Rocket Red Brigade
The Rocket Red Brigade is an organization that features in DC Comics.
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History
The Rocket Red Brigade were an elite force of superhumans created by the Soviet Union as part of the Rocket Red Plan with this emerging from a desire to create their own superheroes. Arguments in using forced evolution of the human body were made which resulted in a five-year plan with funding secured for the project. However, volunteers for the project kept dying due to the scientists being unable to solve the corollary problem that was killing the test subjects. Doctor Krenshikov was unable to find a solution to the issue at hand with this testing the patience of his superior General Trenzof. A fortunate turn of events occurred when the Kremlin was being visited by the Green Lantern Kilowog who was returning a Russian citizen. They came to showcase the Communist ideals to him which matched those of Kilowog's own lost homeworld where they ingratiated themselves on him. This saw them enlisting his aid in the Rocket Red problem where his talents as a genetic engineer allowed him to help evolve a human into a superhuman being. He succeeded in creating the first Rocket Red from Josef Danoff who became Rocket Red #1 where they began their efforts in creating an entire brigade of these superhumans. (Green Lantern Corps v1 #208)
Whilst on patrol, they received reports of unidentified superhuman beings entering into Russian space with these being the Champions of Angor who were on a quest to disarm all nuclear weapons in the world. The Justice League were in pursuit of them but the Rocket Reds saw this as another American invasion of their territory leading to the Brigade battling that team of heroes. The fighting was stopped when the Russian government asked the Rocket Reds to escort the Justice League during a confrontation between the Brigade and the Champions. During this time, a fight broke out causing a nuclear incident from the power plant that threatened to explode. However, Wandjina stepped forth into the nuclear reactor to stop it from exploding but experienced a fatal burst of radiation. The Rocket Red Brigade helped escort all non-Russian parties outside the country. (Justice League v1 #3)
They later battled the Justice League, until the Soviet government ordered them to join forces with the League to prevent a nuclear meltdown. (Justice League v1 #3) Still later, Rocket Red 7 joined the Justice League at the request of the Russian government when the superhero team became an international peace force. (Justice League International v1 #7)
The Rocket Red Brigade was eventually retired (probably around the time of the fall of the Soviet Union), and the battlesuits were later put up for sale at an illegal arms auction. The suits were purchased by Vandal Savage, who used their nuclear-powered suits as nuclear "missiles" with which he attempted to conquer the world. (DC One Million v1 #1) He also imprisoned the captured and newly reformed Teen Titans in the suits, to kill them in the process. However, at the same time, the Hourman Virus struck, causing the suit with Tempest to go off-course, free the hero, and annihilate the city of Montevideo in Uruguay. The other suits were divested of their unwilling wearers, and destroyed by members of the Justice Legion A, before they could be used to wipe out Metropolis, Brussels, and Singapore.
Under orders from the Russian government, the Rocket Reds were sent to the border to allow the Green Lantern Corps access to their airspace after they came under attack from Black Adam and the Great Ten. Rather than anger the Russians, Black Adam backed down but warned the Green Lanterns that Russia would be invited into his coalition that formed from the Freedom of Power Treaty. (52 v1 #6)
Following the Black Adam-Green Lantern incident, foreign Metahumans were outlawed in Russia with the Brigade dispatched to arrest any in the country where they worked alongside Redstar. (Teen Titans v3 #38) At some point, Gavril Ivanovich joined the Brigade where he served as a Captain until he declared himself a true Communist who saw that Russian had been corrupted by Western interests. As a result, he was declared an enemy of the state and departed the Brigade where he forged his own makeshift armour and operated as Rocket Red. This brought him into conflict with the Rocket Red Brigade that sought to eliminate him. (Justice League: Generation Lost v1 #4)
At some point, Rocket Red technology was used by the German government to create their own variation of the armour with this leading to the creation of the Die Rakete-Auslese (Translation: Rocket-Elite). (Justice League of America v2 #45)
In Russia, Georgian fanatics wearing exo-mechanically enhanced armour attacked the Cathedral of Saint Basil with the Rocket Reds being deployed on the scene to battle them. Mon-El intervened in the fight where they defeated he attackers. They decided to show their gratitude to him with Mon-El spending sometime with the pilot Ivana where the two came to share a kiss. (Superman v1 #689)
Overview
These warsuits were noted for their nuclear capabilities. (DC One Million v1 #1) Power cells for the suits were situated within the collars. (Justice League: Generation Lost v1 #4)
Originally, the Rocket Red Plan was an experiment in the forced evolution of a human being. (Green Lantern Corps v1 #208)
Pilots wore an underlay exo-skin that recycled internal heat to prevent any freeze attack. They could project a white noise sonic attack from the palm of the right hand whilst the left could unfurl a cannon. (Supergirl v7 #14)
The suits had a self-destruct mechanism designed to explode to protect proprietary technology. (Supergirl v7 #14)
Members
- Josef Danoff: a blonde haired male who volunteered for the Rocket Red project and befriended Kilowog who helped evolve him into a superhuman where he became Rocket Red #1. (Green Lantern Corps v1 #208)
- Josef Denisovich :
- Dmitri Pushkin :
- Vladimir Mikoyan :
- Maks Chazov :
- Gavril Ivanovich :
- Ivana : a blonde haired Russian woman with long hair who briefly worked with Mon-El. (Superman v1 #689)
- Noi Maxsimovich Komarov : ginger haired male designated as Rocket Red #77 who was shot down over Mongolia. (Supergirl v7 #14)
Notes
- The Rocket Red Brigade was created by Steve Englehart and Joe Staton where they made their first appearance in Green Lantern Corps v1 #208 (January, 1987).
Alternate Versions
In other media
Television
- In Young Justice, the Rocket Red Brigade appeared in the animated television series third season Outsiders starting from the episode "Leverage". They were shown as superhuman operatives created by the Russian government as a counter to American superheroes such as those in the Justice League. Volunteers went through a pain series of treatments involving injections whilst their armour was assembled around them. Their leader was Commander Olga Illyich in her role as Rocket Red #1 and later included Dmitri Pushkin as Rocket Red #4. The facility was attacked by the Suicide Squad under orders from Amanda Waller to disrupt Russian superhuman operations but their efforts were stopped by the Team.
Appearances
- Green Lantern Corps v1: (1987)
- Justice League v1:
- Justice League International v1:
- DC One Million v1:
- 52 v1:
- Justice League: Generation Lost v1:
- Superman v1:
