Crusaders Who's Who!
---- Full Unlimited Roster ----
Absolut
Alter Ego: Edvard Grieg / Magnus the First
Occupation: Student
Marital Status: Single
Known Relatives: Suzan (adoptive mother), Bjorn (adoptive father), Sigurn (father, deceased)
Group Affiliation: Crusaders
Base of Operations: Oslo, Norway / Asgard
First Appearance: CRUSADERS #1
Height: 5'9" Weight: 180 lbs.
Eyes: Blue Hair: Blond
History
Edvard was left on the doorstep of his adoptive parents' house in a simple fleece, with twin ravens perched on the makeshift wooden crib. He never knew this until later, when his adoptive parents were proven to be Manhunter sleeper agents during the Millenium event. He would later also discover that he was the only son of the King of Asgard, an ancient colony of Atlantis, hidden in Norway's glaciers and the basis for many of the Norse legends. When King Sigurn mysteriously fell sick, he left the realm in the hands of his most trusted advisor Vilmur, who promptly betrayed him. It was he who had poisoned the king, intent on gaining power. Before they were all executed, Sigurn's other advisors secreted Magnus, the king's infant son, out of Asgard to protect him.
Magnus, now called Edvard, at first didn't know how he got his powers. As far as he was concerned, he was just a normal kid until late in his teens when he suddenly exhibited heat and cold powers. This wasn't some weird Marvel comic book where everybody was a mutant. This was his life! This was real! Thankfully, his parents never caught him in the act of burning or icing something, and never learned his secret. Or when they did, he covered it up with his usual web of lies. Or was it their Manhunter conditioning that made them overlook the truth? He couldn't wait to get out of his home in rural Norway, so that he could explore these powers at his leisure.
His chance came when he finished school and enrolled at Oslo University. Before he even opened one syllabus, he had made a costume for himself and was on the road to being a hero. National exposure not being enough for him, he answered Neutron's all-call for a new team of superheroes called the Crusaders to prove his mettle on an international stage.
He later followed the clues of his adoption back to Asgard, where he deposed the evil Vlimur and sat at his father's death bed. Now he was the King of Asgard. But uncertain as to how to proceed, he left day to day affairs in the hands of Fendalf, the leader of the palace guard who remained a royal supporter, until such a time as he feels less responsibility towards his adoptive world, and while he learns what it means to rule the Asgardian culture.
Powers and Weapons
Absolut shoots fire out of one hand, and ice out the other. With the latter, he can create any number of icy forms, such as slides on which to ride, blocks in which to trap enemies, and deadly icicles. A favorite tactic of his is covering the ground with an icy patch to make his opponents fall prone.
Though an inveterate sweet-talker, he is his own greatest enemy, sometimes too easily provoked and goaded into showing off, with sometimes dangerous results.
Battling
Bowman
Alter Ego: Alex Ansoff
Occupation: Crimefighter
Marital Status: Single
Known Relatives: None
Group Affiliation: Crusaders
Base of Operations: New York
First Appearance: CRUSADERS #32
Height: 6'2" Weight: 190 lbs.
Eyes: Brown Hair: Brown
History
Before the Crisis on Infinite Earths, one of the Seven Soldiers of Victory was a certain Green Arrow. When the Crisis merged Earth-2 with Earth-1, there was only one Green Arrow, and he lived in the later half of the 20th century, rather than the first. So who took his place in the 7 Soldiers? If you thought the answer was Wing, the Crimson Crusader's sidekick, you are wrong. If you thought the Soldiers were now better called Law's Legionnaires, you're also wrong. No, the original heroic archer was none other than the Battling Bowman.
Brought up in private schools where he took easily to archery, Alex Ansoff donned a costume when Franklin Delano Roosevelt called on heroes to do their part against Nazi sympathisers at home. First attracted by the thrill of sniping crooks with his bow, he worked mostly from the shadows, but did join the 7 Soldiers along with his kid sidekick Bowy for a short time.
It was during this time that he fell prey to Axis
Amerika and fell into an ice flow. Believed killed in action, he actually
suffered the same fate as his teammate the Shining Knight years before. He was
frozen, miraculously kept alive cryogenically. When the bottled water craze sent
businessmen to the Arctic to get pure water sources, he was discovered. Thawed
back to life, he became a man out of his time. A relic.
