Project Superpowers
Encyclopedia
Project Superpowers is a comic book
limited series
published by Dynamite Entertainment
beginning January 2008
. It was co-plotted by Jim Krueger
and Alex Ross
, with scripts by Jim Krueger
, covers by Alex Ross, and interior art by Doug Klauba and Stephen Sadowski for issue #0, and Carlos Paul for the remainder of the series. Ross is also art director, which includes sketched pages, color guides, and redesigns of most of the characters.
The series resurrects a number of Golden Age
superheroes originally published by companies including Fox Comics
, Crestwood Publications
, and Nedor Comics
, many of whom are in the public domain
, including the protagonist, Fighting Yank
.
) is active around the world. It is into this setting that the released heroes first emerge.
, to force him to make recompense for his own actions during and after the war, which are revealed in flashback.
Carter, working for the OSS
, was ordered to retrieve Pandora's Box
, which had by unexplained means found its way into Adolf Hitler
's hands. The box had since Ancient times reabsorbed all of the evils that were released from it in the myth, but Hitler had opened it and released them again, thus starting World War II. The box had also contained hope, however, and that hope (according to Carter’s superiors) had created the Golden Age of superheroes. Thus, Carter was ordered not just to retrieve the box, which in this series is depicted as an urn
, but to use it to trap all his fellow superheroes inside it along with all the evil spirits that Hitler released from it. Carter's spirit guide — the ghost of his own Revolutionary War
-era great-grandfather, Bruce Carter I — corroborates the US military's theory and urges Carter to follow their orders.
Carter traps the Flame
in the urn at the end of WWII, while they are fighting the Japanese on the same day that America bombed Nagasaki
. After the war, Carter, who "was now CIA
sanctioned," continues trapping heroes in the urn, both his compatriots from the war and new heroes who appear. Thus, in the contemporary world of the story, there are implicitly no superheroes left in the world. The American Spirit tells Carter, however, that instead of stopping evil, which has continued in the world, he merely trapped those who could have fought it. An argument ensues between the ghost of Bruce Carter I and the American Spirit in which they both try to convince Carter III of what to do now: either nothing, because he did the right thing in the 1940s and 1950s, or try to free the superheroes who are in the urn, because he had condemned them to purgatory. Carter III eventually believes the American Spirit, who tells him to consult his one World War II colleague, the Green Lama, who had returned to Tibet after the war to pursue his Buddhist meditations.
Bruce gets to Shangri-La and tells the Green Lama everything; the Lama agrees to help him. They magically travel to New York, where the Dynamic Man and his robotic "family" (who make up an enormous corporation called Dynamic Forces) try to destroy them; Bruce succeeds in breaking the urn, and the Black Terror appears and joins the fight. The good guys make their getaway to Shangri-La. The Terror says that he cannot forgive Yank for what he has done, and intends to eventually kill him. Meanwhile, other heroes appear elsewhere; the Death-Defying 'Devil rescues a female police officer named Justine during a riot in France
, and the Flame appears near the Hollywood Sign
. Also, two heroes who were not trapped in the urn — the Scarab and Samson — meet in the war-torn Middle East
, where F-Troops are trying to destroy oil
supplies so that Dynamic Forces can make a profit.
Using tracers that were placed on the Black Terror without his knowledge, the Dynamic Family’s soldiers (who are modeled after the American Crusader
) locate and invade Shangri-La. The Green Lama evacuates the civilians while the Terror and Yank fight the soldiers, but the Yank is attacked and apparently killed in the battle. Meanwhile, more heroes appear. Masquerade (who has amnesia
) encounters V-Man in Japan
; the Flame reunites with Hydro; and Mr. Face appears in a Spanish
-speaking country (which one is not yet clear).
The Dynamic Family is forced to abandon New York, which is now overrun with plant life thanks to the Green Lama. The Lama relocates the people of Shangri-La to New York, which he dubs New Shangri-La. The Black Terror is sent to round up all the emerging heroes and bring them to the Lama (Justine comes along with 'Devil). Meanwhile, Scarab shows Samson the nature of the F-Troops, which are reanimated corpses (who all resemble the Frankenstein Monster). The Fighting Yank, who is being kept alive by his power cloak, learns that his ancestor had been using him from the beginning to break his own curse. Pyroman appears and rescues Hydro and Flame from the Police Corps, only to be de-powered by the Dynamic Boy.
Pyroman "kills" the robotic Dynamic Boy to stop him from killing the Flame, just before Pyroman, Flame, and Hydro are spirited away by the Black Terror. The Terror later goes to the aid of Samson and Scarab. In New Shangri-La, V-Man is kept in quarantine
because, transformed by his time in the urn, he now causes anyone who comes near him to become seriously ill. The Dynamic Family have a well-publicized funeral
service for Dynamic Boy, and tell the world that the heroes are actually terrorists who must be stopped. Other emerging heroes include the Target and Targeteers in Amsterdam
, and the Arrow in Tibet
. Unaware of his surroundings or of how much time has passed, the Arrow inadvertently fires three arrow
s into Fighting Yank’s chest.
