"Whatever Happened to the Freedom Fighters?!?" TPB version

If you are already familiar with the actual history of the Freedom Fighters, the only thing you need to know to enjoy this story is that in order to drag these adventures into more recent history I decided to swap out Earth-2 Superman with Power Girl. I also made the Sandman into the younger Sandy Hawkins version. I hope these changes don't prevent you from enjoying "my" take on these three super groups!  

This was originally two separate stories because I found it difficult to handle the 70+ pages in one creative term. Now that the story is complete, however, I decided to put them together as one "collection" so you can enjoy them in one sitting. I hope you do enjoy it as much as I did creating it! 

Freedom Fighters Forever----!

 

The Freedom Fighters as individual characters first appeared in The Golden Age of Comics, between 1939 (when Doll Man made his debut) and 1941 (when Phantom Lady, the Human Bomb, and Firebrand all made their debut in Police Comics #1). Thirty-plus years later they first appeared as a group, in Justice League of America #107 in 1973. Seventy-plus years later they are still recognized. In 2008 they appeared on an episode of Batman: The Brave and the Bold entitled, "Cry Freedom Fighters!" (S02E22)

Secret Society of Super-Villains #17

Secret Society of Super-Villains Volume 2 

Secret Society of Super-Villains #16 

title: "Death in Silver!"
writer: Bob Rozakis
penciller: Mike Vosburg
letterer: Shelly Leferman

editor: Jack C. Harris
cover: Rich Buckler & Jack Abel (collected edition)

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

Supporting Character(s): none

Opponents: Copperhead, the Sizematic Twins, Silver Ghost, Mirror Master, Chronos, Killer Moth, and Quake Master

Overall Summary: 
The Silver Ghost has paid the Secret Society of Super-Villains to take down the Freedom Fighters!    

Secret Society of Super-Villains #16

Secret Society of Super-Villains Volume 2: 

Secret Society of Super-Villains #16 

title: "Murder Times Seven!"
writer: Bob Rozakis
penciller(s): Mike Vosburg and Dick Ayers
inker: Bob Smith

letterer: Shelly Leferman

editor: Jack C. Harris
cover: Rich Buckler & Jack Abel (collected edition); Alex Saviuk (original story)

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

Supporting Character(s): none

Opponents: Silver Ghost, Mirror Master, Copperhead, Killer Moth, Quake Master, Chronos, the Sizematic Twins

Overall Summary: 
NOW IT CAN BE TOLD! The Secret Society of Super-Villains strikes at the Freedom Fighters!    

Secret Origins #21

Secret Origins #21 (Dec 1987)
title: "The Secret Origin of Black Condor:

The Man Who Can Fly Like A Bird"
writer: Roy Thomas
pencils & inks: Murphy Anderson
letterer: Jean Simek
colorist: Carl Gafford

editor: Greg Weisman
cover: Jose-Luis Garcia Lopez

Order of Appearance: Black Condor is the only Freedom Fighter to appear in this story

Supporting Character(s): Father Pierre, Black Condor's parents Anne and Richard Grey

Opponents: Yakki raiders led by Gali Khan, unscrupulous businessman Jaspar Crow

Overall Summary: 
Black Condor grows up in the mountains of the Himalayas with the mutant power of flight! Eventually he defeats the men responsible for the murder of his parents and his teacher, and he heads to the US....where he becomes a US Senator!?!   

Secret Origins #19

 Secret Origins #19 (Oct 1987)
title: "The Coming of Uncle Sam"
writer: Len Wein
pencils & inks: Murphy Anderson
letterer: Milt Snapinn
colorist: Shelley Eiber
editors: Greg Weisman & Roy Thomas
cover: Brent Anderson & Jack Kirby

Order of Appearance: Uncle Sam is the only Freedom Fighter to appear in this story

Supporting Character(s): Buddy, Sam's would-be side-kick

Opponents: The Black Legion

Overall Summary: 
Uncle Sam is created when a colonist gives his life during the US Revolutionary War. Uncle Sam wakes up 150 years later and is "reincarnated" against home-ground terrorists!     

