Red Raven (Liberty Legion) (Earth-616)
From Marvel Database
Contents |
History
The small child who was to become the Red Raven was riding with his parents aboard one of the first airplanes to cross the Atlantic Ocean when the plane entered a dense fog bank and struck the island of the Bird-People which was concealed within. The Bird-People were originally Inhumans who had seceded from their race's city of Attilan. The Bird-People instead lived in a city built atop an "island," which, due to powerful anti-gravity drives, floated high above the Earth's surface. Whereas most Inhumans have different powers than the others, all of the Bird-People resembled ordinary humans, except for their large, feathered wings, which made them capable of flight. The child who was to become the Red Raven was the only human to survive the plane crash, and the Bird-People, who are also known as the Winged Ones, decided to raise him as one of their own.
The Bird-People named the child Red Raven because of his flaming red hair, and, as he grew older, gave him a costume that would enable him to fly. The costume contained miniature anti-gravity mechanisms and included large artificial wings which would help him steer himself and negotiate air currents while in flight. On becoming an adult, the Red Raven decided to explore the world of the human race. He became a crimefighter among his fellow humans and during World War II was a member of the Liberty Legion, an organization of costumed adventurers. But what the Red Raven saw of mankind's inhumanity towards others during the war years eventually embittered him towards the human race, and he returned to the island of the Bird-People.
There he discovered that the Bird-People, who believed the ordinary humans to be their inferiors, intended to conquer the human race while it was still wearied from the tumult of World War Two. The Red Raven argued in vain with the ruler of the Bird-People that the humans still vastly outnumbered them and would wipe the winged race out if they went to war. To save the Bird-People's lives, the Red Raven released a gas which placed all of them in suspended animation. He then put the Bird-People in special individual capsules designed to keep them alive, and sank the island beneath the Atlantic Ocean. He put himself into suspended animation in a capsule, too, after setting a device that would return the island to the ocean surface years later and awaken him.
The island rose again on schedule, and was discovered by the mutant Angel. After fighting the Angel, the awakened Red Raven again sank the island and returned to suspended animation. But some months later, an undersea earthquake tore his own capsule loose. It floated to the ocean surface, and the Red Raven regained consciousness, but was unable to move. He was revived by his former ally, the Sub-Mariner. However, the suspended animation methods the Red Raven had used had adversely affected his sanity: the Red Raven now intended to revive the rest of the Bird-People, destroy humanity, and take over the Earth. But when the Red Raven tried to awaken the Bird-People, he discovered that the suspended animation capsules had malfunctioned, and that the entire race had died. Totally insane now from anguish, the Red Raven lashed out at a main control panel with his metal wings without realizing what he was doing. A fire erupted and the island of the Bird-People was obliterated by a tremendous explosion, seemingly killing the Red Raven.
Red Raven eventually reappeared alive, however, and revealed that he'd faked his own death, that of the Bird People, and the sinking of the island. The Defenders are later brought to the Red Raven's sky-island and clash with the Raven. The Red Raven also encounters The Order on his island.
Powers and Abilities
Strength level
Normal human male with regular exercise.Paraphernalia
Equipment
Red Raven wears artificial wings which enable him to fly. Occasionally he wears body armor.Weapons
Mace.
Links
- Appearances of Red Raven (Liberty Legion) (Earth-616)
- Character Gallery: Red Raven (Liberty Legion) (Earth-616)
- Images that feature Red Raven (Liberty Legion) (Earth-616)
- Fan-Art Gallery: Red Raven (Liberty Legion) (Earth-616)
- Quotations by Red Raven (Liberty Legion) (Earth-616)
- Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe, Golden Age 2004
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