In his mind, Fighting Yank "sees" how his ancestor let vital information get into enemy hands by stopping for a drink during a mission. The American Spirit tells the dying Yank that his allies are in danger, and that the only way to help them is to take his ancestor’s curse upon himself, but the ancestor refuses to let him do it. Meanwhile, the heroes travel to the Middle East to aid Samson and the Scarab, but unknown to them the soil in the region has been treated by the Supremacy — a secret council that commands Dynamic Man and his corporation — so that no vegetable growth is possible there. The Green Lama is powerless to get them out of the Middle East, and he is suddenly aging.
Against his ancestor's protests, Fighting Yank takes the curse upon himself and becomes a semi-solid ghost. He then goes to the rescue of his fellow heroes, giving his power cloak to the Green Lama so that the Lama’s boosted powers can transport everyone out of the Middle East. V-Man, who has encased in a protective suit, stays behind as per the plan. After the other heroes are gone, he tears off his outer suit and lets his virus destroy all the F-Troops. Back in New Shangri-La, the revived Lama makes a television broadcast to tell the world that he and the other heroes intend to act as a counterbalance to the corrupt nations of the world. The Owl is seen approaching New Shangri-La, and it is expected that other emerging heroes will soon follow.
special edition of Project Superpowers released. In the story, which takes place after issue #7 of the first series, the heroes wonder if the Claw is still alive and reflect on ’Devil’s history with him.
to produce a special #½ issue. The story takes place at Dynamic Boy's funeral (between issues #5 and #6 of the first series) and sees Dynamic Man reflecting on the past. We see Dynamic Man and Dynamic Boy in WWII Germany admiring what Hitler has accomplished before playing the role of heroes when their super-powered allies arrive. Back in the present, we see Dynamic Boy emerge from his grave and the next part of the Dynamic Family's plan is revealed.
, and Marvelo, all of whose abilities are hinted to be dangerous and difficult to control; "The Super-Mysterymen", a group of heroes who are said to have been tracked and captured immediately after the destruction of the urn to be used for an unknown party's purposes. Furthermore, several single heroes were shown, including: Captain Future, Cat-Man (now a partially feline character, called Man-Cat), Burning Eagle (who is constantly aflame), Black Owl (whose body now contains a black hole
), Silver Streak, the Ghost, and a newly created hero pair, Truth and Dare, who are said to be inspired by the return of the Superpowers. Chapter Two Prelude also contains small previews of the Black Terror, Death Defying 'Devil, and Masquerade mini-series.
" is now the name of a Spider-Man
villain, so the original Hydroman is now called Hydro).
The collected edition includes all of the above sketches, plus the Masked Marvel
, Sky Wizard, Brad Spencer (Wonderman), Martan the Marvel Man and Vana, Professor Supermind and Son
, and Power Nelson (the Futureman).
collected edition (ISBN 1933305916), in which a few minor corrections were made (i.e., the title to issue #5 was included, and Dynamic Man's name was correctly given as Bert McQuade instead of Curt Cowan). A trade paperback
was released in May 2009 (ISBN 1606900145).
Project Superpowers: Chapter Two was collected into two trade paperback volumes:
from this series including:
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
limited series
Limited series
A limited series is a comic book series with a set number of installments. A limited series differs from an ongoing series in that the number of issues is determined before production and it differs from a one shot in that it is composed of multiple issues....
published by Dynamite Entertainment
Dynamite Entertainment
Dynamite Entertainment is an American comic book company that primarily publishes licensed franchises of adaptations of other media. These include adaptations of film properties such as Army of Darkness, Terminator and RoboCop, literary properties such as Zorro, Dracula, Sherlock Holmes, Alice in...
beginning January 2008
2008 in comics
-January:*January 9: Teen Titans: The Lost Annual, delayed since 2003, is published.*January 23: Hellblazer #240, marking the 20th anniversary of the series, is released.-February:...
. It was co-plotted by Jim Krueger
Jim Krueger
Jim Krueger is an American comic book writer, novelist, and filmmaker.- Filmmaking :Kreuger's first short film, They Might Be Dragons, which he wrote, directed, and produced, won "Best In Class" at New York University , a "Best Short Film" award from the New York Independent Film Festival, and a...
and Alex Ross
Alex Ross
Nelson Alexander "Alex" Ross is an American comic book painter, illustrator, and plotter. He is praised for his realistic, human depictions of classic comic book characters. Since the 1990s he has done work for Marvel Comics and DC Comics Nelson Alexander "Alex" Ross (born January 22, 1970) is an...
, with scripts by Jim Krueger
Jim Krueger
Jim Krueger is an American comic book writer, novelist, and filmmaker.- Filmmaking :Kreuger's first short film, They Might Be Dragons, which he wrote, directed, and produced, won "Best In Class" at New York University , a "Best Short Film" award from the New York Independent Film Festival, and a...
, covers by Alex Ross, and interior art by Doug Klauba and Stephen Sadowski for issue #0, and Carlos Paul for the remainder of the series. Ross is also art director, which includes sketched pages, color guides, and redesigns of most of the characters.