Secret Origins #8

Secret Origins #8 (date)
title: "Doll Man"
writer/creative editor: Roy Thomas
pencils & inks: Murphy Anderson
letterer: David Cody Weiss
colorist: Carl Gafford

coordinating editor: Robert Greenberger
cover: Steve Lightle

Order of Appearance: Doll Man is the only Freedom Fighter to appear in this story

Supporting Character(s): Martha Roberts, Professor Roberts

Opponents: Falco the blackmailer

Overall Summary: 
Darrel Dane impetuously drinks a shrinking potion and becomes the 6-inch tall Doll Man. His first case is to rescue his fiancée from a blackmailer!   

Who's Who in the DCU Update '87 #1

 

Who's Who Update '87

The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe 

#1 (Aug 1987)

cover: Joe Brozowski & Dick Giordano

editor: Robert Greenberger

contributing writers: Mike W. Barr, Todd Klein, Paul Levitz, 

John Ostrander, Barbara Randall, Bob Rozakis, Len Wein

contributing writer/researcher: Peter Sanderson

production: Steven Bove

colorist: Anthony Tollin

copy editor: Art Young

Featuring: The All-Star Squadron

Who's Who in the DCU #24

 

Who's Who

The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe #24 

(Feb 1987)

cover: Eduardo Barreto

editor: Robert Greenberger

contributing editor: Len Wein

contributing writers: Paul Levitz, Jonathan Peterson, Bob Rozakis, Greg Weisman

contributing writers/researchers: E. Nelson Bridwell, Peter Sanderson

production: Todd Klein

researcher: Art Young

colorists: Anthony Tollin, Len Wein, Tatjana Wood

copy editor: Carl Gafford

Featuring: Uncle Sam

Justice League #56 "Whatever Happened to the Freedom Fighters?" (part two)

The only thing you need to know to enjoy this story if you are already aware of the Freedom Fighters' history is that in order to drag these adventures into more recent history I decided to swap out Earth-2 Superman with Power Girl. I also made the Sandman into the newer, younger Sandy Hawkins version. I hope these changes don't prevent you from enjoying "my" take on these three super groups!

What has gone-before department: 

Red Tornado has asked the participants from the JLA-JSA get-together to figure out what happened to the Freedom Fighters after they moved to Earth-1. The two teams search for clues to the Fighters' whereabouts. They learn that the Fighters recently battled members of the Secret Society of Super-Villains and were captured by them! Green Arrow and Power Girl rescue the Ray, who had managed to escape. Dr. Fate uses his mystical powers to locate the other Fighters, and now the JLA-JSA head towards a showdown with the SSOSV! 

You can read the story yourself here: Justice League #55

Who's Who in the DCU #21

Who's Who

The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe #21 

(Nov 1986)

cover: Ernie Colon

editor: Robert Greenberger

contributing editor: Len Wein

contributing writers: Paul Kupperberg, Paul Levitz, Bob Rozakis, Greg Weisman

contributing writers/researchers: E. Nelson Bridwell, Peter Sanderson

production/contributing writer: Todd Klein

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

copy editor/colorist: Carl Gafford

Featuring: The Silver Ghost

Who's Who in the DCU #19

 

Who's Who

The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe #19 

(Sept 1986)

cover: Ernie Colon

editor: Robert Greenberger

contributing editor: Len Wein

contributing writers: Mike W. Barr, Paul Levitz, 

Bob Rozakis, Greg Weisman

contributing writers/researchers: Peter Sanderson, E. Nelson Bridwell

production: Todd Klein

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

copy editor: Brenda Pope

Featuring: The Ray and The Red Bee

Who's Who in the DCU #18

 

Who's Who

The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe #18 

(Aug 1986)

cover: George Perez & Dick Giordano

editor: Robert Greenberger

contributing editor: Len Wein

contributing writers: Mike W. Barr, Paul Kupperberg, Paul Levitz,

Barbara Randall, Greg Weisman

contributing writers/researchers: E. Nelson Bridwell, Peter Sanderson

production/contributing writer: Todd Klein

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

copy editor: Brenda Pope

Featuring: Phantom Lady

Who's Who in the DCU #10

 

