The Allies

Created by Roy Thomas

This band of young heroes first appeared on a morale boosting mission to the United States in 1942. They were inadvertently involved in one of the All-Stars' cases when Axis Amerika attempted to steal plutonium from Albert Einstein and his colleagues in St. Louis. (Young All-Stars #22-26) After this case, these heroes returned to their homelands and have not made any appearances in modern times. Each hailed from a country allied with the U.S. during World War II:

• Fireball (Sonya Chuikov) was from Russia. She gained her power to wield fire after exposure to a Siberian anomaly on June 30, 1908. Her family was murdered by a Nazi invasion.
• Kuei (real name unrevealed) was a Chinese hero. This former soldier was shot during the war by a Japanese soldier. To end his suffering he attempted suicide by drowning. In doing so, he was possessed by and transformed into a frightful demon.
• Phantasmo (Jean-Marc de Villars) was a Frenchman descended from an earth elemental and a human man. He could pass through solid objects and was immune to objects like common metals, which come from the earth. Though he has not appeared since 1942, his postwar activities have been hinted at (Teen Titans Spotlight #11). NOTE: This character was Thomas' homage to writers Randy and Jean-Marc Lofficier. "De Villars" is the name of a Catholic priest, the author of Comte de Gabalis.
• The Squire (Percy Sheldrake) was the English apprentice of the Shining Knight. After the War, Sheldrake took the code name of The Knight, and his son Cyril became the second Squire. In the 1950s, he was among the founders of the Dome. (Infinity, Inc. #34) Percy was ultimately killed by his arch-enemy, Springheeled Jack. Cyril succeeded him afterward, as the Knight II, but it's been mentioned that he too spent some time in a coma, perhaps from the same attack. The Knight shares a camaraderie with Batman; he is referred to as the "English Batman" and his helmet is modeled after Batman's cowl. The new Squire (III) is Beryl Hutchinson, a young girl talented with all forms of communication. (JLA #26)

Fireball	Kuei	Phantasmo	The Squire

Squire: Batman #62 (January 1951). Others: Young All-Stars #22 (January 1989).

Young All-Stars #22-27

All-Star Squadron

Created by Roy Thomas & Jerry Ordway

The All-Star Squadron was a group which included virtually every working super-hero and mystery man active during World War II.

Justice League of America #193 (August 1981)

JSA > All-Star Squadron  •  JSA Chronology, part 3  •  JSA  •  Seven Soldiers of Victory  •  Freedom Fighters

The Amazons

PROFILE IN PROGRESS

In the heyday of the ancient Greeks, circa 1200 BCE, the Greek goddesses Aphrodite, Athena, Artemis, Hestia, and Demeter created a new, all-female race of Amazons. This race was populated by women who'd died unjustly. Their souls were stored by these goddesses in the Well of Souls, awaiting a new home.

Led by Queen Hippolyta, they began wandering the ancient world, where they met with Zeus' son, Heracles. Heracles tricked and betrayed the Queen then humiliated her. After Hippolyta staged a revolt and free her sisters, the goddesses transported the Amazons to the island of Themyscira (also known as Paradise Island), where they would have no further contact with "Man's World" for more than 3,000 years. While on Themyscira, the Amazons were granted the gift of immortality. (Wonder Woman v.2 #1)

The Lost Tribe of Amazons — Bana-Mighdall

Bana-Mighdall history is borrowed from Wikipedia.

Three-thousand years ago, the two Amazon Queens (Hippolyta and Antiope) split the Amazon nation in two. Hippolyta's tribe traveled to the isolated island of Themyscira to live immortal lives and protect the doorway to the Underworld called Doom's Doorway. Antiope's tribe was never given immortality and was forced to mate with common men in order to guarantee their tribe's survival. They migrated from Greece to various European and Middle Eastern countries before finally settling in Egypt.

When they split from their sisters, Antiope's tribe renounced the Olympian gods and they began worshipping the goddesses of other religions from where they traveled. It was in Egypt that they finally built the city of Bana-Mighdall, which in their language translates to "The Temple of Women." Like their forebears, these new patron goddesses also hid their Amazon worshippers by creating a permanent sandstorm to surround and protect their city from outsiders.

