I do like how it takes like two pages for Joker and Harley to get into space.

The other Saturday was Batman Day, and even though I'm pretty lapsed, I still sat down with a pile of Bat-stuff: the TMNT crossover was great, the Doom That Came to Gotham is pretty good, Under the Red Hood is one of DC Animated's best and is better than its source material, and I watched the classic "Mad Love" again. But there's a line in Under the Red Hood where Batman admits every day he thinks about killing the Joker, and the Joker immediately responds, "Aw, so you do think about me." And it doesn't entirely feel like just another smartass crack; it does feel like there's something behind that? Of course if he starts seeing other people and forgot their anniversary, well, then I suppose all bets are off. From 2008, Justice League Unlimited #41, "The Anniversary Party" Written by Grace Randolph, art by Dario Brizuela. (There are probably other uses of that title, but it was also a 2001 movie.)

With Batman off in space with the Justice League on their anniversary--presumably when he fell into the vats at Ace Chemicals, which is marked as the 13th of some month--a miffed Joker hijacks a space shuttle. Meanwhile, on the Watchtower satellite, the heroes left on duty were settling in for a movie night when the shuttle crashes in, as the Joker intends to spruce the place up before Batman's return. While the Joker is able to block Zatanna's spells with trick gum, Zat still slugs him one; and Harley Quinn is left trying to outgun the Crimson Avenger, who she doesn't even recognize as a second-stringer. The pair run around causing trouble, with Joker wearing a Bat-cowl for a bit ("This thing is ridiculously hot and heavy! No wonder he's in a bad mood all the time!") before Elongated Man suggests, maybe they had been underestimating Joker and Harley because they didn't have powers or serious weapons. Zatanna later gets the duo with "Stekop ytmpe!" (which, honestly, should be game over for them) and Hawkgirl launches them into the anniversary pie (cake?) they had been preparing, which was full of mousetraps. Knowing he was stuck, the Joker also suddenly realizes, he had been in Batman's room, and all he did was try on his cape? Upon the return of the rest of the team, Joker and Harley are gifted to Batman, wrapped up in an Elongated Man bow.

Harley is furiously jealous, when the Joker describes being chased by "a crazy dame in fishnets," but continuity-wise I thought she had left the Joker before Justice League had started. Based on Hawkgirl's outfit, this story was post-Starcrossed and well into the Unlimited run. Harley had been prone to backslide, though; at least in that continuity: in current DC books, I don't think she's looked back in some time. But, I don't know if the Joker is still written as...stuck? Smitten? Sweet on? Batman, or if that's fallen by the wayside.

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Oh, man, I hope Beatriz still flies around like that. Clears out the sinuses!

This is a pretty banged-up copy, but a moderately important one! From 1979, Super Friends #25, "Puppets of the Overlord!" Written by E. Nelson Bridwell, pencils by Ramona Fradon, inks by Bob Smith.

It always strikes me, when I get a random old issue of Super Friends; that it was in theory the younger reader, kid-friendly version of the characters, based on the cartoon; yet still leaned surprisingly heavily on continuity and lore, even events and characters not seen on the show. Today, bad guy Overlord (really the second Overlord, the first had maybe been his puppet, or was maybe now a puppet) had taken over a small nation and was using its resources against the Super Friends, starting with a "thought-induction helmet." Since the JLA satellite was too far away and he didn't know the heroes' secret identities, Overlord strikes at them at the Hall of Justice, located in scenic Gotham City! The assembled heroes go off the rails for justice, with Batman and Superman, frustrated at having to work within the law, opting instead to take over North and South America, respectively. Aquaman realizes all the mistakes he made as King of Atlantis, and decides to correct them by taking over all the undersea kingdoms; while Wonder Woman opts to free the oppressed women of Africa, and the Wonder Twins choose to bring their superior alien culture to Eurasia. Oh and Robin goes to Australia, where he has a run-in with Tasmanian Devil--no, not that one, you know it's not! 

