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Post by Cei-U! on Jan 15, 2015 10:07:15 GMT -5
Secret Society of Super-Villains #3September-October 1976 (May 31, 1976) $.30  Cover Art: Ernie Chan [as Ernie Chua], signed “War for Earthdeath!” 17 pages Gerry Conway (Editor), David Anthony Kraft (Writer), Pablo Marcos (Penciller), Vince Colletta (Inker), Ben Oda (Letterer), Carl Gafford (Colorist) FC: Captain Boomerang, Captain Cold, Captain Comet, Copperhead, Grodd, Hi-Jack, Manhunter, The Mirror Master, Sinestro, Star Sapphire, The Wizard, teamed as the Secret Society of Super-Villains GS: Green Lantern [of Earth-One] Villains: Darkseid, Kalibak, Lex Luthor (identity not revealed until #7), Mantis and his drones SynopsisDarkseid watches from Apokolips as Mantis overpowers Grodd and the Captains, forcing Manhunter and Star Sapphire to abandon their teammates and flee. Copperhead breaks out of jail with the unsolicited help of a mysterious villain. While Manhunter rounds up the rest of the team — including the Wizard — Sapphire seeks out Green Lantern. Now at full strength, the Secret Society free their captive teammates and defeat Mantis and his army of drones. Displeased, Darkseid dispatches his brutish son Kalibak to Earth to end Manhunter's rebellion once and for all.
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Post by Cei-U! on Jan 16, 2015 9:03:12 GMT -5
All-Star Comics #62September-October 1976 (June 21, 1976) $.30  Cover Art: Ernie Chan [as Ernie Chua], signed, main image; Ric Estrada (Penciller), Wally Wood (Inker), JSA logo figures “When Fall the Mighty” 17 pages Gerry Conway (Editor/Plot), Paul Levitz (Dialogue), Keith Giffen (Layouts), Wally Wood (Finished Art), Carl Gafford (Colorist), Ben Oda (Letterer) FC: Doctor Fate, Doctor Mid-Nite, The Flash, Green Lantern, Hawkman, Superman, Wildcat, teamed as the Justice Society of America FC: Power Girl, The Star-Spangled Kid, teamed with the JSA as the All-Star Super-Squad GS: The Shining Knight, identity unrevealed until #64 SC: Dr. Arthur Kliburn (dies in this story), Winged Victory, identity unrevealed until #64 Villain: Zanadu Villains: The Injustice Society of the World (behind the scenes) Reintro: Shiera Sanders Hall, the former Hawkgirl SynopsisNeither Dr. Mid-Nite's medical skill nor infusions of energy from the cosmic rod are enough to keep Dr. Fate alive much longer. The image of an ankh appears on a medical scanner. Green Lantern believes this is Fate's way of telling them a cure can be found in Egypt. When the Flash and Hourman arrive at the hospital, Hawkman sends Flash with the Lantern. Obsessed with the Lemurian relic, Dr. Kliburn breaks into Carter Hall's estate intent on stealing it. Instead, he faces Zanadu the Chaos Master, now free of its amber prison. Kliburn's dying screams awaken Shiera Hall. Frozen mid-stride by the inhuman sorcerer, she is teleported away. Hawkman finds the aftermath and ends out a general alert. One of those responding is Superman, just finishing his day as Metropolis Daily Star editor-in-chief Clark Kent. In a Middle Eastern bazaar, a heavily-robed Englishman barters for a time-travel potion. He turns away rather than trade his horse for it. Hawkman gathers Power Girl, Wildcat and Superman to search for Shiera, leaving Hourman on guard duty at the hospital. They track Zanadu to Japan, which he plans to destroy in order to feed on the fear of its dying populace. While Hawkman and Wildcat help civilians, the Kryptonian cousins take the offensive. Zanadu engulfs Superman in molten lava and drives Power Girl into the ground. Mysterious music fills the air. Hawkman is struck down from behind… by Wildcat. Meeting MinutesA diagram of JSA headquarters in this issue depicts a four-story brownstone with five underground levels. The brownstone houses the team's living quarters, with the various basement levels hosting the meeting room, trophy room, sick bay, garage and the transmatter cube for traveling to Earth-One. All floors, above and below ground, are connected by a pneumatic air shaft. A tunnel system provides street access for the JSA's aircraft and vehicles. Among the vehicles parked in the garage are Wildcat's Cat-o-cycle and a Batmobile, presumably for Robin's use when he is on active duty.  The Good GuysHawkman (as Carter Hall) and Sheira Sanders marry sometime between Sheira's last appearance in Flash Comics #103 (January 1949) and this issue. Hourman has retired behind the scenes since his last appearance in Justice League of America #124. According to Power Girl, she and Superman are chronologically the same age. She is physically decades younger because she travelled to Earth in a slower rocket than her cousin, “arriving on Earth years after [Superman] began [his] career.” Kept in suspended animation during her journey, the Girl of Steel aged approximately one year for every three that passed on Earth. Power Girl chides Wildcat for “[spending] the last ten years in retirement” despite the Feline Fury being active since the “Starman and Black Canary” story in The Brave and the Bold #62 in 1965. Superman is shown leaping rather than flying for the first time in Earth-Two continuity. The Batmobile seen in the garage of JSA headquarters is the 1940s version with its distinctive bat's-head battering ram. The Bad GuysThe Injustice Society is referred to as the Injustice Gang in this issue. The Injustice Gang are their Earth-One counterparts. Fashion WatchAs of this story, Superman is consistently shown with gray hair at the temples. Hourman wears the costume from Justice League of America #21-22 in this issue.
