Golden Age Liberty Belle Appreciation Thread (2019)

[MajorHoy]

NOTE: This is a continuation of the previous "Golden Age Liberty Belle Appreciation Thread", which can be read here:

https://community.cbr.com/showthread...ciation-Thread

If somebody wishes to start a separate appreciation thread for her daughter, Jesse Chambers (Jesse Quick / Liberty Belle II) or for Caroline Dean, a one-appearance version in Charlton's E-Man (in 1974), please feel free to do so.

From the original thread (started back in May of 2018),

originally from Who's Who Vol. XIII (March 1986)

First introduced in Boy Commandos #1 (cover-dated (Winter 1942-1943), Liberty Belle was "Libby Belle Lawrence", the daughter of Major James Lawrence.



Major Lawrence was a military attaché in Poland in 1939 when the Germans were bombing the cities there, and he was killed during one of those attacks. His daughter Libby was also there when the bombs were dropped, but escaped harm.
She later tried to warn other countries of what he Germans did in Poland, but again and again had to flee from the attacks of Nazi Germany. When she reaches the United States, she turns to newspapers and radio to spread her message.
And then, something interesting happens when she's in Philadelphia.


(to be continued . . . )

[Thor2014]

I'd love to see a collection of GA Liberty Belle stories. It would be a great companion to the Black Canary Archive.

[MajorHoy]

In the original version of this thread, I included a few pages from All-Star Squadron #61 (September 1986) where Roy Thomas retold/updated Liberty Belle's original origin story.

Here are a few more pages:

[DrNewGod]

Wasn't there some discussion of using Liberty Belle as Wonder Woman's Post-Crisis replacement in the JSA? I seem to remember hearing something about that in a letters page, and they went with Miss America instead (at least for a while).

[MajorHoy]

Wasn't there some discussion of using Liberty Belle as Wonder Woman's Post-Crisis replacement in the JSA? I seem to remember hearing something about that in a letters page, and they went with Miss America instead (at least for a while).

I don't remember that seriously being considered, though maybe it was thought of as one possibility.
The main replacement(s) Roy tried to use was first the "Golden Age" Fury and then Miss America. But after Roy was no longer handling things, I got the impression that using Miss America didn't seem to stick.

[DrNewGod]

I don't remember that seriously being considered, though maybe it was thought of as one possibility.
The main replacement(s) Roy tried to use was first the "Golden Age" Fury and then Miss America. But after Roy was no longer handling things, I got the impression that using Miss America didn't seem to stick.

The late 80's were kind of a mess at DC, if you weren't Superman or Batman, weren't they? Didn't keep them from doing awesome stories, but oy vey, continuity nightmare.

[Frostbite883]

I don't remember that seriously being considered, though maybe it was thought of as one possibility.
The main replacement(s) Roy tried to use was first the "Golden Age" Fury and then Miss America. But after Roy was no longer handling things, I got the impression that using Miss America didn't seem to stick.

Oh, well, maybe there might be a chance that DC would have Liberty Belle be Wonder Woman's replacement for a All-Star Squadron team in the Prime Earth someday (if they could find some way into bringing that team to exist on that Earth and having them come together).

[MajorHoy]

Oh, well, maybe there might be a chance that DC would have Liberty Belle be Wonder Woman's replacement for a All-Star Squadron team in the Prime Earth someday (if they could find some way into bringing that team to exist on that Earth and having them come together).

There wouldn't be any need for Liberty Belle to be a "Wonder Woman replacement" on the All-Star Squadron since Liberty Belle was one of the original members of the All-Star Squadron.

[Frostbite883]

Fair point.

[MajorHoy]

originally from All-Star Squadron #33 (May 1984)

[MajorHoy]

By the way, this was also in the previous version of this thread:

from the All-Star Squadron Fact File
in All-Star Squadron #10 (June 1982)

I really preferred the non-cape look for Belle, as well as the jodhpurs and the basically knee-high leather boots!

[Robanker]

By the way, this was also in the previous version of this thread:

from the All-Star Squadron Fact File
in All-Star Squadron #10 (June 1982)

I really preferred the non-cape look for Belle, as well as the jodhpurs and the basically knee-high leather boots!

I've always loved this design, I think it's absolutely killer. I do wonder if the primary colors are what keep her from being noticed more, as it may be seen as hokey. I don't care, I think it's wonderful.

[MajorHoy]

I've always loved this design, I think it's absolutely killer. I do wonder if the primary colors are what keep her from being noticed more, as it may be seen as hokey. I don't care, I think it's wonderful.

Well, it's basically a "red, white, and blue" color scheme (not uncommon for patriotic-themed heroes) with the exception of using the yellow/gold in place of the white, and even that color doesn't necessarily look out of place for a patriotic color scheme.

[MajorHoy]

From Liberty Belle's first appearance as a feature in Star Spangled Comics (issue #20, cover-dated May 1943):

[DrNewGod]

By the way, this was also in the previous version of this thread:

from the All-Star Squadron Fact File
in All-Star Squadron #10 (June 1982)

I really preferred the non-cape look for Belle, as well as the jodhpurs and the basically knee-high leather boots!

Agreed. It really gives her more of an Early Golden Age look, as opposed to the more typical superheroy look with the blue boots and cape. In the original look, you can almost buy the idea that she made the costume from outdoor wear clothing.