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Post by Cei-U! on Aug 1, 2015 6:08:36 GMT -5
Steel, The Indestructible Man #5
October-November 1978 (July 24, 1978) $.50
Cover Art: Don Heck (Penciller), Al Milgrom (Inker), signed
“A Scream in the Night!” 25 pages
Al Milgrom (Editor), Gerry Conway (Writer), Don Heck (Penciller), Frank Chiaramonte (Inker), Karin (Letterer), Jerry Serpe (Colorist)
FC: Steel, the Indestructible Man
SC: Gloria Giles
Intro: Dr. Olivia Brown
Intro: Andrew Hawk (dies in this story)
Intro: Jonathan Hawk (also poses as Gunnerson and an unnamed butler; dies in this story)
Synopsis
On “a foggy back road in upstate New York,” a grotesque swamp creature attacks a truck carrying “the only existing supply” of Hank Heywood's bio-retardant formula. Luckily for Dr. Olivia Brown, Steel is secretly riding shotgun atop the truck. The Indestructible Man struggles with the monster but is knocked out and tossed into a patch of quicksand. By the time he regains consciousness and frees himself from the bog, the creature and Dr. Brown are long gone.
As he searches, Steel remembers doctors telling him that only his enhanced physiology allowed him to survive the grenade blast that killed the Gadgeteer. Nonetheless, the mystery man will eventually die without surgery. Recalling that his college lab partner, Olivia Brown, has been continuing research on the bio-retardant formula, Steel rises from his hospital bed determined to enlist her aid. As he leaves, he overhears Gloria Giles tell a doctor that her father's health had taken a nosedive since Hank Haywood enlisted in the military. His feelings of culpability for his mentor's heart attack increase his determination to use the formula to save both himself and Dr. Giles.
Onward through the swampland staggers Steel until a huge mansion looms up through the fog. The butler who answers his knock welcomes him to Hawk House but cautions the wounded hero that its master, Jonathan Hawk, is a recluse who hasn't welcomed a visitor since 1928. Steel discovers just how much Hawk values his privacy as, spurred on by the distant sound of Olivia's screams, he escapes one death trap after another.
He winds up in a laboratory, where he meets Gunnerson, head of the Hawk Medical Research Center which is pursuing its own experiments in bio-retardation. The scientist tells Steel the tragic story of the Hawk brothers. Andrew Hawk had been “the greatest of the silent movie stars,” whose career was cut short by the introduction of sound. He and his manager, brother Jonathan, were in a car crash that left Jonathan grotesquely deformed and with a broken back. Andrew established the research lab to search for a cure but his efforts instead transformed Jonathan into the horror Steel encountered earlier. Gunnerson, admitting they kidnapped Olivia to force her to treat Jonathan, leads to where the monster holds her captive.
In the subsequent battle, Steel recalls the swamp creature's broken back and fells him with a smashing blow to the spine. “Gunnerson” then confesses the truth: he is Jonathan Hawk (as, earlier, he was the butler) and the monster is Andrew. Before more can be said, the mansion — badly damaged during Steel's earlier encounters with its traps — begins to come down around their heads. The Indestructible Man and Dr. Brown barely escape with their lives but the Hawk brothers are not so fortunate.
Behind the Scenes
This is the final issue of Steel, The Indestructible Man.
Continuity
The narration for this issue places its events in January of 1940, yet states that it occurs the day after Steel's showdown with the Gadgeteer in the previous issue. That battle, however, was part of a story arc occuring sometime in mid- to late November 1939, according to Steel, The Indestructible Man #2. Because the character is depicted having a number of unchronicled adventures between issue #1 and #2, it is probably the reference to that storyline beginning “a few days” after Steel's first public appearance that is in error.
The Good Guys
Steel adds a holster for his flare gun to his costume in this issue.
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Post by Cei-U! on Aug 2, 2015 5:58:33 GMT -5
Justice League of America #160
November 1978 (July 31, 1978) $.50
Cover Art: Dick Dillin (Penciller), Frank McLaughlin (Inker)
“Crisis from Tomorrow!” 25 pages
Julius Schwartz (Editor), Gerry Conway (Writer), Dick Dillin (Penciller), Frank McLaughlin (Inker), Ben Oda (Letterer), Carl Gafford (Colorist)
FC: Aquaman, The Atom, Batman, Black Canary, The Elongated Man, The Flash, Green Arrow, Green Lantern, Hawkgirl, Hawkman, The Red Tornado, Superman, Wonder Woman, teamed as the Justice League of America
GS: Doctor Fate, Doctor Mid-Nite, The Flash, Green Lantern, The Huntress, The Star-Spangled Kid, Superman, Wonder Woman, teamed as the Justice Society of America
GS: The Black Pirate, Enemy Ace, Jonah Hex, Miss Liberty, The Viking Prince
SC: Sue Dibny
Villains: The Eternity Brain (destroyed in this story), The Lord of Time
Synopsis
The eight Justice League and Justice Society members who were left defeated but uninjured by the Lord of Time's five time-displaced pawns follow the chronal energies emitted by their foes into the future, courtesy of a large version of the Earth-One Flash's cosmic treadmill.
At the extratemporal Palace of Eternity, Jonah Hex and the others attempt to use their new super-powers to fight their way into the citadel. The Eternity Brain holds them at bay with menaces summoned from the prehistoric past and far future. Though the heroes from history fight bravely, they are overwhelmed. Puzzled that the Time Lord would permit the quintet to use the powers he granted them against it, the Brain does not suspect that its own creator plots against it.