Batman heads up to the JLA satellite, where he immediately has to gas Green Lantern for not being onboard with his plan. Likewise, Wonder Woman throws down with her "black sister" Nubia in Africa, and Superman knocks out Beatriz Bonilla da Costa, aka the Green Fury, better known to us as Fire, in her first appearance! Her flaming--and, inexplicably, freezing--breath does nothing to the Man of Steel, so not a great start for her. Aquaman takes out Mera and Aqualad, to keep their "old-fashioned morality" from getting in his way, while Jan and Jayna's plan to rule hits a snag when they address a crowd somewhere in "the Arabian Peninsula" that didn't speak English. But, Seraph, the hero of Israel shows up to help--look, it was a different time, alright? Although even so I'm wondering what he was doing there. When Jan and Jayna change form, they snap back to their usual selves, and realize that's how they can save the other Super Friends, by changing them to their civilian identities. Except, Aquaman didn't have one, so he was going to be tougher, especially since the team had to fight him plainclothes! (A bit of lip service is paid to protecting their identities: if anyone saw this fight, it was just going to be Atlanteans, who were telepathic and could've found out anyway, if they cared.)

Aquaman puts up a solid fight, using a squid to get a Kryptonite meteorite to keep Clark out of it, then he no-sales a Green Lantern battering-ram by letting it hit him in the back of the head: his blonde hair was yellow and immune to the power ring's yellow impurity! Diana however is able to contact Mera to pop him one, and the magic lasso cures everyone of the mind-control effect, but they don't know who was behind it. Meanwhile, Overlord ponders his next attack, while one of his puppets seemingly taunts him...

Also this issue: another of DC's title-specific subscription ads; and their Daily Planet hype page! Man, I miss the latter: I know they tried to do something in that vein with "Channel 52" for a while, but it's not the same.

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I remember a house ad for this, wonder if it's in the issue?

This was a 68-pager, and while I don't think it was the first in this format, it was part of multiple revamps for the title. From 1979, Adventure Comics #463, cover by José Luis García-López.

The opener, "Urtumi the Image Eater" is an oddball one for the Flash, as returning from Earth-2 he's attacked by a bizarre creature, which had been released when archeologists removed a Native American tablet. (Story by Cary Bates, pencils by Don Heck, inks by Joe Giella.) "Mind over Murder!" is a bit more substantial, as Deadman tries to use a somewhat-unhinged scientist's invention, to create a new body for himself. It doesn't work, and Boston continues to get irritated by Rama Kushna, who tells him that would never have worked, and he should be grateful for what he has, because he might have it for eternity...I think Rama was trying to be encouraging, not threatening, but Boston doesn't really see it that way. (Written by Len Wein, pencils by José Luis García-López, inks by Frank Chiaramonte.)

"The Night of the Soul Thief" opens with the Justice Society on the trail of Batman's true killer, and both Dick Grayson and Helena Wayne are unmasked, as their secret identities had been exposed in the wake of Batman's death. The team fights assorted elementals, before being taken before one Fredric Vaux, a sorcerer plotting to end the current age of heroes, so the ongoing conflict of Order vs. Chaos could get back on track, with Chaos victorious and him ruling earth in its name. Vaux had wanted to erase even the memory of the heroes, but too many people in Gotham City remember Batman for that to go away easily. Helena is furious that her father died for nothing, a pawn in a larger game; but on losing Vaux is discarded by Chaos and seemingly done. Doctor Fate then uses what was left of his spell, to convince Earth-2 that Batman and Bruce Wayne had both died, but had been separate men, saving Robin and Huntress's identities. (Written by Paul Levitz, pencils by Joe Staton, inks by Dave Hunt.)

"Climax" is an Aquaman story, and I may need to take a moment to see if he (or Flash or Wonder Woman, for that matter) had his own title at the time: I feel like I've read several Aquaman stories in Adventure. This month, it's Aquaman vs. Aqualad, Mera, Vulko, most of Atlantis, and capitalism! Universal Food Products had entered into a manufacturing partnership with Atlantis, which everyone thought would be good for everyone; except for Aquaman, who had discovered UFP's generators were heating the sea to unlivable levels, while their fertilizers were going to deplete Atlantis's farmland. Or farm-waters; I'm not sure how it works. Arthur wasn't currently the king, and everyone seems to think he's just being stubborn; but come on: the UFP guys had a boat commander in a very Nazi-style uniform, with a friggin' monocle. Pretty sure they're the bad guys, man. Aquaman exposes them, but admits to his friends he didn't blame them, since he didn't have any proof backing him up. Feels like a trust exercise they failed, though. Also, is it my imagination, or despite having less rep Aqualad threw down with his mentor more often than Robin or Speedy did with theirs? Yeah, Robin would've been a good soldier at the time; but I guess Speedy and Ollie probably rough-housed all the time. ("Put down the needle, Roy!" "Make me!" "Put down the chili, Ollie!" "Make me!") (Written by Paul Kupperberg, pencils by Don Heck, inks by Joe Giella.)

