Red Guardian

The Red Guardian is the name of several comic book superheroes in the Marvel Comics universe. The Red Guardian is an identity that was created as the Soviet equivalent of Captain America; since the fall of the Soviet Union, the name is no longer officially used, though at least two people have claimed the name.

Fictional character biography

Many people have taken up the mantle of Red Guardian:

Golden Age Red Guardian

A Golden Age version of the Red Guardian appeared first in "Namor, The Sub-Mariner Annual" # 1. Very little is known of him, but he fought alongside Captain America (William Naslund) and the Sub-Mariner at the Potsdam Conference, in July, 1945. [http://www.marvunapp.com/Appendix/redgrd.htm]

Superherobox|
caption=
comic_color=background:#ff8080
character_name=Red Guardian
real_name=Alexei Shostakov
species=
publisher=Marvel Comics
debut="Avengers #43" (Aug 1967)
creators=Roy Thomas and John Buscema
alliance_color=background:#c0c0ff
alliances=KGB
aliases=
powers=|

Alexei Shostakov

Alexei Alanovich Shostakov was born in Moscow, and was the husband of Natasha Romanova. Both he and his wife became agents of the Soviets: she became the Black Widow, while he became the Red Guardian. He fought the Avengers, but was later thought to have died saving their lives. ["Avengers" #44] Shostakov was much later revealed to be alive and had risen very high up in power within Bulgaria. He became responsible for a plot to capture his former wife, the Black Widow, and try her for her crimes as a Soviet super soldier. Natasha foiled his plan with the help of Daredevil and the Avengers. The Red Guardian was killed in an explosion when his Chinese ally's base exploded.

This was the first character named Red Guardian, and was created by Roy Thomas and John Buscema.

Dr. Tania Belinsky

Dr. Tania Belinsky, a neurosurgeon from the USSR, later adopted the costumed identity of the Red Guardian and joined the Defenders. Created by Steve Gerber and Sal Buscema, she first appeared in "Defenders" # 35 (May 1976).

Josef Petkus

Publication history

Red Guardian first appeared in "Captain America" #352-353 (April-May 1989), and was created by Mark Gruenwald and Kieron Dwyer.

The character subsequently appears in "Avengers" #319-324 (July-October 1990), "Incredible Hulk" #393 (May 1992), and "Soviet Super-Soldiers" #1 (November 1992). The character subsequently appears as the Steel Guardian in "Iron Man" #9 (October 1998).

Red Guardian appeared as part of the "Supreme Soviets" entry in the "Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Update '89" #7.

Fictional character biography

The fourth Red Guardian, Josef Petkus, appeared as a member of the militant Supreme Soviets (later called the People's Protectorate). He later joined post-Soviet Russian super-team the Winter Guard, now calling himself the Steel Guardian.

Krassno Granitsky

Another Red Guardian, named Krassno Granitsky, appeared in "Maverick" # 10. He teamed up with the mercenary superhero Maverick to battle a crime lord.

The sixth Red Guardian

A Red Guardian appeared in the first issue of Ed Brubaker's Captain America, where he was executed by Aleksander Lukin. The identity of this Red Guardian has not been revealed.

The seventh Red Guardian

A new Red Guardian has appeared in the first issue of Jeph Loeb's "Hulk" series, as a member of the Winter Guard.

Powers and abilities

None of the Red Guardians have possessed superhuman powers or abilities, with the exception of Tania Belinsky after her mutation by the Presence and the Ultimate version. All are highly skilled athletes. All of the Guardians but Alexei and Tania have used a steel shield similar to that used by Captain America; Alexei and Tania used a throwing disc that was a part of their costume's belt buckle.

Other versions

Marvel Zombies

A Red Guardian is seen as one of the many zombies roaming New York looking for victims.

Ultimate Red Guardian

A version of the character appeared in the mini-series Ultimate Nightmare. This version of the character is a Russian super soldier, meant to be their Captain America. After a fight between the two, Captain America defeats him, by stabbing him with splintered wood that acts as a stake through the chest, declaring "Fighting is about winning". This version is certifiably insane and uses a makeshift shield created partially from human remains, and possesses superhuman strength and durability.

References

External links

* [http://www.writeups.org/affiche_fiche.php?id=3449 Profile for the Great Patriotic War Red Guardian]
* [http://www.writeups.org/affiche_fiche.php?id=3450 Profile for Alexi Shostakov] often called Red Guardian II
* [http://www.writeups.org/affiche_fiche.php?id=3456 Profile for the Ultimate version of the Red Guardian]
* http://www.marvunapp.com/Appendix/redgrd.htm