List of Astro City characters

The world of Astro City has numerous heroes and villains in the cast, as well as normal, everyday civilians along with other, stranger entities. It is a rich, well textured array of characters, influenced from a broad spectrum of history, myths, classic literature, and the world of comics itself (both real and fictitious).

Heroes

Air Ace — A flying hero active in the wake of World War I; the earliest superhero publicly active in what became Astro City, and so considered its first "real" superhero.
The All-American — A hero of the 1940s and 1950s who wore stylized football gear. Retired in 1959. Rumored to have been killed by a sniper's bullet in Korea
Alligator - A young outcast hero active in the 1970s; a monster from the sewers recruited by Bravo to become one of the original members of the Astro City Irregulars in the early to mid-1970s.
Altar Boy (Brian Kinney) (viewpoint) - The Confessor's sidekick; becomes the second Confessor after his mentor sacrifices himself to expose an alien invasion.
American Chibi - anime/manga inspired young heroine.
Aquarina (Renata Delamare) - Water-themed member of The Apollo Eleven; romantically linked to Kahoutek.
Arthro (Simon McCaleb) - Arthropod-themed member of The Apollo Eleven; romantically linked to Gas Giant.
Assemblyman II (Ken) - heroic successor to the previous Assemblyman. Member of Honor Guard circa 2013
Astra Furst (viewpoint) - A young adventurer/hero able to transform into energy and fly. Daughter of Rex and Natalie Furst, born in 1986. A member of the First Family. Almost singlehandedly defeated the Silver Brain in 1996.
The Astro-Naut - A hero of the 1930s and 1940s, active in World War II. Astro City was renamed (from Romeyn Falls) in his honor after he gave his life to save it.
Atomicus (featured) - Nuclear-powered being from another world who was active in the 1960s. Left Earth because of his girlfriend's determination to prove his identity.
Augustus Furst (featured) – A scientist/adventurer active from the 1950s through the present. Brother of Julius Furst and adoptive father of Nick and Natalie. Leader of the First Family.
Barrier – Australian hero who helped rally other Australian heroes in Canberra against the Enelsians. Only mentioned, not seen.
Beautie - A powerful android resembling a life-sized Barbie doll. A current member of Honor Guard. Beautie was constructed by the brilliant daughter of a supervillain genius but is unable to recall her past.
The Black Badge (K.O. Carson) (featured) - An urban hero active from the 1950s until 1972, when he retired and opened the superhero bar Bruiser's, which he currently owns and operates under his civilian name.
The Black Rapier - A detective-themed hero based in New Orleans who wields an electric sword and wears a modified fencing outfit. Former leader of Honor Guard. Recently retired.
Black Velvet - A mysterious woman with shadow-like powers and a grim demeanor. Became the partner of the Street Angel. Apparently killed by the time-traveling Silver Agent after her powers went out of control.
The Blue Knight (Josh -----)(featured) - A gun-toting vigilante who wears a police-style riot mask with a ghostly skull outlined by a blue glow for a face. He takes very direct, very violent action against the criminals that he hunts, usually killing rather than capturing them. A frightening crime-fighter who stalks quietly and delivers justice from the barrel of a gun. Active from 1972 to the early 1980s, and a representative example of the type of violent, vengeance-driven hero that emerged during that period. Rumors abound about his current status, but no definitive sighting has occurred since 1988. Possible successors - the Blue Knights - were active during the early to mid-1980s.
The Bouncing Beatnik - An acrobatic hero of the 1950s and 1960s. An early ally of Honor Guard. He has also been seen (during a time crisis) in a more late 1960s/early 1970s "hippie" style appearance, possibly a parallel world version of the character (Herocopia gives his name as Halcyon Hippie). A wink-and-nod influence of the colorful and eccentric heroes created by Steve Ditko.
Bravo (surname Ruiz) - An originally Los Angeles-based hero who started out as El Hombre's sidekick in the early 1970s and struck out on his own after his patron's disgrace, moving to Astro City and founding the Astro City Irregulars. Now retired as a superhero, he serves as Detective Ruiz on the Astro City's police force, and apparently long remained the secret patron of the group he founded.
Broadsword - A sword-wielding vigilante active in the mid-1980s, and a representative example of the type of violent, vengeance-driven hero that emerged during that period.
Cleopatra - A magical heroine whose primary weapon is a mystical staff. The name and staff have been borne by two women in succession, the second of whom is also super-strong. The first Cleopatra was a founding member of Honor Guard in the late 1950s who fought Steeljack in the early 1970s; the current version is also a member. Exact details of her powers and origins have yet to be revealed, but she seems inspired by the heritage of Classical antiquity.
The Cloak of Night – A shadowy Prohibition era hero who fought against bootleggers and racketeers. Described as often vanishing without a trace and is rumored to have been a vigilante who didn't have quarrels with killing. His eyepieces, surviving as an artifact, are said to be capable of identifying people in imminent peril of death; this quality was recently confirmed by Steeljack.
Commando K - A hero or hero group of the 1940s and 1950s, believed lost near Pyongyang during the Korean War. Possible connection to Slugger the Junior Dynamo.
Commander One (Andrew Garrison) - Fully spacesuited, jetpacked leader of The Apollo Eleven.
The Confessor (Jeremiah Parrish) (featured) - The first Confessor was Jeremiah Parrish, originally a nineteenth-century Catholic priest who came to what became Astro City in 1869 to help Cardinal Grandenetti build Grandenetti Cathedral. Given administrative duties, including the importation of materials and dealing with immigrant workers from Eastern Europe, he was killed by a vampire, becoming a vampire himself. Fighting his hunger for blood he resorted to study, and after his discovery, to seclusion for decades. Inspired by the example of Air Ace and other early public superheroes, he eventually became one himself, apparently in the late 1940s or early 1950s. Active into the mid-1990s, when he sacrificed himself to expose the Enelsian invasion. A patron of Butler's in civilian guise. A few years after his death, his apprentice Altar Boy (Brian Kinney) became the second Confessor. A religiously motivated hero.
Coyotl - Native American were-coyote pre-dating European settlement active in the area that would in time become Astro City. Used a bow and arrows.
Crackerjack (featured) - An egocentric and reckless blowhard with amazing agility and a staff weapon. Active since 1991. Visually akin to screen swashbucklers and actors like Errol Flynn who portrayed them, he also recalls the marked contrasts that frequently existed between their sterling public personas and their unappealing private behavior. Recently retired by age and debilitating injuries; his lover Quarrel (II) has taken charge of his physical rehabilitation.
Dame Progress - A "steampunk" heroine who operated out of Romeyn Falls around the very end of the 19th century.
Daniel (featured) - A religious hero, leonine in appearance. Trained as a healer. Former member of the Crossbreed. Started a church in Minnesota. Named for the biblical figure Daniel.
David (featured) - A gigantic religious hero. Former member of the Crossbreed. Named for the biblical figure David.
Encephalon (Leonard Vindari) - Brain-and-tentacle-themed member of The Apollo Eleven.
"Energy" Brown - A female prostitute turned vigilante with energy powers. Active in the 1970s.
The Flying Fox (Samantha Cronin) (featured) — A non-powered crimefighter who uses an aero-cycle for transportation; rumored to be a lesbian and is in fact openly gay in her civilian life. Somewhat ironically, her mother was also involved with the '60s superhero Atomicus, and was responsible for his abandoning Earth. Is the second hero to use the name.
The Frontiersman - A hero of the 1950s who dressed like Davy Crockett in a domino mask, smoked, and appeared in Frontiers cigarette advertisements. Active in 1959. Apparently died of lung cancer. Inspired by Davy Crockett and the Marlboro Man.
Gas Giant (Robin Carruthers) - Enormous, gaseous member of The Apollo Eleven - romantically linked to Arthro.
The Gentleman - A tuxedo-clad and scrupulously polite hero active since the 1940s, super-strong and capable of flight.
Gloo - An unstable clone of the original Jack-in-the-Box turned into a wild shapeless glob active in the mid-1980s, lethal in his warped sense of do-gooding and humor.
Grimoire - Assistant, servant or student of Simon Magus. Wrote a book about their relationship and struck out on her own after his disappearance.
The Hanged Man (featured) - A ghostly figure who protects Shadow Hill fiercely for reasons unknown. He appears to be a jet-black corpse with a burlap sack over his head and a noose around his neck. Invariably seen as a floating apparition, usually human-scaled, although it can also expand to great heights. His specific powers are unknown, but appear to include a kind of empathy that guides him to those in need of comfort after traumatic events. Active since at least the 19th century.
Hawk of the Alleyways - Costumed vigilante active in the 1920s.
Hellhound (M/Sgt. Harvard Amos Chester, USMC) - Vietnam War veteran transformed into a monster by black magic, active from the early 1970s into the mid-1980s.
