Local Heroes

The Federal Research, Emergency, and Enforcement Association is quasi-governmental task force charged with investigating and resolving all super-science, mystical, and paranormal activities that may be considered threats to the American people. The Association operates chiefly within the borders of the United States of America, but has been known to cooperate with the authorities of other countries during investigations or pursuits.

The FREE Association was created in 1967 in direct response to a surge of super-menaces that began one year earlier. Initially consisting of two dozen civilian experts collected from various research and law enforcement groups, the Association currently has nearly 800 full-time staff members dedicated to its purposes. The Association is led from the FREE Dome by an board of directors and organized into three divisions: research and development is handled by their FREE Thinkers, search and rescue is taken care of by FREE Lancers, and the FREE Agents handle enforcement and incarceration (within the FREE Hold facility).

The worldwide community of super-powered adventurers have had mixed reactions to the FREE Association and its agenda. Although the majority of interactions have been fairly positive, there have been a number of occasions where that community viewed the Association in a very poor light. One of the worst time periods was, understandably, the aftermath of the Secret Crossover Crisis of the 1980s. However, the current leaders of the FREE Association have taken great strides in rebuilding a positive relationship between it and the worldwide super-community. UNIONS currently maintains a positive relationship with the Association, helped in part due to the long-standing friendship of Mystery-man and the FREE Agent Commander Roadhorse.

Commander Roadhorse and the FREE Association first appeared in Local Heroes strip #87 (within Storyline 5 — “Storyline 5 -- The Museum of Unnatural Mystery”).