DRAGON CIRCLE

Membership: Reverend Addison Blackburn (leader), Ambrose Ellis, Lloyd Lynne, Roman Scaggs, Windeagle, Jedediah Thorp, Roland, Harold, Herbert

Purpose: I guess it was profit and political power. (see comments)

Affiliations: Ku Klux Klan (original parent organization); Soul Strangler (unknown connection)

Enemies: Black Panther (T'Challa), Ku Klux Klan (rival organization), Angela and Monica Lynne, Roderick Tate, Kevin Trublood

Base of Operations: across the USA?, based out of Georgia

Aliases: Circle of the Dragon, Cult of the Dragon Circle, Soldiers of the Dragon Circle, Dragon Cult, Dragon Soldiers;
Spiritual Light Society (SLS)

First Appearance: Jungle Action#19 (January, 1976)

History: The Dragon Circle is a cult of unknown origin, who diverged from the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) at some point.

The Dragon Circle somehow evolved into a racially diverse organization, more interested in political power than the Klan's racial and religious views (according to the story, the Klan was also originally more about politics). It was taken over by the Reverend, Addison Blackburn. The Reverend had a number of members of the Dragon Circle infiltrate the KKK to keep him informed of their plans and activities.

(Marvel Premiere#52(fb))-The Reverend recruited the prison inmate Hector Santiago, whom they outfitted to become Windeagle.

(JungAct#21(fb))-Angela Lynne investigated the crooked real estate deals in which the Dragon Circle were involved. A gun went off and she was found dead. The Reverend is apparently the culprit of this murder.

(JungAct#19)-Members of the Dragon Circle ambushed, and apparently intended to kill Monica Lynne, as she visited the grave of her sister, Angela. The members were fought off by Monica, and her on-and-off lover, the Black Panther (with the added assistance of Kevin Trublood). The cult members were soon released on bail paid by a wealthy backer (presumably the Reverend).
That night, the home of the Lynne family was unintentionally simultaneously attacked by members of the Dragon Circle, and the KKK. The Black Panther drove off both organizations, who sought to torch the house.

(Jungle Action#20, 21)-Members of the Dragon Circle assaulted Monica and the Black Panther in a local grocery store, which increased the distrust the local citizenry had for the costumed Panther. After recovering, the Panther invaded a meeting of the KKK, who attacked him, and succeeded in overpowering him by strength of numbers. They tied him to a cross which they set afire.
He eventually broke free and escaped, but was hospitalized for a few weeks, recovering from his injuries. He later appeared at a KKK rally, where he was again attacked. This time he fought off his attackers.

(Jungle Action#22)-Jessica Lynne related the story of Caleb Lynne to the Black Panther. Lloyd and Monica, and Kevin Trublood were also present.

(Jungle Action#24(fb))-The Black Panther questioned Leroy Carter, and then Ambrose Ellis, about Angela's death. Afterwards, he was attacked by Windeagle, who was sent by the Reverend to attack him. The struggle continued for a short time until Dragon Circle members rammed the Panther with their car, and they captured him.

(Jungle Action#24)-The Panther was tied to a water wheel, apparently as part of some kind of James Bond-leave them to die, so they can escape and foil your plans-scheme. The Panther broke freed, but was again subdued by Windeagle and the Dragon Circle

(Marvel Premiere#53(fb))-The Panther was taken to the Dragon Circle's headquarters, where the Reverend attempted to brainwash him into joining them. T'Challa's will proved to be too strong for them to overcome, but they did succeed in submerging his memories of all of the recent events. He lost all memory of the Dragon Circle, and even his sometime lover Monica, and headed off on a separate mission.

(Black Panther I#14, 15)-Monica Lynne and Kevin Trublood traveled to New York to find the Panther. They were trailed by Windeagle.

(MarvPrem51)-Windeagle attacked the Black Panther at the Wakandan consulate. He was defeated and contained. Monica and Kevin confronted the Black Panther, and helped him realize that part of his memory had been repressed. Windeagle broke free and attacked again, but he was shot and killed by an unidentified sniper.

(MarvPrem52)-After learning the past of Windeagle, the Panther, Trublood, Monica, and Omoro Kaysbe were trailed by members of the Dragon Circle. The Panther picked up on this and led them to a lumberyard, where they defeated the men. The last of the involved members was slain by an unknown sniper. The Panther found a KKK card on the dead cultist, and investigated a KKK rally, where he was confronted and attacked by the mysterious Soul Strangler. The Strangler vanished after a short battle, and the Panther escaped from a mob of angry Klansmen.

