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!

Justice League of America #241 (August 1985)

The mid-1980s was seen as a tough time for the Justice League of America. Not only was there the threat of a multiversal Crisis the likes of which the DCU had never known, but the team itself seemed to be at a low point. 

Sales of the book were slumping by the early 80s. Len Wein, who had at the time been the editor of the book since 1979, had felt that perhaps the team needed a shakeup. He noted that Marvel's X-Men and DC's own New Teen Titans had become rather hot books sales-wise. The two titles had younger, hipper rosters, and were more character-driven in nature. The book's then-writer, Gerry Conway, agreed with this wholeheartedly. As such, in Justice League of America Annual #2 (October 1984), many of the "A-List" Justice League members (Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Flash, etc) left the team. The team's headquarters also went from the Earth-orbiting satellite to a bunker in Detroit. That's why this era is called the "Detroit Era". 

There was also another reason for it: Many of these "A-List" heroes had their own books, and being a shared universe, it makes sense that Conway would have to keep up with what was going on in said solo books and keep those events in mind when writing Justice League of America. As such, removing those characters from the book allowed him more freedom to tell stories focused on the team itself. 

Desperately needing some new blood, the JLA brought in younger superheroes that also, much like the X-Men, were also more diverse: The Latino shockwave-shooting Vibe, the Romani illusionist Gypsy, the cyborg powerhouse Steel, and the model with the powers of the animal kingdom Vixen. Vixen was the only pre-established character of this quartet, having first appeared in Action Comics #521 (July 1981). She was co-created by Gerry Conway and Bob Oksner. Yeah, much like with Firestorm earlier, Conway brought her along to the Justice League.   

However, it didn't quite have the rejuvenating effect that was hoped. The book was seen by fans as a desperate attempt to capture the heat of the aforementioned X-Men and Teen Titans, and Conway's writing of Vibe and Gypsy was seen as stereotypical. It's something that Conway (as well as artist Chuck Patton) would go on to regret. 

My first exposure to an actual story of the Detroit-era team was not from the original comics (I was a baby when they were first published), but a story from the 2005-2008 series JLA Classified. In particular, issues #22-26 (July-September 2006): a four-part flashback story called "A Game of Chance" written by Steve Englehart and featuring art by Tom Derenick (pencils) and Mark Farmer (inks).

The story begins in a place you would not expect: the Canadian Yukon. In particular, a small town named St. Jude. About 200 or so people live here, one of them is this drunk right here.

Page 6, Panel 1

Meet "Slick" Jake MacGregor. He's a prospector with a bitter streak and a drinking problem. The drunk angry man stumbles away from town into the bitter cold. MacGregor is too wrapped up in his grudges, both real and imagined, to notice how cold it is out there and how dangerous it is for him to be in said cold. However, he runs into someone. A strange figure spells the end for "Slick" Jake MagGregor.

Page 7, Panel 4

But this is a book about the Justice League, isn't it? Yes, it is. As such, we should look in on them. The first Leaguers we focus on are veteran Leaguer Aquaman and one of the newbie members of the group at the time: Mari Jiwe McCabe, aka Vixen. Mari advises Arthur to take some time off from the League to go look for his estranged wife Mera. Arthur refuses as she chose to leave him, and he wants to respect it. Vixen thinks that the real reason he's not doing it is because he is afraid to face her. 

The two were married for about seven years according to this comic, and they've been through a lot of triumph and tragedy, most notably the death of Arthur Jr, their baby boy at the hands of Black Manta in Adventure Comics #452 (August 1977). Vixen points out that they've clearly put a lot of work into their marriage. That's something that can't easily be discarded. Arthur just says "maybe" and walks off.

Vixen then smells something good. She follows the scent to the kitchen.

Page 11, Panel 3

Mmm...food...

(Homer drool)

Dale Gunn, the League's resident handyman is making some Texas-style chili, Cindy Reynolds and J'onn J'onzz, the Martian Manhunter, helping out. Cindy slips and is about to cause the chili sauce to spill everywhere.

