ZODIAC

Membership: Libra, Zodiacs;
    presumably Aquarius, Aries, Cancer, Capricorn, Gemini, Leo, Pisces, Sagittarius, Scorpio, Taurus, Virgo - all unseen and unidentified

Purpose: Freeing mankind from astrological control; World takeover

Affiliations: None

Enemies: Amora the Enchantress, Avengers (Captain America, Deathcry, Giant-Man, Iron Man (young Tony Stark), Quicksilver, Thor, Wasp), Hepburn School for the Blind

Base of Operations: A deserted subway station on 57th Street, Manhattan, New York;
    The Intrepid aircraft carrier/historical museum

First Appearance: Captain America I#449 (March, 1996)

History: The origins of the "First Sign" Zodiac are unknown.

(Thor I#496 (fb) - BTS) - The Zodiacs set up a base in a deserted subway station in Manhattan, building a transporter there.

(Avengers I#396 (fb) - BTS) - The Zodiacs over the Intrepid aircraft carrier/historical museum, building their transformer there.

(Captain America I#449) - The Zodiacs used their transformer to rechannel the power from Manhattan, erecting a shield around the city. The shield would block out all outside energy, including the light of the sun and stars, severing the stars' influence over their lives, allowing them to chart their own destiny and to rule, first New York and then the world. Only the Zodiacs' power source remained functional within the shield. Captain America tracked the resultant chaos to a squadron of Zodiacs, but found that he needed the assistance of the other Avengers. The Zodiacs followed him to Avengers Mansion and then to the apartment of Thor and Amora the Enchantress.

(Thor I#496) - After overpowering the Zodiacs who followed Captain America, Amora pried knowledge from one of the Zodiacs of a dimensional transporter through which the Zodiacs were entering Manhattan. Cap and Thor headed out into the city to tackle more of the zealots and locate the transporter. The chaos of the blackouts led to lootings, etc., which Cap and Thor curtailed as well. The Avengers found allies in the Hepburn School for the Blind, who were obviously unhindered by the darkness. They located the transporter, but suddenly a duplicate materialized by its side.

(Iron Man I#326) - His armor recharged by shielded power, young Tony Stark wore a pair of Iron Man gauntlets and tracked the Zodiacs to their transporter, where he joined Cap and Thor against them. Stealing a flying skimmer from the Zodiacs, Stark used it to power the Avengers' communicard and summon Deathcry, Giant-Man, Quicksilver, and the Wasp to the edge of the shield.

(Avengers I#396) - Stark used the last of his own power supply to open a portal in the shield to allow the other Avengers in, and Pym then recharged Stark's power via the shield so that his pacemaker would continue to function. Quicksilver located the Zodiacs' base aboard the Intrepid and the Avengers traveled there and confronted the Zodiacs. Libra then appeared, easily overpowering the Avengers who challenged him, but Giant-Man located and destroyed their transformer. The dome vanished and power was restored, after which Libra disposed of his pawns by detonating bombs in their clothing. Libra then escaped into the night.

Comments: Created by...I'm not sure who the brainchild of this group was...Kavanaugh, I guess:
Mark Waid, Ron Garney, Sandra Florea, Denis Rodier, and Scott Koblish (Captain America issue)
William Messner-Loebs and Mike Deodato, Jr. (Thor)
Terry Kavanaugh, Jimmy Cheung, Hector Collazo, Steve Ellis, Mark McKenna, Andy Lanning, and Steve Moncluse (Iron Man)
Terry Kavanaugh, John Statema, and Tom Palmer (Avengers)

    First Sign was supposed to be a big deal, but it took place between the Crossing and Onslaught, and is likely lost forever to the sands of time...and apathy.

    Having read these issues over and over again, the only sensible idea I can come up with is that Libra was actually the android/LMD Libra, somehow returned to Earth and activity, leading the groups of human agents and planning to resurrect his other teammates. However, there is nothing in the story to actually support this or any other idea. Libra mentions that he is not an "average mortal," but whether that means he is mortal at all is debatable.

    Assuming the Zodiacs have allegiance/alignment with their Zodiac signs:

    All Zodiacs have an entry in OHotMU 2006 A-Z#12.

Profile by Snood.

CLARIFICATIONS:
The "First Sign" Zodiac have no KNOWN connection

 

Libra

    The apparent leader of this incarnation of Zodiac, virtually nothing is known about him, other than the fact that he is not an "average mortal," and that his goal was to free mankind of astrological influence and then takeover mankind himself.

 

    He was strong enough to flatten a weakened Thor, fast enough to punch Quicksilver while he was running, and durable enough to withstand Deathcry's talons. He can alter his density, becoming intangible or rock-hard, and he can fly. He detonated bombs within his former agents' suits, though he may have just used a remote device to do this.

 

--Avengers I#396 (Captain America I#449 - BTS, Thor I#496 - BTS, Iron Man I#326 - BTS, Avengers I#396

 

 

 

 Note: By his astrologicial sign, Libra would have some connection to Oshtur;
    see also the Catalogue of Correspondences for Oshtur from Ian McNee's reading of the First Tarot

Zodiacs

    Zealots following Libra, they followed his goal, using energy blasters shielded from their transformer. They were mostly cannon fodder, and Libra disposed of them when the plot was foiled.

 

--Captain America I#449 (Thor I#496, Iron Man I#326, Avengers I#396

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

images:
Captain America I#449, p13, panel 3 (Zodiacs)
Avengers I#396, p18, panel 7 (Libra face)
    p20, panel 4 (Libra body)

Appearances:
Captain America I#449 (March, 1996) - Mark Waid (writer), Ron Garney (pencils), Sandu Florea, Denis Rodier & Scott Koblish (inks), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Thor I#496 (March, 1996) - William Messner-Loebs (writers), Mike Deodato Jr. (artist), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Iron Man I#326 (March, 1996) - Terry Kavanagh (writer), Jimmy Cheung, Hector Collazo & Steve Ellis (pencils), Mark McKenna, Andy Lanning & Steve Moncuse (inks), Nel Yomtov (editor)
Avengers I#396 (March, 1996) - Terry Kavanagh (writer), John Statema (pencils), Tom Palmer (inks), Ralph Macchio (editor)

Last updated: 10/17/13.

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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