Freedom Fighters Pt. 17: Freedom Fighters #13

Morgan continues to report that since Black Condor has not been seen, and Firebrand has been seen, perhaps the two are one in the same. Further, he suggests this is a tactic of the Freedom Fighters to elude the law. We know, though, that the team is about to have an encounter with Black Condor.

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As Black Condor attacks, Sam assumes that he used his mental powers and once again went berserk. As the crazed hero grabs Phantom Lady and Martha and flies into the night with them, they wonder if there’s something about his past that would reveal a weakness. Cue the flashback for Black Condor’s origin story (see Notes below.) Then, after the Human Bomb reveals his feelings for Phantom Lady...

-- Rutland, Vermont! As Black Condor lands with his prisoners, the rest of the team is ready to meet them at the sight where the team faced Homilus (Freedom Fighters #6.) However, they’re hit by some type of energy force and…

Firebrand decides that they’re outmatched and says he’s going to “cut out.” Martha replies that he’s got to help her stop them. When the transformed team surrounds her, he counter-attacks, and acts on a hunch that their memories aren’t functioning and he can rely on them to act defensively…

In an epilogue, we end where we started, with Bill Morgan from WGNY-TV…

Notes

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For a story titled, The Amazing Origin, the Deadly Return, the Startling Secret of the Black Condor, you’d expect more than the 15-panel re-telling of the character’s origin. And it is a re-telling, with layouts sometimes exactly the same as the Crack Comics story from 1940. I don’t recall the final panel, though:

Though it hasn’t been addressed in recent issues, and was really only hinted at one point, Human Bomb publicly reveals that he has feelings for Phantom Lady. This, of course, earns him some good-natured ribbing from his teammates, especially the Ray.

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I was a little surprised when I thought these panels revealed Firebrand’s true colors:

However, he did the right thing with very little hesitation and swooped in to save the day.

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This is an easy-breezy story, with the bulk of it depicting a great fight in which the transformed Black Condor is able to counteract the powers of all his teammates. It doesn’t quite live up to the promise of its cover, but it still entertains.

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Title: Freedom Fighters

Issue #: 13

Cover Date: March-April, 1978

On Sale Date: Dec. 13, 1977

Writer: Bob Rozakis

Penciller: Dick Ayers

Inker: Jack Abel

Editor: Jack C. Harris