The series resurrects a number of Golden Age
Golden Age of Comic Books
The Golden Age of Comic Books was a period in the history of American comic books, generally thought of as lasting from the late 1930s until the late 1940s or early 1950s...
superheroes originally published by companies including Fox Comics
Fox Feature Syndicate
Fox Feature Syndicate was a comic book publisher from early in the period known to fans and historians as the Golden Age of Comic Books. Founded by entrepreneur Victor S...
, Crestwood Publications
Crestwood Publications
Crestwood Publications, also known as Feature Publications, was a magazine publisher that also published comic books from the 1940s through the 1960s. Its title Prize Comics contained what is considered the first ongoing horror comic-book feature, Dick Briefer's "Frankenstein"...
, and Nedor Comics
Nedor Comics
Nedor Publishing was a comic book imprint of publisher Ned Pines, who also published pulp magazines under a variety of company names that he also used for the comics...
, many of whom are in the public domain
Public domain
Works are in the public domain if the intellectual property rights have expired, if the intellectual property rights are forfeited, or if they are not covered by intellectual property rights at all...
, including the protagonist, Fighting Yank
Fighting Yank
-Publication history:The initial comic-book character called Fighting Yank first appeared in Nedor Comics' Startling Comics #10 , during the period fans and historians call the Golden Age of comic books. He was created by writer Richard E. Hughes and artist Jon L. Blummer...
.
Setting
The story is set in a present-day world that is different from our own; it is implied that the absence of the world’s heroes allowed the United States to become a virtual dictatorship, with the Dynamic Forces corporation manipulating world events for the sake of order and profit. The Police Corps consists of armored officers who show no mercy, wars are being waged for nothing more than business reasons, and even free speech is heavily restricted. In addition to all this, a terrorist movement called "The Claw" (which may or may not be related to the Golden Age villain of the same nameClaw (Lev Gleason Publications)
The Claw is a fictional supervillain character who first appeared in Silver Streak Comics #1 , from Lev Gleason Publications.-Publishing history:...
) is active around the world. It is into this setting that the released heroes first emerge.
Plot
The beginning of the story depicts an aging Bruce Carter III, formerly the Fighting Yank, confronted by a spirit that comes in the form of a fluttering American flag and claims to be "the blood of [...] patriots" who died for America, including the Golden Age superheroes who were Carter’s friends and colleagues. This "American Spirit" visits Carter in 2008, sixty years after World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, to force him to make recompense for his own actions during and after the war, which are revealed in flashback.
Carter, working for the OSS
Office of Strategic Services
The Office of Strategic Services was a United States intelligence agency formed during World War II. It was the wartime intelligence agency, and it was a predecessor of the Central Intelligence Agency...
, was ordered to retrieve Pandora's Box
Pandora's box
Pandora's box is an artifact in Greek mythology, taken from the myth of Pandora's creation around line 60 of Hesiod's Works and Days. The "box" was actually a large jar given to Pandora , which contained all the evils of the world. When Pandora opened the jar, all its contents except for one item...
, which had by unexplained means found its way into Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
's hands. The box had since Ancient times reabsorbed all of the evils that were released from it in the myth, but Hitler had opened it and released them again, thus starting World War II. The box had also contained hope, however, and that hope (according to Carter’s superiors) had created the Golden Age of superheroes. Thus, Carter was ordered not just to retrieve the box, which in this series is depicted as an urn
Urn
An urn is a vase, ordinarily covered, that usually has a narrowed neck above a footed pedestal. "Knife urns" placed on pedestals flanking a dining-room sideboard were an English innovation for high-style dining rooms of the late 1760s...
, but to use it to trap all his fellow superheroes inside it along with all the evil spirits that Hitler released from it. Carter's spirit guide — the ghost of his own Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
-era great-grandfather, Bruce Carter I — corroborates the US military's theory and urges Carter to follow their orders.
Carter traps the Flame
Flame (comics)
The Flame was a fictional superhero that appeared in comic books published by Fox Feature Syndicate. The Flame first appeared in Wonderworld Comics #3 . He was created by writer Will Eisner and artist Lou Fine.-Publication history:...
in the urn at the end of WWII, while they are fighting the Japanese on the same day that America bombed Nagasaki
Nagasaki
is the capital and the largest city of Nagasaki Prefecture on the island of Kyushu in Japan. Nagasaki was founded by the Portuguese in the second half of the 16th century on the site of a small fishing village, formerly part of Nishisonogi District...
. After the war, Carter, who "was now CIA
Central Intelligence Agency
The Central Intelligence Agency is a civilian intelligence agency of the United States government. It is an executive agency and reports directly to the Director of National Intelligence, responsible for providing national security intelligence assessment to senior United States policymakers...
sanctioned," continues trapping heroes in the urn, both his compatriots from the war and new heroes who appear. Thus, in the contemporary world of the story, there are implicitly no superheroes left in the world. The American Spirit tells Carter, however, that instead of stopping evil, which has continued in the world, he merely trapped those who could have fought it. An argument ensues between the ghost of Bruce Carter I and the American Spirit in which they both try to convince Carter III of what to do now: either nothing, because he did the right thing in the 1940s and 1950s, or try to free the superheroes who are in the urn, because he had condemned them to purgatory. Carter III eventually believes the American Spirit, who tells him to consult his one World War II colleague, the Green Lama, who had returned to Tibet after the war to pursue his Buddhist meditations.
