Super Friends issue #7 (Oct 1977) was the first printed comic to feature the Wonder Twins, Zan and Jayna. The duo had been introduced to Saturday cartoon viewers a month earlier when The All-New Super Friends Hour debuted on the ABC network.
This issue of Super Friends was also the first in a 3-issue arc which would introduce readers to numerous superheroes who lived and operated in other countries. Each of these new heroes would team with a member of the Justice League. The Super Friends comic was initially considered to sit outside the mainstream DC continuity, so it may be likely that these international heroes were intended to be one-offs. Reader reaction to them must have been positive because many of them would make return appearances in the title through its original run, which lasted until issue #47 in 1981.
In 1982 many of these international heroes would be established as being part of a worldwide super group called The Global Guardians. This occurred in DC Comics Presents #46 (June 1982). This tale was significant because it cemented the fact that all these international characters from the Super Friends title also existed in the mainstream DC continuity.
So, now that you know a little background on the Global Guardians, let's take a look at who has made up the group's membership.
First up is Seraph. His real name is Chaim Lavon and he is from Israel. He employs the mantle of Elijah, the staff of Moses, and a ring that belonged to Solomon. Additionally, his long hair gives him the strength of Samson.
Seraph would be one of the international heroes who would be given his own solo backup tales in several issues of Super Friends before the establishment of The Global Guardians (issues #38, 41, and 46). Seraph was created by E. Nelson Bridwell and Ramona Fradon.
Another hero who, like Seraph, would debut in Super Friends #7 was Godiva. Godiva (originally Dorcus Leigh, later Dora Leigh) hails from England. Her power stems from her prehensile hair, which can stretch and form shapes and harden. She has complete control over it in the same way most humans have control over their fingers and hands.
Following her initial appearance in Super Friends, she would be romantically linked with fellow Guardian, Olympian. In the "New 52" reboot (circa 2011), Godiva would be a founding member of Justice League International, and she would have a romantic relationship with Booster Gold.
Godiva was created by E. Nelson Bridwell and Ramona Fradon.
The next international hero introduced in Super Friends #7 was Impala. Impala was M'Bulaze, a member of the Zulu tribe of South Africa. His powers were speed-based, he was able to out-run and out-jump antelopes.
He would later temporarily lose his powers but eventually got them back. He later died while being forced to fight for his life in the cage fights of the House of Roulette. Impala was created by E. Nelson Bridwell and Ramona Fradon.
After Flashpoint (circa 2011), a second Impala was introduced. This one is Charles Mokose, a man of African and British descent. His powers are super speed and healing abilities. The source of these powers comes from a totem similar to the one Vixen employs.
The final new hero introduced in Super Friends #7 was Owl Woman. She is Wenonah Littlebird, a Native American who resides in Oklahoma. Her tribe has been listed as both Kiowa and/or Cherokee. It is the spirits of her tribe that endow her with her powers, which include flight, enhanced strength, infallible tracking abilities, enhanced senses, and the ability to see in total darkness.
In the early 1990s, after being brainwashed by the Queen Bee, Owl Woman was subjected to genetic experimentation which gave her the metahuman ability to release and retract claws that allow her to cut through steel.
Owl Woman is the creation of E. Nelson Bridwell and Ramona Fradon.
In Super Friends #8 (Nov. 1977) the introduction of more original international heroes continued.
Rising Sun is a hero from Japan created by E. Nelson Bridwell and Ramona Fradon. He is Izumi Yasunari, a solar physicist whose body allows him to act as a solar battery. He can convert his stored power of sunlight into numerous powers including flight, fire control, heat generation, light projection, magnetism, super speed, and wind bursts.
Super Friends #8 also introduced Jack O'Lantern. Daniel Cormac was the son of a poor farmer in Ireland. He was granted a magical lantern as a reward for the friendship he bestowed upon the Sidhe, a race of fairies.
