Team Spotlight: Earth Protection Force

I haven't had a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles post in a while, and the reason for that is that my main source for them, TMNT Entity, is no longer active. So while I used to be able to count on it to regularly update about the new issues and all the intricate continuity and connections to other Ninja Turtles media, I don't have that anymore.

I was able to find this one on my own, but most canon immigrants aren't major enough to make it into story synopses. If you ever see one in the IDW TMNT series that I haven't featured yet, be sure to let me know!

Anyway, the Earth Protection Force originated in the 2003 animated series. They were a black ops unit created by President Ulysses S. Grant and led by Agent John Bishop, with the goal of protecting Earth from alien invaders. I can't find a specific first appearance for them, but Bishop first appears in "Space Invaders, part 2" (October 2004), so I'm going to assume the organization does as well.

They later appeared in the 2012 animated series in "The Invasion, Part 2" (September 2014), almost exactly ten years later. Bishop is still a member, and presumably they have the same role in this continuity, although on this show they fight a Kraang invasion, while in the 2003 show, they fight a Triceraton invasion.

Bishop has been appearing in the comics for a while now, so it makes sense the Earth Protection Force would come along at some point too. In fact, it didn't take that long: he first appeared in January 2016, and their first appearance was in August 2016 in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Universe #1, an anthology series.

Group Spotlight: Dogs of Hell

Five years ago, almost to the day (March 11, 2014), Agents of SHIELD aired the episode "Yes Men". The episode is notable for a full-on guest appearance by Sif - not just a cameo like with Nick Fury - and for being an early hint that Ward is a bad guy, but it's also notable for introducing the Dogs of Hell to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

The Dogs of Hell are a motorcycle gang the the villain of the episode, Lorelei, is able to take control of through the hypnotic powers of her voice. This was their only appearance in Agents of SHIELD, but not their final appearance in the MCU. A different branch of the club played a major part in Daredevil season 2 (March 2016) as one of the three participants in the gang war that season revolves around. They later had brief appearances or mentions in The Punisher (November 2017) and both seasons of Iron Fist (March 2017 and September 2018).

Here's where it gets fuzzy. The Marvel Wikia claims that their first appearance in comics is in Civil War II: Kingpin #2 (August 2016). This would make sense, being only a few months after they were so prominently in Daredevil. And a biker gang DOES appear in that issue, but I can find no indication that they're actually the Dogs of Hell. If anyone can corroborate that information, let me know.

But that's all right, because they definitely do appear by name in The Immortal Hulk #1 (June 2018).

This is honestly my favorite kind of canon immigrant. It's not there to promote anything, it's not driven by any kind of nostalgia, it's just the comics realizing an adaptation filled a gap in some way and continuing to use it because it makes sense. Marvel never had a reoccurring motorcycle gang before. Now they do. And if they want, they can get a lot of mileage out of that.

Group Spotlight: Ten Rings

This is an important one! But CBR already wrote about it, so I’ll defer to them.

The gist is that the Ten Rings are a terrorist organization led by the Mandarin that debuted in Iron Man (May 2008), and Ironheart #1 (November 2018) has finally brought it into the comics ten years later. You can read about it in more detail at the following link:

https://www.cbr.com/mcu-ten-rings-iron-man-ironheart/

As you can see, the symbol isn’t completely the same, but it’s close enough.

Group Spotlight: Strategic Scientific Reserve

The Strategic Scientific Reserve is one of the most interesting additions to the Marvel canon that the Marvel Cinematic Universe has made. Basically, what they did is use real history to fill in a story gap and create a connection to the present that wasn't there previously.

In the comics, you have Project Rebirth, which seems to be just an Army experiment, and then later on you have SHIELD. But the MCU said, "well, in real life the CIA was preceded during war time by the OSS? What if SHIELD was the same way?" Enter the SSR. This also allowed them to give the Howling Commandos ties to SHIELD despite not being led by Nick Fury in this continuity.

