Red Raven is the name of three separate fictional characters appearing inAmerican comic books published byMarvel Comics. These characters are the original Red Raven, a flying superhero, who appeared in print once in 1940, then not again until 1968, and occasionally since then; the second Red Raven, named Dania, who is a flying superhero and daughter of the original Red Raven, who first appeared in print in 1992, and occasionally since then; and Redford Raven, aWild West villain who owned a set ofmedicine-enchanted wings, was also called Red Raven, and has appeared in print three times, in 1964, 1985, and 1987.
The first Red Raven, created by writerJoe Simon and artistLouis Cazeneuve,first appeared inRed Raven Comics #1 (cover-dated Aug. 1940), published by Marvel's predecessor,Timely Comics, during theGolden Age of Comic Books.[1] The title was canceled after its premiere issue.[2] When the unnamed character was a baby, his parents were killed when an airplane flew through a cloud and ran into the airborne island of the Bird People. The birds raised him as their own, and gave him artificial wings.[3]
The character remained unused for more than two decades before returning as anantagonist in the story "Red Raven, Red Raven" inX-Men #44 (May 1968).[4] The Red Raven then battledNamor, the Sub-Mariner inSub-Mariner #26 (June 1970). InMarvel Premiere #29 (April 1976), Red Raven was shown to have been a member of the statesideWorld War II-era superhero team theLiberty Legion. In that capacity he and his teammates guest-starred inMarvel Two-In-One Annual #1 (1976) andThe Invaders #6 (May 1976). He appeared in flashbackcameos inThor Annual #12 (1984) andFantastic Four #405 (Oct. 1995).[5] Although presumed dead for years, he eventually returned inNova vol. 3 #4-5 (Aug.-Sept. 1999), and guest-starred inThe Defenders #6-7 (Aug. - Sept. 2001) andThe Order #2 (May 2002).[5]
Dania first appeared inMarvel Super-Heroes #8 (January, 1992) and was created byScott Lobdell and Chris Wozniak.[6] She has also appeared inNova vol. 3 #7,The Defenders vol. 2 #6, andNew Invaders #2, and is mentioned inCivil War: Battle Damage Report. The character appears briefly inAvengers Arena, but is killed in the second issue.
Redford Raven appeared inRawhide Kid #38 (February 1964),[7] andWest Coast Avengers Volume 2 #18 (March 1987). He also appeared in a dream sequence inRawhide Kid vol. 2 (four-issue limited edition) #4 (November, 1985).
| Red Raven | |
|---|---|
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | Red Raven Comics #1 (Aug. 1940) |
| Created by | Joe Simon (Writer) Louis Cazeneuve (Artist) |
| In-story information | |
| Team affiliations | Liberty Legion |
| Abilities | Flight using mechanical wings Access to alien technology Skilled hand-to-hand combatant |
Sky-Island (or the Aerie) is an "island" which floats in the sky above the Atlantic Ocean, inhabited by theBird-People or Winged Ones, anavian offshoot of the human-alien hybrid race known as theInhumans, who had long ago left the hidden Inhuman cityAttilan and built their own abode.[8] The island is kept aloft byantigravity drives and hidden from human civilization by artificial clouds.
An airplane crashes into the Sky-Island, killing all passengers except a small boy. The Bird-People raise the boy, equip them with a uniform outfitted with anti-gravitons for flight and artificial wings for navigation, and return him to human society as Red Raven.
