DC '78 # 12: The Soldiers of Star City

by Yolanda Montez,

on assignment for Rolling Stone

The new park, created with architectural assists from John Stewart
and long hours from city planners and an extensive construction crew.

As part of the millions spent on gentrification and development

during Star City's tourist hey-day in the earlier part of this decade,

expressionist artists Christo and Jean-Claude were contracted to

create one of their controversial and stimulating designs.

The effect, which entailed the bulldozing and demolition of

several miles of Star City's inner city streets to make way
for an over-the-top lush park in the middle of the city,

drew extreme criticism from all quarters.

  Yet, in a time when drug proliferation and violence

had brought the burg into the "Top Ten Worst Cities in

North America,"* people were desperate for some sort

of marked impact signalling change. Unfortunately, things

have come full circle, and Star is once more in the grip of despair.

.

But all hope is not lost in this fabled city, with its rich

history and once-lucrative port of call. The rebellious

archer known as Green Arrow, a street-level fighter

with a checkered past (mostly for his outspoken politics and

quick temper) has left his prestigious post within the

Justice League of America to devote himself to taking

back the streets of his city.

To that end, the former billionaire has enlisted help from

his immediate 'Green Arrow Family' as well as outside

connections to help win the battle over the soul of his

hometown. And it has decidedly become an all-out war. 

Green Arrow (who last year publicly revealed his true identity

to the world when he commenced his bid for mayor) is ably

aided by his second-in-command, his son Connor Hawke,

whom Queen only recently discovered. (Details of the union that

produced Connor as well as his whereabouts have understandably

been kept hidden, however. Neither Queen nor Hawke was

forthcoming for this interview.)

The group has engaged in some controversial tactics; they are
renegades operating outside the law, but with open consent of

 law-makers and denizens of the beleaguered city. Vigilantism

seems not as frowned upon when it involves members
of the masked hero and spandex variety. (Editor's

 note; It should be noted in the interest of fairness that Miss

Montez is the goddaughter of the Earth-2 Wildcat, Ted Grant.

She is also an Earth-2 transplant herself.)

Keeping to the shadows and blending in is a big part of what

the Arrow does in his mission to fight blue collar crime in his alter ego,

getting into the places that Mayor Queen (following his successful

campaign last November) is unable to reach in his war on the

corporate demons that seek to capitalize of Star's misfortune.

This goes a long way to explaining his choices for operatives in

protecting the city. Many have questioned why he didn't bring

in big guns like the Justice League to assist him in securing the citizens,

to which he scoffed rather angrily before laughing out loud.

"Those guys are the opposite of invisible.

People don't trust them; they're bigger than life, and regular Joes

can't relate. The only way to get anywhere doing undercover work

is to fade into the woodwork." Queen advised me.

I asked the same of Roy Harper. Not the Roy Harper who grew up

here as Arrow's protegee; he's serving in the Teen Titans in New

York. This is an older, darker Roy who now goes by Red Arrow,

and came to us from one of the merged earths destroyed in the

Crisis. This Roy says with a sorrowful forlornness that "..the battle

we're waging here isn't for soft sorts. It's bloody. It's complex.

The fight isn't fair, the stakes are high, and a traditional 'hero' who

thinks goodness and light will win the day isn't going to work."

When questioned if this meant that these soldiers they have gathered

were picked because of their willingness to break or bend the law,

Roy merely stared blankly and added; "We do what we have to

do to survive. High morals are not a luxury we can afford now."

There are plenty of other things the city and its administration

can't afford, as well, thanks to the high level of corruption, graft, and

misuse of funds under former mayor, Thomas Bolt.**  Bolt's

excesses and theft left the city devastated from within, as their

infrastructure is barely able to maintain the basics of monthly

expenditures even on a Queen-devised emergency budget.

Star City International Airport, site of last
year's incident with Count Vertigo

When the Arrow initially recruited his band of outlaws

(the ironies not lost on his advocates nor his opponents)

he started off calling themselves the 'Seven Soldiers of

Star City,' a nod to his 'Earth-2' counterpart who had

passed in the Crisis. Originally, the other Green Arrow

and Speedy were founding members of that team.

This starting effort on our earth included Arrow, the Earth-2

Speedy, Onyx, Arrowette (daughter of the Golden Age

heroine/athlete,) Artemis, his son Connor (also going by the

moniker 'Green Arrow,') and a mysterious new Crimson Avenger.

Quickly they realized this would not be a sufficient force to crack

down on the growing epidemic of organized criminal activity

that now saturates Star. (Queen gruffly dispatched the notion

that he would need to rename the group; "If people can't count,

that's not my problem.")

According to local police representatives, (evidently

under some duress, as they are currently undergoing investigation

themselves from direct order of Mayor Queen's office,)

there has developed a gang war of sorts here.

It's unknown what the catalyst was, or what possible unique

properties Star holds that have driven this land grab from the

underworld, but such major players as the assassin Deathstroke and

international financier Ra's Al Ghul have both been implicated

in arrests over the past six months.

