Justice League of America #184 (November 1980)

Back in July, I reviewed Justice League of America #183 (October 1980). In it, members of Earth-1's Justice League and Earth-2's Justice Society teamed up with the heroic New Gods known as Mister Miracle, Orion, and Big Barda in an attempt to stop the revival of the evil New God Darkseid. The issue ended with them epically failing. This was notably the last complete issue longtime Justice League artist Dick Dillin penciled before his death.

Considering I was covering the start of a later JLA/JSA team-up last week, why not follow up on that July entry this week? Darkseid is back, and we got the great George Perez taking over alongside Frank McLaughlin to make the pretty pictures a comic needs, so let's take a look at Justice League #184!

The cover is pretty cool. It's a Perez/Giordano piece, depicting a roaring Darkseid with the heroes of the JLA, JSA, and the New Gods floating around him. It is kind of funny as it looks like they're all charging in to fight him, but don't see that his giant head is right behind him. I can also imagine that's the face he makes when he finds out that comfy chair he was eyeing on eBay was bought at the last second before the auction ended.

The story begins with the return of Darkseid.

Orion goes down to engage Icicle, Fiddler, and the Shade. The Shade puts up a dark energy barrier to try and stop the heroes, but Orion barrels through like a hot knife through butter, screaming that nothing stops the Astro-Force. Shade blasts the New Gods' resident Dog of War, but Firestorm turns his cane into a pogo stick. He then turns a girder into a pot of water, so the Shade's day ends up all wet. Yeah, bad joke. Sorry about that.

The Icicle freezes up Firestorm's leg, but ends up eating fists from Orion and Power Girl. The Fiddler has had enough of his villainous compatriots' failures, and decides to unleash his true power. You see, the Fiddler is a bit of a magician, who channels his power through his namesake instrument. He uses it to mentally torment the three heroes with his dark song. The heroes are overcome, and the Fiddler gets back to work reviving Darkseid.

Back in Granny Goodness's orphanage, Superman, Wonder Woman, the New Genesian girl they rescued are trying to find their way out. The girl, Petal, appears to be leading them somewhere. Barda is unsure, as even though she grew up in the orphanage herself, even the Apokoliptian powerhouse herself doesn't know the entire layout. Superman looks around with his X-Ray vision, and finds something that shocks him.

He's found a resistance movement working underneath the orphanage...and they're all children. One in particular is a little redheaded girl named Crimson, who could easily be Red Sonja's daughter, waves her sword at the heroes. She is especially freaked out about Barda, as she used to lead the Female Furies. Barda admits she did, but she's not on Darkseid's...well, side anymore. She had met Scott Free, and their romance opened her eyes as to the monster he was.

Crimson is confused by the concept of love. Barda explains that love is why Crimson fears for her comrades' safety, why she's happy they're with her. It's a need and desire to care for others...and to be cared about just as much. The Apokoliptian child's eyes tear up, but denies that she feels or needs love. Barda tells her everyone needs love...and the girl leaps up and gives Barda a big hug. Aww.

With that, the resistance fighters invite the heroes to have some food. Another resistance member, a balding boy named Playto, tells the heroes he knows why they're there. He just knows stuff. Barda realizes he's what's called a "multi-cog", a mutant with various mental abilities, like telepathy and precognition. Using those powers, Playto is able to fill the heroes in on how Fiddler, Icicle, and Shade ended up on Apokolips.

Back on their native Earth-2, the three had teamed up to commit some petty theft. Fiddler sees himself as the leader of this nascent Injustice Society, but this infuriates Icicle, as the cold criminal was the one who came up with the idea of the team-up in the first place. The two of them fight, so the Shade decides to make off with the loot. But then, a convenient earthquake erupts, knocking the three villains around. They hear a voice, roaring that he can offer them more than just the proceeds from mere bank robberies.

Yes, Darkseid had been dead (as established last issue), but he was still able to extend his consciousness to Earth-2, such is the power of the God of Tyranny. Despite this, he still needed human tools. Yes, even though he could literally create a new body out of the ground. I'm assuming he needed help restoring his original body because he could access his full power, or something like that. The three villains tried to fight, but he trounced them. He managed to force them to swear fealty to him. He gave them some instructions, and then vanished.