(Uh oh)

Thankfully, Ralph Dibny, the Elongated Man is able to save the bowl and prevent an awful mess. Sue Dibny drags Ralph out of the room. After all, he promised he'd go jogging with her, and they're going jogging. Cindy grunts that there is no way that Ralph and Sue's marriage can be that happy. It's like they jumped out of a sitcom. J'onn asks if she knows from experience, but Cindy stays quiet, saying that she'll one day tell him about it. Until then, it's her business. 

Over at his suite, Arthur ponders Vixen's words to him. He finds himself admitting that the model-turned-heroine may have had a point about that whole thing with Mera. Maybe that has affected his thinking. Maybe if he had confronted this sooner, he wouldn't have broken up the original Justice League. Maybe he wouldn't have been acting so crazy lately. But enough of this characterization stuff, we're here to see some action!

We head back to St. Jude. It's there we focus on the town's resident constable: Mal Parkins. Parkins may be a lawman, but he's not exactly a good guy. He loves the power that comes with his position, and he's never had any qualms using it for his own gain. He's even taken candy from babies, being all "I'm a cop, what're you gonna do?" He's never regretted his path, until today. A figure smashes his truck, with him in it.

Page 16, Panel 1

The figure rants and raves about "thieves", claiming to be Jake MacGregor. The snowy figure angrily turns his fury on St. Jude, destroying the town. Back to Detroit! Sue and Ralph jog through the city, discussing how things have changed for the League recently. It's broken up by a man telling them there's a brawl going down.

(fight fight fight)

Who is doing the fighting? Well, two of the younger League members: Hank Heywood III/aka the patriotic powerhouse cyborg known as Steel, and Paco Ramone, the breakdancing metahuman known as Vibe.

Page 19, Panel 1

Now, you may be thinking, especially if you know of Vibe from the Arrowverse Flash series, "Wait, Paco Ramone? Isn't his first name Francisco?" Well, yes.

(explanation, please)

Sure. You see, when the DCU hit their New 52 reboot in 2011, Vibe was resurrected as part of it. As part of his revamp (he was also given a new origin story), the character was renamed from Paco to Francisco. That is why when the character was adapted into the 2014 Flash show, he was named Francisco. 

(the more you know)

Anyway, what are Vibe and Steel brawling about? Well, Hank has taken a bit of a shine to Vibe's older sister Rosita. And being the protective younger brother, Vibe doesn't take too kindly to it. Sue and Ralph break up the fight. Rosita convinces Hank (the art messed up making it look like she's talking to Ralph) to ask Vibe permission. Hank does so, and suddenly, he's good with it.

Page 21, Panels 5-6

I admit, I laughed at this a bit. But it's time for the JLA to hop into action. Vibe is especially excited, as he gets to show off his new supersuit.

Page 23, Panel 2

"Yeah, this is certainly the 80s, Ramone." 

Cindy thinks he looks cute, which annoys Vibe, as he wanted to look tough and intimidating. But that will have to be tabled for now, as Aquaman's gone missing, and the League got word of the destruction of St. Jude. There was a survivor, and said survivor reported that the being that did this showed a bunch of familiar powers: Super-strength and heat vision, a sonic scream, super speed, etc. It's obvious who this figure was: Amazo. Thing was, Amazo was last seen being locked up in Superman's Fortress of Solitude in Superman Special #3. How did he get out?

(how)

They'll have to figure that out later. We know the rest of the story from here. MacGregor hated St. Jude, and considering his personality somehow got control of the android, it makes sense he'd use his new power to turn the place into a smoldering ruin. He was last spotted in a forest between Prince George and Dawson Creek, two cities in British Columbia.

When the League arrives, they spot three signs of activity in the area: Ralph spotting movement in the northwest, Steel detecting a warm body out to the west, and Vixen picks up a scent to the south. They can't all be Amazo, as he does not have the power to duplicate himself. As such, the team has to split up.

(let's split up)

Ralph and Cindy will check out the northwest movement he spotted. Steel and Zatanna will head to the west, and Vixen and Vibe will follow the southern scent. Martian Manhunter will stay behind to coordinate. If Amazo is spotted, call and do not engage. Dale Gunn points out that they're facing an unknown enemy. Splitting up the team may not be the best idea. To be fair Dale, Amazo is not unknown, problem is, he's new to this version of the League. J'onn wonders that himself. Sadly, he comes to regret that decision as, well, Amazo decided to show his android mug.