(MarvPrem53)-The Reverend declared war on the KKK, but after his meeting with the rest of the Dragon Circle broke up, he was confronted by several Klansmen. They took him deeper into the swamp, and planned to execute him, but reality changed around them, and they seemed to be back in 1867, at the home of Caleb Lynne. Both the Reverend and the Klansmen watched in astonishment as the Panther, who had been trailing the Reverend, battled and defeated the Soul Strangler. The Panther then subdued and brought in the Reverend and the Klansmen. The Reverend and his involvement were exposed, and he was sent to prison. Some members of the Dragon Cult turned evidence on other members, and the cult apparently broke up.

COMMENTS: Created by Don McGregor and Billy Graham.

This collected story is referred to as "The Panther vs the Klan." There are 10 parts to it.
Jungle Action#23 reprinted Daredevil I#69, due to a missed deadline. The story continued in Jungle Action#24.

Changing writer syndrome. McGregor's plot was dropped when Jungle Action was discontinued, and the Panther went off in a new direction under Kirby in the original Black Panther (see the current Black Panther for a continuation on that saga. You will NOT be disappointed). Jerry Bingham and Gene Day touched on it in the last two issues of the Black Panther, at which point it continued in the Marvel Premiere series, under Ed Hannigan and Jerry Bingham.
The second to last issue of the saga had a next issue blurb that promised all of the answers. I don't think we got ANY answers, except finally seeing the face of the Reverend (who went from Rev. Addison in the previous issues to Rev. Blackburn in the last issue).
--What was the goal of the Dragon Circle? It was a big deal that there were people of color in this group, which had spawned from the absolutely white KKK. How did this happen, and what was the purpose/goal of the group?
--Who shot Windeagle? (someone in the Dragon Circle) Leroy Ames got blamed for it, but it still seemed to be uncertain.
--It was a big deal at some point in the story, that Windeagle's costume was like the Falcon's, which was originally of Wakandan design. This meant that there were Dragon Circle members in Wakanda, in a position to get hold of this advanced technology. This was never dealt with.
--What was the significance, besides the obvious, of that clock that was stopped at 2:06 am by the bullet that killed Angela Lynne?
--What was the Soul Strangler's connection to the Dragon Circle?
--How many times will I re-read these issues, trying to figure the whole saga out? (5 and counting--and still confused).
It's definitely an intriguing story. It holds your interest the whole way through, but you're left thinking, "Huh?"

The Reverend..."reverend" is an adjective, meaning highly revered. That's like having a judicial character known as "The Honorable." He was referred to only as the Reverend for the initial story by McGregor, et al. He was later named as Reverend Addison, and later as Reverend Blackburn. His full name, Rev. Addison Blackburn is confirmed in the Marvel Comics Index Part 9B.

In one of the issues, they make mention of the fact that the name, the Ku Klux Klan comes from a Greek word meaning Circle, with the word Klan added due to the strong Scots-Irish content. You can see the Dragon Circle coming from the Grand Dragon of the KKK, and the "Circle" Klan.
--I cannot believe that organizations like these can even exist in modern society.

This storyline also revealed that the "T" in T'Challa is silent...or at least the start of the name goes together and sounds like the letters in "catch."

The Dragon Circle has an entry in Marvel Legacy: The 1970's Handbook.

CLARIFICATIONS: No known connection to:

The Reverend, Addison Blackburn, has no known connection to:

The KKK and the Klansmen have no known connection to:

Harrison Stryker, off the KKK, has no known connection to:


MEMBERS


 

The Reverend is Addison Blackburn. He was once a high-ranking member of the southern branch of the KKK. However, all along he was working for (and leading) the Dragon Circle. He used the Klan, and when his crooked real estate deals where exposed, he had Angela Lynne killed, and had the Klan blamed. It was the Blackburn who recruited Windeagle, and it was he who attempted to brainwash the Black Panther.
He had this sinister look in his eyes as he directed the Klansmen to the old, run-down shack of Caleb Lynne. However, he didn't seem to have any idea what was going on when the Soul Strangler showed up. He thanked the Panther for saving him, and the Panther punched him out.
--He is mentioned in Jungle Action#19, named in MP#52+53, and seen in MP#53. He is behind the scenes in every appearance of the Dragon Circle.

