Champions of Angor
Encyclopedia
The Champions of Angor (also known as the Justifiers, the Assemblers and the Meta Militia) are a fictional superhero
team in the DC Comics
universe
. They are a pastiche
of the Avengers
from the Marvel Comics
universe
. They were created by Mike Friedrich
and Dick Dillin
in the pages of Justice League of America #87 February (1971). The newest incarnation of the team, debuting in 2007 depicts a more morally ambiguous and oppressive "Meta Militia" version of the characters.
was introducing the Justice League pastiche Squadron Supreme
in Avengers. They came from the alien planet of Angor. When Angor was attacked by a spacefaring robot, they defeated it, and tracked it back to its home planet. At the same time, the JLA was tracking a robot which attacked Earth. The two teams both assumed the other was the enemy, and fought.
The Champions of Angor in this story were:
's post-Crisis
Justice League International
. In #2 Wandjina, Bluejay and the Sorceress came to Earth in order to destroy all nuclear weapons. Apparently they are the only survivors of a nuclear disaster that wiped out Angor. Wandjina sacrifices himself to prevent a meltdown in a Bialya
n reactor, and the others give themselves up to the Russian authorities. Wandjina's corpse would later be reanimated as a weapon by Queen Bee of Bialya
. The citizens didn't quite understand the fate of Wandjina and came to revere him as a hero.
Justice League Europe
#15 (June 1990) began a story in which the Sorceress and Bluejay escaped from prison. Bluejay went to the League for help, while the Sorceress returned to Angor.
A flashback revealed that the nuclear disaster was caused by a group of villains called the Extremists
. The Extremists captured the Sorceress and made her take them to Earth, where they again attempted to seize control of the world's nuclear weapons. It was eventually revealed that (with one exception) these were robot duplicates of the Extremists, created for an amusement park. The owner of the amusement park was sent to Earth and switched them off. The remaining villain, Dreamslayer
, was defeated by the Sorceress. Bluejay and the Silver Sorceress joined the Justice League Europe.
Justice League Quarterly #3 (1990) featured Mitch Wacky (the amusement park owner) travelling back in time to prevent the Extremists from destroying Angor. This story introduced more members of the team (now called the Justifiers), including:
There was also an unnamed version of Goliath
, as well as of non-Avengers Marvel Comics
characters, including Wolverine
and Cyclops
.
Later appearances of the Angorian characters downplayed their origins and the Marvel pastiche elements.
In solicits for 2008's Final Crisis
event, a team called the Justifiers has been mentioned as playing a part. Unrelated to the Champions of Angor, they are heroes who have been controlled by the Anti-Life Equation
, and now "justify" Darkseid
's rule of the Earth.
, Americommando becomes president with Blue Jay as his vice President. Americommando is sleeping with T.A. behind Blue Jay's back. Blue Jay eventually turns against Americommando, the latter having forged an alliance with Monarch
, arrests him for crimes against humanity, and takes his place as president. Wandjina is also featured, now a closeted
homosexual. During a battle between the Meta-Militia and the Extremists, he is swallowed whole by Gorgon.
Superhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
team in the DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
universe
DC Universe
The DC Universe is the shared universe where most of the comic stories published by DC Comics take place. The fictional characters Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman are well-known superheroes from this universe. Note that in context, "DC Universe" is usually used to refer to the main DC continuity...
. They are a pastiche
Pastiche
A pastiche is a literary or other artistic genre or technique that is a "hodge-podge" or imitation. The word is also a linguistic term used to describe an early stage in the development of a pidgin language.-Hodge-podge:...
of the Avengers
Avengers (comics)
The Avengers is a fictional team of superheroes, appearing in magazines published by Marvel Comics. The team made its debut in The Avengers #1 The Avengers is a fictional team of superheroes, appearing in magazines published by Marvel Comics. The team made its debut in The Avengers #1 The Avengers...
from the Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
universe
Marvel Universe
The Marvel Universe is the shared fictional universe where most comic book titles and other media published by Marvel Entertainment take place, including those featuring Marvel's most familiar characters, such as Spider-Man, the Hulk, the X-Men, and the Avengers.The Marvel Universe is further...
. They were created by Mike Friedrich
Mike Friedrich
Mike Friedrich is an American comic book writer and publisher best known for his work at Marvel and DC Comics, and for publishing the anthology series Star*Reach, one of the first independent comics...
and Dick Dillin
Dick Dillin
Richard Allen "Dick" Dillin was an American comic book artist best known for an extraordinarily long 12-year run as the penciler of the DC Comics superhero-team series Justice League of America. He drew 115 issues from 1968 up until his death, bridging the venerable title's Mike Sekowsky and...
in the pages of Justice League of America #87 February (1971). The newest incarnation of the team, debuting in 2007 depicts a more morally ambiguous and oppressive "Meta Militia" version of the characters.
