No Hawkgirl? Boo.

Or is it Hawkwoman right now? Either way, she's on the cover but not inside today's book: from 2017, Death of Hawkman #5, "Out of Time, part 5: Embedded" Written by Marc Andreyko, pencils by Aaron Lopresti and Rodney Buchemi, inks by John Livesay.

Rann and Thanagar are at it again, but this time despite their years of antagonism it's not all their fault, as Despero has been pulling the strings behind the scenes. Only Adam Strange and Hawkman can stop him, although I'm not sure why Despero doesn't hypnotise them as well: he's got Alanna filled with rage and pushing towards war, the believed-dead Sardath doing his nth metal science project, and Cyborg back on earth listening to Adam's distress call and thinking he's talking about his vacation.

I don't love New 52 Adam, who's a little too jokey; and Hawkman gets back to his cop roots by using excessive force even for Thanagar. (His boss hits all the cop show cliches except for asking for his badge and his gun! "You're a loose cannon, Hol!") This is kind of reminiscent of Wolverine's death--was that about the same time?--where Hawkman's healing factor is failing him, and he's pretty burnt out on life to boot, but he's still more than willing to throw himself on the proverbial grenade. I was more worried about the apparent death of Thanagar's greatest Green Lantern, Isamot Kol: Hawkman's cop partner Rayn Kral gets the ring, and I'm not even sure we saw him before this series. (Spoiler alert: Isamot's OK, just banged up! He makes an appearance in the last issue, along with a Kilowog cameo, which just makes you wish he had been in the series more.)

I have two copies of this one, but am missing #4. There's also a variant cover to #6 by Sienkiewicz, that'd be the one to get. Read more!

This was a bad issue for follow-up. Adam's lucky he was rescued, that could've lingered like a Claremont subplot...

And we'll take a moment to check out the rest of 1980's World's Finest #262, starting with "Siren of the Sargasso" Written by Bob Rozakis, pencils by Don Newton, inks by Dan Adkins. A senator goes overboard on a fishing trip, and Congresswoman (Barbara!) Gordon asks Batman to ask Aquaman to look for him. Said senator had taken a dive after a blonde vision, which was Atlena of Atlantis--the pre-sunk version! This also doesn't go into the "blondes are evil" that a lot of DC's aqua-stories get hung up on; but she had tried to save her people by opening a hole to another Phantom Zone-like dimension, which not only didn't work but still sucked people in now and then. With Mera, Aqualad, and a pod of whales, Aquaman manages to tow out a few refugees before the dimensional rift seals up again, and they have to wait for it to re-open to save the rest. They may still be waiting!

Perhaps not waiting as long, "The Ghost of Adam Strange" visits Hawkman: archaeologist Adam is inexplicably bored visiting ruins on Rann with his wife Alanna, and an idle wish to be back on earth is granted by a legendary "id-beast," which could kill him. Trapped in a ghostly form, a medium is able to put Adam's consciousness in Hawkman; then Shayera and Red Tornado help bring Adam back with the JLA transporter. Next month appeared to be Adam recounting recent events on Rann, which sounds like a try-out to replace Hawkman! (Story by J. M. DeMatteis, pencils by Ken Landgraf, inks by Armando Gil.)

Finally, another nice-looking Don Newton story: Captain Marvel, in "The Captain Marvel of 7,000 B.C." (Story by E.Nelson Bridwell, inks by Dave Hunt.) Billy Batson is visited by the Champion from before recorded history, who gained powers from the magic word "Vlarem" and a different roster of gods. Together they thump the various Sins, and set the Rock of Eternity in place: the Champion is the young wizard Shazam, who was the Champion for like 30 centuries before everyone forget those gods. Not bad! Read more!

Sometimes, when life doesn't make sense, it's time to read a comic that doesn't make a lot of sense! From 1982, Brave and the Bold #190, "Who Killed Adam Strange?" Written by Mike W. Barr, pencils by Carmine Infantino, inks by Sal Trapani. 

The lead story was only 17 pages, so it has to zip along; with Batman taking the zeta beam to Rann, fighting his way through some young guards, and getting to Adam Strange's wife Alanna by page 4. Bats had received a letter from Adam's "earth lawyer," that was to be delivered if Adam went missing for more than six months. (Which I thought would've been often, for an archeologist back then!) Batman followed the letter's instructions and took the zeta beam, to find out what happened to Adam. Good news, he got a statue! Bad news...

