All-Star Squadron

The World on Fire Again

by Libbylawrence

THE WORLD ON FIRE…AGAIN!: Prologue

Libby Lawrence looked out over the crowd of onlookers. She had no fear of public speaking and never had been shy. Her blonde locks fell forward in their customary style and she wore a simple but attractive pink dress.

“Look at her! I’d like to have the name of her plastic surgeon! She looks like a teenager!” said a woman in the crowd.

Yeah, those curves! I’m looking! thought her ex-husband.

Libby spoke up, “I am honored to be selected as the spokewoman for the new D-Day monument to be unveiled in a week. I feel it is a humbling experience to be asked to be one of the so-called faces of World War II. This monument is to all those who fought and died for freedom. The quest for liberty is a sacred one that took me from Poland and the death of my father to France and on to my swim across the English Channel to Dover. I will never forget that fateful journey or the struggle it was a part of, for me and for the world at large. We must never forget the lessons of the past as we work for a brighter future!” she closed.

Applause rang out and a handsome man approached the beautiful blonde.

“Libby, on behalf of us all, I thank you for everything. This final press junket before the unveiling has been splendid!” said Senator David Pressman, an aspiring presidential candidate.

As Libby smiled, a female form flew into view. Her long blonde hair and odd white costume stood starkly out in the morning sunlight. One leg was bare as was one metal arm!

Fire jetted around her like an unholy nimbus.

“We of the Aryan Nation also remember! You will be the first of the Fatherland’s old foes to burn… but by no means will you be the last!” she cried as she generated flames across the crowd.

Libby leapt for cover, as did the Senator. While he ducked to confer with his aide Aldrich, she switched from being a pink-gowned beauty to the All-American Girl, Liberty Belle!

Neo-Nazi’s, no less! That surely sounds like a call to duty for this freedom fighting blonde! she mused as she charged back out.

The flames spread as she faced her foe.

“Liberty Belle! You are most welcome here! You and your entire All-Star Squadron have been marked for death at the iron hands of the Aryan Nation!” sneered the blonde called Heatmonger!

THE WORLD ON FIRE…AGAIN!: Part 1

Liberty Belle was a superbly skilled athlete and she had an enhanced adrenal rush at her command as she rubbed her belt buckle.

Doctor Mid-Nite says this is all in my head, and that a metagene allows me to boost my strength and speed, not the belt, but why mess with a winning game plan? mused Libby as she tackled the glwoing Heatmonger.

“I’ll flame off so I can kill you with my bare hands, Miss American Beauty!” sneered Heatmonger.

That was what I was counting on, thought Libby.

She ducked as the metal arm swung for her head and missed by inches. The fist shattered the wooden podium behind her as she tucked in and rolled between Heatmonger’s spread legs. She flipped backward to land a solid two footed kick to her blonde foe’s bottom.

Heatmonger blazed anew. “This is for all your star spangled fans out there in liberty land!” she laughed as fire shot out into the crowd.

“No!” cried Libby.

The flames never reached the crowd. They were stopped by two figures. One Libby knew intimately: her super-fast ex-husband, Johnny Quick.

He had joined her at the rally in support in their oddly ill-defined reunion! He whirled through the fields and carried some to safety while smothering the flames with his speedy winds.

The second man actually absorbed the flames into his body as he flew upward. He was masked and wore a gold and blue costume. His agile form was well-muscled and he looked very much like another black hero Libby had once known: Amazing Man!

“Don’t worry! I can absorb flames just like that terrorist witch up there… only better!” he assured a worried Quick.

“Are you–?” he began.

“I’m his grandson. Call me Paragon!” interrupted the young hero.

Belle took her moment to attack the angry Heatmonger.

“So, you Amerikaner dogs still travel in packs!” she fumed. Her metal arm caught Belle and slammed her through the stage.

“Don’t appreciate this stage diving the kids all love!” she quipped through aching muscles.

She whirled and caught the Heatmonger in the face with her boot. She jumped up and dodged the metal arm to land a solid right hook. Heatmonger gasped and passed out.

“Good thing your jaw is made of glass, unlike your metal arm!” she joked.

Quick joined her on stage, along with Paragon.

“Belle, I heard her say there were/are more of them. Some Aryan Nation with a hatred for the old Squadron?” he said.

Belle rubbed her arm and said, “Yes. I feel as if this is the start of something very bad and very evil!”

