Who's Who in the DCU #8

Who's Who

The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe #8 

(Oct 1985)

cover: Paris Cullins & Dick Giordano

writer/editor: Len Wein

consulting writer/consulting editor: Marv Wolfman

associate editor/researcher: Robert Greenberger

contributing writers: Paul Levitz, Gary Cohn, Mike W. Barr

contributing writer/production: Todd Klein

colorists: Anthony Tollin, Len Wein, Tatjana Wood, Tom Ziuko

proofreader: Brenda Pope

Featuring: 

Firebrand and the Freedom Fighters

Continuing our review of the six main Freedom Fighters' Who's Who pages from 1985-1987 (plus two more profiles for two more characters who were involved with the Fighters in a specific, meaningful way.) 

 

Firebrand 

Art by Murphy Anderson

This is a Who's Who entry which shows just how convoluted DC continuity was during the mid 1980s. In this profile Firebrand exists on Earth 2 along with his sister, but then "in an as-yet-undisclosed manner" followed the Freedom Fighters to Earth-X. This ignores the previous (?) continuity where Rod started off on Earth-X, and he left Earth-X *before* the Freedom Fighters, not after.  

Unlike Black Condor and the Doll Man, Firebrand's profile doesn't include anything about his final fate. Whereas the earlier profiles say straight out that the Freedom Fighters returned to Earth-X, nothing is mentioned about Firebrand. In fact, this profile was written BEFORE Firebrand actually appeared in CRISIS. 

And is it just me, or does anybody else think that DC lost an opportunity to exploit a guy who runs around in a see-through pink shirt and who hangs out with a guy named "Slugger" as something other than just another "mystery man"? Representation counts, you know.  

Art by Alex Saviuk & Romeo Tanghal

This is the retroactively created history of the Freedom Fighters, where they start from Earth 2 and then travel to Earth-X. All of the initial information came from All-Star Squadron, not from Justice League of America or Freedom Fighters. It also doesn't mention anything about Firebrand actually joining the team later, ON Earth 1, as was shown in Freedom Fighters. It's convoluted, and this was PRE-Crisis. 

The art by Alex Saviuk and Romeo Tanghal is good without being flashy. Phantom Lady is shown wearing her green goggles, a uniform addition that came from Roy Thomas, not Bob Rozakis. It's almost a "tic" that we fans can use to recognize the "true" Earth-X version  (like the lack of an oval on E2 Batman's chest, or an eagle on E2 Wonder Woman's chest instead of two WWs). A better choice would have been Ramona Fradon or Dick Ayers, as both of them actually worked as regular artist on Freedom Fighters.  

Freedom of Information

• The Freedom Fighters, because they are a group of characters whose members have individual listings, does not appear on the cover at all. 
• Firebrand (Rod Reilly) appears on the back cover with his sister, Danette Reilly. 
• Murphy Anderson has admitted that he was a huge Quality Comics character fan, so it is not surprising to see him illustrate the Firebrand entry. 
• Alex Saviuk drew the cover of the last issue of Freedom Fighters and the cover to the almost published Secret Society of Super-Villains #16, which would have featured the Freedom Fighters.  

The Freedom Fighters

assembled by Len Wein