He has no actual powers, but the magic lantern he wields does. The lantern's powers increase until they peak at midnight and then slowly fade again, starting over each day. The lantern lets Jack fly, teleport, generate blasts of energy, create illusions, generate fog, and other abilities.
Jack O'Lantern is the creation of Nelson E. Bridwell and Ramona Fradon. He was one of the new international heroes who would be given a couple of solo adventures as backup tales in Super Friends #37 (1980), #40, and #44 (1981).
Years later, after the establishment of the Global Guardians, Daniel would be temporarily incapacitated and replaced as Jack O'Lantern by Marvin Noronsa. Eventually, Daniel would re-take the role of Jack O'Lantern and help form a revised team of Global Guardians.
Ultimately Daniel would die of natural causes and pass his lantern and identity down to his cousin, Liam McHugh. At some point, Liam was able to internalize his powers and no longer needed the physical lantern.
The next new diverse international hero to be introduced in Super Friends #8 was Tuatara. He called New Zealand his home. His secret identity is Jeremy Wakefield. He was born with a third eye, located in his center forehead. Instead of seeing in three dimensions with two eyes, he's able to see four dimensions with three eyes. The fourth dimension is time. He can see both the future and the past.
Tuatara was created by E. Nelson Bridwell and Ramona Fradon.
Bushmaster is another international hero to make his debut in Super Friends #8 (Nov 1977). He is really Bernal Rojas, a world-renowned herpetologist from Venezuela. He built the suit he utilized to give him his Bushmaster abilities, abilities that mimic various reptiles. He is the creation of E. Nelson Bridwell and Ramona Fradon.
Bushmaster's abilities include flight, running on water, enhanced vision, walking on walls, a retractable shell, chameleon abilities, and the ability to detect heat and light. He also utilizes his venom gun which shoots tranquilizers.
Thunderlord is a hero and Buddhist monk from Taiwan (sometimes credited as China). His real name is Liang Xih-k'ai. He has sonic vocal abilities similar to Black Canary.
He debuted in Super Friends #8 and he died in Justice League Quarterly #17 (Dec 1994). Thunderlord was the creation of E. Nelson Bridwell and Ramona Fradon.
The third issue of this three-issue story arc was Super Friends #9 (December 1977). The first new international hero to appear was the Tasmanian Devil. The Devil was really Hugh Dawkins of Australia. He was born with the metahuman ability to shapeshift into a human-sized Tasmanian devil. In his Tasmanian Devil form, Hugh has enhanced strength and speed along with claws and fangs that can cut through steel. At times he has demonstrated that he can increase his size and strength when needed.
Tasmanian Devil would turn out to be one of the more popular of these new diverse heroes. He would later serve as a member of the Justice League. He is the creation of E. Nelson Bridwell and Ramona Fradon.
Following Tasmanian Devil, the next new hero readers were introduced to in Super Friends #9 was the Little Mermaid (no relation to the Disney character!). She is the creation of E. Nelson Bridwell and Ramona Fradon.
Two years later, the Super Friends title would introduce another hero from another country. This time it would be a hero from West Germany. Albrecht von Mannheim is the reincarnated version of the legendary German/Scandinavian hero, the Wild Hunstman.
Little Mermaid (real name Ulle Paske) is the daughter of Atlantean parents. Her dad is from Tritonis where humans have legs, and her mother is from Poseidonis where the inhabitants are merpeople. She was born a mutant, and unable to stay underwater for more than 30 hours at a time. Because of this, she was raised by adoptive land dwellers who lived in Denmark.
At one time she was believed to have been killed, but it was later revealed that it was her evil twin. (Holy soap opera storylines Batman!)
The Olympian was next to make his debut in Super Friends #9. Aristedes Demetrios of Greece was a petty criminal who stole the legendary Golden Fleece and it possessed him with the powers and personalities of Jason and his fifty Argonauts, heroes of Greek mythology. He turned his life around and employed his new powers for god.
At one time he was romantically involved with fellow Guardian, Godiva, and then later with Helena Sandsmark, the mother of Cassie (Wonder Girl). The Olympian is the creation of E. Nelson Bridwell and Ramona Fradon.
