Justice Squadron
FIRST APPEARANCE - In late 1940, British intelligence officers had discovered that a team of superhuman agents of the Axis powers had been formed, led by one of Hitler's right-hand generals. They learned that this group had plans to acquire powerful mystical artifacts that would give them an edge in the war. These officers immediately informed the leaders of the Allied powers of their shocking discovery. Recognizing that America's involvement with the war was inevitable, President Roosevelt decided that a team of heroes would be assembled in order to combat this diabolical threat and prevent their plans from coming to fruition. On that day, the original Justice Squadron was born, becoming one of the first superhero teams to ever exist. The founding members were... Dr. Jonathan Rankin a.k.a Doc Neptune, brilliant genius inventor known for his freeze ray pistols! Betsy Jones a.k.a the Steel Shield, the shield-bearing sentinel at war against street-level crime with the meanest right hook known to man! M'o Mr'vn a.k.a Mr. Martian, one of the last survivors of Mars who is now devoted to protecting his adoptive home of Earth. Led by their bulletproof leader, Rex Samson a.k.a Sentryman, one of Paragon City's most recognizable heroes!
Before their days of battle together, not one of them knew each other. Still, they fought and trained side by side; almost instantly developing a camaraderie that they knew was rare! What also became clear, even after the final battles of the war had been won, was that their work as heroes was not yet complete. What they thought would be a small sacrifice for freedom and mankind, now became their calling. They encouraged each other that they would remain together as a team after the war was over and to expand their roster. Decades had passed and members of the Justice Squadron either retired, gone missing, or passed away from old age. It was time for a hard decision to be made. The remaining Justice Squadron hung up their capes and their age of heroes became a respected relic of the past...
REVIVAL - PRESENT DAY
Mr. Martian, a founding member of the original team, had been suffering from strange nightmarish visions while living out the rest of his life under his human alter ego, Mo Marvin. Sensing a dark yet familiar presence emerging, he decided to seek aid from the hero community.
In Paragon City, Cait Turner a.k.a Icon had defeated Heraclea, a vengeful amazon who had been after Icon and her power source: The Bracers of Might. After their lengthy battle, Icon was led by a mysterious guide to an abandoned island that was formerly home to the Valkyron, a legendary race of female warriors. Icon would then meet Mr. Martian afterward, who sought her help to reform the Justice Squadron. The island had been rebuilt to serve as the Justice Squadron’s base of operations in their mission to protect the planet. The island is now monitored and shielded by the spirit of Odessa, who uses her magic to help the team operate on a global scale.
PROLOGUE - Billions of years ago, a great cataclysm caused by the powerful cosmic entity Divinity split the planet of Genos in two, forming twin planets that were realigned on opposite corners of the universe. These planets were called Altum and Imos and became inhabited by a race of humanoid beings with god-like abilities called the Immortals and the Ethereals.
Things were far from peaceful for either planet, and they soon found themselves consumed by eternal war and conflict with one another, trying to prove to the other that they were the first to exist in their universe and that they were the superior cosmic beings. However, a group of unified Immortals and Ethereals was formed and led by Thaxis and Valu, two star-crossed lovers who realized the war would destroy both their homes and all existing worlds. The group of five individuals called themselves the Pantheon and in attempt to save their race, they combined their powers, creating the most powerful artifact in the universe called the Source. With the Source, they evacuated through another dimension causing the Big Bang, creating a new universe of their own and finding peace and solitude on the planet Earth.
The Immortals and Ethereals learn of this new homeworld and were enraged. They began their search for the Source with intentions of using it as a weapon to wipe the other from existence. Their armies eventually invaded Earth and the Pantheon were killed for their treachery. Looking to avoid having it fall into the wrong hands, they shattered the Source right before their deaths. The Immortals and Ethereals believed the Source was destroyed forever and withdrew back into their own dimension, unbeknownst to them the Source was actually broken apart with every member of the Pantheon passing on their powers to each individual stone. The stones were then scattered across the Earth, hidden away from the world until 1941...