In 1942,Bucky Barnes forms theLiberty Legion with Red Raven and other superheroes, battling foes such as theRed Skull.[9] The Liberty Legion disbands in 1945. Red Raven travels to Europe, where he is one of many superheroes involved in the capture ofBerlin.[10]
Disillusioned by war, Red Raven returns to Sky-Island, where he discovers that the Bird-People plan to conquer human civilization. Red Raven foils their plot by using gas to place the tribe, including himself, insuspended animation. Sky-Island sinks to the bottom of the ocean, where it will resurface and reawaken the Bird-People after several years. When the island resurfaces near the end of the suspended-animation cycle,Angel stumbles upon the island and encounters Red Raven. Angel believes that it would be more humane to revive the Bird-People, but Red Raven disagrees. He sinks the island once more to protect the secret of the Bird-People, continuing the suspended animation process, and sets Angel adrift on a raft.[11]
Sometime later, following an underseaearthquake, Red Raven's suspended-animation capsule breaks loose and floats to the surface, where Red Raven is found by his old wartime allyNamor. The imperfect suspended-animation technology that he had used, however, had driven Red Raven insane. He tries to awaken the Bird-People to join their crusade against humanity, but is thwarted by Namor. His condition worsens when he discovers that the Bird-People had all died. In a mad rage, Red Raven accidentally causes an explosion that engulfs him and the entire island.[12]
Red Raven eventually reappears alive, revealing that he had faked his own death, that of the Bird People, and the sinking of the island.[13]
After capturingMedusa, Red Raven reveals that the Bird-People are an ancient offshoot of the Inhumans who had learned how to develop powers without the need of theTerrigen Mist. WhenBlack Bolt activates the Terrigenesis Bomb, the Bird-People are exposed to the Terrigen Mist, causing Red Raven's wife Vera and many others to undergo monstrous transformations.[14] Red Raven attempts to destroy NewAttilan. However,Captain America manages to reach Vera and show that her mind is still intact inside her deformed body. Red Raven stands down while Medusa volunteers to help restore the Bird People to normal.[15]
| Red Raven | |
|---|---|
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | Marvel Super-Heroes #8 (1992) |
| Created by | Scott Lobdell Chris Wozniak |
| In-story information | |
| Species | Human/Bird-People hybrid |
| Abilities | Flight |
Dania is a Bird-Person who was hatched on the floating island of Aerie (Sky-Island). By age 14, Dania had spent most of her life watching video feeds of Namor and believed him to be responsible for the death of her father (presumed to be the original Red Raven).
Namor's company Oracle Inc. seeks to study the sunken Sky-Island and its technology. However, the workers are attacked byDiablo, who seeks to harness the technology for himself. Dania flies there to protect her people while Diablo awakens the Bird-People from their suspended animation, leaving Dania and Namor to fight them off. Diablo departs after rigging a set of explosives to destroy Sky-Island. Dania's father later organizes his people into building a new Sky-Island.[16]
In the seriesAvengers Arena, Dania is among the teenage superheroes who are captured byArcade and forced to fight to the death in Murderworld.[17] Dania attempts to escape the arena, only to be killed after hitting an invisible force field and breaking her neck.[18]
| Red Raven | |
|---|---|
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | Rawhide Kid #38 (Feb. 1964) |
| Created by | Stan Lee Dick Ayers |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Redford Raven |
| Team affiliations | Circus of Crime |
| Abilities | Gliding on artificial wings. |
In theWild West, Redford Raven is a bank robber who leads his own gang in a series of robberies until they encounterRawhide Kid, who defeats the bank robbers and hands them over to the authorities. While in prison, Raven shares a cell with a dyingNavajo medicine man, who decides to share his secrets with him. He had designed a winged harness that, treated with a secret herb, would allow the user to glide upon the winds. After the medicine man dies, Raven utilizes the harness to escape prison.
Red Raven surprises Rawhide Kid with his new abilities, managing to shoot him and leave him for dead. Rawhide Kid is saved and nursed back to health by a young Navajo, who is the son of the Navajo medicine man who gave Raven his powers. After recovering, Rawhide Kid is given a flying harness of his own to be on equal grounds with Red Raven. After Red Raven is defeated, both flying harnesses are destroyed to protect their secret.[19]
Redford Raven later obtains a new pair of wings and joins forces with Iron Mask's gang as they form a gang called theCircus of Crime. The time-travelingWest Coast Avengers appear, along with contemporary heroes Rawhide Kid,Two-Gun Kid, and thePhantom Rider, and stop the criminals in their tracks. Red Raven ends up fightingIron Man, who tears off his wings. Red Raven and the other criminals are arrested and handed over to authorities.[20]
Red Raven's costume was reinforced synthetic stretch fabric containing miniature anti-gravity mechanisms, as well as large artificial wings which allowed Red Raven to fly. He was armed with the Bird-People's advanced weaponry, including aray gun and ananti-gravity gun. He was proficient in basic hand-to-hand combat techniques, uniquely styled to make use of his advantage of flight.
As a Bird-Person, Dania was born with operative wings, hollow bones, and other adaptions for flight.
Redford Raven had no inherent superpowers. He possessed a pair of artificial wings and used them to glide in the wind.
