DC '78 # 7: Opal City Protectors

Jack Knight is the newest Starman, and he reflects the
heart of the city that has become a home for so many
of the bizarre and ostracized. He is a fiery solo artist,
stylized and defiant, bold and passionate. He has his own
means of going about his business, just like Opal--that dark
lady of shadow and loss, struggle and redemption.

Ted Knight, the most famous denizen of Opal,
and its brightest star. He continues on in his
scientific studies and overseeing/assisting his son
Jack who has finally, reluctantly, taken up the
mantle of Starman to defend the city.

The O'Dare family of crime-fighters;
entrenched in the city for generations.

The Shade, an astute old soul with dark
shadow powers.

The enigmatic Charity has been of great help
to Jack on many quests, and is of special
interest to one Mason O'Dare.
But it is unknown what her relationship with
Madame Xanadu may be, and what importance
it may have regarding her loyalty.



Sadie Falk, Jack's first serious relationship,
finally came clean about what brought her to Opal.

Jake 'Bobo' Bennetti

Opal is a unique city, full of its own bristling

wonderment; a dash of yesteryear, more than

a smidgen of lost dreams and longing.

A dark place, where grey folks are the norm,

and there's a tough grit to the flock.

People come to Opal to find something...

to be a part of something....

to be content amidst the other proud

outcasts, loners and radicals.

Opal is a place of strange mysteries, wild

adventures, odd occurrences, and times

gone by. Its heroes and protectors reflect that.

After being saved from an evil carnival ( a recurring
theme; Sandman and Starman fought another in the
'Golden Age,' as they refer to it) this blue-skinned
Starman of space stayed on to recuperate, indeed
developing friendships and ties.

Originally seeking help for being trapped in his
Golden Gorilla's body, Congo Bill eventually
realized this was his fate, and embraced becoming
'Congorilla' permanently. He found a kindred spirit
in the blue Starman, Mikaal, as these two outsiders
both began new paths on their own.

Greg Saunders likes a challenge, and after his years in Vegas,
he knows from corruption. In part responding to the call
from an old friend (the reincarnated Brian Savage, whom
Saunders had met while stranded in the Old West,) the
original cowboy--the Vigilante--is a proud temporary
citizen....but hopes to return to his southwestern dude
ranch and business interests.



Bruce Gordon came seeking the disappeared mark Merlin, last
spotted in Opal, and now feels the demonic busyness of
the olden streets may be the perfect place to help end his
counter, Eclipso, for good.



Not much is known of this confused and eccentric
anti-hero, yet another Harlequin. Enigma is not her
intention, for once, however; she is a survivor of the
Explosion (known as 'The Crisis' in some circles)
that changed the face of the world earlier in 1978.

She is one of but a handful of people to survive her earth's
destruction. When Opal reached out its hand to the
regular citizens of her earth when survivors were
being held in camps and divided amongst the world
populaces, this Harlequin hitched along and started
yet another reinvention. Her allegiances are unknown.



Adam Strange was involved in a case involving Starman (Ted Knight,)
Hawkman (Carter Hall,) and a theft of museum artifacts
both historically valuable and dangerous.
Once The Untouchables
were tracked and defeated, Adam had a friend in Ted Knight.
Upon his Zeta-trips to earth, he makes a point to check
in, dividing his time between League cases, science work,
and helping with meta-crime in Opal.



During a spell cast by Blackbriar Thorn during a

Legion of Doom assault on the Secret Society of Super-

Villains, the body of Solomon Grundy

(the swamp monster) was split into many versions of

the creature. They proved difficult to control, as each

maintained autonomy and an individual personality,

just as happened each time Grundy is destroyed and

subsequently reconstituted.

Eventually, the Wizard and Blackbriar Thorn

destroyed all but the original Grundy in a blast,

but one 'duplicate' was only nearly ruined. He managed

to escape the area, in dire shape, and was captured by

a carnival. With the aide of Jack Knight, he eventually

found freedom and friendship.

The spirit of the original Black Condor brought
this new, mysterious protegee to Opal for
reasons as yet unknown, but seemingly
related to a rash of disappearances happening in the town.



Beth Chapel became a 'super-hero' merely by chance.
Her dedication to the legacy of Dr. Charles McNider
and the field of medicine brought her to Opal City
to complete unfinished business for Charles (her
predecessor in the costume) from his time as Starman
(which she was informed about via a letter that was
delivered upon his death.)

Beth mostly spends her time working at a free clinic
set up to handle the influx of new residents from both
the release of prisoners of the "Poster Demon"and the
new residents from the alternate earths Her nights she
spends devoted to McNider's mission...and forgetting
her feelings for Rick Tyler.



