The Crusaders is the name used by two teams of superheroes, one group appearing in DC Comics and the other in Marvel Comics, at around the same time as part of an informal crossover. The DC Comics team was created by Bob Rozakis and Dick Ayers in the pages of Freedom Fighters #7 March (1977). The Marvel Comics version of the Crusaders first appeared in Invaders #14, written by Roy Thomas and drawn by Frank Robbins. DC Comics is an American comic book and related media company. ... Marvel Comics is an American comic book line published by Marvel Publishing, Inc. ... In comic books, first appearance refers to first comic book to feature a character. ... The Contras were often referred to as Freedom Fighters by US President Ronald Reagan. ... Also: 1977 (album) by Ash. ... Generically speaking, invaders are those who participate on an invasion, often in a militaristic context. ... Also: 1977 (album) by Ash. ... Bob Rozakis worked as a comic book writer known mainly for his work in the 70s and 80s at DC Comics. ... Richard Dick Ayers is a comic book artist and cartoonist, born April 28th, 1924, in Ossining, New York. ... Roy Thomas (born November 22, 1940, Missouri, United States) is a comic book writer and editor, and Stan Lees first successor as editor-in-chief of Marvel Comics. ... Frank Robbins served as the penciler on Power Man #32-34 (1976) His work also appeared in Captain America, Detective Comics, Fear, Ghost Rider, House of Mystery, House of Secrets, Human Fly, The Invaders, Man From Atlantis, The Shadow and Weird War Tales. ... For the Aqua Teen Hunger Force episode, see Super Hero (Aqua Teen Hunger Force episode). ... DC Comics is an American comic book and related media company. ... Marvel Comics is an American comic book line published by Marvel Publishing, Inc. ... Freedom Fighters is the name of a minor DC Comics comic book superhero team made up of characters acquired from the defunct company, Quality Comics, and the short-lived comic book series of the same name featuring those characters. ... Also: 1977 (album) by Ash. ... The Invaders is the name of two fictional superhero teams in the Marvel Comics universe. ... Roy Thomas (born November 22, 1940, Missouri, United States) is a comic book writer and editor, and Stan Lees first successor as editor-in-chief of Marvel Comics. ... Frank Robbins served as the penciler on Power Man #32-34 (1976) His work also appeared in Captain America, Detective Comics, Fear, Ghost Rider, House of Mystery, House of Secrets, Human Fly, The Invaders, Man From Atlantis, The Shadow and Weird War Tales. ...

Various other comicbook superhero teams have also been named The Crusaders.

History

Both Crusader teams were based in World War II, both were empowered and led by villains, and both appeared in stories published in 1977. Each team was a pastiche of the other company's team, creating an informal intercompany crossover. ^[1] Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... Also: 1977 (album) by Ash. ... The word pastiche describes a literary or other artistic genre. ... In comic books, an intercompany crossover (also called cross-company or company crossover) is a comic or series of comics where characters published by one company meet those published by another (for example, DC Comics Superman meeting Marvels Spider-Man). ...

These were neither the first nor the last pastiche superhero teams to appear. Both Marvel's Avengers and DC's Justice League of America had encountered duplicates of the other team in their own title in the form of Squadron Sinister (in Avengers) and the Champions of Angor (in Justice League of America). A similar trick would later be used to cross the Teen Titans over with the The DNAgents, using the RECOMbatants (in Teen Titans) and Project Youngblood (in DNAgents). During the 1970s, there was also a series of annual unofficial crossovers between Marvel and DC set around the Rutland Halloween Parade, which was hosted by comics fan Tom Fagan. The Avengers is an elite fictional comic book superhero team in the Marvel Universe. ... The Justice League is a DC Comics superhero team. ... The Squadron Supreme is a team of comic book superheroes in the Marvel Comics universe, a thinly disguised version of DC Comics Justice League of America. ... The Champions of Angor (also known as the Jusifiers and the Assemblers) are a fictional superhero team in DC Comics. ... Teen Titans redirects here. ... A sourcebook for using the characters with the Villains & Vigilantes roleplaying game was published by Fantasy Games Unlimited. ... In comic books, an intercompany crossover (also called cross-company or company crossover) is a comic or series of comics where characters published by one company meet those published by another (for example, DC Comics Superman meeting Marvels Spider-Man). ... Rutland City, Vermont Rutland is a city located in Rutland County, Vermont. ...