El Hombre (Esteban Rodrigo Suarez Hidalgo) (featured) - An urban hero active in Los Angeles in the 1960s and early 1970s. A member of Honor Guard and partner of Bravo. Disgraced in April 1973 by the misfire of a crisis he manufactured to restore his fading reputation, he became a recluse haunted by his failure and eventually declined into insanity. In 1998, intending to reprise his earlier scheme in order to relaunch his heroic career in the new guise of El Guerrerro, he masqueraded as the villainous Conquistador and incidentally became the Black Mask Killer.
Homegirl - A young outcast hero, a flying knife-fighter. A current member of the Astro City Irregulars. Formerly known as Jailbait.
Hummingbird - Winged heroine of the 1970s. A member of Honor Guard. She fell in love with Deven, a wizard from a secret magical land called Khapak Iqun, the two producing a daughter named Amanda. Deven had to leave with his people but as a parting gift, his pantheon of gods blessed Amanda with great abilities of flight and a sonic cry. With help from the Honor Guard, Hummingbird raised her daughter to learn her talents and become the new Hummingbird. Recently, Amanda learned that a curse from a vengeful spirit will transform her into a full bird creature. Offered the chance to stop it by giving up all her powers, she instead decides to keep them and continue to be a heroine.
Ichthyos (Xi Lun Chu) - Armored, marine-life-themed member of The Apollo Eleven.
Ironhorse, the Human Locomotive - Apparently a steam-powered human-machine hybrid who became active in 1862, "give or take a decade," and is still extant, though apparently retired.
Jack-in-the-Box (viewpoint) - A bouncy clown-themed vigilante with no real powers but an arsenal of similarly themed weaponry and amazing agility. The role has been taken by three different men: the first, Jack Johnson, active from 1964 to 1983 (when he died); the second, his son Zachary Johnson, active from 1989 through the mid-1990s; and the third, Zachary's protégé Roscoe James, active thereafter. The first Jack-in-the-Box fought Steeljack in the early 1970s. The second is known to have patronized Butler's. A wink and nod tribute to the kind of unusual and flamboyant characters created by Steve Ditko.
Johnny Lightfoot - A legendary trapper-hero active in the 1850s. Apparently killed in 1887 during a battle with Howling Dead
Joshua (featured) - A sonic-powered religious hero. Former member of the Crossbreed. Married teammate Mary and set up a school. Named for the biblical figure Joshua.
Juice - A "cool" young outcast hero with electrical powers. A current member of the Astro City Irregulars, and apparently their leader.
Julius Furst (featured) - A scientist/adventurer active from the 1950s through the present. Brother of Augustus Furst and a member of the First Family. Patron of Bruiser's. Visually based on and named for Julius Schwartz.
Kahoutek (Jeremy Neiderdorff) - Comet-headed member of The Apollo Eleven - romantically linked to Aquarina.
Karl Furst (featured) - A young adventurer/hero with a highly malleable body. Son of Nick Furst and Darcy Conroy. Twin brother of Sasha Furst. A member of the First Family.
Kitkat - Sidekick of Leopardman in the 1960s who could cling to vertical surfaces. A founding member of Honor Guard. After learning magic, she became the heroine Graymalkin and currently serves as a slightly sinister magical expert.
The Lamplighter - Night-prowling hero of the 1940s and 1950s who retired in 1959.
Larkspur - British hero who fought the Mock Turtle about 1996.
Leopardman (rumored to have been Anders Van Rupert) - A feline-themed crimefighter of the 1960s, now deceased. A founding member of Honor Guard.
LGM - Little-Green-Man-themed member of The Apollo Eleven, sole non-human group member.
The Lightning Kid - Western legend active in and around Romeyn Falls in the 1850s. Subject of "a recent Val Kilmer film".
The Lion - British hero, capable of flight who fought the Mock Turtle; partner to the Unicorn. Active in the 1990s. Had a female predecessor in 1973.
Lonestar – A hero based in Austin, Texas.
M.P.H.(Michael Hendrie) - Superhero with the power to run at high speeds either aided or controlled through a worn harness. Apparently has 85% human DNA with 15% alien overlay. Based in Detroit, Michigan he is nicknamed the "Acceleration Ace of the Motor City". A current member of Honor Guard.
Mary (featured) - An angelic, winged religious heroine. Former member of the Crossbreed. Married teammate Joshua Named for the biblical figure Mary.
Max O'Millions - A size-changing hero of the 1950s and 1960s who wore a domino mask and red tuxedo. Founder of the superhero team Honor Guard.
Mermaid - An aquatic heroine of the 1970s. A member of Honor Guard. Currently inactive.
Mirage (Aaron Barzun) - A hero of the 1970s-80s with a neon-themed costume. A member of Honor Guard. Currently inactive.
Nadia - A mysterious woman with energy powers. Third wife of Augustus Furst, later married to Kaspian. Mother by Kaspian of Nick and Natalie Furst. Disappeared in 1961.
Natalia Furst (Natalie) (featured) - An adventurer/hero with energy powers that allow her to shift in size and phase through solid objects. Natural daughter of Prince Kaspian of the Beastmen, adoptive daughter of Augustus Furst, twin sister of Nikolai Furst, wife (since 1979) of Rex, and mother of Astra. A member of the First Family.
The N-Forcer - A corporate-sponsored bearer of hi-tech armor. Apparently a number of people in succession have assumed the role. The original N-Forcer was a founding member of Honor Guard; the current version is also a member. One N-Forcer fought Steeljack in the early 1970s.
Nightingale - Dark and moody heroine, partner of Sunbird. Fought the Enelsians. Their names are partially inspired by the Kandorian Nightwing and Flamebird, the Ak-Var and Van-Zee versions.
Nihil (Troy Willets) - Negative-energy-themed member of the Apollo Eleven.
Nikolai Furst (Nick) (featured) - An adventurer/hero with projective energy powers. Natural son of Prince Kaspian of the Beastmen, adoptive son of Augustus Furst and twin brother of Natalie Furst. Later married Darcy Conroy with whom he had twin children, Sasha and Karl. A member of the First Family.
Noah (featured) - A bearded, weather-controlling religious hero who wields a staff in the shape of a shepherd's crook; leader of the Crossbreed. Named for the biblical figure Noah. Died before 2014.
The Old Soldier — A symbolic, legendary figure clad in martial attire of many eras who manifests in wartime, including 1863, 1898, 1918, 1944, 1959, when he assisted Honor Guard against Shirak, October 1972, when he intervened against U.S. soldiers in Vietnam, and 1975, at the fall of Saigon. The factuality of the 1972 appearance, in which he played a controversial role, was doubted by many for that reason.
Orphan - A young outcast heroine active in the 1970s; originally an emotionally damaged psychic child rescued from her abusers by the Astro City Irregulars in their first case, she consequently became a member of that team in the early to mid-1970s.
The Pale Horseman – A mysterious figure who appeared in the early 1980s, killing criminals with impunity. His most prominent victim was the disgraced hero Street Angel. May have come from another dimension.
Palmetto - A young outcast hero, insectoid in form. Better known as Roach, a nickname he hates. Astra considers him "icky." A current member of the Astro City Irregulars.
Palomino - Female half-Indian legendary figure active in the 1850s.
Peter (featured) - A bald, grey-skinned religious hero with rock-shaping powers. A member of the Crossbreed. Named for the biblical figure Saint Peter.
The Point Man - Member of the Omega Rangers, able to manifest (and willing to kill using) sharp triangular projectiles; firer of the Innocent Gun.
Popstar - British hero who fought the Mock Turtle about 1996.
Quark - Former sidekick to Starfighter, now inactive; real name Charlie Provost.
Quarrel (II) (Jessica "Jess" Darlene Taggart) (featured) - Daughter of the retired supervillain of the same name, she is a sharp-shooting archer with trick arrows and a dry sense of humor. A long-time member of Honor Guard, she recently retired to care for her injured lover Crackerjack. Patron of Butler's.
Rex (featured) - An adventurer/hero, super-strong and dinosaurian in form. Son of the villainess Madame Majestrix, husband (since 1979) of Natalie Furst, and father of Astra. A member of the First Family. Patron of Bruiser's.
El Robo (Manuel de la Cruz) - A young outcast hero, a human-machine hybrid. A current member of the Astro City Irregulars.
Roustabout (Calvin Arnold Rory) - The 'local superhero' for a large section of the American Midwest. The result of corporate genetic research on unwilling test subjects. Has superhuman strength, speed and can fly. Has a good memory for faces and there are at least six outstanding criminal warrants on him as well as a $250,000 reward for information leading to his arrest.
Ruby - a young outcast hero, a living jewel. Astra considers her "nice." A current member of the Astro City Irregulars.
Samaritan (viewpoint) - An extremely powerful hero who traveled from the future to make the world a better place. Appeared in this era in 1985; active as a hero since 1986. A current member of Honor Guard. He and Winged Victory are now a couple.
