Before the Crisis on Infinite Earths consolidated the original DC Multiverse into one single DC Universe in 1986, there used to be a regular tradition in the Justice League's book. That tradition? The yearly JLA/JSA team-up!
Yes, every year, fans were treated to adventures featuring members of Earth-One's Justice League of America and Earth-Two's Justice Society of America. As the years would go by, these adventures would grow to sometimes include superheroes of other Earths beyond One and Two, like Earth-S (the home of the Billy Batson Captain Marvel and the Marvel Family). I looked at one such story in the past, from 1980: Justice League of America #183 and #184 (October-November 1980).
But every tradition has a beginning. So, let's take a look at the very first JLA/JSA team-up: Justice League of America #21!
The cover is a Mike Sekowsky and Murphy Anderson piece. It's really awesome. It depicts the Justice League performing a seance. From the mists of the crystal ball, rise the Justice Society of America. It's become a bit of an iconic cover, being homaged in other comics by other companies.
"Crisis on Earth-One!"
Writer: Gardner Fox
Penciler: Mike Sekowsky
Inker: Bernard Sachs
Colorist: Unknown
Letterer: Gaspar Saladino
Editor: Julius Schwartz
The story begins with the Justice League meeting at their Happy Harbor sanctuary.
 |
| "Okay, who is doing the minutes this week?" |
Their meeting is about dealing with a new trio of supervillains...well, a new trio comprised of old villains. The Crime Champions (comprised of Felix Faust, Atom villain Chronos, and Flash villain Doctor Alchemy) have claimed that they will rob a bank, a sunken ship, and an armored car. Yup, rather basic crimes for supervillains. The League splits up into three teams:
- Atom, Aquaman, and Martian Manhunter will take on Felix Faust
- Wonder Woman, Batman, and Green Lantern will take on Chronos.
- Superman, Green Arrow, and Flash will take on Doctor Alchemy.
...huh. You'd think they'd have Atom on the team that takes care of Chronos. After all, Chronos was one of his rogues.
With the teams made, the League splits up like the Scooby-Doo gang tackling a mystery. Meanwhile, at the same time on Earth-Two, the Justice Society of America is having a meeting of its own.
 |
| "Okay, who is doing the minutes this week?" |
Like the League, they've been challenged by a trio of their old enemies: The Fiddler, The Wizard, and the Icicle. The JSA are eager to go into battle with their old nemeses. After all, they haven't fought crime in costume for about a decade at that point, so they're eager to rid themselves of some villain-busting rust.
Back on Earth-One, Felix Faust is hard at work on the sunken ship robbery.
 |
| "Diving gear is for weak muggles!" |
It seems to help, as the Manhunter uses his super-breath to send the shrinking scientist towards the sorcerer. But ol' Felix has a spell for him, too. He turns himself into mist, allowing the Atom to pass through him harmlessly.
Having outsmarted the League, he vanishes with his ill-gotten gains. Crime Champions 1, Justice League 0. We then next go to Route 55, in...well, take your pick. The story doesn't say. Doctor Alchemy is waiting for an armored truck.
 |
| "About time! I've been waiting here for THREE HOURS!" |
Alchemy easily stops the truck with his Philosopher's Stone and its ability to change one substance into another. He also uses the stone to convert the armored truck into a plane so he can fly the coop. Superman, Green Arrow, and Flash intercept him. Well, the Man of Steel and the Emerald Archer manage to. The Flash starts vibrating...and then vanishes. Alchemy manages to stop Superman by changing a nearby telephone pole and fire hydrant into Kryptonite. He also stops Green Arrow by trapping him in the road-turned glue river. As he takes off, Dr. Alchemy taunts that the Flash has been taken care of...in a special way.
Superman is weakening fast. Green Arrow saves him by firing an arrow filled with paint at the hydrant. The lead in the paint blocks the Kryptonite, allowing Superman to recover. Yeah, you can tell this is from the 1960s. Superman then grabs the archer, and takes to the air, freeing him from the glue. Despite their efforts, Dr. Alchemy gets away.
Crime Champions 2, Justice League 0. In a place called Powers City, Chronos is at work robbing a bank.
 |
| "Actually, I used acid, but I'm not telling the League that!" |
He spots Green Lantern, Batman, and Wonder Woman heading towards him. The time-obsessed supervillain heads out on his sundial-themed craft. Yeah, say what you will about Silver Age villains, they understood the concept of theme and sticking to it. The three Leaguers try to capture him, but he has countermeasures for them. He uses a pair of watch hand darts to keep Wonder Woman from lassoing him. He uses a razor-sharp watch crystal to keep Batman from rappelling down to him. And he drives away Green Lantern with some yellow gas (At that time, Green Lantern Corps rings were useless against anything yellow). Can't say he wasn't prepared.
This forces the League members to save each other, allowing Chronos to get away by vanishing into the Mist. And with that, the JLA loses, three to big fat goose egg. The three Leaguers wonder where he went off to. Luckily, the comic tells us readers.
 |
| "The rent here is ridiculously cheap! It's a steal, ha ha!" |
Evidently the six villains have been in collusion. The Wizard recounts how he defeated the Alan Scott Green Lantern and Black Canary with his magical powers. The Fiddler was able to defeat Hawkman (Carter Hall), Flash (Jay Garrick), and Atom (Al Pratt) with the powerful decibels from his fiddle. And Icicle was able to take down Hourman (Rex Tyler) and Dr. Fate (Kent Nelson) with his own ice powers.
