Under mysterious events during the middle 1940s to the year 1950, several superheroes and their young sidekicks disappeared from their native Earth-Two, and later became the first wave of costumed crusaders of Earth-One.
From in-story references, we know that: a.) there was a connection between Hank "Commander Steel" Heywood... originally of Earth-Two and the first All-Star to migrate to Earth-One... and Per Degaton, the time travelling tyrant, b.) several heroes' "DC’s Who's Who" entries state both their affiliation to Earth-Two's All-Star Squadron as well as detailing their later lives on Earth-One, c.) Steel's recruitment of Infinity, Inc. to obtain assistance from Earth-Two heroes on what he viewed as hero-deprived Earth-One. Connecting the dots provides us with an idea as to the order of events that precipitated the migration of a dozen mystery men and their allies during 1946 from Earth-Two to Earth-One, as follows....
Steel had in his possession a futuristic transponder that a German scientist purchased from the Monitor in order to send the Justice Battalion into hyperspace. When he was accidentally shunted to Earth-One by this device in 1942, Heywood joined the military and then returned to the United States towards the end up World War II, Hank used this device to contact select individuals from his home world at some point between 1945 and 1946.
The robot-woman Mekanique had betrayed the Squadron in 1942, and although her body had been destroyed, her head with its time-space crystal was preserved at Project M by lab assistant Per Degaton, who was a colleague of Chuck Grayson. Thus, prior to starting his criminal career, Degaton formed a relationship through Grayson and his pal Robotman with Heywood… although on separate worlds.
Heywood was able to use the Monitor's transponder to communicate with his old ally Robotman aka Paul Dennis through the cybernetic head of Robbie’s former “girlfriend” Mekanique. Utilizing her ability to cross dimensional planes, Robotman initiated Mekanique's trans-dimensional capabilities and brought along with himself several former fellow All-Stars to Earth-One. Robotman and Steel recruited TNT, Dyna-Mite, Manhunter, Guardian among with Newsboy Legion and Guardian’s younger brother Will, Air Wave, and Zatara. Years later, as previously mentioned, Steel would do much the same thing when he temporarily recruited Infinity, Inc. of Earth-Two to battle the newest incarnation of the Justice League on Earth-One.
No doubt these heroes and their colleagues were inspired by the example a few years prior of Uncle Sam, a patriotic hero like Steel who recruited several members of the All-Star Squadron into forming the Freedom Fighters, protecting another earth in Earth-X that had no superheroes. And so, the first generation of superheroes on Earth-One were migrants from Earth-Two.
Heywood would secretly sponsor research on cloning technology through his Council and the young adept minds of the Newsboy Legion. These now adult Legionnaires became aspiring geneticists using perfect physical specimens such as Guardian and Manhunter, incorporating cybernetic technology Robotman utilized, while TNT and Dyna-Mite could add insight into atomic technology. Larry Jordan incorporated the Monitor's device into teleportation technology he would use as Air Wave. All of these great minds were orchestrated by Heywood in order to bring about a new world order on his adopted world, to model it after his home world of Earth-Two! But what became of these All-Stars later in life on their adopted world?
- Air Wave and Zatara fathered their own counterparts in a son and daughter respectively on Hal Jordan and Zatanna Zatara! Air Wave perished in the prime of his life when his son was 3 years old, whileZatara journeyed throughout the Multiverse when his daughter was still a little girl, before reuniting with Zatanna when she was a young adult!
- Jim "Guardian" Harper and his little brother Will pursued civilian lives as had the four Newsboy Legionnaires. Eventually, Jim and the Newsboys were each cloned for a new generation, while Will died soon after his son Roy "Speedy" Harper was born, counterpart to his native world's Speedy!
- Paul Kirk retired his Manhunter alter ego, and during a big game hunt ended up in a coma for decades. When he awoke, he learned he had become the template for an army of clones of the Council. This Council attempted to rule the world, which Kirk would help defeat at the cost of his life, just as his surviving clone would do when facing Darkseid!
- TNT and Dyna-Mite had been recruited by Steel during the waning days of the Manhattan Project, only to find that their powers had increased and become unstable on their adopted world. They were kept in an underground bunker, and ultimately moved to the cities of Kandor and Atlantis to live out their lives after meeting Earth-One's Super Friends. TNT joined the Kandorians on the new trans-dimensional world of Rokyn while Dyna-Mite remained in Aquaman's city indefinitely.
- Robotman made several appearances on Earth-One from 1946 until 1953, then worked alongside the Justice League of America during their first case. Robbie was soon after trapped in suspended animation within a cave for over a decade, and later had his mind transplanted into the body of his now brain dead former colleague Chuck Grayson. Assuming his late friend’s identity, he migrated back to Earth-Two where he renewed his friendship with members of the Justice Society, even testifying at a congressional hearing they were involved in.
- In 1950, Sargon had himself traveled from Earth-Two to Earth-One and become reacquainted with these heroes and Hank Heywood. He left his native Earth at that time due to all superheroes (aside from a select few) being banned by the United States government, and his awareness as to where some of his fellow All-Stars migrated to within the Multiverse. Unfortunately over time, after a brief marriage failed (except for having a close relationship with his ex-wife’s niece), and Sargent turned evil. Seeking to gain more power for himself, Sargon ended up being a recurring foe of the Flash and later Wonder Woman, although he did end up helping the Justice League in their battle with Starbreaker.
- Decades later, Steel employed Degaton and charged him with the task of rebuilding Mekanique’s body after his initial plans with Steel's fellow All-Stars had failed, given their own individual life choices. During this occasion, Degaton retrieved Mekanique's head, attaching it to a new body and sent her to Earth-One to fulfill her mission before she returned to Degaton's side in a post-Crisis universe.
While the Justice Society of America* of post-Crisis Earth-0 assumed the place vacated by the above All-Stars, migrating to Earth-Two and its adjacent Apokolips Ragnarok notional dimension, this was only for a few years. When the JSA returned to their own Earth, an Earth-0 group known as the Daemen filed their roles and offset the departing All-Stars on Earth-One. Their membership included Arquoi, Blaquokar, Calabri, Dhaozan, Feth Sudol, Gulgak, Huromon, Inztuk, Kistimaak, Piztok, Tzingaas and Zhazor.
* The Earth-O JSA members were Hawkman, Hawkgirl, Flash, Green Lantern, Hourman, Atom, Sandman, Sandy, Johnny Thunder (and his Thunderbolt), Starman, Doctor Mid-Nite, Wildcat, and Star-Spangled Kid. These individuals compensated for the loss of All-Stars Air Wave, TNT, Dyna-Mite, Sargon, Zatara, Robotman (and his pal Chuck Grayson), Guardian and his brother Will Harper, (along with Guardian's four Newsboy Legionnaires:) Tommy Tompkins, Big Words, Gabby, Scrapper… and the Manhunter.
No comments:
Post a Comment