(So far we have identified through sources that H.I.V.E.*** and

Intergang also have agents operating large cells in the city, and

rumors abound that the Bertinelli family is looking to set up shop as well.)

Photographer  Donna Troy was allowed to photograph the
interior to the vaunted 'Operations Central' of the
resistance. (She was escorted in blindfolded, however, and it should
be noted that the clock face is merely ornamental, not longer
 part of a building's facade.)

According to the characteristically frank Queen, it's

much deeper than that. He points out a minimum

of six major organizations vying for control of his city,

many of them led by super-powered criminals. He, too,

is uncertain for the impetus of this new and undesired

attention his fair city has received.

But Queen remains resolute, certain that he and his team

are capable of handling all that the admittedly tough

coming months will bring.

I asked him about the visibility of his team membership

during a ride-along with the chief of police. He daringly

stated his defiant response; "I want them to know we're

here. I want them to know we're coming for them, that

we're prepared."

The mayor further explained that he and his crew

don't wear their well-known costumes when patrolling the city.

They are given to undercover work and disguises more

often then not, eliminating the concern for standing out.

My skepticism was palpable, and Queen recognized it. "I've

got some surprises in my back pocket, too; my cards aren't

all on the table. I'm like a Boy Scout; always prepared."

Surprises, possibly, like the presence of other known

vigilantes Arrow counts as friends. The Black Lightning has been

spotted on occasion, linked to unconfirmed reports of the criminal

organization 'The 1000,' as well as another new Huntress.

And distance does not make connections impossible; longtime
lady love Black Canary, former ward Speedy, and the newest
female Speedy, although departed from home, use Justice League
teleporters to quickly return in times of need--such as last Winter's
S.K.U.L.L.**** assault of S.T.A.R.*****  Labs' Star City location.

If police reports and underworld buzz is any indication is

accurate, he needs an army. He and Star City certainly have

no shortage of enemies. If hard streets indeed require hardened
heroes, said heroes in turn draw out hardcore enemies.

There are other groups that reportedly work outside the law in

such a fashion, including those in such places as Gotham,
Spiral City, Iron County, and Bedlam,  but these are only rumors
as the operatives work in secret. These groups, if they exist, are comprised
of unnamed, unknown  quotients, and stay off the grid.

Arrow, on the other hand, has been above board about his activities,
which may actually work to his detriment in the long run.

All that we could find out about the mysterious new 'Arsenal'
is that his father was the original 'Red Dart,' and the Arrow
was instrumental in helping him get turned around.

Most notably, Jack Ryder referenced a group of 'outsiders' in an

unconfirmed piece he did on Nightline last fall, calling for a need

for tighter sanctions against such groups--that one supposedly

operating between the divergent cities of Gotham and Metropolis.

Likewise, columnist Michael Jan Friedman and photo-journalist

Luke McDonnell recorded actions of a modern day group of

not-so-merry men located in the swamps outside Biloxi, Mississippi

in a "This Nation" piece in Life magazine last fall.

And Vicki Vale championed the notion that an all-female group

of operatives is working in unison on cases outside government

jurisdiction, also not-as-yet grounded in hard facts (although one

wonders why such a group would not be front and center with

women's lib in full swing!)

Blurred lines allow for more effective working, since the same laws

that are being broken often limit and kneecap the very mystery men

that are seeking to produce justice. These tactics--and the state of Star

City--have brought the vigilantes under the scrutiny of groups like the

DEO and Checkmate, both governmental teams regulating the super

hero community.

During my week stay in Star City, I was privy to see not only the inner
workings of the mayor's office, a drug sting being finished up by the crew,
personal interviews, and a police ride-along, I also did an extensive
tour of Queen Industries...yet another front on which Queen is
making strides to improve the city.

Queen Industries leads the nation with environmentally friendly
products and packaging, and has initiated statewide recycling
programs, an "Every Day is Earth Day" Program, amnesty
days for getting rid of toxic and non-recyclable items, as well
as creating over 1,200 jobs in the first quarter of this year
alone. Queen's business acumen almost seems to run counter
to such community standards, but he asserts it isn't difficult, but
rather business owners are complacent and lazy.

Although Star compares to nearby Seattle and Portland for having

a large counter culture movement as part of their makeup, inclusion

of such high-profile associates as the homosexual-rights advocate,

Rainbow Archer, still have drawn some public criticism. Arrow

dismisses those complaints outright, using words not allowed in this 

publication to describe "a bunch of hair-brained religious zealots

who are at the core of what's wrong with this society's new direction."

The Rainbow Archer was not specifically in the closet, but when

attacks on bars and gay couples in Star's "Little Castro" district

started, he felt it imperative that he make himself known. "Visibility

is the answer," he told me. 

     "Whether fighting ignorance or drug dealers of corporate
crime, you have to stand up to it and say 'That's enough!'"

