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Red Star's Russian Connections
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| Maladi meets her fate in NEW TEEN TITANS #18 [1982]. |
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Maladi Malanova worked as a government secretary within Russia. It was through her job that she met and fell in love with Leonid Kovar, the Russian super-hero known as Starfire.
When his son was killed by an American In El Salvador, Soviet official Marek Slavik took revenge on the United States by sending Maladi to America as a courier, with the young woman unaware that she was now the carrier of a deadly disease. Learning of this, the Soviet government dispatched Leonid Kovar to the U.S. to stop Maladi.
F.B.I. agent King Faraday alerted the Titans to Russian Starfire's arrival, and a battle ensued when they mistook him for the plague-carrier. Having discovered the truth, the Titans raced to locate Maladi before Leonid, who planned to end her threat by killing her, inasmuch as her own condition was now in-curable. The Titans fought Leonid to a stalemate and Maladi was finally taken to a hospital to die in peace. Only then does Starfire, condemned for his attitude by the Titans, especially Kid Flash, throughout their encounter, reveal that the girl had been his fiancee. Leonid and Maladi were to be married on the day she died.
New Teen Titans #18 [1982]: Leonid Kovar, the Russian super-hero known as Starfire, clashes with the Teen Titans in an effort to stop a dangerous plague.
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Hammer and Sickle from
OUTSIDERS #10 [1986]. |
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Hammer and Sickle
Alias: Boris and Natasha [last names unrevealed]
Hammer and Sickle are members of the People's Heroes, a group of superbeings in Russia created by Soviet scientlsts who were trying to duplicate the powers of the American heroes, the Force of July. Boris and Natasha were codenamed Hammer and Sickle after their powerful weapons they weilded. Hammer and Sickle allied with the People’s Heroes twice, when they came to blows with the Outsiders.
Later, Hammer and Sickle were sent by a rogue faction of Russian zealots to San Francisco to try and assassinate their former comrade, Red Star, another Russian hero who was on a mission of information exchange between natIons. When learning of this deception, Red Star rebelled and, with the Titans, subdued the Russian operatives. This left Red Star feeling like a man without a country, given the insidious infighting within his own government.
Hammer and Sickle failed in their mission and were captured by the U.S.; They were later sent back to Russia to stand trial for their crimes.
Now little more than guns-for-hire, Hammer and Sickle have resurfaced in the United States and have crossed paths with Catwoman.
Outsiders #10 [1986]: First appearance of Hammer and Sickle.
New Teen Titans (second series) #48-49 [1988]: The Titans' old friend, Red Star, comes to the US for what he believes to be an exchange of information between the Soviet and American Governments; People's Heroes' members Hammer and Sickle attempt to terminate Red Star, but the Titans intercede, and Red Star gains political asylum in the US.
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| Pyotr Raskov from NEW TITANS #77-78 [1991]. |
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Russian scientist Pytor Raskov dutifully served his country for most of his adult life. While serving his government, he became close friends with archaeologist, Konstantin Kovar. Konstantin's son, Leonid Kovar, was taken by the Soviet State and subjected to studies and training which turned him into the first of a new generation of Russian meta-humans. Originally called Starfire, Leonid faithfully served the interests of his country. Konstantin Kovar seemingly perished under mysterious circumstances while serving the Soviet Union. This left young Leonid an orphan of the state; Feeling compassion for the boy, Pyotr Raskov looked after Leonid and became his surrogate father.
Dr. Pytor Raskov started a state-of-the-art research complex in Siberia. The vast complex was named "Science City" and funded by the Russian government. The entire operation initially consisted of seven complexes - each designed to explore and research experiments considered too dangerous to perform anywhere else. Investigating everything from the paranormal to the ecologicial, Science City became a hub of technological advancement.
When Cyborg was almost completely destroyed by the Wildebeest Society, Raskov and a handful of Russian scientists were able to rebuild him at Science City, although his mind was lost in the process. When the Titans arrived to retieve their lost teammate, Raskov tried to claim him in the name of Russia. With Red Star's urging, the kind-hearted scientist relented, allowing his surrogate son to leave with the New Titans to the United States.
Science City has had its share of nefarious experiments, including the KGB's attempt to breed a group of cybernetically engineered Meta-Men. To enact their plan, the KGB framed Raskov for treason and took over Science City, forcing the scientist to call Red Star back to him homeland. This was an attempt to secure Cyborg, to use his technology to enhance the Meta-Men and assassinate the President. The Meta-Men project was spearheaded by Red Star's power-mad father, Konstantin Kovar, who had spent years in hiding. Pytor Raskov and Konstantin had once been like brothers, but Konstantin would stop at nothing in his quest for power. When Raskov refused to cooperate, Konstantin murdered his former friend.