Senator Pressman turned to his aide Aldrich and said, “She defeated Heatmonger! This is very bad for us. A killing of the leader of the accursed Squadron would have been better than murdering Libby Lawrence! Now, we must be ready for the plan on unveiling day… if the Reich is to live anew!” hissed the handsome Senator.

Aldrich nodded in agreement.

THE WORLD ON FIRE…AGAIN!: Part 2

Liberty Belle and Johnny Quick held a hasty conference in her plush DC apartment. William Everett (Paragon) sat idly in her living room.

“Look, Lib, the kid may be good, and he is Will’s grandson… raised by Will, in fact, until Will died… but do we really want him along on a life or death case with Nazi thugs, no less?” said Johnny.

“Yes! You know that you used to drag poor Tubby into danger all the time… may he rest in peace! And remember your precious Justice team from the 1950′s? All kids!” she said.

Johnny winced. That time had been the start of their painful spats that would eventually lead to their divorce.

“Libby, I agree! He does have the right stuff! I mean just by being near a metahuman, he gains their powers at a higher level. I retract my objection. So what does that keen mind of yours suggest now?” he said smoothly.

Libby smiled and said, “We let her go and track her to this Aryan Nation group.”

“Let her go? Are you sure?” began Johnny. “Oh, I get it. Let her go, with yours truly dogging her steps in his truly remarkable nigh fastest man alive manner!” he smiled.

“No! We send in a ringer dressed like her with powers like hers and a tracing device,” she said, crossing her arms.

“Yeah! But wait, even if Paragon can duplicate her powers, I know he can’t passed for a blonde woman!” he said. “And you sure can’t fly!”

Belle smiled. “Heatmonger is a cyborg flame generator who is part of an anti-American, anti-Squadron group. So we get a robotics expert, Bob Crane, and a female flame thrower, Danette Reilly Arthur!”

Johnny nodded. “I’d love to see the old gang.”

“So we reunite the All-Star Squadron!”

THE WORLD ON FIRE…AGAIN!: Part 3

Libby Lawrence wore a blue mini-dress and sandals as she approached the Long Island manor of “Emerald Ed” Reilly.

He had been Danette Reilly’s wealthy father and she still owned his old estate, though she spent most her time with her British husband, Justin Arthur.

Now, after a hasty call, Libby greeted her old wartime friend Danette Reilly Arthur, alias “Firebrand,” and her husband, Sir Justin the Shining Knight!

“Fair maiden! The years have had no effect ‘pon thy glamour!” said the chivalrous Sir Justin with a sweeping bow.

“Justin, you flatter a girl, as always! You look like the young knight of old as well!” she said with pleasure.

“Aye! ‘Tis true that time has been the source of many a magical journey in my life. Being cast upon time tossed shores from the glory and grandeur of Camelot to the 1940′s was miracle enow, but being also cast another forty years foward from that fateful era has kept me young,” he said.

“I thought the love of a good woman kept you young!” said a lovely redhead.

“Dann! You, too, look like the Deb of the 1940 social season!” said Libby.

The former Firebrand laughed. “That magic of Wotan’s and the volcano gave me my powers and stopped my aging I guess!” she said.

“Want a job?” said Belle with a grin.

THE WORLD ON FIRE…AGAIN!: Part 4

Dann smiled eagerly. Though she had retired as a costumed heroine in 1946, she had displayed a remarkable heroic quality in the decades since.

“Libby, I’ll be this Heatmonger if you think I can pull it off!” she said after the couple heard Belle’s story.

“Aye! I dedicated myself to serve the cause of justice as best I could while life and breath reside yet within me. My sword is yours, fair Belle!” said Justin. “Though I wouldst wish Milady to stay safey out of the fray, I know her noble spirit would soon bridle at such wishes,” he offered ruefully.

Dann kissed her husband and they quickly worked with the material Belle had carried with her.

Soon, a newly blonde Danette wore the costume of Heatmonger, with the exception of the cyborg arm.

“So where do we get my hardware?” teased the former debutante.

“That’s something Johnny is working on even as we speak!” said Belle.

She admired the love and loyalty this storybook couple shared for so long and still had with such passion and pleasure. Perhaps she and Johnny could even rekindle thier own old love?

Johnny Quick faced a hulking metal man in the S.T.A.R. labs of Gotham City.

“Bob!” he cried happily as he greeted the metal shell that housed his old friend the heroic Robert Crane, a.k.a. Paul Dennis, since an accident in the 1940′s.

