The Other AVENGERS ...... Featuring John Steed and Mrs Peel

As a young boy growing up in the 1960's there was one TV programme that I used to enjoy.

It was called the AVENGERS, and featured a sophisticated guy in a Bowler Hat who investigated mysteries.

When the series originally started Dr David Keel (Ian Hendry) was the main character with John Steed (Patrick Macnee)  as is faithful assistant. After the end of the first series Dr Keel left leaving the soon to be Bowler Hatted Steed as the main man who was assisted by a series of beautiful and powerful woman over the years.

The first was Cathy Gale (Honour Blackman) , and second was Mrs Emma Peel (Diana Rigg) and the third was the young Tara King (Linda Thorson). The series ran for 9 years.

When the series was revived in the late 1970's the older wiser Steed was joined by two assistants, Mike Gambit (Garth Hunt) and the beautiful  Purdey (Joanna Lumley)    The New Avengers only ran for two years as the format did not seem to work as well as it had done in the decade before.

As the glory years of the Avengers lay in the 1960's and with the coupling of Steed with Mrs Peel,  I have dome my tribute to these two characters


Steed & Mrs Peel dawgie style.

Two VERY BRITISH Secret Agents 

The VERY British John Steed had much in common with the British Secret agent 007  aka James Bond.

Steeds first female companion Cathy Gale (Honour Blackman) left his side and became 007's love interest Pussy Galore in Goldfinger (with 007 Mark 1 Sean Connery)

Steeds second female companion Mrs Emma Peel (Diana Rigg) left his side and became 007's SHORT LIVED  wife Tracey in O H M S S (with 007 Mark 2    George Lazenby)

But Steeds 3rd Girl Friday Tara King (Linda Thorson)  never got the 007 call.

However, Steed's 4th lovely companion from the NEW Avengers,  Purdey (Joanna Lumley) had appeared as a Bond Girl in O H M S S many years before.

Also it must be remembered that Steed (Patrick Macnee) himself went onto to appear in a Bond Movie A View to a Kill with 007  (Mark 3 Roger Moore) and Sean Connery (007 Mark 1) went on to play the baddy in the AWFUL  Film Version of the TV Avengers.

Something new next time


ENJOY !

THE COMPLETE LINE UP OF THE ORIGINAL TEEN TITANS

A special post of all the Titans from the Original Run of the Teen Titans....... featuring them all in all their MANY looks.

Thanks and ENJOY !

The End of the Golden Age Teen Titans West and The Titans West

As I have already blogged, The West Coast Teen Titans or Teen Titans West before and after the Crisis was never a strongly bonded group.

Although many of the members had been part of the Original Teen Titans, like Lilith, Dove & Hawk, Mal and Bumble Bee, the new grouping (especially after the crisis ) failed to fully jell together.

THE PRE CRISIS WEST COAST TEEN TITANS

THE GOLDEN EAGLE, GNARRK, HAWK, LILITH, DOVE, BEAST BOY & BAT-GIRL

Prior to the Crisis, they west coast group broke up more or less straight away, as Lilith and Gnarrk wanted to go live the happy life together,  Beast Boy went back into acting, Dove & Hawk returned to their home in DC, Bat Girl unable to get Robin to notice her went back to the 2nd love of her life Tennis and The Golden Eagle just wandered back into his laid back existence.

This Teen Titan group would never have a reunion, as when the Crisis hit , this history was rewritten.

Post Crisis Team did do a Little bit better at staying together, well maybe not !

THE GOLDEN EAGLE. BUMBLEBEE, HAWK, LILITH, DOVE, BEAST BOY, FLAMEBIRD & THE HERALD

The West Coast Teen Titans would come together on occasion, usually at the summons of Lilith. BUT these Reunions   would only last one mission, as the lack or commitment and wanting to reform the team on a full time basis caused a strain on them becoming a real group.

Their membership would change as time moved on, but the final grouping of the West Coast Titans would really be the end of the Team.

Hank Hall, aka Hawk had seen his brother Don died during  the Crisis. At the exact time that Don Hall aka Dove had died, the mystical energies that empowered him found a new host. Dawn  Granger.  She had become the new Dove, and thus a  New partnership of Hawk & Dove was born.

A NEW MORE POWERFUL HAWK & DOVE TEAM UP

When Hank Hall met Bette Kane aka Flamebird by chance, a message from Lilith sent Bette. Hank & Dawn on the path of a West Coast Titan's reunion. Soon they were joined by Mal Duncan and his girl friend Karen Beecher, aka The Herald and Bumblebee, who themselves brought their lodger Charlie Parker aka The Golden Eagle and Chris King, who's amazing "Dial H for Hero" powers Karen was studying at the time. At this time Gar Logan aka Beast Boy, now Changeling was part of the reformed Teen Titans, whose membership included Robin, Wonder Girl, Kid Flash from the old Teen Titans, along with new members the Part Robotic Cyborg, The Mystical Raven and the Alien Princess Starfire.

