DC Retroactive: JLA - The '80s #1 (October, 2011)

Steel: "Guess somebody forgot to tell them we're just the second string." A school bus had pulled up outside the Detroit League's headquarters, the Bunker.

Vibe: "So now we're giving tours to school kids?"

Aquaman: "For years the old JLA orbited the Earth in a satellite, Hank. We looked down on the world-- literally. One of the reasons I accepted your grandfather's offer of this factory was the opportunity it presented to ground our new League-- again, literally. Here in Detroit, the League is part of the community.

Sue Dibny: Back home visiting her mother.

Elongated Man: Loving the tour, and wishing his wife could do the same. "She loves kids. One of these days we're going to have a big family."

Martian Manhunter: "Children are precious among my people as well, Ralph. Still... for reasons I cannot articulate, I feel apprehensive."

Felix Faust: Taking advantage of the deep depression that choked the Motor City once the car manufacturers went elsewhere, the sorcerer used an ancient tablet to cast a spell that turned its citizens into monsters.

Lamont: A jerky kid on the tour who complained about the absence of real heroes from the League. "You guys are nobodies. Just a bunch'a losers."

Geoff: Another kid bearing an uncanny resemblance to a certain future writer/executive who came to the Detroit League's defense.



Zatanna: Offered to break the tension by showing the kids some magic, but they were blown away by the real deal when Faust came calling. The League were tossed around like rag dolls by his beasts.

Dale Gunn: Suggested the medical lab as the best position to retreat to, since it could be hermetically sealed behind a vault door. Ten hours after the start of the tour, and everyone was trapped by monsters.

Vixen: One of the few members to maintain her positive outlook. She had cheered Geoff on, and even when her planned kicking of some ass ended with a dragon's tail sending her flying, she kept it together. While trapped, she checked on the unconscious Elongated Man, Dale Gunn, and Martian Manhunter. She also caught the wounded but defiant Aquaman as he collapsed toward the end of a speech intended to hearten the troops.

Zatanna: Still on her feet to look over the fallen Vibe and Gypsy.

Steel: Tried to hold the line against the monsters, but any effort on his part ended with him flying and the locking vault saving his armored tushie. Hank mocked Aquaman's speech, and once again branded his team "light-weight wannabess. Vibe, Gypsy, me-- even Vixen-- we're not good enough to be part of your precious League."

Aquaman: Argued otherwise, but still called Hank a spoiled brat whose granddaddy's bucks gave him a sense of entitlement. Steel rushed Aquaman, who rolled onto his back and kicked Hank across the room.

Geoff: Convinced the team that heroes helped people rather than fighting amongst themselves.

Aquaman: Ordered Dale, Elongated Man and Gypsy to guide the children out of the Bunker to safety while the rest of the team ran interference. Gypsy protested, but Aquaman explained, "forgive me, but you're just a child. You deserve the chance to grow up. Just like these kids. They need you to do this. I need you to do this."

Zatanna: Determined from something her father told her long ago that Faust must have used the Tablet of Tel El-Amarna, stolen from Iraq, to conjure the monsters out of men. Beyond helping the children, Zee wanted the tablet targeted.

Steel, Aquaman and Martian Manhunter: Caught the vault door when it was finally burst in, and tossed it back at the monsters. The rest of the team fought hard and followed orders... except for Gypsy.



Vibe: Flat on his back as Felix Faust gloated over how his massacre of the Detroit League would serve to bring the real heroes into his murderous clutches. Vibe was playing possum, and spit in Faust's face while telling him "...bite me."

Gypsy: Invisibly swiped the tablet and smashed it to pieces over Faust's noggin. "For a guy wearing a pointy hat, you sure do think a lot of yourself." The monsters vanished, saving everyone's life.

Aquaman: "Gypsy, I told you to go with Ralph and Dale. You disobeyed a direct order... Good job."

Creators: "Siege" was by Gerry Conway and Ron Randall.

Whether you enjoy the team for the kitsch factor of its instantly dated fad jumping or recognize that the team starred in several of the best story arcs ever featured in JLofA volume I, there seems to be enduring affection that keeps readers and creators coming back to revisit this team. A shame then that Conway doesn't seem to share it anymore. Part of the joy of his early issues with the team was its unrelenting, meta-defensive optimism in the face of scrutiny in both the stories and the letter columns. Later writers even used that unmerited self-esteem as a means of generating poetic irony, these poor doomed fools believing they would someday earn a place among titans when most would instead die violently or fade into obscurity. Conway, in an about face, starts this story with the team unanimously agreeing that they suck and their incompetence was going to cost a bunch of innocent lives. Not only is that a downer, but in giving in after all these years, Conway seems as clueless about his team's retroactive appeal today as he was their complete unsuitability while he was writing them the first time.

The characters aren't in character and their powers are downplayed to suit an unimpressive threat. I guess Zatanna is consistent at least, since Conway never wrote her worth a damn. I'll acknowledge Gypsy as well, since she had a few occasions of playing David-out-of-a-box to the Goliath of the month in the original series. The bland art by Ron Randall doesn't do any favors, especially when the only thing keeping his Dale Gunn from being 100% Caucasian is someone failing to tell the colorist that this book would be printed on cheap stock. It was obviously meant for glossy, because the colors are uniformly murky.

DC Retroactive

• Wonder Woman - The '80s #1 (DC, 2011) @ Diana Prince
• JLA - The '90s #1 (October, 2011) @ The Idol-Head of Diabolu
• JLA - The '70s #1 (September, 2011) @ Power of the Atom
• The Huntress in "Trial by Fire" (October/November, 1978) @ DC Bloodlines

The Vixen in Justice League of America Annual #2 (1984)

The Justice League Satellite had been ripped apart by the Earth/Mars War, and so had the team itself. Green Lantern, Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman, the Flash, and the Atom had all quit or were seemingly derelict in their duties. Aquaman's son was dead, his wife had left him, and his kingdom was fine without him. The Sea King decided to commit to the Justice League with all the vigor his fellow founders lacked, and demanded the same of any who would serve with him. Red Tornado, Green Arrow, Black Canary, Firestorm, Hawkman and Hawkwoman had lives to live beyond the super-team, so that the JLA as it once stood was no more. Aquaman officially dissolved the group, then began rebuilding anew. Zatanna, Elongated Man, and his wife Sue Dibny agreed to live for the team, 24/7. Martian Manhunter, now a permanent expatriate from Mars II, agreed to do the same. While they would form the core of a new collective, additional members and new headquarters would be needed.

At a photography studio in Mid-Manhattan, Mari McCabe was in the midst of a photo shoot when she heard the news on a television. Danny the shutterbug had a deadline, but Mari quit right then and there. That same night, the Vixen donned her new costume and tracked the JLA to a temporary suite on the 23rd floor of the New York Hilton. She was spotted by Zee through a window climbing outside the building. The Lady Fox clawed her way up to the roof, reached just before Aquaman burst out from the stairwell. Vixen tackled the Sea King, but was blown away by magical winds. Elongated Man stretched to grab Vixen, but she leaped onto his head, then back, then over the ledge. While flying through the air, the She-Fox was caught in the Martian Manhunter's enlarged grasp.



J'Onn J'Onzz plopped Vixen down on the ground, where she was encircled by heroes, yet remained nonplussed. "'Female, explain yourself'-- I'm gonna choke, you guys are so funny. *Snort* HaHaHa!" J'Onzz took offense at her laughter. "Not at you, big, green and handsome. You're much too cute." Vixen introduced herself, thinking Superman might have mentioned her after the two adventures they had together from when she still wore her blue and gold outfit. She wanted to join up, and the recently separated Aquaman admitted "Well, we need more members... and she certainly has style. She's got my vote." No actual voting took place, but one wonders how that might have turned out.

Almost immediately, the new hero Steel talked the Justice League into inducting him, with the incentive of their own jetship and a new hi-tech headquarters in Detroit, Michigan. "I'm impressed, kid. Built this yourself with a tinkertoy set?" Vixen was more impressed by Steel's surrogate father, Dale Gunn. "Hey, handsome..." Curiously, Zatanna was also interested in the balding, middle-aged chocolate champion, so Mari smirked, "Careful. I saw him first."

The team settled in Detroit, and during a grocery run with Steel, or rather "Hank" while they were in plainclothes, the pair discovered the metahuman punk Vibe. They petitioned Aquaman to include him on the team, but were refused. Steel took it hard, confiding that of the group, he only liked Ralph, Sue, and the "terrific" Mari. Vibe showed up at the League's doorstep anyway, and while his attempts to pick up Mari were shrugged off, his final membership was not.



Later that night, the invisible Gypsy tried to break into the base, setting off alarms. Vixen had her own personalized kimono, and caught Zatanna leaving Dale's company in a translucent nightgown. She grinned, "Gunn and Zatanna, hm? Girl, I told you I saw him first." The juvenile Gypsy was the one prospective member refused initial admission, but she escaped before her delinquency could be discussed with local authorities.

The neighborhood threw a surprise party for their new heroes, and Vixen joined Vibe for a dance.

Gerry Conway, Chuck Patton & Dave Hunt present "--The End of the Justice League!" While there are a few nods to the old Vixen, lover Solomon Samuels was clearly out of the picture. The Lady Fox was clearly on the prowl, and in a vastly superior costume that actually evoked a freakin' fox. This fun-loving, kittenish Vixen is my favorite take on the character, and Patton my favorite artist.

