Crime Syndicate of America
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The Crime Syndicate of America, also known as CSA and Crime Syndicate of Amerika, is a fictional team of supervillains from one of DC Comics' parallel universes, and are the evil counterparts of the Justice League of America. The team first appeared in Justice League of America #29 in August 1964.
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[edit] Team history
[edit] Earth-Three
The Crime Syndicate originally lived on Earth-Three, a world where history was "reversed" from the world we knew (e.g. President John Wilkes Booth was assassinated by Abraham Lincoln). It initially had no superheroes, only the supervillains of the Crime Syndicate, though this changed with the advent of heroic Alexander Luthor (that world's counterpart of Lex Luthor).
In their first appearance, the Crime Syndicate, bored with the ease with which they were able to commit crimes on their Earth (and with no one to truly challenge them), discovered the existence of Earth-One and Earth-Two, and set out to challenge the JLA and JSA to a lengthy fight, after which the Syndicate was ultimately defeated. Following this defeat, they were imprisoned in an unbreakable bubble generated by Green Lantern's power ring, and placed in a "limbo" dimension between the Earths. Over the following years, the Syndicate or one of its members would occasionally escape and attempt to wreak havoc on Earth-One and/or Earth-Two.
Earth-Three and the original Crime Syndicate were destroyed along with the rest of DC's parallel worlds in the 1985 twelve-issue maxi-series Crisis on Infinite Earths. The inhabitants of that world were swallowed by an anti-matter wave, with the Crime Syndicate, having decided to be heroic for once, charged straight into the wave defiantly, although Alexander Luthor managed to send his infant son, Alexander Luthor, Jr., to the safety of Earth-One. This was the last appearance of the Syndicate that decade until a new one appeared, apparently from the anti-matter universe.
[edit] The modern Syndicate
A post-Crisis version of the Crime Syndicate was eventually introduced. This post-Crisis version, essentially identical to the Earth-Three group, was initially said (in 1992's Justice League Quarterly #8) to be from the antimatter universe of Qward, their appearance implying they come from the world of Qward.
The 2000 graphic novel JLA: Earth 2 established them as coming from a parallel Earth within the antimatter universe. Qward was retconned to be the center of the antimatter universe, rather than the entire universe itself.
The Crime Syndicate's post-Crisis antimatter Earth (named "Earth-1" in the JLA: Earth 2 graphic novel; not to be confused with the pre-Crisis Earth-One) possesses a "reversed" history similar to Earth-Three's and a much darker tone to both the team and its world. JLA Secret Files 2004 provided additional history of this team, showing that they did once resemble the Earth-Three Syndicate. This Crime Syndicate (with their name slightly respelled to "Crime Syndicate of Amerika") rule their world with an iron fist; (a change from their pre-Crisis counterparts, who were unsuccessful in conquering their world). The modern Syndicate's motto is "Cui Bono?" ("Who profits?"). The only universally respected principle on their world is that of the "favor bank"—if someone does you a favor, you owe them a favor in return that must be repaid whenever the favor is called in.
In addition to the heroic Alexander Luthor, their opponents include the heroic H.I.V.E. (Hierarchy for International Virtuous Empowerment), the Missile Men and the Justice Underground, a reversed analog of the Legion of Doom and Secret Society of Super-Villains consisting of General Grodd, Lady Sonar, Quizmaster (the anti-matter version of the Riddler), Q-Ranger (the anti-matter version of Major Force), Sir Solomon Grundy and Star Sapphire.
In an early 2000s issue of Superman, Ultraman and Superwoman are shown to have had a child together.[citation needed]
2003's JLA/Avengers crossover written by Kurt Busiek seemed to involve the destruction of the Crime Syndicate's universe, but this was later reversed when the special's villain, Krona, was defeated. The Crime Syndicate later reappeared in the Syndicate Rules arc, also writen by Buisek, in the current JLA series.[1]
Other criminal organizations on the Crime Syndicate's Earth include the Crime Lodge (anti-matter analogues to the Justice Society) and Young Offenders (anti-matter analogues of the Teen Titans). They are mentioned at the end of the Syndicate Rules arc as prepared to take advantage of the Crime Syndicate's weakness, but not seen.
[edit] Infinite Crisis
It is yet to be seen whether the Syndicate or the anti-matter universe have survived the events of the 2006 limited series Infinite Crisis.