DC Crusaders

The Crusaders were a metafictional team of superheroes appearing in comic books on Earth One during World War II. Look up metafiction in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... In DC Comics, the Multiverse was a continuity construct in which multiple fictional versions of the universe existed in the same space, separated from each other by their vibrational resonances. ...

The Crusaders appeared "for real" on Earth One during the 1970's, offering their services to New York City District Attorney David Pearson to help capture the Freedom Fighters, who were at that time fugitives because they were believed to have been working with the villainous Silver Ghost. Pearson gave the Crusaders the authority to pursue Uncle Sam and his group after a report that they had caused a blackout in upstate New York.[1] New York, New York and NYC redirect here. ... A district attorney is, in some U.S. jurisdictions, the title of the local public official who represents the government in the prosecution of criminals. ... Freedom Fighters is the name of a minor DC Comics comic book superhero team made up of characters acquired from the defunct company, Quality Comics, and the short-lived comic book series of the same name featuring those characters. ...

After a lengthy fight, at the end of which the Crusaders are defeated, the Freedom Fighters ask the Crusaders how they became the comic book heroes of World War Two. The group revealed that the Americommando had approached a group of young comic book collectors at a convention (Marvin, Lennie, Arch, and Roy) and had offered to recreate them as his former teammates, using a special device to transform them into their superpowered identities.[2]

Meanwhile, the others had caught up to the Americommando and Martha. The villain dropped Martha, but the Ray was able to save her. He left Martha with Doll Man and headed off after the Americommando. The Ray again caught up with him, and the sky battle between them burned off the Americommando's mask, revealing him to indeed be the Silver Ghost. The fight also attracted the attention of some state trooper helicopters, which swooped in to arrest both of them. The Ray accidentally hits one of the helicopters with an energy blast, prompting the Troopers to open fire. The Ray was wounded and fell to Earth. The Silver Ghost gloats and leaves him to die. [3] Occupation: Freelance computer programmer/software designer Known Relatives: Happy Terrill (a. ... Doll Man is a fictional superhero from the Golden Age of Comics, originally published by Quality Comics and currently part of the DC Comics universe of characters. ...

The Ray was later rescued by Rod Reilly,the Golden Age Firebrand who had emigrated to Earth-1 some time prior to the Freedom Fighters.

The Crusaders fought among themselves until finally, after being deserted by the Americommando, they reveal their origins. They disappeared at the end of the story and there was no sign that they have lost their powers, but they never appear again. There was never an explanation of how the Silver Ghost gained super-strength or developed the technology to turn comic fans into superheroes.[4] By the mid 20th century humans had achieved a mastery of technology sufficient to leave the surface of the Earth for the first time and explore space. ...

Marvel Crusaders

The Marvel Crusaders, art by Jack Kirby.

This team shows up in wartime London and routs the crew of a crashed German bomber, convincing the British that they finally have a team of supermen to rival the Invaders. An eccentric cab driver named Alfie seems to be their boss. It is later revealed that he gave most of them the devices that grant them their powers and can turn their powers off with a switch on his belt.[5] Image File history File links Invaders14. ... Image File history File links Invaders14. ... Jack Kirby (August 28, 1917 – February 6, 1994) was one of the most influential, recognizable, and prolific artists in American comic books, and the co-creator of such enduring characters and popular culture icons as the Fantastic Four, the X-Men, the Hulk, Captain America, and hundreds of others stretching... The B-17 Flying Fortress is one of the most recognizable and famous bombers of World War II. A bomber is a military aircraft designed to attack ground targets, primarily by dropping bombs. ...