Queen's plans for riverfront development have blossomed,

with his plan to give contractors and builders a piece of

their investment in exchange for their sweat equity.

Progressive thinking outside the box is what has

established Queen as a successful businessman in a

volatile market, and he is applying those same tactics

to his restructuring for the city.

"We can't let development and our import/export

businesses falter. That's our bread and butter. So you

can see the scope of this gargantuan puzzle; keeping

the public safe, stopping organized crime, saving

existing businesses, developing new ones, keeping

the nation and the world's faith in the city solvent...."

He seemed to become distracted, reflecting on

the fate of his city, as a parent would a fragile child they

were steadfastly fighting to save, not knowing what

the future might bring. His icy and snappish facade

skipped a beat.

"It sounds whelming...quite intimidating," I offered as he

collected himself. "Oliver Queen hasn't seen the

problem yet that he can't find a way to beat.

We're survivors here in this town....believe that."

I do believe it. And therein lies the strength of

Queen's campaign, on multiple levels; his is

a passionate and endearing presence, one that rallies

people and demands self-empowerment.

He's an everyman success story that helps others

on the bottom aspire to same. It's about underdogs, the little

guys, and overcoming tremendous odds.

I always have loved a comeback story.

-Yolanda Montez works out of Los Angeles

and makes frequent trips adventuring around

the globe. Her passions range beyond journalism

to boxing, fashion, and criminal law.

**********************************

                                                                                                                                                                       

                                                              

Behind the Scenes: Profiles and Backgrounds

A little something extra with the Answer Man, Robert Rozakis

....

Well, for a hero junkie like me, just making it to this

'new earth' alive should be reward enough, right?

But add to that an assortment of masked wonders

who are more plentiful than ever before, and this

former comics scribe is a happy camper.

It's One Year Later and we still need a map

and a genius to figure out half of the dynamics

as to "Who's Who?" on this patchwork world.

It's a regular mosaic of mythological proportions.

So this month I'm here to give some extra

behind-the-scenes scoop on some of the new

personalities running around Star City!

Chloe Sullivan is new to 'our' earth (as mentioned,

along with yours truly and a few billion more!) and she hails

from a small town experience that certainly  didn't prep

her for the hustle and bustle of the down-and-out Star

City. She's an old soul, though, and has quickly made

the transition not only to the big city, but also the

reverse-engineered computer technology brought to us courtesy

of some of our time-lost friends and dwellers in the Time Warp Zones.

Chloe is a mathematical genius, with a great sense for

coordinating and strategizing. She helps coordinate all

the activities and divisions in the city...a daunting task

to say the least.

Next up comes a 'new' Black Canary, who at first was thought

to have been reunited with Arrow after a highly publicized

breakup last year when they both departed the Justice

 League (geez! I feel like Rona Barrett with the gossip report!)

But we discovered that this is an older Black Canary

who, like our world's known entity, came to this earth from another.

On the earth this new Canary was from, where there was

never a Superman, she lost her Green Arrow during the Crisis,

even as he resided in a new android body. His sacrifice allowed

Canary and several dozen inhabitants of their earth to make

safe passage to our earth before the Great Explosion closed

off all those many other worlds. 

Arrow originally took a lot of heat when the Canary we know
as a long-time Leaguer originally returned to this earth from
her home on Earth 2, romantically linked to the significantly older
Queen. Now, with rumors swirling that he has taken up with another
'version' of Black Canary, he is under attack again.

 ARTICLE NOTATIONS:

*Star City ranked lower only that the following cities, all judged

on economic growth, poverty levels, school capabilities, drug use,

and gun violence; Dakota, Detroit, Gotham City, Hub City, and

Los Angeles. Definitely not statistics they wish to be tied to.

** Former Star City mayor Thomas Bolt was not only

indicted by a grand jury on 16 different counts--ranging from

misappropriation of funds to cronyism, bribery, and extortion-- but

there were allegations raised at his trial that he also masqueraded

as the city's nefarious drug lord, Steelclaw.

Bolt denied those charges to the end, and now a possibly new

Steelclaw is loose in the city while the former mayor sits behind bars.

***H.I.V.E. (Hierarchy of International Vengeance

and Extermination) (No, we kid you not!)

Obviously a super-villain terrorist organization with cells

around the world. Built from the embers of C.Y.C.L.O.P.S.

and other such organizations. Little is known, except that

they have been implicated in several FBI and CBI reports,

but their existence was revealed when the Teen Titan Bumblebee

went undercover in one of their 'Youth Training Programs.'

**** S.K.U.L.L. is a criminal organization with known

ties to scientific stakes, and formerly headed by the Atomic Skull.

***** S.T.A.R. Labs (Scientific and Technological Advanced

Research Laboratories); worldwide company with facilities in

most major cities. S.T.A.R. does R & D, meta-human studies,

housing and study of alien artifacts, and much more.

***