Crimson Avenger
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The Crimson Avenger is the name of three separate fictional characters, superheroes who exist in the DC Comics universe.
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[edit] History
[edit] Lee Walter Travis
The original Crimson Avenger was a wealthy newsman named Lee Walter Travis who resided on Earth-Two during the 1940's. He took up the identity of the Crimson Avenger to battle crime. He had many similarities to the Green Hornet, including a sidekick named Wing who was an Asian valet and a gas gun that he used to subdue opponents. He initially dressed in a red trenchcoat, a fedora, and a red mask covering his face; except for the red, he was visually similar to The Shadow. Later, when superheroes became more popular than costumed vigilantes, his costume was changed to a more standard superhero outfit, consisting of red tights,yellow boots, trunks and crest, and a "sun" symbol which was recently revealed to have been a stylized bullet hole. Some months after this, the Crimson Avenger made his first appearance in Leading Comics #1 with the Seven Soldiers of Victory. He later found himself lost in time during a mission along with his teammates, until rescued by the Justice League of America and Justice Society of America. Years later he died rescuing his city from a freighter about to detonate within its harbor.
[edit] Albert Elwood
The second Crimson Avenger made a single appearance, in World's Finest Comics #131 (February 1963), in a story entitled "The Mystery of the Crimson Avenger". Eccentric inventor Albert Elwood adopted the guise and attempted to help Superman, Batman and Robin thwart the robberies of the Octopus Gang. After the requisite identity confusion when one of the gang members assumed the Crimson's identity, Elwood did help the heroes capture the gang, and retired right afterward. He had many sophisticated gadgets, but his efforts often proved counterproductive, more a hindrance than a help. He did mention that he had "taken the name of a former lawman," meaning the by-then long defunct original Crimson. The former Crimson Avenger was only recorded as having resided on Earth-Two, however the Earth Elwood resided on has never been identified.
[edit] Current Crimson Avenger
Since then, a third Crimson Avenger has appeared. This character like the original El Diablo serves as a minor Spirit of Vengeance. She possessing the power of teleportation and intangibility, is an African American woman who might be called Jill Carlyle. In a flashback sequence, she studied law but apparently lost a case in which the defendant was clearly guilty. She obtains a pair of Colt pistols originally owned by the first Crimson Avenger and uses them to exact vengeance upon the unknown criminal. These guns were cursed such that if the possessor were to use them out of revenge he or she would be cursed to track and kill those who have taken innocent life. She gains the memory and skills of those whose deaths she is avenging. Her guns never miss, never run out of ammunition, and have no triggers. She was a member of the JSA during the "Stealing Thunder" storyline, where her mission was to avenge the death of Lee Travis, revealing that the explosion that killed him was caused by the Ultra-Humanite. She returns later in JSA #52-53, tracking down Wildcat. While she performed her cursed duty she attempted to learn how Lee Travis seemingly divested himself of the guns' curse. Though attacked by the Spectre in a 2005 issue of JSA, the Crimson Avenger was seen at Blackgate Prison, fighting escaping inmates during the world-wide supervillain breakout the Society engineered in Villains United: Infinite Crisis Special #1. The Crimson Avenger later appeared, alongside the current Vigilante and Wild Dog, on a rooftop in the great Battle of Metropolis, raining bullets down on the Trigger Twins, the Madmen and Mindboggler IIInfinite Crisis #7.
[edit] Other versions of the Crimson Avenger
In Kingdom Come, Alex Ross portrayed the character as a giant demon imprisoned in the Gulag. Naming him "King Crimson" in a nod to the band of the same name, his look owes more to his standard superhero look than his previous pulp fiction costume. Also, in the pages of L.E.G.I.O.N., Garv assumed a masked identity after quitting the team, calling himself the Crimson Avenger. He dropped the identity when he returned to the team near the end of the series.
[edit] Appearances in other media
- The Crimson Avenger (Lee Travis) is a member of the Justice League in Justice League Unlimited and has several short, non-speaking appearances.
- Also, the style and concept of the Crimson Avenger has been echoed in the likes of the Disney character Darkwing Duck.
- In the novel Storm Warning by Bruce Sterling, one of the Nietzschean terrorists is called the Crimson Avenger
- Judging by the title of one of their episodes, it's possible that Crimson Avengers may be appearing on Smallville.
