Aleksey Lebedev Aleksey Lebedev (Russian:
Алексей Лебедев), the Golden Age version of the Red Guardian, first appeared in
Namor, The Sub-Mariner Annual #1 (June 1991) as a
retcon of the history of the Red Guardian identity, establishing a version who appeared prior to the version first seen in 1967, created by writers Dana Moreshead and Mike Thomas, and artist
Phil Hester. Very little is known of him, but he fought alongside
Captain America (William Naslund) and the
Sub-Mariner at the
Potsdam Conference, in July 1945. He began his career during World War II, and met the
All-Winners Squad (formerly the
Invaders) on only one recorded occasion, clashing with them shortly after the war's end where he taunted Captain America (secretly the
Patriot) that he was 'slowing down' after he was able to catch Captain America's shield. Like the other crusaders of the same name, he was created as a Soviet counterpart to Captain America. He was later apparently killed during the purges of the 1950s, opposing the brutal experiments that would later create his successor.
Alexei Shostakov Alexei Andreevich Shostakov is the first version of the Red Guardian, and was created by
Roy Thomas and
John Buscema, first appearing in
Avengers #43 (August 1967). Alexei Shostakov was born in
Moscow, and was the husband of Natasha Romanova. Both he and Romanova were agents of the Soviets: the latter as the
Black Widow while the former became a test pilot and KGB agent and then trained as a Soviet counterpart to Captain America known as Red Guardian. During
World War II on the
Eastern Front, Shostakov shot down a large number of
Luftwaffe fighter planes in aerial battles and was credited for helping the
Soviet Air Forces win air supremacy over the skies of
Stalingrad and
Kursk. Because of his skill, Shostakov was chosen for the most secret and dangerous tests and new aircraft for the Soviet Union. This included being the first pilot to test fly the
MiG-15. The Soviet state controlled news media greatly publicized this and certain other missions of his such as his aerial battles against the
U.S. Air Force over
MiG Alley during the
Korean War. As a result, Shostakov was decorated as a hero of the Soviet Union. As the Cold War flared up in the 1950s, Soviet Premier
Nikita Khrushchev realized that the Soviet Union needed its own equivalent to Captain America. Khrushchev chose Alexei Shostakov over
Yuri Gagarin, who would later become the first man in space. The KGB faked his death and trained him in secret, keeping his survival a secret from Natasha. He became a master of hand-to-hand combat and a highly skilled athlete. In addition, he carried a throwing disc on his belt which could be used against an opponent. Magnetic force returned the disc after throwing. The disc had the yellow hammer and sickle symbol on it and his costume was red with a star on his chest to symbolise the Soviet flag. While the Black Widow became disillusioned with KGB masters and defected to the United States, the Red Guardian remained loyal and became more ruthless and vindictive. The Red Guardian battles the
Avengers with his Chinese ally Colonel Ling, to protect a Communist Chinese secret weapon located at a secret military base. Shostakov is shot and mortally wounded by Colonel Ling while saving the lives of Black Widow and Captain America. Shostakov is later revealed to be alive and has risen to a high position of power in
Bulgaria. He attempts to capture and try Natasha Romanoff for crimes as a Soviet super soldier, but his plan was foiled with the help of
Daredevil and the Avengers. Alexei resurfaces as the new
Ronin and joins forces with the
Dark Ocean Society to instigate a war between
Japan and
Russia to restore the latter's former glory. He and the Society are defeated by
Hawkeye,
Mockingbird and Black Widow with the help of
Fantasma, and is taken into
S.H.I.E.L.D. custody. Shostakov is approached by a cadre of several of Black Widow's enemies, who implanted her with fake memories force her to live out a peaceful, simulated life as a married architect in
San Francisco. Having already moved on from his hatred towards his ex-wife, Shostakov reluctantly joins the cadre and plans to usurp the group to rescue Natasha. When Black Widow regains her memories and the cadre decides to have her killed, Alexei saves Natasha by taking a bullet meant for her. In
Thunderbolts (vol. 5),
Bucky Barnes recruits Shostakov into the
eponymous team.
Tania Belinsky Tania Belinsky, a neurosurgeon from the USSR later known as Starlight, initially assumes the Red Guardian identity and joins the
Defenders. Created by
Steve Gerber and
Sal Buscema, she first appeared in
The Defenders #35 (May 1976).
Josef Petkus Josef Petkus is the fourth Red Guardian, first appearing in
Captain America #352 (April 1989), and was created by writer
Mark Gruenwald and artist
Kieron Dwyer. The character subsequently appears in
The Avengers #319–324 (July–October 1990),
The Incredible Hulk #393 (May 1992), and
Soviet Super-Soldiers #1 (November 1992). Petkus later appeared as the
Steel Guardian in
Iron Man (vol. 2) #9 (October 1998) and was included in the "Supreme Soviets" entry in the ''
Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Update '89'' #7. Josef Petkus is a special operative for the intelligence agencies of the Soviet Union and a member of the militant
Supreme Soviets. Alongside the Supreme Soviets, he attacks the
Soviet Super-Soldiers for defecting from the Soviet Union. Alongside Captain America, he later battled a bear-like creature made of
Darkforce. The Supreme Soviets are later rebranded as a post-Soviet
Russian super-team called the
Winter Guard. Petkus later joins a Winter Guard splinter group called the
People's Protectorate, now calling himself the "Steel Guardian". He and his team search for the timelord
Immortus, hoping to find a way to resurrect Vanguard's sister Lanyia. They agree to fight off
Dire Wraiths invading Immortus' realm in exchange for this favor; Petkus is killed in the ensuing battle.
Krassno Granitsky Krassno Granitsky, the fifth Red Guardian, appeared in
Maverick #10 (June 1998), and was created by writer Jorge Gonzales and artist Leo Fernandez. The name "Krassno Granitsky" comes from the
James Bond novel
From Russia With Love; it is the Russianized name of assassin Donovan Grant. He teamed up with the mercenary superhero
Maverick to battle a crime lord. He also appears in
Ed Brubaker's
Captain America, where he is executed by
Aleksander Lukin.
Anton Anton, the sixth Red Guardian, first appears in
Jeph Loeb's
Hulk series as a member of the Winter Guard. Anton claims to be an engineer and a former pilot of the
Crimson Dynamo armor, and is later revealed to be a human who transferred his mind into a
Life Model Decoy. He is decapitated by a Dire Wraith, although his head survives and is kept in storage.
Nikolai Krylenko Nikolai Krylenko (also known as Vanguard) is the seventh version of the Red Guardian, and leads the Winter Guard. Created by
Bill Mantlo and
Carmine Infantino for
Iron Man #109 (April 1978), he was redeveloped as the Red Guardian by
David Gallaher and
Steve Ellis from
Darkstar and the Winter Guard #2 (July 2010) onward. ==Powers and abilities==