Keeper of Infinite Earths - Liberty Squad
Created by Bob Justice
Earth Angel
Alter Ego: Peggy Sue Richardson
Occupation: Secretary/Superheroine
Known Relatives: Bryan and Rhonda Richardson, parents-deceased, Daryl Collins, husband, Bryan Collins (Gibraltar), son
Group Affiliation: Liberty Squad
Base of Operations: New York, NY
Background/History:
Bryan Richardson was a top man for the US intelligence agencies during the 1920s through the late 1950s. Although he traveled extensively being a specialist in paranormal and extraterrestrial phenomenon, he managed to find time to marry and have a daughter. Rhonda took his frequent absences very well, knowing he had an important job for the government. Peggy Sue tried to understand, but she missed her Dad who would never explain what he was doing that was so important as to keep him away seemingly all the time. When her powers manifested during a temper tantrum over him missing her 15th birthday, she rather quickly realized that she was causing the ground to split and rocks to fly. Her mother was very ill and Peggy had plenty of time to herself, so she trained herself. She mastered the ability to control soil and rock for offensive and defensive capabilities, but she never revealed her abilities to her parents. Whether those abilities were caused by something her father had encountered or something entirely different remained a mystery. When her mother passed away, Peggy made a costume to mimic All American Girl and the superheroes of the WW 2 era, took the codename ‘Earth Angel’, and started fighting crime. During the 50’s, she and Det. ‘Dare’ Collins had a love-hate relationship. He felt she was an out of control vigilante and she kept saving his life when the outrageous risks he took to catch criminals got the better of him. Naturally, they fell in love and married. She gained a good reputation and was invited to join the Liberty Squad in 1954. She continued on a solo basis after the Squad disbanded in 1959 through the 1960s. At her father’s deathbed, she revealed her secret, he smiled and said "I know." and that he was proud of her, but he never revealed any of his past exploits. Due to their dangerous lifestyle and her childhood memories, the couple had put off having a family until they were older. By the 70s, Darren made Assistant Chief and Earth Angel went into semiretirement content to use her powers in a more secretive manner and to concentrate on a normal family life. Their son, Bryan, inherited his mother’s powers and became Gibraltar.
Personality/Motivations:
Although she’d never admit it, all those years of missing her father impressed on her the importance of sacrifice for a cause. Using her powers to save people and make the world a better place was worth the risk just as it was for him. Her abilities include telekinetically controlling earth and rock for physical energy blasts, entangles, and so forth. She also can draw strength and protection from the earth.
Quote: "The earth could just open up and swallow you...oops! "