The original Syndicate made a post-Crisis appearance in Infinite Crisis when Earth-Three temporarily returned, and Ultraman, Superwoman, and Alexander Luthor were almost merged with Superman, Wonder Woman, and Superman of Earth-2
[edit] Kandor
Ultraman recently made an appearance in Kandor in the pages of Supergirl, posing as Superman. The explanation for his presence there comes from another evil duplicate of a hero. Saturn Queen, last seen in the "Absolute Power" arc of Superman/Batman, explains that when Alexander Luthor, Jr. brought the multiverse back in Infinite Crisis, her alternate reality was recreated on its own world. When the multiverse collapsed, she found herself stranded in the Phantom Zone, where she found Ultraman. She viewed Ultraman as a suitable replacement for the version of Superman who was her son in her reality and placed him under mind control so that he would believe her to be his mother. She was also able to put Supergirl under her control and initiated plans for the two to marry, but Supergirl was able to break free of her control. After viciously beating Ultraman, Saturn Queen offered information to Supergirl in return for sparing Ultraman. Supergirl accepted, and Ultraman and Saturn Queen remain in Kandor.
It remains unknown if any other Syndicate members are still in the Phantom Zone, as Ultraman was.
[edit] Superman/Batman
Superman/Batman Annual #1 (2006) details Superman and Batman's first encounter with Ultraman and Owlman. Set years ago, before Superman and Batman knew each other's identities, a vacationing Clark Kent, Bruce Wayne and Lois Lane meet Ultraman, Owlman, and Superwoman when their antimatter counterparts appear on a cruise ship. This story also features the first appearance of Deathstroke's unnamed antimatter doppelganger, a character similar in appearance and personality to Deadpool a Marvel character based on Deathstroke whose eponymous comic book series was Superman/Batman Annual #1 writer Joe Kelly's big break in comics.
[edit] Members
In both versions of the Crime Syndicate, its members are:
- Ultraman: the counterpart of Superman. Pre-Crisis, Ultraman came from a Krypton that hadn't exploded, and who depended on kryptonite to maintain his superpowers, rather than draining them (initially he received a new power through each exposure to kryptonite). Post-Crisis, Ultraman was a human astronaut (Lieutenant Clark Kent) given Anti-Kryptonite-based superpowers after an encounter with aliens. If he is separated from Anti-Kryptonite long enough, his powers fade away; Ultraman combats this by inserting Anti-Kryptonite capsules under his skin which are released gradually over time. This Clark Kent has an unhealthy obsession with the anti-matter universe's Lois Lane, having forced her to marry him and bear him a child.
- Superwoman: the counterpart of Wonder Woman. Pre-Crisis, Superwoman gained her powers from her world's Amazons, and thus has similar powers to Wonder Woman. Post-Crisis, she is the anti-matter Earth's version of Lois Lane; it is not revealed how she got her powers. Her lasso does not compel others to tell the truth, but instead releases inhibitions and forces a victim to reveal secrets which they find especially humiliating. The Post-Crisis Superwoman also has heat vision, and continues a furtive relationship with Owlman, much to the fury of her husband, Ultraman.
- Owlman: the counterpart of Batman. Pre-Crisis, Owlman possessed a limited range of mind control powers. Post-Crisis, Owlman's origin was fleshed out with his powers enhanced by a range of technological and physical skills, much like Batman. He is the brother of his Earth's Bruce Wayne, Thomas Wayne Jr. In addition, Owlman increased his IQ with a drug-enhancer for his cerebral cortex. He openly possesses plans to counter his teammates' powers. Owlman uses these counterattacks whenever he chooses, as he causes Quick to have a minor heart attack at the beginning of the "Syndicate Rules" storyline. He has a number of illicit liaisons with Superwoman (the Lois Lane of the anti-matter universe) though it's not clear whether this is a genuine attraction, or just another way of showing his independence from the obsessively jealous and ever-watchful Ultraman.
- Johnny Quick: the counterpart of the Flash. In post-Crisis continuity Quick maintains his superpowers with the use of "Speed Juice," a powerful narcotic stimulant. Grant Morrison stated in an interview that the Speed Juice was derived from the blood of Quick's murdered predecessor.[citation needed] Quick is not to be confused with the Golden-Age/Earth-Two hero of the same name.