Bats admits to Alanna he did not know Adam well, but there's a sense of admiration: like maybe if his parents hadn't died, he could've led a life like his. (Doubtful! Bruce would've been idle rich. I don't think he would've been Elon Musk-level terrible, but probably not great.) As Rann is attacked again, Batman is directed to Alanna's father, Sardath; since Batman's detective skills were what they really needed. Rann was under attack by their "ancestral enemies" (who I don't think we've ever seen before) the Kirri, who are crushing Rann's forces with their "aqua-ray" that turns their foes into water. Adam had stopped the Kirri before, so Sardath was certain they arranged his murder. 

Viewing footage of the crime scene, Batman notes that even though he had been shot multiple times with a ray-gun, Adam still tried to write something in his own blood. Watching Adam's other cases, Batman has a revelation: when the zeta-beam wears off, Adam is always returned to earth, in the same state he left. (Today. That may not be a hard-and-fast rule.) Sardath withdraws the zeta-radiation from Adam's corpse and Batman, returning them to earth--and Adam to life! Catching another zeta-beam back, Batman does advise, don't try that again. Oh, and Batman has solved the mystery.  

Yes, by bluffing! He tricks one of the guards that first attacked him into confessing. Adam then leads the charge against the Kirri, even as Batman wonders if being dead has brain-damaged him; but Adam figures out how to stop the aqua-ray: it can't penetrate ice. Using massive chunks of ice as shields, they rally and defeat the Kirri, who promise to restore their aqua-victims. Batman and Adam have just about a page to hang out with Alanna, before the zeta ray brings them to earth again. 

Also this issue: a Nemesis back-up! Man, I think DC has slept on him for a while.

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What about REAL emotions, like vague annoyance? That's the only one I seem to have, anyway.

It's Adam Strange vs. Psycho-Man today--er, no, sorry, that's "The Emotion-Master of Space!" From a coverless Strange Adventures #243, reprinting 1963's Mystery in Space #83, written by Gardner Fox, pencils by Carmine Infantino, inks by Murphy Anderson.

When Adam zeta-beams to Rann this morning, his girl Alanna and the rest of the people immediately turn on him; which honestly does seem to happen like every other time he goes back there. Adam is able to outfly and outfight them, but then receives a mental message from the real bad guy, a smug green bastard in a ship shaped like what, a sparkplug? Turning his "emotionizer" on Adam, he makes Adam his "friend," unable to lift a hand against him. Then he gets down to the real work, switching his planet and Rann's places, because a platinum-eating space bird was coming. That's Adam's problem now! Also, the planet-swap has made some of the local flora poisonous, as Alanna finds out when her puppy dies. We don't see the puppy, alive or dead, just take their word for it. How Alanna doesn't go all John Wick on those green bastards, I don't know.

Also this issue: "Emperor of the Earth!" From 1961's Strange Adventures #131, written by Gardner Fox, art by Murphy Anderson. This is a relatively fun if absolutely boiler-plate standard sci-fi short: a science reporter finds his heirloom "scarlet stickpin diamond" has a duplicate in a pawn shop, and buys it. The two diamonds fit together, and the reporter receives a message from a beautiful girl in the hidden world of "Myorthis." Travelling to Brazil, he meets the griffin-riding Lyra, and has to fight mad scientist Zagor from firing up an ancient machine to change the earth's rotational axis. Once the day is saved, Lyra is free to come to America and marry the reporter, a happy ending...if she wanted to be a housewife, since that was probably the only option for her there! She had a goddamn griffin! Don't give that up...
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Darn, now I wanna read the Krypton/Oa War...

With the exceptions of Krypton and possibly Oa, Rann and Thanagar are probably the two best known alien worlds in the DC universe. (Unless you're a Legion fan, in which case it's obviously Bismoll.) So of course they've been pitted against each other multiple times, like today's book! From 1978, Showcase #103, "Adventures on Other Worlds" Written by Jack C. Harris, pencils by Allen Milgrom, inks by Murphy Anderson.

This would have been on the racks about a year after Star Wars, and feels very old-school in comparison. And it's only 17 pages? That feels like two strikes already; but on a positive note this feels like a greatest hits for Hawkman, with returning bad guys the Manhawks, Byth, and the Shadow-Thief. The latter of whom has his own Shadow-Squad now, in service to Thanagar's current queen, Hyathis. She had managed to cure the Thanagarians of a recent "equalizing plague" that took their individuality; and was rallying the rebuilt world against her old foe, Kanjar Ro, who had managed to likewise set himself up in power on Rann.

Ro's attempt on Hyathis's life is foiled, but that leaves her ruling Thanagar. And without Ro, Adam Strange was worried Rann was going to fall into civil war, which it apparently did. Hawkman and Hawkwoman are banished from Thanagar, and would be for a few years! I know I have the World's Finest issue where they might return; we might check that out sometime.

