Captain Swift and Speed Demon (Inferior 5)

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The “Inferior 5,” a super-hero parody team, are the children of their world’s greatest heroes, the Freedom Brigade. Just what world that is, however, is unclear. The Inferior 5 have dropped in and out of DC continuity. On one hand, the Freedom Brigade are clearly mix-and-match designs from the Justice League, which places them outside of the main timeline. On the other, the Inferior 5 have appeared alongside characters like Angel and the Ape and Gorilla Grodd.

Captain Swift

Real Name: Cramer (first name unknown)
Known Relatives: Herman Cramer (The Blimp, son), unnamed wife
Past Group Membership: Freedom Brigade
First Appearance: Showcase #62 (May–June 1966)

Decades ago on (possibly) Earth-12, the Freedom Brigade protected America. Among their members was Captain Swift, able to run and fly at tremendous speeds. They retired twenty years ago, but many of them had families, and their children were destined to be heroes (of a sort) as well. Swift’s son Herman, who inherited flight but not speed, became known as the Blimp. Swift and the rest of the Brigade later became teachers at Dean Egghead’s Academy For Super-Heroes.

Captain Swift’s arch-enemy was the Speed Demon.

Speed Demon

Past Group Membership: Vendetta
First Appearance: Showcase #63 (July–August 1966)
See Also: Speed McGee, Speed Demon (Amalgam)

On (possibly) Earth-12, Speed Demon was the arch enemy of Captain Swift. Twenty years after his rival’s retirement, an aging Speed Demon was summoned to a meeting of his former compatriots in villainy, and learned that fellow evil-doer Silver Sorceress (no relation to the one from Angor, except for both being references to Marvel’s Scarlet Witch) hadn’t aged in twenty years. She provided the rest with her elixir, and with their renewed youth they set about attacking the children of their former foes: the Inferior Five.

Text by Kelson Vibber. Do not copy without permission.