Sasha Furst (featured) - A young adventurer/hero that can shape-shift her body into various animal forms. Daughter of Nick Furst and Darcy Conroy. Twin sister of Karl Furst. A member of the First Family.
Shrff (Clayton Rhodes) - Hair-enshrouded member of The Apollo Eleven.
The Silver Agent (Alan Craig, 1932–1973) (featured) - An armored vigilante active from 1956 through 1973. A founding member of Honor Guard. Fought Steeljack in the early 1970s. Now deceased. Wrongfully sentenced to death for the murder of the Mad Marajah. Time traveled past his death to help during various crises throughout the 70s and 80s. His public epitaph reads "To Our Eternal Shame", referring to the public fervour for his execution, and posthumous redemption. It is implied in Astro-City: The Dark Ages that his execution was ordered as a bargaining chip, in order to get Vietnam to sign the Paris Peace Accords.
The Silversmith – A Boston-based hero who fought the Enelsians there. Appears to make use of silver objects, both inanimate and animated through unknown means, possibly creating them out of his silver body.
Simon Magus - A European magician who settled in Shadow Hill in the early 1970s. Disappeared in the early 1980s. Apparently became the plantlike Green Man
Skitter - A young outcast hero active in the 1970s; an artificial insectoid creature who rebelled against his criminal creators and was recruited by Bravo to become one of the original members of the Astro City Irregulars in the early to mid-1970s.
Slugger, the Junior Dynamo - Sidekick of the All-American in the 1940s, who wore modified baseball gear and used a bat as a weapon. Apparently linked to the "Commando K" Project.
Starfighter (featured) - A cosmic hero of the 1970s, active from at least 1972. A member of Honor Guard. Part of the K'ntar royal family. Currently inactive.
Starwoman (Pr'slla of K'ntar) - A heroine of the 1960s from outer space who had energy powers. A founding member of Honor Guard. Currently inactive.
Stonecold - An armored two-fisted vigilante active in the mid-1980s, and a representative example of the type of violent, vengeance-driven hero that emerged during that period.
Stormhawk - Flighted, hawk-faced Honor Guard member seen in action in the early 1980s.
Stray - A young outcast hero, with the form of a wolf or large dog. It is not known whether he has lycanthropic powers, transform into a natural werewolf, or has some other origin. A current member of the Astro City Irregulars.
Strangeling (Lafayette O'Hearn) - Gangly, curious 'grey-alien'-themed member of The Apollo Eleven.
The Street Angel (given name Ramon) - An urban hero formerly associated with Quarrel II who began his career as a jaunty, upbeat hero whose viewpoint darkened due to a mysterious event; connected by many to his sudden partnership with Black Velvet. He originally fought crime using trick halos - large golden-colored hard rubber rings which had different functions, such as constricting to trip opponents or serve as handcuffs (sonic and adhesive halos are also mentioned). With his dark period he switched to steel circles topped with a layer of ceramic which were simple bludgeons, as well as dove-shaped shuriken. Known to have fought Goldenglove I in the past. Possibly deceased.
Supersonic (Dale Enright) (viewpoint) - A flying speedster, now retired. An engineer working for Hillman Holdaway Aircraft in Phoenix, Arizona imbued with superpowers by a wind tunnel accident involving experimental turbines. Was active from 1958 to 1982 in Phoenix and occasionally Astro City, believed killed and was declared dead in 1966 before he returned to life. Reluctantly donned his costume once again in 2004 to save Astro City from a rampaging robot.
Sunbird - Sunny and happy heroine, partner of Nightingale. Fought the Enelsians.
Switchblade - A young outcast hero active in the 1970s, aggressive and vengeance-minded; recruited by Bravo to become one of the original members of the Astro City Irregulars in the early to mid-1970s.
Umbra - A young outcast heroine active in the 1970s, doomed to live half in shadow; recruited by Bravo to become one of the original members of the Astro City Irregulars in the early to mid-1970s.
The Unicorn - British heroine, capable of flight and projecting energy beams from her forehead, who fought the Mock Turtle; partner to the Lion. Active in the 1990s. Had a male predecessor in 1973.
Winged Victory (featured) - A feminist, Greco-Roman themed superhero. Considered controversial due to her emphasis on protecting women first before men regardless of the situation; due to her funding of women's centers and clinics, she has also been called "a cult leader". Patterned after the famous Hellenistic sculpture the Winged Victory of Samothrace. She and Samaritan are now a couple.
Wolfspider - tiny Australian hero who rides around in a flying cycle. joined Honor Guard circa 2013
The Young Gentleman – Sidekick who was frequently partnered with the Gentleman in the 1950s. Has not been seen in decades.

Villains

Andro - robotic villain and enemy of Winged Victory.
Andy Tugliewski – A member of a carjacking gang stopped by the Confessor and Altar Boy.
The Anti-Bodies - Human-shaped black energy beings who defend the Silver Brain; possibly aspects of the Brain himself.
The Assemblyman - A twisted robotics genius hired by El Hombre in 1973 to manufacture a crisis and help restore the hero's fortunes; his betrayal ensured El Hombre's downfall.
Aunt Acid - British crimemistress who once employed the Mock Turtle.
Bamboo (Kuo Tse-Shi) - Asian crimemistress active in the 1970s, based in Fujitani Bay, Astro City. Daughter of international crime lord Lord Talon. Antagonist of Jack-in-the-Box, the Silver Agent, Hellhound and others. Apparently had a romance with the Black Rapier.
The Birdman - Crime boss active in the late 1970s, possibly in Los Angeles or San Francisco.
The Bishop - Armored British-based villain, a member of the Red Queen's resurrected Chessmen, and the only one allowed to escape the debacle of the Chessmen's ill-fated assault on Kiefer Square.
The Black Mask Killer - Serial murderer of various supervillains of the Kiefer Square area, so-called by area residents. Ultimately revealed as the Conquistador.
Block - Villain resident in Kiefer Square, caught up in the Conquistador's grand scheme. Partner and clueless follower of Tackle.
Boilermaker - Villain cited as a suitable sparring partner for the Confessor. Only mentioned, not seen. May only be imaginary as part of a conversation between bar patrons.
The Box (featured) - Future son of Jack-in-the-Box II, an alternate version of the Jackson and Jerome Johnson. An insane cyborg vigilante.
Braintrust - Villain with several brains and a mechanical body. Active in the 1970s. Employed the Dominos.
The Brass Monkey (featured) - A living metallic simian statue with a human mind.
Bridwell (viewpoint) - An Enelsian spy gathering intelligence on Earth's heroes; enamored of humanity's better instincts, but ultimately disgusted by its baser ones. Later impersonated Crackerjack in order to discredit him in the run-up to the Enelsian invasion; captured and exposed by Altar Boy, he escaped due to the grandstanding of Crackerjack. Name and encyclopedic knowledge based on E. Nelson Bridwell.
The Chain (given name Gordon) - Villain resident in Kiefer Square, caught up in the Conquistador's grand scheme and murdered by the Black Mask Killer on suspicion of knowing too much. Was able to shift his mind into a metal body made of links, which he could always pull back together provided that the brain-link was unhurt. Busted to bits. One of the series' few gay characters, he was survived by his lover, an African-American man.
Clever Dick - Schoolboy-themed and pimply British crime lord who hired the Mock Turtle to destroy the operation of rival crime lord the Red Queen. Initially conceived as "Spotted Dick", after the name of a raisin-studded British dessert.
The Conquerlord - A would-be world-ruler who attacked the U.N. and was defeated by Honor Guard.
The Conquistador - A mysterious armored villain who hired villains from Kiefer Square and elsewhere as part of a grand scheme to discredit America's superheroes; secretly the disgraced hero El Hombre, his actual intention was to establish a new heroic reputation for himself by thwarting the scheme in the proposed guise of El Guerrerro. To protect his secret he murdered those of his hirelings he suspected of having learned too much, thus becoming the dreaded Black Mask Killer. His larger plot was uncovered through the efforts of Steeljack.
The Courtesan - enemy of Winged Victory
Cutlass - A pirate-themed villainess active in the 1970s as a member of the Terrifying Three; sometime lover of her teammate Steeljack until he blew months of preparation for a big heist. Later dropped out of villainy and went into real estate in Arizona; she recently reemerged when framed for crimes like hers, seeking Steeljack's aid in clearing her name.
The Deacon (Deke McManus) - Head of the crime families of Astro City in the 1990s; despite years of investigation, has never been convicted of any crime. While speculated to be a reuse of the (now public domain) Holyoke Publishing supervillain of the same name (arch-enemy of Cat-Man and Kitten), any similarity is apparently coincidental. Busiek has suggested "Deke" may be a contraction of "Declan," in a nod to musician Elvis Costello.