Dyna-Mite (Roger Aubrey), who has no memory of where he came from, becomes suspicious. He spies on Alfie and discovers that he is a tool of the Nazis and is using them in a plot to assassinate the king. Alfie, meanwhile, has convinced the other Crusaders that the Invaders (Captain America, Bucky, Torch, Toro, Namor) are traitors. Eventually Dyna-Mite warns the Invaders, and they rush to the scene to stop the king's murder, the Crusaders naturally assume that they are being attacked and a fight ensues.[6] Destroyer (real name Roger Aubrey) is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics Universe. ... The Invaders is the name of two fictional superhero teams in the Marvel Comics universe. ... Captain America is a fictional comic book superhero published by Marvel Comics. ... Bucky is the name of several fictional masked heroes in the Marvel Comics universe. ... This article is about the Silver/Modern Age Human Torch, Johnny Storm. ... Toro (Thomas Raymond) is a fictional Marvel comic book superhero from the 1940s and 1950s. ... Namor the Sub-Mariner is a fictional character featured in the Marvel Comics Universe, and one of the oldest superhero characters. ...

Eventually, the truth is revealed. Alfie flees but is killed when the Torch's fireball causes his taxi to go off a bridge into the water. Now that they were powerless, most of the Crusaders retire on the spot.[7]

Only two of these Crusaders remain active, the Spirit of '76 took over as the new Captain America when Steve Rogers got frozen. But after the war, Nasland was later killed in a fight with some robots of the evil android called Adam 1. Dyna-Mite turned out to be the lover of Brian Falsworth, who was the original Mighty Destroyer and later Union Jack II. He was restored to his normal size and succeeded Falsworth as the Mighty Destroyer.[8] The Destroyer on the cover of Mystic Comics #8 (March, 1942) The Destroyer is a Golden Age of Comics superhero in the Marvel Comics universe. ... The modern Union Jack. ...

DC Comics members

The DC Comics team only appeared in Freedom Fighters #7 - #9. DC Comics is an American comic book and related media company. ... Freedom Fighters is the name of a minor DC Comics comic book superhero team made up of characters acquired from the defunct company, Quality Comics, and the short-lived comic book series of the same name featuring those characters. ...

The names of the DC team are actually taken from obscure Golden Age superheroes.

• The Americommando - (based on Captain America, actually the Silver Ghost)
• Barracuda - (based on Namor)
• Fireball - (based on the Human Torch)
• Rusty - (based on Bucky)
• Sparky - (based on Toro)

Updated versions of Americommando and Barracuda have since apperead in the miniseries Uncle Sam and the Freedom Fighters 2006-2007, as part of the team called First Strike. However, it's doubtful that their pre-Crisis history is still canonical. Captain America is a fictional comic book superhero published by Marvel Comics. ... Namor the Sub-Mariner is a fictional character featured in the Marvel Comics Universe, and one of the oldest superhero characters. ... The Human Torch is a Marvel Comics-owned superhero. ... Bucky is the name of several fictional masked heroes in the Marvel Comics universe. ... Toro (Thomas Raymond) is a fictional Marvel comic book superhero from the 1940s and 1950s. ... Freedom Fighters is the name of a minor DC Comics comic book superhero team made up of characters acquired from the defunct company, Quality Comics, and the short-lived comic book series of the same name featuring those characters. ... First Strike is a fictional government funded team of superheroes published by DC Comics. ...

Marvel Comics members

The Marvel Comics team only appeared in The Invaders #14 - #15. Marvel Comics is an American comic book line published by Marvel Publishing, Inc. ... The Invaders is the name of two fictional superhero teams in the Marvel Comics universe. ...

In Marvel stories featuring the Invaders, the Spirit of '76 later went on to be retconned into having been the man behind the Captain America mask in several post WWII, pre-Silver Age comics, and the Dyna-Mite assumed the identity of the Destroyer. The Invaders is the name of two fictional superhero teams in the Marvel Comics universe. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... Showcase #4 (Oct. ...