Bees. My god. It's Wonder Woman vs. "The Insanity Swarm!" Intelligent bees attack the Houston space center, leaving those stung as mindless and comatose. It's old JLA baddie the Queen Bee, who, when wrapped up in Diana's magic lasso, explains she had taken their minds, but even the lasso couldn't force her to give them back: she had set the self-destruct to prevent even her doing so. But, if Wonder Woman became her slave, then maybe...(Written by Gerry Conway, pencils by Joe Staton, inks by Frank McLaughlin.) 

 This was around DC Implosion time, wasn't it? But, there is a US Postal Service Statement of Ownership this issue: total paid circulation, single issue nearest to filing date, 91,693. As usual, those would be blockbuster numbers today, but I don't think were amazing for the time, maybe even for a bimonthly book. Still, this didn't have a copy of the house ad promoting it; not because it would've been redundant, but this book was no ads at the time! I'll add said ad the next time I stumble across it.

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The continuity hadn't gone out the window yet, and that might be the one costume that looks better on a guy?

From 1984, All-Star Squadron Annual #3, written and edited by Roy Thomas, researched by Dann Thomas, and a whole mess of artists! Jerry Ordway, Rick Hoberg, Rich Buckler, Wayne Boring, Richard Howell, Carmine Infantino, Don Newton, Marty Nodell, George Pérez, Keith Giffen, and more!

Huh, I had thought the Golden Age Tarantula had been a later addition; but nope, he first appeared in 1941! He's probably best known to modern readers as getting killed off in Nightwing, and his successor would...um...do stuff to Dick; but back in the day he became a costumed mystery-man as part of his research into his heroes for a later book. I think his costume was maybe altered or updated by Jerry Ordway though, and it's pretty good; but this issue he gets tripped up on a metal lockbox while pursuing Nazi saboteurs. (Aside: I used to think Nazi saboteurs in WWII-set comics was just the hokiest thing in the world; that there were more in comics than there ever could've been in real life; but lately...) Tarantula is saved by Wonder Woman, and together they investigate the case, which contains an illegible list of names, some newspaper clippings, and references to the Justice Society! Wonder Woman doesn't recognize the photos there, so they take it to her Amazon "magic sphere" back at their Perisphere headquarters. The sphere begins by showing them a JSA meeting, from a year prior, as the team was trying to raise a cool million for war orphans, and razzing Johnny Thunder a bit for dropping the ball: he'd managed to stop some thugs posing as Atom and Sandman, but admitted his Thunderbolt wasn't good with financial stuff. Still, if only their honorary members Superman, Batman and Flash chipped in...and the Thunderbolt delivers them, with $100,000 each!

Green Lantern and Dr. Fate go to deliver the cash to President Roosevelt himself; with Fate saying he had sensed "strange emanations from our nation's capital (sic)." (That should be capitol!) They find shadow-men threatening the president, and shut them down: they had been sent by old JSA foe Ian Karkull, who had previously been reduced to a literal shadow of himself. The shadow-men burst into flames, but GL is able to pull a charred list from the flames: nine other locations, each with a JSA foe. Fate sets a "24-hour protective spell" about the "Executive Mansion," and he and GL race back to JSA headquarters in Gotham. Most of the team then heads out to face their old foes, with Johnny Thunder and GL in reserve. Meanwhile, Ian Karkull likewise puts his forces into the field, promising each one that completes their mission a $100,000. The Tarantula on his team wasn't the same one; and it's weird to see Catwoman with the realistic cat mask; otherwise Wotan was the only one I recognized.

Superman of course has to save Lois Lane, after her plane gets shot down by the Lightning Master, who is about to destroy a hospital for his payday. Supes thinks he should be able to walk through his electrical weapons, but the "new and improved" version gives him pause; until he gets an assist from Johnny Thunder and his Thunderbolt! Elsewhere, the Hawks stop Alexander the Great, the Spectre stifles Zor, and the Atom and Sandman clobber Tarantula; all before they could attempt to carry out their assassinations. Flash, and his future wife Joan, have an only-slightly harder time with Sieur Satan; but Joan also demands she get to come with him. Batman and Robin chase Catwoman in Hollywood, but she takes out another hitman instead, unwilling to become a killer. Green Lantern faces Wotan, but while the villain is thrown back into another dimension, his last stray shot clips a tree, knocking it over onto a child, killing them. GL isn't sure that kid was Karkull's target, but is furious to find out.