Origins
The team was introduced in Justice League of America #87 (Feb 1971), written by Mike Friedrich and published at the same time as his friend Roy ThomasRoy Thomas
Roy William Thomas, Jr. is an American comic book writer and editor, and Stan Lee's first successor as editor-in-chief of Marvel Comics. He is possibly best known for introducing the pulp magazine hero Conan the Barbarian to American comics, with a series that added to the storyline of Robert E...
was introducing the Justice League pastiche Squadron Supreme
Squadron Supreme
The Squadron Supreme is a fictional superhero team that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The Squadron Supreme first appeared in Avengers #85 - 86 The Squadron Supreme is a fictional superhero team that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The Squadron Supreme first...
in Avengers. They came from the alien planet of Angor. When Angor was attacked by a spacefaring robot, they defeated it, and tracked it back to its home planet. At the same time, the JLA was tracking a robot which attacked Earth. The two teams both assumed the other was the enemy, and fought.
The Champions of Angor in this story were:
- Wandjina - The team leader. Named after an Australian weather spirit, he has super-strength and weather control powers. Pastiche of ThorThor (Marvel Comics)Thor is a fictional superhero who appears in publications published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Journey into Mystery #83 and was created by editor-plotter Stan Lee, scripter Larry Lieber, and penciller Jack Kirby....
. - Silver SorceressSilver SorceressThe Silver Sorceress is a DC Comics character and member of the Champions of Angor. She first appeared in Justice League of America #87, , and is an homage to the Scarlet Witch.-Fictional character biography:...
(civilian identity later revealed as Laura Neilsen) - A powerful, but unpredictable, magic user, with a costume incorporating a curious headdress. Pastiche of the Scarlet WitchScarlet WitchThe Scarlet Witch is a fictional comic book character that appears in books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appears in X-Men #4 and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby...
. - Blue JayBlue Jay (comics)Blue Jay is a DC Comics superhero and a former member of the Champions of Angor, also known as the Justifiers. He has the ability to shrink to seven inches tall and grow blue wings which allow him to fly...
(civilian identity later revealed as Jay Abrams) -Hero with the ability to shrink in size, and fly. Pastiche of YellowjacketHenry PymDr. Henry "Hank" Pym is a fictional character that appears in publications by Marvel Comics. Created by editor and plotter Stan Lee, scripter Larry Lieber and penciler Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in Tales to Astonish #27...
. - Jack B. Quick (civilian identity later revealed as Harry Christos; later takes the name Captain Speed) - Speedster, with brief flight abilities. Pastiche of QuicksilverQuicksilver (comics)Quicksilver is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appears in X-Men #4 and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby...
.
Current status
The team later appeared in Keith GiffenKeith Giffen
Keith Ian Giffen is an American comic book illustrator and writer.-Biography:Giffen was born in Queens, New York City....
's post-Crisis
Crisis
A crisis is any event that is, or expected to lead to, an unstable and dangerous situation affecting an individual, group, community or whole society...
Justice League International
Justice League International
Justice League International is a DC Comics superhero team written by Keith Giffen and J. M. DeMatteis, with art by Kevin Maguire, created in 1987.-Publication history:...
. In #2 Wandjina, Bluejay and the Sorceress came to Earth in order to destroy all nuclear weapons. Apparently they are the only survivors of a nuclear disaster that wiped out Angor. Wandjina sacrifices himself to prevent a meltdown in a Bialya
Bialya
Bialya is a fictional country appearing in many comic book series published by DC Comics. It was notably featured in issues of Justice League International as written by Keith Giffen and J.M. DeMatteis. It originally appeared in Justice League #2 -Fictional history:It has existed as a country since...
n reactor, and the others give themselves up to the Russian authorities. Wandjina's corpse would later be reanimated as a weapon by Queen Bee of Bialya
Bialya
Bialya is a fictional country appearing in many comic book series published by DC Comics. It was notably featured in issues of Justice League International as written by Keith Giffen and J.M. DeMatteis. It originally appeared in Justice League #2 -Fictional history:It has existed as a country since...
. The citizens didn't quite understand the fate of Wandjina and came to revere him as a hero.
Justice League Europe
Justice League Europe
Justice League Europe was a DC Comics book run that was a spin-off of the comic book Justice League America ....
#15 (June 1990) began a story in which the Sorceress and Bluejay escaped from prison. Bluejay went to the League for help, while the Sorceress returned to Angor.
A flashback revealed that the nuclear disaster was caused by a group of villains called the Extremists
Extremists (comics)
The Extremists are a team of supervillains in DC Comics Justice League titles, they were introduced in Justice League Europe issue #15.-History:...
. The Extremists captured the Sorceress and made her take them to Earth, where they again attempted to seize control of the world's nuclear weapons. It was eventually revealed that (with one exception) these were robot duplicates of the Extremists, created for an amusement park. The owner of the amusement park was sent to Earth and switched them off. The remaining villain, Dreamslayer
Dreamslayer
Dreamslayer is a fictional character, a DC Comics supervillain, and part of the evil gang called Extremists. Like the other Extremists, he is a homage to a Marvel Comics character, in this case Dormammu...
, was defeated by the Sorceress. Bluejay and the Silver Sorceress joined the Justice League Europe.
