What About #1-3?

JLA: Classified can serve as a teaser for Seven Soldiers, since it is the first appearance of the main villains the Sheeda and Neh-Buh-Loh the Hunter. However, it is not needed to understand the Seven Soldiers story. This might just be a way to establish that this story takes place within the same universe as the Justice League of America. Through out the Seven Soldiers books, there are several references to DCU's popular hero team.

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From the DC Comics Encyclopedia:

First Appearance - LEADING COMICS #1 (Winter 1941-1942)

Independently stopping the villainous agents of the Iron Hand, seven heroes joined together to become the Laws' Legionnaires, more commonly referred to as the Seven Soldiers of Victory. Founding members included the Crimson Avenger, I, the Spider (Alias the Spider), the Shining Knight, Vigilante I, Billy Gunn (later succeeded by Stuff), the Star-Spangled Kid, and Stripesy. The Crimson Avenger's aide, Wing, was the unofficial eighth member.

In 1948, the Seven Soldiers of Victory were betrayed by one of their own, the Spider, and engaged in battle with an entity known as the Nebula Man. Wing sacrificed his life to destroy the creature in Tibet, but the resulting explosion of temporal energies cast the rest of the group across the time stream. Decades later, Deadman organized a short-lived new edition of the Seven Soldiers of Victory including Adam Strange, Batgirl, Blackhawk, Mento, Metamorpho, and the Atomic Knight to defend the planet Rann from an attack by the Injustice League. Soon after that, six of the time-displaced original Seven Soldiers were rescued by the united Justice Society of America and the Justice League of America before Red Tornado II sacrificed his life to save Earth from the Iron Hand.

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The Sheeda are a race of beings who exist in Earth's distant future. They have been the culprits behind mass extinctions throughout Earth's history, most notably the proto-Camelot introduced in the Shining Knight mini-series.

The Sheeda are based on the Sidhe (pronounced "shee") of Scottish and Irish folklore.

Origins of the Sidhe

From celticsociety.freeservers.com:

It is difficult to pin-point an exact historical era as the time when fairy lore began. Many writers maintain that the people of Ireland and their Gods before the coming of the Gaels are the 'ancestors' of the sidhe. Clearly the belief in the sidhe is part of the pre-Christian religion which survived for thousands of years and which has never been completely wiped out from the minds of the people. When the first Gaels, the sons of Mil, arrived in Ireland, they found that the Tuatha De Danaan, the people of the goddess Dana, already had control of the land. The sons of Mil fought them in battle and defeated them, driving them 'underground' where it is said they remain to this day in the hollow hills or sidhe mounds. In the early Irish manuscripts (which were recorded from an earlier oral tradition) we find references to the Tuatha De Danaan.In 'The Book of the Dun Cow' and the 'Book of Leinster' this race of beings is described as "gods and not gods", pointing to the fact that they are 'something in between'. Also in the Book of the Dun Cow it says of wise men that: "it seems likely to them that they [the Tuatha De Danaan] came from heaven, on account of their intelligence and excellence of their knowledge".

Listen to a discussion about fairies on Melvyn Bragg's In Our Time program on BBC4.

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From The Faerie Queen by Edmund Spenser:

Worthy Knight, I will now entrust you with our Signs and Token. The first, or Sign of Sorrow is given by placing the right hand on the heart, then pointing with the index finger downwards, saying 'He is not there'. The response of a Knight of the Holy Sepulchre is pointing upwards with the index finger of the right hand, saying 'He is risen.'
These Signs, however, must never be uses except in the Sanctuary, or when you are obliged to claim form a Brother Knight the performance of the seven Corporal Works of Mercy, which I will now recite to you:

In nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti: I greet you as a Guardian Knight of the Holy Sepulchre.

1st - Go, feed the hungry;
2nd - Give drink to the thirsty;
3rd - Clothe the naked with a garment;
4th - Visit and ransom the captives;
5th - Harbour the harbourless, give the widows and orphans where to lay their heads;
6th - Visit and relieve the sick;
7th - Go, bury the dead.

From the Book of Revelations (chapter and verse are in parenthesis):

Seven churches (1:4)
Seven golden candlesticks (1:12)
Seven stars (1:16)
Seven lamps of fire burning before the throne [of God], which are the seven Spirits of God (4:5)
Seven seals (5:1)
[Saw a] lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes (5:6)
Seven angels (8:2)
Seven trumpets (8:6)
[An angel spoke with] a loud voice, as when a lion roareth: and when he had cried, seven thunders uttered their voices (10:3)
[As a result of] the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand (11:13)
[Saw] a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads (12:3)
[Saw a] beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy (13:1)
The seven last plagues (15:1)
Seven golden vials full of the wrath of God (15:7)

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Bushido

The Seven Principles of Bushido (paraphrased from Yamagei Yoko)

As codified by Yamagei Yoko (cir.1685):

GI (Justice, Right Decision): Making correct decisions from the heart rather than from the mind.  To die when one must without thought or regret.