Bruce gets to Shangri-La and tells the Green Lama everything; the Lama agrees to help him. They magically travel to New York, where the Dynamic Man and his robotic "family" (who make up an enormous corporation called Dynamic Forces) try to destroy them; Bruce succeeds in breaking the urn, and the Black Terror appears and joins the fight. The good guys make their getaway to Shangri-La. The Terror says that he cannot forgive Yank for what he has done, and intends to eventually kill him. Meanwhile, other heroes appear elsewhere; the Death-Defying 'Devil rescues a female police officer named Justine during a riot in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, and the Flame appears near the Hollywood Sign
Hollywood Sign
The Hollywood Sign is a landmark and American cultural icon in the Hollywood Hills area of Mount Lee, Santa Monica Mountains, in Los Angeles, California. The sign spells out the name of the area in and white letters. It was created as an advertisement in 1923, but garnered increasing recognition...
. Also, two heroes who were not trapped in the urn — the Scarab and Samson — meet in the war-torn Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
, where F-Troops are trying to destroy oil
Oil
An oil is any substance that is liquid at ambient temperatures and does not mix with water but may mix with other oils and organic solvents. This general definition includes vegetable oils, volatile essential oils, petrochemical oils, and synthetic oils....
supplies so that Dynamic Forces can make a profit.
Using tracers that were placed on the Black Terror without his knowledge, the Dynamic Family’s soldiers (who are modeled after the American Crusader
American Crusader
The American Crusader is a fictional character, a superhero who originally appeared in Thrilling Comics #19 . The character was revived in the Modern Age in Femforce #59, by AC Comics, and in Tom Strong #11, by Alan Moore and Chris Sprouse.-Character history:His secret identity is Professor...
) locate and invade Shangri-La. The Green Lama evacuates the civilians while the Terror and Yank fight the soldiers, but the Yank is attacked and apparently killed in the battle. Meanwhile, more heroes appear. Masquerade (who has amnesia
Amnesia
Amnesia is a condition in which one's memory is lost. The causes of amnesia have traditionally been divided into categories. Memory appears to be stored in several parts of the limbic system of the brain, and any condition that interferes with the function of this system can cause amnesia...
) encounters V-Man in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
; the Flame reunites with Hydro; and Mr. Face appears in a Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
-speaking country (which one is not yet clear).
The Dynamic Family is forced to abandon New York, which is now overrun with plant life thanks to the Green Lama. The Lama relocates the people of Shangri-La to New York, which he dubs New Shangri-La. The Black Terror is sent to round up all the emerging heroes and bring them to the Lama (Justine comes along with 'Devil). Meanwhile, Scarab shows Samson the nature of the F-Troops, which are reanimated corpses (who all resemble the Frankenstein Monster). The Fighting Yank, who is being kept alive by his power cloak, learns that his ancestor had been using him from the beginning to break his own curse. Pyroman appears and rescues Hydro and Flame from the Police Corps, only to be de-powered by the Dynamic Boy.
Pyroman "kills" the robotic Dynamic Boy to stop him from killing the Flame, just before Pyroman, Flame, and Hydro are spirited away by the Black Terror. The Terror later goes to the aid of Samson and Scarab. In New Shangri-La, V-Man is kept in quarantine
Quarantine
Quarantine is compulsory isolation, typically to contain the spread of something considered dangerous, often but not always disease. The word comes from the Italian quarantena, meaning forty-day period....
because, transformed by his time in the urn, he now causes anyone who comes near him to become seriously ill. The Dynamic Family have a well-publicized funeral
Funeral
A funeral is a ceremony for celebrating, sanctifying, or remembering the life of a person who has died. Funerary customs comprise the complex of beliefs and practices used by a culture to remember the dead, from interment itself, to various monuments, prayers, and rituals undertaken in their honor...
service for Dynamic Boy, and tell the world that the heroes are actually terrorists who must be stopped. Other emerging heroes include the Target and Targeteers in Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
, and the Arrow in Tibet
Tibet
Tibet is a plateau region in Asia, north-east of the Himalayas. It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people as well as some other ethnic groups such as Monpas, Qiang, and Lhobas, and is now also inhabited by considerable numbers of Han and Hui people...
. Unaware of his surroundings or of how much time has passed, the Arrow inadvertently fires three arrow
Arrow
An arrow is a shafted projectile that is shot with a bow. It predates recorded history and is common to most cultures.An arrow usually consists of a shaft with an arrowhead attached to the front end, with fletchings and a nock at the other.- History:...
s into Fighting Yank’s chest.