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Break's over, Jordan!

Huh, I felt like I hadn't blogged a Green Lantern comic in some time, but we looked at #200 in February. And it was even the same artist as today's book! From 1980, Green Lantern #132, "Sabotage Sinister!" Written by Paul Kupperberg, art by Joe Staton. And a nice George Perez cover!

I don't think this was a high-water point for the title, since some of the familiar bits seem worn away or used up. Hal was still at Ferris Air, but not as a test pilot, as "head of product testing." He's still working for Carol Ferris, who now knows he's Green Lantern but also seems pretty fed up with his nonsense: she makes a point of his office being on the other side of the complex, which sounds very intentional. Hal manages to get punched in the face because he hadn't charged his ring, then trapped by a yellow tarp later! All of this and a crime boss who's not afraid of GL, but is terrified of flying. Should've set up shop in Central or Gotham, then...

Also this issue: "The Trial of Arkkis Chummuck" (Written by Bob Toomey, pencils by Alex Saviuk, inks by Vince Colletta.) This was the conclusion of a three-parter; that, per the GCD, had been commissioned a couple years earlier and kept in inventory. Arkkis, like many Lanterns, received his ring when the prior ring-bearer died. However, unlike most Lanterns, Arkkis himself had killed, and eaten, the prior ring-bearer! A prosecuting GL argues "these are not the actions of a civilized member of the Green Lantern Corps," but Arkkis's defender, the brother of the aforementioned eaten ring-bearer, puts up a good counter: it would've been disrespectful to not eat him...Oddly, the trial seems to be an internal matter: some Guardians are shown, but only as watching the trial; three Lanterns reached the verdict assigning the prosecutor as Arkkis's probationary adviser. Arkkis would go on to appear here and there, but not for as long as I had thought: he was killed off in 1985's Tales of the Green Lantern Corps Annual #1. (He would have a couple animated appearances, decades later!)

Also also this issue: an Adam Strange story, "Brain Beast" Written by Jack C. Harris, art by Rodin L. Rodriguez. As was often the case, Rann was at war; but today it was a civil war: Strange and his "Undergrounders" versus the Akalonians. The Akalonians don't look like any of the Rannians we've seen before, and were able to create a giant monster by mental projection; but Strange realizes not all of the Akalonians were warlike, some had been forced into the mental projection, and were the weak link in it. Other than the bad guy being homegrown, it's a pretty typical Adam Strange number.
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The proprietor of Battlegrip, Philip Reed, has published two books through Kickstarter about third-party Transformers: Transforming Expectations and Transforming Collections. Even though I only consider myself a casual Transformer fan, I was really tempted by both of them; but ultimately held off, because I didn't want to be tempted. If you're not familiar with third-party Transformers, simply put they're figures made not by Hasbro, but by fans and hobbyists, usually in relatively small batches. Although the figures are often versions of familiar TF characters, third-party figures are distinctly separate from knock-offs or bootlegs: they're made with love, frankly. The enthusiasm shows in the product, and the engineering is often top-notch. So, I was leary of getting Mr. Reed's big book of plastic Transformers crack.

So, today, we've got some third-party Transformers...from that Big Bad Toy Store box, and Mech Ideas, we've got the W-01 Long Blast Upgrade Kit.

Using the included head, gun-barrel hand, and stickers; you can turn a specific Jazz figure ("RTS Jazz/the Giftset Jazz") into a new character, that resembles Shockwave. He's got a little backstory on the package and everything. He's also not why I bought this.

Also included: a laser gun and a P38 gun. They are both made to fit a standard size of Transformer hands, the 5MM fists. Perhaps you would better recognize the guns, however, by their proper names: Shockwave and Megatron!

While they of course don't transform, to my eyes they're pretty accurate versions of both characters gun-modes, sized so other characters can wave them around and shoot up the place! Presumably, Mech Ideas intended the guns for other Transformers to use, but they've fallen into the wrong hands. Namely mine...


Mech Ideas should consider selling just the guns, separately. I'm hoping this hasn't opened the door for a bunch of third-party figures, but I know there's a Soundwave Headmaster-styled figure I'm tempted for already. We'll see...


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"Bug Hunt."

Man, I need a Predator figure...I splurged this weekend on the Jungle Extraction Dutch figure from NECA, and it's a right proper figure! Great articulation, paint, and sculpt; for about the same price as a Marvel Legend or DCUC figure--maybe cheaper! Absolutely worth picking up.

