Team-Up Tuesdays: Watchmen's !mpact #2

Twice DC reinvented acquired properties from defunct publishers and immersed them in revitalized universes. For Charlton, it was in the more mature Watchmen (right) and for Archie's MLJ it was kid-friendly !mpact brand (below).

Each inserted pre-cursor teams to the modern day heroes in the form of America Crusaders and the Minute-Men. One was idealized the other was realistic, both had fatal flaws the led to their downfall.

The American Crusaders had been modeled from MLJ Mighty: From right to left the Shield, Captain Commando, Black Witch (Darkling), Firefly and Doc Strong (Lancelot Strong).

While the Minutemen's Captain Metropolis, Comedian, and the original Nite-Owl were based on Charlton's Judomaster, Peacemaker and golden age Blue Beetle, the other characters were left ambiguous. The Silk Spectre was mother to the silver age incarnation, herself based on Nightshade. However, these character have allusions to the MLJ heroes of the golden age, which we have discussed somewhat previously.

When Spectre was raped, Comedian banished, Silhouette murdered, Bill accidently killed and Mothman rendered insane... the Minutemen ceased to exist. For the Crusaders, it took the death of an old friend to cause them to retire.

However, another generation would soon take their place inspired by these golden oldies' examples. Would their careers fare better than that of their predecessors? We'll learn more next week in our next installment.