History Characters / AllStarSquadron

Born in the south in the 1920's, young William Everett changed his family's sharecropping lifestyle when he grew angry at their money-grubbing landlord and slugged the guy into unconsciousness. Packing up quickly, the family moved to Detroit, where Will's father got a job in the auto industry and help his son pay for school and running training, only to be laid off after the stock-market crash of 1929. Will's mother, to his chagrin had to get a job as a scrubwoman. Will almost quit college to get a job and help out, but his parents refused to let him and continued providing financial support.

He eventually hired as a janitor by a scientist named Curtis who suddenly disappeared for weeks. But he'd paid in advance, and and Will was dutifully cleaning up the laboratory when a two armed thugs showed up and demanded he help them load lab gear into their truck. After one too many racist slurs, however, Will impulsively lashed out at them with his water bucket knocking the guns from their hands. Luckily for him, the third thug who'd snuck up on him only knocked him out instead of shooting. As he passed out, he heard one of them say they worked for a lady named Ultra.

Waking up strapped to a bed and in a strange costume, surrounded by equally bizarrely clad people, he saw the lady called Ultra, who told him she had big plans for him, before flipping a switch and sending waves of energy through his body. There was an explosion, and when the smoke cleared, Will was free, made of metal and none too happy.

[[folder:Robotman I]]
!! Robotman I
->'''AKA:''' Robert Crane, "Paul Dennis"
->'''Abilities:''' Typical robot loadout, plus scientific genius.

Fatally shot by a group of thugs while trying to stop them from robbing his laboratory, brilliant scientist Robert Crane's brain was placed into the highly-sophisticated cybernetic body they'd been working on by his assistant Chuck Grayson.

Realizing that he could use the great physical abilities of the robot in fighting crime, Crane crafted the identity of Paul Dennis as a legal identity, allowing the world to continue believing that he was dead.

Ultimately, Chuck Grayson would discover that he was dying of a brain disease that left everything else untouched and donated his body to his old friend and partner, thus allowing Robotman to just become "man", man.

Since then, this incarnation of the character has become overshadowed by Robotman II (Cliff Steele) of the Doom Patrol, although he and his boring human body have occasionally cameoed, most notably when giving Pat Dugan parts of his old body to help him design S.T.R.I.P.E.

* AngstWhatAngst: Depends on the era. In the Golden Age comics he'd say things like: "Gosh all fishhooks, Joan sure is crying up a storm at my funeral. Shucks!" or "Gee willikers, I guess I'll never have the right to marry Joan now that I'm no longer human. That's pretty sad." and then shrug his shoulders and go on a wild adventure. Later writers would explicate more on his grief at losing his human body.
* BrainTransplant: Chuckie just pops the top of his his head open and lobs it into the robot's brainpan and it just works. Kind of makes you wonder if they were ''always'' planning on using a living human brain for the robot.
* EmergencyTransformation: Crane would be a goner if he'd been an entomologist or chemist instead of a roboticist.
* FakingTheDead: Although technically still alive, he allows his killers and fiancée to think he's still dead and makes a new identity for himself.
* GratuitousLaboratoryFlasks: As a scientist, he and Chuck's lab have them, natch.
* LightningBruiser: Pretty standard stuff for a robot. Several hundred horsepower of running speed, capable of lifting a car full of people over his head at once, tough enough to easily shrug off bullets.
* LogicalWeakness: His first body, at least, was highly vulnerable to magnetism.
* MasterOfDisguise: Capable of crafting realistic masks and gloves which looked like real skin, and apparently a pretty good actor, too. How does he make expressions? Isn't his skin cold? What about hair? [[MST3kMantra Look, we're talking about a guy's brain in a robot here]].
* OmnidisciplinaryScientist: Technically a roboticist, but he also had the means on hand to made a realistic flesh mask and gloves. And no, he doesn't say he was planning to make flesh masks for the robot he was developing or anything like that, he just had the stuff on hand and the capability to create it. Also, he and Chuck are often shown looking seriously at beakers, which could mean all kinds of science. Bonus points to his assistant Chuck Grayson for combining the job skills of robotics and incredibly delicate brain surgery.
* {{Robosexual}}:
** Inverted. After allowing her to believe that he's dead, Crane has the nerve to try dating Crane's fiancée Joan as "Paul Dennis", and allows Joan to fall for Robotman, too. A little tacky.
** Later he falls in love with the cyber-siren Mekanique, who turns out to be both deliberately causing the BadFuture she came from and working with Per Degaton. Harsh.