Back on Earth-One, Aquaman — who had been performing monitor duty aboard the JLA satellite at the time of the attack — learns that the twelve comatose JLA/JSA heroes are permeated with an unknown radiation. The Sea King agrees to loan the hospital some of the League's advanced medical diagnostic equipment.
The Time Lord's hope that the humiliation of their earlier defeat, combined with their determination to save their fallen teammates, would give his enemies an unquenchable resolve to win proves true. Though the Eternity Brain throws menace after menace at them, the eight heroes press on. One by one, they fall until only the Elongated Man remains. The Ductile Detective manages to destroy the Brain with only seconds to spare. The Lord of Time is taken into custody and his time-tossed minions are restored to their proper eras.
Later, the others are brought out of their comas in time to overhear a recuperating Elongated Man boasting to his wife Sue of how he prevented the end of time.
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Post by Cei-U! on Aug 3, 2015 6:11:29 GMT -5
Superman #329
November 1978 (August 8, 1978) $.50
Cover Art: Ross Andru (Penciller), Dick Giordano (Inker), signed
“Secret of the Talking Car” 8 pages
Julius Schwartz (Editor), Cary Bates (Writer); Kurt Schaffenberger (Penciller), Frank Giacoia (Inker); Todd Klein (Letterer), Adrienne Roy (Colorist)
FC: Lois Lane Kent, Superman, teamed as Mr. & Mrs. Superman
Synopsis
The excitement of Clark and Lois's purchase of a new car is spoiled when it is stolen from their apartment building's parking lot overnight. Worse, Lois left her tape recorder, which may have captured her happy babbling about the joy of being married to Superman on tape, in the front seat. After tearing Metropolis's underworld apart searching for the car, the Man of Steel uses his superhuman sense of smell to track the stolen auto to Gotham City where bank robbers are using it as a getaway car. Fortunately, the thieves assumed Lois was speaking rhetorically in calling her husband a “superman.”
Behind the Series
The “Mr. & Mrs. Superman” series moves to The Superman Family beginning with issue #195.
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Post by Cei-U! on Aug 4, 2015 7:13:40 GMT -5
Adventure Comics #460
November-December 1978 (August 14, 1978) $1.00
Cover Art: Ross Andru (Penciller), Dick Giordano (Inker), signed
“A Nightmare to Remember!” 12 pages
Paul Levitz (Editor), Cary Bates (Writer); Irv Novick (Penciller), Frank McLaughlin (Inker); Ben Oda (Letterer), Gene D’Angelo (Colorist)
FC: The Flash [of Earth-One]
GS: The Flash
Villain: The Wizard (behind the scenes, appears as illusion)
Cameo: Joan Garrick, as an illusion
Cameos: The Fiddler, The Shade (both as illusions)
Synopsis
Traveling home after visiting his Justice Society counterpart, the Flash of Earth-One inexplicably passes out in transit. He awakens back on Earth-Two… or does he?
Racing back to Keystone City to brainstorm with Jay Garrick about the mysterious force blocking his passage between dimensions, the Sultan of Speed encounters the Shade calmly walking the streets. He nabs the Duke of Darkness but when the police arrive, they order him released. Flash protests that Shade is a wanted criminal but the officers scold, “That’s no way to talk about the new mayor of our city, Mr. Garrick!” The Shade, too, addresses Barry as Jay, reminding him that it was his endorsement that gave him the advantage over rival Solomon Grundy in the election!
Baffled, the Scarlet Speedster goes to the Garrick home, where he finds Joan Garrick married to the Fiddler. The couple even has a toddler. Joan, also treating Barry as if he were Jay, reminds him that they divorced six years ago. Determined to learn if it’s the world or himself that has gone mad, Flash attempts to leave Keystone but finds his path out of town blocked by “a weird, shimmering barrier.”
Attempting to vibrate through the barrier, the Flash instead activates a ‘prerecorded message’ from the Wizard. The wicked magician, speaking to Jay, boasts of having devised the perfect trap for his old enemy: he sabotaged the pathway between worlds with a spell designed to imprison Garrick’s astral form in a nightmare world of the Wizard’s devising, a world designed to drive the elder Flash mad. Realizing that he was caught in this trap by accident, Barry alters his body’s molecular vibration rate to match Jay’s brainwave patterns, disrupting the spell and allowing him to reunite with his physical body and complete his interrupted journey home.
Continuity
It is not clear where this story fits into Earth-Two continuity. It probably occurs between the “Justice Society of America” stories in Adventure Comics #464 and 465 but this cannot be confirmed.
In his message, the Wizard is wearing the Mantle of Invisibility acquired in Secret Society of Super-Villains #12, later confiscated following his defeat and capture in Justice League of America #168. He must therefore have set his interdimensional trap for the Flash sometime between those two events, possibly during the Secret Society's brief sojourn on Earth-Two in SsoSV #15, but this cannot be confirmed.
The Good Guys
The Flash of Earth-Two takes no active role in this story.
Fashion Watch
The Flash of Earth-Two wears wingless buccaneer-style boots in this issue.