Which brings us to another alternate reality, but one in the comics this time: Spider-Gwen. Spider-Gwen is set on Earth-65, which is similar to the main Marvel universe on the surface, but with differences here and there. The differences generally fall into one of two categories - (1) characters are the opposite of what you'd expect; Peter Parker was the Lizard, Matt Murdock is the Kingpin, Frank Castle is a cop, or (2) women are put to the forefront; Gwen Stacy is Spider-Woman, Peggy Carter runs SHIELD, Captain America is named Samantha Wilson.

In Spider-Gwen #2 (November 2015), we get a lot of Captain America's backstory. The first part comes in a flashback, where we see the SSR in action:

But we don't learn it's the SSR until a text piece in the back, which gives a fuller history of the character:

It's not the 616 universe, which is a little disappointing, but I'm hoping this is the first step to learning the organization existed there in some capacity as well.

Character/Team Spotlight: The Awesome Threesome

This is one of those tricky ones, and I never would've known about it without the tip from user shadzane. Thanks!

The Awesome Threesome is a trio of supervillains that first appeared in Aquaman #36 (September 1967). The team is comprised of Torpedoman, Claw, and Magneto.

Torpedoman also appeared in the Aquaman cartoon episode "Treacherous is the Torpedoman", which debuted in October 1967. He returned in the November 1967 episode "The Torp, The Magneto, and The Claw", which featured the debuts of Claw and Magneto (obviously).

So why are these on this site? They clearly showed up in comics before animation. Well, not so fast. First, both of these episodes and the issue were written by Bob Haney. Furthermore, we've seen several times before that the lead time for animation can cause characters created for animation to jump over to comics before the animation airs. And beyond that, check out the cover to Aquaman #36.

It's the only issue to feature that banner at the top, so I'm pretty sure this issue was meant to promote the cartoon by featuring characters created for the cartoon. I think that also holds true for Tusky the Walrus, as seen last week.

Update - 11/7/25:

The Awesome Threesome are back! They somehow missed Post-Crisis Earth, New Earth, Earth-0, Prime Earth, and any minor continuity refreshes along the way, but in the anything-goes present-day "Dawn of DC" DC Universe, they're back. From Batman/Superman: World's Finest #15 (June 2023).

Group Spotlight: Peregrinator's Club (Earth-0)

This is not the first time I've featured the Peregrinator's Club, but the other time was on Earth-12 and in the future. This is on Earth-0 and in the present. And this is actually the TRUE first appearance, so it's more important.

The Peregrinator's Club is a men's club where the Gotham Police Department held a party for Commissioner Gordon in the episode "Joker's Favor" (1992), which is also notable for featuring the debut of Harley Quinn.

That episode was written by Paul Dini, and about fifteen years later, Dini started a run on Detective Comics. So in his very first issue - Detective Comics #821 (July 2006) - he featured the Peregrinator's Club as a setting.

Group Spotlight: World Security Council

This is an interesting one. Before today, this entry would've looked something like this:

The World Security Council is an international group that oversees SHIELD operations. They were first mentioned in Marvel One-Shot: The Consultant (2011), to set up their appearance in Marvel's The Avengers (2012), where they were a shadowy organization that ordered a nuke on Manhattan. They later appeared in the light - both figuratively and literally - in Captain America: Winter Soldier (2014) with some different members, and one of the original members appeared as an antagonist on Agents of SHIELD season 3 (2015-2016).

The World Security Council did not appear in the comics until Sam Wilson: Captain America #2 (November 2015), and even then, it was only a mention...

...until they appeared for real in Avengers Standoff: Assault on Pleasant Hill Omega #1 (April 2016).

That's how it would've looked.

But then, as I was finding pictures for this post, I stumbled upon this:

it's clearly older than the movies (I'm guessing the 80s), and I found it on the site of the VFX company that designed the World Security Council's look. It was provided to them by Marvel, so this group is clearly the inspiration for the World Security Council.

Here's the thing, though: I have NO IDEA where this came from. The site doesn't say, and I can't find any evidence online of Nick Fury ever answering to a shadow council (except The Shadow Council, but that was a very different group and they are only a few years old). Whoever this group is, they're definitely not called the World Security Council, so I'm still counting it.