And that's how we ended up here. Superman points out that they're still unsure what Darkseid's bigger plan. Maybe he just is bored with being dead, Clark. Crimson reveals that there is a bigger plan, but her resistance has no idea what it is. But Granny Goodness might, being one of Darkseid's Elite and all. Crimson is reluctant to lead the heroes to her, but Barda is able to convince her by telling her this may be the only hope they have of freedom from the nightmare they are in. The plea works, and Crimson leads the way.

Elsewhere on Apokolips, Dr. Fate is using a bit of magic to put some of Darkseid's soldiers in their place. Green Lantern went to investigate one of the towers, and he hasn't come back. Dr. Fate and Oberon go to investigate. Hopefully, Hal Jordan is alright. But it leads Oberon to wonder. The prisoner in this tower must be important to need such heavy guard. But who would be such an important prisoner that a whole barracks of guards would be dedicated to them? They fly in and find their answer.

Izaya. The Highfather. Essentially Darkseid's heroic counterpart. Hal is trying to free the New God with his ring, as he is in pain. However, Hal's attempts to free the New God with his ring aren't working. Dr. Fate takes over trying to free him so Hal can rest. Oberon notes that Green Lantern seemed rather hellbent on freeing Izaya. Hal explains it's because Izaya reminds him of the Guardians of the Universe, being father figures to the test pilot. This is hilarious in hindsight as more recent portrayals of the Guardians tend to show them as rather arrogant, manipulative, and coldhearted.

Dr. Fate is able to free Highfather. His bonds didn't just restrain him, they weakened his life force, so he's going to need to recover. He is able to sense Darkseid returning. They have to get to Armagedda, and fast!

In Darkseid's former palace, the Huntress and Batman are scaling a wall. It's a bit disappointing as it's not done on the style of the 60s TV show. I just had another thought. The Huntress is the daughter of an alternate universe's Batman. I can imagine the Earth-1 Batman must find it a bit awkward at times. Scott Summers and Jean Grey welcome you to the club, pal. Anyway, the two are infiltrating the palace. Mister Miracle has gone off ahead on his own. Huntress understandably is concerned, as who knows what traps may still be active in the palace. Batman reminds her that he knows the palace, and their route is because they don't know the dangers. Their route is the safe one.

Mister Miracle finds only two guards, and easily dispatches them. He heads to the main planetary computer control system, nearby the throne room. Gotta give it to Darkseid, he kept up with the times. He notices some activity in the room. When he peeks in, he gets shocked by what he finds.

Batman and Huntress arrive at the throne room, and a shaken Scott Free has something to show them. He just discovered why Darkseid recruited the villains. As Crimson said to Superman, Wonder Woman, and Big Barda, there is a bigger plan. What is that plan? The machine that is restoring Darkseid to life can also be used to transport things between worlds, like the machine that allowed the JLA and JSA to have their annual team-ups. So, Darkseid is going to visit Earth-2, right? Well, kind of.

He plans to send Apokolips to Earth-2. And if he does, Earth-2 will be destroyed. I'm guessing that Apokolips will be appearing right where Earth-2 is. And since two objects cannot exist in the exact same place at the exact same time...

Yeah. It'll be The Day Earth-2 went Kablooie.

This issue was...rather enjoyable. I have to admit, I got some great amusement from Hal Jordan talking about the Guardians of the Universe as father figures. As I said earlier, modern comics, especially under Geoff Johns, tend to portray the Guardians of the Universe more as out of touch, arrogant, and manipulative. The moments with Barda and Crimson are rather heartwarming, as they remind of the importance of love, especially in a place as loveless as Apokolips. George Perez, again, brings the greatness. I enjoyed this issue, and if you want to read it yourself, it can be found in the 2010 trade paperback Crisis on Multiple Earths Volume 5.

Next time, we take a look at the birth of the man, the myth, the legend, the...nuclear powered fury...