Some of the heroes who've based themselves in Astro City (or just passed through):
Samaritan — a time-traveler sent back to 1986 to prevent the ecologically-hellish future he was born into from coming about. His time-trip suffused him with "empyrean fire," giving him enormous physical power as well as the ability to project an "empyrean web." He has long since averted the future of his birth, but has continued to protect humanity, becoming the world's best-known and most-admired hero. In his civilian identity, Asa Martin, he is a fact-checker for Current, Astro City's news/lifestyle magazine.
Winged Victory — a female warrior-hero who has chosen to champion the cause of women, concentrating the majority of her efforts on protecting imperiled women and proving that women can stand up for themselves and accomplish great things. In addition to her superheroic activities, she maintains and runs a series of women's self-defense training centers, leading some to brand her an "extremist lesbian terrorist."
Jack-In-The-Box — an athletic urban hero who uses clown-based gimmicks, including his "handsprings," "footapults," entangling confetti and electro-shock rubber noses in his crusade against crime. The first Jack-In-The-Box, debuting in 1964, was Jack Johnson, a toy designer who created the identity after learning that his toy designs were being used as weapons. The second Jack-In-The-Box was his son, Zachary Johnson, who owns and runs a successful toy company himself. The current Jack-In-The-Box, Roscoe James, is Zachary's protegee and trainee.
The Confessor — a 19th century priest, Jeremiah Parrish, who fell into sin and was reborn under a curse. He became the Confessor to atone, spending decades as a little-seen, much-feared nighttime hero before sacrificing himself to save the city in 1997. His role has since been assumed by Brian Kinney, formerly the Confessor's sidekick Altar Boy.
The Hanged Man — the eldritch protector of Shadow Hill. Little is known of his origins or history, but he wields enormous power and has protected his community for over a century.
MPH — the super-speeding local hero of Detroit.
The Black Rapier — local hero of New Orleans, and a consummate detective, skilled fighter and swordsman, armed with a hi-tech, gimmicked sword.
Cleopatra — there have been at least two Cleopatras, both heroines armed with a mystic staff of power. The first, debuting in the late Fifties, was a petite blonde. Her successor, active today, is a statuesque black woman. The first did not appear to be super-strong, while the second definitely is.
Quarrel — Jessica Darlene Taggart, the daughter of a super-villain, who has used her father's gimmicked projectile weapons to redeem his name and make a reputation for herself as an intrepid and acrobatic hero.
Crackerjack — another agile crimefighter, noted for showmanship and a deep appreciation of his own sense of humor. Crackerjack is considered a gloryhound and a showoff by much of the superhero community, but has an accomplished record nonetheless.
The N-Forcer — the corporate-backed hero of N.R.-gistics, Inc., he wears an armored suit that apparently turns his body into energy. There has been an N-Forcer active, in one incar-nation or another, since the late 1950s.
Beautie — a super-strong, life-sized, self-aware fashion doll. Her origin and background are unknown.
The Gentleman — a powerful, immaculate and unfailingly-polite hero active in Astro City, apparently unaging, since the early 1940s.
Nightingale and Sunbird — a pair of largely-urban crimefighters. Nightingale seems to have no powers, but her sidekick, Sunbird, can fly and project light-bursts.
The Flying Fox — a relatively new crimefighter, she is apparently unpowered, but flies on a powerful aero-cycle.
The Silver Agent — armed with only his own physical skills and a gun that fired various non-lethal charges, the Silver Agent fought crime from 1956 to 1973. A statue was erected to him after his death, commemorating both his heroism and the nation's shame at his passing.
Atomicus — an atomic-powered paragon of the early Sixties. He is presumed to be still alive, but his whereabouts are unknown.
El Hombre — a dashing, whip-wielding hero of the Sixties and Seventies, El Hombre vanished amid scandal, after causing multiple deaths in a scheme to boost his popularity. He returned years later as the armored Conquistador.
The Old Soldier — a centuries-old, near-mythic figure clad in martial attire of many eras, he seems to appear only at times of war, fighting for his vision of justice and honor.
Air Ace — a flying, post-World War I hero, he is widely known as Astro City's first superhero, though he is preceded by the Hanged Man, the Old Soldier, Ironhorse the Human Locomotive and others.
The All-American — a patriotic hero of WWII and beyond, he was one of Astro City's many heroes of the Forties and Fifties, along with his sidekick, Slugger the Junior Dynamo, plus the Lamplighter, the Frontiersman, Commando K and others.
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