Super Friends #9 would introduce one final new international hero in this three-issue storyline. Sigrid Nansen is a Norwegian hero who uses the name Icemaiden. She is the creation of E. Nelson Bridwell and Ramona Fradon.
The only ability she is shown to have in this tale is that of being able to reduce her body heat completely. Her powers would be more fully developed and explained down the road. We will come back to her later, as her story can be a bit confusing!
To recap, in Super Friends #7 through #9, DC introduced 13 new superheroes who all hailed from various countries and nations. Wasn't that fun?! DC decided to incorporate some diversity way back in the 1970s! But this global incorporation of new superheroes of different races, cultures, and religions in the pages of Super Friends wasn't done yet!
In the final panel of Super Friends #12 (July 1978) readers were introduced to Dr. Mist. He would play a central role in the following issue. He is the creation of E. Nelson Bridwell and Ramona Fradon.
Dr. Mist was originally Nommo Balewa, a wizard king of the African nation of Kor 11,000 years ago. One of the Pillars of Life granted him immortality and many mystic powers, including spell casting and illusions. He can also absorb the magic abilities of others and then cast those abilities himself.
He would later be part of the Justice League Dark team.
In issue #25 (Oct. 1979) of Super Friends, yet another new foreign superhero would come to assist the Super Friends team. One more international hero created by E. Nelson Bridwell and Ramona Fradon.
The Green Fury was Beatriz da Costa from Brazil. Her original origin credited her powers to a mystical Sky Spirit. She was able to fly by exhaling flames from her nostrils and she had both heat and ice flames she could exhale. She could also cast illusions. She was the head of Wayne Enterprises Brazilian branch.
After Crisis on Infinite Earths, her origin was modified. She would be a supermodel who changed careers and went to work as a spy in the Brazilian Espionage Network. During this time she was accidentally bathed in the rays of an exploding pyroplasmic gun. It was this event that gave her her powers (minus the illusion power she previously exhibited). She changed her name from Green Fury to Green Flame.
She would go on to eventually join the Justice League International and change her name yet again to Fire. During the events of "Invasion" the evil Dominators set off a metagene bomb which altered the powers of many DC heroes. After this event, Fire could turn her body to pure plasma, fly, and throw plasma blasts from her body, typically her hands.
Beatriz da Costa has arguably been the most popular hero created during this early venture by DC Comics to diversify their characters. She would go on to have a long tenure as a member of the Justice League.
He first appeared in Super Friends #45 (June 1981). He employs a magical sword, shield, and axe. He has superhuman strength and is often accompanied by his black horse (Orkan) and his dog (Donnerschlag). He is the creation of E. Nelson Bridwell and Romeo Tanghal.
The Super Friends comic book would cease publication with issue #47 (August 1981). During its five years, it introduced a total of 16 new internationally-based superheroes.
Many DC fans like myself thought that with the cancelation of Super Friends, this would be the last we might see of this diverse posse of unique and globally based superheroes. But we were wrong!
As I noted early on in this tour, DC Comics Presents #46 would team many of these heroes, created for Super Friends, with the Superman who existed in the mainstream DC continuity. This issue would be the first to introduce the concept that all the international heroes were part of a team called The Global Guardians. The team is led by Dr. Mist and funded by the United Nations.
DC Comics Presents #46, cover art by Ross Andru and Frank Giacoia
After the Crisis On Infinite Earths maxi-series (1985/1986), the entire DC universe was retconned. DC would publish a two-issue series called The History of the DC Universe. It was drawn by George Perez. This is the page devoted to the Global Guardians. (Thunderlord is shown in front of the flag of The People's Republic of China rather than the flag of Taiwan. Additionally, a Russian hero, Red Star, from Teen Titans was included on the page, but he was never an official member of the Global Guardians.)
Noelle Avril is an Olympic-level athlete who is highly skilled in various forms of unarmed combat. She is an expert in various weapons including her stylized fleur-de-lis throwing stars. She can speak several different languages and is skilled at computer hacking.