The Bronze Age

• Wonder Woman #290 (April, 1982) @ Diana Prince
• Manhunter in Detective Comics #439 (February-March, 1974) @ The Idol-Head of Diabolu
• The Atom in Brave and the Bold #152 (July, 1979) @ Power of the Atom
• The Huntress in "Gotham Town Is Burning Down!" (August/September, 1978) @ DC Bloodlines

Back Issue #40 (May, 2010): “Foxy Lady: The Vixen”

TwoMorrows Publishing’s Back Issue magazine features a section called “Greatest Stories Never Told,” which examines various comic book tales that either never made it into print, or did so in a form heavily altered from the original intention. For instance, interviewer John Schwirian discussed Gerry Conway’s initial plans for his co-creation (with artist Bob Oksner) of the first major black super-heroine at DC Comics, the Vixen. The Lady Fox’s debut comic book story missed its scheduled appearance in her own self-titled bimonthly series in 1978, instead ending up cataloged in the copyright-securing Xeroxed “print run” of Cancelled Comics Cavalcade given out to staffers and kept on file. The book was lettered up to the penultimate page, but never colored. No further work was done on the comic, besides a script by Bob Rozakis for a planned back-up feature in the second issue meant to star Harlequin.

Vixen’s first appearance in a title that was actually circulated came three years later in a team-up with Superman. After one more such guest spot three years later, Vixen finally made a minor splash as a member of the “new” Detroit-based Justice League of America, in an entirely different costume with a revised origin from the one held back from the public six years prior. It would be another quarter century before Vixen finally got a solo mini-series.

Getting back to the character’s origins, Gerry Conway was one of the premier writer/editors employed by DC to help glut the market, in a bid to pull market share away from Marvel Comics. This special talent required coming up with unexplored angles that might draw in new readers. The only black super-heroine most people knew of in 1978 was Storm, well before the X-Men were the industry juggernaut they would become in the ‘80s. Conway saw a need for more, and tried to come up with a unique power set for his developing creation. “Quite a few heroes had ‘animal’ powers… but I liked the idea of a hero who’d have many different abilities to draw on… I was aware of Animal Man, but that was a character who hadn’t been used in almost a decade, and I felt my take on the idea was different enough… I liked the idea of tying Vixen’s powers to her heritage, making her more than just another ‘lucky accident’ kind of hero.”

Conway flew by the seat of his pants, Stan Lee style, so he only had vague ideas of where the book would have gone beyond the first story. No further use of the African background was planned, as the Vixen was meant to be a pure urban vigilante from then on. “I hoped to write the series for a long time and develop the character... letting the stories themselves suggest future events as I wrote them.” However, the Vixen material lay fallow, even as other cancelled books from the “DC Implosion” were repurposed in surviving titles. Conway confided, “Honestly, I don’t think anyone was that wild about how the first issue turned out.” Still, “I loved the character, and wanted to see her in print anywhere it was possible.” The first opportunity was the aforementioned Action Comics, followed a few years later by a DC Comics Presents team-up.



Conway was part of the team hoping to revamp the Justice League of America as another young, hip, soapy super-team along the lines of The Uncanny X-Men and The New Teen Titans. It instead fell a bit short of the low bar set by Batman and the Outsiders, mixing leftover C-listers with Conway creations both old (Vixen & Steel) and new (Vibe & Gypsy.) “I wasn’t happy with her original look, and saw this as an opportunity to start over. Mostly, I wanted to make her more interesting.”

The team book’s artist, Chuck Patton, was asked to redeem Vixen visually. “I do remember at the time, that I followed Oksner’s initial design for Vixen—but I did not like the overall color scheme. I believe she was dressed then in some kind of light bluish and yellow that I thought was just awful. The goal of the new Justice League was to bring a younger but harder-edged appearance to the team rather than the Old Guard's primary colors.” Of Vixen, Conway noted, "I wanted her to balance Gypsy's youth and inexperience with a more seasoned, mature approach. Making Vixen's character more ‘edgy’ was an attempt to bring a different kind of energy to the team.”

Patton continued, “Gerry's description of her stayed basically to how he created her— same as before—but he was open to however I wanted to visually interpret her. So first thing first—I needed her looking more earthy and sexy—so I changed her colors to an earthier color palette—to denote not only the fox aspect of her identity but also her African origins as well… I wanted her to be majestic, powerful, and roguish… However, a 'vixen' isn't exactly known as such a creature. So I turned to Marvel Comics for inspiration. I revised her hairdo to reflect a wild animal approach, again utilizing a fox-like image, but I didn't want her wearing a mask and becoming a black Catwoman... What I was going for was to literally make her a female Wolverine… Hey, I was young and fairly impressionable back then… I was also using Grace Jones as my real-life model for Vixen—and Grace wore many a wild wig in her day! …Of the new Justice Leaguers' outfits I created, I was and still am most proud of Vixen.”

I agree with Patton’s assessment, even though it may seem like damning with faint praise, given the company. I really do like the suit, and despite the similarities to Timber Wolf and Wolverine, I wish she had retained more of Patton’s contributions through successive reworking. Regardless, the fact that Vixen has managed to stay in print for most of the years since her reintroduction is certainly a credit to Conway and Patton. Also deserving of credit is John Schwirian for his excellent write-up, available in full here.

Justice League of America #178 (May, 1980)

The Atom and Aquaman arrived aboard the Justice League Satellite via an instantaneous transporter tube. They were met by Zatanna, Batman, Green Arrow, Black Canary and Superman. “How come everyone looks so glum?” Aquaman replied, “I think ‘grim’ is a more appropriate word, Atom… and I expect your expressions reflect the reason for this emergency meeting!”

Zatanna explained that through her monitor duty, she realized the various attacks on League members by giant animated chess pieces had to be connected. “Isn’t it obvious what’s happening? You were in the opening gambit of some cosmic chess game, manipulated by some unseen force! A force that can attack again, at any moment, without warning!”

Ollie Queen, self-important boob that he was, denied that any of this affected his role as Star City’s “ordinary folk” protector. The bishop that materialized in a transporter whose high-density plastisteel booth was shattered by a staff that subsequently put Green Arrow on his sorry ass made a convincing counter argument. Superman and Batman were subsequently struck by eyebeams of kryptonite and lightning, respectively. Black Canary tried to kick the bishop, which sounds like a naughty game, but nothing came of it. The Atom shrunk into Aquaman’s palm, then was tossed into the bishop’s featureless face for a two-fisted atomic punch. The bishop then showed the Mighty Mite the backswing of his pimp staff.

As the bishop fired eyebeams at Zatanna, the Heiress of Magic stood firm with her arms crossed. “Dleihs mrof-- tcetorp em morf sih syar!” The star-shaped shield held. “Dleihs hcaer tuo-- tcetorp ym sdneirf-- tel meht thgif tuohtiw raef…” Aquaman benefited from the protection, as he ran up and slugged the bishop. “I may be an Atlantean out of water, Black Canary, but I was born to endure the pressures of the ocean depths-- and few things, living or unloving, can stand a blow that might well stun a whale!” Sure enough, the sea king cracked the chessman in half, with Black Canary delivering a sonic “coup d’grace” that blew the bishop to pieces.

The Atom studied the debris, and concluded it was of extra-terrestrial origin and “That chesspiece was more powerful than all of us combined. It let us win… but don’t ask me why!”

A silence fell over the room. Green Arrow then broke it with the accusation that new member Zatanna froze up in battle, which he would only know from hearsay since his bitch ass was down before the first round. “I… sensed a presence surrounding that ‘chesspiece’ …an identity… familiar, but unknown… and somehow I knew… it meant us no real harm…” Ollie was dyspeptic over Zee’s reply, but she had no time for his bull, sensing something important was waiting to be found in the monitor room that may “unlock this entire mystery…”



In a spaceship hovering over Mars II, Despero had forced J'onn J'onzz into a deadly game of chess against his Justice League friends, with the lives of his surviving Martian people hanging in the balance. “I knew you could see reason, J’onn! That’s why I chose you for this little enterprise, after I finally managed to escape from the Krill… Now… shall we begin again? Just pick your piece, and I’ll use my third eye to teleport its larger counterpart into the Justice League’s presence…" However, the knight that was teleported found an empty Satellite, seemingly costing Despero the game by default. Despero protested, until he was attacked by one of his own Justice League chess pieces, which turned out to be the actual Atom.

As it turned out, the Justice League had arrived through the magic of Zatanna, who had disguised the heroes as Despero’s gameplay replicas. The Martian Manhunter explained, “I hoped you’d notice-- I had my ‘bishop’ destroy the memory bank record for every Justice League member-- active or inactive-- except my own!” The League got the message, then began fighting all of Despero’s pieces en masse, without the benefit of J’onzz’s benevolent guiding hand. The heroes began to falter, until the Atom called, “Superman! We’re in trouble-- but we’ve got maybe one small chance! And when I say small, I mean me! Remember I said these chess pieces were made up of independent atoms? Well, maybe I can knock those atoms into a series of chain collisions-- if I hit them small enough, and fast enough! I tried something similar with Aquaman-- but he didn’t have your speed!” Superman feared the move might be suicidal, but went along, casting the Mighty Mite at another bishop. In a microcosmic game of billiards, the Atom managed to set off a reaction that destabilized all of the chessmen, causing them to explode. Despero called out no’s while Atom recited yeses at this turn of events. “Face facts, Despero, you’ve just been hustled-- courtesy of the master chessman of Mars!”

Under the moons of Mars II, Despero was escorted away in chains by two Martians in heavy blue robes. “I-- and my people-- owe much to your sensitivity, Zatanna,” as well as the League’s might. Zee had caught the Martian Manhunter’s clue, which prompted Superman to scan Mars II with his telescopic vision, and the Heiress of Magic did the rest. “Simple matter or not, the deed deserves a reward, and you all shall have it… a celebration at the palace of heroes… as my ever-honored guests!” Of course, in the midst of this revelry, Green Arrow had to make it all about hi m by whining to Black Canary that he was far from Star City and the people who actually needed his worthless self. Ollie walked in the opposite direction from his fellows to mope as Dinah looked on...