This new line up of the West Coast Titans consisted of Flamebird, Hawk, The Golden Eagle, Bumblebee. Dial "H" and the New Dove.  Mal Duncan ( who initially did not go on the mission as his Herald's Horn had been disassemble by him and Karen as they believed it to be too dangerous to use anymore.)  Lilith too would also appear during their adventure into limbo, but after the Titan's had completed their mission Lilith disappeared (as Usual), During the mission Karen's Bumblebee costume was destroyed meaning no more Bumblebee. Flamebird tried to get the remaining Titans to remain together, but this was not to be.

THE GOLDEN EAGLE, BUMBLEBEE, HAWK. LILITH, DOVE, DIAL "H", FLAMEBIRD & MAL

As a result Flamebird went back to her Tennis,  Hawk & Dove  went back to trying to sort out their lives and their strange relationship, Karen & Mal now  no longer Bumblebee & Herald went back to their scientific studies of Super Heroes, aided by Chris King aka Dial "H" and Charlie Parker, retired his Golden Eagle Wings again and headed back to his life as a Surf Bum.

These friends would meet again, this time at Donna Troys aka Wonder Girl's wedding, but they never reformed the Titan's West.

Attempts were made at other times to reform the group, but none were ever successful.

This bring to a close the story of the Original Teen Titans and the short lived West Coast Teen Titan's

A final look at how it all began.

SIDE KICKS NO MORE....... TEEN TITANS FOREVER !

Next Time I will be look at a new subject


ENJOY !

THE CRISIS HITS THE TEEN TITANS part four Love is in the Air ...BAT GIRL GETS THE BIRD

Prior to the Crisis, Betty  Kane was the niece of  Kathy Kane. When Betty discovered  that her millionaire Auntie was secretly The Bat-Woman, she decided that Bat-Woman needed a partner, as Bat-Man had with Robin.  Betty had been a fan of Robin for years and fashioned a costume using similar colours to the Boy Wonder. The result was BAT-GIRL.  Although both her Aunt and Bat-Man tried to get Betty to give up her ideas of becoming a crime fighter, Betty, or Bat-Girl was too driven by her desire to be just like Robin, so reluctantly Bat-Man and Bat-Woman allowed her to become a member of the so called "BAT-MAN FAMILY"

The Pre- Crisis Bat-Man Family !

As time went on Bat-Girl realised that her love for Robin was not returned by the Boy Wonder, and eventually she stopped trying to capture his heart.

After Kathy Kane decided to retire as Bat-Woman, Betty tired to continue her Bat-Girl career on her own. However, soon Betty too hung up her Bat Cape and started to devote her energies in chasing her own career as an athlete.

Soon Betty Kane was one of the top female tennis stars, and enjoyed the attention she now received as a result.   She was not too pleased when she found out that a "NEW" Bat-Girl had appeared on the scene, and that this Red Headed version appeared to be more popular with the Press and the Public than she had ever been.


However, even though she had retired her Bat-Girl persona, she would on occasion slip back into costume when the need arose.  This is how she became part of the short lived West Coast Teen Titans, where she was reintroduced to her first love.... Robin.  Again she tried her best to win his heart, but at this time Robin only had eyes for the "OTHER" Bat-Girl, and rejected all of Betty's advances.

BAT - GIRL all grown up but still with her ROBIN ISSUES !

Betty would hang up her Bat-Girl costume this time  for good, and would return to her beloved  sporting career..... and this is how Betty Kane remained until the Crisis hit.




After the Crisis, Betty or Bette Kane, as she was now called  life was changed completely.  Firstly in the New Universe her Aunt Kathy Never became Bat-Woman, so as a result the Original Bat-Girl never came into being...... but some things did stay the same.

Bette was still obsessed with the heroic acts of Robin, and idolised him. She decided to try to make herself like him.  She decided to try to make herself as fit and athletic as possible, and by doing this she hoped to catch Robin's eye. She also started to write to Robin declaring her love for him. These letters were sent to ROBIN care of Gotham City.  It is unsure if Robin received any of these letters, but this did not stop Bette from continuing to hone her body into the ideal "MATE" for her Robin.

Over  the years, Bette became an athlete of Olympic standards, but after discovering a talent for Tennis, Bette decided that this was the path for her. All the time she still obsessed over Robin, who had recently reinvented himself as Night Wing.

The Public Face of Bette Kane

The Private Face of Bette Kane,   No 1 Robin Fan !

Finally, Bette got tired of waiting for Robin now Nightwing, to come courting her, she decided to catch his attention by becoming a Crime Fighter herself.  She fashioned a costume on the lines of Nightwings original Robin uniform and took the name FLAMEBIRD.

Move over BATGIRL, there is a New FLAMEBIRD in Town !

As Flamebird, Bette tried to make  Nightwing aware of her, but she failed to make any impact...... BUT after answering the call of Lilith, Bette as Flamebird became a member of the West Coast Teen Titans. This is where she came face to face with her beloved Nightwing, when he and the other Teen Titans joined forces.