Page 27, Panel 3

"AMAZO WANTS HIS COOKIES BAAAAACK!" 

Using his super-breath, Amazo easily takes care of J'onn and Dale, then flies off. 

We next go to Florida. Aquaman sees a couple promising to love each other forever in the moonlight. The story ends with him diving into the waters, starting his search for Mera. After all, even after everything, a part of him still believes in eternal love.

I have heard it said that the "Detroit Era" was a low point for the Justice League. Honestly, based on this comic, I can't help but find that a bit of an exaggeration as this was a pretty decent solid little story.

Having been reading through some of the Detroit Era League's adventures, I think personally that there was a lot of missed potential. I think it would have been neat to see this "next generation". 

 

JLA #1 (January 1997)

If you're a superhero in the DC Universe, you naturally would have a goal to join the Justice League. After all, the League is the premiere team in this particular superhero universe. They're composed of some of the best and brightest heroes in the DCU. At least, it was supposed to be.

Back in the mid-1990s, the Justice League was in a bit of a slump. Starting in the mid-1980s with the notorious "Detroit Era", the League membership had become a regular mix of stalwarts and new character, as well as having many spinoff books (Justice League Europe, Justice League Quarterly, Extreme Justice, Justice League Task Force, etc). In fact, I took a look at the first issue of one of those spin-off books, Justice League Task Force, right here. The books didn't sell well, and the issues cluttered the comic stores. The JLA as a brand needed a freshening up, and fast.

DC decided to bring the JLA back to its roots, as it were. The group would be a gathering of their greatest and most iconic superheroes. As such, they cancelled all the spin-off books, as again, they were not selling well). In 1996, a Justice League team was formed in the miniseries Justice League: A Midsummer's Nightmare written by Mark Waid and Fabian Nicieza. But it would not be until this series that the JLA would be truly reborn. So, let's take a look at the true rebirth and return to glory of the Justice League in JLA #1!

The cover is a Howard Porter and John Dell piece. It's pretty neat, even though it's a bit basic. It's just showing the membership of the new League. I do think it fits, though. The whole point of this book is the birth of a new League. I do like the masthead logo. It's big, bright, and glorious. A fitting logo for a team returning to glory.

"THEM!"
Writer: Grant Morrison
Penciler: Howard Porter
Inker: John Dell
Colorists: Pat Garrahy, Heroic Age
Letterer: Ken Lopez
Editor: Ruben Diaz
Executive Editor: Mike Carlin

The story begins in Washington, DC. In particular, the White House. The skies over the building suddenly went dark.

It's not someone playing a prank, it turns out that there's a big ol' flying saucer hovering over the building. And considering that this is the DC Universe, this is likely a regular Tuesday.

The members of the Justice League at the time (Nuklon, Metamorpho, Obsidian, and Icemaiden) discover the ship and wonder how it got past their own Refuge's detection systems. Yes, the League's headquarters at the time (The Justice League Refuge) was an escape pod from ship that was previously used by a supervillain called the Overmaster. As for how this saucer was able to evade them, I think they borrowed a cloaking device from the Romulans. Metamorpho isn't worried, because Superman is on the case. 

The spaceship drops what looks like a bunch of large eggs on the front lawn in front of the Man of Steel, the President, and a group of Checkmate agents. Mmm...eggs...

Superman examines the "eggs" with his X-Ray vision, but they're opaque to it. Basically, he can't see into them. Something emerges from these "eggs", but Superman suggests the Checkmate agents stand down until they know what is going on here. For all they know, it could be just a bunch of alien tourists doing some sight-seeing. The Metropolis Marvel turns out to be half-right. The "eggs" do indeed reveal a bunch of aliens.

Meet the Hyperclan. They're a group of superpowered nomads from another world. Said homeworld was destroyed, leaving this bunch the only survivors. They have been floating around the universe for millions of years, looking or a new home. They introduce themselves and give their origins. Their world was destroyed by environmental neglect and greed, and they want to prevent that happening to Earth. This announcement is watched by a group of superheroes: The Wally West Flash in Keystone City.

Page 6. Panels 4-5

Wonder Woman in Gateway City. The Kyle Rayner Green Lantern in New York City. J'onn J'onnz, the Martian Manhunter, in Denver. To show what they can do, they take the Sahara Desert and turn it into a forest.