Worse still, he learned that Bowy had been killed in the street while trying to continue the fight without his mentor. If that wasn't bad enough, the Bowman discovered that he had largely been forgotten, and that a new hero, by the name of Green Arrow, was now using his shtick. Still, what else could he do? He picked himself off, and went back to the streets.
Powers and Weapons
The Battling Bowman is at least as good an archer as Green Arrow, and uses a lot of the same tricks too. You don't want to be on the receiving end of his stun arrows, basically ball bearings on a shaft. He often uses smoke arrows and explosive arrows as well, trying to stay long range from his opponents most of the time, and uses a grapple hook arrow to swing around rooftops. He's kept chin-deep in trick arrows thanks to a family fortune kept in trust.
Not having taken well to the turn of events that have landed him in the late 80s, he's a grimmer figure than before, who doesn't give an inch and is a bit abbrasive and intolerant. Still, his honed detective skills make him a valuable asset to the Crusaders no matter what year he was born in.
Captain
Cortex II - DECEASED
Alter Ego: Charles Goulet
Occupation: School Principal
Marital Status: Married
Known Relatives: Susanne (wife and secretary)
Group Affiliation: Crusaders
Base of Operations: Paris, France
First Appearance: CRUSADERS #13
Height: 6'1" Weight: 180
Eyes: Green Hair: Brown
History
Charles is in fact the second person to wear the mask and suit of Captain Cortex. The original hero was getting old and selected Charles as his replacement. At the time, Charles was not even aware of his psionic powers because they were dormant. But when Captain Cortex saved Charles from a near death, he immediatly detected his psionic potential and after measuring Charles' moral values, decided to telepathically activate his powers and take him under his wing to teach him the ways of the superhero and it's strict code of conduct (the original Captain Cortex being from the old superhero school of thought).
Shortly after his training was done,
Charles took over the role of Captain Cortex while the original retired. Ever
since, he's been juggling his real life as a high school principal with that of
saving the world. In order to be able to keep his secret, he has let his
secretary (who is also his wife) know about his double life and she now helps
greatly with the cover-up.
Charles quickly discovered, however, that the life of a solo superhero can be
difficult. Especially that he has quite a reputation to live up to and that his
powers aren't fully developped. During the Invasion of Earth by the Dominion's
alien alliance, Captain Cortex met his death while trying to disarm a
Thanagarian psychic bomb, sacrificing his life for the citizens of Paris.
Powers and Weapons
Using his mind, Captain Cortex can control people's emotions, plant hypnotic suggestions in their minds, read thoughts and fight opponents on the mental plane. He also has enough telekinetic power to create a force field around himself, levitate, and throw objects around at point blank range.
Charles sometimes still has difficulty dealing with all the stresses of his responsabilities towards the persona of Captain Cortex. And although he was already a very idealistic and moral person before the developpement of his powers, the contradictions that can emerge from his code of honor make it difficult for him to keep his self-esteem in check. If he sees young people in trouble, however, his principal's instincts take hold, and he immediately tries to help them.
Gaëtan
- INACTIVE
Alter Ego: Gaëtan Chiasson
Occupation: Wrestler
Marital Status: Single
Known Relatives: The Manager (son)
Group Affiliation: WWX, Crusaders (inactive)
Base of Operations: Bas-Caraquet
First Appearance: CRUSADERS #½
Height: 6'5" Weight: 280 lbs.
Eyes: Brown Hair: Brown
History
Every few decades, there is a very special wrestling match held on the Tibetan plateaux. Men and women come from all over the world to participate. The stakes are high and the competition brutal. The winner of this match is reputed to gain amazing powers.
Gaëtan was just a young, but promising wrestler in the Canadian junior circuit who, in the early 70s, paid his ticket and went off to try his luck. Guess what? He won the damn thing. And what's more, the winner really did get powers. In his case, super-strength and size-changing powers.
Coming back to North America, he rose quickly in the big leagues, eventually joining the more extreme WWX and becoming a regular "hero" on the circuit, even fighting crime when the opportunity arose.
It was as a seasoned veteran, more or less retired from professional wrestling that he joined the Crusaders, answering Neutron's call for heroes, and as the team's down-to-earth dispenser of wisdom, keeping himself economically solvent as spokesman for the Truman's Pub chain of bars.