Justice League of America #177 (April, 1980)

Aquaman: Took on a Russian trawler in the Mid-Atlantic Ocean illegally harvesting dolphins. "You people never learn, do you? You think you can rape the sea, the way you've raped the land! Isn't it enough you spill your wastes in our waters? Isn't it enough you sink oil tankers in breeding grounds? In Neptune's name, you may not have had enough-- but I have!" The Sea King took a few lumps, but called on a whale to bat the sailors off their ship. Strangely, they then transformed into large, bobbing, featureless and angular statues.

The Atom: Helped a pal foil kidnappers in Ivy Town by riding along in the payoff briefcase. Was shocked when the creeps turned into two statues like Aquaman's with a third appearing with religious iconography.

Green Arrow and Black Canary: Dressed as bikers in Star City, the pair karate chopped their way into a white trash/supremacist rally. They were then attacked by an animated statue of a knight riding a horse's head, a chess piece brought to dangerous life. A Canary Cry shattered it.

Batman and Superman: Having foiled hijackers at Gotham Airport, the World's Finest were assailed by fiery cannonballs from mobile castles/rooks. Switching to kryptonite projectiles, the Man of Steel was bowled over, leaving the Dark Knight to detonate explosives in yet another chess piece.

Zatanna: On the JLA Satellite in orbit 22,300 miles above Earth, Zee compared the reported assaults while on monitor duty. "You're the detective, Batman. I'm 'just' a sorceress. But from where I sit, it looks like you've all been involved in the opening gambits of some cosmic chess game, with deadly pieces... I think we'd better call an emergency meeting!"

Elsewhere in the cosmos, a purple flying saucer rested in outer space. Within sat a chess board, half filled with pieces representing the full JLofA membership, including Elongated Man, Hawkman and Hawkgirl, Green Lantern Hal Jordan, the Flash, Red Tornado, Wonder Woman, and the rest. Not among them was a long absent former member, the Manhunter from Mars, who was instead bound in the opposite chair. Manhunter's chess pieces having largely fallen, his opponent cackled.

"HAHAHAHAHA! It seems the opening moves have all ended in my favor! How ironic that I should be pleased by the victories of the Justice League... I, Despero, who despise them more than I despise any other group of beings in the universe! But you see, that's why I've chosen them as my champions, J'onn J'onzz... for the irony! In this game I have forced you to play, you must defeat and kill your friends in the Justice League, using those pieces I created for you... for if you fail, and lose the game... then your fellow Martian exiles will die, and you will be to blame! YOUR MOVE, MARTIAN MANHUNTER!"

"The Graveyard Gambit" was by Gerry Conway, Dick Dillin & Frank McLaughlin.

Detail: Justice League of America #239 (June, 1985)

After the Detroit-era Justice League rescued Superman, Wonder Woman and the Flash (Barry Allen) from the U.S.S.R., the representatives of two JLofA incarnations had a pow-wow at the Bunker. Aquaman was forced by Superman to justify his disbanding the original Justice League of America.

...You weren't here. Neither was Green Lantern. During the Earth-Mars War, the League fought at half strength... and it was only through the aid of J'Onn J'Onzz that the Martian attack was eventually turned back...

There was a time when the League stood as a symbol... 'the World's Greatest Heroes,' the press called us, gathered to stand in common cause against injustice. Do you remember how it was back then? The seven of us... the original League...

We faced each threat as a team, together, and the League was our highest priority. In those early days, none of us missed a crisis. We depended on each other, and we were always there.

As time passed, the League grew... adding more and more members to our roll call-- and yes, losing members as well. J'Onn J'Onzz was the first to resign; the Batman, the last. And somewhere along the way, that original sense of purpose and commitment was lost as well. For some of us, the League was no longer our first priority... sometimes, not even our second.

What happened during the Earth-Mars War was only the most recent, most obvious example of a continuing trend. Isn't it obvious? The League was already dead, at least in the original sense. I simply signed the death certificate.

DC Challenge #8 (6/1986)

Batman: Finally, after eight issues, said plain exactly what the heck had been going on. "Earth and the planet Rann are under attack by mystical forces... demons inhabiting long-dead human beings, and creatures risen out of ancient mythology. At the same time, Earth is being invaded by aliens from some cosmic organization called the Greater Galaxies... I found three 8-figure numbers scrawled on a wall at a power plant... I ran these numbers through my computer here in the Batcave... and got a result that seemed to spell a formula to bring about the end of the world. The numbers, decoded, are electro-magnetic vibrational frequencies... [if] put into operation... the resulting wave-front could crack the Earth like an eggshell." The Dark Knight Detective knew demons were involved, and headed in his Batplane for their nearest concentration point, Metropolis. In the distance, a warp hole opened. "I'm too late... the Batman has already departed. Pity. I might have been of some assistance."

Unbeknownst to the Dark Knight, his nemesis the Joker had helped orchestrate attacks on Earth's heroes with the Greater Galaxies organization. The Clown Prince of Crime worked under the turbaned alien Kaz with the promise of kingship over Earth. Kaz explained the situation as follows:

"Project X involves the disruption of physical reality... the merging of this reality-plane with that of the netherworld. Bork and his fellow renegades of the Black Council have discovered a weakening of the cosmic fabric here in this locus... on the world you call Earth. A similar, parallel weakening is taking place on the planet Rann, of the star-system Alpha Centauri.

Bork has developed a device known as the Probability Disruptor, which feeds on red sun radiation, relayed to this world from a base on Earth's satellite, Luna. The Disruptor is destroying the protective barrier between realities at this locus. The result is an increase in the manifestation of demons on Earth... manifestations that occur normally at this locus, at periodic intervals related to phases of the moon. Bork's disruptor, however, has increased the number of manifestations a thousandfold.

Project X is upsetting the natural cosmic balance... a balance we of Molanto have worked long and hard to maintain. To save reality, Molanto, in conjunction with the Greater Galaxies organization, have invaded Earth. We have done this for the simple reason of expedience. Bork must be found. Project X must be halted. The fastest, simplest way to accomplish this is through the conquest of Earth."

Martian Manhunter: Earth's super-heroes were likely to interfere, so Kaz engaged the Joker to assist in distracting them. The Joker stated, "Capturing all the heroes who'd been born off world, like Superman and J'onn J'onzz, among others-- and threatening to execute them as traitors to the Greater Galaxies-- that was my lovely idea. See, it's what we call a red herring. Now all the other heroes will be wondering what the alien heroes have to do with the alien invaders. It'll drive 'em nuts, giving us time to strike! Which brings me, oddly enough, to my final plan... I need three million tons of rubber cement, Kaz..." The Joker wanted to gum up the works in Washington. D.C., but Kaz was done with this insanity, and had the Joker locked away.

Batman: The Batplane flew over Metropolis, which by this point looked, as Batman put it, "like something out of Fantasia's 'Night On Bald Mountain!' Demons everywhere... as if a doorway had opened between our world and Hell!" The pandemonium led to the destruction of the Batplane, but the Caped Crusader still managed to reach the Galaxy Broadcasting Building, now aware thanks to the infernal beings he had been inadvertently helping this "Kaz" person.

The Dark Knight was met by Dr. Terrence Thirteen, Ghostbreaker and Floyd Perkins, the kid who started this all in the first issue. Perkins had told Dr. 13 about finding a floor in the building that shouldn't exist, and bumping into an undead Humphrey Bogart. Dr. 13 in turn told Batman about his and Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen's running into the alien invasion, and through a space-warp into the Plane of Holes, where they met Darwin Jones and Bobo the Detective Chimp, among others. Dr. 13's memory was fuzzy after that, recalling that he had been returned to Earth by Albert Einstein, but decided to pick up the investigation again. Doctor 13 had brought a radiation detector with him, and when Batman had a look at the frequencies emitted from the GBS antennae, he recognized them from the earlier inscriptions! Dr. 13 had backtracked his detector's readings to their source, the moon...

Batman called on the Outsiders, but they stopped short of the Galaxy Building to address the demons running rampant throughout Metropolis in Superman's absence. Batman predicted the end of the world as the signal from the moon began shaking Earth apart, and a whole building began to fall on the Outsiders...

"If This Is Love, Why Do My Teeth Hurt" was by Gerry Conway, Rick Hoberg, Dick Giordano and Arnie Starr. This was the tidiest, most descriptive issue to date, and even managed to work its gonzo title into the narrative (lovers kissing as the world begins to vibrate violently.) Detroit co-creator Conway missed writing the rest of his team in the next issue...

Chuck Patton

Francis Chuck Patton is an African-American former comic book artist best known for a stint on Justice League of America. More specifically, he is closely associated with the period in which the team relocated to Detroit, MI and became staffed with new, multicultural super-heroes. With Gerry Conway, Patton created Gypsy and Vibe, as well as redesigning Vixen and Steel: The Indestructible Man.

Patton got his start at DC Comics in the April, 1983 cover-dated The Flash #320, beginning a brief run of Creeper back-up stories. This was followed by art for Green Lantern, The Brave and the Bold, and Green Arrow before landing his permanent assignment on JLofA. However, Patton left his creations within their first year, taking on sporadic jobs on The Vigilante, Who's Who, The Omega Men, Teen Titans, Legion of Super-Heroes, Blue Beetle, Secret Origins, the Outsiders, Action Comics Weekly and DC Challenge. Patton also tried his fortunes at other companies with DNAgents, Daredevil, X-Men and The Official Handbook Of The Marvel Universe. He was considered to replace Todd McFarlane on The Incredible Hulk, but turned the offer down when he was asking to emulate the outgoing artist's style.