The plot was eventually exposed by Red Star and Sarah Charles, leaving Red Star to mourn Pytor Raskov.
New Titans #77-78 [1991]: Science City rebuilds Cyborg.
New Titans #87 [1992]: Raskov is arrested by a rogue government faction in Russia; They force him to call Red Star back to Science City.
New Titans #93 [1992]: Red Star is called back to Russia.
New Titans #94-96 [1993]: Red Star travels to his homeland of Russia with Sarah Charles in an attempt to restore Cyborg. He learns his father Konstantin is alive and building an army of Meta-Men as part of a plot to assassinate President Yeltsin and blame it on the American government. And agent named Anna and Leonid disrupt Konstantin's plans, but Pyotr Raskov is killed in the battle for refusing to comply with Konstantin. Also, Anna is forced to kill Leonid's father, Konstantin. Order is restored and Red Star returns to the United States.
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Pyotr Raskov pleads with his
former friend, Konstantin Kovar, in
NEW TITANS #94-96 [1993]. |
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Konstantin Kovar was a well-renowned Russian archeologist who served the interests of his country. When a meteor was believed to have crashed in Russia's Yenesi River in 1908, Konstantin and his son, Leonid, learned it was an alien spacecraft. Leonid touched the wrong control of the ship at the wrong time and was irradiated with incredible energies that mutated his body. When these energies manifested themselves as superpowers, Leonid was taken by the Soviet State and subjected to studies and training which turned him into the first of a new generation of Russian meta-humans. Originally called Starfire, Leonid faithfully served his country.
Konstantin Kovar seemingly perished under mysterious circumstances while serving the Soviet Union. This left young Leonid an orphan of the state; Through much of his adult life, Konstantin's friend Pyotr Raskov looked after Leonid and became his surrogate father. He later changed his name to Red Star and became allied with American super-heroes known as the Teen Titans. In secret, Konstantin became part of a black-ops team in the KGB.
Konstantin and his brethren sought to secretly take control of Russia while discredting the United States. To this end, He attempted to breed a group of cybernetically engineered Meta-Men, using the technology from Cyborg. To enact their plan, the KGB framed Raskov for treason and took over Science City, forcing the scientist to call Red Star back to him homeland. This was an attempt to secure Cyborg -- to use his technology to enhance the Meta-Men and assassinate the President and blame it on the United States.
Red Star uncovered the insidious plot with the help of a mysterious operative known only as Anna. As the pair attempted to stop the Meta-Men, an explosion triggered a startling new power surge for Red Star. The Russian hero learned he could burst his body into flames as well as channel and redirect fiery energy. These new abilities help put an end to Konstantin Kovar's attempt at a coup, but at a terrible price. Red Star's scheming father executed Pyotr Raskov, who had raised Leonid since childhood. And Anna was forced to kill Konstantin - with a bullet through his head - as Red Star watched.
Unknown to Red Star, a handful of Russian scientists have secretly salvaged the remains of Konstantin and made him a cybernetic - perhaps brain dead - Meta-Man.
Red Star later returned to his homeland to discover an uprising of "The Meta-Men Militia", a terrorist group who wanted the Russian government to sanction meta-human activities. Red Star - appointed "State Protector" of Russia - quelled their insurgence, but Science City was destroyed in the process. The "Meta-Men Militia" continue to plague Russia with terrorist acts - often clashing with Red Star in the process.
Teen Titans #18 [1968]: Starfire I (Leonid Kovar; first appearance; origin revealed; a Russian super-hero; given name revealed in New Teen TItans #18). Interpol requests that the Teen Titans team up with a Russian super-hero, Starfire, to safeguard the Crown Jewels of Sweden from Andre Le Blanc, the self-styled "world's greatest jewel thief." Mutual antagonism spoils the joint efforts of the American and Soviet champions, until Starfire rescues the Titans from Le Blanc's death-traps.
New Titans #94-96 [1993]: Red Star travels to his homeland of Russia with Sarah Charles in an attempt to restore Cyborg. He learns his father Konstantin is alive and building an army of Meta-Men as part of a plot to assassinate President Yeltsin and blame it on the American government. And agent named Anna and Leonid disrupt Konstantin's plans, but Pyotr Raskov is killed in the battle for refusing to comply with Konstantin. Also, Anna is forced to kill Leonid's father, Konstantin. Order is restored and Red Star returns to the United States.
Teen Titans (third series) #38 [2006]: The new story arc "Titans Around the World" begins as the Teen Titans journey into the heart of Russia to meet its greatest super-hero: Red Star! On a quest to locate a former member, the Titans head to Moscow to learn how Red Star has rebuilt his life following Superboy-Prime's rampage. First appearnce of the "Meta-Men Militia." Science City revealed to have been destroyed.