The bit about the animals on Rann being confused by bright colors, is from Grant Morrison's story in the DC Comics Presents: Mystery in Space issue. I don't know if Rann has shown up in the New 52 yet, but I'm kind of worried it's filled with aliens and predators like, well, Aliens and Predators; as opposed to the weird charm it used to have.

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80-Page Thursdays: Legends of the DC Universe 80-Page Giant #1!

We looked at the second issue of this some time ago, but today we've got a recent find: from 1998, Legends of the DC Universe 80-Page Giant #1, featuring stories from John Francis Moore, Andrew Helfer, Marv Wolfman, Dan Jurgens, and more; with art by Paul Guinan, Bob McLeod, George Perez, Todd Nauck, and more.

With a framing story featuring the short-lived heroic version of Chronos, this issue's a grab-bag of classic DC heroes. James Robinson, Dave Gibbons, and Sal Buscema revisit the original Doom Patrol in "Lights, Camera, and Too Much Action" Elasti-Girl gets another invitation to return to Hollywood, and the rest of the team join her: predictably for them, there's aliens, monsters, and robots involved.

Bill Mumy, Peter David, Steve Ditko and Kevin Nowlan take the Spectre to "The Depths of Despair!" Jim Corrigan's dating a Titanic survivor, but the Spectre gets involved when she confesses to murdering her sister. (She didn't, but the Spectre doesn't butt out, either.)

Hawkman and Hawkgirl have stool pigeon trouble--no, with actual pigeons. Which gets worse when the Manhawks come back. Raven revisits the secret origin of the Teen Titans, which is mostly about how miserable the individual Titans seem to be before the first issue. Rip Hunter travels haphazardly through time, while the Linear Men try to keep him from destroying history and/or dying.

And Steven Grant, Mike Zeck, and James Pascoe present "Puzzle of the Phantom Spaceman" as Adam Strange is zeta-beamed to Rann, but finds himself invisible and intangible when he arrives. And there's a mad scientist who kidnaps Alanna, but those happen pretty regularly. Finally, a good 80-pager again! Grab it if you see it.





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80-Page Thursdays: Invasion, Book One!

We're coming up on a full year of 80-Page Thursdays, even though I'm writing this in March. Actually, I'm behind schedule, since it took me a while to find these issues again: from 1989, Invasion! Book One, The Alien Alliance. Plot and breakdowns by Keith Giffen, script by Bill Mantlo, pencils by Todd McFarlane, inks by P. Craig Russell, Al Gordon, Joe Rubinstein, and Todd McFarlane. I love this book, to be honest. It's the rare comic I enjoy, even though there's all sorts of things in it that I don't necessarily care for.

The titular alliance is several alien races, mostly from Legion of Super-Heroes continuity or the Omega Men, led by the Dominators. Although they first appeared in Adventure Comics #361, this was the first time I saw them, and the Doms had been redesigned slightly to make them more inhuman and emphasize their disc caste-markings and their teeth. I always thought they had a very Mars Attacks! feel, although that could just be me. (It really comes through in some of the house ads as well.)

Experimenting on captured humans, the Dominators are concerned about the unpredictability of humans and human genetics. Already, earth had given rise to multiple super-powered beings (and reams of alien and alien-powered defenders, but ignore that...) and the collected aliens worry about potential armies of them. Again, never mind there's really not that many supers on earth, and you can't put three of them in the same room without two trying to beat each other up...

With their allies--the Khunds, Durlans, G'il Dishpan and observers the Daxamites from Legion comics; the Thanagarians of Hawkman (who, as a race, are generally more dickish than Carter) and the Citadel, the Psions, and Okaarans from Omega Men (And possibly Teen Titans, maybe.) the Doms already have the ball rolling. Depowered Green Lanterns are hunted down, to prevent them speaking on earth's behalf. Darkseid is approached, and while he doesn't join, he does tell the Alliance to do what they like to earth, but not to destroy it, since he's still looking for the Anti-Life Equation. Doom Patrol villain Garguax is evicted from his strategic position on the dark side of the moon.

To keep Rann safe, Adam Strange is forced to surrender himself, hoping he'll be able to warn earth when the zeta-beam wears off. Strange is taken to the Starlag, a giant prison satellite build by the Citadel for dissidents, political prisoners, and test subjects. He briefly manages to escape to earth, only to find the Khunds have an advance station at his return point. Strange's former cellmate, Garryn Bek, is then celled up with a seemingly emotionless Coluan, Vril Dox. Meanwhile, the Omega Men are attacked by the Durlans, and captured after several casualties. And a lone low-caste Dominator wonders if maybe the human genetic anomaly couldn't just be neutralized, as the Invasion begins...