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Post by Cei-U! on Aug 5, 2015 7:21:39 GMT -5
Green Lantern #110
November 1978 (August 28, 1978) $.50
Cover Art: Mike Grell, signed
“The Doom of Dragon-Fire!” 8 pages
Jack C. Harris (Editor), Cary Burkett (Writer), Juan Ortiz (Penciller), Vince Colletta (Inker), Clem Robins (Letterer), Adrienne Roy (Colorist)
FC: Green Lantern
SC: Lo-Lanke
Villains: The Tong of the Green Dragon
Reintro The Green Flame of Life, called “the spirit of the ring of power” in this story
Intro: The Green Dragon (Lord Chang; dies in this story)
Synopsis
With a powerless Green Lantern sealed within a fiery pit, Lord Chang uses the increased energies of his Power Stone to transform himself into the monstrous Green Dragon. After Chang and his followers depart, GL fights his way back to the surface, astonished to find himself still alive. Lo-Lanke had only pretended to take his ring, ensuring his survival.
Fed up with his ring's repeated failures, an angry Lantern shouts, “Blast you, ring! What’s wrong with you?” Green flame pours from the ring, forming itself into a beautiful female face. This is the living spirit of the power ring. In using his ring for evil while under the influence of the Psycho-Pirate, the flame explains, the Lantern made it possible after centuries of frustration for Chang to command the Power Stone. Its failures were the result of the hero's loss of confidence in himself. The green flame reminds him of the lantern's long ago pledge to Alan Scott: “Power shall be yours… if you have faith in yourself!” Though the ring removes GL's memory of their conversation, the hero finds himself brimming over with renewed confidence.
A moment later, the Green Dragon attacks. Though their battle is fierce, the Chinese sorceror is no match for Green Lantern at full will power. GL forces Chang to resume human form. Before the fight can continue, a tree damaged in the Dragon's intial assault topples over. Lord Chang futilely attempts to use his power to save himself but is crushed to death beneath it.
Lo-Lanke — who was Chang's wife, not his daughter as the Lantern assumed — reveals that she deliberately withheld from her husband the knowledge of the emerald energy's inability to affect wood. Though she has sacrificed her own immortality to stop Chang's evil plans, she notes that in so doing, “I have regained my soul!”
Later, no longer hampered by his lack of confidence, Alan decides to open the telegram from Universal Broadcasting.
The Good Guys
The Green Flame of Life last spoke to Alan Scott in the “Green Lantern” story in All-American Comics #16 (July 1940).
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Post by Reptisaurus! on Aug 5, 2015 15:56:53 GMT -5
No Green Arrow at all, even though his name was still on the cover? Poor guy. (Or were they doing more of a split book thing by that point?)
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zilch
Full Member
Posts: 244 
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Post by zilch on Aug 6, 2015 1:51:10 GMT -5
GA was showing up in the main story, this was a backup.
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Post by Cei-U! on Aug 6, 2015 7:11:27 GMT -5
Green Lantern #111
December 1978 (September 25, 1978) $.40
Cover Art: Mike Grell, signed
“Dark Things Cannot Stand the Light!” 17 pages
Jack C. Harris (Editor), Denny O'Neil (Writer), Alex Saviuk (Penciller), Vince Colletta (Inker), Todd Klein (Letterer), Adrienne Roy (Colorist)
FC: Green Lantern and Green Arrow [both of Earth-One]
GS: Green Lantern
SC: The Guardians of the Universe
Intro: Zalaz (name not revealed in this story)
Synopsis
Earth-One's Green Lantern and Green Arrow travel to the planet Oa, home of the Guardians of the Universe, to find out why the power ring malfunctioned during a battle. They learn that there is “trouble throughout the universe … and perhaps beyond!” When the Guardians first undertook their self-appointed “task of creating order” in the universe, they “gathered together the mystic forces loose in the starways” and “locked [them] in the heart of a star, there to remain forever!” Although, as Green Arrow notes, “wizards, warlocks and other hocus-pocus types” exist, the Guardians consider their efforts “generally successful – for do not reason and logic rule?” Now that balance is threatened. The “magic star heart” has been stolen by a powerful creature from another galaxy. “Once in the void beyond” the rim of the Milky Way, the thief “can wreak great havoc-- --perhaps rend the fabric of all being!”
GL summons Alan Scott, the Green Lantern of Earth-Two, reasoning that his JSA counterpart's magically powered ring may prevail against the awesome magic of the star heart where the Oans' scientifically-derived emerald energy failed. Snatched from the middle of a case, the elder Lantern readily agrees to help the Justice League duo pursue the thief. After charging their rings at the Oan central power battery, the Lanterns and GA take up the chase. Catching up to the grotesque being, they offer him a chance to surrender. In reply, the thief blasts the ring wielders into unconsciousness.
Behind the Scenes
The credits for this issue include a notice of “special thanks to [science fiction author] Roger Zelazny for inspiration rendered.”
Continuity
It is not clear where the story in Green Lantern #111-12 fits into Earth-Two continuity. It probably occurs between the “Justice Society of America” stories in Adventure Comics #464 and 465 but this cannot be confirmed.
Fashion Watch
Green Lantern of Earth-Two wears the older, more detailed version of his chest insignia throughout this issue and the next, with the exception of this issue's cover.
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Post by Cei-U! on Aug 7, 2015 6:18:15 GMT -5
The Brave and the Bold #146
January 1979 (October 23, 1978) $.40
Cover Art: Jim Aparo, signed
“The Secret That Saved a World!” 17 pages
Paul Levitz (Editor), Bob Haney (Writer), Romeo Tanghal (Penciller), Frank McLaughlin (Inker), Ben Oda (Letterer), Jerry Serpe (Colorist)
FC: Batman and The Unknown Soldier
SC: James W. Gordon
Villain: Count Klaus Von Stauffen
Synopsis
While patrolling the streets of wartime Gotham City, Batman hears a cry for help. The Caped Crusader arrives too late to prevent the robbery and murder of an elderly German, or to stop his killer from escaping. The victim is Professor Herzen, an expert in “atomic particle physics” and refugee from the Nazi regime. Vital scientific papers have been stolen from his safe.
