The Global Guardians is a team of DC Comics <!--Do not add "fictional" as it is tautological; superheroes (and characters in general) are by definition implied to be fictionalized to some extent.-->superheroes whose members hail from countries around the world. The concept originated in the Super Friends Saturday morning cartoon, which aired after the comics stories in Super Friends #7-9, in which several heroes (Black Vulcan, Samurai, Apache Chief and El Dorado) were added to the Justice League to give it more ethnic diversity.

Fictional team history

The characters that would form the Global Guardians first appeared in the Super Friends comic book series. They were first introduced in a story (in Super Friends #7-9) in which an alien villain called Grax (an old Superman foe) planted bombs on Earth's seven continents to destroy it. Thanks to a warning from the Wonder Twins (in their first comic book appearance) the Justice League discovered the plan in time and recruited the heroes of the countries affected to find the bombs before they exploded.

These international heroes would later appear in other issues of Super Friends. However, it wasn't until DC Comics Presents #46 (June 1982) that they were introduced as a team, in a story in which they helped Superman to stop an evil Atlantean sorcerer named Thaumar Dhai. This is also considered to be these characters' first canonical appearance in the DC Universe. They attempt to recruit the newest Crimson Fox. When she declines, they say she has no choice. Crimson Fox is later seen publicly voicing the opinions of the Guardians, among them a hatred for Hal Jordan. It is eventually revealed that they are being telepathically controlled by the Faceless Hunter in his attempts to capture Green Lantern. They are defeated and freed from the alien's control.

In Justice League: Cry for Justice, Prometheus targets or kills members of the Global Guardians, including Tasmanian Devil, Gloss, Sandstorm, and Freedom Beast.

In Absolute Power: Task Force VII, the team are shown to be back together and consisting of Little Mermaid, Wild Huntsman, Nightrunner, Tasmanian Devil, Jet, Freedom Beast, Jack O'Lantern, Fleur-De-Lis, Thunderlord, Owl Woman, Seraph, Chrysalis, Belphegor and Tuatara.

Members

Founding members

  • Seraph (Chaim Lavon): An Israeli Jewish teacher who was granted biblical powers. He wears the ring of Solomon, which gives him wisdom and allows him to teleport, and the mantle of Elijah, which protects him from harm. His staff can change size, manipulate water, and transform into a snake.
  • Bushmaster (Bernal Rojas): A Venezuelan herpetologist who invented gadgets that mimic the abilities of reptiles. He is later killed by Fain Y'onia.
  • Olympian (Aristides Demetrios): A hefty Greek punk who wears the Golden Fleece, which grants him the powers and abilities of the 50 men and women who sailed on the Argo to find the Golden Fleece.
  • Jack O'Lantern (Daniel Cormac): A poor Irish farmer who was granted a magic lantern by an Irish fairy. He later dies of natural causes. The Jack O'Lantern mantle is later assumed by Marvin Nirosa, an agent of Queen Bee, and Daniel Cormac's cousin Liam McHugh.
  • Impala (M'Bulaze): A South African Zulu warrior who possesses superhuman speed. He later loses his powers to Fain Y'onia and is killed by Roulette. His successor, Kid Impala, joined the Ultramarine Corps.
  • The Little Mermaid (Ulla Paske): A teenaged Danish Atlantean-human hybrid who can transform into a mermaid-like form.
  • Doctor Mist (Nommo): An ancient African sorcerer who served as the leader of the Global Guardians. He is later killed by Mordru.
  • Tasmanian Devil (Hugh Dawkins): An Australian former engineer and drama coach who can transform into a humanoid tasmanian devil. He is openly gay and in a relationship with Starman (Mikaal Tomas).
  • Rising Sun (Izumi Yasunari): A Japanese solar physicist who can control solar energy.
  • Owlwoman (Wenonah Littlebird): A Cherokee member of the Global Guardians who possesses owl-like abilities.
  • Thunderlord (Liang Xih-k'ai): A Taiwanese Buddhist monk with a powerful sonic voice.

References

  • Global Guardians at DC Wiki
  • Global Guardians at Comic Vine
  • Global Guardians at Cosmic Teams
  • Club of Heroes at Cosmic Teams