[[folder:Tarantula I]]
->'''AKA:''' John Law
->'''Abilities:''' Hand-to-hand combat, webgun
->'''First Appearance:''' ''Star Spangled Comics'' #1
John Law was a writer who was doing research about the Mystery Men for a book. Wanting to deepen his investigation, he donned a costume and adopted the identity of Tarantula.

He eventually joined the All-Star Squadron and had many adventures with them. Years later, he became one of Nightwing's neighbours in Bludhaven. It is thought that he died in a fire caused by Blockbuster.

* BadassNormal: Like many mystery men of the golden age, he only relied in his combat skills and some gadgets like a webgun or suction cups in his boots to attatch himself to walls.
* BecomingTheMask: Basically his origin story. John Law wanted to learn more about mystery men for his book, so he obviously took the logical option of becoming a mystery man himself.
* CostumeCopycat: His initial costume looked a lot like the one that the Golden Age Sandman wore for a time. He later got a more original costume by the time he joined the All-Star Squadron.
* OnTheRebound: He was married for a time with Liberty Belle after she and Johnny Quick separated. It didn't last.
* NeverFoundTheBody: Although it is said that he died in the fire caused by Blockbuster, alongside 21 other victims, his body was never recovered.
* WallCrawl: Thanks to some suction cups in his boots, Tarantula could walk up walls or hang from ceilings.

* LikeASonToMe: For a while he semi-adopted the young hero Damage, believing that this kid with a seemingly very similar powerset to his and vaguely similar resemblance might be a descendant of the lost child Sandra had given away or from another relationship. Both the saga of Damage's parentage and Arn's child turned out to be ''considerably'' weirder than that, but this filial relationship is likely still valid.

* NotWearingTights: He tried wearing a costume when he was a kid, but turned out to be more invulnerable than the suit.

* TenMinuteRetirement: After discovering that 1) there were internment camps for Japanese people and 2) her mother and sister were among those imprisoned, Miya shed her costume and membership to join them. However, upon hearing that Kamikaze, a particularly violent and powerful member of the same program that empowered her, was part of the group that had captured some of her friends she quickly made ready to save them.
* WhatTheHellHero: She directly brings up the plight of the Japanese-Americans in internment camps to FDR, who promises to look into it.

* {{Depower}}: Subverted. At first it seemed this way, Dan believing that since activating his inherent powers required touching rings with his mentor TNT that upon TNT's death his ring was useless. Then one day while wearing both rings he slammed his fists together in frustration and created a small explosion, later discovering that he possessed all his abilities.

* HandBlast: As mentioned Dan has the power to project powerful blasts of force from his hands by slamming the rings together and directing the energy in a direction instead of just letting the explosion go outward from himself.

* {{Expy}}: Meant to replace the Golden Age Franchise/{{Superman}} who was wiped from the timeline by the Crisis on Infinite Earths. Specifically the LightningBruiser early Superman, with Green Lantern I being considered as replacing the version with a wider array of powers.

* {{Expy}}: Meant to replace the Golden Age Franchise/{{Batman}}. His magic powers such as stealth and illusion and so forth, allow him to roughly mimic the abilities of the Golden Age Bats. The flight mostly makes up for the lack of Bat-vehicles.

The first Steel debuted in the series ''Steel, The Indestructible Man'' in the [[TheSeventies 1970s]] (though it was set in UsefulNotes/WorldWarII). Henry "Hank" Heywood was an American soldier who, after being badly hurt, was remade as a cyborg with "indestructible" skin. Still having a human appearance, he developed a secret identity as a superhero wearing [[WearingAFlagOnYourHead a costume based on the American flag]]. He first appeared in ''Steel, The Indestructible Man'' #1 (March, 1978), created by Gerry Conway and Don Heck.