“Yes and no!” called a voice from behind him.

The metal man grinned. “I am Will Magnus — this is indeed part of Bob’s handiwork, though.”

A frail man rushed up. “Chuck Grayson!” said Quick.

“Well, to be so exact is something I can only do with a buddy like you, John. I am the brain of Bob in Chuck’s body, remember?” he said.

“Yeah! Funny how seeing that Robotman there made me forget your story,” said Johnny.

The story was an amazing one. Scientist Bob Crane and his partner Chuck Grayson had perfected a robotic man. The mindless robot hull received a brilliant mind when Bob’s brain was placed within the shell by Chuck after a deadly accident befell Bob at the hands of gunmen.

Bob Crane had lived both as Robotman, a metallic hero, and as Paul Dennis, a human masked new ID until being trapped in a cavern for years since the 1950′s. He was eventually freed and learned that Chuck had died leaving instructions for his human form to be preserved as a host for Bob’s brain if he should ever return. Now, Bob was living within Chuck’s human body and a new brain resided in the transformed being called Robotman II!

“Will is my heir to the artificial life, so to speak. How can we help? We heard of Belle’s battle in DC,” said Bob/Chuck.

“You know, Bob-Chuck — sounds like I’m on Walton’s MT!” joked Johnny. “We wondered if you could fix up a fake cyborg arm for an old pal of ours: Dann Reilly Arthur!”

“Sure! How is she? I haven’t seen her in years!” he said.

“She is fine and hopefully going to help us track a Nazi group down!” he offered.

“I can help and what’s more, based on the news and TV reports I read and saw of Belle’s fight, I can tell you where to find this Aryan Nation!” smiled Chuck.

THE WORLD ON FIRE…AGAIN!: Part 5

William Everett had been busy, too. He had singlehandedly converted all of Belle’s files on the old Squadron to a newly sophisticated computer program with indexing and updates drawn from media sources and published accounts.

Thus, he could type in the name “Sargon” and receive a read out that indicated that the wizard of old had last been seen in 1950, when he moved to an alternate Earth and was later encountered by Red Tornado and other then current or former JSAers.

“Nice work, my man!” he said. He enjoyed what he had done because he loved heroes and he loved science. As a scientist himself with research skills and reference librarian experience as well, he knew how to find the answers.

“Gramps, you’d love to be in on this! I know you loved the time you spent with the Squadron!” he said with a sigh. “I’m going to make you proud. I’m going to be a JSAer one day. I’ll keep your legacy alive!” he vowed anew.

Paragon had met Wonder Woman and Hourman and Red Robin during his first case and had absorbed intimate knowledge of Wonder Woman by kissing her during that crisis. Any such personal contact (if willed to do so) gave him the powers and even memories of the subject. He had vowed never to use his gifts in such a personal way again… for days after that kiss he had almost talked and lived like the Amazon heroine in that he knew all she knew and even shared her speech patterns briefly.

Still, he had her respect, and Hourman’s too. They said a full JSA roster could vote on his membership someday. He would hold them to that.

He scanned his files. “John Law, author, never married, retired mysteriously in 1948, status unknown, last known address… Man! I read his books over and over as a kid. Nobody told the stories of the heroic age as well, except for that Thomas guy,” said Everett.

He picked up the phone and made a call. “Mr. Law, please.”

THE WORLD ON FIRE…AGAIN!: Part 6

Senator Pressman turned to a group of darkly-uniformed men and women. “My brethen! I stand before you proud to say that in a few days, during the D-Day Monument unveiling, we will see the deaths of the President and Prime Minister, and following that grand gesture of revenge, we will see the noble patriot Pressman rise to power on the ashes of the martyrs… then we shall see a new Bund… a new solidification of the ideals of Hitler… a new Reich shall reign over America and the world!” he screamed.

Cheers echoed, along with shouts of “Heil Hitler!”

One man watched quietly from the side. He was Aldrich, the trusted aide of Pressman. Some would say this blond man shivered in the summer air as though chilled by some cold wind or some remembered horror.

Robotman (Will Magnus) explained anew what Chuck had said once to the Squadron. “This fake arm merely resembles a cyborg limb. It is truly just a exo-skeleton over Danette’s real arm. It has a tracker inside in case she gets lost… more importantly as we said before… we identified the maker of the real Heatmonger’s arm… Josef Hechler. His warehouse is in front of us. After Dann goes in and makes contact, we’ll hear all that is said via the mike in the arm cast. We’ll go in or follow her as circumstances dictate.”