YUU (Bravery):  Rushing onto the point of a sword without hesitation if it would accomplish the greatest good. 

JIN (Compassion, Benevolence):  Universal love toward mankind. The ability to exhibit compassion.

REI (Right Action):  Etiquette and the preservation of courtesy.  The Samurai believed that it was better to lose his life than to be impolite.

MAKOTO (Truth, Sincerity):  Truthfulness

MEIYO (Honor):  Glory without ego.

CHUUGI (Devotion):  Loyalty to one's Lord

 

From Tamiya Ryu Iaijutsu; Michigan Dojo:

Right Decision : "I will always make correct decisions from the heart, rather than from the mind."

Bravery : "I will never hesitate to put my needs last, especially if it is best for the group."

Compassion : "I will always show Universal Love to all mankind."

Right Action : "I will always be polite and courteous at all times."

Truth : "I will always be truthful and sincere in everything I do."

Honor : "I will always be honorable in thought, word and deed."

Devotion : "I will always be loyal to my superiors and the members of my group."

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Chakra

The word chakra is Sanskrit for wheel or disk and signifies one of seven basic energy centers in the body. Each of these centers correlates to major nerve ganglia branching forth from the spinal column. In addition the chakras also correlate to levels of consciousness, archetypal elements, developmental stages of life, colors, sounds, body functions, and much, much more.

	Chakra Seven: Thought, Universal identity, oriented to self-knowledge This is the crown chakra that relates to consciousness as pure awareness. It is our connection to the greater world beyond, to a timeless, spaceless place of all-knowing. When developed, this chakra brings us knowledge, wisdom, understanding, spiritual connection, and bliss.
	Chakra Six: Light, Archetypal identity, oriented to self-reflection This chakra is known as the brow chakra or third eye center. It is related to the act of seeing, both physically and intuitively. As such it opens our psychic faculties and our understanding of archetypal levels. When healthy it allows us to see clearly, in effect, letting us "see the big picture."
	Chakra Five: Sound, Creative identity, oriented to self-expression This is the chakra located in the throat and is thus related to communication and creativity. Here we experience the world symbolically through vibration, such as the vibration of sound representing language.
	Chakra Four: Air, Social identity, oriented to self-acceptance This chakra is called the heart chakra and is the middle chakra in a system of seven. It is related to love and is the integrator of opposites in the psyche: mind and body, male and female, persona and shadow, ego and unity. A healthy fourth chakra allows us to love deeply, feel compassion, have a deep sense of peace and centeredness .
	Chakra Three: Fire, Ego identity, oriented to self-definition This chakra is known as the power chakra, located in the solar plexus. It rules our personal power, will, and autonomy, as well as our metabolism. When healthy, this chakra brings us energy, effectiveness, spontaneity, and non-dominating power.
	Chakra Two: Water, Emotional identity, oriented to self-gratification The second chakra, located in the abdomen, lower back, and sexual organs, is related to the element water, and to emotions and sexuality. It connects us to others through feeling, desire, sensation, and movement. Ideally this chakra brings us fluidity and grace, depth of feeling, sexual fulfillment, and the ability to accept change.
	Chakra One: Earth, Physical identity, oriented to self-preservation Located at the base of the spine, this chakra forms our foundation. It represents the element earth, and is therefore related to our survival instincts, and to our sense of grounding and connection to our bodies and the physical plane. Ideally this chakra brings us health, prosperity, security, and dynamic presence.

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Spider Symbolism

Spiders are weavers and tricksters. They symbolize fate, female energy, creative energy, female energy, wisdom, creativity, new life, entanglement, caution, divine inspiration, starting a project, becoming pregnant, being industrious, warning signals, illusions. They are connected to Ishtar, Atargatis, Athene, the Fates, the Norns, Holda, Inktomi, Kokyangwuti, Tsitsicnako and Sussistanako and Neith.