Demolitia - Large supervillainess, clad in a suit of armor, welds a wrecking ball and jackhammer, and leads a group called the Unholy Alliance.
Derelikt - A space wanderer, opponent of the First Family, current whereabouts unknown.
The Devil's Own – A villain or possibly a group of villains defeated by the Crossbreed in Montana.
The Deuce – A crime boss active in Astro City in the 1970s. Employed the Shaders. Killed, possibly by people taking orders from Deke MacManus
Doc Toxic – A villain who fought the Experimentals.
Dr. Deezer - A criminal scientist. Died in 1958.
Dr. Ganss - A criminal scientist who turned Carl Donewicz into Steeljack about 1970 and linked Jason Aubrey to interdimensional dark energy in 1984. Creator of the Dynamoids.
Dr. Gearbox (Anton Teodor Girbachs) - A criminal robotics scientist active in the 1960s. Father of Elaine Girbachs. Deceased.
Dr. Nautilus - A criminal scientist who created Tentacus.
Dr. Saturday - A villain who uses toys based on Saturday morning cartoons to com.mit his crimes.
The Dragon Shogun (Leyasu Takamura) - Crime lord and leader of the Dragon Society. Fathered twins who inherited his power and in time became the Jade Dragons. Deceased.
Andrew "Eyes" Eisenstein (viewpoint) - A small-time crook who discovers Jack-in-the-Box's secret identity. Currently lives in Fairbanks, Alaska.
Ersatz Ed - A villain defeated by the Astro-Naut in 1943.
Donnelly Fergusson - A villain resident in Kiefer Square, caught up in the Conquistador's grand scheme. Rumored to have been the Scarlet Snake in the 1940s, seemingly borne out when he drew an old serpent-themed weapon against Steeljack. More recently a broker linking criminal "muscle" to prospective employers; since deceased and buried in a Kiefer Square cemetery.
Fever - A villain who targets women.
Flame-thrower - A pyromaniac villain. A member of the Unholy Alliance.
The Fog - Gaseous villain possibly resident in Kiefer Square, caught up in the Conquistador's grand scheme.
Foxie Loxy - A gun-toting thug and member, possibly head, of the Menagerie Gang. It is not entirely certain that he uses the name "Foxie Loxy"; Quarrel, who calls him that, may just be making a snide joke.
Garrity – Criminal fought by the second Confessor.
Getaway - Los Angeles-based villain of the 1970s who dressed as a wild West outlaw and possessed super-speed; an antagonist of El Hombre.
Glue Gun - Villain possibly resident in Kiefer Square, caught up in the Conquistador's grand scheme. He once invaded Butler's, where he was defeated by busboy Brian Kinney prior to his debut as Altar Boy.
Glowworm (featured) - A glowing villain with energy-projecting powers and a long, eel-like tail in place of his lower body. A member of the Unholy Alliance. Apparently an African-American man prior to his accident.
Gnomicron - A mystically powered mechanical warrior created by the Mountain Gnomes.
Goldenboy - A pretty-boy villain with metallic golden skin and hair who targets women using his enhanced charisma; he leads a cult who worships him as a god-king. As of 2013/14 changed name to Ladykiller.
Goldenglove (I) (Maxie Costello) - Boxing-themed villain resident in Kiefer Square, caught up in the Conquistador's grand scheme and murdered by the Black Mask Killer on suspicion of knowing too much. Utilized alien power gloves with various capabilities. Active since the late 1960s, his villainous career had lasted more than 30 years when he was killed in 1998. Father of Goldenglove (II).
Goldenglove (II) (Yolanda Costello) - A 15-year-old daughter of Goldenglove (I), she attempted to use her father's weaponry to launch a career as a sneak thief. Taken in hand by Detective Ruiz in hope of reforming her, and steered toward the Astro City Irregulars. The effort took, and she has recently been attempting to revive the Irregulars as a group.
The Gunslinger – An internationally wanted assassin, half American and half Vietnamese, who dressed as a hi-tech cowboy and utilized teleporting firearms and jet boots. Captured by the Confessor.
Handgun (Chester Morisi) - Villain resident in Kiefer Square, caught up in the Conquistador's grand scheme and murdered by the Black Mask Killer on suspicion of knowing too much. Specialized in gimmick glove or prosthetic hand weaponry.
The Headmaster of Crime - British crime lord who once employed the Mock Turtle.
Headstone – An Astro City crime lord who once employed Sean Hanrahan as one of his lieutenants.
Los Hermanos - Los Angeles-based villain of the 1970s who could duplicate himself; an antagonist of El Hombre.
Hollowpoint - Astro City-based villain of the 1980s; the Pale Horseman's first victim.
The Human Weasel - A short, wiry villain with weasel-like physical characteristics.
Infidel - Samaritan's greatest enemy, Infidel is an African-slave-turned-immortal-sorcerer from the past who ruled the futuristic wasteland of the 36th century. As a result of Samaritan's quest to save the future, Infidel's empire was made to have never existed. Infidel faced the hero, and, unable to beat him, instead tried to recreate the world without Samaritan, the first of several such attempts. After their battles escalated to the point where they temporarily destroyed reality, the enemies called a truce. Since neither could kill the other, they instead opted to meet once a year for dinner, take each other's measure and attempt to persuade the other to change perspective.
Insectra - Villainess, opponent of the First Family, currently in custody.
The Jackdaw - Villain possibly resident in Kiefer Square, caught up in the Conquistador's grand scheme.
The Jackson (featured) - Future son of Jack-in-the-Box II, an alternate version of the Box and Jerome Johnson. A fanatic feral vigilante.
Jagged Jill - enemy of Winged Victory. part of plot by Karnazon to discredit her.
Jitterjack the Divided Man - Top PYRAMID assassin and mob enforcer, operated out of Chicago in the 1970s. A fusion of two men with multiplied speed, senses and strength but becoming mad in the process. Kept subdued by PYRAMID handlers.
Johnny Dark - Crime boss active in the late 1970s, possibly in Los Angeles or San Francisco.
The Junkman (Hiram Potterstone) (viewpoint) - An aged villain seeking vengeance on society for age discrimination. Recycles and enhances his weaponry from discarded trash. His primary antagonist, Jack-in-the-Box, has a similar background and skill set. Their origin, inventive genius, and use of gimmicks have interesting parallels.
Karnazon - enemy of Winged Victory who became obsessed with discrediting her. Has led the Iron Legion 7-8 times.
Karnus - Cult leader and devotee of Shirak the Devourer, active in 1959.
Kaspian - Prince of the Beast-Men of Eastern Europe and natural father of the heroes Nick and Natalie Furst. Fought the Praetor in Astro City's city hall in October 1972. A nod to C. S. Lewis's Prince Caspian, who ruled a kingdom inhabited largely by animals.
King Missile - Missile-themed flying antagonist of Samaritan.
The Kirlian Man - Villain, an acquaintance of the Mock Turtle from whom the latter first learned about Kiefer Square. An antagonist of Supersonic.
Korrga - A gorilla outfitted like a Roman legionary, a movie menace brought to life by Professor Borzoi in 1946 to fight the Gentleman. Destroyed by Looney Leo.
Kratorr the Invincible - A living moon rock, ruler of a race of similar creatures based on the moon. His name notwithstanding, he has been defeated by the First Family nine or ten times, beginning in 1954.
L. S. Deviant - Villain possessed of a "tropogenic field" that triggers unpredictable physical transformations in those nearby, as well as other reality changes. In September, 1972, with his powers augmented by alien "puppeteers," his tropogenic field temporarily blanketed the world, causing widespread chaos and panic, with lingering psychological trauma to the population. This incident is considered the beginning of Astro City's "Dark Age." Defeated by Honor Guard.
Lady Lethal - An antagonist of Supersonic. Only mentioned and not seen.
The Living Nightmare (featured) - Monstrous creature composed of peoples' subconscious fears made real, the Nightmare has been both hero and villain at times, and is currently a mindless, random force of nature destroying everything in its path. Similar in standing and history to The Incredible Hulk.
Longhorn - Villain possibly resident in Kiefer Square, caught up in the Conquistador's grand scheme. A minotaur-like monster.
Lord Sovereign (Jason Aubrey) - A PYRAMID agent who shot the parents of Charles and Royal Williams. Eventually pursued by the brothers, he was linked to the same dark energy as the Pale Horseman by Dr. Ganss and intended to rebuild PYRAMID under his rule using remains of the Sekhmet Stone. Disappeared along with the Pale Horseman as the dimensional rift closed.
Lord Volcanus - Ruler of the Insiders, a race of volcanic lava men. Possibly a Mayan deity.
The Lummox – A blue-skinned behemoth, not based in Astro City, but who comes there to visit Bruiser's.
The Mad Maharajah - Villainous despot; an antagonist of the Silver Agent.
