Fightin' 5
Encyclopedia
The Fightin' 5 are a Charlton Comics
Special Forces
paramilitary team, similar to DC Comics
' Blackhawks
. They debuted in Fightin' 5 #28, (July 1964), and were created by Joe Gill
and Bill Montes.
Charlton series Space War), and ran until #41 in January, 1967. After the cancellation, the characters starred in a backup feature in Peacemaker
. Toward the end of the original series, the team took on a disastrous mission which resulted in the death of Irv, while team leader Hank lost an eye and arm. During the Peacemaker run the team added an ex-Soviet agent named Sonya to the group, and Hank was relegated to the role of tactician and organizer.
From 1981 to 1982, Charlton committed to a partial reprint of the series, running from issue #42 through issue #49. When the Charlton Comics Group was dissolved, the trademark and indica of these characters was purchased by Canadian publisher Roger Broughton
. Broughton issued one reprint series, under the title The Power of Five.
. This team consisted of five commandos, their initials spelling out, "FIGHT". The five undertook missions around the world fighting international terrorists, despotic rulers, and thwarting Communist agents. They wore bright blue BDU
's with red beret
s. They usually flew around in a modified Convair B-58 Supersonic Bomber and used many different military-use weapons systems as well as James Bond
-like gadgets to accomplish their missions.
Charlton Comics
Charlton Comics was an American comic book publishing company that existed from 1946 to 1985, having begun under a different name in 1944. It was based in Derby, Connecticut...
Special Forces
Special forces
Special forces, or special operations forces are terms used to describe elite military tactical teams trained to perform high-risk dangerous missions that conventional units cannot perform...
paramilitary team, similar to 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...
' Blackhawks
Blackhawk (comics)
Blackhawk, a long-running comic book series, was also a film serial, a radio series and a novel. The comic book was published first by Quality Comics and later by DC Comics. The series was created by Will Eisner, Chuck Cuidera, and Bob Powell, but the artist most associated with the feature is Reed...
. They debuted in Fightin' 5 #28, (July 1964), and were created by Joe Gill
Joe Gill
Joseph Gill was an American magazine writer and highly prolific comic book scripter. Most of his work was for Charlton Comics, where he co-created the superheroes Captain Atom, Peacemaker, and Judomaster, among others. Comics historians consider Gill a top contender as the comic-book field's most...
and Bill Montes.
Publication history
The Fightin' 5 comic started in July, 1964 with issues #28 (continuing the numbering of the 19591959 in comics
- October :* October 29: first issue of Pilote, featuring debuts of the series Astérix by René Goscinny, and Albert Uderzo, and Michel Tanguy by Uderzo and Jean-Michel Charlier.-U.S...
Charlton series Space War), and ran until #41 in January, 1967. After the cancellation, the characters starred in a backup feature in Peacemaker
Peacemaker (comics)
The Peacemaker is the name of a series of superheroes originally owned by Charlton Comics and later acquired by DC Comics. The original Peacemaker first appeared in Fightin' 5 #40 The Peacemaker is the name of a series of superheroes originally owned by Charlton Comics and later acquired by DC...
. Toward the end of the original series, the team took on a disastrous mission which resulted in the death of Irv, while team leader Hank lost an eye and arm. During the Peacemaker run the team added an ex-Soviet agent named Sonya to the group, and Hank was relegated to the role of tactician and organizer.
From 1981 to 1982, Charlton committed to a partial reprint of the series, running from issue #42 through issue #49. When the Charlton Comics Group was dissolved, the trademark and indica of these characters was purchased by Canadian publisher Roger Broughton
Roger Broughton
Charlton Media Group is a Montreal-based publisher owned and operated by Canadian entrepreneur Roger Broughton. CMG has published Charlton Comics and American Comics Group reprint comics, under several names, including Sword in Stone, A+, and America's Comics Group.- History :Long-time comics...
. Broughton issued one reprint series, under the title The Power of Five.
Fictional team biography
These five men were recruited by the CIA in the fall of 1963, during the height of the Cold WarCold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
. This team consisted of five commandos, their initials spelling out, "FIGHT". The five undertook missions around the world fighting international terrorists, despotic rulers, and thwarting Communist agents. They wore bright blue BDU
Battle Dress Uniform
The Battle Dress Uniform were the fatigues that the armed forces of the United States used as their standard uniform for combat situations from September 1981 to April 2005. Since then, it has been replaced in every branch of the U.S. military. Only the U.S. Navy currently authorizes wear of the...
's with red beret
Red beret
The red beret is a military beret worn by many military police, paramilitary, commando and police forces around the world. The maroon beret has become a symbol of airborne forces, though this is often known as a "red beret", particularly when referring to the British Parachute...
s. They usually flew around in a modified Convair B-58 Supersonic Bomber and used many different military-use weapons systems as well as James Bond
James Bond
James Bond, code name 007, is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections. There have been a six other authors who wrote authorised Bond novels or novelizations after Fleming's death in 1964: Kingsley Amis,...
-like gadgets to accomplish their missions.
Membership
- FF1: Frenchie the Fox - A rather stereotypical French AmericanFrench AmericanFrench Americans or Franco-Americans are Americans of French or French Canadian descent. About 11.8 million U.S. residents are of this descent, and about 1.6 million speak French at home.An additional 450,000 U.S...
and ex-US Navy underwaterUnderwaterUnderwater is a term describing the realm below the surface of water where the water exists in a natural feature such as an ocean, sea, lake, pond, or river. Three quarters of the planet Earth is covered by water...
demolitions expertDemolitionDemolition is the tearing-down of buildings and other structures, the opposite of construction. Demolition contrasts with deconstruction, which involves taking a building apart while carefully preserving valuable elements for re-use....
. - FF2: Irv "The Nerve" Haganah - A decorated former IsraelIsraelThe State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i commando and private investigatorPrivate investigatorA private investigator , private detective or inquiry agent, is a person who can be hired by individuals or groups to undertake investigatory law services. Private detectives/investigators often work for attorneys in civil cases. Many work for insurance companies to investigate suspicious claims...
. - FF3: Granite Gallero - A former mercenary and weapons expert.
- FF4: Hank Hennessey - A career US Army Captain in the Special ForcesSpecial forcesSpecial forces, or special operations forces are terms used to describe elite military tactical teams trained to perform high-risk dangerous missions that conventional units cannot perform...
and Vietnam WarVietnam WarThe Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
veteran. - FF5: Tom-Tom - A former professional wrestler.