Firstly, many of you may have noted that Miss America's look changed during my retelling of the tale. This was a nod to how between the story told in The Invaders issues #5 & 6 and the Marvel Premiere issues #29 & 30 issued in 1975, that artists in both books used many different looks. Some of the other heroes also had small changes, but not as many as Miss Madeline ( Maddie ) Joyce. I myself made a few changes in colours of some of the Liberty Legion to make them standout better. Also I did on occasion make Red Raven's hair change from Ginger To Blond. As funny enough they did in the comics.
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| The Many Looks of Miss Maddie Joyce aka Miss America |
In the 1970's the clever boys at Marvel Comics decided to take a look at DC Comics to see where their successes laid. What they saw that DC had started to look to the past, and that The WW2 based tales of the Original Justice Society of America was still of interest of their readership. The JSA of the WW2 era (now confirmed as Earth 2 tales) now included new members (some based on older characters they had invented, some re invented and some that were new) Some of these new characters would become a sub team of the JSA but mainly fight the fight against Nazi's on home ground in the USA. Thus the All Star Squadron was formed.
These new stories sold well, and as the plan to merge the Earth Two heroes into the main DC community via The First Crisis on Infinite Earths, this some how helped with that transition. This kind of sorted out How Batman , Superman, Wonder Woman, Hawkman and some of the early heroes existed in the 1940's and still in the 1970's
What Marvel did was even better. They had heroes that had survived since the 1940's, and had already enjoyed a new success in the 1960's. Like Prince Namor had been rediscovered in the early 1960's as a homeless man with no memory by Johnny Storm of the FF. The Newly formed Avengers had found The frozen Body of Steve Rodgers aka Captain America in the Ocean. Even The original Human Torch had been reactivated by the 1970's. Captain America had been in frozen Animation so he had not aged. Prince Namor was of a Human-Atlantian hybrid combination (later to be renamed as a Mutant), so his lack of ageing was put down to generics..... and Jim Hammond was an Artificial Life Form, so did not age. He had just stopped functioning . Marvel used the Invaders as a chance to fill in the gaps in these heroes back stories and in the new Marvel Universe. Timely Comics had ownership of many heroes in its long back history. This gave them a chance to use some of them. And surprising enough most of them given a small tweak to their costumes and back story and powers would live to fight again in a newly documented past.
The Liberty Legion just helped increase the list of older characters that would or could impact the future of some of the Heroes in the Modern Day. Both The Whizzer and Miss America legacy would live on ( No spoilers ) with their relationships and so called connection to The Scarlet Witch and Quick Silver. A stint as ongoing characters with the Invaders in WW2 would also be expanded. Also The Original Human Torch would be connected to The Modern Day Vision. The Patriot would have a "connection" with the Captain America of the 1950's. Red Raven would have a meeting with The Modern Day X-Man Angel in the late 1960's . Jack Frost would later believe he had connections to The Asgardian Ice Giants. The Blue Diamond would have connections to the Infinity Stones, The Thin Man would become an undercover agent of SHIELD in later life. So the members of The Liberty Legion had lasting impact.
Although the Liberty Legion never had their own on going comic, they did appear from time time with the likes of the Fantastic Four and the Blue Eyed idol of millions Ben Grimm the THING.
Here is a final look at the members of the Liberty Legion how they were individually drawn and how they looked in the 1970's revamp.
On the whole only the Blue Diamond and Miss America's revamp was on;y slightly changed. The Thin Man lost his scarf and had a change of colour, and Jack Frost lost his boots. Whilst The Patriot, Red Raven and the Whizzer got a major redesign. ..... But to tell the truth those guys had many costume changes in the 1940's.
So its now time to say "Good Bye" to the Liberty Legion for now. I cannot believe I started this tale about the Liberty Legion way back in the first week in January last year..... Yes it started in January 2018..... Hopefully Next Time I will chose a simpler story and range of characters. I tried to do a spot of "animation" this time around. If you liked it let me know.
Until Next Time................ ENJOY !
Next Time some thing NEW !
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