As with his JLD partner Gerry Conway, Patton became disillusioned with comics and moved into children's television animation. His credits include Dinosaucers, G.I. Joe, Captain N & the Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3, Inspector Gadget Saves Christmas, and Teen Titans. More recently, he has turned to directing, on such projects as Dead Space: Downfall and Spawn, for which he won an Emmy award for Outstanding Animated Program.

Chuck Patton's legacy in comics seems to consist mostly of Justice League Detroit and well-regarded serial pairing Nightwing and Speedy. The image above is a self-portait of Patton, circa 1985, and heavily embellished by inker Mike DeCarlo. One imagines that had Patton inked himself, he might have more closely resembled another of his creations, Dale Gunn. Like Marv Wolfman's proxy Terry Long, who married a super-heroine, I suspect we now have the answer to why Gun had both Vixen and Zatanna vying for his attentions...



Further Reading: One-on-One with Spawn Director Chuck Patton

Justice League of America #133-134 (8-9/76)

Aquaman: Joined his fellows on the JLA Satellite; including Elongated Man, Green Arrow, Green Lantern Hal Jordan, Flash, Wonder Woman, Black Canary, the Atom and Hawkman; in meeting with Supergirl. The Maid of Might fretted over her missing cousin, who had been spirited to the planet Sirkus to defend it against Despero. For undisclosed reasons, Aquaman was not a part of the team that made off in search of Superman.

Aquaman was impersonated by a Sirkian who used technology in an attempt to recreate the Sea King's powers. "Despero's right! None of us is a real substitute for his Justice League counterpart! I can swim-- even break 'Green Lantern's' fall-- but I can't summon sea creatures telepathically like the real Aquaman! My fellow actors and I are here only in a supporting role! If we're to win-- it must be because of Superman!" Pseudo-Aquaman was defeated by a mental blast from Despero while battling an Eel-Creature.

Elongated Man: Joined Supergirl, Batman, Wonder Woman, the Atom and Hawkman in a space mission aboard the latter's Thanagarian vessel. Was teleported aboard a starcraft inhabited by the last two examples of an alien race, who were curious about these humanoid heroes. The aliens also teleported Despero aboard, prompting Ralph to attack.

"He's the guy who snatched Superman! See-- my mystery-solving nose shows it-- and it's never wrong!"

In truth, it was only half-right, as Despero only claimed Superman after he failed to defend the aliens who had originally kidnapped him for that purpose. Despero thought, "Who is this foolhardy freak attacking me--?" This was the first meeting between the pair, so Despero greeted Elongated Man with his third eye. "No one assaults Despero! Mine is the power of the mind unleashed-- a power that can punish, by causing your malleable molecules to stretch out of control-- or a power which can destroy!"

E-Man let out a "EEEYOW" before Supergirl could fly his mishandled frame to a safe distance from Despero's wrath. Batman asked, "Is Elongated Man okay, Supergirl?"
She cradled his limp but normalizing frame while answering, "I think so, Batman!"

Later, Despero was pitted by the mysterious twin aliens against pairs of Leaguers, including an Elongated Man joined by Supergirl. Despero had just finished taking mental control of Wonder Woman when he was teleported to this confrontation, and asked after her. "I wouldn't know, Three-Eyes-- Suppose you tell us? This is one situation where I don't feel like playing detective! Ralph entangled the Kalanorian despot, as all three were transported to a whole other environment. The heroes were disoriented, with Supergirl asking how this came to be. "I always used to love a mystery, Supergirl-- but not when the prisoner is escaping!"

The Maid of Might blew Despero off his feet. "Handy power, that super-breath! But I can't help thinking-- what a bill for mouthwash!" A fatigued Despero refused to carry on, but the mysterious aliens somehow turned his mind toward pure blood lust against Supergirl. "Trying to choke an invincible girl like you? He's gotta be crackers! Might as well knock the guy out of his misery! Huh? One of my best punches-- and he's still moving?"

Despero's suddenly superior strength tapped Elongated Man out with a left hook, which sent Ralph on a nap until Supergirl tricked the mysterious alien pair into fighting one another. The Justice League escaped in Hawkman's ship, with Superman and a Despero bound by Elongated Man in tow.

Batman: Identified Despero for team members unfamiliar with the long absent villain. Joined Hawkman in being glue-gunned out of commission by Despero.

The Creators: It seems like Gerry Conway wrote the first script, then a month later the second, based only on a vague recollection of the first. Issue #133 really only features one actual League member, and while it was interesting to watch Despero tear the fake batch apart, it was ultimately pointless. Then in #134, only a random sampling of League members from the first chapter appear, and the only elements of the previous chapter carried over in a significant way were Superman as a captive and the presence of Despero. Speaking of which, Despero's accomplishments were mostly due to the alien interlopers, whose story is wrapped in slapdash fashion, and by a non-Leaguer to boot! A bit of a mess, this one was. Dick Dillin & Frank McLaughlin are better on the art front, though their heart always seemed to belong more to the look of newspaper romance comics than sci-fi super shenanigans.

DC Sampler #2 (9/84)

Presenting: the first ever appearance of Justice League Detroit! Click on the image below to see the full, high resolution glory...

Drawn by Chuck Patton with inks by future "Martian Manhunter" artist Tom Mandrake, this piece was part of a free comic DC used to circulate once a year to hype their entire line. I loved these things growing up, as they really did feel like a window into another universe; always featuring exclusive art, synopsis, and other information on comics I didn't or couldn't read.

As was the case for most of Patton's run, J'Onn J'Onzz and Zatanna are the furthest in the background, though it's strange Steel is also way out. Maybe Patton wasn't as enthusiastic about a carryover from a long-canceled series by writer Gerry Conway as he was the new characters they co-created? After all, Gypsy is surprisingly prominent... as is her green eyeshadow, making her look like a glamorous raccoon. The Disco Dazzler had even abandoned that look by then.

Poor Aquaman. Patton drew him so well, and he seems so hopeful about his newfound spotlight as team leader. A shame he was guiding the lot to infamy, and that he himself would bail out midway through their run as Justice League of America. It's also funny that he's directly below Batman, his successor in the role, who himself vanished after one story arc without explanation.

Vixen was another leftover of Conway's, but Patton got to design an entirely new costume for her, though the domino mask vanished before it appeared elsewhere.

I wonder if Patton misjudged how much space he needed, crowding five team members onto one page, while only three spread out in the next. I suspect that's why Elongated Man was given such attention, as his power allowed his to cover a lot of ground. It's also funny to see Vibe so dark complected, a real reminder of the multicultural aspect of the team. I don't think he ever wore those dish washing gloves again, thankfully.

Justice League of America #255 (10/86)

Adam: "More than Adam. I was powerful before the blood of the Homo Magi coursed through me. I am more powerful now... I am not a god. I am The God... somehow, I've transcended both Homo Sapien and Homo Magi!" Used power to trace Zatanna's emergency distress signal and spy through sorcery on...

Sue Dibney: ...who tended to...

Steel: Bedridden with arm and leg in casts. Seethed with frustration and concern as he watched...

Vibe: Entered teleport tube in (comparatively) plain clothes, along with...

Elongated Man: ...who also never bothered to change into costume, as well as...

Vixen: ...who raced to the tubes partnered with Batman, both only partially costumed. What they were doing together to be in such a state is up for debate, though readers should be reminded they were previously interrupted during a romantic date by Despero.

Zatanna: Still bound in a hospital, a surly nurse guarding her. Was either psychically visited by the spirit of her magician father Zatara, or imagined a conversation with him to focus her abilities. "Years of practice and training. Years of mistakes and strained patience. That's all it takes to create an earthquake so precisely centered... that it only rocks one building. The nurse stabbed herself with a hypodermic needle filled with heavy sedative intended for Zee. Heroine burst bonds and reconstituted her costume before running into treacherous sub-letter Sheri Stanley in the hall. Recaptured by the insane Adam, but not before alerting the League electronically. Crestfallen when...

Batman: Arrived with three other Leaguers to hospital where Zee was being held. Greeted by Adam disguised as Zee, who used powers of seduction on Vibe and mystical manipulation on the rest to send them on their way, assuming a false alarm. The Dark Knight Detective actually waved bye-bye, a testament to Adam's extraordinary new power. Still no explanation as to whether Bruce Wayne got his swerve on, but his departing the team without explanation after this issue indicates that he did.

Gypsy: Spied on by Adam. Used illusion casting against a heavy-handed pimp near an adult theater. Located a girl attempting to turn a trick. Gypsy gave chase when she bolted. "She's not getting away from me. No way. In his civilian I.D. as a private eye, J'Onn J'Onzz was hired to find Pamela Cross... and ended up getting framed for murder. I want to know why." Corned an angry Pamela, recognizing, "I know that look. Tough as nails on the outside... Scared half to death on the inside." Treated Pamela to a diner meal and her secret origin. Despite Cross observing of Gypsy, "By the way-- that's an ugly dress," Pamela was in tears by the end of her tale. "I should feel guilty about putting her through an emotional wringer... but I don't. After all, I am gonna help her... and in return, she's gonna help John... Jones? Shoot! There goes the emergency signal again. What do I do now?" She chose to ignored the signal and stay with Pamela.