In his mind, Fighting Yank "sees" how his ancestor let vital information get into enemy hands by stopping for a drink during a mission. The American Spirit tells the dying Yank that his allies are in danger, and that the only way to help them is to take his ancestor’s curse upon himself, but the ancestor refuses to let him do it. Meanwhile, the heroes travel to the Middle East to aid Samson and the Scarab, but unknown to them the soil in the region has been treated by the Supremacy — a secret council that commands Dynamic Man and his corporation — so that no vegetable growth is possible there. The Green Lama is powerless to get them out of the Middle East, and he is suddenly aging.
Against his ancestor's protests, Fighting Yank takes the curse upon himself and becomes a semi-solid ghost. He then goes to the rescue of his fellow heroes, giving his power cloak to the Green Lama so that the Lama’s boosted powers can transport everyone out of the Middle East. V-Man, who has encased in a protective suit, stays behind as per the plan. After the other heroes are gone, he tears off his outer suit and lets his virus destroy all the F-Troops. Back in New Shangri-La, the revived Lama makes a television broadcast to tell the world that he and the other heroes intend to act as a counterbalance to the corrupt nations of the world. The Owl is seen approaching New Shangri-La, and it is expected that other emerging heroes will soon follow.
Free Comic Book Day Special
On May 3, 2008, there was a Free Comic Book DayFree Comic Book Day
Free Comic Book Day is an annual promotional effort by the North American comic book industry to help bring new readers into independent comic book stores. Retailer Joe Field of in Concord, CA brainstormed the event in his "Big Picture" column in the August 2001 issue of Comics & Games Retailer...
special edition of Project Superpowers released. In the story, which takes place after issue #7 of the first series, the heroes wonder if the Claw is still alive and reflect on ’Devil’s history with him.
Wizard #½: All Part of the Design
In December 2008, Dynamite partnered with Wizard MagazineWizard (magazine)
Wizard or Wizard: The Magazine of Comics, Entertainment and Pop Culture was a magazine about comic books, published monthly in the United States by Wizard Entertainment from July 1991 to January 2011...
to produce a special #½ issue. The story takes place at Dynamic Boy's funeral (between issues #5 and #6 of the first series) and sees Dynamic Man reflecting on the past. We see Dynamic Man and Dynamic Boy in WWII Germany admiring what Hitler has accomplished before playing the role of heroes when their super-powered allies arrive. Back in the present, we see Dynamic Boy emerge from his grave and the next part of the Dynamic Family's plan is revealed.
Chapter Two Prelude
Released in October 2008 as a teaser to Project Superpowers: Chapter Two, this one-shot showcases a number of drawings of heroes and groups who will presumably be featured in the next chapter. The groups are: "The Inheritors", led by the Boy King and his Giant, and composed of many of the young sidekicks of the heroes, including the Black Terror's sidekick, Tim; "The Patriots", a team of flag-wearing heroes who return to the service of the American government, and are mentioned to come into conflict with the Black Terror; "The Supremacy", a secret cabal who were introduced previously, who include a "President West", and numerous villain characters, plus the Scarab's secret identity; "The Scarlet Sisters", a team-up between Masquerade, the Woman in Red, and Lady Satan; "The Big Shots", a trio composed of Mr. Face, SkymanSkyman (Columbia Comics)
The Skyman is a fictional comic book superhero that appeared in 1940s comics during what historians and fans call the Golden Age of Comic Books. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Ogden Whitney, the character first appeared in the Columbia Comics omnibus title Big Shot Comics #1...
, and Marvelo, all of whose abilities are hinted to be dangerous and difficult to control; "The Super-Mysterymen", a group of heroes who are said to have been tracked and captured immediately after the destruction of the urn to be used for an unknown party's purposes. Furthermore, several single heroes were shown, including: Captain Future, Cat-Man (now a partially feline character, called Man-Cat), Burning Eagle (who is constantly aflame), Black Owl (whose body now contains a black hole
Black hole
A black hole is a region of spacetime from which nothing, not even light, can escape. The theory of general relativity predicts that a sufficiently compact mass will deform spacetime to form a black hole. Around a black hole there is a mathematically defined surface called an event horizon that...
), Silver Streak, the Ghost, and a newly created hero pair, Truth and Dare, who are said to be inspired by the return of the Superpowers. Chapter Two Prelude also contains small previews of the Black Terror, Death Defying 'Devil, and Masquerade mini-series.
Characters
The characters of Project Superpowers include:- The American Spirit
- The ArrowArrow (comics)The Arrow is a fictional character, a superhero originally published by Centaur Publications. The character first appeared in 1938 in Funny Pages #21 . After Centaur Publications went out of business, the Arrow, along with most other company properties, lapsed into public domain...
(Ralph Payne) - The Black TerrorBlack TerrorThe Black Terror is a fictional comic book superhero who originally appeared in Exciting Comics #9, published by Nedor Comics in January 1941. Some Black Terror stories were written by Patricia Highsmith before she became an acclaimed novelist...
(Bob Benton) - The ClawClaw (Lev Gleason Publications)The Claw is a fictional supervillain character who first appeared in Silver Streak Comics #1 , from Lev Gleason Publications.-Publishing history:...