After being hounded by The Manager for months, he discovered that his archenemy was actually his elligitimate son bent on destroying him. Their conflict culminated in a battle during a third Tibetan tournament for Gaëtan. He won his match against his son despite some heavy cheating on his part and gained a new and unexpected power. Offered to stay at the Batai Lama's monastery to integrate that new power, he left the Crusaders, at least temporarily.
Powers and Weapons
Gaëtan can grow to giant size, just over 18 feet tall, or shrink to the size of a mouse. Even at his normal height, he is strong enough to bend steel girders and lift as much as 6 tons. As a giant, that figure rises to some 100 tons. The massive strength also allows him to jump great heights and distances, covering ¼ of a mile in a single bound. In his third and most recent tournament win, Gaëtan added the ability to survive under water to his already formidable abilities.
Gaëtan is still a public figure and immensely popular in North America and elsewhere in the world. This often represents a free pass for the heroes of the Crusaders.
Jester
Alter Ego: Ben Cox
Occupation: Professional pain in the ass
Marital Status: Single
Known Relatives: None
Group Affiliation: Crusaders
Base of Operations: Gotham City
First Appearance: JESTER #1
Height: 5'10" Weight: 210 lbs.
Eyes: Green Hair: Green
History
As a stand-out biochemistry student at Gotham University, Ben Cox was rewarded with the chance to work on a major project: deconstructing the Joker's "Smilex" gas and finding an antidote. Unfortunately, an electrical accident in the laboratory reacted explosively with the gas. Ben, trapped in the explosion, could do nothing but laugh and laugh and laugh. Despite the Smilex-induced fit of giggles, he manages to go for the fire extinguisher... and notices that the flames are frozen.
When security arrives, they find him there and mistake him for the Joker, his face having been turned white and his hair green, and he escapes at superspeed! His body and mind both affected strangely by the chemical reaction, and becoming a fugitive from the law, Ben Cox died that day. In his place rises the Jester, who wars on crime with an equal helping of speed and lunacy, for the sheer heck and absurdity of it.
Over time, the police stopped mistaking the Jester for the Joker and Batman
cleared him of any wrongdoing in the campus explosion. Nevertheless, he never
returned to his former life, 
living it fast and crazy in his
superhero guise.
Recently, the Jester disappeared off the face of the Earth. Lost in the year 22
million, it took him two years (our time) to make his way back through time to
the present. For the hell of it, he joined the Crusaders right then and there.
Powers and Weapons
The Jester benefits from superhuman levels of speed, and can run at over a million miles per hour (or 250 miles per second). His leg muscles are in fact so strong that he can jump 100 yards in a single bound. He is also tougher than normal thanks to a friction shield that protects him when moving at high velocities. Criminals are often filled with fear upon hearing his mad, intimidating laugh approaching, though he is sometimes still incapacitated by fits of laughter.
An excellent acrobat, he is also quite adept at chemistry, and uses that talent to create small powder bombs. He usually carries slick powder, glue powder and pain powder, the latter usually only used to prank others. The Jester doesn't really discriminate when pranking someone, though his favored target is always the Joker, with which he has come to blows a number of times.
Jester, before his costume change
Neutron
Alter Ego: Dr. Michael Stern
Occupation: Physicist
Marital Status: Single
Known Relatives: None
Group Affiliation: Free Spirits, Crusaders
Base of Operations: Toronto, Ontario
First Appearance: NEUTRON #1
Height: 5'11" Weight: 150 lbs.
Eyes: Brown Hair: Brown
History
Dr. Michael Stern was working on a matter compression machine of his own invention at the Toronto branch of S.T.A.R. Labs in order to create and study artificial black holes, when terrorists interrupted his work on their search for a new kind of nerve gas somewhere else in the facility. To make sure Stern wouldn't sound the alarm, they locked him in his matter compressor and flicked some switches. The overall effect was that, because of the haphazard energies building inside the machine, Stern's molecules were compressed without killing him. He found himself in a world of giant atoms. Guessing that he needed a new power surge to decompress him, he attempted to dislodge a carbon atom's nucleus, creating vast amounts of nuclear energy. He started growing, but so did the circling electrons of the destroyed atom who were now permanently bonded to his body and psyche.
