Two doomed patrols that ultimately met up with a gruesome end dealt to them by Nazi butchers. A trio of heroes (Doom Patrol's Elasti-Girl, Negative Man and Beast Boy of Earth-One... and Slim, Pedro and Fred from a golden age Patrol of Earth-Two) in similar styled costumes, each gaining the ability to alter the shape and size of their bodies. While not the stellar superheroes of their respective Earths like the Justice League or Justice Society, they nevertheless defended humanity with the same vigorous spirit.
The Doom Patrol was led by the brilliant Niles Caulder aka the Chief. However, Niles' counterpart was professional debunker Norah Blane. Norah uncovered various allegedly supernatural hoaxes and exposed them, working alongside Slim, Pedro on a handful of cases. While not the intellectual scientist that Niles was, Norah was a masterful tactical strategist which led to her being gainfully self-employed.An odd yet winning combination of tragedy and triumph in the face of adversity that saved twin Earths One and Two more than once! However, while Cliff Steele aka Robotman was a member of the Earth-One Patrol, Robert Crane aka the Earth-Two Robotman stuck to the All-Star Squadron instead when not operating solo himself.
His counterpart Harry Sims was the District Attorney of Gotham City, who had secretly worked behind the scenes with another former district attorney of Keystone City named Clifford Devoe to rid his city of superheroes who he felt were an embedment to public safety. When Sims disagreed with Devoe aka the Thinker’s tactics, he was mentally controlled by Thinker’s thinking cap. Sims’ as Thinker’s proxy likewise mentally controlled he superheroine Power Girl, unleashing her against her Justice Society teammate the Huntress. Eventually, Power Girl regained control of her consciousness, and with Huntress they defeated Thinker. After this, Sims begrudgingly accepted superheroes in Gotham, as he was in love with Huntress’ alter ego attorney Helena Wayne.
While the male Niles and the female Norah were righteous red-heads, there were others at the time who used superhuman shape shifting abilities to torment their fellow man. Madame Rouge (Laura De Mille) and Princess Helene (Kathe Rogers) were both pawns of the Brain/Monsieur Mallah and Jason Rogers/Monster respectively, each lady possessing the ability to shape-change, altering their physical appearance while also having their psychological profile altered drastically from innocent women to sadistic sirens. Rouge was a frequent foe then shortterm love interest of the Chief and his Doom Patrol, while Helene was on opposed by doomed Patrol members Slim, Pedro and Fred. Each woman also battled their world’s respectively Flash on one occasion.
Still later, a trio of heroes replace the deceased original Patrol of Earth-One: the energy catapulting mutant Joshua Clay aka Tempest, the heat and cold projecting heroine Celsius aka Arani Caulder, and Valentina Vostok known as the Negative Woman.
Still later, a trio of heroes replace the deceased original Patrol of Earth-One: the energy catapulting mutant Joshua Clay aka Tempest, the heat and cold projecting heroine Celsius aka Arani Caulder, and Valentina Vostok known as the Negative Woman.
Originally a U.S. soldier, widow of Niles Caulder from India and ex-pilot of the U.S.S.R... this trio has several adventures off and on.On Earth-Two, there were three similar individuals who appeared on the scene to assist their fellow heroes without garnering front page press: Norda Cantrell the mutant human-Feitherian halfbreed bird-man known as Northwind, Red Nails who was a seductive inventor who iced her opponents by packing heat, and energy-self projecting Jonni Thunder... herself a private investigator turned heroine.
Several similarities exist between these two sets of triads. As contemporaries, they each mirrored one another in key areas with similar traits and attributes to one another yet with distinct differences in their fundamental nature.
Both Tempest and Northwind, young young black heroes, propelled through the air emitting energy blast, Valentina and Jonni each were reluctant heroines as much cursed as blessed with their energy alter-egos, Celsius and Red Nails were lovely ladies who used technology and manipulation to their benefit. And of course, they each faced their own personal tragedies.
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