Who's Who and What's What in Astro City
Air Ace 2:1:5.2. The first superhero ever, or at least the first one to get his name
in the newspapers. There's a statue of him in front of the Astro Bank Tower. His adventures have been
immortalised in comic books, which seem to florish in Astro City
All-American, the: 1:2:3. Announces retirement, 1959.
N.b. All-American comics is one of the two comics publishers who merged in the forties
to form National Comics, later DC comics. Possible a homage to Max Gaines, owner of
All-American and father of Bill Gaines.
Altar Boy: 2:4-2:8, etc. Altar Boy is Brian Kinney a small town boy who
came to Astro City to become a superhero. His dream succeeded and he's now in training with
the Confessor.
Astro City Irregulars, the: 5:2. A bunch of superpowered rejects, unwanted by the rest
of Astro City's superheroes. Known members are: Ruby, Robo, Roach and Jailbait. There is also
an unnamed werewolf and an unnamed energy being.
Astro-Naut: 1:2:7.3. Headline: "Astro-Naut exposes fifth columnists".
Beautie: 1:1:10.2, etc. Member of Honor Guard 1995. She looks like a living Barbie doll.
Birds of Paradise: 2:9:3.1 Female superhero group from Brazil, clad in traditional carnival
costumes. They fought against the Enelsians in Rio de Janeiro.
Black Badge: 2:4:8.4 Retired in 1972 from his days fighting crime in
Bakerville, K.O. Carson opened his beerjoint,
Bruiser's, catering to superheroes.
Black Rapier: 1:1:10.1, etc. Member of 1995 Honor Guard, current chairman.
Wears a fencing mask and uses a foil. Technical expert capable of
repairing the Honor Guard alien detector.
Bouncing Beatnik: 1:2:13, etc. Associated with Honor Guard on first Shirak
the Devourer case. Hepcat acrobat. [Homage to Steve Ditko characters.]
Brahmin, the: 2:1:3. A Boston based superhero. NAI
Cleopatra I: 1:2:13, etc. Member of Honor Guard (1959). Uses magic. Wears
stylized ancient Egyptian, but more traditonal superheroish garb. Caucasian.
Spells include "power pyramid".
Cleopatra II: 1:1:10.2, etc. Member of Honor Guard (1995). Uses magic.
Wears stylized ancient Egyptian garb. Black.
Commando K: 1:2:7.4. Headline: "Commando K lost near Pyongyang". Presumably
a Korean War-era hero.
Confessor, the: 1:3:9.2. Superhero, who mostly operates in area of Grandenetti Cathedral.
He's Astro City's most mysterious superhero. In 2.6 & 2.7 it was revealed that he's a vampire.
Confessor is Altar Boy's mentor. (qv)
Conroy, Darcy: 1:4:6.1. The fiancee of Nick Furst, qv.
Crackerjack: 1:5:4.1. A streetlevel hero with no superpowers, Crackerjack is a arrogant,
insensitieve jerk. He debuted in 1991, his civilian i.d. is Eugene Wallance, although this
could be an alias.
Crossbreed, the: 2:4:3. A group of Christian superheroes, the Crossbreed took their i.d.s
from biblical figures. They consist of:
- Noah, their leader.
- David, a giant.
- Daniel, half man half lion.
- Joshua, who has sonic powers.
- Mary, a winged woman.
- Peter, who has powers over rock.
In 2:9, their headquarters was revealed to be a boat located at Astro City's
waterfront.
Experimentals, The: 1:2:2.1. Headline: "Who are the Experimentals?"
[Homage to the X-Men?]
First Family: 1:1:8.1, transcribed in its entirety:
Famous "Firsts"
45 Years and Three
Generations of Adventure
Dr. Augustus Furst arrived in his hometown of St. Paul,
Minnesota, this past May, to give the commencement address at the
Harold Jordan Memorial High School graduation exercises. There
was a brass band and a parade, and throngs of admirers from as
far away as Boston, Massachusetts, and Fairbanks, Alaska. But
there were also people who know Dr. Furst personally, and who've
known him since he was a students at "H.J.'s", as the locals put
it. "He was a science nerd then, and he's a science nerd now,"
says Mamie Didrickson, 64, Furst's date to his high-school senior
prom. "But he's a really, really famous science nerd."
Indeed. In between high school and today have come four wives,
innumerable enemies, a pair of super-powered adoptive children
(born to an ex-wife and an exotic enemy), a marriage for one of
those children that shocked the world, the globe's most famous
grandchild and, of course, a lifetime of adventure and lasting
fame as head of what the world has come to know as "The First
Family."
It's been a heady ride for Dr. Furst and for his younger brother
Julius, starting back in 1950 with what was supposed to be a
research field trip to Romania. "Some fancy scientific
muck-a-mucks had been having trouble with something behind the
Iron Curtain," says Julius. "They thought is [sic] was some
unreadable energy flux whatsit that was drainin' energy from
one'a their manufacturin' plants--they didn't know it was Onggu
the Omnivorous. Nobody knew about that until Gust got there.