Discovering his new powers and outward appearance, he easily overtook the hapless terrorists. Soon enough, Stern, as Neutron, met with menace after menace in his home town of Toronto, one of which, Umbra, tried to frame him for his crimes.
Needing to redeem himself in the eyes of the world, Neutron took it upon himself to found a superhero team: The Free Spirits. Taking the old, abandoned Justice League satellite as his headquarters, and set about finding members for his team using newspaper ads. When the Free Spirits disbanded, he started the whole process over, this time building a team called The Crusaders.
After the alien Invasion, Neutron's powers were changed, but he still doesn't know to what extent As a scientist, he still needs to experiment. But with the mounting threat of supervillainy worldwide as examplified by the destruction of Melbourne and devastation of Oslo, he has recently decided to open the Crusaders' ranks to anyone who will wear a communication, to better respond to the world's needs.
Powers and Weapons
Neutron has the unique ability to summon forth a man-sized carbon atom around his body. The electrons can deliver blows, dig through concrete, and block bullets, creating an effective shield. When using these powers, Neutron sucks energy from ambient light, turning him completely black. After the gene-bomb modified his powers, he found he also had the ability to send others to a subatomic world hidden in the helix of his DNA. He is sometimes able to reach out telepathically to those he has so transported. Whether this subatomic world actually evolved on the face of an electron, or is really in another dimension has yet to be discovered.
Neutron is a scientist first, and will usually remain in the Justice League satellite's labs, working behind the scenes for the team he coordinates, and leaving the field leadership to others, like Gaëtan or Swarm.
Nightdrifter
- INACTIVE
Alter Ego: Caine Gangrel (AKA Shadow, AKA Ustrel)
Occupation: Goth musician
Marital Status: Single
Known Relatives: None
Group Affiliation: Nightdrifter (the band), Crusaders
Base of Operations: Blüdhaven
First Appearance: CRUSADERS #3
Height: 6'0" Weight: 200 lbs.
Eyes: Red Hair: Bald
History
When vampires have children with mortal women, their offspring are born with vampiric features and abilities. A fifth-generation vampire offspring, Caine Gangrel is usually able to shrug off the temptation to drink the blood of mortals, but he was still born with various vampiric powers and a face that only a mother would love. Not even a mother, as it turned out, and Caine was forced to grow up on the streets, feeding on sewer rats and teaching himself how to read at the public library, which he would enter under cover of darkness.
A life on the mean streets of the old whaling town of Blüdhaven toughened him up, but he did manage to fall in with a group of goths who thought his grotesque appearance was some cool make-up and prosthetics. Having some musical talent, he was in and out of underground bands for the better part of his teens.
Today, Caine is the lead singer of the goth band Nightdrifter, and has already pressed three independent CDs. Nightdrifter may be on the cusp of breaking out into the major markets and out of the club scene.
But this wasn't enough for Caine. Looking to associate with people who wouldn't fear him for his true origins, he auditioned for Neutron's Crusaders and got the gig. He's still new at this superhero biz, having changed his name three times already! First he was the Shadow, then Ustrel, until finally settling for his band's name, Nightdrifter.
Powers and Weapons
Nightdrifter has vampire blood flowing in his veins, giving a number of abilities, but also many weaknesses. He can create a cloud of absolute darkness around himself and can fly, but his main power is to drain opponents of their life energy by touching them. Unlike true vampires, he doesn't need to bite them and drink their blood to do this. He has been known to release excess energy as some kind of blast, but the extent of these powers are unknown.
However, he becomes weaker in open sunlight and cannot abide holy symbols, which can actually cause his pain and kill him. His strange appearance makes him an intimidating presence, but definitely puts a crimp in his love life.
Pafruu
Alter Ego: Tag Handiyani / Pafruu
Occupation: UPS delivery man / Professional dream
Marital Status: Single
Known Relatives: None
Group Affiliation: Crusaders
Base of Operations: Coast City / The Dreaming
First Appearance: CRUSADERS #24 (seen), #25 (actual)
Height: 5'9" / 6'2" Weight: 180 lbs. / 235 lbs.
