Global Guardians fans - who were your favorites?

[Kaijudo]

My faves, in no particular order:

1. Tasmanian Devil - Aside from Fire and Ice (and maybe Dr. Mist), I feel like Tas is probably the original GG that's broken out the most and been part of the ongoing DCU. I've dug in all of his versions, from when he looked to just be a dude in a suit to when he was a big furry monster type (a la Sasquatch from ALPHA FLIGHT) to now, when he's a leaner, more ferocious-looking were-creature type character (from the CONGORILLA/STARMAN special). And he's also an early recipient of the increase in diversity in comics, when his previously undetermined sexual orientation was clarified as him being gay.

2. Owlwoman - I feel like Owlwoman is a breakout star just waiting to happen...some creator just needs to take a shot and put her in the foreground of a big series. DC doesn't really have many contemporary Native American heroes so raising her profile would help i the diversity push. Plus, she has a cool modern costume (the less said about her first appearance monstrosity, the better) and powers that seem to be a mix of Hawkman, Dawnstar, and Wolverine...three characters who have quite a few fans of their own. I think she'd have the opportunity to be a really unique voice/character among the DCU stable. Like I sad, somebody just needs to give her that chance.

3. Bushmaster - Oh, man, do I love this guy. Like a goofier Batman, with all the gadgets and vehicles, except now with a snake motif. I always liked to think that while Batman was having "proper" Batman adventures up in Gotham, Bushmaster was having adventures that were more akin to the Adam West Batman. Whatever the case, Bushmaster really should have been part of the Batmen of All Nations group and could stand as an example of how to do Batman with a sunnier disposition/way of life...somebody who can smile through all the crimefighting.

4. Fire/Green Flame - Always liked her look...the green hair, the costume, the fire-breathing power...and really loved it when she became a Justice Leaguer. I haven't always liked how she's been handled since then...trying to make her character more dark and serious, like what was attempted during her time in Checkmate, but the powers-that-be usually return her to her core self. She's been largely absent from the books lately, which is a shame. I hope somebody brings her back soon, either in a Justice League book or some other major title.

5. The Olympian - When it comes to gods in comics, I was never a big fan of Thor at Marvel...I gravitated more towards Hercules, who just seemed less full of himself and more fun. The Olympian feels like Hercules with a just a little bit of Thor's pomposity thrown in, which counterbalances the broad strokes of the character pretty well. And rather than being a god, the Olympian feels more like a living embodiment of the myths, with the golden fleece and various tools/weapons owed to the myths. I wasn't wild about his recent redesign...seems like bending over backwards to make him a "serious hero," which is usually overcompensating for fear of a character coming off as too goofy (rather than just steering into the goofiness to make it work)...but hopefully whenever he's used again, he'll be back to his previous look, or at least a better attempt of tweaking the costume for "serious" comic readers without abandoning the elements that made it interesting in the first place.

[Jim Kelly]

SUPER FRIENDS also had a number of back-up features dedicated to individual Global Guardians.

[Dreaded Porcupine]

Bushmaster. How cool was that expanding turtle shell he wore on his back. Plus all his other gadgets? DC should have made these guys an ongoing a long time ago.

[Güicho]

If I had to choose a few favorites:




Bushmaster, I love the costume and reptile theme, (although with the update, the original bulbous head one with gecko feet was outrageous).
Still seeing this guy teamed up with Batman, and holding his own was fantastic to me as a kid.

Bushmaster. How cool was that expanding turtle shell he wore on his back. Plus all his other gadgets? DC should have made these guys an ongoing a long time ago.

Agree, he's pretty much Batman of Latin America. Instead of a Bat-gadget theme, a self-made reptile theme....

For fun Movie cast Venezuelan; Édgar Ramírez

[Güicho]

Tuatara and his time spanning third-eye vision, although I was disappointed when they revealed him to be a white dude (redrew him above).
Should definitely reinvent him to be Māori.

Honestly I now think of Taika Waititi as the perfect template for him, whenever I picture him.





I mean DC/WB could spin a Global Guardians film on his cachet alone, add Hounsou or Oyelowo as Nommo Balewa the leader of the team, and people would be blown away by this team, DC/WB are just to stupid to realize it, let alone giving them their own book.

[Güicho]

... or Oyelowo as Nommo Balewa the leader of the team, .

Wenonah Littlebird Owlwoman representing USA. A role usually defaults to white male, refreshing seeing a female, and native American rep USA.

Another tendency I've seen people want to "re-imaging" the team, making their version, one of the first things they do is swap out any random white male to rep US, and drop Wenonah Littlebird Owlwoman, which kind of defeats the whole point.

If I wanted to cast her, maybe Julia Jones...