- Power Ring: the counterpart of Green Lantern. Pre-Crisis, Power Ring gained his magical ring of power from a Tibetan monk named Volthoom, and has powers similar to the Silver Age Green Lantern. Post-Crisis, the original Power Ring (who still got the ring from a Tibetan monk named Volthoom) was an American named Harrolds, but JLA: Earth 2 established that the original Power Ring later gave the ring to a young blond man, the counterpart to Kyle Rayner. His ring was inhabited by the spirit of Volthoom who often spoke on his own, making inane observations; all of which is considered a curse to the ring's wielder. The blond Power Ring's favorite tactic in battle was to use the ring to create living Boschian monstrosities capable of destroying whole city blocks. The Syndicate Rules series showed that after the anti-matter Universe was destroyed by Krona and recreated, certain elements of history had been changed, and now the second Power Ring was a black man and a counterpart to John Stewart. This Power Ring was a Slave Marine for many years. He was tricked by Harrolds into taking the ring by telling him he was the chosen substitute to wield the ring when Harrolds couldn't.
The JLA: Earth 2 graphic novel featured several costumes in the CSA Watchtower, three of them labeled Doctor Noon (Doctor Mid-Nite's counterpart), White Cat (Black Canary's counterpart) and Spaceman (Starman's counterpart).
The Crime Syndicate's universe also included counterparts of J'onn J'onzz, Aquaman, and Hawkman, known as:
- White Martian: J'onn's Anti-matter counterpart who came to Earth and became Ultraman's chief rival and was killed by him.[2]
- Barracuda: Aquaman's counterpart who was seen leading the armies of Atlantis against the surface world in Florida.[3]
- Blood Eagle: Hawkman's counterpart who was revealed to have been killed by the Crime Syndicate.[4]
The CSA's Post-Crisis world is primarily governed by the "favor bank"; unofficial but ironically the only rule that is not consistently broken. If any person should grant a favor for someone else, that person is entitled to compensation whenever they see fit, no matter what the cost or hardship to the latter. Failure to pay back a favor results in inordinately harsh consequences; as seen in the beginning of "Syndicate Rules". A mobster, Jackson "Rat-Eyes" Drake, who has failed to follow up on a favor owed was put on "trial" by Owlman, who then had him incinerated by Ultraman as a favor.
A team of Qwardians based on the then current Justice League International roster appeared on the Post-Crisis Earth, although they did not call themselves the Crime Syndicate.[5] Its members were:
- Scarab (Blue Beetle counterpart)
- Slipstream (Flash counterpart)
- Fiero (Fire counterpart)
- Frostbite (Ice counterpart)
- Deadeye (Green Arrow counterpart)
- Elasti-Man (Elongated Man counterpart)
- Element Man (Metamorpho counterpart)
It is not clear if any of these characters exist in Post-Zero Hour or Post-Infinite Crisis continuity.
[edit] Similar groups in other media
- "Universe of Evil", an episode of the 1970s animated series Super Friends features Superman encountering evil versions of the rest of the team from an alternate universe, called the "Super Enemies" (he temporarily swapped places with his own evil counterpart, who wrecked havoc and almost defeated the rest of the Super Friends until they swapped back, just in time). This universe's version of the Hall Of Justice is called the Hall Of Evil, and a demonic-looking face is on the outside of the building. The Super Enemies themselves appear almost identical to the Super Friends, although their version of Aquaman has an eyepatch, Batman's costume is red rather than blue, and Robin has a moustache (see the bottom of this page for images).
- In the animated series Justice League, a team called the Justice Lords, who combine elements of the Crime Syndicate and Wildstorm Comics' the Authority (a morally-ambiguous take on the Justice League concept), appears as the League's counterparts from an alternate universe. Unlike the Crime Syndicate, the Justice Lords are not simply evil opposites of their good counterparts; rather, they rule their world with an iron fist in order to end war and crime. The death of their Flash set a chain of events in motion that ended with the death of the alternate Lex Luthor at the hands of the alternate Superman. It was the government's fears that the Justice League might one day become like the Justice Lords that sparked Project Cadmus. The Justice Lords' first appearance was in the two-part Justice League episode "A Better World". Robotic doubles of the Justice Lords are created as a diversion by the newly combined Lex Luthor/Brainiac in the Justice League Unlimited episode "Divided We Fall".
- "A Better World" was originally going to be a Crime Syndicate story.[1]
- A Justice League DTV was planned, called Justice League: Worlds Collide, in which the Crime Syndicate would have been the main villains and which would have taken place during the gap between seasons 2 and 3.[citation needed]
