

Best Moment

Hourman summons the last vestiges of Miraclo 

in his metabolism and breaks free from his chains.   

Worst Moment

Roy, via the Spectre, splits the Fighters up for no particular reason. 

Freedom of Information

• The Human Bomb and the Red Bee do not appear on the cover. 
• The cover blurb says, "In this issue: An All-Star Dies!" With Red Bee not on the cover, did ANYONE not guess that he was the hero who was going to end it?  
• Although Baron Blitzkrieg remembers Red Bee's name last issue, he doesn't know Phantom Lady's name this time.  
• It is approximately 30 miles from Santa Barbara's coast to the Channel Islands. 
• This issue was featured in a company-wide subscription ad featuring a hyperbolic description of the Spectre's "deadly choice." (see below)

The Freedom Fighters

assembled by Len Wein