(now a multi-bodied terrorist organization) - The CrusadersAmerican CrusaderThe American Crusader is a fictional character, a superhero who originally appeared in Thrilling Comics #19 . The character was revived in the Modern Age in Femforce #59, by AC Comics, and in Tom Strong #11, by Alan Moore and Chris Sprouse.-Character history:His secret identity is Professor...
(soldiers with the same powers as the American Crusader) - The Death-Defying ’Devil (Bart Hill)
- Dynamic ManDynamic Man (Dynamic Publications)Dynamic Man was an android superhero published by Dynamic Publications, Inc., one of Harry "A" Chesler's imprints. He has numerous similarities to an earlier character of the same name, including a similar origin story and powers...
(Bert McQuade) - Dynamic Boy
- Dynamic Woman
- Fighting YankFighting Yank-Publication history:The initial comic-book character called Fighting Yank first appeared in Nedor Comics' Startling Comics #10 , during the period fans and historians call the Golden Age of comic books. He was created by writer Richard E. Hughes and artist Jon L. Blummer...
(Bruce Carter III) - The FlameFlame (comics)The Flame was a fictional superhero that appeared in comic books published by Fox Feature Syndicate. The Flame first appeared in Wonderworld Comics #3 . He was created by writer Will Eisner and artist Lou Fine.-Publication history:...
(Gary Preston) - The F-Troops (based on the same design from Frankenstein’s monster)
- Green LamaGreen LamaThe Green Lama was an American pulp magazine hero of the 1940s. In many respects a typical costumed crime-fighter of the period, the Green Lama's most unusual feature was the fact that he was a practicing Buddhist...
(Jethro "Jet" Dumont) - HydroHydromanHydroman is a fictional superhero character who first appeared in comic books from Eastern Color Printing in 1940; not to be confused with the Spider-Man villain Hydro-Man.-Publishing history:...
(Bob Blake) - MasqueradeMiss MasqueMiss Masque is a fictional masked crime-fighter. She originally appeared in comic books published by Nedor Comics, and was later revived by AC Comics, America's Best Comics, and Dynamite Entertainment.-Nedor Comics:...
(Diana Adams) - Mister FaceFace (Columbia Comics)The Face is a fictional character, a comic book superhero that appeared in 1940s comics during what historians and fans call the Golden Age of Comic Books.-Publication history:...
(Tony Trent) - The OwlOwl (Dell Comics)The Owl is a fictional superhero character who first appeared in Dell Comics in 1940; not to be confused with the Marvel Comics villain of the same name or with DC Comics’ Owlman.-Fictional biography:...
(Nick Terry) - PyromanPyromanPyroman is a fictional superhero that appeared in comic books published by Nedor Comics. His first appearance was in Startling Comics #18 , with art by Jack Binder. His character was latter revived by both AC Comics, and Alan Moore for America's Best Comics.-Nedor Comics:Pyroman was the secret...
(Dick Martin) - SamsonSamson (Fox Feature Syndicate)Samson was a fictional superhero that appeared in comic books published by Fox Feature Syndicate. He first appeared in Fantastic Comics #1...
- The Scarab (Amon Khadul; loosely based on the ScarabScarab (Nedor)The Scarab is a fictional superhero from the Golden Age of Comics. He first appeared in Startling Comics #34 , published by Nedor Comics. The character was later revived by writer Alan Moore for America's Best Comics.-Nedor Comics:...
from Nedor Comics) - The Supremacy
- The TargetTarget and the TargeteersThe Target and the Targeteers are fictional characters, a trio of superheroes who first appeared in 1940, in Target Comics from Novelty Press.-History:...
(Niles Reed, Dave Brown, and Tom Foster) - V-ManV-ManV-Man is a fictional patriotic-themed superhero character who first appeared in January, 1942. His name, and the large letter V on his costume, come from the “V for Victory” symbolism that had proliferated throughout the United States and Europe during World War II.-History:V-Man debuted in the...
(Jerry Steele)
Character sketches
Issues #1-6 each include a two-page layout of Golden Age character sketches by Alex Ross and inLight Studio. Most of the layouts feature over a dozen characters each, some of whom now have altered names or nicknames to avoid trademark conflicts (e.g., "Hydro-ManHydro-Man
Hydro-Man, also spelled Hydro Man , is a fictional character that appears in the comic books published by Marvel Comics...
" is now the name of a Spider-Man
Spider-Man
Spider-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...
villain, so the original Hydroman is now called Hydro).
- Issue #1: Hydro (Hydroman), Fighting Yank, Silver StreakSilver Streak (comics)Silver Streak is a fictional superhero character created by Joe Simon, who first appeared in Silver Streak Comics #3 , from Lev Gleason Publications. He is believed to be the second-ever comic book superhero whose primary power is speed; All-American Publications' The Flash preceded him by two months...
, Captain Future, the Woman in Red, the Target and the Targeteers, Cat (Cat-Man) and KittenCat-Man and KittenCat-Man and Kitten were a pair of superhero characters created by Charles M. Quinlan and Irwin Hasen and first published in 1940 by now-defunct Holyoke Publishing...