Martian Manhunter: "Why do I even bother? The man I appear to be, detective John Jones, is a pale-skinned lie. I am a Martian. I have the power to assume any shape I so please. Why, then, my attachment to this form? Ah, but it's not the form, is it? It's the mystery." Jones had staked out Burt Biloxi's agency, for despite clearing the proprietor through a telepathic probe, still detected wrongdoing. Norma Simons, Biloxi's secretary, had misdirected Jones to the murder scene of her lover's wife, turning Jones into a patsy to provide an alibi for the adulterer. "The signal. I am sorry my friends... but there are times when personal concerns outweigh the League's." So much for that "heart and soul of the League" business. Jones burst in on Simons and the murderous widower, learning that while Norma had provided the murder weapon and scapegoat, it was all at her lover's urging. Jones was shot repeatedly in the chest by a high caliber handgun, and caught unawares, staggered back into the fireplace. Jack Miller would have been proud. "A woman was cold-bloodedly murdered... my own life is almost certainly ending... all... so that two humans... could indulge their biological urges. Humans! I will never... understand them." Adam spied on the now white-haired Jones, his view panning into the signal light still flashing on John's wristwatch...

The Creators: All the usual suspects; Conway, Ellis, McDonnell, Wray, Helfer... waitaminute. Who the heck is scripter Michael Ellis? Per the comments of Assistant Editor Greg Weisman in #259's letter column, "As for Mr. Ellis, well, he'll just have to remain a mystery for a while longer. Many of our readers seem to like his work. We'd like to thank him for helping out on our scheduling bind." Anyone else smell a pseudonym? Both Helfer and Weisman went on to writing credits of their own, while longtime writer Conway just plain went on, without comment. Perhaps Hollywood animation beckoned ("Super Powers," "G.I. Joe," "Transformers," "Centurions,") but I suspect the immediate dismantling of Justice League Detroit was a big clue that the separation was not amicable. I'd also like to note the interplay between Zatanna and Zatara by "Ellis" was really poorly handled-- a series of rapid-fire quotations sharing the same caption boxes that made reading confusing.

J’Onn J’Onzz’s Nicknames of the Issue: "John Jones" -Gypsy
Most Embarrassing Vibe Quote of the Issue: "Say what? You get us all runnin' out here like a buncha headless chickens-- for a false alarm?!"

Steel, The Indestructible Man Vol.1, No.1 (March 1978)

The story was titled "From Hell Is Forged ...A Hero!" I was wondering "what the hell" myself, so at least that's one question sorta-kinda answered. I mean, not only did this nostalgic World War II patriotic throwback arrive too late to cash in on the Bicentennial celebration, but coming after Watergate, he just seemed naively trite. Heck, even "The Six Million Dollar Man" had been cancelled the same month as this first issue's cover-date. Maybe Conway's prior run on Captain America was too brief for his taste, or perhaps Commander Steel was intended to be the first dedicated super-hero of Earth-1? Regardless, he saw cancellation after a scant five issues, based as much on lack of creative merit as the general casualty of all "DC Explosion" titles that were snuffed by economic reality.

As depicted by Gerry Conway and Don Heck, remarkable Princeton biology student Henry "Hank" Heywood visited Munich, Germany, a city and nation he spends four panels venting against. Comparing Nazism to the Black Plague, and rightly disparaging Prime Minister Chamberlain's appeasement policy, Heywood moaned in his journal "God, I wish I'd never let Doctor Giles talk me into coming with him to this German medical conference... Why did we ever bother? The Germans won't even listen to the Doctor's discoveries..." As one, the German doctors decried Giles as a fraud... or actually, as five, their balloons somehow more hateful than Heywood's journal entries. Heywood and Giles exited the auditorium as German professionals pumped their fists and demanded their departure from Der Fatherland.

On their way to the airport, Heywood spied a pair of Brownshirts beating an elderly "Juden pig!" Hank let his own fists do the talking from there: "Forget the old man, Ludwig-- WHY DON'T YOU TRY STARTING WITH ME?" The Jew thanked Hank for his foolish bravery, then pulled a Yinsen, drawing Goosestepper fire while the hothead escaped.

The pair returned to the States in August of 1939, where Doctor Giles was met by his daughter, Hank's horse-faced girlfriend Gloria. The fiery mare presented Hank with a newspaper announcing Hitler's invasion of Poland. "Then that madman's going to spread his hate across Europe... maybe the world! There'll be more old men like that Jew in Munich... Perhaps... millions!" Dr. Giles didn't feel this needed to be America's war, but Heywood's vision of the future compelled him to enlist. "Why I chose the Marines, I'll never know. Maybe because they were the toughest... maybe because of old Victor McLaughlin* movies... or maybe because the young intellectual had something to prove to himself." Gloria Giles neighed heartily at this turn, "Play soldier if you want-- but don't expect me to be waiting when you're finished with your toys!" In her defense, Heywood was quoting scripture at her to validate his decision.

Heywood drowned his sorrows with his boot camp buddies at a local bar, but was gripped by self doubt on the lonely walk back to base. "Maybe Gloria's right. I have been playing this like Gary Cooper playing Sergeant York... Am I kidding myself? Grand-standing-- for my own ego? NO! This is something I believe in!" Just then, Heywood spied Ratzi saboteurs planting dynamite along the base perimeter, and introduced one's face to his knee. Another was dealt a hay maker right into an explosive plunger, blowing the lot of them to kingdom come. Oopsie-doodle.

Investigating troops scraped up what was left of Heywood, who miraculously survived. "Regaining consciousness was like slipping into a vat of boiling oil. Everything hurt so much, I could barely see straight... until I saw Gloria..." The poor thing was in tears over her hurtful parting words, while her father discussed with Hank the pseudo-science the pair specialized in that would make Heywood whole again. "Every day, there were operations... and more operations! Using the bio-retardent[sic] we'd developed together during my years as his student, Giles rebuilt my ravaged body from the skeleton up... First there was steel alloy tubing to replace pulped bone in my arms and legs and ribcage... Then a metal casing to protect my skull... and micro-motors in all my joints to help me move all that steel... Then more substitutions-- an artificial lung for the ruined one... and back-up devices to aid my damaged heart... and finally, most-- most painfully, the bio-retardant was used to induce skin-regrowth over the burned areas... covering the whole patchwork contraption with a flesh that made it my own..." By November on '39, Heywood had gone from invalid to superman. The new lung could sustain Heywood for a half hour underwater, he was super-strong, and nigh impervious. These breakthroughs remained a secret.

"I returned to duty, but with a hitch. Because of my recorded 'medical disability,'
I'd be a desk jockey..." Gloria continued to fume and threaten Heywood; "She hates war-- and so do I. But I'm still going to do my part somehow--" Heywood fashioned a uniform and dubbed himself Steel, The Indestructible Man! "This outfit may be colorful, but it's also far more-- flexible steel alloy, not strong enough to protect an ordinary man from gunfire-- but just tough enough to give me a crucial edge!" Steel then stole weaponry from the Westchester Federal Armory that he could later modify for his own purposes. First though, he happened upon yet another group of Fifth Columnists on his way out. "It's no movie, Nazi-- and I'm no Clark Gable!" Steel chuckled as he brutalized the baddies, going so far as to use the body of one to strike another. "Ever go bowling, friend?"

"Slipping away was easy-- a ten foot leap, and a 50MPH dash into some convenient foliage... Maybe this is why I survived the bomb-blast, to fight rats like the boss of those saboteurs... Baron Death! ...I'm going to use those powers and abilities in my own private war, until America wakes up to the menace of Hitler and Stalin and Tojo and Mussolini. It may be a lonely war, it may be unpopular just now-- but it's got to be done, and I'm the guy cut out to do it!"

Also of note, an interesting article on the anachronistic costumes of 40's retconned characters, including Steel, Baron Blitzkreig, and more.

* Presumably, he meant Victor McLaglen.

Justice League of America #254 (9/86)

Despero: "...you've underestimated the sheer hatred I feel for you and your companions in the Justice League. Allow me to make myself clear."

Batman: "He is the Batman, the Darknight Detective, legend among legends, leader of the new Justice League of America. Not for the first time in his life, but perhaps for the last, he wonders what it will feel like to die." Standing before Despero as he bathed in the Flame of Py'tar, the Caped Crusader thought, "He's growing. No doubt about it... that flame... feeding his alien metabolism at an astonishing rate. Must be at least nine feet tall-- and he's coming out. This is it. All the places I've been, all the things I've done... it all comes down to this moment. Face-to-face with an alien being... in a battle I can't hope to win. No problem. I've been facing the same lousy odds all my life." The Batman proved a minor distraction, and was easily recaptured. However, he still claimed a victory of sorts. "Destroying me isn't enough for you. You won't be satisfied till I beg. I won't give you that satisfaction. So no matter what you do to me now, Despero... I win. For all your power, you're a loser. A pathetic little lo--AAAHHH!" The Batman was eventually freed and rejoined the battle.

Vixen: Revived her teammates and explained the gameplan. "The Flame's a nuclear plasma. Whatever enters it is either destroyed... or reborn... Now he's got the power to manipulate matter... like Firestorm, I guess, but on a greater scale. He's even created a duplicate of the Py'tar Flame to recharge himself with... like Green Lantern's power battery. He calls himself a god." Well, he was a god laid low when Mari rammed into the back of his knee with the force of a buffalo. "Woman, your death will be long and painful." Freed the Batman and joined him in fighting hoards of stone demons.

Elongated Man: Caught Vixen and Batman before they could be injured in a fall. Encircled by stone monstrosities of Despero's creation, followed his leader's order to "Fight like hell!" Not so much the order to target the flame, as Vixen stated they needed a bigger distraction, and Ralph chided, "If we win this one, Bats, you can slap our wrists. And if we don't win-- it won't much matter, will it?" Carried out the wounded Steel in the aftermath.