Hourman faces Dr. Doog in Georgia, where he plans to electrocute a good chunk of the countryside to get his target. Despite struggling with Miraclo side-effects, Hourman had been forced to take two pills back-to-back, but he gets an assist from Doog's old foe, Starman! He had seen Hourman go in, and wanted to apply to the JSA. Finally, Dr. Fate saves a small boat from a freak storm, then confronts Karkull, who has set a trap for him, in a house made out of flesh...! Fate summons the JSA for help, getting the entire team, plus Robin, Lois Lane, Joan Williams, Hawkgirl, and Starman. The heroes with ray powers zap Karkull, while the Spectre senses other souls within him. Karkull grows to giant-size, but the Spectre matches him, and Karkull bursts, showering the assembled heroes in a weird light. (A color plate seems off here; I wonder if all copies had this?)

Fate and the Spectre believe that Karkull had "stolen time" somehow, and his demise would prolong the lives of those present, or maybe just make them "more vital" while they lived. That feels like a good start for the rookie Starman, but Hourman and Green Lantern both have to take leaves from the team, and Dr. Fate follows suit: he had to determine if he was in charge, or Nabu. The JSA opts to keep this case a secret, which is why it was news to Tarantula and Wonder Woman--she wouldn't join until months later. Tarantula agrees to honor the Society's wishes and keep this under his hat, although he doubts Karkull was on to anything with his targets...eight of whom would later become President of the United States! Figuring out where each would have been on or about June 28, 1942 would've taken a bit of research.

Along with a bit of fun for a jam issue, Roy Thomas had intended this to patch a few continuity issues: Green Lantern's very brief tenure as chairman of the JSA, Hourman's leave of absence, Dr. Fate's changing helmets and powers; as well as the heroes' long-lives and vitality past what would usually be expected for their ages.

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Do I do this bit every time? Find a random "Legends of the Dead Earth" annual. Look up how many there were, compare that to how many I've blogged, and adjust the odds of hitting them all before said earth dies. There were 25 total, today's book should bring us to 14; place your bets! From 1996, Justice League America Annual #10, "The Alliance" Written by Christopher Priest, pencils by Sergio Cariello, inks by Nick Napolitano. Cover by Phil Jimenez.

After another of his "quantum-leaps" through time, Dr. Samuel Beckett--er, Captain Atom; finds himself seemingly fifteen or so years in the past, in the middle of a battle with the Justice League, as he knew them back then, and a ragtag force with advanced weaponry and armored walkers. Nathaniel figures, well, at least he knows what side he's on...famous last words! That's not the Justice League, they're not the good guys, and this wasn't even earth! Booster Gold turns on the Captain, blasting him from behind; although admittedly he does so after he tells Booster "you always were a screwup." Booster, or rather Michael, is far harder, and way bossier, than we ever see him; although there may be a reason. With both sides now shooting at him, Captain Atom is saved by a woman, who introduces herself as Maxima. Not the one we're used to, but an impressive one! Still, as she flies him to safety, the Captain realizes the landscape wasn't earth, and Maxima seems to have never heard of it.

The faux-JL, the Alliance, gets a visit from their boss, Maxwell Lord IV, who was living in the Lord Havok armor or body? (That would've tied into then-current continuity, around Justice League America #100; which you specifically don't need to read: the author is a disgrace, and Max Lord has been retconned six ways from Sunday.) Max kills his Guy Gardner, finally sick of his lip. Meanwhile, Maxima explains to the armored-down Nathaniel, that she brought him through what she calls the Maelstrom, and he called the quantum-field, to save them. Nathaniel is not down with that right away, but Maxima did have an inside man, who explains things: the Blue Beetle! They were on Warworld--or a Warworld--and Max/Lord Havok used "bio-telemic capsules" to recreate his old League, modifying local humans, including that Beetle. Oh, and earth has probably been dead for so long, that it was barely a fairy tale. Everything he had ever known being gone kind of shakes Nathaniel a bit, who later demands if he helps, Maxima help him get back. She has a counter-offer, dropping her robe...