In the 20th century the Amazon Princess, Diana of Themyscira (Wonder Woman), accidentally found the city of Bana-Mighdall while searching for the villain the Cheetah. A battle took place between her and the Bana-Mighdallian's chief warrior or Shim'Tar. The Olympian god Hermes was in love with Diana and was enraged by the battle. He took vengeance on the desert Amazons for attacking his beloved and the city of Bana-Mighdall was destroyed. It was decided by the remaining Amazons that since the Themyscirian princess was the initial cause of their city being destroyed, they would take over her Amazon city instead.

During the attack on Themyscira, the witch Circe attempted to destroy both tribes by teleporting the island into a dimension of demons. The two tribes ceased their war and worked together to return Paradise Island to Earth. Afterwards, the Amazons of Bana-Mighdall helped rebuild Themyscira and also began building a city of their own, on the harshest part of the island. They christened the city Bana-Mighdall in honor of their former city in Egypt.

Peace was short-lived and a civil war broke out between the two tribes. The Egyptians newest Shim'Tar, Artemis, joined Wonder Woman in guiding both tribes to peaceful negotiations.

Some known Amazons of Bana-Mighdall include:

Queen Anahid, Nehebka, Faruka, Kadesha-Banu, Batiri, Artemis, Patrice, Nuscia, Mala, Trigona, Anaya, Falizia, Laris, Sashina, Ratira, Akila and Bitari.

 

Paradise No More

Queen Hippolyta and Princess Diana eventually renounced their crowns, thus ending the war and leaving the island without a structured government. It was later decided that General Phillipus of the Themysciran Royal Guard and Artemis would be co-rulers of the island.

Ready to put the past behind them, Artemis and the Themyscirian General Philippus were voted to be co-rulers of the new island. Desiring an end to tribal separation, only one city was built on the remains of the islands in which both groups of Amazons lived together under two rulers. The term Bana-Mighdall now refers either to the past Amazon cities or to a particular type of Amazon.

During the war between Imperiex and Brainiac 13, the island of Themyscira was destroyed and Hippolyta sacrificed her life. This island was a newly-restored place, created with a combination of Diana's Wonderdome technology and the blessings of both Amazon nations' respective goddesses, under the title of Supreme Grand Chancellor. For a time, this collection of floating cities thrived and served as the world's cultural and intellectual meeting grounds. The heroine Harbinger was invited to serve as the Amazons' historian. But this new kind of Themyscira was never fated to succeed. It was toppled by Hera herself when the goddess was angered by Zues' affections for ??. The new city was largely destroyed; what remained floated once again in the waters of the Caribbean.

Diana herself unwittingly drove the final nail in Themyscria's coffin. When the princess killed Maxwell Lord (#219), Lord's deadly minions, the OMACs, turned their attentions to Themyscira. The Amazons mobilized for war with the OMACS, and with the United States Navy, which also stood off its shores. Phillipus ordered Io to build their ultimate weapon: the Purple Death Ray. (#222)

Diana was soon on her way to their aid. Though Artemis managed to construct a force field around the island, the OMACs continued to pummel Diana as Artemis readied the Amazons to deploy the Death Ray. (#223) Io finished the weapon with the help of Hephaestus. As the OMACs broke through the Amazons' shield, they unleashed the Ray, killing hundreds and halting the onslaught. When Diana brought her outrage to Io over employing the Ray, Io accused Diana of failing in her mission. When the OMACs geared up for another attack, Diana realized that the only solution was to remove the Amazons completely. She believed that in light of her own recent notoriety, the Amazons would never be left in peace by the rest of the world. Diana bade her sisters to leave Earth instead and live in peace. They agreed and the gods removed Themyscira from Earth completely. Diana was left alone. (#224)

Notes

In most pre-Crisis accounts, Paradise Island was created by Aphrodite alone. The queen's name was originally spelled "Hippolyte." Several other Amazons tribes were mentioned in Wonder Woman: The Once and Future Story (1998) — one other tribe of Greek Amazons, one from Ireland, and one from Central Asia. Yet another tribe of Amazons existed before recorded history and worked with Harpies, and were banished from our dimension (Green Lantern/Green Arrow #82, 3.71).

Wonder Woman v.2 #1 (February 1987). Bana-Mighdall Amazons: Wonder Woman v.2 #29

Wonder Woman • Olympian Gods

The Ancients

The group of Ancient Atlanteans led by Gamemnae who imprisoned the JLA. I need to write this one.

