The Freedom Fighters were a team of heroes who fought the Nazi rule on Earth-X. They were led by Uncle Sam and comprised of a number of heroes that were originally from Earth-Two.
History
The history of the Freedom Fighters began on Earth-Two with the living personification of the Spirit of America. The Spirit had been created to personify the ideals of the United States' founders, and had taken many forms over the years; since the 1870s, however, he had taken on the identity of Uncle Sam. In the 1940s, as America entered the Second World War, Uncle Sam had visions of the future, foreseeing an upcoming threat to the United States. He brought a band of heroes together in an attempt to prevent the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on the parallel world of Earth-X — but he failed, with several of the heroes killed in the attempt.[1]
Undaunted, Uncle Sam assembled a second team, this time in preparation for a Japanese attack on California. The members of this team, apart from Uncle Sam himself, were Richard Grey Jr. (the Black Condor), Darrell Dane (Doll Man), Roy Lincoln (the Human Bomb), Sandra Knight (the Phantom Lady), Langford "Happy" Terrill (the Ray), and Rick Raleigh (the Red Bee). The Red Bee died in the team's first mission, rescuing the original Hourman from Baron Blitzkrieg. The Ray and the Black Condor remained with Uncle Sam on Earth-X while the others returned to Earth-Two to resume their lives there battling alongside the All-Star Squadron, but eventually the Phantom Lady, Doll Man, the Human Bomb and several other heroes went back to Earth-X to help continue the fight. Unfortunately, the Nazis and their allies were not defeated by 1945 on Earth-X as on Earth-Two, but instead conquered the world and the heroes spent the next several decades (kept youthful by the mystical presence of Uncle Sam) fighting a guerrilla war against them, most of them gradually falling in battle until only the core group remained alive and active (the exception was Rod Reilly (Firebrand), who somehow escaped to Earth-One).
Decades later, the Freedom Fighters finally overcame the Nazis and freed their world from their tyranny with the aid of the Justice Society of America from Earth-Two and their counterparts, the Justice League of America from Earth-One. For some months, they helped their world rebuild itself, but eventually they became bored and in need of new challenges. They migrated to Earth-One, but a misunderstanding led to them being regarded as criminals and they were forced to become fugitives, trying to clear their names whilst also battling villains such as the Catman, the Renegades, the Elf, the demon Homilus, Skragg, the Crusaders, the super-strong King Samson, the alien Warmakers and the villain who would become their deadliest foe, the Silver Ghost. Along the way Darrell Dane, the original Doll Man, was framed for murder, and the Ray discovered Rod Reilly, who believed that the Freedom Fighters had come to take him back to Earth-X to face trial for collaborating with the Nazis (which he had not). With Firebrand back in costume and now a member of the team, they saved the original Doll Man from execution (with the aid of reporter Martha Roberts) and cleared his name before going on to battle the Secret Society of Super Villains.[2] Eventually though, a final battle with the Silver Ghost left Firebrand apparently dead and the remaining Freedom Fighters returned to Earth-X, appearing on Earth-One only once more (and minus the Phantom Lady), to aid Superman in recovering the stolen Constitution of the United States. The Freedom Fighters (including a restored Firebrand) participated in the Crisis on Infinite Earths, but when Earth-X was destroyed and its history folded into that of New Earth, much of the history of the Freedom Fighters was also rewritten.
Notes
- Originally, the Fighters were understood as being natives of Earth-X, an alternate Earth where World War II was extended into the 1970s.[3] [4] [5] After the war ended, they helped their world rebuild itself, but they eventually became bored and in need of new challenges. They migrated to Earth-One with a transdimensional machine; however, All-Star Squadron #32 retconned Uncle Sam as having natural dimensional powers, thus, such a machine would be redundant.
See Also
- 56 Appearances of Freedom Fighters (Earth-X)
- 15 Images that include Freedom Fighters (Earth-X)
- Team Gallery: Freedom Fighters (Earth-X)