Superman is interviewed about this, and in this interview, he raises a good point. The Sahara Desert is not some lifeless wasteland. It has an ecosystem of its own and just making it into a rainforest can do some potentially serious damage. Not to mention that this whole thing is a spectacle. There's no real point to it. The way the Man of Steel sees it, superpowered heroes are supposed to inspire people to become better, not make humanity into pampered lapdogs. However, some are basically all like "Aw, Superman is just jealous!" 

With the Hyperclan in action, new things are going down. One moment is especially important. The Hyperclan captured themselves a group of supervillains. One of them is an obscure villain called Judgment, who first appeared in Justice League America #96 (February 1995). He screams for mercy, saying what they are doing is illegal and inhuman. Protex, the leader of the Hyperclan, disdains the villain's hypocrisy. Here he is, screaming about the law while he used his power to harm and kill people indiscriminately. Criminals are indeed a superstitious and cowardly lot. As such, for his crimes, the Hyperclan eye beam him to death.

Page 10, Panel 3

This has driven several prominent supervillains into hiding. The executions seem to deter supercrime, and the Hyperclan's actions are gaining popularity. Up in the Refuge, Metamorpho grumbles about the group's names, saying that they sound like they came from a bad action figure line. I mean, he's not completely wrong. A-Mortal? Zenturion? Armek? Primaid? Zum? Fluxus? Tronix? To me, they sound like bad superhero comic names. Kyle teases Rex about his own codename, which makes Metamorpho ask if the then-new and only Green Lantern if he should be making sandcastles with the Teen Titans. Basically, he's telling Kyle to shut up.

The tower's sensors pick up some intruders heading towards it.

Page 11, Panel 5

The intruders hit the headquarters with an EMP. Said pulse shorts out the main system. And then they take out the backups.

Nuklon thinks it's the Hyperclan. Whoever the intruders are, they manage to breach the Refuge's hull.

Red alert indeed. The infiltrators are wrecking the satellite, and the gang need to get out of there. 

Metamorpho tells Kyle to use his ring to distract them while he helps evacuate. Diana gives him some backup. The League discover that the escape shuttles are wrecked. There's no time to repair them, so Metamorpho has to improvise. 

Page 15, Panels 2-5

Kyle and Diana give quite a fight, but they could not save the satellite. It goes up in a ball of fire.

Metamorpho heads towards Earth but gets fried by the heat generated by the friction from hitting the atmosphere. On Earth, the Hyperclan unearth an artifact.

Page 18, Panel 4

The Justice League make it safely to Earth, with Metamorpho the worst for wear. The next day, Superman and Flash are running (well, flying in Clark's case) down a street. Superman reports that he found the Leaguers and brought them to the hospital. Nuklon, Obsidian, and Icemaiden are badly hurt, but they could have been worse. Metamorpho is...well, the best term the doctors could use to describe his condition is...inert. Not exactly hale and hearty, but not exactly dead either. Afterwards, Superman activated the priority alarm.

Diana, Kyle, Wally, J'onn, and Clark gather up, the news pointing out that the Justice League's approval rating is still dropping, despite the destruction of the satellite, and people are angrier that the Hyperclan have been implied to be the cause of it. Protex did an interview accusing the League of trying to manufacture a confrontation with his group. 

Superman arrives, saying he asked Protex about it. The golden-skinned wannabe Oscar statue denied the Hyperclan were responsible, but Superman knows he's lying. Presumably because of his super-senses, but also, Clark is an investigative reporter in his civilian life. 

We get a nice little bit here with Kyle Rayner wondering if the Hyperclan have had a point about their actions. Maybe the League should do more. It makes sense that he'd be the one to raise this point. Remember, at this time, Kyle Rayner is the newest of any of the superheroes that appear in this comic. He would be more open to new ideas on superheroing than even Wally West. 

Aquaman hasn't responded to the alarm yet. Batman seemingly hasn't, either. But he did...an hour ago.

 Page 21, Panel 5

Superman noticed that he didn't pick up Batman's heartbeat. Which he should have done, considering his powers. Batman just mutters "the gadget" worked. The Dark Knight inquires if Superman can detect microwaves.