JLA#70 (Late December 2002)

The Arcana

Royal Flush Gang

Aryan Nation

Created by Jan Michael Friedman

The Aryan Nation was a white supremacist organization that created a designer virus which would attack and destroy "nonwhite" DNA in humans. They were secretly led by U.S. Senator Sanders Hotchkins. When several noted chemists began disappearing, they drew the FBI's attention. The FBI contacted Hannibal Martin, the Justice League's Task Force liaison, and the Martian Manhunter assembled a covert team to infiltrate the terrorists.

While undercover, Hourman (Rex Tyler) was forced to use his powers and drew the attention of the Nation's Aryan Brigade. This Brigade was composed of five metahumans:

• Backlash, whose arms were elastic tentacles
• Blind Faith, like her name, a blind telepath
• Golden Eagle II, equipped with mechanical wings
• Heatmonger, a woman who wielded intense heat
• Iron Cross (deceased), the towering powerhouse

Thanks to Blind Faith's mental powers, this Brigade was able to uncover and surprise the Task Force. They captured all but Hourman, who returned to free them. In the meantime, the Nation had readied its virus for delivery into the atmosphere. J'onn followed the rocket and forced it to detonate in space. All members of the organization were subsequently arrested. (Justice League Task Force #10)

Following this, the Brigade members were recruited by the Overmaster to be part of his new Cadre. They labored, if at all, in obscurity until Amanda Waller rounded Earth's villains up and shipped them off to a prison planet in space. There, Iron Cross was killed by his fellow villains. (Salvation Run #3) His death was sensed by Blind Faith back on Earth. (JLofA v.2 #17)

Justice League Task Force #10 (March 1994)

Justice League Task Force #10-12. Judgment Day Crossover: Justice League America #89-90 • Justice League International v.2 #65 • Justice League Task Force #13-14.

The Atom Project

The Atom Project is not a team per se, but a front for the operations of U.S. General Wade Eiling. His projects included the Captain Atom Project, the Major Force Project and Project Silver Shield. The Atom Project was created to study the metal from the hull of a mysterious alien craft of unknown origin (which later turned out to be an extraterrestrial and called itself Silver Shield). After two failures in the late 60's, the project was shut down. In 1986, the project was reopened when one of the supposed failures, Captain Nathaniel Adam, reappeared from the "quantum field." Since then the project has been reopened. It is unclear what the final fate of the Atom Project has become.

It was last seen in Captain Atom #50, but may still exist under another name. Eiling himself became power-mad and transferred his brain into the body of the Shaggy Man. His operatives broke from him and formed the Ultramarines. (JLA #24-26) Later, he participated in Lex Luthor's Injustice Gang. (JLA #34)

Major Force, Captain Atom's primary rival, has been killed then resurrected several times. He was first killed in Green Lantern v.3 #60. The next Major Force was a clone created by the Quorum from a combination of Major Force's and Guy's Vuldarian DNA. Guy killed that clone. (Guy Gardner: Warrior #43-44) Later, another Major Force was brought back to life by the powers of Resurrection Man (Resurrection Man #??). He was again killed by Katana's blade. (Superman/Batman #4) Neither he nor Captain Atom actually has the power to resurrect themselves, but they are made of energy, which cannot be destroyed. He reappeared in the service of another government agency, S.H.A.D.E., (Crisis Aftermath: The Battle for Bludhaven #2) and this time was destroyed by Captain Atom himself. (#6)

Captain Atom #1 (March 1987)

Atomic Knights

Not written yet :(

Axis Amerika

Golden Age

Adapted from Who's Who Update '87 #1

Übermensch	Gudra	Grösshorn Eule	Fledermaus	Usil	Sea Wolf	Kamikaze

Axis Amerika was a team of costumed agents who engaged in subversive activities in the United States during World War II on behalf of the Axis powers (Nazi Germany, fascist Italy ,and imperial Japan). Their principal adversaries were the All-Star Squadron, a wartime group of American costumed adventurers.