Nathaniel has alarmingly hairy shoulders in some panels in this one, which probably isn't weird, but you're used to seeing him silver and smooth! Anyway, not unlike the other one, this Maxima wanted a child, a homegrown hero with powers; and Nathaniel wonders if sleeping with her was the right thing to have done, when he gets jumped by the Alliance's Martian Manhunter. He wakes up, in a room that resembles the old League headquarters, with Michael--formerly Booster Gold--speaking to him over intercom. Nathaniel seems to have zero respect for him, even before the reveal that Michael had continued replacing body parts (again, in then-recent continuity, Booster would've lost an arm) and lived past the destruction of earth, eventually being found by Max and setting up on Warworld. Michael likewise doesn't have any respect for Nathaniel, but that was because he wasn't real: Maxima and Beetle had stolen a bio-telemic capsule, and they had used it to create their own Captain Atom! That puts Nathaniel on the back foot for a few pages, as Michael and the Alliance work on him, with Michael pointing out he didn't know any of the personal information the real Captain Atom would...until he does!

Nathaniel was the real thing--the pod had been stolen, but not used, merely for cover. He had been sandbagging it, to give Beetle time to hack the Alliance's systems: Beetle confirms, Max's command pod would self-destruct in six seconds. But, that was an open line, and Max teleports out--all according to plan, as Beetle had sabotaged the teleporter instead, killing Max! Michael manages to briefly get past Maxima, but then is beaten by Nathaniel and Beetle. He tries to escape, and is also killed by the teleporter. In the end, whether or not Maxima was pregnant, Nathaniel says he still needs to get home; it's left open if he ever did. I like to think he totally did, and gave Max and Booster the side-eye from then on. 

Hmm, Legends of Tomorrow last Thursday, Legends of the Law Friday, and Legends of the Dead Earth today! Can't say I planned that, yet here we are.

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Aw, from the silhouette on the cover, I thought Yellowjacket was rejoining the team.

Wait, that's not right...spoiler alert after the break! From 1975, Justice League of America #117, "I Have No Wings and I Must Fly!" Written by Elliot S! Maggin, pencils by Dick Dillin, inks by Frank McLaughlin.

The returning hero would in fact be Hawkman, and this issue would be referenced in his continuity, geez, for years afterwards; but it also feels like an early example of the "no time to explain, so I'm going to do something that seems super wrong, and catch you up later" kind of story that's like team books' bread-and-butter. Green Lantern, Green Arrow, Batman, Superman, and the Atom take off towards Mars, where GL has spotted Hawkman's Thanagarian ship: there's also a "photon-mirage" of Hawkman, that fails to lure them to Mars, but they go anyway. The team makes a surprisingly poor showing, though; with Supes and GL downed, Green Arrow missing two shots, but Batman now seemingly able to tear steel? The Atom misses what should be a standard jump from an arrow, and Batman is defeated by a dark-haired man claiming to be Hawkman...although he was noticeably shorter. He deposits the unconscious Leaguers on Mars, noting this would let him turn the disease to his advantage.

When the Leaguers wake up, the most noticeable change was that they were all about same height and weight, about five feet tall! (The Atom's shrunken stature brought the average down: Ray was six feet tall normally, and I'd guess the other guys there were at least that tall.) Superman and GL were noticeably diminished, but Batman could fly? Hawkman had been infected by microbes from the alien Equalizer--not that one! Or that one. Or that one! He was a odd-looking sort, and had microbes "that affect people when they exert themselves--making them physically equal to everyone around them!" Hawkman was no longer big and strapping, and couldn't even wear his wings; but had stolen some of the Leaguers' powers, so he could stop the Equalizer from infecting earth. But the microbes seemed to affect the Leaguers mentally as well: Batman had lost much of his deductive abilities, while Green Arrow was far more of a team player than he ever was. He rallies the heroes into concentrating their willpower, to use GL's ring and follow the Equalizer--meaning Hawkman, they hadn't learned of that alien yet!

Despite his borrowed powers, Hawkman is no match for the Equalizer, who counters his every move with equal force, before destroying his ship. The heroes arrive, to join their old friend, and aren't really getting anywhere, until they try hate: waves of hate, aimed at the Equalizer, which is countered by if not love, then restitution; as the heroes are restored to their usual selves. But, Thanagar was still infected, including Hawkgirl, and he was left with nowhere to go except back to the JLA, which elects to reinstate him. 

The Equalizer's goal, if any, isn't explained here; this might have been his only appearance? But, we saw his equalizing plague mentioned in Showcase #103, and I'm pretty sure it was still a plot point in 1982's World's Finest #278, and possibly into 1985's the Shadow War of Hawkman.

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"The End" Week: Justice League Odyssey #25!