Her origin has yet to be told. It is revealed that at some point in the past, she had an affair with Deathstroke the Terminator. Her tenure with the Global Guardians would be a short one. She would resign to go work as an operative for the French government.
This next entry on this tour is an enigmatic one.
In Teen Titans Spotlight #11 (June 1987) Dr. Mist and his assistant, Belphegor, pay respects to Simon Lesur, also known as the Templar Knight of France.
Numerous sources now include Templar Knight as a one-time member of the Global Guardians, who seems to have fallen in battle. Nothing more is known about the character and he is never mentioned again.
So, here's where things get a little murky, so we shall wade slowly through this portion of the tour! In Justice League International (vol. 1) #12 (April 1988), it is revealed that the United Nations has stopped funding the Global Guardians. Any of the heroes who want to remain on the team would need to do so purely on a volunteer basis. Green Flame and a Caucasian-skinned Ice Maiden (Icemaiden first seen in Super Friends #9 had previously been portrayed with blueish-hued skin) need money to pay rent. They decide they will seek out a Justice League Embassy and apply for membership. Two issues later, they were added to Justice League International on a probationary basis. Shortly after this, the two decide to change their code names. Green Flame becomes Fire, and Ice Maiden becomes Ice.
The writers on this JL title mistakenly believed that a real name for Icemaiden had never been established, so they gave their Ice Maiden a secret identity of Tora Olafsdotter. When the discrepancy eventually came to light, the decision was made to determine that the blue-skinned Sigrid and the Caucasian-skinned Tora were indeed two different characters. It was established that Sigrid was a normal human who had been subjected to experimentation to give her cold-based powers. It was this experimentation that turned Sigrid's skin blue. Sigrid joined the Global Guardians but later quit when Tora arrived seeking membership as well. Tora's abilities were genetically based, and this made Sigrid feel inferior. Tora simply took over the code name Ice Maiden and took Sigrid's place in the Guardians.
Ice is credited as the creation of Keith Giffin, Kevin Maguire, and J.M. DeMatteis.
As if this weren't confusing enough, at one point Tora was believed to have died. Suddenly, out of the blue (see what I did there?!), Sigrid reemerges and requests that the Justice League allow her to take Tora's place in the team... which she does. (Tora has since been returned to the land of the living thanks to one of the many company-wide reboots that DC frustratingly keeps forcing on their readers.) Both characters have similar powers. They can generate, manipulate, and control snow, ice, and cold. Sigrid has recently (2021) changed her codename to Glacier (seen below).
As if this weren't confusing enough, at one point Tora was believed to have died. Suddenly, out of the blue (see what I did there?!), Sigrid reemerges and requests that the Justice League allow her to take Tora's place in the team... which she does. (Tora has since been returned to the land of the living thanks to one of the many company-wide reboots that DC frustratingly keeps forcing on their readers.) Both characters have similar powers. They can generate, manipulate, and control snow, ice, and cold. Sigrid has recently (2021) changed her codename to Glacier (seen below).
Were you able to keep up with all that?! It's rough sometimes! Let's get back on board and continue our tour of the Global Guardians. Along with Fire and Ice joining the Justice League, the Tasmanian Devil would also move from the Global Guardians over to the Justice League.
After losing their U.N. funding, The Global Guardians would be involved in two major storylines in the early 1990s that would dramatically alter the team's lineup. The first was when a handful of members became brainwashed by Queen Bee of Bialya into battling the Justice League. The second is when ancient foe Fain Y'onia took vengeance against many Guardian members in his vendetta of hurting Dr. Mist.
Following these events, a statue honoring fallen members was erected. These members include Bushmaster, Thunderlord, Jack O'Lantern, Wild Huntsman, and Little Mermaid (though her death turned out to be her evil twin). After this, the Martian Manhunter helps provide new candidates to Owl Woman and the remaining active members. Four new Global Guardians are introduced in Justice League Quarterly #17. They are Centrix from Canada, Tundra from Russia, Chrysalis from France, and Cascade from Indonesia. None of these four new members would have any major story arcs, and they have pretty much faded into obscurity. All four characters were created by Paul Kupperberg and Dan Rodriguez.
