Rocket Red Brigade

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imagesize=
caption = Rocket Red Brigade, artist Ivan Reis
team_name=Rocket Red Brigade
publisher=DC Comics
debut="Green Lantern Corps" #208, (January 1987)
creators=Steve Englehart writer
Joe Staton artist
base=Russian Federation
members=Assorted Rocket Reds Rocket Red #1
Rocket Red #4
Rocket Red #7
memberlist=
subcat=DC Comics
hero=y
villain=
sortkey=PAGENAME|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.

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).

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.

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).

Rocket Red # 4

After the Manhunter was discovered, Dimitri Pushkin was admitted into the Justice League.

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.

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 [http://www.dcuguide.com/Chase/Chs_003.php] , some of the more unscrupulous Rocket Reds began working for the Russian Organizatsiya Mafiya in order to feed their families.

Vandal Savage

Later four of the suits came into the possession of Vandal Savage. He imprisoned three of the Titans, Jesse Quick, Arsenal, and Tempest, plus Supergirl, in them and used them as missiles. He managed to destroy the South American city of Montevideo, Uruguay though Tempest managed to save himself. The other Titans were saved as well before their respective suits could detonate.

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 promoted as a possible Justice League member in the future, should the League plan to expand. Ice was hidden in a suit of Rocket Red armor during her regeneration.

In "Checkmate" v.2 # 22, it is revealed that Checkmate has since recruited the current Rocket Red # 1, Captain Maks Chazov, as its White Queen's Knight, with the apparent consent of Chazov's Russian government superiors.

Other media

Rocket Red is seen briefly in various "Justice League Unlimited" cartoons, particularly in the episodes, "The Return" and "Panic in the Sky". Since his armor is exactly the same as Dmitri's (Rocket Red #4) second suit, it is probable that he is the man behind the mask. In "The Return", Rocket Red was one of the many heroes mobilized to defend Earth against the threat of Amazo. He was assigned to the second line of defence in the upper atmosphere, along with Supergirl, Fire and Red Tornado. The team was subsequently attacked by Amazo during his search for Lex Luthor. After a head-on collision with Amazo, Supergirl became the first casualty of the battle and fell, unconscious, into the ocean. Rocket Red then attempted to stop Amazo by firing a massive barrage of missiles from his chest and shoulders. When this had little effect, Rocket Red opened fire with his shoulder-mounted Gatling gun and tried to retreat. However, Amazo pursued him and ripped the gun from his armour. Later, Rocket Red would reappear briefly to carry the unconscious Fire out of the losing battle, moments before the last member of the team, Red Tornado, was destroyed by Amazo.

Rocket Red also was a Mattel "Justice League Unlimited" DC Superheroes action figure in a single pack.

ee also

*List of Russian superheroes

External links

* [http://www.dcuguide.com/who.php?name=rocketredbrigade DCU Guide: Rocket Red Brigade]
* [http://www.dcuguide.com/chronology.php?name=rocketredbrigade DCU Guide: Rocket Red Brigade chronology]
* [http://www.mykey3000.com/cosmicteams/cosmic/r.html#rr Cosmic Teams: Rocket Red Brigade]
* [http://www.dcuguide.com/who.php?name=rocketred1 DCU Guide: Rocket Red #1]
* [http://www.dcuguide.com/who.php?name=rocketred7 DCU Guide: Rocket Red #7]
* [http://www.dcuguide.com/who.php?name=rocketred4 DCU Guide: Rocket Red #4]