As Bruce Wayne, the Masked Manhunter grills an old acquaintance — Bill Dysart of Consolidated Ores — over a game of tennis. Dysart tells Bruce that a representative of the South American nation of “San Pedro” has placed an order for uranium isotopes. After surreptitiously photographing Dysart's meeting with San Pedran diplomat Paul Besserman, Batman decides to contact the authorities.
In Washington, Batman learns “Besserman” is actually Count Klaus Von Stauffen, master spy and mortal enemy of the Unknown Soldier. Von Stauffen is in America to ferret out the secrets of America's atomic weapons program. He must not leave the country with the isotopes and Herzen's papers.
Two days later at the Lincoln Memorial, Dysart and Besserman/Von Stauffen meet to complete their transaction. Batman and the Soldier watch from hiding. A suspicious Dysart attempts to take the faux diplomat to the FBI at gunpoint. Von Stauffen kills him. The heroes go after the murderous spy but are driven off by his heavily-armed henchmen. Unable to touch Von Stauffen while he hides within the San Pedro embassy, Batman and the Soldier stake it out. A diversion draws their attention just long enough for their target to escape and fly to New Mexico.
The Unknown Soldier impersonates the pilot Von Stauffen has chartered to fly him over Los Alamos. Once the Nazi has photographed the installation, diplomatic immunity will no longer shield him from arrest for espionage. The plan goes awry when the wind whipping through the open cockpit peels away part of the Soldier's mask. They struggle and the plane crashes. Von Stauffen, convinced he has killed both his longtime foe and the pursuing Batman, escapes anew.
Back in the capitol, the good guys wiretap Von Stauffen's phone, overhearing plans to pass him the final information he needs to complete the atomic puzzle at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier the following day. A disguised Soldier attends the ceremony at his namesake's grave while Batman watches from the shrubbery. Besserman/Von Stauffen plucks a flower from one of the numerous wreaths laid on the tomb. Thinking quickly, the Soldier changes his makeup and, as President Roosevelt, helps himself to the diplomat's new boutonniere. Unable to protest, Von Stauffen flees in a panic. The Soldier tosses the explosive planted to cover the Nazi spy's getaway aside just in time.
Batman and his faceless ally have defeated Count Von Stauffen's plans and recovered the pilfered atomic secrets but the villain, save in his embassy sanctuary, waits for the day he will emerge to clash anew with the Unknown Soldier.
Behind the Scenes
The general public was not aware at the time of the true severity of President Roosevelt's handicap. That FDR would appear at a public ceremony in his wheelchair, as the Unknown Soldier does while impersonating him, is unlikely.
Cosmology
As mentioned in the notes for The Brave and the Bold #84, longtime DC editor Robert Kanigher insisted that the adventures of the company's war heroes did not occur in any of the super-hero universes. As with Sgt. Rock and Mlle. Marie, we must assume the existence of Earth-Two doppelgängers of the Unknown Soldier and Count Von Stauffen if the story indexed here is to be considered canonical. This is, therefore, the first appearance of the Earth-Two counterparts of both characters.
Continuity
The story in this issue is said to take place over eight days, culminating on Memorial Day during “the darkest period of the war.” No year is specified but the progress of American atomic research as depicted here suggests that it probably occurs prior to the events of June 10-12, 1942, as seen in the “Superman and Wonder Woman” story in All-New Collectors' Edition #C-54. That would make the date for this story May 23-30, 1942, but this cannot be confirmed. See the first Continuity Note for The Brave and the Bold #84 for further information.
The story in this issue probably occurs between the “Batman and Robin” stories in Detective Comics #65 (July 1942, with a release date of May 26) and #66 (August 1942) but this cannot be confirmed.
The Good Guys
A shot of the Bat-Cave in this story shows the familiar giant penny and robot dinosaur on exhibit, despite the fact that neither trophy was acquired until after World War II, in World's Finest Comics #30 (September-October 1947) and Batman #35 (June-July 1946) respectively.
The Bad Guys
Count Klaus Von Stauffen, a recurring villain in the Unknown Soldier's solo title, may be a relative of the Colonel Von Stauffen seen in the “Batman and Sgt. Rock” story in The Brave and the Bold #84 but this cannot be confirmed.
Fashion Watch
Batman wears a costume with detailing consistent with the 1970s version of the character rather than with the detailing it had in 1942. Only the omission of the yellow oval around his chest emblem differentiates this Batman visually from his Earth-One doppelgänger.
Commissioner Gordon is depicted as a much younger man than he looked in his Golden Age appearances, probably to compensate for showing the character still holding office as late as the summer of 1977 (see the fourth Good Guys note for the “Huntress” story in DC Super-Stars #17 for more information).
Points to Ponder
Aside from his preliminary detective work, Batman does little more in this issue than watch the Unknown Soldier work.
