Justice League of America #252 (July 1986)

As part of my tribute to Gerry Conway, I thought it'd be neat to take a look at a comic he wrote from a rather...controversial era for DC's greatest superhero team: The Justice League of America. In particular, what would be known as the "Detroit Era" as at the time, the League was operating out of a bunker in the Motor City. You should see my review of Justice League of America #241 (August 1985) to learn more how the Detroit Era came about. 

As I have said before, having read some of that era, I can certainly understand why the Detroit era is seen as a low point for the group by both fans and DC themselves. I really can. Yeah, going from the Satellite Era comprised of DC's most famous, iconic, and powerful superheroes in a space station to a bunker in Detroit with a bunch of young newbies? Yeah. Also, it seemed that Conway was running out of steam on the book, struggling to figure out what to do. That was also understandable, as he had been writing the book since 1978. 

Now personally, I always felt the "Detroit Era" was a time that had a lot of missed potential. Yeah, it clearly was trying to emulate the success of New Teen Titans and X-Men, but the idea of these young heroes trying to live up to the legacy of the JLA while struggling with their own issues? There was a goldmine of storytelling potential. It's easy to poke fun at this era of the JLA (heck, DC themselves have mocked this era), but maybe it if it had a new co-writer to contribute fresh ideas, who knows what heights this era would have reached.

The comic we're looking at here is the start of what I consider the beginning of the Detroit JLA's finest hour, their biggest battle yet against one of the League's oldest nemeses. This is Justice League of America #252!

The cover is a Luke McDonnell piece. It's pretty cool, depicting the JLA fighting monsters, while the evil Despero looms in the background covered in shadows, proclaiming that the League will never defeat his infinite horde in a hammy Silver Age manner. My only critique of this cover is that I wish that the cover used Despero's original look, instead of the new look debuted here. More on that later.

"Arrival"
Writer: Gerry Conway
Penciler: Luke McDonnell
Inker: Bill Wray
Colorist: Gene D'Angelo
Letterer: Albert DeGuzman
Editor: Andrew Helfer
Executive Editor: Dick Giordano

The story begins with something crashing into the ground. What could it be, you ask? A plane? A truck? Some drunk Kryptonian? Well, a few hours later, a hunting dog picks up the now-cooled meteor. The dog's owner wonders if it's that bear again. That bear kept stealing his pick-a-nick baskets. But it's not Yogi Bear. It's something...much scarier. And now the hunter is a skeleton.

"And thus was born...Raspberry Neon Skeleton Man!"

A figure demands to know where the Justice League is. The hunter insists he has no idea. The man's telepathic inquisition is torture to the man, but the figure does not care. Instead, he probes deeper, killing the man. And who is this angry figure who has a bone to pick with the League? 

"I shall use my...SPHERE BEAM!" 

Yes, it's Despero, the League's old nemesis. The Kalanorian despot has clearly been hitting the gym and got his fin surgically altered since we last saw him in my look at The Brave and the Bold #1! Remember, he originally looked like this.

When the character is adapted to other media, they tend to lean more towards the more muscular look he gets here. I understand why, it's more physically imposing and helps sell the idea that Despero is a major threat. But I'm a bit of a history nerd, so there you go.

He learns that the League that last battled him is no more. However, it still exists with a new roster led by a former Leaguer that he has a particular enmity with.  

The scene then shifts to New York City. It's here we see another long-time Leaguer: one Zatanna Zatara. She is lying in a bed, muttering she has to stop a man. But when she tries to get out of bed...

"AAAAGH, NOT THE NAKED RAMPAGE DREAM AGAIN!"

Yeah, she got that headband on that shocks her brain. Despite this, Zatanna shows that she has willpower that would make a Green Lantern proud. She's able to make her way out of her bed, thinking he has to stop a man named Adam. You see, in the last issue, this man had a woman named Sheri Stanley (who was Zatanna's roommate at the time) to lure her to him. He harvested some of her DNA to obtain the genetic secrets of the Homo Magi.

Sure. In the DC Universe, the Homo Magi are an offshoot of humanity that are naturally inclined to possess and master great magical power. They're the ancestors of the Atlanteans. For example, Arion, whom we've met before on this blog, is a Homo Magi. He's also an ancestor of Zatanna's, and he may also possibly be an ancestor of Aquaman's due to his connections to Atlantis. But since the DCU has been rebooted around six million times in the last few years, who knows if that is canon anymore.

Zee makes her way to the chamber where Adam is going to get the Homo Magi DNA injected into him. The DNA is attached to a retrovirus, and he's hoping that the Homo Magi DNA will increase his natural charisma to godlike levels. Because in a comic book universe, DNA is like LEGO. The headband continues to give her pain, but she presses on. 

"As you can see, Adam is a freak."

Yeah, I get the feeling that he's just trussed up like this for his own personal pleasure, if you know what I mean.

Zatanna is held back, being told that once Adam has the power of the Homo Magi at his command, all of the world's problems can be solved. A blade cuts into Adam's chest. Let's go somewhere less weird, shall we? Like Gotham City!

While there, Bruce Wayne is on a nice date with Mari McCabe, aka Vixen...and her Wolverine hair.

"I need your help, Bruce. Wolverine is suing me for some reason."

