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Superman Revenge Squad

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Superman Revenge Squad
Publication information
PublisherDC Comics
First appearance(as the Superboy Revenge Squad) Superboy #94 (January 1962)
(as the Superman Revenge Squad) Action Comics #286 (March 1962)
In-story information
Member(s)(Post-Crisis)
Morgan Edge
Maxima
Barrage
Riot
Anomaly

The Superman Revenge Squad is the name of two fictional organizations in the DC Comics universe. As their name suggests, they are enemies of Superman.

Pre-Crisis on Infinite Earths

In pre-Crisis continuity, the Squad originated as the Superboy Revenge Squad, debuting in Superboy #94 (January 1962); the Superman Revenge Squad subsequently appeared in Action Comics #286 (March 1962). Both squads are composed of aliens from the planet Wexr II, whom Superboy had prevented from achieving galactic conquest. The squad later grows to include members from other planets, all of whom are sworn enemies of Superman. Many of the Squad's plans to destroy Superman use psychological warfare, including red kryptonite induced nightmares,[1] hypnotising Superman into committing destructive acts,[2] and tricking Superman into revealing his secret identity.[3] They transferred the intelligence of a Superman robot into a super-powered body, making him Wonder Man, and hoping he would destroy Superman with some Kryptonite that he was given and to which he was invulnerable. However he realised their plot and with Superman threw the ship with such force it would take years for the two members to break free, but Wonder Man then told as the body would soon die. Once they lured Superman into following them to 1,000,000 AD, where he lost his powers and was trapped on the Earth, due to the Sun having turned Red by then. He used a miniature Kandorian rocket left in his Fortress, after shrinking with red kryptonite, to travel back to his own time. They appeared briefly in the first Superman Red/Superman Blue (July 1963) story line, they were about to attack the Earth after teaming up with Brainiac, but, in that moment, the anti-evil rays Superman developed strike them and they reform.

In their earliest appearances the Squad members appeared hooded in order to keep their identities a secret. Later versions of the Squad wore modified versions of Superman's costume, with the S-shield made of Kryptonite, and their heads shaved bald in tribute to Lex Luthor.

In one of their final pre-Crisis appearances, in DC Comics Presents #87 (November 1985), the Squad sends Superman into a parallel universe, where he meets Superboy-Prime, the sole superhero of Earth-Prime.

Although Revenge Squad members went nameless in several stories, those who were identified include leader Rava and Scout 627 (Action Comics #287); Dixo and Vagu (Action Comics #295); Dorx and Krit (Action Comics #380); Dramx-One, Fwom, Jumrox, Klakok, Nryana (Superman #366); Nakox (Superman #367); and Tydru (Superman #368).

Post-Crisis on Infinite Earths

In Adventures of Superman #543 (February 1997), a new version of the Revenge Squad is introduced. The new Squad is established by Morgan Edge, who assembles various characters with a grudge against Superman and attempts to frame Lex Luthor as their leader.

Members include:

In Action Comics #736 (August 1997), Edge assembles another version of the team, with the same purposes.

Members include:

Post-Infinite Crisis, Lex Luthor constructs a new team as part of the "Superman: Last Son" storyline. Superman himself joins the team to fight against General Zod's army of evil Kryptonians.

Members include:

DC Rebirth

Recently following Superman Reborn events, a new Superman Revenge Squadron appeared after restructuring the reality of The New 52, being recruited by a restored Erradicator and a Hank henshaw who regained his status as an entity Cybernetics known as Cyborg Superman, of which it is formed as follows:[4]

Provisional Members:

References in other comics

A Batman Revenge Squad appeared in World's Finest Comics #175 (May 1968) with Cash Carew, Barney the Blast, and the Flamethrower dressed in similar costumes to Batman with purple in place of gray and their symbol was a skull with bat wings.

When Guy Gardner fought the Eradicator after Superman's death, he calls himself a "One-Man Superman Revenge Squad."

A group of villains including Gizmo, Magenta, Girder, the Thinker, and Cyborgirl were known as the Cyborg Revenge Squad.[5]

In other media

  • A version of the Superman Revenge Squad appears in the Justice League episodes "Hereafter" (Parts 1 and 2). While the members are largely different as they consisted of Metallo, Kalibak, Livewire, Weather Wizard (usually a Flash villain), and Toyman, their goal remains the same. After the other members are defeated by the Justice League, Toyman blasts Superman with an enormous energy cannon, apparently killing him. Flash prevents Wonder Woman from avenging Superman when she tries to punch a hole in Toyman's head.[6] It is later discovered that Toyman's energy cannon had actually sent Superman 30,000 years into the future. Superman wandered the post-apocalyptic future Earth, until he returned home with help from immortal villain Vandal Savage, who was repentant for causing Earth's destruction with a weapon he stole from Ray Palmer.[7]

Footnotes

  1. ^ "The Jury of Super-Enemies!", Action Comics # 286 (Mar 1962)
  2. ^ "Superman Goes Wild!", Action Comics #295 (Dec 1962)
  3. ^ "The End of Clark Kent's Identity!", Action Comics #313 (June 1964)
  4. ^ Action Comics #977, 978, 979 y 980 (April-May, 2017)
  5. ^ Cyborg #3
  6. ^ Dwayne McDuffie (writer); Butch Lukic (director) (2003-11-29). "Hereafter". Justice League. Season 2. Episode 19. Cartoon Network. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help)
  7. ^ Dwayne McDuffie (writer); Butch Lukic (director) (2003-11-29). "Hereafter (Part 2)". Justice League. Season 2. Episode 20. Cartoon Network. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help)
  8. ^ http://audioantihero.bandcamp.com/track/were-here-for-duration-live
  9. ^ http://music.thedigitalfix.com/content/8909/superman-revenge-squad-interview.html
  • [1] Supermanica entry on the pre-Crisis Superman Revenge Squad
  • [2] another good entry from supermanhomepage
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