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Post by Cei-U! on Aug 8, 2015 6:23:26 GMT -5
Adventure Comics #461
January-February 1979 (October 9, 1978) $1.00
Cover Art: Jim Aparo, signed
“Only Legends Live Forever” 16 pages
Joe Orlando (Editor), Paul Levitz (Writer), Joe Staton (Art), Ben Oda (Letterer), Adrienne Roy (Colorist)
FC: Doctor Fate, The Flash, Green Lantern, The Huntress, Power Girl, Robin, Wildcat, teamed as the Justice Society of America
SC: Batman (as Commissioner Bruce Wayne)
Intro: Bill Jensen
Synopsis
Power Girl, pouting because a test seems to prove that Green Lantern's will power is stronger than her Kryptonian physique, pauses long enough to be rude to the convalescing Wildcat before storming out of Justice Society headquarters. Meanwhile, Robin tells the Huntress he recognizes Helena Wayne beneath the mask and promises not to tell her father of her double life.
Bruce Wayne is very much on the mind of the madman climbing up the side of one of the twin towers of the Gotham Trade Center some time later. Defying all attempts at rescue, he makes it to the top and screams that he wants Commissioner Wayne brought to him. When a policeman attempts to talk to him, the man begins crackling with energy.
If the JSA thinks it will have an easy time corralling the lunatic, who identifies himself as one Bill Jensen, they quickly learn otherwise. Confronted by Power Girl, Jensen telekinetically binds her in enchanted chains and disdainfully tosses her into Gotham Bay. “What I want is Bruce Wayne!” he raves. “Bring him to me-- or your whole city will die like that girl!” The rest of the team fares no better than the Maid of Might. Jensen, who boasts of waking up one morning in his prison cell with “the power,” conjures up a legion of monsters to combat the heroes. The JSA collapses in defeat.
To further demonstrate his power, Jensen causes the other tower to sway dangerously, threatening to topple it if he doesn't see Wayne. When the commissioner appears, the maddened escapee — claiming that Wayne framed him for murder to advance his career — hurls his power at him to no effect, thanks to latecomer Doctor Fate. But not even the potent sorcery of the Wonder Wizard can protect him from a burst of Jensen's power set on high. A moment later, the crazed convict — now the only man still standing on the tower — is infuriated to discover that Wayne has disappeared.
Behind the Scenes
The story in this issue, the first episode of the “Justice Society of America” series to appear in Adventure Comics, was originally intended for All-Star Comics #75. A three-page Prologue was added to bring new readers up to date on JSA continuity.
The Gotham Trade Center twin towers introduced in this issue are modeled after New York's World Trade Center.
Continuity
The first part of this story, up through the conversation between Robin and the Huntress on page 7, takes place a day after the events of the “Justice Society of America” story in All-Star Comics #74. The following scene introducing Bill Jensen begins an uninterrupted sequence of events that results in the death of the Earth-Two Batman. According to the “Huntress” stories in The Batman Family #18-20, Helena Wayne has just joined the firm of Cranston and Grayson, which Dick Grayson mentions in this issue, a short time before that story arc begins. However, dialogue throughout that three-parter makes it clear that Bruce Wayne is still living at the time. Therefore there must be a pause in this issue's story between pages 7 and 8 long enough to accommodate the week during which the events of Batman Family #18-20 occur. Nothing in the captions or dialogue in the Jensen scenes explicitly contradicts such a timeline but it cannot be conclusively proven. The Flash’s appearance in the “Flash” story in Adventure Comics #460 and Green Lantern's appearance in the “Green Lantern and Green Arrow” story in Green Lantern #111-12 probably also occur during this break but this too cannot be confirmed.
Meeting Minutes
This is the first appearance of the JSA Sky-Skimmer since the “Justice Society of America” story in All-Star Comics #61.
The Good Guys
Wildcat, still recovering from his brain surgery in this issue, is no longer slurring his speech. Though in costume once more, he is apparently not healthy enough to go with the others to the Gotham Trade Center.
Wildcat quotes his former manager Stretch Skinner on the subject of women in this story. This is the first mention of Stretch in Earth-Two continuity.
The O'Hara seen in this issue may be the officer last seen in the “Justice Society of America” story in All-Star Comics #67. Judging from his uniform and general demeanor, he is probably not Chief O'Hara, first mentioned in the context of Earth-Two continuity in the “Huntress” story in The Batman Family #20
Fashion Watch
The Atom appears in the Prologue wearing a never-before-seen variation of his original Golden Age costume. The orange lapels on his shirt have become large brown straps, part of his brown trunks.
The Flash resumes wearing his buccaneer-style winged boots in this issue.
Wonder Woman is depicted in the Prologue wearing the skirted version of her costume from the earliest episodes of her Golden Age series.
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Post by Cei-U! on Aug 9, 2015 6:41:20 GMT -5
Green Lantern #112
January 1979 (October 23, 1978) $.40
Cover Art: Mike Grell, signed
“The Starheart Connection!” 17 pages
Jack C. Harris (Editor), Denny O'Neil (Writer), Alex Saviuk (Penciller), Vince Colletta (Inker), Milt Snapinn (Letterer), Adrienne Roy (Colorist)
FC: Green Lantern and Green Arrow [both of Earth-One]
GS: Green Lantern
SC: The Green Flame of Light (as the Starheart)
Villain: Zalaz (dies in this story)
Intro: M'La
Synopsis
Recovering from the Starheart thief's devastating assault, the Green Lanterns and Green Arrow take up his trail once more. They track their quarry to a bizarre planet floating alone in the void, one half of which is a futuristic city, the other “a single huge forest.” Deducing that “science rules the city, and magic the forest,” the trio attempts to penetrate their foe's “half castle… half skyscraper headquarters.” The Lanterns are snatched from the sky by strange rays, leaving the Arrow to face a horde of soldiers and demons alone. He is knocked out and taken prisoner.