"Anyway, they'd seen some stuff Gus wrote in one'a those science
journal things he used to clog up the livin' room with--he
[transcript ends.]
The First Family is also seen in headline, 1:2:2.1: "First Family to City: Good-Bye!"
Also in 1:2:2.1, "Rex and Natalie: It's a Girl!"
refers to "the globe's most famous grandchild", Astra Furst.
The First Family in 1995 has six members:
- Augustus and Julius Furst,
two "normal" elderly men(1:4:21.)
- Nick Furst, an energy projector,
- Natalie, both an energy projector(1:4:17.4)
and a size-changer(1:4:18.2.)
- Rex, a sort of reptilelike being(1:4:21.)
- Astra, Rex and Natalies child.(1:4:17.4.).
Nick and Natalie are the adopted children of Augustus Furst. Rex and Natalie are married
to each other.
Frontiersman: 1:2:2.1,2:3. Probable 1950's-era hero. Headline: "Final Frontier."
Advertisement: "The Frontiersman says `For smoothness and taste, my choice
is Frontiers!' Frontier Brand Cigarettes". Wears Davy Crockett-type
costume.
Furst, Astra: Daughter of Rex and Natalie, youngest member of the first family.
Furst, Dr. Augustus: 1:1:8.1, 1:4:17.4, etc. Dr Furst is the founder of the First Family.
Furst, Julius: 1:1:8.1, 1:4:17.4, etc. Julius Furst is the brother of Augustus Furst and
the co-founder of the First Family.
Furst, Natalie: 1:4:17.4, etc. Natalie Furst is a member of the First Family and the
adoptive child of Dr. Augustus Furst. She can, like her brother Nick project and shape a sort of
semi-solid energy. She can also grow to a giant's size and can possiblely phase through matter.
She's married to Rex with one daughter,Astra who has inherited some form of her powers.
Furst, Nick: 1:4:17.4, etc Nick Furst is a member of the First Family and the adoptive child
of Dr. Augustus Furst. He can project and shape a sort of semi-solid energy. He's engaged to
Darcy Conroy.
Gentleman, the: 2:1:13.5. An extremely polite superhero, clad in a formal suit. He was one
of the superheroes fighting Thunderhead and saved a KBAC News helicopter during this fight.
Hanged Man, the: 1:4:2.1., etc The Hanged Man is the mystical protector of Shadow Hill.
He wears a Hangman's noose.
Honor Guard: 1:1:9-11, 1:2:12-18, etc. Founded by Max O'Millions in 1959.
Initial membership included:
- N-Forcer
- Cleopatra I
- Leopardman and Kitkat
- Starwoman
- Silver Agent.
Aided on at least one occasion by the Bouncing Beatnik and the Old Soldier.
Membership as of 8 Aug 95:
- Beautie
- Black Rapier (current Chairman)
- Cleopatra II
- M.P.H
- N-Forcer (with updated armor)
- Quarrel
- Samaritan
On 8 Aug 95, their headquarters is in camouflage mode over the Midwest.
Previous membership includes the Living Nightmare, then under control of a marine pilot,
for two separate periods. The Honor Guard is also mentioned in a headline, 1:2:2.1:
'Aliens Routed by Honor Guard" (the Zonn?).
Iron Cross: 2:9:3.1 A German hero, who fought the Enelsian invasion in Stuttgart.
Mentioned only. NAI.
Iron Horse: cover 2:4, 2:4:10.1. The Human Locomotive is one of the oldest superheros
still living, having been around since 1862, give or take a decade.
Irregulars, The: 1:1:9.1. Headline: "Shouldn't They Be in School?"
See Astro City Irregulars.
Jack-in-the-Box: 1:1:7.3; 3. A street-level hero. Goes by the nickname of
"Harlequin Hero". Has been around for some thirty years. Between october 12th 1983 and
may 4th 1989 he dissapeared. It is possible there were two Jack's and that the first one
died in 1983 and the second one began his career in 1989. At least the current one looks
too young to have been active since the mid-sixties. the contemporary Jack is a black man
called Zachary Johnson, (qv).
Jailbait: 1:5:3. A member of the Astro City Irregulars. NAI.
Johnson, Zachary: 1:3:14.2. The secret identity of Jack-In-The-Box, Zachary
Johnson is the "owner and ceo of the small but growing Z.J. toys." He's married to
Tamra Dixon.
Kitkat: 1:2:13, etc. Member of Honor Guard, 1959. Sidekick to Leopardman.
Powers include ability to cling to sheer side of stalactite.
K.O. Carson: 2:4:8.3.No longer secret identity of retired superhero the Black Badge,
the owner of Bruiser's.(qv)
Lamplighter, The: 1:2:3. Announces retirement, 1959. 2:0.5:10.5 shows a Life cover of him
with the text "Who is the Lamplighter?". Wears a sort of pirate outfit with an oldfashioned
storm lantern. NAI.
Leopardman: 1:2:13, etc. Member of Honor Guard, 1959. Mentor to Kitkat.
In 2:4:14 it's speculated that his secret identity may have been Anders Van Rupert, a "third
generation copper milionaire". If so, Leopardman is dead. N.B. There existed a golden age superhero
team called Catman and Kitten, any relation?