, the Owl, Strongman, Major Victory, and Dynamic Man and Dynamic Boy.
- Issue #2: The Green MaskGreen MaskThe Green Mask is the name of two fictional comic book superheroes, both published by Fox Feature Syndicate.- Michael Shelby :The first Green Mask debuted in Fox's Mystery Men Comics #1 . The writer was not credited ; the artwork was by Walter Frehm...
and Domino, U.S. JonesU.S. JonesU.S. Jones is a fictional patriotic superhero character who first appeared in comic books from Fox Feature Syndicate in the 1940s.-Publishing history:...
, Blue BoltBlue BoltBlue Bolt is a fictional American comic book superhero created by writer-artist Joe Simon in 1940, during the period fans and historians refer to as the Golden Age of Comic Books.-Publication history:...
, Sub-Zero Man, Captain Battle and Captain Battle, Jr., Death-Defying ’Devil (Daredevil), Black Terror and Tim, Amazing-ManAmazing-Man (Centaur Publications)Amazing-Man is a fictional, American comic book superhero whose adventures were published by Centaur Publications during the 1930s to 1940s period fans and historians call the Golden Age of Comic Books. Historians credit his creation variously to writer-artist Bill Everett or to Everett together...
, the Arrow, Vulcan, Pyroman, and the LiberatorLiberator (Nedor)The Liberator is a fictional superhero from the Golden Age of Comics. His first appearance was in Exciting Comics #15 , published by Nedor Comics. The character was later revived by writer Alan Moore for America's Best Comics....
.
- Issue #3: Lash LightningLash LightningLash Lightning is a fictional superhero character who first appeared in Sure-Fire Comics #1 from Ace Comics.-Publication history:...
and Lightning Girl, Mr. Raven (The RavenRaven (Ace Comics)The Raven is a fictional superhero character who first appeared in the Ace Comics title Sure-Fire Comics; not to be confused with the DC Comics character.-Publication history:...
), Unknown SoldierUnknown Soldier (Ace Comics)The Unknown Soldier is a fictional superhero character who first appeared in Our Flag Comics #1 from Ace Comics.-Publishing history:...
, the Sword, the Flag, the Green Lama, the American Crusader, the American EagleAmerican Eagle (Nedor)The American Eagle was a fictional superhero from the Golden Age of Comics. He first appeared in Exciting Comics #25 , published by Better Comics, a part of Nedor Comics...
, SkymanSkyman (Columbia Comics)The Skyman is a fictional comic book superhero that appeared in 1940s comics during what historians and fans call the Golden Age of Comic Books. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Ogden Whitney, the character first appeared in the Columbia Comics omnibus title Big Shot Comics #1...
, Mr. Face (The Face), Marvelo, Captain CourageousCaptain Courageous (comics)Captain Courageous is a fictional superhero character who first appeared in Banner Comics #3 from Ace Comics. His name seems to be inspired by the title of the Rudyard Kipling novel Captains Courageous.-Publishing history:...
, and the Super-American.
- Issue #4: The Flame and Flame Girl, "Big Blue" (Blue Beetle) and Sparky, Samson and David, V-Man and the V-Boys, Cyclone, Grim ReaperGrim Reaper (Nedor)The Grim Reaper is a fictional character and a superhero. Created by writer/editor Richard E. Hughes He first appeared in Fighting Yank #7, Feb., 1944, and was quickly promoted to cover feature of Wonder Comics , beginning with #1 May 1944...
, Jack (YellowjacketYellowjacket (Charlton)Yellowjacket is a fictional super-hero, and the first to be published by the company that would become Charlton Comics. He first appeared in Yellowjacket Comics #1 -Publication history:...
), Black Venus, the Hood, and Rocketman and Rocketgirl.
- Issue #5: The Green Giant, Phantasmo, the Boy King and his Giant, and the Claw.
- Issue #6: Man O’ Metal, the Boy King, Golden Lad, Rainbow Boy, AirmanAirman (comics)Airman is a fictional, comic-book superhero first published by Centaur Publications during the late 1930s to 1940s period fans and historians call the Golden Age of Comic Books. He first appeared in Keen Detective Funnies #23 Airman (originally Air Man) is a fictional, comic-book superhero first...
, Radior, Man of War, the Black Owl, Yank & DoodleYank & DoodleYank & Doodle are a pair of fictional superhero characters who first appeared in the Prize Publications title Prize Comics in 1941.-Fictional biography:...
, Sparkman, Doc (Doc StrangeDoc StrangeDoc Strange is a fictional character, a comic book superhero who originally appeared in Thrilling Comics #1...
), and the Dart and Ace.
The collected edition includes all of the above sketches, plus the Masked Marvel
Masked Marvel (Centaur Publications)
The Masked Marvel was a fictional superhero originally published by Centaur Publications. He debuted in 1939, on the pages of Keen Detective Funnies #7...
