Issues to date
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#½ |
"Extreme Fighting" Wizard Magazine extra! First appearance of Swarm and Gaėtan as they join the Crusaders after auditioning for Neutron. All three heroes go to a wrestling match and wind up fighting some of the Extremists. Guest-starring Red Star. |
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#1 |
"Bugs!" Actual first issue! First appearance of Absolut. The Crusaders investigate the kidnapping of Superman by the Bug-Eyed Bandit's mechanical insects. To be continued. [May 87] |
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#2 |
"Countdown to Armageddon" The Crusaders save Superman from the clutches of Brainiac and save the world in the process. [June 87] |
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#3 |
"Gaėtan's Big Role" Movie-inspired robots crash Gaėtan's big chance in Hollywood! First appearance of Nightdrifter. To be continued. [July 87] |
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#4 |
"Lights, Camera, Kobra" The Crusaders' Hollywood adventure continues as the team tries to foil Kobra's plans for world domination. Meanwhile, something very strange is happening to Swarm. [Aug 87] |
| #5 | "STAR Players" Two-bit crooks with new powers attack STAR Labs leading the Crusaders to investigate goings on at a STAR facility in Siberia. But are the Fearsome Five involved? Plus, Nightdrifter gets a new band member, Absolut's parents move in with him, and Gaėtan gets a message from a secret enemy. First appearance of Allain, the Starjet pilot. To be continued! [Sep 88] |
| #6 | "Fire and Ice" The Crusaders duke it out with the evil Svoboda and the Fearsome Five, then recapture an evil alien supervillain. Swarm and Gaėtan buy a used Starjet for the team and hire Allain full-time. [Oct 88] |
| #7 | "Kites & Scarabs": Gaėtan fights alone! Introducing the menace of Mount Fuji! And over in Egypt, Swarm literally digs his own grave! [Nov 88] |
| #8 | "Lights Out": When the Joker attempts to kidnap Nightdrifter, the Crusaders are plunged into a nightmarish world of jokes and sinking ships. And what are Absolut's parents up to? To be continued. [Dec 87] |
| #9 | "Dream Machine": The Crusaders snap the Joker out of his nightmare only to fall into DeSaad's! And he dreams of not one, but two Darkseids! And Swarm learns some disturbing facts about his magic staff. [Jan 88] |
| #10 | "Hitting the Wall": Gaėtan fights one of the Manager's cronies again, this time in Germany. You will feel the wrath of Das Wall! Swarm gets a nasty visit, Nightdrifter gets a roommate, and are Absolut's parents spying on him? [Feb 88] |
| #11 | "No Man Escapes...": Millenium crossover! Are Absolut's parents Manhunter agents? What about Neutron himself? Will the HQ even survive a frontal assault by the Manhunters? And don't miss the Crusaders for the next 8 weeks in the Millenium mini-series. [Mar 88] |
| #12 | "Powder Burns": Introducing new villain Shadowmask! As the Crusaders pick up the pieces and Neutron refuses to come out of his coma in the wake of Millenium, Nightdrifter discovers that his new roommate has a cocaine problem, and she nearly dies at the hands of Shadowmask's poisoned shipment. And then it's off to Columbia... [Apr 88] |
| #13 | "Exposed!": The new Captain Cortex joins the Crusaders and the Injustice League guest-stars! No man escapes the Manhunters' memory: The Crusaders must prevent a Manhunter tape detailing all their secrets from being aired on television. [May 88] |
| #14 | "Awakenings": As Neutron comes out of his coma, Gaėtan fights to get to the truth in the heartland of Saskatchewan. Can he beat Tele-Fist? And what's this about the Manager being his son? [June 88] |
| #15 | "Gaėtan's Big Bash": Is it possible? Gaėtan's last issue? After a big confrontation with the Manager on the Tibetan plateau, he gains a new power and leaves the team. Yep, it really happens. [July 88] |