Eyes: Brown / Variable Hair: Brown / Blond
History
Tag Handiyani was something of a slacker. No real ambition, no skills worthy of note, most people thought him fairly unmemorable. But when he dreamed at night, he was a great hero, a SUPER-hero! He would never know why, but something happened one night. His super-hero self got out of the realm of dreams, and onto the front page of the Coast City Guardian. Every night (and sometimes day), he dreamed, and the weirdly named "Pafruu" would live.
Meanwhile, in the mystical realm called the Dreaming, a place we all visit at night ruled by the Endless sometimes known as the Sandman, a dream called Pafruu (that's just how they roll over there) found an unexplained doorway out to the Waking Lands... and jumped through it. Now, the two are linked. Tag would rather sleep through the day to share Pafruu's adventures than go to work (and yet, he sometimes must), and Pafruu would rather LIVE than be returned to the formless matter from which he sprang.
This double life is a well garded secret that does cause trouble for Tag at his job. It is not known if Pafruu is encountering similar problems in the Dreaming, or if the Sandman will one day wish to repatriate him.
Powers and Weapons
Tag is just an ordinary guy, except that when he dreams, he brings Pafruu to life, a hero possessed of all the charm, strength, agility and willpower he lacks. Pafruu is an excellent acrobat and martial artist, but otherwise, his abilities keep... changing.
Every time Tag dreams him into existence, Pafruu might wear a different-colored costume, and have different powers. Will he be Electric Pafruu, who can control machines and throw lightning bolts? Or Water Pafruu, who becomes a liquid and controls great waves? How about Mystic Pafruu with his magic spells? Or the extremely strong Super Pafruu? At least ten distinct Pafruus have been spotted to date, including a Pafruu that control giant plants, one with psionic powers, another who can change his shape, a ghostly Pafruu, and Sensible Pafruu, who has enhanced senses.
Pafruu is always in danger of Tag waking up. Extremely loud noises might do it, or even the smell of strong coffee. When this happens, Pafruu simply disappears, as Tag desperately tries to fall back to sleep and summon him back into existence. Though Tag feels like he's in control of Pafruu, he only really sees through his eyes. He can't control the dream. Their psychic link does make some emotions carry from one to the other, such as Tag's daily frustrations, which make all but Sensible Pafruu, edgy.
Red
Tornado
Alter Ego: John Smith
Occupation: Emo robot
Marital Status: Single (who would want him?)
Known Relatives: None
Group Affiliation: Former member of the Justice Society of America, former member of the Justice League of America, Crusaders (will THAT one work out?)
Base of Operations: Mobile
First Appearance: (as Tornado Tyrant) MYSTERY IN SPACE #61, (as Tornado Champion) JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #17, (as Red Tornado) JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #64
Height: 6'1" Weight: 325 lbs.
Eyes: Blue Hair: None
History
Few beings have had as convoluted (read: complicated and pathetic) a life as the Red Tornado. He began "life" on the planet Rann as a sentient living tornado whose evil nature was dominant. He was called the Tornado Tyrant. Trying to conquer Rann, the Tornado Tyrant battled Adam Strange and was nearly destroyed. Observing Strange and the Justice League of America, the tornado being decided to become a hero and renamed himself the Tornado Champion. However, the Champion's evil self split off to become a separate being, a new Tornado Tyrant, which the Champion defeated.
Later, criminal scientist T.O. Morrow created an android called the Red Tornado in order to defeat the Justice Society of America. The Tornado Champion entered the android body but thereby lost his memory. The Red Tornado saved both the JLA and JSA from Morrow and became a member of the Justice Society himself.
After nearly being destroyed (a recurring theme), the Tornado was repaired by Morrow and joined the JLA. Given human facial features by his creator, the Tornado took the human identity of John Smith and fell in love with Kathy Sutton. The Tornado was destroyed in action again, but was rebuilt by the Construct. When the Justice League more or less disbanded, "Reddy" left the team, but became lonely and when he heard the Crusaders' open call for members, joined up. It remains to be seen if 1) he will discover a new purpose there, 2) he will work out as Jester's bunkmate, and 3) he will be destroyed again.
Powers and Weapons
The android Red Tornado can create and control artificial tornados and fly at great speed. Since he is an air spirit inhabiting a mechanical body, he can always be rebuilt if he is destroyed.
Despite these sizeable abilities, the Tornado has problems fitting in, and if he has a flaw, it is that he is terminally emo.