Green Arrow recovers consciousness in the throne room of Zalaz. The “jack-lord” (ruler) of this schizophrenic world, Zalaz explains that he stole the Starheart in hopes that its mystic might can cure his queen M'La, whose lethal illness defies both Zalaz's science and his magic. Satisfied that the Battling Bowman presents no threat to his plans, the grotesque alien sends him to join his friends in the escape-proof cell in which he has imprisoned them. Though he has no intention of killing the heroes, Zalaz decrees that they “may not leave — ever!” The walls of their cell are made of petrified yellow wood, thus encompassing the weaknesses of both GLs' power rings. Only by temporarily merging their energies (possible only because the Earth-Two Lantern charged his magically-powered ring on the Oans' scientifically-fueled power battery in the previous issue) do the heroes escape.
Confronting Zalaz anew, the super-heroes offer to help cure M'La but are stymied by the creature's alien code of honor, which scorns accepting help from an enemy. Realizing that their desperation to recover the Starheart before chaos can descend on the Earth-One universe will compel his enemies to attack, Zalaz holds them at bay just long enough to “unlock the ultimate power of the Starheart … the power of life” and place his own life force into his beloved queen. Beautiful beyond belief, the resurrected M'La announces that she will use her sorcerous powers to undo the damage done by Zalaz in her name.
“Alas,” says a voice, “this cannot be…” It is the Starheart itself speaking, its consciousness awakened by Zalaz's sacrifice. Describing itself as “a being formed when all the magic force in the galaxy came together at the will of the Guardians [of the Universe],” it is the same entity Alan Scott knows as the Green Flame of Life. “When I was born,” it explains to Alan, “I knew this day would come … in which my power would be released throughout the omniverse… I willed part of my being to [Earth-Two], knowing … that force would someday fall to your capable hands…” It cannot allow itself to be used by M'La no matter how benevolent her intentions, for “I must be contained — compressed, or havoc will rule!”
Realizing that the Starheart must be returned to its sanctuary even though it could mean her death to return it, M'La unselfishly vows not only to restore it to its place of rest but to spend eternity guarding it so that no one can ever disturb it again. A moment later, Green Arrow and the Earth-One Lantern find themselves back on the streets of Star City. The cosmic balance has been restored.
Cosmology
This is the first mention of the omniverse — defined elsewhere as the sum of all existence; the aggregation of all the universes and multiverses that ever were, are or will be — in Earth-Two continuity.
The Green Flame of Life empowering the Earth-Two Green Lantern's power ring is revealed to have originated in the Earth-One universe in this story.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 9, 2015 6:47:50 GMT -5
Adventure Comics #461January-February 1979 (October 9, 1978) $1.00 Cover Art: Jim Aparo, signed “Only Legends Live Forever” 16 pages Fashion WatchThe Flash resumes wearing his buccaneer-style winged boots in this issue. Wonder Woman is depicted in the Prologue wearing the skirted version of her costume from the earliest episodes of her Golden Age series. I just loved those buccaneer-style winged (The Flash) boots and the skirted Wonder Woman as well. It's gave class to this issue Kurt! |
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Post by Cei-U! on Aug 11, 2015 7:00:25 GMT -5
Adventure Comics #462
March-April 1979 (December 11, 1978) $1.00
Cover Art: Jim Aparo, signed
“Only Legends Live Forever” 15 pages
Joe Orlando (Editor), Paul Levitz (Writer), Joe Staton (Art; Penciller, page 1), Dick Giordano (Inker, page 1), Ben Oda (Letterer), Adrienne Roy (Colorist)
FC: Batman (dies in this story), Doctor Fate, Doctor Mid-Nite, The Flash, Green Lantern, Hawkman, Hourman, The Huntress, Power Girl, Robin, The Sandman, Starman, The Star-Spangled Kid, Superman, Wildcat, Wonder Woman, teamed as the Justice Society of America
SC: Alfred Beagle (see The Good Guys Note below)
Villain: Bill Jensen (dies in this story)
Synopsis
Escaped convict Bill Jensen — an ordinary man caught red-handed in the murder of his business partner now inexplicably transformed into a super-powered lunatic — raves atop one of the twin towers of the Gotham Trade Center. Police Commissioner Bruce Wayne listens from a wind-swept ledge below, where he'd leapt to escape Jensen's energy blasts. With an uncharacteristic fatalism, Wayne retrieves his Batman costume from the Trade Center's museum.
Police negotiators attempt to talk Jensen into releasing the unconscious Justice Society members as a show of good faith. In response, the madman hurls Flash from the roof. The Scarlet Speedster awakes long enough to acknowledge his rescue by Batman before passing out once more. The Masked Manhunter confronts Jensen as the other JSAers start coming to. Although they renew their assault, the crazed con holds them at bay with ease, demanding all the while that Commissioner Wayne surrender to him. When Jensen moves to finish the fallen JSA, Batman forces him to expend his energy powers on the relentlessly oncoming Caped Crusader. As his cowl boils away in the intense bombardment, Batman stands revealed as Bruce Wayne. Satisfied that his revenge is at hand, Bill Jensen allows himself to be consumed by “a fire not seen on this Earth since creation… …and the Batman dies with him!”
The Darknight Detective is laid to rest alongside his beloved wife as the Bat-Signal shines in tribute in the skies above Gotham City. Though the entire Justice Society mourns its fallen brother, none are affected more deeply than Helena Wayne and Dick Grayson. Dick at first intends to pick up the fallen mantle of the Batman until Helena convinces him there could only be one. After the funeral, Doctor Fate reminds his teammates that they must discover how and why Bill Jensen acquired his deadly super-powers if Batman is to be avenged.
