All-Star Squadron #44

All-Star Squadron #44 (April 1985)

title: "Night And Fog!"
plotter/editor: Roy Thomas

script: Paul Kupperberg
penciller: Arvell Jones
inker: Pablo Marcos
letterer: Cody

colorist: Gene D'Angelo
letter column: Roy Thomas

cover: Arvell Jones & Tony DeZuniga (?)

Order of Appearance: Phantom Lady is the only Freedom Fighter to appear in this story. 

Other Stars:  Firebrand, Hourman, Tarantula; Liberty Belle, Johnny Quick, cameos by the Guardian, Starman. Hawkgirl, Hawkman, and Robotman in their secret identities; the Newsboy Legion

Opponents:
German industrial saboteurs, Night and Fog

Overall Summary: 
Firebrand's industrialist father has been supporting Nazi Germany, but when he has a change of heart Night and Fog crash his penthouse apartment to either change his mind or kill him.   

Plot Summary:
Johnny Quick and Liberty Bell race through New York City to catch a train to Philadelphia. In Brooklyn, several out-of-uniform All-Stars are watching the Newsboy Legion's Scrapper win a semi-final boxing match, having been invited by Jim (Guardian) Harper. 

On Park Avenue, Hourman arrives at the apartment of Danette Reilly in his uniform. She specifically asked for him to arrive as Hourman; it turns out that she forgot to tell him that they are going to a costume ball at her father's penthouse apartment. Firebrand and Phantom Lady have already switched uniforms, and they expect Hourman to switch uniforms with Tarantula, too. 

Firebrand's father "Emerald Ed" Reilly welcomes them, very glad to see his daughter again. It comes out that the steel tycoon is not a big supporter of President Franklin Roosevelt, and also that he is a bit nervous. As Hourman tries to get alone with Firebrand, they happen to notice Night and Fog coming into the party from the balcony. The two mysterious strangers approach Mr. Reilly and go off together to his office. 

Night and Fog are there to threaten Firebrand's father: if he doesn't continue to support Adolf Hitler with his slow production of ball bearings meant for England, allowing Germany to maintain the better production rates, then they will kill him. 

Phantom Lady dances with Tarantula to the music of Tommy Dorsey's Orchestra (vocals by Frank Sinatra) while Firebrand tells Hourman that she doesn't want to get too serious too quickly. 

Back in Mr. Reilly's study, Night and Fog explain to him how they were transformed in order to serve their Fuehrer. They are here under his orders to make sure Reilly cooperates. He defies them, so Fog holds Reilly outside the window, giving him one last chance to change his mind. He refuses, and Night orders her brother to drop him. 

At the sound of Reilly's scream, the All Stars arrive. Firebrand flies out the window after her father, and the others attack Night and Fog. Fog drops Hourman. Phantom Lady uses her black light ray against Night, which is totally ineffectual. Night's cold slows Tarantula long enough for Fog to knock him out.

On the sidelines, Hourman has no choice but to take a Miraclo pill, which kicks in just in time to stop Fog from throwing Phantom Lady out the window. He beats Fog, but Night surrounds him with darkness and he is knocked out. 

Firebrand stops her father from hitting the ground, but he dies after apologizing for having allowed his anti-British feelings to blind him to the true nature of the Nazis.  Furious with grief, Firebrand returns to the penthouse just as Fog is about to murder Hourman. She lets loose against Night and Fog, catching the whole room on fire. In the confusion while she puts the fire back out, the Nazis escape. 

Review: 

I hate to say this, but I think I'm burned out on Roy Thomas and the All-Star Squadron. I'm not quite sure what the point of this story is, because we know that Hourman and Firebrand don't get together, so any scenes with them trying to start a romance seems like a waste of time. 

Meanwhile, Phantom Lady is included here but we never get any scenes of her talking about her recent experiences with the Freedom Fighters. She saw a man killed right in front of her; wouldn't that affect her at all? Here's a perfect chance to talk to Hourman about their shared experiences, but, no, they have nothing to say. So I guess she isn't trying to stay in contact with either of the other "mystery men" who accompanied her to Earth-X, namely Doll Man or Human Bomb? 

This might be because Roy didn't provide full script this time out; he plotted, and Paul Kupperberg provided the details. So maybe Roy was going to provide some more continuity, but then didn't get a chance to? 

Anyway, the worst part of this story, though, is that none of the All-Stars come off very well. Worst Participation Award has to go to Phantom Lady, who confronts a woman named "Night" and tries to blind her with a black-light ray. Uh....not too clever there, Sandy. Tarantula, likewise, is knocked out immediately, and Firebrand manages to save her father from falling, but that's about it. Hourman takes his drug, saves Phantom Lady, and then passes out. The bad guys get away at the end. Ho-hum.  

And by the way, if it's a costume party why didn't they all just go as their super-hero selves?  

Worst Moment

Phantom Lady doesn't get too far using her black-light ray on Night.  

Freedom of Information

• Rod (Firebrand-1) Reilly is mentioned as being on his way home from the hospital, where he has been since he was wounded at Pearl Harbor. 
• Fog addresses Night as "fraulein," which is German for "miss," even though she is his brother. 
• Fog and Night's German names are Nacht und Nebel. Their real names are not given. 
• Adolf Hitler is drawn writing with his left-hand, although actual photos exist of him writing with his right-hand.  
• Danette's father references Hitler's concentration camps and campaigns of mass murder, which were not well known in the United States in early 1942. 

The Freedom Fighters

assembled by Len Wein