• Captain Wings - (based on Black Condor)
• Dyna-Mite - (based on Doll Man), later became the Destroyer
• Ghost Girl - (based on Phantom Lady)
• The Spirit of '76 - (based on Uncle Sam). His real name was William Naslund and he later served as Captain America for a short time between 1945-1946.
• Thunder Fist - (based on the Human Bomb)
• Tommy Lightning - (based on the Ray)

Captain Wings is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe. ... Black Condor is the name of three DC Comics superheroes who have all been members of the Freedom Fighters. ... Doll Man is a fictional superhero from the Golden Age of Comics, originally published by Quality Comics and currently part of the DC Comics universe of characters. ... The Destroyer on the cover of Mystic Comics #8 (March, 1942) The Destroyer is a Golden Age of Comics superhero in the Marvel Comics universe. ... Phantom Lady #17 (April, 1948), Fox Feature Syndicate. ... In the Golden Age of Comic Books of the 1940s, Will Eisner created a superhero version of Uncle Sam for Quality Comics. ... Captain America is a fictional comic book superhero published by Marvel Comics. ... The Human Bomb is a fictional superhero from the Golden Age of Comic Books. ... The Ray is the name of three fictional characters, all superheroes in the DC Comics universe. ...

Other versions

• The Archie Comics superhero team The Mighty Crusaders composed by many of their Golden Age superheroes, some of whom were reinvented under the DC Comics company owned Impact Comics line and renamed to be The Crusaders.
• There is a Christian comic series called The Crusaders, written by Jack Chick and published by Chick Publications. The heroes in these comics are a former Green Beret and a former Black nationalist, who are born-again Christians and travel around the world doing such things as performing exorcisms, smuggling bibles into Soviet bloc countries, and foiling activities seen by Chick as Satanic such as rock music and witchcraft.
• The Southern Knights were originally called the Crusaders in their first issue but had to change their name due to Archie Comics' Mighty Crusaders.

Archie Comics is an American comic book publisher known for its many series featuring the fictional teenage Archie Andrews, Betty Cooper, Veronica Lodge, Reggie Mantle and Forsythe Jughead Jones characters created by Bob Montana. ... The Mighty Crusaders is an Archie Comics superhero team. ... Impact Comics (or, as the covers spelled it, !mpact Comics) was an imprint of DC Comics that was aimed at younger audience. ... Jimmy Akins rendition of Jack Chick. ... Chick Publications is an American publishing company run by Jack Chick which produces and markets Protestant fundamentalist pamphlets, DVDs, VCDs, videos, books, and posters. ... Southern Knights was a comic book created by Henry Vogel and published by Comics Interview. ...

See also

• Justice Society of America
• All-Star Squadron
• Young All-Stars
• Freedom Fighters
• Seven Soldiers of Victory

The Justice Society of America, or JSA, is a DC Comics superhero group, the first team of superheroes in comic book history. ... The All-Star Squadron was an American comic book (1981-1987) created by Roy Thomas and published by DC Comics about the adventures of a large team of superheroes which comprised of most of the feature characters owned by the company that appeared in the Golden Age of Comic Books... The All-Star Squadron was an American comic book (1981–1987) created by Roy Thomas and published by DC Comics about the adventures of a large team of superheroes which comprised of most of the feature characters owned by the company that appeared in the Golden Age of Comic... Freedom Fighters is the name of a minor DC Comics comic book superhero team made up of characters acquired from the defunct company, Quality Comics, and the short-lived comic book series of the same name featuring those characters. ... The Seven Soldiers of Victory (also known as Laws Legionaires) is a fictional team of comic book superheroes in the DC Comics universe. ...

Resources

• Obscure DC Guide: The Crusaders
• Freedom Fighters bio and timeline
• Index to the FF's 1970's adventures
• Calling...The Crusaders!