However, at this time Nightwing was in a relationship with  his team mate Starfire, so ignored the advances of Flamebird.  In a desperate attempt to get her man, Flamebird confessed her love to Nightwing, explaining that she had loved him for years. She explained that he was the reason she became a Crime Fighter, and she was the ideal partner and ..... the only person for him. Confused by this confession, Nightwing told Bette that although  he was flattered  by her attention, and he felt honoured by  the fact that he had inspired her to become Flamebird, he did not love her. He tried to explain that he was in a relationship with Starfire, and even if he wasn't, the fact was  that he really did not know her..... so how could he love her !.

Bette was so wrapped up in her own feelings she  decided that Nightwing only needed more time, so continued to believe that Nightwing would soon come to his senses and would be hers at long last.

As Robin's new identify as Nightwing grew and adapted, so did his costume, and as a result Bette's Flamebird look tried to keep pace with the love of her life.

The Junior Caped Crusaders through the years.

Bette would continue this fantasy,  and whilst she did she would return to her Tennis career.  Bette's obsessive behaviour would have a serious impact on her  career on the court and as a member of the West Coast Teen Titans.  In her personal life she started to become more and more distant from her friends and family. Mainly due to the fact that she needed to win at everything all of the time. Also this caused problems in the ranks of the West Coast Titans, who's relationships with one another was always on shaky grounds from the start.

On the whole, Bette Kane was a good person, and a wonderful crime fighter, but her obsessive behaviour that she always need to win, and have her own way made it difficult for her to make friends or have any type of normal relationship with anyone.

Mentally she was stable, but her flights of fancy, and her love for Robin-Nightwing made her appear to be one step away from a full on Bunny Boiler.

Betty or Bette may have shown worrying behaviours as the Pre Crisis Bat-Girl, but the Post Crisis Flamebird took things to a new fanatical level.

THE OBJECT OF BETTE'S OBSESSION ....... 

Next time I will explain the impact that the Crisis had on the West Coast Teen Titans.


ENJOY

THE CRISIS HITS THE TEEN TITANS part Three THE GOLDEN EAGLE GETS A NEW SET OF WINGS.

Charlie Parker, aka The Golden Eagle was luckier than some other Heroes from the DC Universe. Unlike a large number of the other Heroes, some of who were either killed off or were subject to a  complete changes or revamp , Charlie's past stayed much the same. On the whole Charlie was luckier than most, his original back story stayed the same, only his look changed.  These changes were all caused by the event called The Crisis on Infinite Earths.  It may not have been the last Crisis, but it made many major changes and the results would last for years.

As a teenager, the orphaned Charles Edmond Parker idolised Hawkman. Pre Crisis Charlie  accidentally gained the same powers as Hawkman from the Magical Wand , the  weapon of  Hawkman’s archenemy..... The Matter Master .   Apparently, Matter Master was unaware that Hawkman was off-planet at the time, and the wand attempted to grant the villain his wish for revenge by supplying him with a new “Hawkman"  to defeat....... for the full story look at my story of The Golden Eagle I published a few weeks ago.

Charlie Parker and his Golden Eagle Identity 

After Charlie as the Golden Eagle aided the Justice League of America to defeat The Matter Master Charlie lost his Golden Eagle Costume and abilities. ( as they had only been provided by the magical properties of Matter Masters Wand )   However, once Hawkman returned to Earth and was informed of the Teenagers bravery  and the  good deeds he had shown whilst acting as the Golden Eagle, Hawkman presented Charlie an official  Thanagarian costume along with wings.

Charlie would later adapt them and the costume to mirror the look that he had as the Golden Eagle, so not to  be confused with his Hero HAWKMAN.

THE NEW GOLDEN EAGLE

After the Crisis the first part of the story stayed the same, Charlie was transformed into copy of Hawkman, and after helping the Justice League defeat the Matter Master he did lose this costume and its abilities. ....... BUT after the Crisis Charlie did not receive a "New" costume and Wings from Hawkman.   Instead he received a completely New Golden Eagle styled costume, but Charlie knew not were it came.

A NEW LOOK FOR THE GOLDEN EAGLE

This New Costume looked nothing like Hawkman, but did have a Thanagarian look about it.  However, it would be many years later that the true origin of the Costume would be discovered along with a surprising revelation  into Charlie's own background.   BUT That they say is a Story for another time.

So in the new Post Crisis world Charlie Parker, aka The New Improved Golden Eagle became a member of the West Coast Teen Titans under the leadership of Lilith.

However, as in the Pre Crisis world, Charlie proved that he was a bit of a lazy slacker, and continued to show others he was not any good at committing to anything in his private life or his hero life. The other Titans considered him too laid back and sometimes lazy and undependable.

LIFE IS A BEACH MAN ! 

Charlie Parker may have been a laid back SUFFER DUDE who hid from responsibilities, BUT he did  enjoy being The Golden Eagle, and could be a real Hero (sometimes !)   but  Never on a 24-7 basis !
He would again in the years to come interact with the Titans, paying the ultimate price in doing so ..... or DID he ?

Next Time all change for a Hero from the Silver Age, who had a Modern Age make over !


ENJOY !