, Sky Wizard, Brad Spencer (Wonderman), Martan the Marvel Man and Vana, Professor Supermind and Son
Professor Supermind and Son
Professor Supermind and Son was a comic book feature that appeared in issues 60-71 of Dell Comics' Popular Comics publication. Professor Warren used his energy machine to give his son, Dan, superhuman powers, including super strength, invulnerability, and the ability to fly...
, and Power Nelson (the Futureman).
Collected editions
In December 2008, the first series was released as a hardcoverHardcover
A hardcover, hardback or hardbound is a book bound with rigid protective covers...
collected edition (ISBN 1933305916), in which a few minor corrections were made (i.e., the title to issue #5 was included, and Dynamic Man's name was correctly given as Bert McQuade instead of Curt Cowan). A trade paperback
Trade paperback (comics)
In comics, a trade paperback is a collection of stories originally published in comic books, reprinted in book format, usually capturing one story arc from a single title or a series of stories with a connected story arc or common theme from one or more titles...
was released in May 2009 (ISBN 1606900145).
Project Superpowers: Chapter Two was collected into two trade paperback volumes:
- Volume 1 (collects issues #0-6), July 2009, ISBN 1606901346
- Volume 2 (collects issues #7-12), November 2010, ISBN 1606901842
Spin-offs
There are a number of spin-off limited seriesLimited series
A limited series is a comic book series with a set number of installments. A limited series differs from an ongoing series in that the number of issues is determined before production and it differs from a one shot in that it is composed of multiple issues....
from this series including:
- Black Terror (written by Jim KruegerJim KruegerJim Krueger is an American comic book writer, novelist, and filmmaker.- Filmmaking :Kreuger's first short film, They Might Be Dragons, which he wrote, directed, and produced, won "Best In Class" at New York University , a "Best Short Film" award from the New York Independent Film Festival, and a...
, with art by Mike LillyMike LillyMike Lilly is a comic book artist who freelances for major comic-book publishers on such titles as Annihilation Conquest Quasar, Vampirella, Nightwing, Batman, Detective Comics, Marvel Knights, Punisher, Catwoman, Green Lantern, X-Men Unlimited, and Dungeons & Dragons.-Career:In 2005 Lilly and...
) - Masquerade (written by Phil HesterPhil Hester (comics)Phil Hester is an American comic book artist, penciller and writer.-Biography:This Eisner Award-nominated artist was born in eastern Iowa, where he went on to study at the University of Iowa...
, with art by Carlos Paul) - Death-Defying ’Devil (written by Joe CaseyJoe CaseyJoe Casey is an American comic book writer. He has worked on titles such as Wildcats 3.0, Uncanny X-Men, The Intimates, Adventures of Superman, and G.I. Joe: America's Elite, among others.-Biography:...
, with art by Edgar Salazar)
See also
- Project Superpowers: Chapter TwoProject Superpowers: Chapter TwoProject Superpowers: Chapter Two is a comic book miniseries published by Dynamite Entertainment; the first issue is dated June, 2009...
- List of superhuman features and abilities in fiction
- Superpower (ability)Superpower (ability)Superpower is a popular culture term for a fictional superhuman ability. When a character possesses multiple such abilities, the terms super powers or simply powers are used...
- Terra ObscuraTerra ObscuraTerra Obscura is a 2003 comic book miniseries spun off from Alan Moore's Tom Strong series. The stories are written by Peter Hogan, and drawn by Yanick Paquette and Karl Story with additional flashback sequences drawn by Eric Theriault. Each story is co-plotted by Alan Moore and Peter Hogan...
External links
- Project Superpowers at Dynamite Entertainment
- Full Issue: Project Superpowers #1 at Comic Book ResourcesComic Book ResourcesComic Book Resources, also known as CBR is a website dedicated to the coverage of comic book-related news and discussion.-History:Comic Book Resources was founded by Jonah Weiland in 1996 as a development of the Kingdom Come Message Board, a message forum that Weiland had created to discuss DC...
- Press release announcement. NewsaramaNewsaramaNewsarama is an American website that publishes news, interviews and essays about the American comic book industry.-History:Newsarama began in Summer 1995 as a series of Internet forum postings on the Prodigy comic-book message boards by fan Mike Doran. In these short messages. Doran shared...
. July 18, 2007. - Superpowers Preview Book. Newsarama. July 24, 2007.
- Superpowers in the Superhero Database
- Superpowers The FrenchFrench languageFrench is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
site
Interviews
- Krueger's Golden with "Superpowers". Comic Book Resources. October 9, 2007.
- Ross, Sadowski and Barrucci on Superpowers. Newsarama. October 18, 2007.
- Sadwoski Talks Superpowers & Shows Art. Newsarama. October 29, 2007.
Reviews
- Comics BulletinComics BulletinComics Bulletin is a website with an emphasis on the American comic book industry, updated daily with news, reviews, interviews, and editorial content. Coverage ranges from mainstream to independent/small press comic book and graphic novel publishers.-History:...
: Project Superpowers #0, #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, #7 - Review of Project Superpowers: Meet the Bad Guys #1 at Major Spoilers
- Review of Project Superpowers: Chapter 2 #2 at Major Spoilers