“Libby had her connections leak a fake story about the Monger’s escape as well,” said Johnny.

Paragon was excited also. He admired the Shining Knight especially and was proud to see this gleaming paladin.

Dann flew inside and they listened as she was received with welcome.

“She’s fooled them. The flaming nimbus and the metal arm and that costume make her seem all too lifelike as Heatmonger!” said Magnus.

“Right. I mean, how many blonde torches with metal arms and peek-a-boo costumes do those guys inside expect to see flying in?” laughed Johnny.

Shining Knight gripped his horse’s bridle. “Steady, Winged Victory — battle most fierce awaits us anon!”

Paragon could not adopt the powers of Robotman, since they were artificial, but he could access Bell’s sonic powers, Quick’s speed, and even the flight of the horse.

“You are not Heatmonger! You are an foolish spy!” said a woman’s voice.

“Well done, Blind Faith! You read her vibes accurately when we failed to see truly!” said a harsh voice.

“Oh no!” cried Belle as Johnny tossed her over his shoulders and raced forward with the Knight soaring along and Paragon matching them step by step.

THE WORLD ON FIRE…AGAIN!: Part 7

Firebrand had soared higher and generated a flame barrier between herself and the costumed members of the Neo-Nazi group called the Aryan Nation! She dodged the elongating arms of Backlash as he snaked up for her legs.

The hulking Iron Cross tossed crates at her with alarming speed. One melted into kindling at her burst of heat but all would not do so. One would hit her sooner or later.

Blind Faith, the extra-sensory witch, tracked her even in the shadows of the warehouse.

“There! She is to the left!” she screeched.

“Oh, shut up!” said Belle as they burst inside and she kicked Faith to the floor.

“I see enough to trace you by your perfume and your heartbeat!” she cried, rising up again.

She lunged at Belle with martial arts skill, and felt a solid right connect on Belle’s chin.

Johnny crashed through the uniformed Nazi thugs with speed and skill.

“Say, you get the idea that I’ve done this before!” he joked as he slammed into dozens of them in the blink of an eye.

Beneath the glib and cocky manner he was worried. He had seen the Nazi horror up close and he knew how this evil had almost ruined the world once. He could not let it ever get so close to doing so again!”

Sir Justin swooped in and sliced a crate to splinters with his mighty sword.

“Back, cowardly and craven knave!” he called to the Iron Cross. “You defile yon emblem with such base and ignoble acts.”

Iron Cross grunted and leaped for him with his powerful leg muscles. Justin leaned back and swung the flat of his blade to knock the man down anew.

Dann flamed the area to circle her pals and keep reinforcements back.

This is like the old days! I wonder how the others are? Tarantula, Rex, Sandy, Steel? she mused.

Robotman dropped his palm, and tiny metal devices scuttled out to crawl across the floor to reach Nazi troopers and scurry up their legs on metal hooks and at his command shock them to the floor.

“All stunned and none seriously hurt!” he said, smiling inhumanly.

Paragon raced around the screeching Backlash at slightly faster than Johnny Quick’s speed. The lack of air in the whirlwind sent the rubbery man to the ground in pain.

“Left him… well, you know!” said a smiling Paragon.

He saw Iron Cross charge the Knight, who sheathed his sword.

“Come on you perfidious fiend! Face one who walked the hallowed halls where once Gareth, Gawain, and Lancelot trod… steeped in glory and lore!” he cried.

He ducked the Iron Cross’s punch and connected with one of his own. He had a mighty arm, but this super Nazi did not feel his punch at all.

“Zounds!” he muttered.

Belle thought fast as Faith flipped her on her bottom. Extra senses mean this sonic blast should rock her world, as the kids say! she thought. She slammed the sonic blast into Faith, who did shriek and faint.

Belle glanced around and saw her team had almost won.

Robotman stretched up to catch the newly entering Golden Eagle. “This is a no fly zone,” he said in a speaker modulator that sent his voice echoing through the warehouse.

He gripped the winged Nazi and pulled the wings from his costume. He fell forward with a scream, only to be caught and decked by the rapid Johnny Quick.

“You’re as good as Bob!” he said to Will Magnus.

“Well, he made me the man I am today!” said the second Robotman.

“Now, why did I just know you were going to say that!” said Johnny Quick as he checked on Libby who was wrestling a Nazi to submission.