Who's Who

The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe #10 

(Dec 1985)

cover: Paris Cullins & Dick Giordano

writer/editor: Len Wein

contributing writer/consulting editor: Marv Wolfman

associate editor/researcher: Robert Greenberger

contributing writers: Paul Levitz, Mike W. Barr

contributing writers/researchers: E. Nelson Bridwell, Peter Sanderson

contributing writer/production: Todd Klein

colorists: Anthony Tollin, Len Wein, Tatjana Wood

proofreader: Brenda Pope

Featuring: 

The Human Bomb

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

Who's Who in the DCU #7

Who's Who

The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe #7 

(Sept 1985)

cover: Paris Cullins & Dick Giordano

writer/editor: Len Wein

writer/consulting editor: Marv Wolfman

associate editor/researcher: Robert Greenberger

contributing writer: Paul Levitz

contributing writer/researcher: Peter Sanderson

researcher: E. Nelson Bridwell

contributing writer/production: Todd Klein

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

proofreader: Brenda Pope

Featuring: Doll Man

Who's Who in the DCU #2

Who's Who

The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe #2 

(April 1985)

cover: George Perez

writer/editor: Len Wein

writer/consulting editor: Marv Wolfman

writers: Mike W. Barr, Gary Cohn

researchers: Peter Sanderson, E. Nelson Bridwell

production: Todd Klein

colorists: Helen Vesik, Shelly Eiber, Tatjana Wood, Bob LeRose

proofreader: Brenda Pope

design director: Neal Pozner

Featuring: Black Condor and Baron Blitzkrieg

History of the DC Universe

History of the DC Universe book 1 (1986)
penciller: George Perez
inker: Karl Kesel
colorists: Tom Ziuko; Bill Wray, and Bob LeRose
cover: George Perez

writer: Marv Wolfman

editor: Mike Gold

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

Supporting Character(s): the full roster of the All-Star Squadron and all other major DC Universe characters!

Overall Summary: 
Post-Crisis, Harbinger records the important events of the revised, combined universe for posterity (and for all readers!)

CRISIS on Infinite Earths #12

CRISIS on Infinite Earths # 12 (March 1986)
title: "Final Crisis!"
writer/editor: Marv Wolfman
penciller/plotter: George Perez
inker: Jerry Ordway
letterer: John Costanza
colorist: Tom Ziuko
cover: George Perez

Order of Appearance: Black Condor and the Ray are the only Fighters to appear in this story. 

Other Stars: Superman (E1), Superman (E2), Superboy (Earth Prime), Deadman, Dr. Light, Kid Flash, Wonder Woman (E1), Lady Quark, Harbinger, Alexander Luthor, Pariah, and a cast of hundreds

Opponents: The Anti-Monitor, Psycho Pirate, Brainiac, Darkseid, and the Anti-Monitor's Shadow Demons

Overall Summary: 
The Anti-Monitor drags Earth to the anti-matter universe for one last showdown, winner takes all!   

CRISIS on Infinite Earths #11

CRISIS on Infinite Earths # 11 (Feb 1986)
title: "Aftershock"
writer/editor: Marv Wolfman
penciller: George Perez
inker: Jerry Ordway
letterer: John Costanza
colorist: Carl Gafford
cover: George Perez

Order of Appearance: Phantom Lady and Uncle Sam are the only Freedom Fighters who appear in this story; Doll Man and the Ray join Phantom Lady and Uncle Sam in a cameo in Harbinger's re-telling of DC History

Other Stars: Superman of Earth 1, Superman of Earth 2, Jay Garrick Flash, Kid Flash, the Huntress, Robin of Earth 2, Wonder Girl, Batman, Harbinger, Alexander Luthor, Pariah, and a cast of hundreds

Opponents: The aftereffects of the Crisis, the anti-matter shadow demons, the Anti-Monitor

Overall Summary: 
The Crisis is over? After the events at the Dawn of Time, all worlds have somehow merged into one!? So where does that leave Earth-X and the Freedom Fighters?