No, not the cooking kind of microwaves, the form of electromagnetic energy. It's not a problem for the Man of Steel. He notices that there is a spike of activity on the 7 hertz frequency. The sources are objects in orbit. It's the frequency the human brain operates on, which leads Batman to deduce there's mental manipulation at work. There's an invasion going down, and the League needs to hit back...and hit hard. 

I enjoyed this issue. It's clear that Morrison and Porter's goal with this book is to bring the JLA back to its former glory, and a group of superpowered aliens would seemingly be a perfect way to get the DCU's best and brightest heroes on the case. I do think the mystery of the Hyperclan's true identity is a bit rushed, though. I mean it's not hard to guess what Z'onn Z'orr alludes to. And I did feel a bit sad about the previous League being dispatched. I get why, but it still seems a bit sad. They were still Leaguers, after all. Yeah, they may not be regarded as part of a legendary era, but still.

If you want to read this for yourself, I recommend tracking down the 2008 trade paperback JLA: Volume 1. Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you liked it, show it off! Take care of yourselves and each other! See you next time!

Justice League International #15 (July 1988)

Back in March 2022, I took a look at Justice League International #14 (June 1988). I had figured that since I had looked at an issue of Aquaman last week, why not stay in the DCU for a while? After all, I may be a Marvel head at heart, I am a big fan of DC, too. Funny enough, I chose this comic at random. I did not intend to follow up on a previous review. But this coincidence was a nice one. And I love the JLI, so that was even better! So, let's take a look at Justice League International #15!

The cover is a Steve Leialoha piece. I love it. This cover is awesome. It depicts Manga Khan front and center showing a hologram of the Earth. Behind him are screens showing the JLI and G'nort doing what they can, while Khan is throwing a sales pitch. You can have the Earth, and all for one low price: the lives of the JLI. It makes him look like a menacing supervillain, while subtly showing that he's ultimately a salesman. 

"Gnort and South"
Writers: Keith Giffen and J.M. DeMatteis
Pencilers: Steve Leialoha
Inkers: Al Gordon
Colorist: Gene D'Angelo
Letterer: Bob Lappan
Editor: Andrew Helfer
Executive Editor: Dick Giordano

The story begins with Lord Manga witnessing the Cluster being attacked. He demands that his robotic assistant L-Ron tell him who would dare do this. L-Ron tells him it's a Green Lantern Corpsman. The Corpsman is not the member that is assigned to this sector of space. This means either this Lantern has gone Cowboy Cop...or is a complete blithering idiot. And considering that this is the JLI we're talking about, which do you think it is? 

L-Ron tries to assure Manga that everything is fine, and this one GL isn't going to cause any real harm. And considering which GL it is...

"All I did was ask for a cup of sugar!"

Yeah, I can see why they're not worried. For those not in the know, this is G'nort. He's not really the brightest of beings, but he does have a loyal streak and he has a hero's heart. G'nort manages to destroy Khan's ship's cloaking shield. And the ship's main power unit. Khan realizes he needs to up the timetable. Time to attack Earth!

Oberon notices the League's sensors picking up the fleet on the way to attack. The readings are so intense, they literally blow out the power monitor.

"Blasted cheap monitors! Last time I shop in a back alley!"

Oberon calls in the troops. The Justice League are here to save the day!

Mr. Miracle is able to track the surge to the Australian Outback. Booster wishes that Guy Gardner is with them, as they could use his power. Beatriz da Costa, aka the Green Flame, points out that she and Tora Olafsdottir, aka Icemaiden, can back them up. Thye may be on probation (they're not full League members yet), but they can still help. Out in space, the Martian Manhunter, Rocket Red, and Captain Atom are on a STAR Labs shuttle. They intend to keep the fleet from reaching Earth. Yeah, three superheroes and a space shuttle. That'll stop a fleet.

Meanwhile on Earth, the League arrives in Australia and find this big complex waiting for them.

"You guys think this place has a McDonalds? I'm hungry."

The heroes get attacked by one of Khan's armored troops. Meanwhile, out in space, the three Leaguers are trying to fight the fleet. Captain Atom is especially having trouble. Thing is, they're fighting an army. Captain Atom is a soldier, so he has to think like a soldier. That gives him an idea.

