Forgotten Heroes
Encyclopedia
The Forgotten Heroes are fictional superhero
team in the DC Comics
universe. The group is composed of superheroes that had faded from the limelight. They debuted in Action Comics
#545 (July 1983
), and were created by Marv Wolfman
and Gil Kane
.
, the Forgotten Heroes are all superheroes who, at one point in their career, had discovered a mysterious golden pyramid. When they attempt to report the discovery, they find themselves censured by the US Government. The members of the team are brought together by Immortal Man
, who reveals to them that the pyramids are the work of his eons-old foe, Vandal Savage
. With the aid of Superman
, the Forgotten Heroes destroy the golden pyramids and save the Earth.
In Crisis on Infinite Earths
#10, Animal Man, Dolphin and Rip Hunter again team up, along with Adam Strange
, Captain Comet
and the Atomic Knight. This assemblage has been referred to as "the Forgotten Heroes" in retrospect, but was never called that in the Crisis series itself.
The original Forgotten Heroes were opposed by a team of evil counterparts known as the Forgotten Villains. Members of the Forgotten Villains include Atom-Master, Enchantress
, Faceless Hunter
, Kraklow, Mr. Poseidon, Ultivac, and Yggardis the Living Planet.
), when some of the original members mistake Mitch Shelley
for a reincarnated
Immortal Man.
Post-Crisis
Superhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
team in the DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
universe. The group is composed of superheroes that had faded from the limelight. They debuted in Action Comics
Action Comics
Action Comics is an American comic book series that introduced Superman, the first major superhero character as the term is popularly defined...
#545 (July 1983
1983 in comics
-Events and publications:* Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird found Northampton, Massachusetts-based Mirage Studios.* Chicago-based First Comics makes a strong entree into the publishing field, putting out four ongoing titles, American Flagg!, E-Man, Jon Sable Freelance, and Warp!; featuring the talents...
), and were created by Marv Wolfman
Marv Wolfman
Marvin A. "Marv" Wolfman is an award-winning American comic book writer. He is best known for lengthy runs on The Tomb of Dracula, creating Blade for Marvel Comics, and The New Teen Titans for DC Comics.-1960s:...
and Gil Kane
Gil Kane
Eli Katz who worked under the name Gil Kane and in one instance Scott Edward, was a comic book artist whose career spanned the 1940s to 1990s and every major comics company and character.Kane co-created the modern-day versions of the superheroes Green Lantern and the Atom for DC Comics, and...
.
Pre-Crisis
In their original adventures prior to the Crisis on Infinite EarthsCrisis on Infinite Earths
Crisis on Infinite Earths is a 12-issue American comic book limited series and crossover event, produced by DC Comics in 1985 to simplify its then 50-year-old continuity...
, the Forgotten Heroes are all superheroes who, at one point in their career, had discovered a mysterious golden pyramid. When they attempt to report the discovery, they find themselves censured by the US Government. The members of the team are brought together by Immortal Man
Immortal Man
Immortal Man is a fictional comic book superhero character in the DC Comics Universe. He first appeared in National Comics flagship science fiction anthology comic Strange Adventures #177...
, who reveals to them that the pyramids are the work of his eons-old foe, Vandal Savage
Vandal Savage
Vandal Savage is a fictional character, a supervillain published by DC Comics. He first appeared in Green Lantern vol. 1 #10 , and was created by Alfred Bester and Martin Nodell....
. With the aid of Superman
Superman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
, the Forgotten Heroes destroy the golden pyramids and save the Earth.
In Crisis on Infinite Earths
Crisis on Infinite Earths
Crisis on Infinite Earths is a 12-issue American comic book limited series and crossover event, produced by DC Comics in 1985 to simplify its then 50-year-old continuity...
#10, Animal Man, Dolphin and Rip Hunter again team up, along with Adam Strange
Adam Strange
Adam Strange is a fictional superhero published by DC Comics. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Mike Sekowsky, he first appeared in Showcase #17 .In May 2011, Adam Strange placed 97th on IGN's Top 100 Comic Book Heroes of All Time....
, Captain Comet
Captain Comet
Captain Comet is a fictional DC Comics superhero created by DC Comics Editor Julius Schwartz, writer John Broome, and artist Carmine Infantino....
and the Atomic Knight. This assemblage has been referred to as "the Forgotten Heroes" in retrospect, but was never called that in the Crisis series itself.
The original Forgotten Heroes were opposed by a team of evil counterparts known as the Forgotten Villains. Members of the Forgotten Villains include Atom-Master, Enchantress
Enchantress (DC Comics)
The Enchantress is a DC Comics character who has been both a superheroine and supervillainess. She first appeared in National Comics flagship science fiction anthology title Strange Adventures #187 , and was created by writer Bob Haney and artist Howard Purcell.More recently she is usually called...
, Faceless Hunter
Faceless Hunter
The Faceless Hunters are an alien race in the DC Comics universe that first appeared in Strange Adventures #124, . They were created by Gardner Fox and Mike Sekowsky. The Faceless Hunters hail from Klaramar, the word Klar-a-mar breaks down into "clear of imperfection"...
, Kraklow, Mr. Poseidon, Ultivac, and Yggardis the Living Planet.