Swarm
Alter Ego: Teb Phyraz
Occupation: Businessman
Marital Status: Single
Known Relatives: None
Group Affiliation: Crusaders
Base of Operations: Cairo, Egypt
First Appearance: CRUSADERS #½
Height: 5'11" Weight: 185 lbs.
Eyes: Hazel Hair: Bald
History
Swarm is actually the reincarnation of an ancient Egyptian pharoah, one who, in legend, was reputed to worship insect gods who lent him his power. Teb Phyraz wasn't born with this knowledge, of course. But being a relatively wealthy middle eastern businessman, he had some pricy vices. His particular obsession was ancient relics.
That obsession brought a special staff into his hands, a staff reputed to belong to the aforementioned pharoah. As soon as he came in contact with it, tatoos appeared on his skin, he started hallucinating, and suddenly he knew! His pharaonic legacy was revealed to him, as well as a host of powers stemming from a special communion with insects.
Using those powers for the common good and his own interests, he became known as Swarm. At some point deciding to associate with other superhumans to widen his influence, he joined the Crusaders, an opportunity afforded him by Neutron. A somewhat cold figure, his analytical mind often places him in the leadership role, which he doesn't mind.
Later finding his former incarnation's tomb, he also fell upon a secret ritual which could be the key to his ultimate destiny. The ritual required him to break his staff. When he did, it sucked him into the Astral plane where he encountered his insect god, a being of great evil called Set or Sutekh or Ixathulu. It offered him the Earth to rule and amazing new powers. Swarm accepted the deal regarding those powers, but used a loophole to free himself from the monster's hold. Angry with him, Ixathulu cursed Swarm forever.
Powers and Weapons
Before
his transformation, Swarm's powers were connected to the insect world mostly through his staff.
The staff could summon a large number of insects of all kinds (ants, scarabs,
flies, etc., but also more poisonous creatures) which could be blasted painfully
at his opponents or turned into an inpenetrable shield. The staff did not work
for anyone by Swarm.
Though now staffless, his new powers allow him to mimic any insect's abilities, from the ant's great strength to the bombadier beetle's flame burst, the fly's reflexes and the wasp's sting and flight.
He retains the ability to control insects around him. He can also see through those insects' eyes, often sending scouts out under doors to see what's ahead.
Swarm still has a problem with visions, however, sometimes being contacted by the demon that spawned him. He is the richest member of the Crusaders, often throwing money around to gain access to vehicles and other resources. As an expert on Egyptian relics, he also has a fait amount of occult knowledge.
(Swarm before his transformation)
Tekktonik
Alter Ego: T'*T'**XX
Occupation: Former Engineer
Marital Status: Single
Known Relatives: None
Group Affiliation: Crusaders
Base of Operations: Earth
First Appearance: CRUSADERS #22
Height: 8'0" Weight: 500 lbs.
Eyes: Gray Hair: None
History
The being we know as Tekktonik was a simple engineer on a rocky planet where the silicon-based inhabitants lived underground and had learned to mold the ground into any shape they desired. One day, a horrible accident happened on Tekktonik's shift. An orderly and advanced culture died when a reactor exploded and destroy the entire planet.
One survivor, spinning out of control on a small piece of his planet ("his"? hard to say, there are no genders on his world), enters a wormhole used by the alien alliance invasion force coming back beaten from a defiant planet Earth. That survivor: Tekktonik, carrying all the guilt of his dead world.
Coming close to the Crusaders' satellite HQ, he was picked up and adopted by the team, who now must teach him about Earth and its people. 75% ocean, this couldn't be farther from his experience. Still, he must cope. Cope, and use his vast strength and Earth Shakers to help his adopted home in pennance for his grave mistake.
Powers and Weapons
Tekktonik is made of supple stone and consequently is at once a bit slow-moving, strong enough to lift more than 50 tons, and is denser than titanium steel. He can survive the vaccum of space for up to a week, and doesn't need to breathe. His alien physique also means he has no sense of smell.
His greatest weapon is perhaps his Earth Shakers, technology from his world that allows him to shape rock, dirt and earth into any shape he desires. He can levitate rock, and often flies atop a small boulder. He can also create dirt storms and small earthquakes.
