Sunday, June 2, 2013

7 Soldiers of Avarice

"7 Soldiers of Avarice" from Leading Comics #12 (World's Best, 1944) by Joe Samachson and Arthur Cazeneuve
Golden Age history lesson: Back in the day, DC Comics was actually two companies - National and All-American - which shared some ownership and advertized together, etc. They collaborated on one book, All-Star Comics, getting a bunch of characters together as the Justice Society of America, and it became a big hit for the actual publisher, All-American Comics, to which the Spectre and Starman had been lent. So National decided it should have its own team book, bringing exclusive National stars together. Now, I love the 7 Soldiers of Victory as much as the next guy (probably more than the next guy), but it wouldn't be too far from the truth to say "all the good ones were taken". Green Arrow & Speedy are just about the only big names, with the Star-Spangled Kid & Stripesy, Crimson Avenger, Shining Knight and Vigilante bringing up the rear. While the JSA was all classic guys with capes, the 7 Soldiers was where a knight, a cowboy, and a Robin Hood came together to fight crime with a couple of spandex guys and two sidekicks.

Leading Comics led the way to DC dropping most of its superheroes when in 1945, with issue 15, it went all funny animals on its disinterested public. It's where Peter Porkchop got his big break. You superhero fanboys know him now as Pig-Iron.

1 comment:

  1. With you all the way- Law's Legionnaires are my all time favorite super team!

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