If anyone has any information about this image, please let me know.

EDIT: Thanks to user Idran, I know that this group (which ComicVine calls the Executive Board of Directors, but I don't know if that's their official name) first appeared in Marvel Graphic Novel #18: The Sensational She-Hulk (September 1985). They've only made two appearances since then, in Incredible Hulk #336 (August 1987) and Nick Fury vs. SHIELD #1 (April 1988). And the last of those times were actually imposters.

Batman Beyond: I Finally Figured It Out - Part 2a: Earth-12

Long-time readers will know that Batman Beyond has long been a thorn in my side. DC seems to really want the franchise around, but can't ever seem to figure out what they want to do with it, so it's been in continuity, outside continuity, in continuity but with Tim Drake as Batman...it's a headache.

However, recently I got the chance to read through every Batman Beyond series and I took copious notes to try to figure out how it should be represented on this site, and figured it out I did: there are actually three separate versions of the Batman Beyond world. In this three part post, I will describe the three versions and note the characters and concepts each one introduced. If the site has already talked about them, I'll link to that page. If not, I'll put in the new information. Here's Part 1 if you missed it; tomorrow will be Part 2b (Earth-12 from the Justice League's side), Thursday will be Part 3, and Part 4 will be on Friday.

Version 2: The Future of Earth-12
This version provides a clean break, in that it changes its name to Batman Beyond 2.0. But it's more than that. Suddenly Barbara Gordon can walk again, costumes (Nightwing's in particular) reflect their animated counterparts, and they not only exclusively refer to events of the DCAU when talking about the past, they refer to the past more frequently and in deeper detail. This book does occasionally - once or twice - refer to events from previous volumes, but it does it vaguely enough that it could be talking about separate events entirely.

Terry McGinnis/Batman first appeared in the Batman Beyond episode "Rebirth" (1999), as the new Batman, Bruce Wayne's replacement. On Earth-12, he first appears in Batman Beyond 2.0 #1 (August 2013), duh.

Dana Tan now has her own page.

Mary McGinnis and Matt McGinnis, Terry's mother and brother, respectively, first appeared in the Batman Beyond pilot, "Rebirth" (1999). In the comics set on Earth-12, they first appeared in Batman Beyond 2.0 #2 (August 2013).

Warren McGinnis, Terry's father, appeared in the first episode of Batman Beyond, "Rebirth" (1999); we never met the Earth-12 version in comics, but his Earth-50 counterpart appeared in Batman Beyond 2.0 #24 (July 2014).

Maxine "Max" Gibson is Terry's best friend. She first appeared on tv in the episode  "Hidden Agenda" (1999). She was first mentioned in Batman Beyond 2.0 #1 (August 2013), but didn't fully appear until Batman Beyond 2.0 #27 (August 2014).

Justice League Unlimited

Sam Young

The Jokerz - The Jokerz are a collection of gangs that model themselves after The Joker; they debuted in the first episode of Batman Beyond, "Rebirth" (1999). Their first Earth-12 appearance is listed in the link, but their first appearance in this version of Batman Beyond was in Batman Beyond 2.0 #1 (August 2013). Specifically, we see Ghoul, Woof, and Chucko. Dee Dee doesn't make an appearance until issue 2 (August 2013).

Splicers are first mentioned in Batman Beyond 2.0 #1 (August 2013), although the Man-Bats he was fighting weren't technically splicers. But I'm pretty sure Woof is, and he's in the issue too.

Mad Stan, aka Stanley Lebowski, had his first appearance in the Batman Beyond episode "Rats" (1999). On Earth-12, he first appears in Batman Beyond 2.0 #1 (August 2013).

As does Charlie "Big Time" Bigelow

Shriek and Spellbinder first appear in Batman Beyond 2.0 #2 (August 2013). Shriek first appeared on tv in the episode of the same name (1999). Spellbinder is Ira Billings, a psychologist at Hamilton High.  He first appeared in the Batman Beyond episode "Spellbound" (1999).