Adolf Hitler, leader of Nazi Germany, conceived the idea of Axis Amerika, and it was intended that the team would include members from each of the three Axis powers. Axis Amerika's first known mission was to strike at American morale by assassinating American "mystery-men." Gudra succeeded in capturing the soul of one such hero, T.N.T. Soon however, Tsunami, who was intended to be Japan's representative in Axis Amerika, changed sides and became a member of the All-Star Squadron (Young All-Stars #1-3). Japan soon replaced Tsunami with Kamikaze (#5). In the grueling battle that followed, the Fledermaus was killed by Fury's while she was possessed by the god, Tisiphone. (#6) Though the villains were defeated, they returned once again. (#22-25) This time the All-Stars were aided by a similar group of international good guys: the Allies (Fireball, Kuei, Phantasmo, and the Squire). Their postwar history is unknown.

As of April 1942, the membership of Axis Amerika consisted of the following individuals:

• The team's leader was Übermensch, whose name translates into English as "Overman (Superman)." Übermensch possessed superhuman strength and speed, though he was by no means as fast as the Flash or Johnny Quick. Übermensch could leap about one-eighth of a mile in a single jump, and his skin was impervious to small arms fire; it would take a bursting shell to penetrate his skin.
• Der Grösshorn Eule (Batman, German for "horned owl") partnered with his own son, Fledermaus (Robin, German for "bat"). The Horned Owl and Fledermaus had no superhuman powers, but were highly trained athletes and superb hand-to-hand combatants. They swung from ropes and carried small weaponry in their costumes.
• Gudra was a true Valkyrie of Norse folklore, brought to Earth by Hitler and the mystical Spear of Destiny. She possessed superhuman strength and rode a winged horse, Stormwind. As a Valkyrie she has the power to remove the soul from a dead person's body. (The Valkyries of Norse legend were "choosers of the slain," who brought the souls of heroic warriors slain in battle to the other-dimensional realm of Valhalla.) Gudra carried a shield and was a master swordsman. The touch of her lance could kill—and did; she slayed the Tigress (YAS #23).
• The Sea Wolf was a werewolf who could breathe underwater. The Sea Wolf could survive out of water for an unspecified period of time. He possessed superhuman strength, and possibly other unrevealed powers. A second Sea Wolf (Lawrence Huff) battled Aquaman. His connection, if any, is unknown. (Aquaman v.5 #42)

Except for Gudra, all of the above members were humans trained by Nazi Germany. Übermensch and Sea Wolf were given their superpowers by Nazi scientists.

• Usil, from Italy, was a brilliant archer who employed specially designed arrows.
• Kamikaze, from Japan, possessed the power of great speed in flight.

This team was created by Roy Thomas as his way of illustrating the "cosmic re-balancing" in the wake of the Crisis. In his reasoning, the absence of the Golden Age Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman, Robin, Green Arrow and Aquaman manifested the members of Axis Amerika. Axis Amerika could also be thought of as counterparts to the pre-Crisis Crime Syndicate of America. Gudra was among the Justice Society's very first foes (DC Special #29).

Gudra (unnamed): DC Special #29. Team: Young All-Stars #1 (June 1987). Kamikaze: Young All-Stars #5.

Young All-Stars #1-3, 5-6, 22-25

The Modern-Day Axis

The modern team called "Axis America" was brought together by a power broker named Manson and his organization, the Clockwatchers. Axis were disguised behind a commune called Safe Haven which was run by a married couple named Shepherd and Vela. Manson decided to activate the Axis in response to the defection of one of his prized operative: Faith, who had left his service and joined the JLA. Safe Haven was used as the catalyst to draw the JLA in for destruction (and to coerce Faith into returning to Manson). Manson used Axis America to rig a false explosion and gave the illusion that Safe Haven had been recklessly destroyed by the JLA. Then Manson used a "mnemonic conjurer" called the Mouth to make the JLA members believe in their guilt. Meanwhile, the remaining JLA member engaged in combat with Axis, who were led by Shepherd (now Übermensch II). His wife took the name Hel, and they were joined by Great White, Zaladin and Fleshburn. (JLA #81-82) Unlike their predecessors, this team appeared to be American natives, but held the Nazi ideals of "purity, cleanliness and order" …

• Übermensch possesses great strength and invulnerability
• Hel is a winged warrior with a sword, much in the manner of a Norse Valkyrie
• Great White carries an energized bull whip
• Zaladin is a scimitar-weilding mystic who serves the gods of ancient Mesopotamia.
• Fleshburn creates fire and appears with a flaming skull

JLA #81 (July 2003)

JLA #81-82

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