As a beachhead, Australia is taken in short order. Somewhat disturbingly for the alliance, the Daxamites develop super-powers in earth's atmosphere; although as observers they don't seem intent on doing anything, unless they get orders from their homeworld. The alliance also isn't sure what to make of the JLA's teleport tubes--technology seemingly far beyond the earthlings. And elsewhere, the Lords of Order tell the Spectre if he or earth's mystic heroes get involved, Chaos may ally with the aliens...

At Belle Reve prison, Amanda Waller is ordered to bench the Suicide Squad, as the President waits to see what the aliens do. She doesn't listen...and the Dominators make their demand: they will spare earth, if the humans surrender their super-heroes. The next day, the headlines at the Daily Planet tell the story: "Earth to Invaders: Drop Dead!"

Despite building on years of continuity of some of DC's less popular books, Invasion! is still pretty accessible. (Aside from the Thanagarians, I knew of the Khunds and Daxamites going in, but the rest were new to me.) This issue is almost all set-up, and although we see a few familiar faces like Adam Strange and Perry White, there isn't a main hero in the story yet. The plotline with the humans experimented on by the Dominators, the Blasters; goes nowhere. I've never read an issue of L.E.G.I.O.N. either; but still plenty to like here.
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Talking to Dale the other day, this issue came up: DC Comics Presents: Mystery in Space #1, with stories from Grant Morrison and Eliot S! Maggin; art by J.H. Williams III and Jerry Ordway. This ish also featured an Alex Ross cover, and a Harlan Ellison tribute to renowned editor Julie Schwartz.

The first story is pretty good, but in eleven pages Morrison is able to tell a great Adam Strange story, that explains and refines a number of his traditional plot points; but also explains why Schwartz would choose a brainy archaeologist as an unlikely pulp sci-fi action hero. It's a nice piece of writing and perfect for a tribute book like this. Re-reading it again, I hope this version of Adam Strange (and Alanna, and Rann) make it into the new DC: instead of being gritty and pseudo-realistic, his Rann is fantastic and dangerous.

There were eight tribute issues to Schwartz, but I only recall two others off the top of my head. I'll have to look into that, but have a good weekend!

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'Doom Patrol Dead' isn't a great headline...

Every Day is Like Wednesday posted on DC Universe Legacies some time back, wondering if it's worth reading a limited series that's a definitive history of the DC Universe now that DC's rebooted their universe again. (Mozzocco points out even if the stories don't 'count' anymore, there's a ton of good art in this one.) And today's issue is pretty solid: DC Universe Legacies #5, "Crisis!" Written by Len Wein, with art by Scott Kolins, George Perez, and Scott Koblish.

Threaded with an Astro City-style family saga, this issue rejiggers a bit of DC continuity leading up to Crisis on Infinite Earths--I don't think the deaths of the original Doom Patrol were intended to be a harbinger for the age of grim-and-gritty comics; nor was the Spectre's escalation of vengeance. Still, we see brief images of history like the introduction of Blue Devil, the Charlton heroes, or Green Arrow changing to his 70's look--on a newscast, which then runs a story on Queen Industries that shows Ollie, and no one puts them together...! Then, Perez gets to go back to not one, but two of his biggest hits, the Teen Titans, and the Crisis.


For good measure, the back-up story is a quick one with Walt Simonson art! Featuring Adam Strange, Space Ranger, Tommy Tommorrow, and Captain Comet; it's not real deep, but fun. I've been picking this book up for about a buck an issue, so I'm not sure if I'll end up with the whole run, but so far so good. Read more!

"Even still more Doom Idol."

Is Adam Strange in anything lately? I got the "Planet Heist" trade a bit ago, and remember him being in some other recent stuff.

I got the DC Direct Adam Strange some time ago, when it looked like he'd be the only figure of him, ever. Of course, he would later get DCUC and DCIH figures, but this one is good enough for my purposes.
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The Enterprise doesn't carry enough red shirts to take on Rann.

In the new Star Trek movie, there could be any number of valid in-story reasons to use parachutes instead of jetpacks: their energy signature could be detected, they might not have the power to decelerate from orbit and still fly around, most humans may not have the necessary reflexes to use them effectively. That and if Kirk threw on a jetpack, it would have to be a pretty damn exciting scene or viewers are going to be thinking Buck Rogers or Rocketeer.

And although I like the idea of Adam Strange, I have relatively few of his appearances. I've read some of his most recent miniseries, and a good chunk of his Justice League showings; ranging all the way from Justice League of America to JLA to Justice League Adventures. I did enjoy his one-shot, where Grant Morrison points out that his adopted homeworld of Rann is ludicrously dangerous, but I've only seen a few of his 52 issues, and nothing since.

