If you think the Justice League is the blueprint for superhero teams, you’re missing a huge chunk of history. Actually, you're missing the Seven Soldiers of Victory. They weren't the biggest names. They didn't have a god like Superman or a billionaire with a gadget for every occasion like Batman. Instead, DC Comics (well, National Comics back then) threw together a bunch of B-list heroes in 1941 to see if lightning would strike twice after the success of the Justice Society. It didn't quite strike the same way, but what we got was a bizarre, fascinating, and occasionally heartbreaking legacy that still influences writers like Grant Morrison today.
Mort Weisinger and Jack Kirby didn't just wake up and decide to make a "second-string" team. They needed content for Leading Comics #1. The roster was a hodgepodge. You had the Green Arrow and Speedy, who were basically Robin Hood with more yellow on their outfits. Then there was the Crimson Avenger, DC's first masked hero, who started out looking like The Shadow but eventually put on spandex. Throw in The Shining Knight—a literal Arthurian knight with a flying horse—and The Vigilante, a cowboy who played the guitar and rode a motorcycle. Rounding it out were the Star-Spangled Kid and Pat Dugan (Stripesy).
The weirdest part?
The sidekicks counted as full members. That’s why there are eight of them. Seven "Soldiers," but eight people. Math was never the strong suit of Golden Age editors, apparently.
The Original 1940s Run: A Messy Success
Back in the 40s, comic books were basically the Wild West. There was no "shared universe" logic. Characters just showed up. The Seven Soldiers of Victory was a "Law's Legionnaires" concept. They fought mostly mundane threats at first—gangsters, racketeers, the occasional mad scientist. It’s kinda funny looking back because their biggest villains weren't cosmic threats. They were guys like the Hand, a criminal genius who used a giant robotic hand. Yes, really.
Each issue of Leading Comics followed a strict, almost repetitive formula. The team would meet, split up into individual chapters to handle a specific part of a crime, and then reunite for the finale. It was a clever way to give every artist a chance to shine. You’d get a chapter drawn by a legend like Mort Meskin followed by something completely different. But by 1945, the superhero fad was dying out. People wanted funny animals and westerns. The Seven Soldiers of Victory just... stopped. They vanished for decades. They weren't even given a proper send-off; they just drifted into the void of publishing history while the big hitters like Wonder Woman kept the lights on.
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The 1970s Resurrection and the Tragedy of Time
When DC finally remembered they owned these characters in the 70s, they decided to explain where they’d been. This is where things get dark. In Justice League of America #100-102, we find out the Soldiers had been scattered through time. They weren't just retired. They were lost.
The Crimson Avenger ended up in ancient Mexico. The Shining Knight was stuck in the 6th century. It was a massive crossover event that established a core truth about this team: they are losers in the best sense of the word. They are the underdogs who lose their lives, their timelines, and their sanity to save a world that barely remembers their names. This 70s revival changed the Seven Soldiers of Victory from a footnote into a tragedy. It gave them weight.
One of the most gut-wrenching details involves the Star-Spangled Kid. He comes back to the "present" only to realize he’s a man out of time. His partner, Stripesy, is now much older than him. That dynamic—the sidekick becoming the elder—was a precursor to how DC would eventually handle legacy characters like Nightwing or Wally West. It started here, in a clunky 70s revival of a 40s property.
Grant Morrison’s Mind-Bending Reimagining
Fast forward to 2005. Grant Morrison, the architect of some of the strangest stories in comics, decided to revive the brand. But he didn't just bring back the old guys. He created a "megaseries" of seven different miniseries that functioned as one giant story.
This version of the Seven Soldiers of Victory was built on the idea that these seven heroes would save the world without ever actually meeting each other. It was a "modular" story. You had:
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- Zatanna, a stage magician dealing with her fading powers.
- The Manhattan Guardian, a blue-collar take on a classic hero.
- Mister Miracle, a new version of the escape artist.
- Bulleteer, who hated being a superhero.
- Frankenstein, a literal undead soldier.
- Klarion the Witch Boy, a creepy kid from an underground civilization.
- The Shining Knight, reimagined as a girl from a lost era.