Behind the Scenes
This is the last Earth-Two story produced under the editorial guidance of Joe Orlando.
Continuity
According to this story, Helena Wayne has lost both her parents within the space of a year. Since it has already been established that Selina Wayne's death occurred in the summer of 1977, the events of the “Justice Society of America” story in Adventure Comics #461-464 must take place no later than August of 1978, despite these comics' 1979 cover dates.
Meeting Minutes
Neither The Atom nor Mister Terrific are among the JSA mourners at Bruce Wayne's gravesite, though they may be attending in their civilian identities. If so, neither they nor other MIA friends of Batman — Johnny Thunder, Jim Corrigan, Black Canary and other Justice Leaguers — can be positively identified in the art.
The Good Guys
The older man wearing the green raincoat at Batman's funeral is probably intended to be Alfred Beagle (who does appear among the mourners on this issue's cover) but could also be Commissioner Gordon, Arthur Cranston or another unknown character.
Fashion Watch
Wonder Woman wears a star-spangled cape with her costume for the first time in Earth-Two continuity.
Points to Ponder
Power Girl is seen lying among the other unconscious JSAers at the beginning of this issue. No explanation is offered for her apparent escape from the magical chains that held her at the bottom of Gotham Bay in the previous issue.
“Voyage of the ‘Sorcerers Lost’ ” 12 pages
Ross Andru (Editor), Jack C. Harris (Writer), Jack Abel (Art), Milt Snappin (Letterer), Jerry Serpe (Colorist)
FC: Wonder Woman [of Earth-One]
GS: Sargon the Sorcerer
SC: Hippolyte
SC: Amazons of Paradise Island [of Earth-One]
SA: Aphrodite, Athena, Count Alessandro di Cagliostro, Harry Houdini, Merlin the Magician [all of Earth-One]
Intro: Mike Myers
Intro: Jennifer Clark
Cameos: Batman, The Flash, Green Lantern, Superman, teamed as the Justice League of America, all in flashback to Justice League of America #98
Synopsis
In the extradimensional “mystic realm of magicians,” the spirits of Merlin, Cagliostro and Houdini seek an incorruptible mortal guardian for the powerful and dangerous Ruby of Life. On the recommendation of the goddesses Athena and Aphrodite, they choose the Amazons of Earth-One's Paradise Island. Visiting the island later, Wonder Woman recognizes the mystic gem as that once borne by Sargon the Sorcerer. When a mystic alarm warns that outsiders have entered the Bermuda Triangle too close to the island for comfort, she summons her robot plane and flies out to investigate.
Not far from Paradise Island, Sargon contacts explorers Mike Myers and Jennifer Clark aboard their boat, the Sorcerers Lost. The magician offers them “riches beyond compare” if Jennifer will invade the Amazons' isle and steal the ruby. She refuses at first but accedes when Sargon threatens Mike's life. While the seemingly invincible sorcerer keeps Wonder Woman occupied, Jennifer wades ashore and warns the Amazonian Guard of the mens' threatened encroachment. With them distracted, stealing the ruby is childs' play.
It is in the instant that Jennifer prepares to hand over the mystic gem to Sargon that Wonder Woman realizes her foe is a fraud, for he wears a duplicate of the one-of-a-kind ruby on his brow. Snaring the jewel within her lasso, she detects the real Sargon imprisoned within its crimson facets. Aided by the magic of the enchanted lasso, Sargon breaks free, destroying the sinister stone and its evil simulacrum of him in the process. It had been the Ruby of Life that had turned the former super-hero to evil in the first place.
Points to Ponder
Though everyone in this story insists that the Ruby of Life is the only one of its kind, there are actually three such stones (as seen in Justice League of America #98). This may explain why Sargon is depicted wearing the Ruby on his turban after its apparent destruction on page 12, panel 1.
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Post by Cei-U! on Aug 12, 2015 7:17:22 GMT -5
Adventure Comics #463
May-June 1979 (February 5, 1979) $1.00
Cover Art: Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez, signed
“The Night of the Soul Thief!” 17 pages
Ross Andru (Editor); Paul Levitz (Writer); Joe Staton (Penciller), Dave Hunt (Inker); Ben Oda (Letterer), Adrienne Roy (Colorist)
FC: Doctor Fate, The Flash, Green Lantern, The Huntress, Power Girl, Robin, teamed as the Justice Society of America
Intro: Fredric Vaux
Synopsis
The Justice Society continues its search for the person or persons responsible for the murder of Bruce Wayne. Through mystic means, Doctor Fate traces the magical energy wielded by Bill Jensen to its source in Gotham City's “Olmstead Park.” The JSA splits into three teams of two to cover more ground. As they search, Robin shares with Green Lantern his concerns about his and the Huntress' futures now that their real identities as Dick Grayson and Helena Wayne are public knowledge.
Fate and Helena encounter a multi-headed sea serpent preying on boaters in the park's artificial lake. The Wonder Wizard, already worried because “[Batman]'s killer was given a power beyond mine,” is shocked to find the creature has power over more than one of the ancient elements, a power he believed to be “a lost artifice.” After a brief telepathic communication with the monster, Fate removes his helmet and surrenders, not only to save the Huntress but because he “must meet your master.”