Both of these figures are three-and-three-quarter inch scale, or thereabouts; a scale I'm still resisting against. At least at full price. More on these figures tomorrow, though, and a new strip! See you then.
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Everyone has something to bring to the table: Justice League of America #144

Today we're going to look at a comic I haven't had for years and read a bazillion times, although it very much feels like I have. Not in a bad way, though. My wife had a presentation at a, well, giant-ass yard sale thing; and I visited her and wandered around a bit. Not a lot of comics, a little surprisingly. Overpriced 90's issues, a couple Fantastic Four and a Mystery in Space that were too rich for me, and a little pile of old Brave and the Bold for fifty cents a pop, including this gem: Justice League of America #144, "The Origin of the Justice League--Minus One!" Written by Steve Englehart, pencils by Dick Dillin, inks by Frank McLaughlin. From the cover, or perhaps because of the dates involved within, or the guest-stars, I had thought this was an older issue until I noticed the Spalding basketball ad on the back.

The story begins with Green Arrow slamming shut a logbook of the Justice League with a very audible slam, then storming in on Green Lantern and Superman playing cards. Why everyone's hanging out on the satellite is anyone's guess, but GA is fuming that the origin of the JLA was a lie. He asks Hal when he became Green Lantern, and Hal says September 1959, the first of many hard dates in this issue. Check out the footnote:



"Comic heroes have their own ways to stop the clock and avoid aging!" Like spa treatments, steroids, deals with Satan and/or Bat-Mite...

Ollie calls them on it, although I suppose Supes and Hal could've just said, "No, the JLA formed November 1959, three years give or take. Now do you mind? I've got gin!" That wouldn't be the most exciting issue ever, though; so they go to tell GA the real story. By putting in a videotaped message from the Martian Manhunter, J'onn J'onzz. Probably should've just had Ollie watch this at his orientation, guys.

J'onn explains that the story really begins with his arrival on earth in 1955, transported from Mars by Dr. Erdel's robot-brain. Even though he was abducted, J'onn is cool about it, even though Dr. Erdel has a heart attack and dies right there. Trapped, J'onn takes a human form, finds a job as a police detective, and watches an assload of TV. Wait, that's New Frontier. Instead, J'onn finds the people of earth prosperous but paranoid, about war, martians, comics, sex, etc.



He continues to fight weird crime invisibly and work on the 'robot brain' with--is that a bevel? I think I see why you weren't having a lot of luck, J'onn, trying to fix the computer with wood shop tools. As he considers going public as a hero, Commander Blanx and his white Martians arrive in his lab. (Here, it was weird for me to see both J'onn and the white Martians look pretty much like humans, since I grew up on the Giffen/DeMatteis issues, when J'onn was occasionally seen in his real, 'Gumby' form.) As J'onn explains on the tape, before J'onn was brought to earth, Blanx had conquered the green Martians, exiled J'onn, and probably kicked some Martian puppies.

Blanx had apparently happened across J'onn teleport-beam experiments, reverse engineered them, and teleported himself and his men to get J'onn. Before they can, J'onn opens up fire--on tap!



Traditionally, we have gas, then a pilot light; but Dr. Erdel was a busy man and didn't have time for any extra steps. While it weakens him as well, J'onn is able to escape. The lab is totaled, and the white Martians have fled back to Mars, and J'onn realizes he's not in any big hurry to get his ass to Mars anymore. (The wife and daughter he lost are relatively recent additions to J'onn's origin, and not mentioned in this story.)

The next day, as Detective Jones enjoys a nice cup of coffee, the white Martians are spotted "running riot through the south side of town!" I swear, how come every time you hear about a riot, it's always the White Martians, never the green? Oh...yeah. J'onn goes and kicks white ass pretty handily, until the Flash shows up. Going invisible by reflex, Flash assumes the worst and clocks J'onn at super-speed. Being a DC Comic, though, it's ok for J'onn to talk this out:



See, that would never, ever fly at Marvel: you meet, you fight. I've been reading Marvel for like 30 years, and can think of maybe one exception, once. If you plan on being a Marvel superhero, you plan on Spidey, Captain America, and/or the Hulk punching you in the face at least once.

A bystander almost takes a shot at J'onn, but is stopped by the Flash. (Did people in the 50's routinely keep rifles in their apartments?) J'onn disappears after the escaping white Martians, and Flash is left fielding questions about what he's going to do about this alien invasion. It's supposed to be a sign of the times, with people paranoid and hateful; but it would work a little better if this wasn't at least the twentieth alien invasion in recent memory. Seriously, wasn't Batman fighting alien invasions back then? As the people start to panic, Flash announces that he will bring Superman in on it. Yeah, why not bring in another alien to stop the invasion?