Curare

Inque was a saboteur working for Derek Powers who first appeared in the Batman Beyond episode "Black Out" (1999). She is first mentioned in Batman Beyond 2.0 #3 (September 2013), but doesn't appear until issue 5 (October 2013).

Melanie Walker/Ten

The Royal Flush Gang has been around in comics for a long time, but this particular incarnation - which Ten was a part of - first appeared in the episode "Dead Man's Hand" (1999). They appear in Batman Beyond 2.0 #33 (September 2014), although we later learn that everyone has been replaced except for Queen.

Justice Lords

The Phantasm

Derek Powers/Blight was the main antagonist for Batman Beyond, and as such, was around since the first episode, "Rebirth" (1999). He was mentioned in Batman Beyond 2.0 #26 (July 2014).

Mr. Fixx was Blight's right-hand man, and he debuted in "Rebirth" (1999). He was later mentioned in Batman Beyond 2.0 #26 (July 2014).

Powers Industries, the company - first appearing in "Rebirth" (1999) - that bought out Wayne Industries and was run by Derek Powers, aka Blight, was mentioned Batman Beyond 2.0 #17 (March 2014). To be fair, this is the Earth-50 version of Powers Industries, but since this scene of the issue is written to make you think it's happening on Earth-12, it still counts. It counts regardless, but it especially counts.

Foxteca is a company created by Lucius Fox after leaving Wayne Industries that first appeared in the episode "Black Out" (1999) when Inque was hired to sabotage it. It then first appeared in Batman Beyond 2.0 #7 (November 2013).

The Peregrinator's Club is a men's only club that was featured in the Batman: The Animated Series episode "Joker's Favor" (1992) and a few other episodes. It was mentioned in Batman Beyond 2.0 #11 (January 2014).

Daggett Industries is a company owned by corrupt businessman Roland Daggett, which first appeared in the Batman: The Animated Series episode "Feat of Clay" (1992), and then several times after that. This mention is from Batman Beyond 2.0 #11 (January 2014).

Nightwing and Robin (Tim Drake) appear in flashback with their animated looks in Batman Beyond 2.0 #4 (October 2013).

The animated Batmobile and Dick Grayson in his animated Robin outfit appear in Batman Beyond 2.0 #9 (December 2013), during a flashback to the events of the Batman: The Animated Series episode "Fear of Victory"(1992).

Mr. Freeze's animated look appeared in Batman Beyond 2.0 #16 (March 2014).

Two-Face's animated look appeared in Batman Beyond 2.0 #16 (March 2014).

Tim Drake's infection with Joker toxin is recounted in Batman Beyond 2.0 #26 (July 2014). This event was the impetus of the plot in Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker (2000).

Batman and Batgirl's relationship ended in a flashback featured in Batman Beyond 2.0 #26 (July 2014). This particular plot point was brought up occasionally in Batman Beyond, in episodes such as "A Touch of Curare" (1999) and "Out of the Past" (2000). I've never particularly cared for this idea, but it happened.

This version of Commissioner Barbara Gordon can walk, as seen in Batman Beyond 2.0 #1 (August 2013). The version in previous Batman Beyond comics couldn't at first, then could with the help of implants.

And finally, in this panel from Batman Beyond 2.0 #11 (January 2014), they're referring to the events of the Batman Beyond episode "Out of the Past" (2000).

Thirty Days of Turtles: Dark Water

Recently I decided that if I want to keep having new content on this blog, I'm going to have to branch out beyond Marvel and DC. They'll always bring in new content, and I'm sure I'll continue to find old ones I've missed, but it's time to move toward more unfamiliar territory. With that in mind, and because they have a new movie out, I thought I'd kick this new era off with Thirty Days of Turtles!