For clarity, here's what little is known of these four.
* Centrix - (Mark Armstrong) Ability to project energy.
* Tundra - Ability to project ice and cold, along with super strength
* Chrysalis - A robot that houses deadly butterflies that can mimic other insects and spread disease. Chrysalis turned out to be a ringer and programmed by an anti-Semite.
* Cascade - (Sujatmi Sunowaparti) She can manipulate water and turn any part of her body (or all of it) into water.
Jet first appeared in Millennium #2 (January 1988). Celia Windward was 1 of 10 people on Earth selected by the Guardians of the Universe and the Zamaronians to advance the human race. These 10 new heroes would form a hero team known as the New Guardians. She is from Britain and was given the power to control all aspects of the electromagnetic spectrum. She can manipulate the spectrum into energy blasts or use it to fly. She can also control electricity.
The "One Year Later" (2005/2006) Global Guardians lineup continues.
Like Jet, Gloss also first appeared in Millennium #2 (January 1988). Xiang Po of China was another of the 10 people on Earth selected by the Guardians of the Universe and the Zamaronians to advance the human race. She was given immortality and the ability to draw power from the Ley Lines of planet Earth. These are mystic energy lines that give Gloss incredible strength and the ability to cause earthquakes through seismic control and the ability to affect ecosystems. She was a member of the New Guardians before joining the Global Guardians.
She would be killed by Prometheus, but after the New 52 reboot, she was restored to the living and was a member of the Great 20, a Chinese team of heroes.
Another addition to the Global Guardians was Freedom Beast. Freedom Beast was first introduced in Animal Man (vol. 1) #13 (July 1989). He is Dominic Mndawe of South Africa.
Another addition to the Global Guardians was Freedom Beast. Freedom Beast was first introduced in Animal Man (vol. 1) #13 (July 1989). He is Dominic Mndawe of South Africa.
The hero B'Wana Beast (Mike Maxwell) was looking to retire and became a mentor to Dominic. He bestows the elixir and helmet that had given him his own powers to Dominic. With these items, Dominic gained the ability to control the minds and merge animals. The helmet also gives Freedom Beast the ability to splice two creatures together thus allowing him to marry traits of two animals together.
The new members of the Global Guardians from "One Year Later" continues.
Manticore (IV) first appeared in Green Lantern (vol. 4) #10 (May 2006) at which time he is already a member of the Global Guardians. DC Comics had three previous characters named Manticore, though all three were villains. This Manticore is the creation of Geoff Johns and Ivan Reis.
The final new member of the Global Guardians, introduced during "One Year Later" is the Crimson Fox.
Crimson Fox was first introduced in Justice League Europe #6 (Sept. 1989). She was a long-serving member of that team. Originally the Crimson Fox was actually two different people... Vivian D'Aramis and her twin sister Constance D'Aramis. They would both alternate being Crimson Fox. Both were eventually killed in battle. Crimson Fox was the creation of Keith Giffin, J.M. Mattes, and Bart Sears.
In Green Lantern (vol. 4) #11 (June 2006), it is revealed that there is a new Crimson Fox. The identity of the Crimson Fox introduced as a Global Guardian member has yet to be revealed, but it has been noted that she is heiress to the D'Aramis fortune. She reluctantly joins the team during this adventure. She exhibits the same powers as the original, superhuman speed and agility along with the ability to emit pheromones that stimulate intense attraction by males.
And so our tour of the Global Guardian members comes to a conclusion.
I really liked this group and can remember reading the original Super Friends story back when I was a tween. Back then, I never imagined that any of them would still be appearing in DC publications some 40 years later!
All characters, names, and elements and the distinctive likenesses thereof are trademarks of DC Comics, Inc.
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