He suggests that the debris from the battle can be used to their advantage. Since he and J'onn both have superhuman strength, they can use it to batter the Cluster's fighter craft. A nice bit of psychological warfare. Make them think they're going up against something they can't stop.

I can imagine that they can also use chunks of debris as cover. The Martian is skeptical, but since nobody has any better ideas, he's going with it. A fighter manages to get a bead on the two, but G'nort makes the save.

"Eat THAT, Batman!"

Back on Earth, the rest of the League are battling two of Manga Khan's troopers. 

Scott notes that the future Fire and Ice have been pretty helpful, but the team could use some more muscle as Gardner isn't with them, not to mention as shown earlierm J'onn, Captain Atom, and Rocket Red are in space. He thinks his beloved wife Barda would fit the bill. After all, she's a powerhouse herself: Super strong, very durable, skilled hand-to-hand combatant, she got power armor and her Mega-Rod weapon. But now is not the time to think about recruiting, it's time for Mr. Miracle to do what he does best: work a miracle. Scott makes his way inside the complex, one of the big troopers chasing him in. This allows the others to worry about his twin. 

And the superhero bubble was about to burst.

I'm sure they'll be fine. So, how's the Space Crew doing?

"You messed with the wrong guy! I'm a champion at Asteroids!"

They're doing fine. G'nort, despite his reputation for incompetence, is actually shown to be pretty helpful. The remaining fighter craft retreat, confusing J'onn. After all, there's still a lot of ships. Manga Khan's forces could still overwhelm the planet. But the reason is simple: this operation is no longer profitable. Remember, Lord Manga Khan is an intergalactic trader. He's a businessman. Continuing the fight with the League likely will cause him to have to spend more on ships, pilots, etc. And he likely would not be able to recoup those costs with this operation. So, yeah. Time to write off the losses and get out of here.

Naturally, on Earth, the big trooper trying to take down Booster Gold, Blue Beetle, Green Flame, and Ice Maiden also returns to the complex in Australia. There's one problem: Mr. Miracle is still inside. And the complex is leaving.

"Did they think we were Jehovah's Witnesses?"

Naturally, the League has to tell his wife Barda about this. And of course, she is not a happy camper about it. After all, he said he'd do the dishes tonight. She grabs her armor, and it's time for the League to go rescue him. Later on, the League are heading out to get Scott. Well, some of them. Booster Gold, Blue Beetle, Green Flame, and Ice Maiden are left to mind the store, as it were. As they converse, they wonder where Guy is off to. The story ends with that question answered.

"No Guy, I will not tell Booster my hobo soup recipe."

Yeah, turns out he's in Gotham, looking for Batman. 

I enjoyed this issue, but then again, I freakin' love the JLI. I know that some may find the heroes' endless bantering a bit annoying, I can understand that. I always saw this banter as basically similar to the sarcastic humor that we see characters use in police dramas. It's a way of dealing with the craziness of the job. Superheroing is dangerous work, after all. But I love the bantering between Manga Khan and L-Ron the robot. It's honestly one of the funniest aspects of the book. It's like Manga Khan wants to play the "dramatic supervillain", but he can't quite pull it off. 

I also do like the portrayal of G'nort here. Many like to emphasize his goofier characteristics, like his supposed stupidity and incompetence, but he does show some skills in Green Lantern ringslinging. Which should make sense. G'nort may have gotten into the Green Lantern Corps due to a family connection (wouldn't be the first time. Look at Arisia Rrab, who comes from a whole family of GLs), but he wouldn't have been allowed to stay in the Corps if he did not demonstrate some skills and brains. He certainly had the willpower to be a GL.

While Kevin Maguire is considered the artist associated with the JLI, Steve Leialoha does pencil duties here, like he did with the last issue. I do enjoy his art here. As i said with the last issue, his has that cartoony vibe and his characters are expressive, which helps sell the comedy. It is a bit scratchier and less "realistic" than Maguire, but it's fine. It works. 

If you want to read this for yourself, I recommend tracking down the 2008 trade paperback Justice League International Vol. 3. Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you liked it, show it off! Take care of yourselves and each other! See you next time! 