Steel: Hit the hardest by Despero's earthquake, Hank had to be helped to his feet by J'Onn J'Onzz and Gypsy, and propped up from then on. However, when Vibe belittled himself and the team in the event of a renewed assault, Steel, through clenched teeth and in obvious pain, set him straight. "Hey Vibe... if that's what you think you are, then that's all you'll ever be. Maybe we're not the best League that ever was... but we're here... and we've got a job to do. So let's do it." Steel got in one good punch to the base of Despero's spine, but nearly fell over after and had to be rescued by Gypsy. Was struck by a jet of magma and had his back scalded. Carried out by J'Onn and Ralph.

Gypsy: Stuck by Steel, even when he asked her to save herself. Used her chameleon powers to conceal them from demons and Despero. Became enraged when Despero burnt Steel. "Hiding isn't the only trick I know, you scaly-skinned-son-of-a-- CHEW ON THIS!" Despero knows he isn't being flung into a solar corona, but he can't fend off the illusory sensation that "sears his skin, worse than the Flame of Py'tar, eating him alive... and he screams!"

Martian Manhunter: The first to rise at Vixen beckoning. Saw the wisdom in Batman's plan. "Now, while Despero is occupied fending off the others, we strike... Martians weaken in the presence of fire, but I do not intend to approach the Flame of Py'tar, Vibe. Despero will have set defences to protect the flame... I will deal with them, while you deal with the flame. Your shockwave power may be the one force we have strong enough to disrupt the flame. If anything can."

Vibe: Wanted his team to bug out of Gotham and let the Navy bomb the city flat. "Look around you, man... look at us! I know what people been saying... I've got ears. We're a joke... What've we got here? A Chicano from Detroit, a big green bald guy, a human rubber band, a no-name teenage girl who can make herself disappear-- some trick-- an ex-fashion model, and a redheaded tin woodsman. Where're the power players, man? We're strictly second string! We can't do it. Despero wiped the rug with us once already. Next time, he'll kill us. Losers, that's all we are." His team refused to quit though, and he damned himself for joining them. Under the Manhunter's direction, Vibe waited for the opportune moment to strike at the flame, but had his own demons to fend off until the Batman gave him the order. Like a candle being blown out, the flame was no more, and without the outside power source Despero's body "consumes himself" into seeming nothingness.

"Finally-- it is over."
"Thanks to Vibe."
"Guess I'm not such a loser after all, huh, Bats?"
"You never were, in my book."

Zatanna: Still no time for subplots...

Sue Dibney: ...nor supporting characters.

The Creators: Luke McDonnell clearly relished drawing the Batman, and everyone kept busy, even if the ending was slightly anticlimactic.

J’Onn J’Onzz’s Nicknames of the Issue: "Big Green" -Vibe
"J'Onn" -Vixen
Most Embarrassing Vibe Quote of the Issue: "Aw-right. Does this mean we're buddies? Like, can we double date?"

Justice League of America #253 (8/86)

Martian Manhunter: "For him the nearby flames are more than a source of heat and smoky light; they are a threat as deadly to the Martian as hard radiation to an Earthman; but J'Onn J'Onzz forgets the fire, concerned instead with the threat to his comrades that looms before him."

Despero: "How gratifying to be remembered, J'Onn J'Onzz... especially by you. I hoped you'd come when you heard of my attack on Gotham City, and my capture of your leader, the Batman. As you see, I stand before you transformed. No longer am I the Despero you humiliated and imprisoned..." Origin told for the first time.

Elongated Man: Turned his body into a slingshot.

Steel: The most proactive member in the face of this horror. When Despero created a Winged Lorka of Kalanor (essentially a fire-breathing dragon) out of a skyscraper, Steel shoved a metal sign into its mouth. Next, he joined J'Onn J'Onzz and Ralph Dibney in launching a boulder through the dragon. The beast exploded into fragments, causing Despero tremendous pain through psychic feedback. In response, Despero ripped the Gotham street our heroes trod upon with a fiery explosion.

Vibe: Fretted and failed to make any lasting impact beyond briefly holding back the winged Loka.

Gypsy: Used her illusion powers to cause the Loka to believe it was underwater, buying her teammates the time to destroy it.

Batman: Taunted Despero to learn his origins and plans. "Despero needs the Flame of Py'tar to continuously re-create himself, Vixen. He told us as much himself. Without the flame, he no longer exists... If we can destroy the flame, here in this re-created temple... there's a... slim possibility... we might also destroy Despero." Freed himself and Mari.

Vixen: Spent most of the issue in bondage, but any negative karma was balanced out by having the Batman as her co-captive. In spite of herself, shivered as Despero rained havok on her team. Sent by Batman to explain the plan to their team while he remained to distract Despero. "New as I am to this, I probably wouldn't last ten seconds, and he knows it. Damn." Shocked to find her Detroit League lying deathly still in a roadside mound.

Zatanna: No time for subplots...

Sue Dibney: ...or supporting characters.

The Creators: Still bringing the game and career highs.

J’Onn J’Onzz’s Nicknames of the Issue: "Big Green" -Steel

Most Embarrassing Vibe Quote of the Issue: "Gyp, you crazy? Haul your bottom outta here!"

Justice League of America #252 (7/86)

Zatanna: Finally given a nightgown and some privacy in a proper hospital bed, but now encumbered with a headband that makes thought painful. Heroically forced herself to remember her name and mission, but no spells. Made her way out of bed and into the hi-tech chamber where her captor Adam was being "infected" with a more potent form of the Homo Magi. Zee sublet and other yuppie cultists found and restrained the sorceress.

Vixen: Went on a date in Gotham in her civilian identity with Bruce Wayne, who surprisingly made no off-hand comments about wearing a latex mask to impersonate Wayne, or somesuch nonsense. A groundswell explosion shooting continuous flame hundreds of feet into the air broke up the intimacy. Investigating, Vixen was nearly killed by a flame directed by Despero, until she called on the Tantu Totem to fly to safety.

Batman: Dated Mari McCabe, to whom he revealed, "I've had lovers, but sooner or later, he always comes between us... The Batman." Despite his protests, Vixen detected the eagerness in him when trouble struck. "A wolf scenting its prey.. He was right. The Batman is real... Bruce Wayne... just a shadow." Evaded Despero's initial salvo with his usual skill, hoping things would go better for himself and Mari next time. Despero responded, "Ignorant fool, there will be no next time... not for you, or your world!

Elongated Man & Sue Dibney: At the mall when they got the signal, per Ralph, before he employed the teleporter J'Onzz installed in their basement.

Gypsy: "J'Onn was with me in New York. We're solving a mystery together..."

Steel: "So the Batman's finally calling us into action. About time. Let's go, Vibe."

Vibe: "Forget it, man. He's just tossin' us another test."

Martian Manhunter: Outside Metropolis, at the Secret Sanctuary, the Martian Marvel gathered alongside the other Leaguers, fearing this was no meer test. "The League teleport link to Gotham City is dead, and our computer reports all communication lines to the city have been cut." The League arrived via helicopter, hovering near the wall of flame now surrounding Gotham. Humans transformed by unknown power into the visage of demons ran the streets. "...indeed, Zatanna is sorely missed. Nonetheless... my Martian Vision reveals an intense vibratory field preventing passage." Had Vibe use his powers against the force, but deduced "...it was too easy. We are expected."

Despero: "How perceptive. As always, Martian, you are a keen observer of the obvious. I owe you special consideration, for your part in my imprisonment. I shall save your destruction for last." The Manhunter's features sank to reveal his dispair in the face of this horror. From atop a cathedral, Batman and Vixen chained to his left and right, a declaration was made:
"YES, DESPERO-- NOW MASTER OF TIME AND MATTER! DESPERO, YOUR FINAL NEMESIS! DESPERO, DESTROYER OF WORLDS!"

The Creators: Luke McDonnell and Bill Wray draw explosions and infernal things really well, and Gene D'Angelo colored the lava but good.

J’Onn J’Onzz’s Nicknames of the Issue: "Big Green" -Vibe.

Most Embarrassing Vibe Quote of the Issue: "That's my meat, Big Green. Let me at it..."

Justice League of America #251 (6/86)

Steel: Finally took that continuity girl from his botched film shoot out on a date to the Met. She liked him because he wasn't a phony, but when she's almost killed by a taxi, Hank pulled a Christopher Reeve move, but without the guile. Staring down the mangled cab, Hank felt he had some explaining to do...

Batman: Taskmaster mode in full effect, the Dark Knight badgered his new team while putting them through their paces in the Secret Sanctuary's newly modified gymnasium. Still low rent, the only visible equipment in use was a pommel horse. With a straight face, stated, "Vibe has potential, Vixen, but he's undisciplined."

Vibe: Nearly crushed by falling debris released by his own vibratory power while in a training session. Was browbeat by and sneered at Batman before threatening to quit the team.

Vixen: Rescued Vibe and defended her team against Batman's criticism, noting "If that's how you handled the Outsiders, I'm not surprised you guys parted company." She may have actually hurt his feelings, as he continued brooding about being out of place on a hillside hours later. Mari found him and offered kind words. "You ask a lot... from yourself most of all. Trying to be the parents you lost long ago. I've been there. C'mon. You're probably hungry. So if you promise not to tell, just this once I'll cook dinner..."

Gypsy: "Say J'Onn J'Onzz, have you seen Zatanna lately?" Manhunter hadn't, but explained she was likely on a case, and that only past Leaguers picked up the old distress signal from the previous issue. Gypsy continued to press the Sleuth from Outer Space with questions, and despite his clear wishes, followed him on a case of his own. The bonding between these two characters had clearly begun in earnest at this point, as Gypsy was set on aiding Manhunter, whether he liked it or not.