Tekktonik was an engineer from an advanced culture, and as soon as he learns the basics of Earth technology, will be able to understand, repair and construct many gadgets. Aside from his heavy guilt, the gentle monster is also plagued by a fearsome appearance, a naive outlook on life, a mild fear of water (he cannot swim and would most likely sink to the bottom of any ocean), and flashbacks of his peaceful homeworld.
CRUSADERS LEFT
A small group of Neutron's later recruits that work what they call the "left hemisphere" (Australia, Asia and Africa). They're the only ones to call the core team "Crusaders Right", somewhat ironically.
Electronica
Alter Ego: Renée Coupland
Occupation: Computer security expert
Marital Status: Single
Known Relatives: Bernice (sister)
Group Affiliation: Crusaders Left
Base of Operations: Oregon
First Appearance: CRUSADERS #24
Height: 5'7" Weight: 125 lbs.
Eyes: Blue Hair: Black/Blue
History
Renée Coupland was one of the best computer security experts in the business when her employer MicroSoft asked her to test a new mind-to-computer interface. She got into the system... and then something went wrong and Renée was electrocuted. Electricity arced around her, and then she was gone.
They inexplicably found her body across the complex at another terminal that was sharing data with her own. She was changed forever. Finding herself with electrical powers and the ability to turn herself digital, she felt like a freak and started withdrawing from her friends and family. Only her sister still sees her, but is continually rebuffed.
Perhaps joining the Crusaders, where she isn't so different, will do her good..?
Powers and Weapons
Electronica can turn herself into raw electricity and enter any electronic machine, control it from within, or use computer lines to transmit herself almost instantaneously across the world.
Her hacking abilities remain virtually unmatched, especially with the added help of going into the machine directly. She's also an able detective, though more and more out of touch with human attitudes.
The
Gadgeteer
Alter Ego: Ito Tanaka
Occupation: Inventor
Marital Status: Single
Known Relatives: None
Group Affiliation: Crusaders Left
Base of Operations: Japan
First Appearance: CRUSADERS #24
Height: 5'11" Weight: 200 lbs.
Eyes: Black Hair: Black
History
The Gadgeteer is a Japanese inventor named Ito Tanaka who became famous on the popular television show "Happy Happy Fun Fun Zap Hour" where he showed his many and varied contraptions to a fawning audience. The fame did not go to his head, but he did seize the opportunity to use both his devices and his popularity to do some good.
Since he could simulate virtually any power technologically, he saw no reason not to become a superhero. He trained intensely, in much in science as in detective work and weapons use. Now he uses his time on the streets as much to fight crime as to try out inventions in the field.
A passing acquaintance of fellow scientist Neutron, the Gadgeteer was asked to be field leader for what would become Crusaders Left.
Powers and Weapons
The Gadgeteer's greatest power is that of his mind. He can invent virtually anything, though most often, discoveries come to him by accident, and he has been criticized by scientists for not taking enough notes or testing theories using the scientific method.
He usually carries some 5 gadgets with him, which might be anything from ceramic skin armor to magnet guns to crossbow bolts that transmit the thoughts of a victim to his own brain. Truly, there is no power, skill or heightened attribute he cannot simulate. But as to whether he has the right gadget with him on any given mission, that is up in the air.
Monster
Boy
Alter Ego: Jason Argo
Occupation: Junior High School student
Marital Status: Single
Known Relatives: Ray (father), Karla (mother)
Group Affiliation: Crusaders left
Base of Operations: Harryhausen, Minnesota
First Appearance: CRUSADERS #24
Height: Usually 4'5" Weight: Usually 90 lbs.
Eyes: Brown Hair: Brown
History
Jason Argo was born with an unfortunate birth defect: His legs ended at the knee. Though prosthetic legs were fitted, he had trouble using them, and often preferred using a wheelchair, and spent his days imagining himself as a racecar driver, more often than not, playing at one with his video games. His parents felt badly and brought him to many specialists, but none could help. But Harryhausen, Minnesota is a strange place, which has a way of taking care of its own...
Jason has heard all the stories... That the town was the furthest west where witches had been burned, that werewolves and apemen were sighted in its woods, that it had been built over a gateway to Hell itself. Only the younger kids believed in such nonsense, right? Then what about that fateful night when
he let his imagination run wild? Is there any good reason why a young boy could pick up a colored marker, start drawing monsters on the page, and then become that monster? None. And yet, it happened.