Post-Crisis
A new version of the Forgotten Heroes is formed in Resurrection Man #24 (March 19991999 in comics
-February:* February 3: Pioneering editor Vin Sullivan dies at age 87.* February 26: John L. Goldwater, co-founder of Archie Comics, dies at age 82.-March:* Incredible Hulk is canceled by Marvel with issue #474.-May:...
), when some of the original members mistake Mitch Shelley
Resurrection Man (DC Comics)
The Resurrection Man is a fictional character, a superhero whose adventures were published by DC Comics from 1997 to 1999 in a serialized comic book of the same name, created by Andy Lanning, Dan Abnett and Jackson Guice...
for a reincarnated
Reincarnation
Reincarnation best describes the concept where the soul or spirit, after the death of the body, is believed to return to live in a new human body, or, in some traditions, either as a human being, animal or plant...
Immortal Man.
Original team
- Animal ManAnimal ManAnimal Man is a fictional character, a superhero in the . As a result of being in proximity to an exploding extraterrestrial spaceship, Buddy Baker acquires the ability to temporarily “borrow” the abilities of animals...
(Bernhard "Buddy" Baker) - Calvin "Cave" CarsonCave CarsonCalvin "Cave" Carson is a fictional character that appeared in stories published by DC Comics. Carson, a spelunker, first appeared in Brave and the Bold #31 ; he was created by France Herron and Bruno Premiani.-Publication history:...
- Congo Bill/CongorillaCongorillaCongorilla, originally a human character known as Congo Bill, is a fictional character, a superhero appearing in comic books published by DC Comics and Vertigo Comics. Originally co-created by writer Whitney Ellsworth and artist George Papp, he was later transformed into Congorilla by Robert...
(William Glenmorgan) - DolphinDolphin (comics)Dolphin is a fictional character, a superheroine in the DC Comics universe. Created by writer-artist Jay Scott Pike, she debuted in Showcase #79 Dolphin is a fictional character, a superheroine in the DC Comics universe. Created by writer-artist Jay Scott Pike, she debuted in Showcase #79 Dolphin...
- Dane DorranceSea Devils (comics)The Sea Devils are a team of characters in comics published by DC Comics. They are a team of conventional adventurers, in undersea adventures. They were created by writer Robert Kanigher and artist Russ Heath ....
- Rick Flag, Jr.Rick FlagRick Flag is the name of three fictional characters in the DC Comics universe. They are father, son, and grandson.The father, Richard Flag was in the original Suicide Squad, a World War II unit. After the war he was a member of Task Force X. The son, Rick Flag Jr...
- Rip HunterRip HunterRip Hunter is a DC Comics character who first appeared in Showcase #20 . Following three more appearances in Showcase , Rip Hunter was given his own series, which ran for 29 issues . He later starred in the six-issue Time Masters series , written by Bob Wayne and Lewis Shiner...
- Immortal ManImmortal ManImmortal Man is a fictional comic book superhero character in the DC Comics Universe. He first appeared in National Comics flagship science fiction anthology comic Strange Adventures #177...
(Klarn)
Later team
- Animal Man
- BallisticBallistic (DC Comics)Ballistic is a fictional superhero published by DC Comics. He first appeared in Batman Annual #17 , and was created by Doug Moench and Michael Manley.-Publication history:...
(Kelvin Mao) - Cave Carson
- Fetish (Thula)
- The RayRay (Ray Terrill)The Ray is a fictional character, a superhero in the . He is the second character to use the codename The Ray. Ray Terrill first appeared in The Ray #1 , and was created by Jack C...
(Ray Terrill) - Resurrection ManResurrection Man (DC Comics)The Resurrection Man is a fictional character, a superhero whose adventures were published by DC Comics from 1997 to 1999 in a serialized comic book of the same name, created by Andy Lanning, Dan Abnett and Jackson Guice...
(Mitch Shelley) - Vigilante (Pat Trayce)
Brief bibliography
Pre-Crisis- Action ComicsAction ComicsAction Comics is an American comic book series that introduced Superman, the first major superhero character as the term is popularly defined...
#545, 552–553 - Crisis on Infinite EarthsCrisis on Infinite EarthsCrisis on Infinite Earths is a 12-issue American comic book limited series and crossover event, produced by DC Comics in 1985 to simplify its then 50-year-old continuity...
#10–12 - DC Comics PresentsDC Comics PresentsDC Comics Presents was a comic book published by DC Comics from 1978 to 1986 featuring team-ups between Superman and a wide variety of other characters of the DC Universe...
#77–78
Post-Crisis
- Resurrection ManResurrection ManThe Resurrection Man is a fictional character, a superhero whose adventures were published by DC Comics from 1997 to 1999 in a serialized comic book of the same name, created by Andy Lanning, Dan Abnett and Jackson Guice...
#24–27 - Superman: The Man of SteelSuperman: The Man of SteelSuperman: The Man of Steel is the title of a monthly American comic book series that ran 136 issues from 1991 to 2003. published by DC Comics, featuring Superman. As a consequence of introducing this series alongside its already existing titles, DC Comics was able to publish a new Superman comic...
#120