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John Byrne

Grumpy Old Guy

Joined: 11 May 2005
Posts: 135903
Posted: 19 February 2026 at 4:04pm | IP Logged | 1 post reply

The Freedom Force (Hercules, Isis, Merlin, Sinbad and Super-Samurai)

•••

That doesn’t sound like a group name for those characters!

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Eric Jansen
Byrne Robotics Member


Joined: 27 October 2013
Location: United States
Posts: 2546
Posted: 20 February 2026 at 1:48am | IP Logged | 2 post reply

I totally agree with a lot of these!  Bloodstone and Stargod joining Machine Man at the top of the list.  Stargod is such a magnificent design, one of Perez's best.  As was the Adrian Chase Vigilante.

I finally read reprints of Bloodstone's final magazine appearances, and I was shocked to see my favorite writer Steve Gerber totally destroy the concept even as he killed off Bloodstone.  I mean salt the earth territory!

Same thing has recently come to my attention about the Adrian Chase Vigilante (currently being mocked mercilessly in the PEACEMAKER show).  Another great design by George Perez, and concept by Marv Wolfman.  I had quit DC by then, but I have discovered that later writer Paul Kupperberg did the same thing with Vigilante--totally destroy the concept then kill off the character.

I thought John Warner created Bloodstone, but I now read that Wolfman and Len Wein came up with the idea and gave it to Warner to flesh out--I totally see Blade DNA in there so Wolfman's involvement is not a surprise.

After reading the BLOODSTONE collection, I had to wonder if Gerber had a personal gripe against John Warner, to totally destroy the character!  Now I'm wondering if Gerber and Kupperberg both had something against Marv Wolfman!

And Denny O'Neil's version of THE QUESTION is well-regarded, but, boy, it is certainly not what Steve Ditko intended!  And O'Neil previously scripted Ditko CREEPER--did bad blood come out of that?

How much of real world personal feelings make it into our fiction?  And why do people work on characters they seem to hate?
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Greg McPhee
Byrne Robotics Member


Joined: 25 August 2004
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 5198
Posted: 20 February 2026 at 11:35pm | IP Logged | 3 post reply

Same thing has recently come to my attention about the Adrian Chase Vigilante (currently being mocked mercilessly in the PEACEMAKER show).  Another great design by George Perez, and concept by Marv Wolfman.  I had quit DC by then, but I have discovered that later writer Paul Kupperberg did the same thing with Vigilante--totally destroy the concept then kill off the character.

=======================================================

I wouldn't say that Paul Kupperberg destroyed the character of Adrian Chase. The seeds that took Adrian to what he did in the final issue of Vigilante had been planted by Marv Wolfman early in the series. 

Wolfman also said in a LOC answer that ultimately Adrian's choice to become Vigilante would be a fatal one.
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Steven Myers
Byrne Robotics Member


Joined: 10 June 2004
Location: United States
Posts: 5742
Posted: 21 February 2026 at 1:23am | IP Logged | 4 post reply

The Freedom Force (Hercules, Isis, Merlin, Sinbad and Super-Samurai)

•••

That doesn’t sound like a group name for those characters! 

---------------------------------------------

I had memories of seeing this cartoon but for years couldn't remember what the team was called. When I finally found out....I was utterly confused.
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Wallace Sellars
Byrne Robotics Member


Joined: 01 May 2004
Location: United States
Posts: 17819
Posted: 21 February 2026 at 5:48pm | IP Logged | 5 post reply

 James Johnson wrote:
Wallace, 

Are we bringing 70s Saturday morning superheroes into this conversation?

I think the “or otherwise” included in Eric’s initial post allows it.

 John Byrne wrote:
That doesn’t sound like a group name for those characters! 

They could certainly do with a new team name. 

I’d love to see more of the Monster Hunters as well.
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John Byrne

Grumpy Old Guy

Joined: 11 May 2005
Posts: 135903
Posted: 21 February 2026 at 8:27pm | IP Logged | 6 post reply

Took a look at FREEDOM FORCE on YouTube. Why do superheroes get such crappy animation? I mean, surely the poses could be more dynamic. That wouldn’t strain the animators.
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Eric Jansen
Byrne Robotics Member


Joined: 27 October 2013
Location: United States
Posts: 2546
Posted: 28 March 2026 at 8:42am | IP Logged | 7 post reply

THUNDRA--I just looked it up and I'm surprised to see that she has never had at least a mini-series!  I always liked her, and her pedigree (Roy Thomas and John Buscema) is pretty good.  Never even part of a team (with an actual series).  I mean--C'mon!  She's been around for 54 years!
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James Johnson
Byrne Robotics Member


Joined: 16 March 2009
Location: United States
Posts: 2358
Posted: 28 March 2026 at 3:16pm | IP Logged | 8 post reply

Not sure what it is about Thundra, but I only saw her as a poor man's (woman's) Wonder Woman.

Maybe I have not seen more of her other than chasing after Ben Grimm.

But I will say this: Her costume has the look of a modern-day WWE wrassler........
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