Flash goes to Metropolis, and climbs the tallest building there, which Superman must watch like a hawk: Superman had been "patrolling the eastern seaboard" with Batman and Robin in tow. B & R hadn't even bothered to bring the Batplane, Batcopter, or Batmobile, they just let Superman fly them around. It's weird and awkward: like when you go to visit a friend and there's already two other guys there, that you don't really know, spend all their time together, and have their own in-jokes. Batman even suggests maybe calling in Aquaman and Green Arrow, but Flash says they've got enough guys for now. They head back for Middleton, this time with Superman carrying the Flash, Batman and Robin! As they leave, a creepy looking man pushes aside some small children, to make a call to Roy Raymond, TV Detective.



J'onn is trying to find the White Martians before Flash and everyone find him instead, and does spot three, who promptly trap him. Twenty minutes later, Superman and all arrive; and Roy Raymond's already there: he says after the tip, he and his staff had been right behind in the company jet. The SR-71 company jet, that they keep airborne at all times, by all indications: if Metropolis is around the Chicago area, and Middleton approximately Denver, if I remember my DC faux-geography...twenty minutes my hindquarters. It'd take longer to the airport then that, even circa 1959.

Raymond breaks the story, which brings in more backup: the Blackhawks! The Challengers of the Unknown! Plastic Man! The old cowboy, not the Punisher-clone, Vigilante! Plastic Man! The original, non-Doom Patrol, Robotman! Congo Bill and Congorilla! Rex, the Wonder Dog! Aquaman and Wonder Woman, who look like they arrived together! Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen, just by virtue of knowing Superman and being nosy!



I wonder how they know that's Rex, the Wonder Dog, and not Sam, the shoe-eating stray. It's not like Rex told them, right? Maybe he brought a note...or his tags, duh. I like Rex, though: this retelling of his origin still makes me smile.

I know I probably seem mocking, but this page is what I love about the DC Universe: even with a guy that could move the entire planet into the next galaxy, and another guy that could kick everyone in the western hemisphere in the groin faster than I could type it; they still have a guy that talks to fish and a wonder dog on the case, just in case they need 'em. You know, if the day can't be saved by a superstrong amazon, a kickass robot, or a small army of men in jumpsuits and leather; you might think a guy who transfers his mind to a gorilla and the press corps might be intimidated, but they totally aren't.



At this point, Green Arrow wonders why he and Speedy didn't get in on this. He remembers that they were on Starfish Island...and I just spit coffee up all over my monitor. Great Rao, I hope that's not a metaphor for anything.

Since this is Brave and the Bold-vintage Batman, he's totally down for a team-up with anyone...suggestive. The heroes split into teams...really unbalanced teams. Don't play Heroclix with Batman, he'll give you Andre and Congo Bill, while taking Superman, Wonder Woman, and Rex the Wonder Dog.

The Blackhawks, plus Olsen and Plastic Man, patrol until they scan "an exceptional energy source--toopowerful for earth machines!" How a bunch of WWII vets can scan for that, I can't say. Ask a vet. Approaching a lonely cabin, they are pinned down by machine gun fire, which Plas points out isn't very Martian. As they storm the cabin, with Plastic Man coming down the chimney, they find it empty. Even invisibly, the Martians couldn't have got past them. Jimmy pipes up: "Gosh, you had 'em and you lost 'em! What're you going to tell the others?"



I have the feeling a lot of kids reading this comic when it came out cheered out loud at the newsstand on that one. The Blackhawks and Plas bag out the rest of the story, presumably to get drunk. Oh, come on, you don't need Howard Chaykin to tell you those guys drink. And the Blackhawks hate Wing? Short Round? Chop-Chop? The Asian kid in the pajamas. No cool leather uniform for you! Well, they hate him less than Jimmy, who is probably left on the mountainside, to try to make his way home in the dark...from several states away.

And the mysterious inhabitants of the cabin? Rip Hunter and sidekick Jeff, who thought the Blackhawks were "some military group, I'd guess--who got wind of our discovery somehow, and came to steal it!" They escape in Rip's time machine to the Civil War, just as confused as everyone else. Why clone Thor? Why?



Elsewhere...let's say Montana: it's got mountains, trees, campers. Why not? A motley team with the Challengers, Vigilante, Robotman, Congo Bill, and Lois Lane get a sighting of a Martian from some campers. The Martian flew and fired a ray at the campers, then took off. The men take off chasing him, but Lois intuits that whatever this is, it's probably not a Martian (if it was, it would have gone invisibly) and that it keeps coming back to a specific spot, so she waits for it.

