A weekly serialization of an adventure featuring the Seven Soldiers of Victory, written by Joe Samachson in the 1940s but not seeing the light of day until the 1970s when the script was illustrated and serialized as a back up series in Adventure Comics.
A magical imp named Wee Willie Wisher has sent the individual members of the SSoV to confront a variety of mystical conundrums in the Land of Magic.
We've seen the Shining Knight, Green Arrow & Speedy, the Crimson Avenger (AND Wing), the Star Spangled Kid and Stripesy and the Vigilante confront a variety of odd mystic menaces in the Land of Magic.
Today, we bring back all 8 members of the Seven Soldiers of Victory to face off with Wee Willie Wisher.
It's time, my friends, for a CONFRONTATION!!!
The credit where credit is due department:
Scans for these SSoV stories come from Diversions of the Groovy Age.
Sadly, the Groove Agent is no longer posting as he once did which bums me out no end but the site remains a treasure trove of comic books from 1968 to 1980.
The Seven Soldiers of Victory didn't have the staying power of their more famous counterparts in the Justice Society of America. The SSoV lasted for 14 issues of Leading Comics before the title changed to an all humor format with issue #15.
Sometimes the Seven Soldiers of Victory were called Law's Legionnaires but that name really didn't stick. Seven Soldiers of Victory sounded cooler even if it did call attention to an unfortunate and awkward truth.
I have made a few snarky references to the 8 members of the Seven Soldiers of Victory. Yes, Crimson Avenger sidekick Wing was there. But he didn't count. Racism in the 1940s, guys and gals.
When writer Len Wein brought back the Seven Soldiers of Victory for Justice League of America#100-#102, he explained the long absence of the SSoV after an epic battle of the team against a world threatening foe, a foe who was defeated only by the fatal sacrifice of Wing.
Yes, the 8th member of the Seven Soldiers of Victory who didn't count gave his life to save these guys.
Speaking of the the Justice League of America, I've got to talk about the art for this final installment. What better choice to draw the SSoV coming back together than the ultimate team book artist himself, Dick Dillin.
When I was a kid reading comic books in the 1970s, Dick Dillin was my favorite artist. Dillin was the artist on JLA longer than anybody and the man literally died at his drawing board working on Justice League.
George Perez and Don Heck who drew the Avengers for Marvel took up drawing JLA after Dillin passed away but they couldn't replace the man. In fact, since 1980 to the present day, there hasn't been a single Justice League artist who could hold a candle to Dillin's talent and virtuosity as the artist for the Justice League of America.
OK, end of rant.
So that's that for Seven Soldiers Saturday here on the old blog thing. I remember seeing some of the original stories in Adventure Comics back in the day and wondering, what kind of goofy stuff is this. It was a fun and interesting diversion from other comics of the day and I hope you've enjoyed it as well.
Again, my thanks to the Groove Agent over at Diversions of the Groovy Age for posting this darn thing in the first place. Groovester, I miss you posting and I really wish you could get back to it.
Thanks for reading and remember to be good to one another.
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