Martian Manhunter: "Not at all, Gypsy. The Batman and I discussed it this morning... Zatanna's been worried about a young woman... who sublet her apartment... Undoubtedly, Zatanna is occupied looking for her. In addition to our League responsibilities, we have our own private concerns, after all. Such as my concern with this murder weapon..." Gypsy tried to look with her hands, to which J'Onzz simply admonished simply "no" while pulling it away. This was the instrument, lacking any discernable fingerprints, intended to frame private investigator John Jones. "Martians don't have fingerprints... At the Batman's recommendation, I've installed teleportation tubes at various locations in Metropolis, Gotham, and New York..." Gypsy didn't much care, until J'Onzz noted that he was stepping into one of them to abandon Gypsy's inquiry in favor of his own. John Jones next appeared to question his former employer, Burt Biloxi, while running bad Spillane monologue in his head. A file on the runaway Jones had been assigned to locate, Pamela Cross, was simultaneously lifted invisibly by Gypsy. Jones caught up to the Gypsy outside, revealing possibly for the first time in the Detroit run his power of telepathy. He had used it to locate his maverick teammate, and to scan Biloxi's mind, full of anxiety but short on information. That left only Cross' file...

"Hey, she's a kid. She can't be much older'n me. Why'd she run away?"
"Why did you, Gypsy?"
"I had a reason. Maybe she does, too... You check the parents. I'll find the kid."
"Gypsy, I cannot-- I will not allow-- Gypsy?"

Zatanna: Nude and bound to a hospital bed by advanced technology, Zee's sublet turned co-captor Sheri Stanley explained why she had set the heroine up for capture. A yuppie unable to handle her stresses, Sheri turned to self-help guru Adam and his cult of self-interest. Adam himself continued, explaining that he had in his genes the same elements of the mystical Homo Magi as Zatanna, but not to the same degree. His intention was to use Zatanna's blood to extract the power of her bloodline, mount it to a retrovirus, and infect himself. Adam also made it clear he did not respect Zatanna's personal space...

Elongated Man & Sue Dibney: No mention.

Despero: Destroyed the Justice League Satellite, for really reals this time.

The Creators: Why are the Caped Crusader and the Manhunter from Mars so much cozier than most? I say it's because J'Onn J'Onzz is one of the only fellow heroes to call him "THE Batman." Anyway, traction gained last issue through association with better characters was lost to the wealth of unresolved subplots that dominate this issue, and will in fact outlast this creative team. A shame, as the more serious turn the book took from the frivolity of the Detroit year really improved the title. That change can be traced back to the Amazo arc, but the revolving door of artists undercut the tension there, as did the slew of Crisis tie-ins and the underwhelming "Junior." Here, the twin menaces of Adam and Despero are quite frightful, although the latter's presentation was so over-the-top as to near camp. I'm certain, whether intentional or not, it influenced Keith Giffen's development of the Lobo character. Also, after letting things get a bit sketchy on the extra-length anniversary issue, Luke McDonnell and Bill Wray are back to fighting form. Rather than fighting back the darker aspects of Conway's work, they dive in headfirst, lending it weight it would otherwise lack.

J’Onn J’Onzz’s Nicknames of the Issue: “JJ” and "Big Green" -Gypsy.

Most Embarrassing Vibe Quote of the Issue: "Ridin' me like your own personal donkey. I'm telling you, get off."

Justice League of America #221-223 (12/93-2/84)

To be honest, I'm more of a JLA fan in theory than practice. I was familiar with "Super Friends" and other sideways exposures, but I didn't start picking up the title regularly until the International period. I then skipped out, returned for "Breakdowns," and left again with Giffen & DeMatteis. I came back for Gerard Jones' largely execrable run, but again steered mostly clear until Morrison finally fulfilled the promise of the classic team. I did eventually go back to the early and quite painful Gardner Fox and Denny O'Neil runs, plus a smattering of Satellite issues before diving into the Detroit train wreck.

My point in telling you all this is that unless Showcase reveals the 70's to be a golden decade, the Justice League of America has trended toward the lousy for nearly its entire existence. In my experience, the "classic" membership sucks all the life out of the stories, leaving it up to the aberrant and inappropriate to produce anything worthwhile to read. The three issues I'm spotlighting here are no exception, as they deal mostly with a criminal cartel run by were-corporate executives given to grisly gladiator combat, and the League's stepping into their arena is as curious and exciting as it is plain wrong. Allow me to detail why:



The story opens with filthy, amorally rich spectators sent into orgiastic fits when splattered by blood ejaculated into their faces from the killing floor of a metropolitan coliseum. This was followed by Superman and Wonder Woman being battered unconscious by an anthropomorphic killer whale. A man-rhino then gores the Flash and leaves him for dead. Hawkman us at an archaeological dig where scientists are skewered and crushed by giant hybrid scorpions, one of whom's stingers penetrates the winged warrior's backside and leaves him deathly limp and the bloodletting continues. Elongated Man is savaged by attack birds and a steam press run by an old... Chinese... wait, that wasn't were-creature related. Ralph Dibney just sucked, and got his ass kicked by a geriatric Yellow Peril leftover. Oh, and writer Gerry Conway's pet character Firestorm avoids getting powned by taking a renegade cat woman into his care. As I hope I've illustrated, this story is gory as hell and uncompromisingly brutal in a manner that grabs your attention span by the collar and slaps it across the face.

Things slowed down considerably in the second chapter, as the catwoman revealed she was part of the board of an insolvent company that chose to mutate itself and turn to technology theft to buoy their fortunes. I know it seems ridiculous, and it is, but imagine the pleasure of seeing the League combat a Ken Lay jackal-man and you'll forgive the excess. Besides, there's an extended arena clash between evil leader lion Rex and a traitor that ends in barehanded disembowelment and decapitation, which is always distracting. Hawkman being gassed in his sickbed along with Hawkwoman while Wonder Woman is beaten into submission and taken hostage also works. I only wish it were the Amazing Amazon that got gored, as the subtext would add a sexual component to this great mound of wrongness.

By the final chapter, so many life fluids were flowing that they had to start coloring it purple to get past the Comics Code Authority, or else it was expelled in such haste as to have not yet taken on oxygen. The surviving Leaguers invaded the were-Republicans secret island base, where Superman was pelted with red sun radiation and crucified. Aquaman fared better, using his telepathy to lobotomize the whale man, never to be heard from again. The sea king also choked a snakeman, making him the big winner in backsliding to barbarism amongst our heroes. Zatanna even managed to be useful, though the were-men were devolving throughout the arc, and ended up regressed back to seemingly lifeless animal form. Somebody call PETA?

The full arc was pencilled by Chuck Patton, who by rights could have been the Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez of the 80's if he'd just stayed the course. He even managed to overcome the inking of Romeo Tanghal, a feat George Perez struggled with. I don't know that anyone has ever drawn so iconic and dynamic a Justice League, which only furthered the contrast with the savagery of their foes. It was wonderful, and of course all to brief, and the rest of Patton's career would be defined by his guilt in co-creating Vibe, the breakdancing wonder. If only we could get the inter company crossovers up and running again, so that Patton and Steve Ditko could craft the perfect coda to their respective careers-- a team-up with Speedball.

In summary, do go find these three back issues and relish them. It was all pop locking and BWAHAHA for the next couple decades. If anyone can recommend a similar diversion from Satellite Era shittiness, do leave a comment. Stories like this I could make room for.

Justice League of America #250 (5/86)

Sue Dibney: Fallen form lorded over by "Junior," who had emerged from its tentacle blob form to become a bronze-skinned bipedal Adonis not named Adam Warlock (as he had a blond crewcut and convenient green trunks, rather than a lustrous blond 70's mane and convenient red trunks.

Green Lantern: Recently reunited with his beloved power ring, Hal Jordon was chasing a comet when he heard the League's distress signal. Scanned fallen Detroit team for "minimal life signs." Went looking for "Junior" with Green Arrow, only to have his life force drained before making any significant contribution. Somewhere, Zatanna let out a knowing sigh, I'd assume.

Zatanna: Hal heard the signal from Mercury, but Zee missed it entirely at a NY dock. Finally tracked her sub-letter to a suspicious "social group" at a marina boat, only to be conked on the head with a lead pipe. This was on the order of the "group leader," the rather Aryan "Adam."

Steel: Emaciated and aged, looked a lot like his grandfather. I mean now, after years in the ground. Felt better and hung with Hal Jordan, the most obvious Republican of the old timers.

Black Canary: Asleep on Ollie's couch when she heard the signal. Donned awful 80's costume to investigate. Ordered to sit with the infirm while the top-billed boys searched the Secret Sanctuary for "Junior." Comforted Gypsy, and in talking with her deduced that her powers were telepathic in nature, which protected her. J'Onn's being a victimized telepath and Gypsy's having previous been effected never came up. Later helped Ollie draw out "Junior" with her Canary Cry.

Green Arrow: Along with Dinah's urging, Ollie dug through his closet to find a mothballed signal device arrow. Really. Joined and was forced to rescue Green Lantern when confronted by "Junior," who he singed with an electrified arrow. Double-teamed "Junior" with Black Canary.

Gypsy: Dreamt of an idealized version of her suburban home life before running away, which turned into a nightmare pitting her against her withered teammates. Her Manhunter taunted, "We are your family! ... Now and evermore," prompting Gypsy to push him away, but instead caved in his chest. She awoke to find her youth restored, and that she was encircled by former League members. Broke down in tears, blaming herself for her friends' malady. "I never want to hurt anyone, but its like I always do. Ever since I got the power, my life's been a mess... I'm just so scared..." Figured out "Junior" had become what it ate, confirmed by the creature's simplistic internal regarding it making it all the easier to hunt amongst mankind.

Superman: Was putting out a fire when he heard the J.L.A. Alert signal. Learned more from the Dark Knight Detective before being attacked by "Junior." Thought to himself, "Eh? The Batman's gone--? I may not like him, but I never expected him to run..." Used his body as a conduit to redirect the Leaguers' life energy.