Morrison’s take was a commentary on the nature of superheroes. They were fighting the Sheeda, an evolutionary dead-end from the future that harvested civilizations. It was high-concept, weird, and deeply psychological. It proved that the name Seven Soldiers of Victory didn't have to be about a specific group of people. It was a concept. A "Seven Soldiers" story is always about individuals who are part of a larger pattern they can't see. Honestly, it’s one of the most ambitious things DC has ever published. If you haven't read it, you're missing out on a masterpiece of non-linear storytelling.
Why Nobody Talks About Them (But Should)
The problem with the Seven Soldiers is that they don't have a "hub." The Avengers have the Mansion. The League has the Watchtower. The Soldiers have... a memory. They are a team of orphans.
Most fans today only know them through the Stargirl TV show, which featured Pat Dugan and the legacy of the original team. It’s a shame. There’s something inherently human about a group of heroes who aren't "Super." They have to rely on luck, grit, and occasionally a magical sword. They represent the "Mystery Men" era of comics where a guy in a suit and a fedora was enough to scare a mobster.
Also, we need to talk about the "Eighth Member" problem. In the original run, the team included:
- The Vigilante
- The Crimson Avenger
- The Shining Knight
- Green Arrow
- Speedy
- The Star-Spangled Kid
- Stripesy
- Wing
Wing was the Crimson Avenger’s sidekick. Because he was Chinese, he was often sidelined or depicted in ways that are, frankly, uncomfortable to look at by modern standards. He wasn't even "officially" one of the Seven, despite being there for every fight. Later writers tried to fix this by making him the "Unknown Soldier" who sacrificed himself to save the team. It’s a sobering reminder of the era these characters came from. The history of the Seven Soldiers of Victory is inextricably linked to the history of the medium itself—both the good and the ugly.
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What Most People Get Wrong About the Continuity
Comic fans love to argue about "Canon." With the Seven Soldiers, canon is a suggestion. Because of Crisis on Infinite Earths, the team has been erased, rewritten, and shoved into different corners of the multiverse more times than I can count.
Sometimes they are from Earth-Two. Sometimes they are the predecessors to the Justice League on the main Earth. Currently, they occupy a space as "the forgotten team." This is actually their greatest strength. Because they aren't tied to a massive, multi-billion dollar movie franchise (yet), writers have the freedom to do whatever they want with them. They can be killed off. They can be reimagined as a horror story. They can be a lighthearted throwback.
Actionable Takeaways for Comic Fans and Collectors
If you're looking to dive into this specific corner of the DC Universe, don't just start with a random issue. You’ll get lost.
- Start with the 2005 Grant Morrison Omnibus. It’s the most accessible version and explains the vibe of the team better than anything else.
- Track down the JLA #100-102 issues. You can find these in "Crisis on Multiple Earths" trade paperbacks. It’s the definitive "Classic" story.
- Watch the Stargirl TV Series. Season one specifically deals with the legacy of the Seven Soldiers in a way that’s surprisingly faithful to the spirit of the comics.
- Look for the "Archive Editions." If you want the 1940s stuff, DC released these in the early 2000s. They are expensive now, but digital versions are on DC Universe Infinite.
The Seven Soldiers of Victory aren't just a backup team. They are a reminder that in the world of superheroes, even the forgotten ones have a story worth telling. They represent the grit and the weirdness that exists outside the shadow of the Big Three. Whether they're fighting time-traveling pirates or existential dread, they do it with a sense of style that's uniquely their own.
Next time you see a guy with a bow and arrow or a knight on a winged horse, remember that they were part of something bigger long before the world knew what a "Cinematic Universe" was. The Soldiers are still out there, in some timeline, winning the battles that nobody else even knows are happening. That’s the real victory.
To truly appreciate their impact, look for the subtle references in modern DC books—any time a character mentions "The Nebula Man" or "The Hand," you’re seeing the DNA of the Soldiers at work. Keep an eye on secondary market prices for Leading Comics #1; even in poor condition, it remains a "holy grail" for collectors who value historical significance over mere popularity. If you're a writer or creator, study how Morrison used the "modular" format to tell seven stories at once; it's a masterclass in structure that transcends the superhero genre entirely.
Next Steps for Enthusiasts:
- Catalog your collection: Check for cameos of the Star-Spangled Kid or Stripesy in JSA titles from the late 90s.
- Deep Dive: Research the "Sheeda" and their connection to the wider DC multiverse to understand the cosmic stakes of the 2005 run.
- Support Local: Ask your local comic shop for back issues of Leading Comics reprints to see the original Mort Meskin art in its intended format.