Data courtesy of the Grand Comics Database under Creative Commons license.

Issue Details

Issue #3
Published July 1983
Frequency bi-monthly in January, March, May, July, September, and November
Cover Price 1.00 USD; 1.25 CAD
Pages 36
Editing Rich Buckler (Editor); Victor Gorelick (Production Manager); Richard H. Goldwater (Editor-in-Chief)
Notes The original Shield is written out as of this issue and doesn't re-appear with the Crusaders again until #9.

Cover Details - "I Have Defeated The Crusaders!"

Characters Mighty Crusaders [Shield [Lancelot Strong]; the Shield [Joe Higgins]; Jaguar; Fly Girl; The Fly; Darkling]; the Hangman
Genre superhero
Pencils Rich Buckler (signed)
Inks Rich Buckler (signed)
Notes Front cover is from Darkling's point-of-view. The back cover is the same scene from Hangman's point-of-view.

2 page letters page "Crusader Comments"

Script Robin Snyder
Letters typeset
Notes Located on the inside front cover and continued on the inside back cover.

19 page Mighty Crusaders story "Atlantis Rising Final Chapter: The Darkling Ingredient"

Characters Mighty Crusaders [Shield [Lancelot Strong]; the Fly; Fly Girl; the Web; Jaguar; the Comet; Black Hood; Shield [Joe Higgins]; Darkling]; Brain Emperor; Malevolent Legion of Juggernauts (androids of the Hangman, Bob Phantom, The Fox, Steel Sterling, Blackjack, Captain Flag, Firefly under Eterno's control)
Synopsis As Eterno's androids take the defeated Crusaders to Atlantis, the Shield, the Web, and the Black Hood regroup to save their fellow Crusaders with some unexpected help: the Comet, now sporting his original outfit and powers, and Darkling, a mysterious woman with the ability to teleport. Together they save their other members, then defeat Eterno. Darkling joins the Crusaders just as the Comet quits for personal reasons.
Genre superhero
Script Rich Buckler
Pencils Rich Buckler
Inks Ricardo Villagran
Colors Barry Grossman
Letters O'Shaw (Rod Ollerenshaw ?)
Notes Introduction and first appearance of Darkling, who joins the Crusaders. This is a character who was and is still owned by Rich Buckler.

12 page Original Shield story "Chapter 1 American Shield"

Characters The Shield [Joe Higgins]; Don Phelps (FBI agent); Boroff (a Russian spy); Delta 3; Mighty Crusaders [Black Hood; Jaguar; Web; Comet; Fly; Fly Girl; Shield [Joe Higgins]; Shield [Lancelot Strong](cameo as a picture on a monitor)]
Synopsis Joe Higgins and Don Phelps stop Boroff - an old Russian spy-- from getting a secret map for a mysterious organization called Delta 3.
Genre superhero
Script Martin L. Greim
Pencils Dick Ayers
Inks Tony deZuniga
Colors Barry Grossman
Letters Victor Gorelick
Notes This is Joe Higgins, who is later revealed to be the father of Bill Higgins, the 1960s Shield. Story continues in issues #4-6.

1 page Mighty Crusaders illustration "The Darkling Ingredient"

Characters Mighty Crusaders [Fly Girl; the Fly; Jaguar; The Shield [Joe Higgins]; the Shield [Lancelot Strong]; Darkling]; the Hangman
Genre superhero
Pencils Rich Buckler (signed)
Inks Rudy Nebres (signed)
Colors Barry Grossman
Notes Front cover done from Hangman's point of view.