Madame Majestrix - Villainous ruler of the undersea Monstro City and mother of the heroic Rex of the First Family.
Mama Spank - enemy of Winged Victory.
Maneater - enemy of Winged Victory. dressed in wetsuit that resembles a killer whale. Part of Karnazon's plot to discredit Winged Victory
Mechanimator - Villain who attacked St. Louis as part of the Conquistador's grand scheme.
Mentak - alien enemy of Winged Victory. Currently imprisoned on Asteroid 61.
Microplex - Villain who used small robot bodies, antagonist of Jack-in-the-Box.
The Middleman - A smuggler and gunrunner specializing in acquiring the weaponry of defeated villains and fencing them to other villains.
The Mock Turtle (Dr. Martin "Marty" Chefwick) (viewpoint) - British engineer who created an armored environment suit, who stole his invention from his employers when he discovered they intended it to be tested and used by another man, thus launching his villainous career. Later took refuge in Astro City's Kiefer Square; caught up in the Conquistador's grand scheme and murdered by the Black Mask Killer on suspicion of knowing too much. Inspired by the character from Alice in Wonderland.
Morningstar - Villain who battled the original Jack-In-The-Box September 8, 1976.
Mister Cakewalk - Antagonist of Dame Progress. Delights in "bedeviling the wealthier echelons" of society in Romeyn Falls.
Mr. Teleport - An antagonist of Supersonic. Only mentioned and not seen.
Muscleman - Villain possibly resident in Kiefer Square, caught up in the Conquistador's grand scheme.
The Myth-Master - Armored villain who fought Honor Guard in 1964; actually the disguised Looney Leo, acting as the pawn of Zzardo.
Nostradamien, the Bad Dreamer (Damien Teller) - A freelance clairvoyant whose powers only work for criminals, or at least those who are consumed by dark thoughts. Uses his powers to help his clients plan crimes, but is rumored to sometimes abandon and betray them to the authorities when he's made enough profit from them.
Omniac - An artificial intelligence utilized by Praetor to further his villainous schemes.
Omnius Rex - Giant cosmic entity, sealed in a green gem and at least at that point needed a human host to manifest. Fought Starfighter in the 1970s.
The Otter - A small-time criminal who uses a bionic otter suit, with a tail.
The Platinum Blonde - Los Angeles-based villainess of the 1970s; a sultry robot who was an antagonist of El Hombre.
The Platypus; Platypus Joe (Josef Andros Platapopulous) - Astro City-based crimeboss of the 1970s. Employed Royal Williams and Deke McManus and was backed by PYRAMID. Betrayed and killed by McManus.
Praetor - A high-tech, armored villain, possibly an alien, like a Roman legionary in appearance. Opponent of the First Family. Fought Kaspian in Astro City's city hall in October 1972.
Professor Borzoi - Villain active in 1946, arch-enemy of the Gentleman.
Prospero - Villain, opponent of Jack-in-the-Box, currently incarcerated.
Quarrel (I) (Doolittle Taggart) - Supervillain of the 1970s, father of the heroine Quarrel (II), he was a sharp-shooting crossbowman with trick quarrels. Was a member of the Terrifying Three. Now in a retirement community.
The Red Dahlia - An antagonist of Supersonic. Only mentioned, not seen.
The Red Queen (given name Lucia) - Childhood acquaintance of the Mock Turtle who exploited their relationship to become a criminal mastermind in Britain; her scheme was ruined when Clever Dick turned the clueless Turtle against her.
Padraig Daniel Rourke - member of the 21st century version of the Skullcrushers. He's living with a woman in a village in Ecuador led to the group being captured by Honor Guard.
Sagra - Criminal technology user. Commanded a team of ninjas equipped with flying harnesses. Fought the Jade Dragons in the winter of 1976 and allegedly had some hand in the death of the Dragon Shogun.
"Slaughter" Shaw - Leader of the 21st century version of the Skullcrushers.
The Scarlet Snake - Criminal mastermind of the 1940s; in the 1990s, Donnelly Fergusson was rumored to have been him.
The Sekhmet Stone - Secretly head of PYRAMID until the 1980s. Stealing the powers of the Apollo Eleven, he became the Incarnate but was destroyed by the Point Man using the Innocent Gun.
Sean Hanrahan – Villain, the original Queen's Bishop in the Chessmen; later one of Headstone's lieutenants. Incarcerated in 1987, and paroled in April, 1992.
Senhor Technico - A Brazilian supervillain, opponent of the Birds of Paradise.
The Shadow Hill Killer – A serial killer whose ritual murder victims were discovered at the outskirts of Shadow Hill; apparently an evil cosmic Cthulhu-like being ultimately defeated by the Hanged Man.
Shirak the Devourer (featured) - A shark-like demon from another dimension that attempted to invade the Earth in 1959 and 1964. He was stopped in one of the first (and rather odd) missions of the newly formed Honor Guard.
The Silver Brain (featured) - A scientist who became pure brain, whose goal is to enslave the world. Imprisoned by the Samaritan in the Mentoverse, and banished back there by the First Family after he escaped.
Slamburger (featured) - A bulky, powerful villain with mottled red skin and hot, sulfurous breath. A member of the Unholy Alliance with whom he was caught up in the Conquistador's grand scheme in 1998. Apparently an acquaintance of Steeljack, he may have originally been a resident of Kiefer Square.
Spice - A whip-wielding, dominatrix-type villainess, formerly partners with Sugar. A member of the Unholy Alliance.
Steel Devil - A robotic thief wielding a trident that fires energy blasts.
The Steel Scimitar - From the same nation as the Mad Maharajah. Only mentioned, not seen.
Strangematter - Villain caught up in the Conquistador's grand scheme.
Sugar - A villainess who formerly partnered with Spice. Now deceased.
The Supreme Commandrix – Leader of the Enelsian invasion fleet.
Tackle - Villainess resident in Kiefer Square, caught up in the Conquistador's grand scheme and murdered by the Black Mask Killer on suspicion of knowing too much. Partner of Block; she was the brains of the duo.
Temblor – Villain defeated by the Crossbreed in San Francisco.
Tidal Waif – Villainess prevented from flooding Honolulu under a tidal wave by Samaritan.
The Time-Keeper (featured) - A time-stopping villain from the 1940s who nearly destroyed time itself in an attempt to rid the world of superheroes. A typical example of the themed (if mostly non-super) villains of the period.
The Toff - Aristocratic British crime lord who once employed the Mock Turtle.
Tommy Gunn (Thomas Aloysius Gunn) - Crime lord with a prosthetic firearm hand. Active in the 1970s. Killed, possibly by people taking orders from Deke MacManus.
Ugly Max - Villain, opponent of the First Family, currently catatonic.
The Underlord - Criminal mastermind, opponent of Jack-in-the-Box, active in the 1980s. He blew up Torres Island in 1983.
Warmaiden - Viking dressed enemy of Winged Victory. Part of Karnazon's plot to discredit her.
White Lightning - Villain with electrical powers, opponent of Samaritan.
The Wolfhound (surname Kenneally) - Villain resident in Kiefer Square, caught up in the Conquistador's grand scheme. Apparently able to shapeshift into the form of a large wolf or dog; possibly a werewolf.
Wotan - An ax-wielding giant capable of flight, clad like an ancient Norseman. The name is conjectured by the prominent "W" symbols at the top of his boots.
Wrestla – A massive, powerful female villain, not based in Astro City, but who comes there to visit Bruiser's. Has had a past sexual relationship with Steeljack.
The Xenoform - A huge, homicidal, shape-shifting alien entity, currently confined.
Zzardo - Alien villain, arch-foe of Honor Guard, who used Looney Leo as a pawn and proxy to attack the hero group. Active circa 1963-64.

Groups

The Apollo Eleven (featured) - A bizarrely diverse space-themed group consisting of ten former moonbase astronauts and one apparent alien, all serving as Earth emissaries of galactic league of planets "The Continuum." Collectively empowered by (and tasked with routinely manifesting) The Incarnate, a cosmic being evaluating Earth for league membership and possibly for destruction. The group, formed either in, or shortly before, 1972, consisted of Commander One (the group's leader), Aquarina, Arthro, Encephalon, Gas Giant, Ichthyos, Kahoutek, Nihil, Shrrk, Strangeling, and LGM (the non-human member). The ten human members were restored to their depowered human forms with the apparent death of The Incarnate in 1982, with the fate of LGM left unclear.
The Astro City Irregulars - A group of outcast heroes founded by Bravo in the early to mid-1970s, after El Hombre's disgrace, and active through at least the late 199s; its original roster also included Alligator, Skitter, Switchblade, and Umbra; Orphan was added to the membership as a result of their first case. A more recent roster (1998) consisted of Juice (the apparent leader), Ruby, Palmetto, Jailbait/HomeGirl, El Robo, and Stray. Goldenglove (II) was steered toward the Irregulars by Bravo and apparently also joined at some point; she has recently been attempting to revive the group. The name echoes the Baker Street Irregulars of the Sherlock Holmes stories.