 

 

 

 

 



 

Ambrose Ellis is a realtor and the employer of Angela Lynne. It was at his office that she was shot. The gun was his, taken from one of his drawers. He showed up with the police who were called to his office after Angela's death. He is a member of the Water Crest Country Club.
He is first mentioned in Jungle Action#19, although he is mistakenly referred to as Ezra Wilkinson (this is corrected in #20).
--Jungle Action#21, 24 (24(fb), 24

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

Lloyd Lynne is the father of Angela and Monica Lynne, and the husband of Jessica Lynne. His one great joy in life is the card game of Solitaire. Why he would be involved with the Dragon Circle and their plans, when he seems to prefer to stay at home and keep to himself, is never explained. He spoke out against the Reverend's violent plans, and had to be saved from retaliation by the Panther.
--Jungle Action#19 (20-22, 24, MP#53, Black Panther: Panther's Prey#4

 

 

 

 




 

Roman Scaggs is the owner of the rifle found at Windeagle's murder. He freely admitted to owning the rifle and being a member of the Dragon Circle, but claimed to be "a peaceful member of a non-violent brotherhood devoted to justice." The Panther seemed to recall his face as one of those who attempted to brainwash him.
--MP#53 (53(fb), 53

 

 

 

 

 


Other members named included: Jedediah Thorp (Jungle Action#19), Harold (Jungle Action#19), and Roland and Herbert (I forget which issue).


other characters


 

Leroy Ames was a former boyfriend of Angela Lynne. He dropped her off at home after a date, but saw her sneak back out and follow her. He heard the shot that killed Angela, but was unable to see or identify the killer. He called the police at 3:15 am to inform them of her death. He was named "The Phantom Caller" by the newspaper. Carter apparently feared the repercussions of getting involved with the case, and refused to give any further information. He lived in Georgia and was employed by the phone company, Bell.
--Then in Marvel Premiere#53, he is arrested after being found unconscious in New York, outside a Klan rally, with a gun. He is named as the killer of Windeagle and Angela Lynne, but no evidence or explanation is given. It seems like a frame...or perhaps he WAS a member of the Dragon Cult.
--He is incorrectly referred to as Leroy Carter in Jungle Action#21. This is corrected in Jungle Action#24.
--Jungle Action#21 (21(fb)/24(fb), 24, MP#53

 

 

 


 

Angela Lynne is the older sister of Monica (b y 2 years), and the daughter of Jessica and Lloyd Lynne. She dated Leroy Ames and worked for the realtor Ambrose Ellis. She investigated crooked real estate deals of the Dragon Circle, and was killed for this.
--Jungle Action#19 (19(fb), 21(fb)/24(fb)

 

 


 

 


 

 

 

 

Jessica Lynne is the wife of Lloyd, and the mother of Angela and Monica.
--Jungle Action#19 (20-22, 24, MP#53, Black Panther: Panther's Prey#4

 

 


 

 

Harrison K. Stryker was the Imperial Wizard for the KKK in Georgia.
I don't think he's the same guy from MP#52, but he may be
--Jungle Action#21

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

Roderick Tate is the sheriff in Georgia. He was willing to work with the Black Panther, and was frustrated by his inability to hold the Dragon Circle members.
--He is also referred to as Broderick Tate.
--Jungle Action#19 (21(fb)/24(fb), 19-21, 24, MarvPrem53

 

 

 

 


 

 

Kevin Trublood is a former reporter for the Georgia Sun. He helped defend Monica Lynne from an attack by the Dragon Circle, and soon became very involved in the whole struggle. He stayed by Monica when the Panther mysteriously vanished, and the two became very close (the Panther, at one point, referred to Monica as Kevin's future wife). He wrote the final expose on the Reverend and the Dragon Circle. He and Monica obviously drifted apart.
--Jungle Action#19 (20-22, 24, BP#14, 15, MP#51-53

 

 

 


Monica Lynne's history is much more extensive, and is beyond the scope of this profile. She was present in every issue of the saga.



Appearances:
Jungle Action#19 (January, 1976) - Don McGregor (writer), Billy Graham (pencils), Bob McLeod (inks), Marv Wolfman (editor)
Jungle Action#20-22 (March-July, 1976) - Don McGregor (writer), Billy Graham & Rich Buckler (#22) (pencils), Bob McLeod & Jim Mooney (#22) (inks), Marv Wolfman (editor)
Jungle Action#24 (November, 1976) - Don McGregor (writer), Rich Buckler & Keith Pollard (pencils), Keith Pollard (inks), Marv Wolfman (editor)
Black Panther I#14-15 (March-May, 1979) - Ed Hannigan (writer), Jerry Bingham (pencils), Gene Day (inks), Roger Stern (editor)
Marvel Premiere#51-53 (December, 1979 - April, 1980) - Ed Hannigan (writer), Jerry Bingham (pencils), Gene Day (#51-52) & Al Gordon (#53) (inks), Roger Stern (#51-52) & Jim Salicrup (#53) (editor)
Black Panther: Panther's Prey#4 (1991) - Don McGregor (writer), Dwayne Turner (artist), Terry Kavanagh (editor)


Last updated: 08/02/02.

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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