THE JUSTICE SQUADRON ISSUE #1: CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN CITY
PART 1
The Justice Squadron got together for a team dinner at Wok This Way, a popular Asian fusion restaurant in Kings Row operated by an elderly Chinese man named Mr. Lao. After the team finished their dinner, Lao approached them and bluntly asked if they were superheroes. The team, not wanting their secret identities to be revealed, assured him he was mistaken. Lao laughed and claimed they could trust him because he's a retired superhero. He urged the team to come see his "home" so they would believe him. Lao gathered the heroes close to him, cast a teleportation spell, and to their surprise they found themselves no longer in Kings Row but in... CHUN LIAN, the Hidden City in the Mountains.
Lao gave them a quick tour and the team followed him to a sacred temple where they learned more about his past. Lao recounted how he found Chun Lian when he was a small boy and how he was raised by the monks. The monks taught him martial arts and the Way of the Golden Fist of Heavenly Power. He explained the reason he brought them to Chun Lian was because he saw great potential in them and looked to pass on his knowledge and wisdom. After they accepted his mentorship, Lao challenged the group to a spar to test their fighting skills. However, their lesson was interrupted by a fellow monk named Wei Chang, who alerted Lao and the team that an intruder with an army had breached the city's southern gate.
The team assembled at the southern gate with Lao where they were met by a mysterious man in dragon armor and his army. Lao questioned the man and it was revealed the man was a former pupil of his named Hong Shen. Dragon King ordered his army of Burning Palm warriors to attack, and after a lengthy battle, his warriors were defeated by the Justice Squadron. Lao then charged at Dragon King, telling him this fight was between the two of them. During their duel, Dragon King used the powers of the great Red Dragon Spirit to breathe fire down on Lao. Lao looked back to the group of heroes, instructing them he would try to hold Dragon King and the rest of his army off. He advised them to seek out his son Ray who was "the key." He channeled a magic portal and chi blasted them into it, transporting them back to the streets of Kings Row.
PART 2
After Lao’s unfortunate death in Chun Lian, the Justice Squadron were instructed to search for his son. After investigating, Wyverness had asked Icon to assemble the team to conduct a search for him. The team met in Kings Row where Wyverness gave a rundown of Lao's son. She revealed she had put a tracker on his vehicle and that he was headed for downtown.
The tracker leads them further into the city and the team split off into two to try to find Ray. The team eventually find him in Club Incubus, partying and being a womanizer. Witchfury attracts his attention by casting a charm on him and they attempt to lead him out of the club. They get ambushed by the Burning Palm clan who were disguised as the club's security staff. Their leader snatches the necklace off of Ray's neck and they make their exit. Team Beta led by Wyverness intercepts the Burning Palm out on the streets and the Justice Squadron reunite to take them down.
After the fight, Ray retrieves his necklace and the team introduce themselves to him. They inform him about his father’s sacrifice and the coup happening in Chun Lian. Ray has heard of Hong Shen and stories from his father about him being a power hungry monk who was banished from the city. Ray reveals that the Burning Palm are most likely after the necklace that was given to him by his father years ago, a talisman with a violet gem inside it. He explains that it was originally an artifact that powered Chun Lian’s magical gate and gifts their monks teleportation abilities. The team convinces Ray to stop shying away and to live up to his father's legacy. By using his chi abilities, he draws energy from the unconscious Burning Palm granting Ray enough power to use the talisman to open a portal to Chun Lian.
PART 3
After warding off the Burning Palm and regaining possession of the talisman, Ray is able to channel enough energy to open a portal back to Chun Lian so the team can finally put an end to Dragon King's onslaught once and for all.
They pass through the portal and arrive on the outskirts of the city where the Burning Palm had been waging war on its protectors. The team learns that Dragon King had captured the city a few days earlier and they quickly help the monks and their efforts to take back their city. After defeating waves of Burning Palm, a rescued monk claims he saw Dragon King and his army retreat into the mountains. The group of heroes agree to follow him as they plan out their next move.