- The Bowman - A womanizing archer, with a tendency to go for "black widow types". Pastiche of HawkeyeHawkeye (comics)Hawkeye , also known as Goliath and Ronin, is a fictional character that appears in the comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Tales of Suspense #57 and was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Don Heck. Hawkeye joined the Avengers in Avengers Vol. 1 #16 Hawkeye...
. First appeared in one panel of the "Extremist Vector" storyline in Justice League EuropeJustice League EuropeJustice League Europe was a DC Comics book run that was a spin-off of the comic book Justice League America ....
#15-18. Subsequent appearances include "When You Wish..." in Justice League QuarterlyJustice League QuarterlyJustice League Quarterly was a quarterly American comic book series published by DC Comics from Winter 1990 to Winter 1994; it lasted 17 issues. It had a variable cast, pulling from the Justice League membership...
#3, the "With a Vengeance!" storyline in Superman/BatmanSuperman/BatmanSuperman/Batman was a monthly comic book series published by DC Comics that features the publisher's two most popular characters: Batman and Superman...
#20-24, and in the new Lord Havok and the Extremists series. - Tin Man - An armored hero with a heart condition. Pastiche of Iron ManIron ManIron Man is a fictional character, a superhero in the . The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby, first appearing in Tales of Suspense #39 .A billionaire playboy, industrialist and ingenious engineer,...
. - T.A. - A heroine with metal wings. Presumably a pastiche of the WaspWasp (comics)The Wasp is a fictional character, a superheroine in the Marvel Comics universe and founding member of The Avengers. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in Tales to Astonish #44 ....
. - Bug - A pastiche of Spider-ManSpider-ManSpider-Man is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Steve Ditko. He first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15...
that appears as a hero in Justice League Quarterly #3 and as a villain in "With a Vengeance!"
There was also an unnamed version of Goliath
Goliath (comics)
Goliath, in comics, may refer to:* Marvel Comics characters:** Henry Pym, was the first to adopt the name Goliath and has also gone by Giant-Man, Ant-Man, and Yellowjacket....
, as well as of non-Avengers Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
characters, including Wolverine
Wolverine (comics)
Wolverine is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Born as James Howlett and commonly known as Logan, Wolverine is a mutant, possessing animal-keen senses, enhanced physical capabilities, three retracting bone claws on each hand and a healing...
and Cyclops
Cyclops (comics)
Cyclops is a fictional character, the leader of the X-Men superhero team in the . A mutant, Cyclops emits a powerful energy beam from his eyes...
.
Later appearances of the Angorian characters downplayed their origins and the Marvel pastiche elements.
In solicits for 2008's Final Crisis
Final Crisis
Final Crisis is a crossover storyline that appeared in comic books published by DC Comics in 2008, primarily the seven-issue miniseries of the same name written by Grant Morrison. Originally DC announced the project as being illustrated solely by J. G. Jones; artists Carlos Pacheco, Marco Rudy and...
event, a team called the Justifiers has been mentioned as playing a part. Unrelated to the Champions of Angor, they are heroes who have been controlled by the Anti-Life Equation
Anti-Life Equation
The Anti-Life Equation is the equation for total control over the free will of sentient beings, for which the DC Comics villain Darkseid is searching in the Jack Kirby's Fourth World setting. It is for this reason that he sends his forces to Earth, as he believes part of the equation exists in the...
, and now "justify" Darkseid
Darkseid
Darkseid is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #134 and was created by writer-artist Jack Kirby....
's rule of the Earth.
Other versions
In the new Lord Havok and The Extremists series (2007), new versions of the Champions are featured on Earth-8. They are now part of a group called the Meta-Militia with Tin Man as president of Angor and Americommando as vice president. When Tin Man is killed by Lord HavokLord Havok
Lord Havok is a fictional character, a DC Comics supervillain, part of the supervillain team called the Extremists. He is based on the Marvel Comics supervillain Doctor Doom, and, like him, is a genius equipped with powered armor...
, Americommando becomes president with Blue Jay as his vice President. Americommando is sleeping with T.A. behind Blue Jay's back. Blue Jay eventually turns against Americommando, the latter having forged an alliance with Monarch
Monarch (comics)
Monarch is the name of three fictional DC Comics supervillains. The first Monarch is Hank Hall, formerly Hawk, who later renames himself Extant for the Zero Hour crossover. The second Monarch is Nathaniel Adam, a U.S. Army Captain. The third Monarch is Captain Atom, a former superhero...
, arrests him for crimes against humanity, and takes his place as president. Wandjina is also featured, now a closeted
Closeted
Closeted and in the closet are metaphors used to describe lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning and intersex people who have not disclosed their sexual orientation or gender identity and aspects thereof, including sexual identity and sexual behavior.-Background:In late 20th...
homosexual. During a battle between the Meta-Militia and the Extremists, he is swallowed whole by Gorgon.
See also
- The MaximumsMaximumsThe Maximums is a DC Comics team of super heroes parodying Marvel Comics's Ultimates and New Avengers, including the lower-case speech bubbles associated with the Ultimate Universe and the Avengers' battlecry "Avengers Assemble!" to their "Maximums March!" They are based in San Francisco.They were...
, another team of Avengers (specifically the Ultimates and New Avengers) pastiches in the DCU