The Gorilla Swarm - Insect-headed, gorilla-bodied hive-mind entities. The gorilla swarm ramets go berserk when the hive mind is disrupted. Easily used as servants by villains.
The Balloon Bandits - A group of villains fought by Atomicus in the 1960s.
The Barnstormers - A group of villains fought by Air Ace in the post-World War I era.
Birdmen – An unnamed group of three flying villains fought by Jack-in-the-Box.
The Birds of Paradise – A group of at least three Brazilian flying superheroines, all elaborately garbed and capable of flight, who fought the Enelsians in Rio de Janeiro. Later two of them apprehended Senhor Technico.
The Blackout Bandits - A gang of villains defeated by the All-American and Slugger in 1943.
The Blasphemy Boys - group of adventurers active in the 1920s and 30s. The group's name is actually a nickname; officially, it was the Working Group On Unsettling Anomalies, Classification and Containment
The Brothers of Trouble - Devotees of Jack-in-the-Box from the future who have made him the basis of a religion. Possibly a future version of the Trouble Boys.
The Chessmen - A group of armored villains patterned after chess pieces; Sean Hanrahan was the original Queen's Bishop. Fought the original Jack-In-The-Box April 6, 1968. After a defeat by Samaritan their armor was abandoned and later salvaged by the Red Queen to create a new team of Chessmen to serve as her strike force, with equipment improved by the Mock Turtle. This team later hunted the Mock Turtle to Astro City, where it was defeated by residents of Kiefer Square under the direction of Steeljack, on the assumption that it was acting on behalf of the Black Mask Killer. Only one, the Bishop, was allowed to escape, to warn off his employer.
The Choirboys - group of young people who provide support to the Confessor II.
The Computermen - A group of villains fought by Atomicus in the 1960s.
Council of Nike - Group with women with psychic potential who empowered Winged Victory.
The Crazy Eight - A gang of eight well-armed criminals who wore matching costumes and frightening facial makeup. All were apparently killed during an encounter with Gloo in 1984.
The Crossbreed (featured) - A group of pariah religious heroes, led by Noah and consisting also of Daniel, David, Joshua, Mary, and Peter. Stigmatized by society as "Jesus freaks." Apparently disbanded following the death of leader Noah. Based on biblical figures.
The Dominos - A group of villains employed by Braintrust. Dressed as dominos. Active in 1977.
The Dopple Gang - A group of villains capable of assuming the forms of others, particularly of noted celebrities.
The Disastroids - A group of villains, opponents of the First Family.
The Dynamoids - An army of nearly identical brutes with mohawks who are apparently artificial beings created by Dr. Ganss. Fought Mirage and the Hellhound in Las Vegas in 1984; are similar to or the same as a group from the Sixties who were linked to PYRAMID.
E.A.G.L.E. - Short for Extranormal Activities Garrison for Law Enforcement, a federal-level law enforcement agency designed to deal with superhumans. Led in the late 70s by a man named Hawk. As of 2013/14, led by Commander Flint.
E.N.G.I.N.E. - The scientific R&D division of PYRAMID, which broke off and went rogue for a time during the 1980s after the Sekhmet Stone was captured; its attempt to grow soldiers using humanoid plant-creatures was foiled by the Point Man. ENGINE members wore non-standard PYRAMID uniforms with no Egyptian imagery, at least during this time, and its insignia was a light bulb superimposed over a pair of gears.
The Experimentals - A hero group active in the 1970s, and perhaps still. Their stasis pods were confiscated by Enelsian-infiltrated authorities during the run-up to the Enelsian invasion.
The First Family (featured) - A family of inter-dimensional explorers and superheroes consisting of brothers Augustus and Julius Furst, Augustus' adopted children Nick and Natalie, Natalie's husband Rex, and their daughter Astra.
The Five Fists - Masked Chinese warriors active in the 1920s.
The Frigians – Extra-dimensional race, enemies of the Thermians.
The Gorilla Troops - Henchmen of the Brass Monkey who wear gorilla masks.
Gunbirds – Cybernetic henchmen employed by Tommy Gunn. Active in the 1970s.
The Guilloteam – A group of villains mentioned by the Confessor.
Honor Guard (featured) - The most prestigious grouping of superheroes. Founded in 1959 by Max O'Millions; its original roster also included the Silver Agent, Starwoman, Leopardman and Kitkat, the first N-Forcer, and the first Cleopatra. The Bouncing Beatnik and the Old Soldier assisted Honor Guard on its second case, but did not become members. Throughout its history, Honor Guard appears to have maintained an active membership of seven members. Kitkat seems to have been replaced by the Mermaid early on, and Max by El Hombre by 1964. During the next few years Hummingbird and Mirage took the places of Leopardman and Starwoman. The Living Nightmare was also a member at some point before November 1972, though it is uncertain whether this was before or during the period of El Hombre's membership. By April 1973, at the time of El Hombre's downfall, the Black Rapier and Starfighter had taken the places of Cleopatra (I) and the Silver Agent. It has not been revealed what new member was brought in to fill the vacancy left by El Hombre's disgrace; possibly the Living Nightmare again, as he was apparently once more a member again sometime in the 1970s and is known to have served on two separate occasions. The current (1998) roster consists of Beautie, the Black Rapier, Cleopatra (II), M.P.H., the current N-Forcer, Quarrel (II), and Samaritan. The Black Rapier is the current leader. The modern team has been shown working with Winged Victory and the Gentleman, but these have not become members.
The Howling Dead - a spiritual stampede of bison and countless Indian warriors that rampaged through the western shore of the Gaines river in 1887. defeated by a gathering of heroes but not before Johnny Lightfoot was killed.
The Iron Horde - A group of villains defeated in the recent past and now apparently inactive.
The Iron Legion - Armored criminals, defeated by the Samaritan. Possibly the same as the Iron Horde.
The Jade Dragons (Gary Samuel Novak, Keiko Shimasa Takamura) - A brother and sister duo of martial artists who can combine their tattoos to form a single image of a dragon, they are able to manifest that dragon in energy form. Active in the 1970s.
The Legions of Midnight - A group of villains defeated by Honor Guard during their first case in 1959.
The Menagerie Gang - A band of non-powered, gun-toting thugs who wear animal masks.
Omega Rangers - superhero team active in the 1980s. Members included Bravo, Point Man, Cleopatra II, and Hellhound.
PYRAMID - An international conspiracy seeking world domination, active for decades if not centuries. It has fought Honor Guard and Samaritan in the past, and doubtless many other heroes.
The Queen's Men - British villains, costumed henchmen of the Red Queen who dressed as playing cards. Distinct from her strike force, the armored Chessmen. The name, perhaps coincidentally, is the same as that of an early Elizabethan acting troupe.
Ravagers - Also known as the Shark Men, acolytes of Karnus' Shirak cult in 1959, transformed into shark men by Shirak.
The Shaders - A group of villains employed by the Deuce. Appear to all be black males dressed in black and shades and can materialize out of shadows. Many if not all were killed by Jitterjack in January 1977.
Sideliners - A group people with superpowers who are not superheroes or villains and instead use their abilities in regular jobs. Maddie Sullivan is a member.
The Skullcrushers - A Kiefer Square street gang the young Carl Donewicz once belonged to. A villain named "Slaughter" Shaw created a new group of Skullcrushers who wear high-tech armor
Smoke & Mirrors - Villainous duo with illusion-casting powers, opponents of Jack-in-the-Box; as hirelings of the Conquistador, created an illusion of a city-wide conflagration. Currently incarcerated.
Special Incarceration Squad - Astro City's municipal police department counterpart to the EAGLE Troopers.
Team Carnivore - A group of human/animal hybrid villains created and controlled by the corporation that made Roustabout superhuman.
The Techsperts - A group of villains who facilitate their robberies with high technology. They once infiltrated Honor Guard headquarters.
Tempus Fugitives - A gang assembled by the Time-Keeper, active in 1943.
The Terrifying Three - A group of villains active in the 1970s, whose members included Steeljack, the first Quarrel, and Cutlass. All have since retired from villainy; Steeljack reformed and became a private investigator after twenty years in prison, Quarrel is in a retirement community, and Cutlass in real estate.
The Thermians – Extra-dimensional race, enemies of the Frigians.
The Trouble Boys - A Bakerville street gang/athletic group founded by Roscoe James to keep himself and his friends out of real trouble. Imitators and tormentors of Jack-in-the-Box.
The Unclean – Indian hero group with at least three members, apparently based in New Delhi.
The Unholy Alliance (featured) - A group of villains led by Demolitia. Current members include Flame-thrower, Glowworm, Slamburger, and Spice; apparently other villains have also been members in the past. They attacked Detroit as part of the Conquistador's grand scheme in 1998.