[DrNewGod]

Never saw them outside of the Who's Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe #9 (1985), but I instantly thought The Olympian was blisteringly cool. Of course, keeping up with 50 heroes abilities would be a bit tougher than, say, [The Real] Captain Marvel's six. Still, sorry more wasn't done with him outside his recent whipping boy appearance in Wonder Woman.

[j9ac9k]

Another tendency I've seen people want to "re-imaging" the team, making their version, one of the first things they do is swap out any random white male to rep US, and drop Wenonah Littlebird Owlwoman, which kind of defeats the whole point.

"Random white male?" When there's only ONE slot for an american hero - guess what? Owl Woman is less than the most impressive hero. Maybe that's not your idea of having her rep the US, (or even the original creatives) but part of the fun of having people make their own lineups is also not just sticking with the existing lineup. No need to make it contentious.

[Sutekh]

Never saw them outside of the Who's Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe #9 (1985), but I instantly thought The Olympian was blisteringly cool. Of course, keeping up with 50 heroes abilities would be a bit tougher than, say, [The Real] Captain Marvel's six. Still, sorry more wasn't done with him outside his recent whipping boy appearance in Wonder Woman.

Fortunately, about thirty of the Argonauts had no powers other than being kings and / or legendary fighters. (In itself, not a bad deal. "Oh look, a sword. I have a combined 440 years of experience with this weapon, and was considered the 'best in the world' about, uh, six times...")

Plus there was some duplication, with two future-seers, two (or three?) that could fly, and a few with really insanely specific powers (one could walk on water, one could talk to birds, another could control bees?). But yeah, also Argos with vision able to see for miles, at night, and through solid objects (before anyone knew what telescopic or X-ray vision even was!), and Herakles, strong enough to lift the world on his back.

Generally, the Olympian is assumed to have the invulnerability of Achilles, as well, even though, technically, Achilles was not one of the Argonauts.

[DrNewGod]

Fortunately, about thirty of the Argonauts had no powers other than being kings and / or legendary fighters. (In itself, not a bad deal. "Oh look, a sword. I have a combined 440 years of experience with this weapon, and was considered the 'best in the world' about, uh, six times...")

Plus there was some duplication, with two future-seers, two (or three?) that could fly, and a few with really insanely specific powers (one could walk on water, one could talk to birds, another could control bees?). But yeah, also Argos with vision able to see for miles, at night, and through solid objects (before anyone knew what telescopic or X-ray vision even was!), and Herakles, strong enough to lift the world on his back.

Generally, the Olympian is assumed to have the invulnerability of Achilles, as well, even though, technically, Achilles was not one of the Argonauts.

Huh. I just assumed the Fleece protected him.

[CellarDweller]

Huh. I just assumed the Fleece protected him.

This is what I found of Olympian on Wikipedia, so not the most reliable source.


The original Olympian first appeared in "The Super Friends" #9 (December 1977) and was part of a 3-issue story arc that introduced other international super heroes, and The Wonder Twins, to DC continuity. Later, a 2-story arc appeared in "The Super Friends" issues #45 & #46 (June & July of 1981) where Olympian once again teamed up with several international heroes and The Super Friends.

Olympian later appeared in "DC Comics Presents" #46 (June 1982), it was the first time that he and the other international heroes were working as a team, under the name The Global Guardians. He was created by Nelson Bridwell and Alex Saviuk.

The second Olympian first appeared in Wonder Woman (volume 3) #30 (May 2009) and was created by Gail Simone.

Aristides Demetrios is a Greek national who wears the mythical Golden Fleece, which grants him the strength of Hercules and various other powers connected to the heroes who comprised the Argonauts. He aids Wonder Woman battling Colonel Conquest in Greece, where a bomb was supposed to be hidden. In one incident, he helps Superman stop a gathering of mystical artifacts designed to bring back the villain Thaumar Dhai. They encounter Echidne, an old adversary of the Olympian, a beautiful woman with a long, gigantic snake form instead of legs. Olympian would later join Superman and many fellow Guardians on Easter Island. They would again battle Echidne and her fellow mystics. Dhai's mystical return is reversed and he is seemingly destroyed. The Greek hero later meets Fury of Infinity Inc..

While in possession of the Golden Fleece, Aristedes can use any of the skills, powers and natural abilities possessed by any of the fifty original Argonauts. These abilities include the power of Hercules, the precognitive abilities of Idmon, the telescopic and x-ray vision of Lynceus, the speed of Atalanta, wisdom of Admetus, the memory of Aethalides, ability to walk on water like Euphemus, the flight ability of Zetes & Calais, the shapeshifting ability of Periclymenus, and the invulnerability of Achilles.