In the mountain pass, the team confronts Dragon King where he reveals he had been expecting the Justice Squadron to arrive. He opens a small portal, grabbing Mr. Lao's body from it, and confesses he kept him alive just so Ray can watch him die. He also reveals that he is Lao's son and that it became his mission to find Chun Lian after his father abandoned him and his mother for America. When his goal was finally met, he changed his name from Fang to Hong Shen and trained as a monk for many years until his father returned to the city. He claims the power of the talisman belongs to him and challenges Ray and the team to fight him.
After a hard-fought battle, Fang is defeated and apprehended by the team. Ray swears to be the new protector of Chun Lian and promises to help rebuild the city with his father once he recovers from his injuries. Ray thanks the Justice Squadron for their help and gives them the talisman so they can keep it safe. He opens a portal for them so they can return home to Paragon City.
THE JUSTICE SQUADRON ISSUE #2: MAYHEM
PART 1
The Justice Squadron is called to Elysian Island for a team meeting led by Icon and Mr. Martian. During the meeting, the team is briefed on supervillains that have become a threat to the city and have been on the team's radar as of late. Their meeting is interrupted when Villainess arrives and attempts to detonate a bomb on the island. The bomb is secured just in time by Champion who flies into the sky to absorb the explosion. Villainess escapes and the team turns their suspicion to Pillbug who admits he's been in a romantic relationship with her. An argument unfolds amongst team members and Icon decides to kick Pillbug from the team as he had sided with Villainess and put the team in danger. The team agrees to continue to search for the Source Stones and figure out how Villainess managed to bypass the island's security systems.
PART 2
A meeting is held a week later and Mr. Martian reassures the team the island's security has been fully restored. He reports that an energy signature for one of the Source Stones was detected by Odessa's tracking spell. The team is given the coordinates and is dispatched to the location: an abandoned island in the Atlantic.
The team split off when they arrive and Icon eventually finds the Cosmic Stone. Icon hands the stone off to Mr. Martian, who suddenly attacks her. It is revealed that Mr. Martian's body had been possessed by Destroyer, the arch-nemesis of the original Justice Squadron, who explains he implanted a copy of himself into Mr. Martian's body during the war. Villainess and a group of supervillains appear, calling themselves the Masters of Mayhem, and ambush the team.
After the fight is over, the Masters of Mayhem teleport away with the Cosmic Stone. The Justice Squadron are left in a state of shock once they acknowledge it was Mr. Martian, being mind-controlled by Destroyer, who brought down the defenses to the JS headquarters and framed Pillbug as the culprit in order to sow dissent into the group.
THE JUSTICE SQUADRON ISSUE #3: RESURGENCE
PART 1
The Justice Squadron get an alert and respond to a distress signal in Khallisti Wharf, where a villain is stealing equipment from an abandoned lab. Icon, City Girl, Harlem, and Ghost Eyes arrive on the scene and meet Test-Run, a newcomer to the villain scene. Test-Run, who is not usually known for being a formidable speedster, manages to overwhelm them with an extra-ordinary power boost to his superspeed. The team defeat him after Bolt and Identi-Cal show up for backup. Test-Run admits to being hired by the Masters of Mayhem to cause a diversion. Test-Run gets arrested and placed in police custody as the team starts looking for more answers.
PART 2
A few days later, Icon conducts a meeting and introduces the team to the H, a newly established space station orbiting the Earth that serves as the second headquarters for the Justice Squadron. She explains that the main reason for the H being implemented was to prevent another bombing incident on the island and that the security systems in both locations were properly linked.
In the meeting room, Icon introduces new recruits and clarifies that new members being recruited are specialized in espionage and technological prowess, seeing that this would strengthen the team's current roster. Icon continues to update the team on current events, such as the team's run-in with Test-Run from the other night and that the whereabouts on Destroyer and the Masters of Mayhem still remain unknown. The team agrees to continue working together moving forward and Icon announces she plans to visit the Zig, where Test-Run is currently being detained.