The Worst Family - The First Family's "evil twins" from a parallel earth; thus far only mentioned and not seen.

Civilians

Maria Luisa Alvarado - Charity director based in Los Angeles in the 1960s and former girlfriend of Esteban Hidalgo (El Hombre). Later married to Ramon Vega, and later still, divorced, the chief executive of Alvarado Funds, an investment house based in Astro City's Astrobank Tower.
Sarah Blessing - woman who went to Winged Victory for help in escaping an abusive husband. Later kidnapped by Karnazon and the Iron Legion.
Bob – A friend of Michael Tenicek.
Busboys at Butler's – There were five in addition to Brian Kinney at the time he worked there; the most senior, unnamed, had been there two years. The others were Benny, who had been there eighteen months, Sandy, Jim, and Rachel.
Cammie – A teenage girl from Astro City who spends a summer with relatives in Caplinville and discovers that there may be more to country life than she expected.
Chet – Roommate of Brian Kinney at Robinson Prep. A different Chet was a friend of Michael Tenicek.
Darcy Conroy (featured) - A former district attorney, now a partner in one of Astro City's law firms; known for a tough attitude. The wife of Nick Furst and mother of Karl and Sasha Furst.
Marella Cowper - young woman who works at a call center that handles emergency calls to Honor Guard.
Danielle (viewpoint) – A tourist on Astro City Extreme Tours. Picked up a gem which transformed her into Omnius Rex. Restored by Honor Guard.
Irene Costello - Widow of Goldenglove (I); mother of Yolanda Costello (Goldenglove II) and at least two sons.
Johnny Crash – A person whose memoirs were considered by Brian Kinney as an authority on Astro City, and which mentioned Bruiser's.
Barry Daniels – Deputy Mayor of Astro City under Mayor Stevenson.
Tamra Dixon (viewpoint) - Anchorwoman of Channel 3's Morning News, married to toymaker and entrepreneur Zachary Johnson aka Jack-in-the-Box.
Marcy Doerr - A roving reporter with the KAST-TV Roving Report.
Pete Donacek (viewpoint) - Bell captain at the Astro City Classic, the premier hotel in the town. Directs visitors to the best locations to see the heroes "at work", but reminds them that what occurs is real and dangerous, and that the heroes "don't come out and do shows, you know."
Rosa Vlacek Donewicz (1927–1973) - Mother of Carl Donewicz (Steeljack).
Caroleen Enright - wife of Dale Enright (aka Supersonic) deceased.
Eric - Actor colleague of Mitch Goodman on soap opera "Tomorrow's Dawn".
Sara-Lynne Felton – A girl murdered by the Shadow Hill Killer; as the first white victim, her death brought public attention to the killings.
Elaine Girbachs - Daughter of Dr. Gearbox and creator of the android Beautie
Jedson Godfrey - Former butler for Anders van Rupert (rumored to have been Leopardman); upon Van Rupert's death, Godfrey inherited the mansion that eventually became Butler's, of which he is the owner and proprietor.
Cherry Goldstein - An early girlfriend of Carl Donewicz; later married the Mockery.
Mitch Goodman (viewpoint) - A former stuntman and actor on popular soap opera "Tomorrow's Dawn" who attained notoriety by performing actual heroic acts.
Cardinal Enzio Grandenetti – A nineteenth century cardinal of what became Astro City who began the construction of Grandenetti Cathedral in 1869. Died in 1908.
Mayor Gerald "Jerry" Greenwald – Mayor of Astro City since 2004.
Peter Hanlan - An acquaintance of Carl Donewicz, a harmless rummie and "known felon."
Gretchen Hastings - A brilliant scientist deciphering notes left by Infidel.
Roscoe James - Leader of the Trouble Boys street gang, later recruited by Jack-in-the-Box II to become Jack-in-the-Box III.
Tara Jeeps - sought help from Winged Victory in getting off drugs while pregnant. Later kidnapped by the Iron Legion and Karnazon.
Jerome Johnson - Future son of Jack-in-the-Box II, an alternate version of the Box and the Jackson. A college professor in his home time period.
Mick Keneally - A childhood acquaintance of Carl Donewicz; the Wolfhound's older brother. Turned out bad.
Kenneally, Miss – Employee of Butler's who handles business issues.
Margaret Isles Kinney (1954–1982) – Mother of Brian Kinney. Deceased.
Thomas William Kinney (1931–1989) – Father of Brian Kinney, a physician in Buchanan Corners. Deceased.
Joey Lacroix - boy who sought out Winged Victory for help escaping his abusive homelife. Became first male student at her center.
Margaret "Peggy" Lacroix - aunt of Joey Lacroix. sought help from Winged Victory in leaving her life of drug abuse and prostitution.
Steve McAnn – A student who once spent a night in Shadow Hill on a dare.
Dirk McCallum - The man the Mock Turtle's employers intended to be the person to test and wear his environment suit.
Georgie McCann - woman who sought help from Winged Victory for undisclosed reason. Later kidnapped by the Iron Legion and Karnazom.
Jose Manziano (1952–1966) - A street gang member shot and killed by the young Carl Donewicz.
Marta (viewpoint) - A resident of Shadow Hill who works in the City Center.
Corliss McBride - A young prostitute who died of a drug overdose in Loony Leo's Hollywood bungalow in 1957.
Gordon Meadows - Television reporter, evening co-anchor of KBAC3 News with Tamra Dixon.
Irene Merriwether (viewpoint) - A mayoral aide to Astro City Mayor Norton during the 1960s, she helped Atomicus solve several cases. Mother of the current Flying Fox.
Elliot Mills (viewpoint) - The editor of the Astro City Rocket. wrote memoir "Through Shining Eyes"
Manny Monkton (featured) - The editor of an Astro City-based comics company, he is responsible for the comics based on real-life superheroes. Manny is a long-time veteran of the comic-book industry shown at one convention answering questions with Stan Lee. A smooth-talking, shrewd and deceitful little man, he ostensibly publishes comics based on actual adventures the heroes have, but always changes the stories around to make them more marketable. He has a deal with Crackerjack, allowing him to legally exploit his fame through excessive merchandise, but always withholds Crackerjack's share on the (false) grounds that it is not selling. He has come under considerable attack from numerous heroes and villains (including Nightingale, whom he implies to be a lesbian), but stubbornly refuses to change his stories. He gets his comeuppance when he publishes a comic featured Jack-in-the-Box and Glowworm, based on a real fight they had but changing details to make Glowworm seem more villainous; among the things he adds is the implication that Glowworm is a racist. Sometime later, the real Glowworm bursts in on him, and, furious to be called a racist, beats Monkton severely. Soon after, Monkton decides to instead start writing about cosmically powered villains and heroes instead, deciding that they would not be concerned enough to harass him. However, he misjudges, and, one day, he is yanked out of existence along with the building he is in, and never seen again.
Aggie Morisi - Widow of Handgun and one of Carl Donewicz's employers in the Black Mask Killer mystery. Used her husband's weaponry to help defeat the Chessmen.
Nadia - A young Yugoslavian woman rescued from a pocket of alien energy by Augustus Furst. She became his third wife then left him for Kaspian. Later disappeared leaving Augustus Furst to adopt her twin children Nick and Natalie Furst.
Mayor Norton - Mayor of Astro City in the 1960s.
Vincent Oleck (viewpoint) - A lawyer who invented the so-called "superhero defense" in 1974.
Dr. Prochnow - Scientist who Samaritan considers consulting about the current incarnation of the Living Nightmare, possibly the psychologist who accidentally created it.
Ben Pullam (viewpoint) - A former resident of Boston who moved to Astro City in the mid-90s. Now acts as unofficial guide to an alien ambassador.
Faith Pullman - daughter of Ben Pullman. Lives in California and studies arcanobiology.
Maggie Pullman - daughter of Ben Pullman. Works as a meetings planner specializing in international conferences for charitable organizations
Sharon - A former girlfriend of Carl Donewicz.
Sherrie – A student at Robinson Prep.
The Sitterud Girl – An ill child in Buchanan Corners treated by Thomas Kinney.
Steeljack (Carl "Carlie" Donewicz) (viewpoint) - A former supervillain with steel skin and superstrength, originally dubbed the Steeljacketed Man, and resident in Kiefer Square who attempts to reform after serving his time. He was active as a villain from about 1970 to 1978, with interruptions due to incarceration. Was a member of the villain group the Terrifying Three. He was in jail when his mother died in 1973. Served 20 years in Biro Island from 1978 to 1998. Later tapped by former associates as a private investigator to solve the mystery of the Black Mask Killer's string of murders in the supervillain community. He has since been caretaker of a cemetery in Kiefer Square and recently became a licensed P.I. Consciously modeled after Robert Mitchum.