It's revealed here that the reason the Earth-One villains were able to evade capture was thanks to a special portable device provided by the Fiddler. The device allowed the three blackguards to alter their vibrational frequency so that they can fade away from Earth-One. The Fiddler came up with the device after accidentally playing a note on his fiddle that caused him and his two compatriots to end up on Earth-One.
In one of those bizarre coincidences that can only happen in a Silver Age comic, Dr. Alchemy, Felix Faust, and Chronos were planning to help themselves to the proceeds from that stage show. In an unusual act of kindness, the three Earth-One villains helped the Earth-Two villains out...after making off with the stage proceeds, of course.
The six discuss how on their Earths, any time that they commit a crime, the JLA or JSA always end up catching them. So, they have a solution to the problem: Switch Earths. You see, at this point, neither the JLA or JSA are truly aware of the other groups' rogues gallery. Faust, Alchemy and Chronos can spend their ill-gotten gains on Earth-Two without the JSA bothering them. The reverse will be true for Fiddler, Wizard, and Icicle on Earth-One. There's just one hiccup to the plan.
 |
| "Who would have thought bubblegum would have made an effective trap?" |
Yes, the Flashes. You see, Barry Allen and Jay Garrick can use their superspeed to traverse between the two Earths, and they know of each other's Rogues. Evidently, the Flashes feel up to sharing that information with the rest of the JLA and JSA.
The villains proceed to hide out on their opposing Earths. On Earth-One, the Earth-Two villains are hiding out in a life of luxury. But they're growing bored. It can be implied here that being super-villains is a bit addicting for these three men. They love the rush of breaking the law and trying to get away with it. As such, they decide to challenge the Justice League and try to get rid of them at the same time. And if they succeed, they'd be doing their Earth-Two compatriots a favor, too.
The three Earth-Two villains contact the Justice League using a crystal ball. They tell the League they robbed some casinos dry, and to come and get them. The League is all like, "Challenge Accepted", and head into action. The three blackguards prepare some traps, disguising themselves as the Earth-One villains.
 |
| "We're working with what we got here." |
In the casino known as the Golden Egg (which has a spectacular buffet), Wonder Woman, Batman, and Green Lantern engage "Chronos". The disguised Icicle easily takes them to dreamland. However, the fight makes me scratch my head. Keep in mind, the Icicle is disguised as Chronos here. He uses Chronos's time-gimmick weaponry. Where did he get it? Also, Wonder Woman manages to catch him in her lasso, a lasso that (at this time) was able to make people obey the commands of the holder. Wonder Woman managed to lasso him and commands him to obey her. But he was able to defy her.
Icicle claimed that since Wonder Woman ordered Chronos to obey her, and he's not Chronos, it didn't work. I don't know, it sounds cheap to me. Anyway, the Wizard engages Superman in the guise of Dr. Alchemy. He somehow defeats the Man of Steel with hard rubber chips. Well, considering it's the Wizard, we can assume he magically gimmicked them. Superman is no more immune to magic than anyone else, after all.
He also somehow takes down Green Arrow with an enchanted roulette wheel. The Fiddler, in the guise of Felix Faust, manages to take down Aquaman, Atom, and Martian Manhunter. The JLA regroup and try to charge the three villains, but the Wizard transports them back to their headquarters, trapping them in it with a powerful magical barrier. Batman then has an idea.
He suggests that magic got them into this mess, magic can get them out. Since Zatanna isn't around yet, Batman picks up one of the League's souvenirs: A crystal ball, the same one the Earth-Two villains used to contact them.
 |
| And then Batman dropped it. |
This ball was given to the League by Merlin in Justice League of America #2. The League do a seance with the ball, and it starts emitting a mist. It allows them to contact Barry Allen, who tells them to summon the JSA, as they might not be bound by the magic trapping them in the sanctuary. The League do so...and the team-up formally begins.
 |
| Much to the JSA's delight, the JLA's HQ has an open bar. |
It's kind of funny that Earth-2 seemingly did not have a Green Arrow or an Aquaman here, as they are Golden Age characters, too. But then again, their Golden Age counterparts weren't JSA members, so...there you go. Dr. Fate uses his magic to send the JLA to Earth-Two. As Barry had hoped, the magic barrier can't hold the JSA, so they're able to just breeze on out of the Secret Sanctuary. And as for the Alan Scott and Hal Jordan Green Lanterns head out to rescue the Flashes.
This was indeed a significant issue when it comes to DC history. However, I do think it's a bit of a flawed story. Well, from a modern perspective. From a modern perspective, it does feel much like a first draft. The villains' plan is actually a very interesting one, though. I like the villains hiding out on opposing Earths. It would have actually worked...if they didn't get bored. That's actually kind of hilarious. It is a classic story, and I think it should be read for historical purposes. However, there would be better inter-Earth crossovers in the future.
If you want to read this for yourself, I recommend tracking down the 2002 trade paperback Crisis on Multiple Earths Vol. 1. Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you liked it, show it off! Take care of yourselves and each other! Stay safe, stay healthy, stay home, wash your hands often, wear a mask, and get your vaccine/booster! See you next time!
No comments:
Post a Comment