ARNIM ZOLA DEFAMATION LEAGUE

Membership: Captain Ultra (Griffin Gogol), Miles H., an unnamed Springdale High student, presumably many others

Purpose: To defame Arnim Zola

Affiliations: None known, but most likely all foes of Arnim Zola

Enemies: Arnim Zola

Base of Operations: Mobile

First Appearance: Marvel Comics Presents#50/3 (1990)

History:

(Marvel Comics Presents#50/3) - Griffin Gogol went to the Improb Comedy Club in NYC wearing the official Arnim Zola Defamation League t-shirt. The Improb's owner welcomed him in the club and wore an official A.Z.D.L. button. Later that night Gogol fought as Captain Ultra against Ekl'r the Demon without Humor.

(Marvel Comics Presents#80/4) - Miles H. was wearing an official pink A.Z.D.L. t-shirt with the sleeves cut off while he was in the Silver Ball Arcade club.

(What the..?!#15/4) - Griffin Gogol once again wore the offical A.Z.D.L. t-shirt while doing stand-up comedy at Camp Gray. A short time later Gogol fought as Captain Ultra against the Counselor in Chief.

(Marvel Comics Presents#96/4) - A female student (see left picture) wore an official Arnim Zola Defamation League t-shirt while listening to principal Winters speech at Springdale High. She was the first who saw Class Clown's paper planes coming from the ceiling and warned everyone.

(Marvel Holiday Special#4/4) - Griffin Gogol wore an official A.Z.D.L. t-shirt when he came to Wash Basin, Texas for a stand-up comedian gig. A short time later he saved the whole town from Mud Pi.

Comments: Created by Dennis Jensen.

The likely background to this running gag:
In Marvel Comics Presents#24 Dennis Jensen was the penciler for a story with Shamrock wherein Arnim Zola was her foe. After that each time Jensen was penciler on another story in Marvel Comics Presents people showed up with clothes sporting the "Arnim Zola Defamation League" sign. He stopped doing it after Marvel Comics Presents#96 for unknown reasons. But in other comics he continued to show Captain Ultra with his A.Z.D.L. t-shirt.

Meetings behind the scenes of A.Z.D.L. members have likely happened in the past and are still happening. Their true number is unknown, but there are many people who have suffered under Arnim Zola and even more who hate his actions. Their most prominent member is Captain Ultra although nobody probably recognizes him because he is a member in his alter-ego Griffin Gogol.

Profile by Markus Raymond

CLARIFICATIONS:
Arnim Zola Defamation League should not be confused with:

• Arnim Zola, the Austrian geneticist who is only their main foe @ Captain America I#208
• but they have no connection to anyone else with a similar name

images:
Captain Ultra's t-shirt: Marvel Comics Presents#50, p21, pan5
unnamed Springdale High student: Marvel Comics Presents#96, barcode side, p14, pan7

Marvel Comics Presents#80 (1991) - Danny Fingeroth (writer), Dennis Jensen (artist), Terry Kavanagh (editor)
What the..?!#15 (November, 1991) - Scott Lobdell (writer), Dennis Jensen (pencils), George Wildman (inks), Renee Witterstaetter (editor)
Marvel Comics Presents#96 (December, 1991) - Scott Lobdell (writer), Dennis Jensen (pencils), Don Hudson (inks), Terry Kavanagh (editor)
Marvel Holiday Special 1994 (January, 1994) - Scott Lobdell (writer), Dennis Jensen (artist), Renee Witterstaetter (editor)

Last updated: 03/27/05