All-Star Squadron #132, homage to Golden Age Men Of Mystery #2

Latest "Continuation Project" commission - All-Star Squadron #132, art by Brendon and Brian Fraim, based as always on the cover of a comic written, plotted or scripted by Roy Thomas, in this case Golden Age Men Of Mystery #2, in which Roy wrote a "story behind the cover" text piece (which makes it eligible as a source for my project). The original cover art is by Brad Gorby and Mark Heike.

Title: "Our Fighting Forces!"

Story: As the Creature Commandos attempt to subdue a hypnotised Shining Knight, Lt Matthew Shrieve discovers records of what the Dragon King is really up to - not just training dinosaurs as part of an assault force, but genetically modifying his own elite forces using dinosaur cells to create a human/dinosaur hybrid soldier! Although the initial experiments had resulted in humanoid dinosaurs (as seen in #130) without full human intelligence, that problem has now been solved, and the Dragon King is about to start the modification process on his elite guard. Getting on his radio, Shrieve calls for back-up...

...a call which is picked up by Firebrand, on her cobbled-together radio set, who flies out to see if she can assist, despite being exhausted - and by Blackhawk and his comrades, flying from the under-construction Blackhawk Island in the Pacific, who divert towards Dinosaur island!

The Creature Commandos have just about succeeded in subduing the Shining Knight when Firebrand arrives, and a burst of light from Dannette Reilly snaps Sir Justin out of his trance. Briefed by Shrieve, all the heroes set out to destroy the Dragon King's encampment and his unholy experiments, unwittingly releasing some of the giant saurians who were being held captive for "training", which inevitably causes havoc!

With his compatriots engaged in aerial duels with pterodactyls, Blackhawk lands on the island and links up with the heroes, just as their ranks are bolstered by Shrieve's back-up --- J.A.K.E. 2, the GI Robot! Together, the heroes continue their battle with the Dragon King's forces and the released dinosaurs, with the Shining Knight and GI Robot engaging with - and eventually slaying - the largest of the monsters, just as Firebrand's exhaustion overcomes her and her flame powers fade! Blackhawk is able to help her to his plane to evacuate her, and the other heroes make their way to the landing craft which brought the Commandos and GI Robot to the island to make their escape.

On Blackhawk's instruction, his fellow airmen launch a bombing attack on the island, destroying the Japanese camp - and within it, the Dragon King (in my continuity, as revealed in Annual #5, secretly Vandal Savage) realises that he needs to escape. He calls the head of his elite guard, injects him with the serum which will, over time, give him the characteristics of a dinosaur, and hypnotises him into believing that he is the real Dragon King, before escaping in a mini-submarine. The new "Dragon King" also escapes, although the Japanese plot has been foiled - and the marooned heroes have been rescued.

...and that's how I square my original "Vandal Savage is the Dragon King" plot with the later revelation (which happened in, I think, Stars and S.T.R.I.P.E.) that the villain is part-saurian.

As always, the Fraims did a great job on this one - it's been too long since I've had a cover done by them. Enjoy!