Mayor Stevenson – Mayor of Astro City, whose place was taken for a time by an alien in 1997.
Martha "Sully" Sullivan – Dreamed of becoming a superhero when her telekinesis powers first manifested, but became a SFX specialist for television such as soap opera "Tomorrow's Dawn".
Michael Tenicek (viewpoint) - An ordinary man whose wife was wiped from reality (but not his dreams) by a timestorm.
Miranda Tenicek – Wife of Michael Tenicek, wiped from reality (but not his dreams) by a timestorm.
Mrs. Tenicek – Mother of Michael Tenicek.
Trench – A homeless Vietnam veteran who supplied information that helped lead to the apprehension of the Gunslinger.
Stanley Tripp - Host of the television program Astro Kidz 2-Day on Channel 2.
Anders Van Rupert – A third generation copper millionaire resident in Astro City, rumored to have been Leopardman. Now deceased. His former butler Jedson Godfrey is the proprietor of Butler's.
Ramon Vega - Los Angeles-based activist in the late 1960s and early 1970s who married Maria Alvarado; they were later divorced.
Mr. Vlacek – A prominent figure in Shadow Hill. Possibly related to Rosa Vlacek Donewicz.
Charles Raymond Williams (viewpoint) - Police officer who sees superheroes as instigating chaos in the world. Born October 19, 1946 and active as a policeman in the early 1970s. Brother of Royal Williams.
Royal James Williams (viewpoint) - Petty crook who sees superheroes as instigating chaos in the world. Born June 5, 1950 and active as a criminal in the early 1970s. Brother of Charles Williams.

Others

Anansi — An illusion-casting character based in Kenya who fought the Enelsians there. Only mentioned, not seen.
The Brahmin — A Boston area-based character. Only mentioned, not seen.
The Broken Man - Apparently cosmic being who has been observing Astro City and related characters for decades. Enlists readers of the Astro city comic book to help him prepare to battle a mysterious being called The Oubor.
Bullroarer — An Australian character who fought the Enelsians in Sydney.
The Colonial — An Australian character based in Melbourne who fought the Enelsians in Sydney.
The Crimson Cougar — A fictitious superhero on popular soap opera "Tomorrow's Dawn".
The Dark Centurion — An armored figure who defeated the Crimson Cougar and then vanished from public sight.
Delphi - seer employed by Winged Victory at her center in Astro City.
El Guerrero — Heroic identity the Conquistador (El Hombre) intended to adopt in 1998 for the culmination of his grand scheme.
The Enelsians (featured) — A matriarchal extraterrestrial race of shape-shifters that invaded Earth, with Astro City as their focal point. They managed to discredit several heroes, but were defeated when the Confessor sacrificed his life to expose their plan. The name of the race is a sly homage to E. Nelson Bridwell. See also Bridwell.
Eterneon (featured) — Lord and watcher of the timestream, fought Samaritan while the latter was on a time-traveling mission. Also fought the Time-keeper to prevent the destruction of time itself.
Giant Spiders — Monsters that attacked Dallas in 1972.
Gloo (featured) — A green, amorphic blob which attacks anyone it discerns as an armed and dangerous criminal, using tactics which gruesomely imitate old slapstick comedy cliches. The result of a failed attempt to clone the original Jack-in-the-Box as a super-villain's henchman.
The Gorilla Swarm — A horde of ant-headed gorillas whose brains are linked into a hive mind; probably inspired by the frequent use of gorillas on comic book covers of the 1950s and 1960s. Enslaved on one occasion by the Silver Brain in one of his bids to conquer the world.
Healer Meg - woman with healing skills or powers employed by Winged Victory at her center in Astro City
Helia — A cosmic entity, possibly an ancient goddess of light. Married to Thunderhead.
The Incarnate — A cosmic being grafted to the Apollo Eleven by galactic civilization "The Continuum", giving the Eleven their powers. Sent to earth with the Eleven in order to determine Earth's status as potential member or threat and to respond accordingly. Its seven reputed incarnations include "Egron the Sifter" (nicknamed "Big Joe" upon its first Astro City appearance in 1977), "Egron the Judge", "Kerresh the Devastator" (killed by The Point Man in 1982), and "Shurukk" (not yet seen).
The Insiders — A race of volcanic lava men, apparently based in a Central American volcano. Ruled by Lord Volcanus.
Iron Cross — A German gun-wielding character who fought the Enelsians in Stuttgart.
Kookaburra — An Australian character who fought the Enelsians in Canberra. Only mentioned, not seen.
Krunch — A Popeye-like strongman with huge forearms and fists who frequents Bruiser's.
Looney Leo — A cartoon lion brought to life in 1946, he was briefly the Gentleman's sidekick, then a media star, a homeless bum, a supervillain's pawn and a recluse before becoming part owner and host of a nostalgic nightclub bearing his name in the entertainment district.
Maisie Shimura - Japanese-American woman and member of the Council of Nike.
Mind-Over-Mattie — Heroic identity Martha Sullivan dreamed of assuming when her telekinesis first manifested.
Mister Smartie — A holographic artificial intelligence invented by Augustus Furst to serve as Astra's teacher.
Mister Soul — Most likely a disembodied intelligence that allegedly inhabited bodies like a normal man would put on a suit. Appears to have been active some time in the 1970s. Only mentioned, not seen.
The Mockery — A character who married Cherry Goldstein. Only mentioned, not seen.
Monstro City residents - The subjects of Madame Majestrix, inhabitants of the undersea Monstro City. Driven from their home by the Trenchers.
Moon people — A race of living moon rocks, ruled by Kratorr the Invincible. (Note: the race is thus far not named in the series; the entry title here is a generic description.)
Mordecai Chalk — A cyborg whose missing body parts were destroyed by occult creatures. A professional monster hunter and former radio personality. Contracted by Mayor Stevenson to apprehend the Shadow Hill Killer (in reality some kind of demonic Cthulhu-like entity), he was left nearly dead by the assignment.
Mountain Gnomes, also known as the Gnomes — An intelligent race of magical little people who share the Earth with humanity.
Night Creatures — Endemic menaces in Shadow Hill; a part of the environment.
The Ogliarchons — Confronted by Supersonic. Possibly extraterrestrial. Only mentioned, not seen.
Ominuss — Owner of a giant robot unearthed in the Hartley neighborhood of Astro City which was then destroyed by a retired Supersonic. Only mentioned, not seen.
Onggu the Omnivorous — Entity draining energy from a Romanian manufacturing plant in 1950. Discovered by Dr. Augustus Furst. Only mentioned, not seen.
The Radium Ants — Confronted by Supersonic. Possibly extraterrestrial. Only mentioned, not seen.
The Real Thing — A gigantic Atlanta-based character who fought the Enelsians there. Only mentioned, not seen.
Rockslide — A monstrous rock-creature who frequents Bruiser's.
Scavenger Peoples — A non-human intelligent races living beneath the Earth.
Sledgehammer — A monstrous metallic character who frequents Bruiser's.
Skyscraper — A New York-based flying character who fought the Enelsians there. Only mentioned, not seen.
Skrek — A small, sycophantic creature, one of the residents of Monstro City.
Tentacus — An underwater monster created by Doctor Nautilus.
Teusz — A benevolent deity whose sigil is used as a protective symbol in Shadow Hill.
Thunderhead (featured) - A cosmic entity that destroyed Draketown, Alaska, and later threatened Astro City. Possibly an ancient weather god. Married to Helia, who mockingly refers to him as "Dunderhead."
The Torori — Extraterrestrial race that has invaded Earth on several occasions. Look something like bipedal, humanoid bulls. Their goal for Earth is to turn the human race into beasts of burden and a source for foodstuffs.
The Tourist — A gigantic insectoid "extraterrestrial gadabout" regarded by Samaritan as an intolerable pest. First seen in 1972, when he attempted to appropriate Mount Rushmore as a souvenir and was stopped by the First Family. Apparently not a villain, but definitely trouble.
The Trenchers — A barbaric undersea race who drove the residents of Monstro City from their home after the disappearance of Madame Majestrix.
Trolls — A race of gigantic humanoids with cold-based powers inhabiting Glittertinden on Hortensfjord, Norway. Attacked Astro City's city center from the sewers in 1972. Later fought the Enelsians.
The Untouchable — A Chicago-based character who fought the Enelsians there. Only mentioned, not seen.
Vampires — Endemic menaces in Shadow Hill, stated by a resident to not be as bad as reputed (though Shadow Hill residents still draw back in fear when confronted by one).
The Zonn — Extraterrestrial race who attacked Earth sometime prior to August 1995 and caused the Honor Guard alien detector to be down, which helped set the stages for the Enelsian attack upon Earth.

External links

The Astro City Rocket Astro City official site
Herocopia -Astro City wiki

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