We saw an issue of this some time back, although without looking I couldn't have told you what crossover this series sprung from, or into what crossover it returned. Ashes to ashes, funk to funky...wait, that's not right. From 2020, Justice League Odyssey #25, "Last Stand" Written by Dan Abnett, art by Will Conrad.

Anyway, I think I liked the idea of this and the lineup maybe more than the actual execution, but part of that is probably just the nature of the crossover mill, and that probably at least three of these characters were needed elsewhere. This issue finds the space-based JL team of Starfire, Azrael, Cyborg, and Green Lantern Jessica Cruz; with series regular Dex-Starr and Orion, and Starfire's sister Blackfire, and doomed timeline versions of Cyborg and Jessica; all in a final battle to keep Darkseid from rewriting the timeline. If that seems a little esoteric or out of character for him, it probably was, but he wasn't at the top of his game...until afterwards. His plan gets stopped, doomed Cyborg and Jessica sacrifice themselves, and the team separates to warn the universe of Darkseid's new rise. Oddly, although he mentions it later, we don't see Azrael return to earth in the end: he joins Dex-Starr and Orion, to prepare for war...starting on Thanagar? Orion says it's a planet of warriors, but didn't he shoot the hell out of the planet in Cosmic Odyssey?

I'll look later, but I think I have the next appearance for Jessica, where she gets traded to the Yellow Lanterns, presumably for a draft pick in the next round. Cyborg and Starfire return to earth, and get immediately redesigned, for Death Metal. Fun... Read more!

I feel like there should've been like twenty Booster/Beetle stories with the same title.

I'm mildly surprised that I don't think I bought this new off the racks, but like most Beetle and Booster revivals, it gets so close but isn't quite what I wanted. Close, though! From 2015, Justice League #3000 #12, "Another Fine Mess" Plot by Keith Giffen, script by J. M. DeMatteis, art by Howard Porter.

Blue Beetle and Booster Gold return...in the 31st century? On the prison-planet Takron-Galtos? The guys were found in cryogenic pods, but have no idea how they got there, with the last thing they remember a surprise party for Ralph (Elongated Man) Dibny and getting yelled at by Max Lord. Local law Sheriff Tariq tells the boys to stick close to the home base, so of course they immediately take off, since Beetle thinks he might still have gear stashed between a Kord office. (But...if they're on Takron-Galtos, why is there a Kord office? Because in JL3000 continuity, Takron-Galtos was earth all along! In Legion continuities, T-G was always a separate prison planet.)

Further complicating matters, an overweight prisoner wearing one of Beetle's costumes, isn't thrilled to see somebody wearing "his" suit. Sure enough, Beetle discovers somebody did get into his stuff, both helping themselves to it and modifying the tech. He thinks they'll be able to use the Bug to either get back to their own time, or maybe at least a better planet; but they get attacked by the faux-Beetle, wearing a Doc Ock-like harness. Booster wants to bail, Beetle refuses, wanting his stuff back; and for good measure there are a ton of mutated rats down there...to be continued!

Booster doesn't appear to have his flight ring or force-field, which makes me suspicious that he was a clone or something. This series also appeared to build primarily off Giffen and DeMatteis's own work; namely I Can't Believe It's Not the Justice League. Where that puts this in continuity is anybody's guess; although I suspect Giffen and DeMatteis didn't love the notion of Max Lord shooting Beetle in the head. I'm not 100% sure they ever get around to explaining how the guys got there though; they also had a vengeance-craved Lois Lane running around as well...And the title "Another Fine Mess" was used back in Justice League Europe #3, but of course was a classic Laurel and Hardy short.

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Maybe I should've saved this for a fund drive or something.

I'm up way too early this morning, and have a busy--but hopefully fun!--day ahead of me. So, trying to clear the brain fog by grabbing a quick book: from 1977, Super Friends #5, "Telethon Treachery!" Written by E. Nelson Bridwell, pencils by Ramona Fradon, inks by Bob Smith.

I remember telethons, but have never willingly watched so much as five minutes of one. (Feel like I've sat through more than a few pledge drives, though!) I don't have a lot of tolerence for variety acts, but the Super Friends have a good batch for the "annual Justice League Super-Thon!" (I swear "Justice League" and "Super Friends" were basically used interchangeably on that show and comic!) They drop a few names you should recognize, like Kathy Kane, Scott Free, and Zatanna; and even one caller that throws in $75 grand towards the "heart fund," Anthony Stark! (That's about $367,000 today; you could do better, Tony.) Batman has to get off the phones for a bit, to go home and make his own call, chipping in $100K as Bruce Wayne; then getting sucked into watching part of the telethon with Alfred.