Weaving & Spinning Mythology and Folklore Library

A lot of the symbolism associated with Spider can be seen in her form. Her body is made up roughly of a figure eight which, laid on it's side, is the symbol for infinity. Infinity is like the wheel of life, constantly flowing in a continuous cycle from one circle to the other. She is also associated with death and rebirth, not only with the shape of her body but with the eating of the male after mating. She is both a feminine and lunar energy. Her constant building of new webs have been tied by some to the waxing and waning of the moon. The glistening web also has very strong symbology, signifying the tapestry of the universe and the infinite possibilities of creation.

Native Americans: she is a grandmother figure whom is a link between the past and the future and who brought people the gift of fire. Some tribes believed the spider was the weaver who created the world and saw her as a symbol of creative female energy.

India: Spider is sacred to Maya who was known as the 'weaver of illusion.'

Greece: it was sacred to Athena who was a goddess of wisdom and a moon goddess

Egypt: spider represented Neith, the Divine Mother and also a moon goddess.

It is also believed the first true alphabet was formed from the patterns and angles in Spiders web which has her considered the teacher of language and writing. This makes her a strong guide for those who use symbols and writing in performing magic.

Facts

The building of a web is linked to that of creation. When building a web, the orb spider just shoots her silk into the wind. If the breeze carries it to a spot where it sticks, her first bridge has now been formed. She then reinforces it with a second line and builds her frame.

Spiders are very delicate and gentle creatures. If you held a tarantula while standing and dropped it, the fall would break her and she would die. Most spiders are only aggressive when threatened and many are very shy, avoiding confrontations. They combine gentleness and strength with balance to survive.

Lessons

Spiders strongest lesson is that of fate. She encourages us to weave our dreams into reality because she knows the mind is a powerful thing. She teaches us we create our own destiny because the past and future are linked. What we decide to take from our experiences can either be an aid or obstacle in the future and we weave our path by every action. Everything you do now affects your future encounters.

She also poses a warning to avoid getting locked into barriers created by society. Our beliefs, behavior and views on ourselves should come from us, not other people. This is important because these things can limit our possibilities short of their potential.

Balance is another lesson of this spiritual creature. She teaches us to keep balance in every aspect of our lives - past and future, physical and spiritual, feminine and masculine, etc.

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The Septagram & the Planets

At the each point of the septagram are symbols of the seven visible heavenly bodies in the sky.

Clockwise from the top; the Sun, Venus, Mercury, the Moon, Saturn, Jupiter, and Mars.

The seven-pointed star, septagram, represents a belief in fairies and magic. Each of the seven points is believed to have a different meaning, although there are several common interpretations.

Some say each point represents a pathway, or the "seven rays of manifestation of the Higher Self."

1 - power, personal will and determination
2 - unconditional love, wisdom and growth
3 - knowledge and intelligence
4 - harmony and tranquility
5 - the powers of mind and science
6 - devotion and honesty
7 - magick

Another idea is that the points signify the seven magical elements - air, water, metal, aether, fire, wood, earth. Whilst a further suggestion is that they represent the seven directions - north, south, east, west, above, below and within.

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How Do the 7 Heavenly Bodies Resemble
the 7 Soldiers?

Sun/Mister Miracle

The Sun is the planet of the self, will, energy and power. It is the most important planet in a horoscope, and a heavily afflicted Sun in a natal chart makes it difficult for the subject to get anywhere in life, as they will not have the basic self-belief and stamina required to progress.

Venus/Bulleteer

Venus is the planet of love, higher emotions and artistic sensibility. The aspects and positions of Venus in a natal chart indicate how the subject deals with relationships, sexuality and social interaction, as well as their capacity for creating and appreciating beauty.

Mercury/Klarion

Mercury is the planet of the mind, intellect and communication. In a natal chart, the aspects and position of Mercury show the ways in which subjects use their minds and how they get their message across to others.

Moon/Zatanna

The Moon is the planet of the unconscious mind, habits and emotions. The aspects and position of the Moon in a natal chart indicate the subject's way of dealing with the influence of others.

Saturn/Shining Knight

Saturn is the planet of structure, limitation, experience and discipline. A heavily afflicted Saturn in a natal chart can leave subjects selfish, rigid and limited in their ability to interact meaningfully with others. Favorable influences can make them ambitious, successful and self-disciplined.

Jupiter/Guardian

Jupiter is the planet of expansion, growth and cooperation. In a natal chart, the aspects and position of Jupiter indicate how subjects are able to expand their horizons, and how they fit into and contribute to society.

Mars/Frankenstein

Mars is the planet of action and the expression of will through activity. A heavily afflicted Mars in a natal chart may give the subject impulsive or violent tendencies. Favorable influences may channel the energy of Mars more positively, into strength, determination and achievement, for example.

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