JLA/Titans #1 (December 1998)

Like many of DC's most popular superhero teams, the Teen Titans has a long and storied history. In real-world publication, God knows what in-universe anymore. The team has gone through many changes, and quite a lot of heroes have called themselves members over the years. Many have gone on to become popular stalwarts of the DC Universe, while others have fallen into obscurity. 

In 1998, the DCU was without a Titans team. The second volume of the series had been canceled, but there was always a need for a place for teenage superheroes in the DCU to belong. So, Devin Grayson and Phil Jiminez provided the world with a three-issue story that would not only set the stage for the rebirth of the Teen Titans, but also feature them clashing with the Justice League. This is JLA/Titans #1!

The cover is a Phil Jiminez piece, and it's really good. It depicts the Teen Titans clashing with the JLA. Tells you what to expect in this miniseries, really.

"One of Ours"
Writer: Devin Grayson
Penciler: Phil Jiminez
Inker: Andy Lanning
Colorist: Jason Wright
Letterer: Comicraft
Editor: Eddie Berganza
Executive Editor: Mike Carlin

The story begins with Starfire flying her way through space. However, she's not doing it for pleasure. The Tamaranian princess is fleeing for her life. 

What exactly has gotten the Titans' resident warrior princess all freaked out? Well, she is being pursued by a large silver sphere. As she tries to blast and evade it, we see her thoughts about her time in the New Teen Titans, glimpses of battles with the likes of Baron Sebastian Blood, Deathstroke, Trigon. The group had gone through its fair share of good times and hard times, but the Titans always came through. After all, the Titans were a family first and foremost.  

On Earth, Garfield Logan, aka Beast Boy/Changeling, is thinking the same thing. With him is Antonia "Toni" Monetti, aka Argent. Like Logan, she was a former Teen Titan, from the 90s-era Titans. She was part of a group of half-alien superhuman teenagers. 

Logan laments that there are no more Teen Titans, and thanks to that, both he and Toni are now alone and feeling rather directionless. Argent recalls that Garfield traveled with his best friend Victor "Cyborg" Stone in space for a while. He did while reminding her that Vic now went by Cyberion. And he returned to Earth because his friend started acting really weird. But before Garfield can elaborate, the two hear an alarm. It turns out the two have a pair of guests.

Meet Prysm and Fringe, two of Argent's ex-teammates in the 90s-era Titans. Last time she saw them, they had decided to stay in space with the H'San Natall, the alien race that fathered them and Argent. They came to Earth to give a warning. Something wrecked half of the H'San Natall's empire, and it's coming to Earth. As they speak, Starfire is captured by the silver orb. And former Titan Lilith Clay, aka Omen, senses a disaster with her precognitive powers.

On the JLA's Moon-based Watchtower, members of the JLA are making some upgrades to the Watchtower's power core with some New Genesis tech provided by JLA members Big Barda and Orion. Among the JLA members there are the Wally West Flash and the Kyle Rayner Green Lantern. Kyle is still weirded out by the events of DC One Million, so Wally goes to visit the Hall of Heroes, the place where fallen JLA members are immortalized...like Wally's uncle Barry Allen and Hal Jordan, Kyle's predecessor as Green Lantern. 

The Martian Manhunter telepathically hears Omen crying out about danger, and an explosion hits. 

Thankfully for the JLA, this wasn't caused by Orion eating baked beans. Again.😬 The explosion knocks out all the electronics on the Watchtower. Wally spots the silver orb outside.

"J'onn, this is why you never order appliances on Temu!"

Orion and Green Lantern go check it out. The Martian Manhunter senses that the sphere is not a living being. Meanwhile, Starfire finds herself back on Tamaran with her family...and her children. But something seems off.

Starfire points out this can't be real, as everyone else looks washed out. But seriously, Tamaran was destroyed, she has no children, and her parents are dead. Yeah, her homeworld got blowed up real good in New Titans #128 (December 1995). 

A computer hears this and updates its files accordingly. On Earth, Barbara "Oracle" Gordon's computers go bananas. And it's not just hers. Electronics all over the planet are going crazy. Back in space, Orion and Green Lantern see the orb sending out objects all over the Earth. Superman in Metropolis and Zauriel in San Francisco report that panic is erupting thanks to said electronic devices going crazy. In Gotham, the Helena Bertinelli Huntress and Tim Drake Robin are working to keep things calm when a strange machine appears before Robin.