But, today's bad guy, Greenback, then puts his plan into place: kidnapping the top pledgers to hold for ransom, starting with Bruce Wayne. Alfred calls in the Super Friends, who send...Robin, Aquaman, Wendy, Marvin, and Wonderdog. How much would Bruce have had to pledge to get Wonder Woman? Well, he will anyway, since the first batch take care of Greenback's goons but are then stunned by his compressed-air coin-launcher. I kinda feel like anything that could throw a quarter hard enough to knock you out, would also embed it in your skull, but okay. Greenback chains everyone up in his hideout's basement, with Aquaman chained to a load-bearing support: if he broke free, he'd bring the house down on them...I don't think that place was up to code. Wonderdog takes a note back to Superman and Wonder Woman, who have to rescue everyone; and Supes brings Batman's cape and cowl so he can be the one to bring down Greenback. Which isn't a bad villain name, is it? Maybe a little dated, but so are telethons, I suppose.

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It's a locked room mystery, and if it were a TV show it would almost be a bottle episode, albeit a rather expensive one. And everyone learns a lesson at the end...except for bloody Batman, because he's ever so perfect, okay? From 2020, Justice League Annual #2, "Death Trap" Written by Robert Venditti, pencils by Aaron Lopresti, inks by Matt Ryan. 

Batman calls the big guns to the Hall of Justice, not for battle, but for their investigative skills, since there's a naked dead guy in the Hall. The security footage is gone, they don't recognize the guy (who was a very Lopresti-style guy!) and there's no immediately visible cause of death. As they cross off a few more suspects like a speedster or magic-user, the Hall goes into lockdown unheeded, then activates "Zod protocol" and blasts red-sun radiation throughout the building, sapping Superman's strength. Reverse-Flash and Sinestro defenses are also up, and Batman firmly suggests Wonder Woman not punch a wall and set off "the microscopic wards etched into the walls." Wow, that sounds time-consuming...

Working together, Flash and Green Lantern (John) are able to get through a sealed door; and they notice their "corpse" has dissolved: an artificial construct set to lure them in. Next, the usual sentry-type robots have now gone lethal-force, and have to be smashed up. Then, while Batman and Wonder Woman get attacked by microbots in the armory; Flash, Green Lantern, and Superman try to get through the garage; with the triumphant return of the Super-Mobile! Aw, that'll buff out.

Batman realizes who the villain is here...not necessarily out of any clues, I don't think; although the baddie could've appeared recently. I haven't read a proper single issue of a new Justice League book in what feels like a hundred years: I feel like there may be a little good stuff I've missed, but not a ton? After the baddie is defeated, the heroes consider how their own walls and shields were turned against them, but the Justice League's real strength was their trust in each other. Right, Batman? ...Batman? Yeah, Batman's putting the bad guy into storage; he hasn't learned squat. 

The other day when I mentioned Damian being a little control-freak dick, I was thinking Batman didn't do that as much anymore, but I feel like if you asked Bats what the Justice League's real strength was, he'd say "doing what I tell them." Crap, in my head I could hear Kevin Conroy saying that, and it was kinda cool...

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Fifty-cents for an Alan Davis cover? OK! But the interior wasn't bad either. From 2001, JSA #20, "Injustice Be Done, conclusion: Godspeed" Written by David Goyer and Geoff Johns, pencils by Stephen Sadowski, inks by Michael Bair. 

This felt a lot like the conclusion of a Morrison/Porter JLA serial; as the Spectre has just gotten reduced to a giant hooded skeleton by the King of Tears, an extradimensional entity currently powering Johnny Sorrow. I had to double-check, but Sorrow was a new villain with an old-school feel that made him perfect for the JSA. While the Spectre recovers (and I believe he was Hal Jordan at the time, based on Canary thinking he sounded familiar) he can't do anything to the King of Tears, as it was soulless and conscience-free. Black Adam thinks they're sunk then, but Hawkgirl challenges him by calling him Teth-Adam. Rookie Stargirl has noticed Kendra acting weirder and weirder, as she seems to be increasingly remembering past lives stuff.

While the captured, and tortured, Sand distracts Johnny Sorrow; Mr. Terrific has a plan: have Jay run the speed of light and punch stuff. Jay's not that fast, but what if he stole Black Adam's speed of Heru? Great, but then Jay would get sucked into the speed force; but what if he used the link to Black Adam to find his way back? Seems a lot of if's, but bad stuff was happening, so no choice. Jay says goodbye to his wife Joan, who seems to have a picture of a child they lost.