The original ''Steel'' series only lasted 5 issues, ending in November, 1978. The cancellation was part of the so-called DC Implosion, the abrupt end to over 24 series. The character was not forgotten, though, as Roy Thomas brought him to the All-Star Squadron. Using the alternative codename Commander Steel. In the "present" day, Hank reappeared in the [[TheEighties 1980s]] tales of the ComicBook/JusticeLeagueOfAmerica. He went on to become one of several heroes fighting against Eclipso, in a series spotlighting this villain. He was finally killed in ''Eclipso'' #13 (November, 1993).

* RememberTheNewGuy: He was created in the [[TheSeventies 1970s]], but was established as having been active during the [[TheForties 1940s]] and was established as having fought alongside the members of the [[ComicBook/JusticeSocietyOfAmerica JSA]].

* DetectEvil: One of the super

* ContrastingReplacementCharacter: She took over the Firebrand name from her brother after he was forced to quit because of his injuries. Unlike Dan, who was a [[BadassNormal]], Danette got superpowers during her first adventure.
* CreatorsPet: Roy Thomas named and designed Danette after his wife. She became one of the central characters during the entire run of the All-Star Squadron, and even had a prominent role in the Young All-Stars, also written by Thomas.

* Creator'sPet: Roy Thomas named and designed Danette after his wife. She became one of the central characters during the entire run of the All-Star Squadron, and even had a prominent role in the Young All-Stars, also written by Thomas.

* CreatorPet: Roy Thomas named and designed Danette after his wife. She became one of the central characters during the entire run of the All-Star Squadron, and even had a prominent role in the Young All-Stars, also written by Thomas.

* Flight: Danette was able to fly while surrounded by a fiery aura.

* EvenBadMenLoveTheirMamas: During his days with the Ultra-Humanite, he was an AngryBlackMan who only cared about helping his family. The fact this mentality almost got them killed gave him something to think about, though.

This page is for characters who are featured within the All-Star Squadron series itself. As [=A2S=] was formed from the JSA and returned to being the JSA afterward, entries for JSA members can be found on the [[Characters/JusticeSocietyOfAmerica JSA character page]]. The "replacement" characters are likely to have become at least briefly JSA members post-war, since their counterparts were members of the JSA.

* BerserkButton: ''Shockingly'', he isn't too thrilled with the constant stream of racism he encounters as a black man in the 1940's.

The first Steel debuted in the series ''Steel, The Indestructible Man'' in the [[TheSeventies 1970s]] (though it was set in UsefulNotes/WorldWarII.) Henry "Hank" Heywood was an American soldier who, after being badly hurt, was remade as a cyborg with "indestructible" skin. Still having a human appearance, he developed a secret identity as a superhero wearing [[WearingAFlagOnYourHead a costume based on the American flag]]. He first appeared in ''Steel, The Indestructible Man'' #1 (March, 1978), created by Gerry Conway and Don Heck.

The original ''Steel'' series only lasted 5 issues, ending in November, 1978. The cancellation was part of the so-called DC Implosion, the abrupt end to over 24 series. The character was not forgotten, though, as Roy Thomas brought him to the All-Star Squadron. Using the alternative codename Commander Steel. In the "present" day, Hank reappeared in the [[TheEighties 1980s]] tales of the Franchise/JusticeLeagueOfAmerica. He went on to become one of several heroes fighting against Eclipso, in a series spotlighting this villain. He was finally killed in ''Eclipso'' #13 (November, 1993).

* RememberTheNewGuy: He was created in the [[TheSeventies 1970s]], but was established as having been active during the [[TheForties 1940s]] and was established as having fought alongside the members of the [[Comicbook/JusticeSocietyOfAmerica JSA]].

* WearingAFlagOnYourHead: The original Steel Uniform displayed the colors red, white, and blue. Along with a prominent white star on his chest. Rather clearly based on the flag of the United States.

[[/folder]]

* CoolOldGuy: Born in 1924, looks maybe fifty, and actively superheroing.

* TeensAreShort: The youngest member of the team and accordingly the shortest.

* KidHero: 17 going in 18 during YSA

* ShipTease: He and Helena fall in love in ''YSA'', and are said to have had a brief, disastrous marriage as adults.

* KidHero: 15 During ''YSA''.