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Science City, Russia, has had its share of nefarious experiments, including the KGB's attempt to breed a group of cybernetically engineered Meta-Men. The Meta-Men project was spearheaded by Red Star's power-mad father, Konstantin Kovar. Konstantin and his brethren sought to secretly take control of Russia while discredting the United States. To this end, He attempted to breed a group of cybernetically engineered Meta-Men, using the technology from Cyborg. To enact their plan, the KGB framed Raskov for treason and took over Science City, forcing the scientist to call Red Star back to him homeland. This was an attempt to secure Cyborg, to use his technology to enhance the Meta-Men and assassinate the President and blame it on the United States.
Red Star uncovered the insidious plot with the help of a mysterious operative known only as Anna. Anna insisted on helping the Russian super-hero, but refused to divulge her reasons for doing so. But sparks flew between the duo - in more ways than one! As the pair attempted to stop the Meta-Men, an explosion triggered a startling new power surge for Red Star. The Russian hero learned he could burst his body into flames as well as channel and redirect fiery energy. These new abilities help put an end to Konstantin Kovar's attempt at a coup, but at a terrible price. Red Star's scheming father executed Pyotr Raskov, who had raised Leonid since childhood. And Anna was forced to kill Konstantin - with a bullet through his head - as Red Star watched.
Unknown to Red Star, a handful of Russian scientists have secretly salvaged the remains of Konstantin and made him a cybernetic - perhaps brain dead - Meta-Man. Also unknown to Red Star, Anna is actually the descendent of the legendary Grand Dutchess Anastasia – making her heir to Russia.
New Titans #94-96 [1993]: Red Star travels to his homeland of Russia with Sarah Charles in an attempt to restore Cyborg. He learns his father Konstantin is alive and building an army of Meta-Men as part of a plot to assassinate President Yeltsin and blame it on the American government. And agent named Anna and Leonid disrupt Konstantin's plans, but Pyotr Raskov is killed in the battle for refusing to comply with Konstantin. Also, Anna is forced to kill Leonid's father, Konstantin. Order is restored and Red Star returns to the United States.
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Science City
Russian scientist Pytor Raskov started a state-of-the-art research complex in Siberia. The vast complex was named "Science City" and funded by the Russian government. The entire operation initially consisted of seven complexes - each designed to explore and research experiments considered too dangerous to perform anywhere else. Investigating everything from the paranormal to the ecologicial, Science City became a hub of technological advancement.
When Cyborg was almost completely destroyed by the Wildebeest Society, Raskov and a handful of Russian scientists were able to rebuild him at Science City, although his mind was lost in the process. Science City has had its share of nefarious experiments, including the KGB's attempt to breed a group of cybernetically engineered Meta-Men. The Meta-Men project was spearheaded by Red Star's power-mad father, Konstantin Kovar. When the plot was exposed by Red Star and Sarah Charles, it resulted in the deaths of both Raskov and Konstantin Kovar.
Later, when Red Star left the Titans, he returned to Science City with Pantha and Baby Wildebeest. The trio served the Russian government through Science City. Sometime later, Pantha and Wildebeest were killed during the Infinite Crisis.
Red Star later discovered an uprising of "The Meta-Men Militia", a terrorist group who wanted the Russian government to sanction meta-human activities. Red Star - appointed "State Protector" of Russia - quelled their insurgence, but Science City was destroyed in the process.
Nightforce #7: A Science City complex is destroyed.
New Titans #77-78 [1991]: Science City rebuilds Cyborg.
New Titans #87 [1992]: Raskov is arrested by a rogue government faction in Russia; They force him to call Red Star back to Science City.
New Titans #93 [1992]: Red Star is called back to Russia.
New Titans #94-96 [1993]: Red Star travels to his homeland of Russia with Sarah Charles in an attempt to restore Cyborg. He learns his father Konstantin is alive and building an army of Meta-Men as part of a plot to assassinate President Yeltsin and blame it on the American government. And agent named Anna and Leonid disrupt Konstantin's plans, but Pyotr Raskov is killed in the battle for refusing to comply with Konstantin. Also, Anna is forced to kill Leonid's father, Konstantin. Order is restored and Red Star returns to the United States.
Teen Titans (third series) #38 [2006]: The new story arc "Titans Around the World" begins as the Teen Titans journey into the heart of Russia to meet its greatest super-hero: Red Star! On a quest to locate a former member, the Titans head to Moscow to learn how Red Star has rebuilt his life following Superboy-Prime's rampage. First appearnce of the "Meta-Men Militia." Science City revealed to have been destroyed.
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