Dr. Mid-Nite distracts Sorrow at the crucial moment, with a video capture of Sorrow's "fatal countenance," and Jay punches the King of Tears out of this plane of existance, snapping reality back to normal. While the Spectre visits, and saves, the injured Alan Scott; Jay begins to decelerate, then trips running across water, and wakes up in a desert...in ancient Egypt, with Nabu and Teth-Adam wondering what's up with him! Some years back, we saw the Legion's Ultra Boy in the same boat, zapped by the "chronal howitzer" into the past. The Fantastic Four and West Coast Avengers are probably punching Rama-Tut nearby, too...and probably Hawkman, since this had been building up to his return, teased in the next issue box.

Also this issue: an ad for Playstation 1-era game Incredible Crisis, a memorably weird sounding game that may have been weirder than I would've guessed. Featuring music from Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra, which sounds great!

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It really made me want to read COPRA now too, come to think of it.

This is a bit of a classic, although picking it up again the other day I think I had forgotten Giffen drew this one! From 1988, Justice League International #13, "Collision Course" Plot and pencils by Keith Giffen, script by J.M. DeMatteis, inks by Al Gordon.

Nemesis has been lanquishing (I believe that is the technical term...) in a Russian prison since Suicide Squad #7, and it's about as much fun as it sounds. Colonel Flag wants to go back in to get him, but Amanda Waller absolutely refuses: it's obviously a trap, and would be a political disaster. They may not realize someone else is taking an interest in Nemesis's plight (another cliche, er, technical term...) as Batman wants to help as well: he knew him from Brave and the Bold appearances, and knew he was cool. Batman even goes so far as to lean a little on his new teammate, Rocket Red 8, Dmitri. Dmitri calmly explains, despite the "connections" Batman expects him to have, he doesn't know everything that goes on his country, but wasn't Nemesis caught breaking in somewhere? Then a Rocky & Bullwinkle joke, because this was the style at the time. (Dmitri was often played as a simpleton, largely because he was foreign, but he was a pleasant family man who the Soviet government apparently thought was a good candidate for stuffing into a rocket suit given to them by freakin' Kilowog!)

Flag calls the Squad together for an emergency mission, no time for briefings, go go go! With only Nightshade in on his plan, they make their way to Russia, but not unnoticed by Waller, who visits Reagan to get the okay to sic the J.L.I. on the rogue Squad. Both Black Canary and Blue Beetle suspect Bats of paying the "villains" off to go rescue Nemesis, and may only be half-joking. An increasingly sullen Batman is furious at going where he wanted to go "for the wrong reasons" and J'onn firmly suggests he not try to use this to help Nemesis. Meanwhile, the rest of the Rocket Red Brigade and "Red Star of the People's Heroes" are made aware of the situation as well, in two really jokey pages! Seriously, go check them out, then imagine the same spread in Suicide Squad with Ostrander providing dialog. It'd be a completely different tone.

At the prison, Batman tries to intimidate the warden into getting access to Nemesis, but is refused until Dmitri calls in a favor. Dmitri and J'onn both have to tell Batman to be on his best behavior, with Bats seemingly regretting putting J'onn in charge of the team at least a little: he was pretty used to getting his way, and this might be the first time J'onn gave him any pushback. When they find Nemesis in his cell, beaten and unconscious, Batman is back in their faces, though. It's undermined a bit by Beetle and Miracle in the background, but J'onn lets Bats know in no uncertain terms he will throw him off the team. (Just looking at that page now, I know we see him roughed up at the beginning of the issue, but I wonder if Nemesis isn't playing possum a bit.)

Batman does back down...for now; but the Suicide Squad has now entered the chat! As back in the states, Amanda Waller and Max Lord debate how it's going to play out; the Rocket Red Brigade, Red Star, and most of the Soviet army are closing on the prison...to be continued, in Suicide Squad #10! Wait, the next issue banner says #10, but it was actually #13: Batman did appear in Suicide Squad #10, though. I haven't re-read SS #13 in some time, but now I want to compare and contrast the jokes in it: in JLI, is everyone jokey just because that's what they did there? I seem to recall the jokes from the comedians of both groups not landing as well in Ostrander's book; not because they weren't funny, but because nobody was in a mood for that nonsense. Read more!