* ArchnemesisDad: Upon discovering his father's diary, Arn learned that his Dad had faked his death in the Yucatan, tracked him down and learned that Hugo used his superpowers to convince an isolated tribe of local natives that he was a god, and replicated Grampa's SuperSerum to create a generation of superhuman army-cultists called the Sons of Dawn. Is it one of those nice army-cults that cuts peoples' lawns and holds peoples' place in line for them? It is not. Turns out Hugo wants to destroy and rebuild human civilization. But the SuperSerum doesn't protect from diseases and having an army of people who aren't immune to the common cold doesn't work out well for Hugo, who kills himself to join his surrogate sons in death. And Arn never got any birthday cards from him, either.

* BrainTransplant: Chuckie just pops the top of his his head open and lobs it into the robot's brainpan and it just works. Kind of makes you wonder if they were ''always'' planning in using a living human brain for the robot.

* OmnidisciplinaryScientist: Technically a roboticist, but he also had the means on hand to made a realistic flesh mask and gloves. And no, he doesn't mention that he was planning to make flesh masks for the robot he was developing, he just had the stuff on hand and the capability to create it. Also, he and Chuck are often shown looking seriously at beakers, which could mean all kinds of science. Bonus points to his assistant Chuck Grayson for combining the job skills of robotics and incredibly delicate brain surgery.

* MamasBabyPapasMaybe: Debbie (aka Deep Blue), the daughter he raised with Tsunami (Miya Shimada) is almost certainly actually the child of, oh boy, either Rhombus--an energy construct based around a sentient, magical gemstone from space which took human appearance and seduced her--or Atlan aka Aquaman's magical daddy, who banished Rhombus and restored Debbie to youth and granted her new powers. And I guess ''also'' boinked her at some point since he showed up later claiming to be Debbie's real father? Although since Miya was still in a relationship with Neptune at the time of both of these affairs, Debbie might be his after all as he and Debbie believe? ...Comics baby?

* MakingASplash: Tsunami has the power to control water around herself.

* RetCon: The ComicBook/CrisisOnInfiniteEarths fused Earth-1 and Earth-2 leaving the New Earth without a Golden Age Wonder Woman. Fury I was devised to take the place of Wonder woman in all the erstwhile Golden Age WW stories. (And Golden Age Wondy was a JSA member, so that's why she's here) Also, Golden Age Wonder Woman and Steve Trevor couldn't be the parents of Hippolyta "Fury" Trevor anymore due to inconveniently no longer existing (Rude!),so Helena becomes Lyta's mother instead and Lyta becomes Fury II, who got adopted by people with the surname Trevor and randomly chose the sobriquet "Fury" without knowing of her familial connection to the Kindly Ones. Whew! And the Crisis was supposed to make things ''less'' confusing!

* OfficialCouple: She and Neptune Perkins pretty much fall in love at first sight and she eventually marries him. They drift apart eventually.

* RetCon: The ComicBook/CrisisOnInfiniteEarths fused Earth-1 and Earth-2 leaving the New Earth without a Golden Age Wonder Woman. Fury I was devised to take the place of Superman in all the erstwhile Golden Age Superman stories. (And Golden Age Wondy was a JSA member, so that's why she's here) Also, Golden Age Wonder Woman and Steve Trevor couldn't be the parents of Hippolyta "Fury" Trevor anymore due to inconveniently no longer existing (Rude!), Helena becomes Lyta's mother instead and Lyta becomes Fury II, who got adopted by people with the surname Trevor and randomly chose the sobriquet "Fury" without knowing of her familial connection. Whew! And the Crisis was supposed to make things ''less'' confusing!

* {{Expy}}: Meant to replace the Golden Age Franchise/{{Batman}}. His magic powers such as stealth and illusion and so forth, allow him to roughly mimic the abilities of the Golden Age Bats.

* {{Expy}}: A replacement for the Golden Age Robin, who was ret-conned away by the Crisis on Infinite Earths. Dan like Robin of the lost Earth-2, was a former sidekick who operated as a hero independently of his former mentor.

* {{Expy}}: A replacement for the Golden Age Robin, who was ret-conned away by the Crisis on Infinite Earths.