League of Extraordinary Gentlemen

League History

There have been several incarnations of the League throughout time. Each league being composed of the most extraordinary people of their time. These are not always characters of noble or heroic character. For example Christian is a profoundly good character and Fantomas is a serial killer. There are also character who are everywhere in between

The League a a super secret group so if there are more they have yet to be revealed. The first known league seems to be composed around the 1680's. They were known as Prospero's men. The team consisted of Don Quixote, Captain Robert Owe-Much, Ariel, Prospero, Caliban, Christian, Amber St. Clair and Orlando.

In the 1780's it was called the Society Of Extraordinary Gentlemen. Many trophies of their adventures can be seen all over the headquarters of the league and MI6. This League was composed of Gulliver, The Scarlet Pimpernel and his wife, Dr. Syn, Fanny Hill and Natty Bumppo.

There is a lot of evidence of another league. Paintings of these characters can be seen everywhere. The speculated league came about in the mid 19th Century. They most likely consisted of Sir Francis Varney, Count Allamistakeo, The Blue Dwarf, Jack Harkaway, Phileas Fog, and Dorian Gray.

In the late 19th Century the League was reformed again. This was put together with the help of MI6 and the unlikely Wilhelmina Murray. Wilhelmina was the first and leader of this group as she contacted Captain Nemo to join her league and found Allan Quatermain in Africa, helped capture Dr. Jekyll/Mr.Hyde and brought in the Invisible Man ( Hawley Griffin). This would compose the members of their team.

The League first banded together to retrieve a machine that could control gravity from some Chinese doctor ( Dr. Fu Manchu). After retrieving the machine they give it to Mr. Bond who gave it to his boss Mr. M. who turned out to be Sherlock Holmes' archenemy James Moriarty. Moriarty tried to use the machine to bomb London but was stopped by the League and died after grabbing on to the anti-gravity machine and being shot up into the sky.

In the early twentieth century the previous league had disbanded due to the death of two of the members Edward Hyde and Hawley Griffin. The league would be reformed in the new century with Wilhelmina still as the leader of the team. Allan Quatermain Jr. took his father's place. Other members are Thomas Caracki, A. J. Raffles, and Orlando.

Another league in the early 19th Century was known as Les Hommes Mysterieux. This was the French counterpart to the League in England. They were a league that started in 1910. The five members of this league were Nyctalope, Arsene Lupin, Robur The Conquer, Zenith the Albino and Fantomas.

Another league called Der Zwielicht-helder most likely appeared about ten years later. This was the smallest league and consisted of only four members. Doctor Mabuse, Doctor Caligari, Doctor C. A. Rotwang, and Maria.

The most recently known league was a mid 20th Century League. This league is was in effect during World War II. The league consisted of Peter Brady, Professor James Gray, Worrals, Wolf of Kabul and The Iron Warrior.

Other Media

Film

League Of Extraordinary (2003)

In the film of the League Of Extraordinary Gentleman two new members are added to the 18th century team. In addition Dorian Gray and Agent Tom Sawyer were added. Wilhelmina is also depicted as an uncured vampire unlike in the comic and James Moriarty uses the disguise of the Phantom of the Opera in stead of Dr. Fu Manchu.

The reason for these changes are as follows Tom Sawyer was added because the producers wanted a young American in the group. The character's age and status were taken from Mark Twain's last book about the character written when he was a young agent in the later part of the 1800's. The reason for the change from Dr. Fu Manchu to The Phantom was due to copyright laws. The character of Dr. Fu Manchu is still protected under copy write laws.