The other teams also encounter elementals and manage to overcome all but the air demon, which uses its powers to put the heroic quartet to sleep. It is only then that their foe makes his presence known. Fredric Vaux is a sorcerer in the service of unnamed “nether gods,” his goal to “end the reign of heroes on this globe!” By granting a portion of his power to Bill Jensen, Vaux sacrificed Batman as the first step on his path to world domination. Now he intends to offer the souls of the six captured JSAers because “chaos and order must be free to struggle without the tempestuous interference of these mortals who call themselves heroes!”
Using his captives' souls as a focus, Vaux begins a spell that will erase from the memories and records of mankind all knowledge of not only the Justice Society of America but of all heroes everywhere, thus insuring the triumph of chaos. But even as the enchantment begins eating its way backward through time, Doctor Fate — whose surrender Vaux foolishly confused with defeat — rises from the altar and frees his teammates from the wicked sorcerer’s mental domination. As the others battle Vaux's elementals anew, Fate weaves a counterspell, drawing on the power of “the millions of men and women” of Gotham City who “hold the memory of their guardian, the man who protected their city for so long!” Thus, Fate declares, “it is the Batman who strikes this last blow against you!” His spell disrupted and his scheme thwarted, Fredric Vaux is reduced to mindlessness by his masters for his failure.
The Huntress bitterly notes that her father died at the whim of a madman, a death she considers meaningless, but Fate answers that “a last bit of good … may come from amidst this misery.” As he reverses Vaux's spell, he carefully rewrites the past just enough to erase mankind's knowledge of the heroic identities of the Wayne family. “Every bit of material evidence has been altered,” he explains, “and all memories save those that [already] knew the two were … one!” With their secrets restored, Robin and the Huntress stand ready once more to continue the legacy of the Batman.
Behind the Scenes
The name of this issue's villain, Frederick Vaux, is derived from Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux, the designers of New York City's Central Park.
Cosmology
Olmstead Park is the Earth-Two Gotham City's equivalent of Central Park.
Continuity
This story begins the day after the events of the previous issue.
The Good Guys
Doctor Fate's spell creates a separate grave and headstone for Batman near those of Bruce and Selena Wayne.
Fashion Watch
The Huntress and Robin appear in costume but without their masks throughout this story, until Doctor Fate casts the spell removing the knowledge of their secret identities from the memory of mankind.
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Post by Cei-U! on Aug 13, 2015 6:38:09 GMT -5
Justice League of America #166
May 1979 (February 5, 1979) $.40
Cover Art: Ross Andru (Penciller), Dick Giordano (Inker)
“The Long Way Home” 17 pages
Ross Andru (Editor), Gerry Conway (Writer), Dick Dillin (Penciller), Frank McLaughlin (Inker), Ben Oda (Letterer), Jerry Serpe (Colorist)
FC: Batman, Black Canary, Elongated Man, The Flash, Green Arrow, Green Lantern, The Red Tornado, Superman, Wonder Woman, Zatanna, teamed as the Justice League of America
GS: The Atom, Doctor Fate, Dr. Mid-Nite, The Flash, Green Lantern, The Huntress, The Star-Spangled Kid, teamed as the Justice Society of America (all in flashback only)
Villains: The Blockbuster, The Plant Master, The Reverse-Flash, Star Sapphire, The Wizard, teamed as the Secret Society of Super-Villains
Synopsis
Taking his turn at monitor duty aboard the JLA satellite, a bored Red Tornado is caught unawares by the abrupt materialization in the transmatter machine of the last existing faction of the Secret Society of Super-Villains. This group, led by the Wizard, has spent the last six months trapped in Limbo following their defeat at the hands of the Justice Society on Earth-Two. After knocking the Tornado out of action, the sorcerer from Earth-Two uses the League's computer to track down a piece of ancient statuary, reputed to be “the earliest known artifact of civilized man,” which is somehow crucial to his latest plan. They use the satellite's teleportation system to travel to Israel, unaware their unauthorized use of the teleporter triggers an emergency signal.
Five Justice Leaguers respond to the alert to find the Tornado alive but damaged. Piecing together what happened, who is responsible and what their next move is, the heroes follow the trail to an archaeological dig outside Tel Aviv and walk right into a Secret Society ambush. Only after the good guys are subdued do the super-villains reveal the true depths of their current dilemma: though their physical selves escaped Limbo, their “life essences” or souls were left behind. If their bodies and spirits are not reunited within a matter of minutes, the five baddies will die. By harnessing the innate mystical properties of the statue, Wizard does far more than save their lives: he exchanges their souls with those of the defeated Leaguers. With their minds now inhabiting the bodies of Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Batman and Zatanna, the Secret Society vows to “let the world know the true meaning of evil!”
Cosmology
The Secret Society escape Limbo by the Reverse-Flash's use of his vibratory powers to match the frequency of the JLA/JSA transmatter.
Continuity
It is not clear where the events depicted in flashback on page 5 of this issue fall within JSA continuity. It must occur shortly after the conclusion of Secret Society of Super-Villains #15, placing it between the “Justice Society of America” stories in All-Star Comics #71 and 72 as explained in the first Continuity note for #72. It probably occurs before Justice League of America #159-60 but this cannot be confirmed. See the second Continuity note for Secret Society #15 for further information.
Meeting Minutes
The presence of The Star-Spangled Kid in the flashback to the rescue of Dr. Mid-Nite and The Atom. and his subsequent participation in the events of Justice League of America #159-60, suggest he returned from the leave of absence he took in All-Star Comics #71 but this cannot be confirmed.
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