THE WORLD ON FIRE…AGAIN!: Part 8

Paragon stepped up and said, “Sir Justin, I crave the boon of combat with this rogue!”

“Well spoken, lad!” said the Knight as he stepped gracefully aside.

Iron Cross sneered, “No inferior being can stop the Nazi juggernaut!”

Paragon slapped him in the face and drew in his power at one level higher. “Just call me Superior Man!” he said grinning as he hit the ogre three super swift blows at the greater power level.

Iron Cross dropped like a rock.

They tied up the Nazi thugs and congratulated each other.

“We’ve got them. Why so grim, Legs?” teased Johnny.

Belle frowned. “I suspect more is going on here. Something will happen at the D-Day monument unveiling ceremony and I have to be there as Libby, remember? I doubt I can make two such public appearances as both blonde bombshells without revealing my secret.”

“So we’ll do the heavy lifting and you can just smile and look pretty!” said John as she elbowed him in the ribs.

THE WORLD ON FIRE…AGAIN!: Part 9

While Libby Lawrence stood on stage near the veiled D-Day monument, her friends watched from the crowd. Will Magnus looked human and the others were in civilian clothes. Libby wore a peach sundress.

Senator Pressman hovered nervously as the President of the U.S. and the British Prime Minister each stood poised to unveil the monument.

Pressman moved slowly back as his aide Aldrich moved closer.

“There’s a hum from within it! Some radio signal being broadcast! A bomb!” cried Will.

Johnny leapt forward and carried the President to safety along with his scattered security men. Sir Justin dropped down on Winged Victory to swoop off with the Prime Minister.

Belle waved to Danette. “Pressman has a detonator in his wrist like the tip we received suggested!”

Firebrand flew up and surrounded the angry Senator. “Nothing happened! This is a travesty!” cried Pressman as Firebrand held him firm with her ring of fire.

Paragon moved at super speed to shove the others down. “That device in his hand proves his guilt but what happened to the bomb that signal went to?” asked Will as he scanned the ineterior of the monument with his extra sensory lens.

“I disconnected it prior to the day’s events,” said Aldrich who stepped over to them and pulled off a mask.

“Call me Chris Chance! I took the place of the real Aldrich when I learned he was a Neo Nazi! I watched you all and bided my time in case I was needed, but you performed beautifully,” he said.

He walked off as the guards led Pressman away.

“Chance? Weird name!” said Quick.

“He was wearing a disguise as Chance too. I could detect it when I stepped near him. At least he was on our side… a real unknown All-Star,” said Will.

“Wasn’t there a master of disguise in the Squad back then? Mr. America?” asked Paragon.

The eternally young Tex Thompson had slipped off into yet another ID by then. He was happy to have seen his old friends again, but he preferred to allow them to think he was dead. He could do more as any one of a number of civilian IDs, anyway.

Pressman screamed and shoved through the guards.

“I can still kill you!” he cried, and charged Libby.

She prepared to trip him when a blonde woman swung down to tackle him.

“Who are you? That’s a modified Tarantula costume!” said Libby.

“I am the great-grandchild of the first Tarantula’s housekeeper. He is old and ill now, but he taught me all he knew and gave me his weapons. You spoke to him yesterday, did you not?” she said to Will Everett.

“Yes. He was too ill to help, so he sent you?” said Paragon.

“Call me the new Tarantula!” she said as she started to swing off.

“Wait!” said Justin. “I would ask you to join us in a heroic assembly of all former Squadron members to be held in the future!” he said.

The blonde in the black mask and brown and black body suit, black fishnets, and slippers smiled. “I’d be honored. I’ll call you!” she said.

“But, wait!” began Quick.

She vanished in the shadows.

“Well, another successor of the old Squad. Maybe that reunion you spoke of, Justin, should be for good. We could restart the Squadron as a new team to aid the JSA!” he said boyishly.

Libby frowned. “First, we have a general reunion, then we’ll see…!”

In a dark room, an old man sat up in his bed, and faced a tall man.

“Well, did the accursed Squadron stop the idiot Pressman with his very public display?” he asked.

“Yes sir. He was exposed and caught, but even we did not know Aldrich had been replaced by some vigilante,” said the aide.

“In any case, while the world saw the pawns of the Aryan Nation fall and the heroes congratulated themselves, and some came out of hiding anew… the others quietly found the parts needed for my precious machine. Through it the Reich will live again, as will its greatest champions!” said the old man.