The 2nd Whip, another legacy character drawn to Opal's streets.
She strikes up an unlikely relationship with the original Vigilante,
becoming partners of a fashion. He has even considered her for
a new version of his old team, the Seven Soldiers, along with
another Opal resident....I, Spyder.

The second Midnight has a nose for solving crimes
and mysteries, and is a throwback to another age.
His bare-knuckled noir antics made him a popular
cult figure amongst residents....a welcome change to the
'Ragdoll' followers that continue to congregate.

Following in his predecessor's footsteps, his motto is
'friend of the needy.' He focuses on helping the little man
and unseating fat cats. He is hellbent on keeping corruption
down, and downright obsessed with crime-fighting. The
inspirational voice in him that led him to this identity also
brought him to Opal, in search of an occultist by the name
of Debral Lincoln....though he has no idea why.

Phantom Lady II, Dee Tyler,
began checking out mysterious phenomenon in Opal
as a favor to her mentor, the original Phantom Lady,
who is Ted (Starman) Knight's cousin.

Dee is also working on the side to
follow up on some personal business; tracking down
her friend and flame, Will Payton, whom sources
found trace activities leading to Opal. 

Adventurers Wesley Dodds and Diane Belmont came through
Opal periodically, as it was known as a hotbed for magic,
reincarnation, occult activity, troubled spirits and more.

The original Sandman was also one of the few early heroes
which Ted Knight had rapport with, as Wesley's sensibilities
mirrored those of the reclusive and quirky Knight.

Ralph & Sue Dibny, sleuths of global proportions,
came to town nosing out a mystery and in search
of hero Hamilton Drew. They quickly found a home
that suited this unorthodox power couple.

On the matter of those paranormal activities...
Opal maintains several elite ghosts in residence,
including the city's fallen son, David Knight, the
first to take up the family mantle.

 Jon Valor, the Black Knight, is seeking
vindication for his sullied name, and helps
Jack in his quests when possible.

Though not a unified or formal

group by any stretch,

these unconventional souls have a

cameraderie that transcends their various

differences and styles.

DC '78: # 5 --"FEARSOME"

Arthur Light and his suit's stolen technology
have been a thorn in the Teen Titans' side for

some time now, although never amounting to much.

In the employ of H.I.V.E. and their unlimited resources,

however, Dr. Light has just become a very dangerous man.

He has a penchant for sociopathic manipulation, and

he has used that to full advantage in psychologically

ensnaring a number of confused, hurting, and

vulnerable meta humans. The cruel brainwashing

of innocents is satisfying to Light's sick mind.

With assistance from the H.I.V.E. and Queen Bee's

mind control efforts, they have built an army

trained specifically to wipe out the Teen Titans,

with each member having an opposite number....

and in several cases, a psychological trump card.

Barely surviving her first outing against the Queen Bee,

Francis Kane was unable to fight the trigger that

had been left in play.

She is still unaware of her heritage as the grand-]

daughter of Golden Age hero, Magno, but

she is more than aware of her troubled youth

as those memories are used to play her for

H.I.V.E.'s goals.

New Wave didn't need any pressure to come to

the Fearsome team. She is pure murderous

psychotic with a score to settle.

Sun Girl continues the elemental theme

of the group's dynamic, and was designed

to take out Aqualad easily.

Windfall would follow her sister New Wave anywhere,

and was already enthralled by her need for

approval. She was easily brought under the

control of the Queen.

Terra Markov was trained by Deathstroke, the H.I.V.E.'s

heaviest hitter. She is being put into play for

a more long-range plan, and is nothing that

she seems.

Little is known of the mysterious young

woman known as 'Halo' except that when

she was discovered in Markovia while

selecting Terra, she was hurt, lost, alone,

and extremely powerful. Her memory loss

provides the coup-de-gras for the Queen's plans.

Crystal Frost has been after the head of

Firestorm since her creation. Her unstable

mental and emotional state makes her even deadlier,

but when she is coherent, the one thing she wants

most is a cure for her terrible condition.

Another sensitive soul, Kole was lost

after the death of her scientist father.

H.I.V.E. agents who had been keeping

tabs on her as part of their ongoing recruitment

efforts knew she was ripe for the picking.

Powerful brothers who had been under the Queen's

thrall already were easily purloined for service.

Their difficulties, and being in a strange country

unable to control their powers made them

further ideal candidates for Fearsome.

The Titans have a tall order in store to

not only defeat these intensely powerful

enemies, but to refrain from damaging these

sad souls further in the process.

Regardless the outcome, this is only

another operation in the H.I.V.E.'s

efforts to eradicate the Teen Titans

and Superman...for whatever sinister purpose

those goals serve.

*****