We've seen
Ultraa on the blog a couple times, but this is definitely a comedown from the
200th issue. (By the way, does anyone else do this, go through the boxes at the comic shop and get frustrated when they have #199 then #201, even if they're the one that bought #200 already?) From 1982,
Justice League of America #201, "A Hero For All Seasons" Written by Gerry Conway, pencils by Don Heck, inks by Bob Smith.
I don't think I've ever read anything about anyone ever having a good time in Atlantic City: I've never been, but is it just depressing? This fellow is, anyway: two-time loser Joe Perry, who found an alien "wishing machine"
some years back; ended up fighting the JLA on Hawkman's first case with the team, and got sent up the river for robbing a bank. Out on parole, Joe was still kicking himself for his missed opportunity, when he notices the prodigious strength of a janitor...you'd think he would notice Ultraa was also like nine feet tall, since I think he was in his previous appearances?
Green Arrow had returned to the JLA, and was kicking himself for doing so: it's pretty obvious Black Canary was like 90% of why, the other 10% being the usual rants about rich people, helping the man on the street, etc. When the team gets sent the video of Ultraa and Joe rather brazenly robbing a bank, Flash runs to get Hawkman: not only because he had worked the case with Joe, but because Hawkgirl was currently MIA, which maybe puts this around
World's Finest #275 or so? He's not doing well on his own, but still suits up. Black Canary recounts Ultraa's semi-tragic story to the Atom: Ultraa had an origin not unlike Superman's, and had been the first super-powered person on Earth-Prime. But, it was believed his presence would lead to more super-powered villains and heroes, an inevitable escalation that Ultraa immigrates to Earth-1 to avoid bringing upon his adopted home.
GA knocks out Joe by shooting a concussion arrow into his apartment--that's a little excessive, Ollie. But Ultraa punches Superman out of the building, and three Leaguers with him: while Supes saves them, Ultraa starts tearing up a casino with the usual giant props. Superman throws him like a Yahtzee roll with giant dice; but Ultraa then knocks out Hawkman, Superman, and the Flash in no time; before collapsing in despair. That wasn't what he wanted, at all: Ultraa had just wanted a friend, and had been betrayed. In the end, Joe was facing another stiff sentence, while on probation, Ultraa moves to Australia: he had been raised by the Aboriginal Australians of Earth-Prime, and finds a second home there. Which he probably should've in the first place, instead of doing dishes in Atlantic City.
This one has a little more characterization than usual, but it needs it, since the League doesn't accomplish much?
Ok that tag of yours "Hate comments from 9 foot tall redheads will be deleted" is fucking hilarious! You joke, but eventually, even if it's years from now, some 9 ft tall redhead's going to find this & spam you since you laid the gauntlet down.
ReplyDeleteI'm going to hazard a guess that no one outside of the people that run the casinos & hotels in Atlantic City are ever happy, and maybe that's not even true, idk.
Ultraa leaving because his arrival would eventually lead to an escalation of superheroes & villains showing up to fuck things up is actually pretty cool of him, not to mention a rarity among the good guys. Batman sure as hell never would've thought of doing that even though he's responsible for very much the same thing happening in Gotham on his end.
I grew up about half an hour away from Atlantic City and it's not nearly as depressing as people make it out to be. Had plenty of good times there. It's surprisingly quiet for a casino/resort town, actually. There's a lot of family stuff, maybe because Ocean City's not that far away and Ocean City's specifically meant to be family friendly.
ReplyDeleteRight, the comic. I've actually had nearly the same experience as you, with the issues on either side but not the big one in the middle. There was a weird run of JLA issues about luck and gambling around this time, if I remember correctly. Maybe Gerry had a good or bad run at the casinos during a convention. In fact, I seem to remember reading about a convention in Atlantic City around that time. I think it either showed up in a Marvel book or somebody at DC pitched a series that came out a year or two later.