Red Panzer is the name used by four different comic book supervillains who have appeared in books published by DC Comics, usually as adversaries of Wonder Woman as well as Donna Troy during her time as a member of the Titans. The first version of the Red Panzer, Helmut Streicher, was introduced in 1977 as a reaction to the success of the 1975-1979 Wonder Woman TV series. The first season of the series took place during World War II, with Wonder Woman fighting Nazi infiltrators in the United States. With the series bringing Wonder Woman's popularity to new heights, the Wonder Woman comic followed the trend, with Nazi villain the Red Panzer bringing the heroine back through time and across dimensions, where she encounters the Earth-Two Wonder Woman in the 1940s. The two team up against the Panzer, and then the story stays in the 40s and focuses on the Earth-Two Diana Prince for another fifteen issues. The Red Panzer was the first of Wonder Woman's string of Nazi villains in the 1970s, which also spread to World's Finest Comics with the introduction of Baron Blitzkrieg in Aug/Sept 1977.
Publication history
The Helmut Streicher version of Red Panzer first appeared in Wonder Woman #228 and was created by Martin Pasko and José Delbo. The second Red Panzer first appeared in Wonder Woman: Donna Troy #1 and was created by Phil Jiminez. Jimenez later said, "The first Wonder Woman comic I ever read had the Red Panzer in it, so I wanted to bring him back as a villain, and since Hippolyta was now the Wonder Woman of the 1940s , we could establish that that story had actually existed, but in slightly altered form. So I got the chance to write and draw it." The third Red Panzer first appeared in Titans #5 and was created by Devin Grayson and Mark Buckingham. The Justin version of Red Panzer first appeared in Titans #12 and was created by Devin Grayson and Mark Buckingham.
Nazi Helmut Streicher captured Batman, Flash and Green Lantern prior to the formation of the Justice Society. Later, he donned body armor and fought Wonder Woman during World War II. The armor survived the War and has been worn by three modern successors of Streicher.
Modern era
The next Red Panzer was a neo-Nazi bent on upholding his beliefs on white supremacy. When his son was born, his coloring betrayed his bloodline. It was then revealed that Red Panzer's wife had African American blood in her; her great-great grandmother was a slave. Horrified at learning this, Red Panzer murdered his wife. His son was raised in foster homes. Inspired by the Golden Age Red Panzer, he was a simple-minded neo-Nazi villain who was killed during a battle with Wonder Woman and Troia.
Because of his alleged "black blood" from his mother's side, the child who was to take up the name Red Panzer was put away for adoption by his neo-Nazi father. As a teen, he learned that his father, as the Red Panzer, was killed during a battle with Wonder Woman and Troia. Vowing revenge, the boy took the Panzer armor as his own and joined Vandal Savage's Tartarus team. He was killed by H.I.V.E. leader Damien Dahrk.
Justin
The teen named Justin was a self-styled anarchist who was recruited into the criminal H.I.V.E. by Damien Dahrk. During a clash with Vandal Savage's Tartarus team, the then-current Red Panzer was killed and Savage offered Justin the armor. Justin accepted, even though he did not want to become a Nazi. This Red Panzer served with Tartarus for a brief time before the team disbanded due to cooperation difficulties. Justin has since relocated to Zandia and was one of a number of criminals seen in battle against Young Justice and their allies. During the recent events chronicled in Infinite Crisis, Red Panzer was one of many superhuman criminals who joined the villainous Society organized by Alexander Luthor, Jr. Red Panzer is sent, along with other villains, on a murderous rampage throughout Gotham City.
Most of Red Panzer's abilities are part of his costume. He is armed with a cannon on his arm and his body armor is an indestructible shell. The second and third Red Panzers also gathered personal armies of neo-Nazis.
