BOY COMMANDOS | BIOGRAPHY |
Created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby |
TEAM DATA
Status: Disbanded
Former Members: Captain Rip Carter, Brooklyn, Andre Chavard, Jan Haasan, Alfy Twidgett, Tex, Percy Clearweather,
Base of Operation: European and Pacific Theaters of Operations during World War II, later mobile
First Appearance: Detective Comics #64/2 (June 1942)
Creators: Joe Simon and Jack Kirby
MEMBERSHIP
Member | First Appearance | Joined | Status | Note |
---|---|---|---|---|
Captain Rip Carter | Detective Comics #64/2 | Detective Comics #64/2 | Retired | |
Brooklyn | Detective Comics #64/2 | Detective Comics #64/2 | Deceased | |
Andre Chavard | Detective Comics #64/2 | Detective Comics #64/2 | Retired | |
Jan Haasan | Detective Comics #64/2 | Detective Comics #64/2 | Retired | |
Alfy Twidgett | Detective Comics #64/2 | Detective Comics #64/2 | Retired | |
Tex | Detective Comics #124/4 | Detective Comics #124/4 | Unknown | |
Percy Clearweather | Boy Commandos #23 | Unknown |
HISTORY
Shorty before the entry of the United States into World War II, a group of young orphans in England were organized into a covert commando group (know officially as the second commando group) by Captain "Rip" Carter. After the entry of the US, the Commandos became a public relations tool as well as an effective fighting force as a Detached Service Unit. Their first few missions focusing on Northern Europe, slowing the advance of Nazi forces in Holland and Russia. The group also was searching for and rescuing surviving members of Jan's family.
Moving across the entire European theater of conflict, the Commandos fought in Russia into the Middle East, occasionally finding time to return to America to appear in bond rallies and trying to continue their education in England while uncovering spy rings.
On one trip to America, they aided the Newsboy Legion in breaking up the weapon smuggling activities of Agent Axis. On another unrevealed adventure, they aided The Sandman and Sandy.
As the war drew to its bloody end, The Boy Commandos moved to the Pacific Theater of Operations, finishing the war and returning to England to be mustered out and sent to orphanages. Soon after the end of the war, Jan discovered that he had family living and went off to live with them. Alfie discovered an aunt living and arranged for him to be sent to school to finish his education. Rip was going to be leaving the army and was taking Brooklyn and Andre to live with him in America. Leaving London on an overseas flight, the boys discovered Alfie stowed away on the plane. After the younger Commandos talked Rip into keeping the three together, he arranged for Alfie to postpone his entry into college and stay in America. After landing, Rip met with some friends in government and accepted a position as an agent for an "international police force" (probably a precursor to the later Task Force X) and invited the boys to join him.
On a mission in 1947, the Commandos stopped a Hitler impersonator from using a atomic bomb developed by the Nazis in WWII. On another mission, the Commandos landed briefly on the moon. Soon after that mission, Alfie returned to England to begin his college education and Tex joined the group, leaving his traveling rodeo show that was touring Texas at the time.
The Boy Commandos fought crime in America as much as abroad, thwarting the plans of Rollo, the world's fattest crook, Crazy Quilt and Mr. Peg along with Nazi war criminals such as Case 13. They also discovered a lost Atlantean city that did not become water-breathers.
In 1949, Andre returned to France to run his family's farm and Percy Clearweather, a young detective who aided them in capturing Case 13 months earlier, joined the group. After making himself at home, Clearweather using spare parts in the headquarters warehouse built the Atomobile, a large transport vehicle. The team used it for a short time but due to other pressing matters disbanded shortly thereafter.
CHRONOLOGY
For a definitive list of appearances of Boy Commandos in chronological order click here
PROFILE REFERENCES
Who's Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe #3 (May 1985)