Name: Credit Card Soldiers
Other Names: Green Liberation Front; GLF; G.L.F.
Classification: villains group
First Appearance: Thor (vol. 1) #354 (Apr. 1985): "Pickin' Up the Pieces"
First Appearance (Additional Details): (named) Thor (vol. 1) #355 (May 1985): "The Icy Hearts (or My Dinners With Thor!)"
Creators: Walt Simonson
Super? (Has Super Powers/Special Abilities/Technology): Yes
Number of Appearances: 5
Enemy of: Thor
Employer: Titanium Man (Bullski)
Type of Organization/Group: criminal, soldier, terrorist
Note: disaffected Vietnam War veterans
The Green Liberation Front (GLF) was comprised of disaffected Vietnam War veterans who believed they were performing acts of political rebellion. They were originally known as the Credit Card Soldiers. Actually, they were being manipulated by the Russian villain known as the Titanium Man. This villain was using the GLF to implant a computer virus designed to destroy the American economy.
Although the Credit Card Soldiers have been referred to as terrorists based on their behavior and modus operandi, they did not appear to have any clear ideological objectives other than stealing money and getting rich. Their alternative name (Green Liberation Front) looks very much like the name a radical terrorist Environmentalist group might adopt. But there is no indication that the individual members of the G.L.F. or their secret founder, the Titanium Man, were in any way environmentalists. The name "Green Liberation Front" actually refers to the fact that they were stealing large sums of money. They were "liberating" (stealing) "green" (i.e., money).
One might also think that, as disaffected Vietnam War veterans, the group could have some kind of radical pacifist ideology. Once again, this does not appear to be the case. These former soldiers were disgruntled, but they appear to be upset about how they were treated after returning home. They were apparently not angry about the war itself or the fact that the United States engaged in this and other wars. The Credit Card Soldiers, in fact, remained quite patriotic. They admitted that they were thieves and criminals, but the emphasized that they were American thieves and criminals.
Suggested links for further research about this character:
- http://mightythor.wikia.com/wiki/Credit_Card_Soldiers
- http://marvel.wikia.com/wiki/Green_Liberation_Front_(Earth-616)
- http://www.comicvine.com/green-liberation-front/29-31260/
- http://www.marvunapp.com/master/gre.htm
- http://www.marvunapp.com/master/titn.htm
- https://www.comics.org/issue/39918/
- https://www.comics.org/issue/40022/
- http://comicbookdb.com/issue.php?ID=27236
- http://comicbookdb.com/issue.php?ID=27237