Elongated Man: Hung out with Kal-El and his wife, presumably to keep the Man of Tomorrow away from the riff-raff. My theory backed-up by his being the one to suggest and press the League veterans to stick around.

Batman: Halting a terrorist attack on Gotham when he heard the signal. Investigated the scene and ordered his fellow veterans around. Clearly, the brusque control freak pre-dated Frank Miller. Found the records J'Onn J'Onzz browsed last issue and laid the blame at Superman's feet for the mess. Saved the Man of Steel from Junior. Lured the creature into an electrified elevator shaft, which both flash-fried "Junior" and released his stored energies. Devised method of sending those energies through the Last Son of Krypton back to their rightful carcasses.

Vibe: Unintentional humor from the sight of a geriatric Paco with silver hair, shades, and a plunging neckline. Got along with Green Arrow for once through bonding over their mutually unfortunate facial hair.

Vixen: Formed a girl power conversation clique with Dinah and Gypsy, once she felt equally fit.

The Atom, Hawkman, Hawkgirl, and Aquaman: Far removed from any signal receiver, as they were all away from home on important affairs, meaning solo mini-series.

Martian Manhunter: A passive lump for most of the issue, until talk of recalling veteran Leaguers to service came up. He approached the distant Batman, saying "Old friend, I've been told you left the League... unhappily. I cannot judge the right or wrong of that leaving. Nonetheless, today's events prove this is where you belong. You should lead the League, not I." Green Arrow concurred, while Vibe and of course Batman briefly protested. An again tearful Gypsy pleaded "We need you! I hear you were an orphan. So are we, sorta. Orphans gotta stick together, right? Right?" Batman patted her head and promised them a year. "Gypsy thinks she convinced me... but I have my own reasons for rejoining the League. And when I reveal those reasons, she'll be very surprised..."

The Creators: ...so would we all. Batman's "year" turned out to be one story arc before he abandoned the group and the never-resolved Gypsy sub-plot. The issue at hand fell into cliche quickly, though it ushered in what will be last hurrah of half this creative team.

Most Embarrassing Vibe Quote of the Issue: [Of Batman] "That dude? Get serious. We'd chew 'im up, and spit him---- out. Uh, well, maybe not."

EPILOGUE: On the planet Kalanor, atop a narrow spire leading to garbed aliens standing before an enormous pyre... "Hail, O Master... You have braved the cleansing, transforming Flame of Py'tar... and no longer are you the creature you were when you welcomed that all-consuming embrace. In form, in substance, you are reborn. What is your will, Walker In The Flame?"

"My will... is vengeance against mine enemies. My desire... is the destruction of the Justice League. And when I tread their bloody remains beneath my booted feet, I wish only one reward: let them whisper my name in horror...

DESPERO, THE REBORN! DESPERO, THE DESTROYER!"

Justice League of America #249 (4/86)

Martian Manhunter: "...according to the medical lab's sensor... Vixen is dying... Her life in indeed slipping away, like water through the sands of the Martian desert... but we can find no indication of disease. It is as if some external force were draining the very life-energy from her body... leaving behind a dried, mummified shell of the young woman we know..." Found a bit of the creature "Junior's" dried skin, which he studied with an ever-clouding mind while ordering Vibe and Steel after the beast. Leaned on League computer to compensate for his failings. Learned from it that "Junior" was a semi-sentient plant that developed from a microscopic spore that clung to Superman's cape on an extra-terrestrial mission. Told spore lives of life energy rather than sunlight."Gods of Mars." Collapsed into a coma before he was able to activate J.L.A. emergency distress signal.

Vixen: Too sick to mind that "dried, mummified shell" line.

Elongated Man: Helped J'Onn J'Onzz run tests on Vixen. Got woozy. Got old.

Zatanna: Took "ashes" to Mama LaRue in Greenwich Village, who dispelled the notion it was from missing roommate Sheri Stanley. Proved to instead be graveyard dust, in use by a nefarious new magical mover and shaker about town. Zee followed up on a note left by Sheri to investigate the marina. Never acknowledged a painfully extraneous pair of numbskulls trying to pick her up as she walked down the street.

Gypsy: Argued with teammates over "Junior's" innocence, then ran off with it after the creature again attacked Vibe and Steel. Second Leaguer to age rapidly.

Vibe: Used his superior reason to convince Gypsy to reconsider the potential threat of "Junior." Yes, I just wrote a sentence combining "Vibe" and "superior reason." I can't believe it, either. Accidentally caused a small cave-in which using his powers against Junior, mostly to make me feel better about that "superior reason" business.

Steel: After both he and Vibe falter before Junior, deduces the creature has an effect on the quality of reason in person within its proximity. That helps explain Vibe's "superior wisdom," but created the whole new problem of Steel's displaying keen deductive reasoning. Everything I know is a terrible lie!

Interlude: On the planet Kalanor, servants tended to a blazing pit. "Behold the Flame of Py'tar. Those who are not destroyed by its purifying embrace achieve wisdom and power beyond imagination. Will you risk the flame, master?" A nude silhouette with a scalloped head answered, "For what I seek, I would risk eternity." This being then allowed the blaze to immolate him. "The pain is indescribable: It goes beyond agony to the far reaches of madness. He welcomes the pain, he embraces the madness. Soon he will have power enough to take vengeance on the Justice League. His wild laughter ends in a scream."

Sue Dibney: Ate pizza with Ralph last night. Returned home to the Secret Sanctuary with a new costume for her husband, this one her favored color of purple. Almost ran over Junior and Gypsy. Discovered Gypsy's serious ailment, then joined Steel and Vibe for a return trip to headquarters. Realized "Junior" was truly evil, enjoying his food at the expense of our heroes, who are all near death by issue's end. Finding J'Onn J'Onzz while on the run from an unknown being that emerged from the chrysalis of Junior, Sue activated the alarm before falling herself.

The Creators: Luke McDonnell and Bill Wray seriously brought their A-game in showing the Leaguers' terrible decline into infirmity. Gerry Conway follows suit, elevating the dread at the overwhelming horror the heroes face. Even colorist Gene D'Angelo was noteworthy for keeping up the mood and subtlety. Outstanding team effort.

J’Onn J’Onzz’s Nicknames of the Issue: “Big Green”-Vibe.

Most Embarrassing Vibe Quote of the Issue: "Madre dios! A cave-in!"

Justice League of America #248 (3/86)

Gypsy: Adopted the baby tentacle monster, and having seen my share of hentai, it's a good thing Gypsy determined (?) it was a girl, which she called "Junior(?)"

Elongated Man: Unenthusiastic about keeping "Junior." Missed the now mummified remains of the possum family.

Vixen: Not at all comfortable about "Junior" or its mysterious origins. "I wish J'Onn J'Onzz were here. He knows every corner of the Secret Sanctuary." Continued to wonder about her roommate Gypsy's origins, as well. Talked about taking a skin sample from "Junior," which understood her and panicked. Vixen tried to pursue, but despite never being "sick a day" of her life, suddenly went weak. She then aged to infirmity in a matter of minutes.

Interlude: Kalanor was a peaceful, fertile world until, "the world and its inhabitants were his possessions... to do with as he pleased; to toy with... to mutilate... even to destroy, if the whim took him." While for a decade, things returned to normal, there were still some who worshipped him as a god. The escaped convict from last issue arrived there and set foot on Kalanor, flanked by white hammer-headed aliens garbed in purple robes. "It's good to be home."

Martian Manhunter: Private eye John Jones was on the trail of a seventeen year old runaway for his employer, but ended up framed for the murder of a woman closer to fifty. Eluded police through invisibility, though he insisted on continuing to talk to them while making off with the seemingly levitating smoking gun. Arrived with Steel and Vibe at the Secret Sanctuary in time to apprehend the escaping "Junior." J'Onzz exclaimed, "Gods of Mars" and the speed and strength of it, and tried to warn of Steel before the youth was blasted by its unknown energy. Took the form of a "Senior" to distract "Junior." Scolded three Leaguers for not contacting the rest of the group immediately upon "Junior's" discovery.

Steel: Managed to evade the casting couch by becoming a stuntman on a barbarian movie for Magma Studios of Astoria, Queens. When a rival stuntman pushed the offensive, Steel picked him up and threw him at the director. "I said, 'don't push!' ...nobody ever listens! Just like my grandfather! You think I say things just to hear myself talk? What are you, stupid?" Lost his job with the usual temper, but got a date with the continuity girl out of it. Punched out tentacle monster, but not before being zapped by the black fire.

Vibe: Blew all $500 of his savings on two months rent on a dive he won't live to make much use of. Hassled by local "protection" racket, and wrecked a city street showing them who's boss. Took the brunt of a second "black energy flare" to protect his good buddy Steel.

Sue Dibney: Westchester? Still?

Zatanna: Scooped up the ashes of her former roommate into an envelope, fearing one of her enemies may have killed the girl by mistake. Intended to take the dust and the girl's purse to investigators Dibney & Jones, but instead used her magic to follow a lead alone.

The Creators: So we're basically reading an anthology series at this point, right? Since the Crisis, there was the solo Steel issue, and then four straight issues of side stories featuring a divided JLDetroit.... except now they're in New York, so the unofficial title wasn't even valid anymore. As for foes created to battle this team-- well, General Maksai was really just for Vixen, so that leaves the Overmaster's Cadre and-- um-- is that it? That may be it, prior to the tentacle monster. Why didn't this direction pan out? Oh right, because it ate rocks, and I'm talking jagged, sun-scorched rocks.

Most Embarrassing Vibe Quote of the Issue: "Somebody get me a barf bag. I'm gonna be sick.