Congo Bill puts his mind in Congorilla, and locks up his body; apparently without telling anyone what he's doing. He grabs the flier, who takes off. As everyone converges on it, the flier shakes Congorilla, who lands on Lois.



Why was Superman always so worried that Lois would get hurt or killed if they got married? The woman had a gorilla fall on her, and walked it off two panels later.

Unknown to the gathered heroes, the flier was Adam Strange. Who I guess isn't above firing warning shots at campers.



There's a little explanation on why the Zeta-beam hit in the Northern hemisphere involving a Sputnik, which is charming if dated and unbelievable.

Finally, the A-listers, plus Roy Raymond, Rex, and Aquaman (I kid!) get a summons to Cape Canaveral, where they meet Hal Jordan, test pilot and observer for an upcoming satellite launch. Hal shows Wonder Woman his chest within two panels of meeting, but I honestly can't say that seems unnatural. She's a busy woman, so cut to the chase.



At the rocket, Rex sniffs out the Martians, and Superman flushes them out with heat vision. The Martians luck out though: after they become visible, Superman stops the heat vision, which had been weakening them. The Martians are thus able to give a good fight to Superman and Wonder Woman, and Aquaman is getting faint from lack of water. Man, the writers used to flog that point, didn't they? Flash runs and brings back in his wake a ton of seawater. No, seriously: it's a wave that breaks near the top of the rocket. How it didn't tip the rocket, drown everyone, and wreck a ton of electronics, I don't know. Maybe Aquaman absorbs it Spongebob-style, as reinvigorated, he punches out a Martian.

Made visible by the water, Batman and Robin see an unconscious J'onn chained to the rocket. No, I don't know how he was invisible and unconscious at the same time either. To prove he's a good guy, J'onn tells them the Martians' secret weakness, fire. Open flame. Not necessarily heat. But, Superman defeats the Martians with his heat vision off-panel. Maybe he set them on fire, in which case I'm sorry we missed it. Superman's mandate now includes deportation, as he's going to take all the Martians back to Mars. J'onn says he wants to stay, since "The Mars I loved is gone!" He says more, but bolds every other word, and I don't wanna type it.

Superman admits he can understand that, but Flash points out with all the hysteria, any Martian that appeared now would be burned at the stake, as it were. The others put it together:



Hal, and in a surprisingly big move, Roy Raymond both swear secrecy. (Rex however, would for years tell anyone who would listen about the Martians. Unfortunately, the only ones that listened were other dogs, and the occasional homeless person.) Several months later, the Justice League of America would have their first official case, and they would claim that was when they first formed. (At the time, J'onn didn't know Hal was GL, since he hadn't been at the time!) The team always celebrated the original anniversary, though.

Green Arrow acts like he should be mad about being fooled, but is touched that the team would do that for J'onn.



Is it my imagination, or did Ollie cry a lot in those JLA issues? I know he's supposed to be a sensitive old leftie, but there's a very real possibility that Ollie just overemoted, to appear sensitive, so he could continue bagging Black Canary. Probably not real tears, either. GA probably had a Glycerin Arrow. Unless he uses a sad memory, like his puppy dying or Batman snubbing his invite to the Arrowcave BBQ.

The reason this story seemed familiar to me, was that Grant Morrison would of course bring back the White Martians in his first JLA arc, and the conglomeration of heroes seems a lot like wait and Kitson's JLA: Year One. By the way, DC, I'm still cheesed that Year One doesn't seem to be in continuity anymore: it's a great story, working from the ruling at the time that Wonder Woman didn't appear right away in the DCU and wasn't a founder of the Justice League. Black Canary was a great replacement, and a little secret? I like her better.

Also, I mentioned New Frontier earlier, and this issue kind of hints at a time before a Justice League, when soldiers, men of science, and daredevils did the heavy lifting that would later be shouldered by superheroes. Strictly speaking, New Frontier is out of continuity too, but who cares? Part of the fun of this type of story is taking all the toys out of the box, and working out a situation where they all get to play. Something for everyone.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I think I'm going to play with some toys right now...

Bonus!This issue also features "100 issues ago," a two page summary of "The Plague that struck the Justice League!" By Gardner Fox, Mike Sekowksy and Frank Giacoia. Luckily for me, it ties into an issue I actually have, and a Metamorpho cameo! Plus, the summary includes a version of a much-scanned panel:


Robin, what have I done to you!

I love this feature, and would love to see these little summaries in other books, but that would involve keeping the numbering so a book hits a hundred. Hint, hint. Read more!