Just Cause: Revised & Expanded Edition (40 page)

Between 1950 and 1953, three more heroes joined American Justice: Lady Athena, Kid Crash, and the White Knight. In 1953, Georges Devereaux was called before the House Committee on Unamerican Activities. When he refused to disclose the secret identities of the unknown members of American Justice, the team was blacklisted. In response to the actions of the committee, Devereaux moved to Paris; the White Knight returned to his home in the South, and Flashpoint retired from the team to study alongside of Malcolm X. Colt retired from active hero duties to marry Dr. Danger and have a baby.

American Justice officially disbanded in 1953 and reformed as Just Cause in 1954.

Just Cause

Just Cause formed as a covert team in 1954, consisting of Lady Athena, Dr. Danger, and Kid Crash. Dr. Danger led the group for ten years, retiring in 1964. New members joined during this period, including John Stone, Lionheart, Danger (Dr. Danger’s handpicked successor), and Tornado. In 1964, Lady Athena assumed command of the team. During her tenure, Just Cause made the slow transformation from covert operations to gaining public approval and sanction.

Eventually the laws enacted in the Fifties were repealed, due largely to the actions of Georges Devereaux and Adrian Crowley (Dr. Danger) and metahumans were no longer considered a criminal class. Although Georges died in 1955, his son Lane took up the cause and continued to fight for metahuman rights. An equal rights bill for metahumans was passed in 1969.

Lady Athena retired in 1971, leaving Lionheart in command of the team. Danger left Just Cause to operate as a solo vigilante. Kid Crash retired in 1974. Tornado remained active. New members joined including Sundancer, the robotic Steel Soldier, Imp, Pony Girl, Audio, and the Javelin. In 1974, Just Cause relocated to a new headquarters in Two World Trade Center. By the mid-70s, Just Cause had become a true “supergroup” and were celebrated by the press and their fans alike. In 1977, Just Cause battled Destroyer for the first time.

By the 80s, Just Cause had become its own corporation. The new commander, Sunstorm, was Sundancer’s younger sister. Danger returned to Just Cause after his solo stint in 1983. New members joined the group: Foxfire, the Timekeeper, Fast Break, Juice, and Crackerjack. John Stone and Lionheart retired in 1979. Tornado died of complications relating to AIDS in 1985. His funeral was attacked by Destroyer and several Just Cause heroes were killed including Sundancer, Danger, Lionheart, Audio, and Fast Break. The Steel Soldier was destroyed as well.

By the 90s, Just Cause expanded into two separate teams with large memberships. The organization had become the single most powerful collection of paraahumans ever assembled. They battled such groups as the Zodiac and the New Malice Group, but were essentially unchallenged in their success and authority.

In 2001, Just Cause headquarters were destroyed in the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center. Several members of Just Cause perished in the attack: Timekeeper, Javelin, Foxfire, and Imp were all killed.

The surviving members of Just Cause—Juice, Doublecharge, Desert Eagle, Crackerjack, Glimmer, and Forcestar—relocated temporarily to the JCST headquarters before moving out to a new facility built in Denver, Colorado. A presidential order made Just Cause an official part of the newly-created Department of Homeland Security.

In 2002, Just Cause added its first graduate of the Hero Academy: Mastiff. In 2004, Mustang Sally, the daughter of Pony Girl and granddaughter of Colt, was added to the roster.

Forcestar and Glimmer were both killed in action in Guatemala in 2004.

Children of the Atom

The Children of the Atom was a team of young metahumans that formed in 1960, inspired by the growing popularity of Just Cause. The Children of the Atom were never as well-organized as the larger group, and had many stops and starts with varying memberships. Two heroes that remained in CotA through all its various incarnations were the Neutralizer and Photon.

The Children of the Atom disbanded in 1972.

Just Cause Second Team

Just Cause’s Second Team was formed in 1995. The team roster consisted of MetalBlade, Icebreaker, Superconductor, Alloy, and Mosaic. Hero Academy graduate Orbital joined the team in 2002. The Second Team is based in Richmond, Virginia.

The Lucky Seven

The Lucky Seven is the oldest active independent team in the country, having been in existence with the same roster since 1990. They are led by Spark, who has no metahuman powers and uses his athletic prowess and electric gadgets to meet parahumans on even footing. The rest of the team consists of Bullet, Juliet, Tremor, Stratocaster, and Carousel. Trix was killed in Guatemala in 2004. They have not yet replaced him. The Seven are based in Chicago, Illinois.

The New Guard

The New Guard began operating in 1999. Based in Los Angeles, the young team has seen a lot of action in the short time since they came into existence. Their leader, Javelin, is the daughter of the first Javelin and his wife Imp. The rest of the team—Seahawk, Chrome, Ogre, and Blueshift—follow her in their exploits.

Divine Right

Divine Right consists of six heroes who believe their powers are gifts from God. They took their names from books of the Bible: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Esther, and Ruth. Interestingly enough, not one of them has tested positive for the gene linked to parahuman abilities. They are based in Atlanta, Georgia and have operated since 2000.

Young Guns

The Young Guns are a team formed by the 2003 class of Hero Academy graduates (except for Mustang Sally and Orb, who joined Just Cause, and Vapor, who left active superhero work after graduation). They operate in New York City. The roster consists of Bombshell, Surfboy, Johnny Go, and Toxic.

The Hero Academy

The Hero Academy was established in 2000 as a place for young parahumans to receive training in the use of their abilities as well as providing a moral and ethical foundation for them. It is a fully-accredited high school, and students can continue on to achieve an additional two years of post-high school education. Since Just Cause became an official part of the government in 2002, graduates of the Hero Academy are now licensed as Federal law enforcement officers.

The principal and several faculty members are retired heroes, including Sunstorm, John Stone, and Photon.

Deep Six

Deep Six is the prison facility established by Just Cause in 1994. Located six kilometers under the ground in Montana, it is capable of holding up to two hundred parahumans in solitary or group confinement. The warden, Neutralizer, used to be part of the Children of the Atom. There were thirty-seven prisoners being held in various levels of security in 2004.

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About the Author

Ian Thomas Healy dabbles in many different genres. He’s an eight-time participant and winner of National Novel Writing Month and is also the creator of the
Writing Better Action Through Cinematic Techniques
workshop, which helps writers to improve their action scenes. 

When not writing, which is rare, he enjoys watching hockey, reading comic books (and serious books, too), and living in the great state of Colorado, which he shares with his wife, children, house-pets, and approximately five million other people.

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www.ianthealy.com
 

About the Cover Illustrator

Jeff Hebert is the creator of the HeroMachine online character portrait creator. He splits time between Austin, Texas and Durango, Colorado pursuing his lifetime dream of drawing super-heroes all day while not wearing pants.