The two discuss Bruce's personal life. The Caped Crusader reveals that he's never really had a lasting relationship. He's had his fair share of flings, being a rich handsome man and all. However, he's never settled down because of the Batman. He's left wondering if Bruce Wayne doesn't exist, that he's just the persona that Batman takes on when he's not out fighting crime in the streets of Gotham. Vixen thinks he's pushing himself too hard, and he should relax tonight. The poor lady ends up eating those words when she and Batman witness a massive explosion in the city. 

As the two get ready to leap into action, Vixen thinks about the look Bruce had in his eyes when he saw the explosion. It leads her to conclude that perhaps, Bruce Wayne is merely a persona, that Batman is what he truly has become. Despero sends the two flying with...a pink waterspout? I don't know.

The Dark Knight is able to save himself with some gymnastics and a tree branch. Vixen calls upon a bird's power to fly, and she lands safely in some water. Despero uses his mental powers to send the Gotham Guardian flying. He knows he's called the League for help. 

"Where's my money, Bats?!"

As you can see in the panel, Despero wants to indulge in the classic supervillain trope of explaining his big scheme...and why he now looks like he did more steroids and hit the gym harder than an 80s pro wrestler. Bats ain't in the mood to hear it, so he gives the Finhead his best Mighty Punch. It seems to hurt Despero, as he tosses Batman aside, ranting about how he'll crush his eyes like eggs. Vixen shoves him into some fire, seemingly incinerating him. It...doesn't work. Despero is still very much alive. And the big pink alien is not a happy alien. He seemingly blows up Batman and Vixen.

Naturally, the rest of the JLA are called in. They all think that J'onn J'onzz, the Martian Manhunter, sent the call. It wasn't him. It could not have been him as he and Cyndi Reynolds were in New York City solving a mystery together in the last issue. The computer's call records reveal that it was from Gotham. Paco Ramone/Vibe isn't buying that it's an actual crisis, as he thinks Batman was just testing them again. Yeah, ever since Batman rejoined the League in issue #250, The Dark Knight has been training the League hard, and it's been getting under Vibe's skin, even making him threaten to quit. 

J'onn confirms that this is a real crisis. The kind of thing Batman wants them to be ready for. The League's teleporter can't get them to Gotham, and all communication to the city has been cut off. Which means, the group's going to have to rely on more old-fashioned methods of transport to Gotham. Time for a helicopter ride! 

"I've heard that Gotham can have some hot nights, but this is ridiculous!"

It looks like home of Batman is slowly being transformed into Hell. Gotham's citizens are being transformed into demons. After being dropped off, the League wonders if magic is involved. It is plausible, and it's a heck of a time for Zatanna to be missing. J'onn discovers that the city is covered by a vibrational barrier. Vibe's powers could counter it, allowing the League entry. True to the Green Martian's prediction, Vibe is able to get the League into Gotham, but he then notices something else: this was easy. Too easy. Clearly, they were expected. And indeed, Despero was expecting the League. He's standing on that looks like some sort of demonic building, Vixen and Batman trussed up. And the story ends with him referring to himself as their final nemesis, and the destroyer of worlds. 

I enjoyed this comic. My favorite scene is the date with Vixen and Batman. I felt there may have been some real potential there for character development-wise. I would have liked to have seen some romantic tension between Vixen and Batman. After all, it's not like Vixen can't handle herself against any of Batman's rogues. And maybe it would have helped Bruce see that he can have some happiness beyond the cape and cowl. Vibe having friction with Batman does make sense. Batman can be a taskmaster, and a metahuman presumably barely out of his teens would naturally chafe with that. Batman may have more experience as a superhero and as a Justice League member, but let's not forget, Vibe is not such a newbie. He's fought the likes of the Cadre, Anton Allegro, and Amazo at this point. His time in the League has been short, but it's been hardly uneventful, and then there's the big Crisis. Yeah, the Detroit League was the incarnation that fought in the Crisis on Infinite Earths.

It was really cool seeing Despero be shown to be this massive threat. He's more powerful than ever, capable of feats that he couldn't do in the past, both physical and mental. This Despero likely would make mincemeat out of the Satellite Era JLA. And that era of the JLA had not only a large roster, that roster included many of DC's most powerful superheroes. It really makes you wonder how the Detroit team can win the day. They lack the numbers (especially since Zatanna is missing and Aquaman quit in an earlier issue), they lack a lot of raw power at the moment (again, Aquaman is out and Zatanna is MIA), how will they save Gotham?! I am excited to read how they pull this off.

The subplot with Zatanna and Adam is a bit weird. I get that he's after the power of the Homo Magi, but couldn't he have just...gone somewhere to learn magic? Or find another way to enhance his natural talents? I get that in the DCU, the Homo Magi have a natural talent for magic, but I don't think that means regular people can't learn magic. I'd get it if Adam thought this would be a shortcut, but there's not indication of that here. it just seems like an excuse to get Zee out of the way to increase the challenge for the League when it comes to Despero's return.

Luke McDonnell is an underrated artist, in my opinion. I think it's because his work isn't flashy and instantly recognizable like say, Kirby or Perez or even a Steranko. It does a pretty decent job. Not much else to say about it, really.

If you want to read this for yourself, I recommend tracking down the 2025 trade paperback DC Finest: Justice League of America - The Return. Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you liked it, show it off! Take care of yourselves and each other! If you liked what I write and want to give my blog some additional support, please make a donation to my Ko-fi! See you next time!