That's right: From June 3 to July 2, there'll be a post each day highlighting Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles canon immigrants. Now, because TMNT canon is a little confusing, it can be hard to tell what counts as a canon immigrant and what doesn't. So for the purposes of this blog, a TMNT canon immigrant is anything (a) from the movies, cartoons, video games, toy lines, or tie-in comic series that later appeared in (b) TMNT volumes 1, 2, or 4 [because they're by the original creators] or TMNT volume 5 [because the original creators are involved, it's the new official continuity, and its goal is to use as much of the diverse TMNT lore as possible].

With that in mind, let's look at today's entry: Dark Water!

Dark Water is an elite military force that featured in the 80s cartoon episode "State of Shock" (October 1994). The episode features two members specifically: Colonel Knight and Sergeant Alex Winter. Winter was part of a super-soldier program that gave him electrical powers, after which he turned into the villain Megavolt.

Knight and Winter later appear in IDW's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #52 (November 2016), and two issues after that, it's revealed they're working with Man in Black Agent Bishop.

Thirty Days of Turtles: Street Phantoms

Recently I decided that if I want to keep having new content on this blog, I'm going to have to branch out beyond Marvel and DC. They'll always bring in new content, and I'm sure I'll continue to find old ones I've missed, but it's time to move toward more unfamiliar territory. With that in mind, and because they have a new movie out, I thought I'd kick this new era off with Thirty Days of Turtles!

That's right: From June 3 to July 2, there'll be a post each day highlighting Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles canon immigrants. Now, because TMNT canon is a little confusing, it can be hard to tell what counts as a canon immigrant and what doesn't. So for the purposes of this blog, a TMNT canon immigrant is anything (a) from the movies, cartoons, video games, toy lines, or tie-in comic series that later appeared in (b) TMNT volumes 1, 2, or 4 [because they're by the original creators] or TMNT volume 5 [because the original creators are involved, it's the new official continuity, and its goal is to use as much of the diverse TMNT lore as possible].

With that in mind, let's look at today's entry: the Street Phantoms!

The Street Phantoms are a street gang in the future that first appeared in the Fast Forward episode "Future Shellshock" (July 2006). They get their name from cloaks that let them turn invisible, and they're led by a cyborg called Jammerhead.

This is pretty much the exact situation they're in when they appear in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #51 (October 2015), only this time they're in the present, Jammerhead is just "Jammer", and they ultimately work for Darius Dun.

Thirty Days of Turtles: Foot Mystics

Recently I decided that if I want to keep having new content on this blog, I'm going to have to branch out beyond Marvel and DC. They'll always bring in new content, and I'm sure I'll continue to find old ones I've missed, but it's time to move toward more unfamiliar territory. With that in mind, and because they have a new movie out, I thought I'd kick this new era off with Thirty Days of Turtles!

That's right: From June 3 to July 2, there'll be a post each day highlighting Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles canon immigrants. Now, because TMNT canon is a little confusing, it can be hard to tell what counts as a canon immigrant and what doesn't. So for the purposes of this blog, a TMNT canon immigrant is anything (a) from the movies, cartoons, video games, toy lines, or tie-in comic series that later appeared in (b) TMNT volumes 1, 2, or 4 [because they're by the original creators] or TMNT volume 5 [because the original creators are involved, it's the new official continuity, and its goal is to use as much of the diverse TMNT lore as possible].

With that in mind, let's look at today's entry: Foot Mystics!

In the 2003 series, Foot Mystics are a special team of Foot Clan members that can each control one of the five elements (fire, water, earth, metal, and wind). They first appeared in the episode "Return to New York, part 2" (October 2003), and stuck around for the rest of the series, even being the primary antagonists of The Lost Episodes, aka season 5a. They have two forms - the ones above and the ones below:

Foot Mystics later showed up in Tales of the TMNT vol. 2. Their first appearance was issue #2 (March 2004), in a script that was originally written to be part of the 2003 series tie-in comic. Despite that being the case, Foot Mystics became a recurring part of this series, although they seem - from my limited knowledge - to be more of a class of Foot Clan member than a specific group in this continuity. They also don't have the same design as the Mystics of the animated series...

...although that changes in Tales of the TMNT #43 (January 2008):