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.