Martin, Asa: 1:1, etc Secret id of Samaritan (qv). Is employed as a fact-checker at
_Current_ (Astro City Feature Weekly).
Max O'Millions: 1:2:12, etc. Founder of Honor Guard. Giant. Dresses in
red formalwear.
M.P.H.: 1:1:10.3, etc. Member of 1995 Honor Guard. Speedster. 15% non-
human nervous system. Wears a speedometer on his chest.
N-Forcer: 1:1:10.2, 1:2:12, etc. Member of Honor Guard 1959, 1995. Has
updated armor, presumably multiple times over years. Can project energy.
Appears to be energy being partially contained by metallic armor.
Nightingale and Sunbird: 1:5:19.3 A female superhero duo, more similair to the old
DC heroes Nightwing and Flamebird then to Batman and Robin, in that they're more equal partners
then a superhero/sidekick team. They mostly fight low level threats like Otter
or the Techsperts.
Old Soldier: 1:2:16.2, etc. Mythological figure. Believed dead in 1863,
1898, 1918, 1944. Aids Honor Guard against Shirak the Devourer in 1959.
Appears at fall of Saigon, 1975. Modus operandi seems to be to appear
at the critical turning points of American wars. Carries broadsword,
flintlock pistol, canteen, grenades, and rifle with bayonet; wears armor,
draped in American flag, bandages on head.
Quarrel II: 1:1:9.5, etc. Member of Honor Guard 1995. Uses armband-mounted
projectile weapons. She's a sharpshooter and a skilled athlete. Her boyfriend is Crackerjack (qv)
Her real name is Jessica Darlene Taggart
Real Thing, the: 2:9:2.2 A superhero located in Atlanta, home of Coca Cola. (gettit?)
Mentioned here only. NAI
Roach, the: 1:1:5:3. A member of the Astro City Irregulars(qv). Insist on being called
Palmetto.
Robo, El: 1:5:3. A member of the Astro City Irregulars(qv). He is a human/machinery
hybrid. His real name is Manuel de la Cruz. He's vulnerable to magnetic fields.
Samaritan: 1:1, etc. Member of 1995 Honor Guard. Secret ID Asa Martin, qv.
His ID is artificial, given that it's an anagram of "Samaritan". His hair is naturally blue,
and Sammy leaches the blue out of his hair when he transforms into his civilian ID. Uses a
zyxometer, a kind of organic/crystalline computer. Powers include flight, super
strength, invulnerability and life support, and the Empyrean web, a kind of
force field. Samaritan is in constant contact with the
zyxometer, which monitors all sorts of emergency broadcasts. Samaritan is
able to access the Closet, which is apparently a kind of extradimensional
storage space. Was named by the Astro City Rocket after his saving of
the space shuttle Challenger (januari 1986) [a la Superman's naming in Man
of Steel #1]. His origin was revealed in V1 #6. Basically he comes from the 35th
century A.D., which was a "time when the earth was dying". To prevent this, Samaritan was
sent back thru time to late 1985. He then saved the Challenger from exploding, and by
doing so, changed the timeline and made the 35th century an Utopia.
Silver Agent, The: 1:2:5.1, etc. An armor-clad, gun carrying superhero, member of
Honor Guard, who was killed in 1973. Silver Agent, real name Alan Craig, debuted in 1956.
The death of the Silver Agent is still a difficult subject for the people of Astro City,
as seen in 1:2 and 2:1. There is however a statue dedicated to him, with a plaque which
reads: Alan Craig The Silver Agent 1932-1973 "To our eternal shame". Seen in 2:1:6.
[1956 was when Showcase #4 featuring the debut of the Flash was published , often cited as the start
of the Silver Age. The date of his death is at the end of the Silver Age, as defined by
Kurt Busiek]
Silversmith: 2:1:3. Superhero operating in Boston. NAI
Starwoman: 1:2:12. Member of Honor Guard, 1959. Powers include flight and
standart energy manipulation abilities. Her real name is Pr'slla of K'ntar and she
is an extra-terrestrial. She was contacted via some kind of "contact matrix".
Street Angel: 1:5:7.2. A presumed dead (newspaper headline bottom 5:10.1)
superhero with a connection to Quarrel II (qv).
Untouchable, the: 2:9:2.2 A Chicago superhero, mentioned only. NAI
Winged Victory: 1:4:4.4. The premier superheroine in Astro City.
She's garbed in a pseudo-romean uniform and has two huge wings on her back. She's a controversial
figure concentrating on protecting women and giving them a positive role model. Because of this
she never joined Honour Guard as to not dilute her own accomplishements. She's also running 14
schools teaching women self defence techniques. At least some people think she's "nothing but
a cult leader". She doesn't seem to have a life outside of her cause. On the cover of 1:4 Winged Victory
is hauling away Kurt, Alex and Brent.
Go back to the introduction.
Go on to supervillains.
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Webpage created januari 1996, last updated 18-06-2000.
Comments or information about Astro City? send it to
Martin Wisse