Zoo Crew of Earth-C
The Zoo Crew (of Earth-C)
The Zoo Crew is the foremost team of superheroes who fight crime on the parallel Earth known as Earth-C, a world populated by sentient animals instead of humans.
The Zoo Crew is discovered when Superman is investigating a strange phenomenon causing the citizens of Metropolis to begin acting like their primate ancestors. Superman soon finds the source of this odd behavior was a ray striking the Earth from outer space, forming a strange energy barrier around Earth-1. Seeing the ray had a weakening effect on him similar to that of Green Kryptonite, Superman grabs a meterorite which he hopes to use as a shield while attempting to pierce the energy barrier. However, when striking the strange rays, the meteorite explodes, with both Superman and the meteorite's fragments being hurled from Earth-1 into the Earth-C universe. There, Superman meet several of that world's residents, who have gained superpowers when they were struck by the various, newly-irradiated meteor fragments. Superman also discovers that the same mysterious ray was also striking at Earth-C, causing its populace to revert to behaving like their primitive, non-sentient ancestors.
The now-superpowered animals and Superman soon team up to stop the source of the ray, which originates from Pluto of Earth-C's universe, where it is being fired at Earth-C by Starro, an old Justice League of America foe. Eventually, the animals and Superman stop Starro's scheme to conquer Earth-C. The animals decide to band together as a new superteam whose name, the "Zoo Crew", comes from an off-handed comment Superman made earlier; Superman wishes the new team luck, and returns to Earth-1. (The New Teen Titans No. 16/2, Feb 1982: "This Bunny Unbound!"; Captain Carrot and His Amazing Zoo Crew No. 1, Mar 1982: "The Pluto Syndrome!"; Captain Carrot and His Amazing Zoo Crew No. 2, Apr 1982: "The Macabre Menace of the Mammal Called Armordillo")
Members of the Zoo Crew
The Zoo Crew's founding members consist of:
- Captain Carrot: Rodney Rabbit of "Gnu York" (Earth-C's version of New York City); a rabbit. Captain Carrot's powers consist of super-leaps, super-strength, limited invulnerability and enhanced speed. In his alter-ego, Rodney Rabbit is a cartoonist for his Earth's version of DC Comics, where he writes and draws the comic Just'a Lotta Animals, a super-team that includes Earth-C's fictional version of Superman, named "Super-Squirrel".
- Alley-Kat-Abra: Felina Furr of "Mew Orleans" (Earth-C's version of New Orleans); a cat. Alley-Kat-Abra possesses a wide range of mystical powers, enhanced by her "Magic Wanda" (a magic wand).
- Fastback: Timmy Joe Terrapin of the American South; a turtle. As Fastback, Timmy possesses various superspeed powers similar to those of the Flash.
- Rubberduck: Byrd Rentals of "Follywood, Califurnia" (Earth-C's version of Hollywood, California); a duck. Rubberduck possesses the ability to stretch any portion of his body.
- Yankee Poodle: Rova Barkitt, also of Follywood; a poodle. Yankee Poodle possesses the ability to shoot powerful electromagnetic stars and stripes from her hands.
- Pig-Iron: Peter Porkchops of "Piggsburgh" (Earth-C's version of Pittsburgh); a pig. Pig-Iron possesses vast superstrength and invulnerability.
A seventh member, Little Cheese (Chester Cheese, a mouse with shrinking powers) eventually joins the team as its first member to not gain powers from the meteorite fragments, but rather from a piece of cheese brought back from Earth-C's moon. (Captain Carrot and His Amazing Zoo Crew No. 20, Nov 1983: "The Naked Ape").
