Yay, the crossover that would total the title!

I only read All-Star Squadron a few times when it was originally coming out: #20, featuring the Alan Scott Green Lantern destroying Japan, was a big one; and I know I liked the secret origin of Tarantula. Today's book, though, began their Crisis on Infinite Earths crossover, and I wonder if they realized what that would mean yet...from 1985, All-Star Squadron #50, "Crisis Point!" Written by Roy Thomas, pencils by Mike Clark and Arvell Jones, inks by Tony DeZuñiga and Vince Colletta.

All-Star Squadron was set on Earth-2, and Roy Thomas used real-life historical events, continuity from comics that would have been on the racks at the time, and both stitched them together and added his own stuff. It also featured a huge cast, although Thomas would mitigate that a bit by focusing on characters that didn't have modern counterparts (so, not as many stories with the Earth-2 Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, etc.) or ones that maybe never got the time in the limelight they should have. (Plus Hawkman: continuing his streak from All-Star Comics, Thomas tried to squeeze at least a Hawkman cameo in each issue; although I know they broke the streak somewhere...) This was a double-sized issue, but still feels like a ton of plots going: behind enemy lines, Commander Steel fights to save the soldier that married his fiancé; seven members of the Squadron appear at a War Bonds rally, Doctor Occult resolves to figure out the Spectre's tricks; Hourman may not be able to take Miraclo until he gets the side-effects sorted out; Firebrand has no intention of giving her superhero identity up; Plastic Man and Phantom Lady are recruited by Uncle Sam to leave with the Freedom Fighters to Earth-X; Johnny Quick and Liberty Belle get married; several heroes disappear with Harbinger, from 1985; and oh yeah, the entire Justice Battalion (né Society) was captured by Nazis and launched into space. Man, I know sometimes "continuity porn" is disparaged, but you got a lot for a buck and a quarter!

Still, this issue was the beginning of the end, the first of like ten or so Crisis crossover issues. By the end of that, DC's continuity would be drastically different: there no longer was an Earth-1, 2, or X; they (and others) would be consolidated into a single earth. Those modern counterparts we mentioned were removed, even though we would see the Earth-2 Supes, Bats, and Wondy before they left. All-Star Squadron #67 would be the last issue, with the new Young All-Stars replacing it. Young All-Stars ran 31 issues, but I don't think was as popular as All-Star had been. Maybe because it was a continuity patch from day one; maybe Thomas should've stuck with Liberty Belle, Robotman, Firebrand, and everyone's story. There were probably still plenty to be told...