Rocket Red Brigade
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The Rocket Red Brigade is a DC Comics superhero team. They first appeared in Green Lantern Corps #208 (January 1987), and were created by Steve Englehart and Joe Staton.
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[edit] History
The Rocket Reds were originally created for the Soviet Union by Green Lantern Kilowog, the Rocket Red Brigade - normal human beings enhanced using "forced evolution" and armoured battle-suits - proudly defended the USSR.
Their abilities included super strength, invulnerability, flight (through rocket packs/boots), the ability to project powerful energy blasts and "mecha-empathy" - the ability to sense and control computers and machines (though to what extent it's not clear).
[edit] Rocket Red # 1
Decorated Russian soldier Josef Denisovich was a close friend of the alien Green Lantern Kilowog. He was also the first member of the Rocket Red Brigade. Josef was turned against Kilowog by the Soviet government, and died fighting Kilowog.
[edit] Rocket Red # 7
The man known as Vladimir Mikoyan turned out to be a Manhunter. Vladmir was the first Rocket Red admitted into Justice League International. During the Millennium event, he was exposed as a Manhunter android and destroyed by Booster Gold (with the assistance of the Justice League and a force of other, human, Rocket Reds).
[edit] Rocket Red # 4
Dimitri Pushkin (Rocket Red #4), became a member of the JLI after the previously assigned Rocket Red #7 was revealed to be a Manhunter android. A kind-hearted and jolly man with a taste for American culture, Dimitri served with the Justice League International for many years. When his armor was destroyed by Lobo, he replaced it with a more advanced model made on Apokolips. Dimitri also served with Justice League Europe for awhile as well, making friends with Animal Man, aka Buddy Baker, in a similar manner to the friendship of Blue Beetle and Booster Gold. Dmitri and Buddy initially bonded over their mutual families. In Justice League Europe #28 Dmitri was part of the small resistance against Starro because the alien could not take him over through his armor. Though Starro was defeated, Dmitri had surrended to him when the alien threatened to kill his family, whom it had already taken over. He was the only European on the team initially. He died in The OMAC Project, self-destructing to save the other members of the old JLI. His last words to Booster Gold were; "My wife and children, Michael...tell them I love them."
[edit] Pozhar
While serving as a member of the Red Shadows, Mikhail Denisovitch Arkadin the Russian hero also known as Pozhar wore a modified suit of Rocket Red armor.
[edit] Apokaliptian Armor
Most of the Rocket Red Brigade disbanded after the fall of Communism, but Dmitri would occasionally don his armor to fight against injustice. The Apokoliptian armor is one of a kind; more powerful than the standard armor, the extent of its abilities have not yet been explored. Visually it's rounder and more organic looking than the standard Rocket Red armour, though still sports a very similar red/white colour scheme.
[edit] Russian Mafia
After the Soviet Union collapsed, the other Rocket Reds fell on hard times. Many of the suits ended up on the black market. As seen in the pages of Chase #3[1], some of the more unscrupulous Rocket Reds began working for the Russian Organizatsiya Mafiya in order to feed their families.
[edit] Vandal Savage
Later four of the suits came into the possession of Vandal Savage. He imprisoned four of the Titans, Jesse Quick, Arsenal, Tempest, and Supergirl, in them and used them as missiles. He managed to destroy the South American city of Montevideo, though Tempest managed to save himself. The other Titans were saved as well before their respective suits could detonate.
[edit] Rockets fly again
Surviving members of the Rocket Red Brigade took their armor back from the Russian Army to fight the world prison break out during the events of Villains United. They also appeared protecting Russia's border in 52, wearing new, more advanced suits of armor. They were seen again One Year Later protecting Russia while hindering Green Lantern Hal Jordan's attempt to apprehend an interstellar criminal in Green Lantern #10. After the ensuing situation was resolved, the current Rocket Red #1 is even mooted as a possible Justice League member in the future ,should the League plan to expand.
[edit] Appearances in other media
- Rocket Red is seen briefly in various Justice League Unlimited cartoons, particularly in the episodes, "The Return" and "Panic in the Sky". Rocket Red also was a Mattel Justice League Unlimited DC Superheroes action figure in a single pack.