| #16 | "All That Glitters...": The Crusaders go on tour to promote the Absolut Boardgame, but does it even exist? Meanwhile, Captain Cortex is distracted by a 12-year-old girl who seems to know his secret identity. To be continued. [Aug 88] |
| #17 | "...Isn't Gold.": Finally! It's here! The Absolut Boardgame! But will Pastforce agents interrupt the demo? [Sep 88] |
| #18 | "Transwarmation": Swarm breaks his staff and is sucked into the astral plane where he meets the source of his powers, the mighty demon Set/Sutekh/Ixathulu! He accepts the deal with the devil that grants him all-new powers, but what happens when he gives that devil the finger? Guest-starring Deadman, Dr. Fate, Spectre and the Phantom Stranger. [Oct 88] |
| #19 | "To Sleep Perchance to Dream": Jester returns from the future and joins the Crusaders in the wake of Jester #100! And not a minute too soon, as the Crusaders try to stop the android Amazo from destroying everything in its quest to destroy the Justice League. But where is the League? [Nov 88] |
| #20 | "To Dream Perchance to Sleep": Captain Cortex fights for the life and soul of his mentor to heal a deep psychic wound! [Dec 88] |
| #21 | "Swan Song": Invasion First Strike Extra! The Crusaders take part in DC's Invasion crossover, and the team will never be the same again. This issue, one hero will die! Last issue for Captain Cortex (hope that doesn't spoil it for you). [Jan 89] |
| #22 | "Crime Wave": The Crusaders bury Captain Cortex, and a new member takes his place - the alien known only as Tekktonik! Neutron's powers are changing, but before he can do anything about it, Absolut's hometown Oslo is swamped by a tsunami! But who are these modern-day pirates who caused the situation? [Feb 89] |
| #23 | "Rigged Results": The Crusaders stop the Reavers and the Masters of Disaster from destroying Oslo once and for all. And after these events, Neutron makes the Crusaders "Unlimited". [Mar 89] |
| #24 | "Long Live the King!": First appearance of the new Crusaders Unlimited roster! Absolut's secret origin! And the return of the Reavers! [Apr 89] |
| #25 | "Unlimited Christmas": What better issue number for a Christmas issue? The Crusaders take on Toyman! First true appearance of Pafruu. And Plastic Man's on the scene too! [May 89] |
| #26 | "Crying on the Inside": What could make Jester cry? On Christmas day, Plastic Man and Red "Emo" Tornado are enlisted to cheer him up. Guest-starring Batman and the Joker! [June 89] |
| #27 | "Enter the Dragon": Tekktonik, Absolut and Swarm help a friend of Alain's whose daughter has been kidnapped by Red Dragon, an empathic gang leader. [July 89] |
| #28 | "Meta-Physical Problems": Blue Devil and Red Tornado join Swarm and Absolut in uncovering fraudulent doings in Boston. Introducing the totally ridiculous Ultra-Chums and new villain team, the Slashers! Who's been telling innocent people they have powers when they don't? An Invasion Months Later extra! [Aug 89] |
| #29 | "Everybody Was Mountain Fighting": Gaėtan returns! Mount Fuji returns! Absolut fights a kite! In Tibet! [Sep 89] |
| #30 | "Lord of the Worms": Neutron Dance Part 1 of 7. Neutron's powers go awry, and he transports Absolut and Jester to a strange world on the face on an electron, a world ruled by the strange and creepy Worm Lords. Neutron is able to bring Jester back, but Absolut is lost... [Oct 89] |
| #31 | "The Air Down There": Neutron Dance Part 2 of 7. Can the Crusaders find Absolut, the proverbial needle in a DNA helix? They wind up fighting the Gasping Strangler in a city floating on air in the center of an electron! Introducing a new look for Jester! |
| #32 | "Mad Science": Neutron Dance Part 3 of 7. The quest for a subatomic ride back to Absolut leads the Crusaders to Dinosaur Island where they must fight the Professors' Club and 50 of T.O. Morrow's most emo Tornado robots. |
| #33 | Next issue: Neutron Dance Part 4 of 7. The Crusaders might find Absolut, but where has he been living? Inside an anthill? |