"...did the Martian Manhunter order an appliance on Temu again?" 

The machine scans Robin, then leaves. The robot was after someone, and Tim was not the target. Another probe captures Green Lantern. Two more manage to get inside the Watchtower. One captures Atom and another goes after the Flash. 

In New York City, a probe appears before Sarah Charles, Victor Stone's ex-girlfriend and his grandparents. However, it leaves, presumably looking for Cyborg himself. A S.T.A.R. Labs space station reports something coming from Mars's orbit. And it's big.

In Themyscira, it's learned a probe captured Donna Troy. In Boston, Wonder Woman reports that natural disasters and extreme weather is erupting. Another probe gets the second Terra in Markovia. Beast Boy, Argent, Prysm, and Fringe are captured next. Wally West seemingly fights off his probe...and ends up greeted by his (at the time) late uncle Barry. Yeah, he got caught, too.

The League tells Orion to follow the probes, but not to fire on them. They want to know where these things are going. Orion points out these things are converging on a point on the East Coast of North America. He also spots a golden light following them. Steel also spots something, the source of all the disasters on Earth. Some big technological thing is trying to eat the Moon!

Atlantis is also being affected, and it's revealed the probes got Tempest. In Arizona, Arsenal is captured. Same with Red Star, Pantha, and Baby Wildebeest in Russia. Off of Manhattan Island, Batman calls for all JLA members who are on Earth to gather on his position. Plastic Man appears, revealing he found what Batman sent him to find.

Out in space, Orion finds that the mechanical monster trying to eat the Moon is actually composed of parts of various ships it likely encountered in the past. An enraged Orion fires on the hulk with his Astro-harness, and it causes the disasters on Earth to get worse. Nice work, Orion. 

Supergirl (the Linda Danvers/Matrix incarnation) is captured in Leesburg, and Cameron Chase reports the same's been done to Damage. As Barda and J'onn stop Orion, Max Mercury calls in, revealing that Impulse has been taken, as well as Rose Wilson. Max notes that as Bart was taken, he said that this was just like something called the "Omegadro-". 

Elsewhere, the holographic Barry Allen tries to talk to Wally, but like with Starfire before him, he knows something is very off. He starts to vibrate at superhuman speed, and he is free of the illusion. And there's something else waiting for him. Or someone.

Nightwing spots Batman leaping down towards him...to give him a hug. He then grins at the confused Bludhaven-based vigilante, only for the former original Robin to realize "Yeah, you ain't Bats, I'm out."

He finds Beast Boy on a film set, with members of the Doom Patrol and in his original purple appearance. Yeah, when he debuted originally, Beast Boy was purple. He turned green later on. With the help of a Tibetan mental technique, Dick gets himself and Garfield back into reality. The two, alongside Wally and Raven, find the missing Titans.

“Man, this hotel sucks!"

Nightwing looks over the people trapped, including the likes of Herald, Flamebird, and Bumblebee. Back on Earth, the JLA gather, and discuss what to do next. Batman points out that they are on Titans Island, the former location of the old Teen Titans HQ. More ex-Titans vanish. Mirage. Risk. Joto. Jarras Minion. Captain Marvel Jr./CM3. Batman reveals he found the missing Titans. They're under the island, hostages of the being who is currently trying to eat the moon. Back underground, the four try to figure out who is responsible for this. But Garfield Logan knows who it is. And it's someone they did not expect...

Yes, the kidnapper...is Victor Stone, the former Cyborg himself. That big mechanical mess is him...what's presumably left of him, anyway.

This is a really fun story, and one that I think is one of DC's more underrated works. One of the reasons I love this story is that it's a celebration of the history of the Teen Titans up to that point in time. I admit, I chuckled a bit when Nightwing instantly realized that he was in an illusory world when Batman smiled at him. 

You can't really tell a story like this with modern DC, as a story like this needs a long history and canon to draw from, and the current DC Universe really doesn't have a solid backstory or history anymore. 

If you want to read this for yourself, I recommend tracking down the 1999 trade paperback JLA/Titans: The Technis Imperative. Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you liked it, show it off!