Once again, there are tales of monsters in and around Harryhausen, all of them either Jason in transmogriphied form or the atrocities and absurdities he fights. And hey, it's more fun than being trapped in his atrophied body all day!
Powers and Weapons
Jason has the power to turn into a variety of monsters that spring from his imagination. All are huge and strong, but have little more than that in common. His most common forms are those of a red, clawed alien, a creature made wholly of electricity, and a giant robot that shoots laser beams from its eyes. Each also has a single weakness, just as vampires fear garlic or werewolves can be hurt by silver bullets.
Jason has played so many driving and piloting games, that he is actually very good at piloting real vehicles. It may seem strange to see a large monster flying one of the Crusaders' Starjets, but he's the Left team's best!
No-Man
Alter Ego: None
Occupation: Sentient dimension
Marital Status: N/A
Known Relatives: N/A
Group Affiliation: Crusaders Left
Base of Operations: Himself
First Appearance: CRUSADERS #24
Height: 6'0" Weight: N/A
Eyes: None visible Hair: None
History
No-Man, as he is called, is one of the strangest forms of life imaginable: a living, sentient pocket dimension. How such a creature can evolve is unknown, and probably requires understanding of 12th-dimensional physics, but Neutron has theorized that living beings' emotions create some kind of psychic field which would have resonated through the higher dimensions and helped some plane of existence become aware.
The plane called No-Man was eventually drawn to the suffering of people on Earth, and it broke through the 3rd dimension to stop the racket, as it was. It quickly identified criminals as the source of that suffering, some with knives on the streets, some wielding power as heads of state. They are all the same to No-Man, but killers are its main target. Its mission is to take them into itself where he has them meet their greatest fears. After this shock treatment, they are let out on probation. Criminals don't usually want a repeat visit.
Still not understanding everything about the world it has chosen to peer through, No-Man has joined the Crusaders to at least make the attempt. It sees an opportunity to more efficiently stop suffering, and thus perhaps one day bring peace to its own existence.
Powers and Weapons
No-Man does not really have a body in our world. What we see is merely an opening into another dimension (the dimension that is No-Man). The creature has the ability to bring others into itself, usually only one person at a time because the experience is so distasteful. And there, No-Man makes them see their greatest fears before spitting them out again. Enough to scare a hardened criminal straight. No-Man can of course choose to bring in a friend, usually to teleport itself and its friend to somewhere else in our universe. After all, it may poke through where it wants.
Zen
Girl
Alter Ego: Emma Z.
Occupation: Personal shopper and closet organiser
Marital Status: Single
Known Relatives: None
Group Affiliation: Crusaders Left
Base of Operations: Star City
First Appearance: CRUSADERS #24
Height: 5'2" Weight: 105 lbs.
Eyes: Brown Hair: Rasberry blonde
History
Sometimes, someone is born with a destiny. No matter how hard they fight it, they can't help but become who they are. Emma is like Reese Witherspoon in Legally Blonde, but with martial arts instead of law. Plus throw in a little Clueless for good measure. "Hehe, I'm just a girl!"
When her sensei found her, he couldn't believe it. But his own destiny meant he would have to train her, train her to become even better than himself. This training was the start of many a migraine in the year to come. But despite constantly missing practice to go shopping, Emma did have a good heart and fulfilled her destiny.
Though her sensei hoped (but also dreaded) that she would run a dojo, Emma couldn't help but do the fashionable thing: Become a superhero! Now, maybe she can reorganize the Crusaders' closets and put some style into the team. Some rumors say she was behind Gaëtan leaving ("Talk about a fashion faux pas!"), but you shouldn't believe everything you hear.
Powers and Weapons
Absurdly, Zen Girl is one of the greatest martial artists on Earth, if not the outright best. Anyone who can outclass Batman should be taken seriously. Perhaps she is so vaccuous that that universe simply takes over and fights for her. Who know? In addition to her practically superhuman martial arts skills, Emma can execute jumps of almost 20 feet, and can keep fighting even after being injured to the point where she should be knocked out.
In addition, Emma is strikingly attractive and a favorite with the boys. Her greatest weakness is probably her tendency to drop what she's doing when she sees a cute outfit in a store window. But you can't fault her tastes!