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Post by paulie on Jan 16, 2015 11:03:05 GMT -5
All-Star Comics #62September-October 1976 (June 21, 1976) $.30 Cover Art: Ernie Chan [as Ernie Chua], signed, main image; Ric Estrada (Penciller), Wally Wood (Inker), JSA logo figures “When Fall the Mighty” 17 pages Gerry Conway (Editor/Plot), Paul Levitz (Dialogue), Keith Giffen (Layouts), Wally Wood (Finished Art), Carl Gafford (Colorist), Ben Oda (Letterer) FC: Doctor Fate, Doctor Mid-Nite, The Flash, Green Lantern, Hawkman, Superman, Wildcat, teamed as the Justice Society of America FC: Power Girl, The Star-Spangled Kid, teamed with the JSA as the All-Star Super-Squad GS: The Shining Knight, identity unrevealed until #64 SC: Dr. Arthur Kliburn (dies in this story), Winged Victory, identity unrevealed until #64 Villain: Zanadu Villains: The Injustice Society of the World (behind the scenes) Reintro: Shiera Sanders Hall, the former Hawkgirl SynopsisNeither Dr. Mid-Nite's medical skill nor infusions of energy from the cosmic rod are enough to keep Dr. Fate alive much longer. The image of an ankh appears on a medical scanner. Green Lantern believes this is Fate's way of telling them a cure can be found in Egypt. When the Flash and Hourman arrive at the hospital, Hawkman sends Flash with the Lantern. Obsessed with the Lemurian relic, Dr. Kliburn breaks into Carter Hall's estate intent on stealing it. Instead, he faces Zanadu the Chaos Master, now free of its amber prison. Kliburn's dying screams awaken Shiera Hall. Frozen mid-stride by the inhuman sorcerer, she is teleported away. Hawkman finds the aftermath and ends out a general alert. One of those responding is Superman, just finishing his day as Metropolis Daily Star editor-in-chief Clark Kent. In a Middle Eastern bazaar, a heavily-robed Englishman barters for a time-travel potion. He turns away rather than trade his horse for it. Hawkman gathers Power Girl, Wildcat and Superman to search for Shiera, leaving Hourman on guard duty at the hospital. They track Zanadu to Japan, which he plans to destroy in order to feed on the fear of its dying populace. While Hawkman and Wildcat help civilians, the Kryptonian cousins take the offensive. Zanadu engulfs Superman in molten lava and drives Power Girl into the ground. Mysterious music fills the air. Hawkman is struck down from behind… by Wildcat. Meeting MinutesA diagram of JSA headquarters in this issue depicts a four-story brownstone with five underground levels. The brownstone houses the team's living quarters, with the various basement levels hosting the meeting room, trophy room, sick bay, garage and the transmatter cube for traveling to Earth-One. All floors, above and below ground, are connected by a pneumatic air shaft. A tunnel system provides street access for the JSA's aircraft and vehicles. Among the vehicles parked in the garage are Wildcat's Cat-o-cycle and a Batmobile, presumably for Robin's use when he is on active duty. The Good GuysHawkman (as Carter Hall) and Sheira Sanders marry sometime between Sheira's last appearance in Flash Comics #103 (January 1949) and this issue. Hourman has retired behind the scenes since his last appearance in Justice League of America #124. According to Power Girl, she and Superman are chronologically the same age. She is physically decades younger because she travelled to Earth in a slower rocket than her cousin, “arriving on Earth years after [Superman] began [his] career.” Kept in suspended animation during her journey, the Girl of Steel aged approximately one year for every three that passed on Earth. Power Girl chides Wildcat for “[spending] the last ten years in retirement” despite the Feline Fury being active since the “Starman and Black Canary” story in The Brave and the Bold #62 in 1965. Superman is shown leaping rather than flying for the first time in Earth-Two continuity. The Batmobile seen in the garage of JSA headquarters is the 1940s version with its distinctive bat's-head battering ram. The Bad GuysThe Injustice Society is referred to as the Injustice Gang in this issue. The Injustice Gang are their Earth-One counterparts. Fashion WatchAs of this story, Superman is consistently shown with gray hair at the temples. Hourman wears the costume from Justice League of America #21-22 in this issue. So is this the first Superman with gray hair at the temples? I wonder if this was Wally Wood's stylistic choice? |
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Post by Cei-U! on Jan 16, 2015 11:32:25 GMT -5
So is this the first Superman with gray hair at the temples? I wonder if this was Wally Wood's stylistic choice? No, he was shown with graying hair in some panels of JLA #107-08, hence the "consistently." And it was Keith Giffen's choice to depict Big Blue that way, as well as to draw him to resemble Joe Shuster's version (though Wood had used the Shuster model in Captain Action #1 years earlier). Cei-U! I summon the CCF Answer Man! |
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Post by Cei-U! on Jan 17, 2015 8:27:57 GMT -5
Justice League of America #135October 1976 (July 5, 1976) $.30  Cover Art: Ernie Chan [as Ernie Chua], signed, main image, JSA and Squadron of Justice headshots; Neal Adams, JLA headshots. “Crisis in Eternity!” 17 pages Julius Schwartz (Editor), E. Nelson Bridwell (Plot/Continuity), Martin Pasko (Writer), Dick Dillin (Penciller), Frank McLaughlin (Inker), no lettering or coloring credits FC: Black Canary, The Flash, Green Arrow, Green Lantern, Hawkman, Superman, teamed as the Justice League of America GS: Batman, The Flash, Green Lantern, Robin, Johnny Thunder, Wonder Woman, teamed as the Justice Society of America GS: Hawkgirl [of Earth-One], Mercury [of Earth-S] SC: Shazam SA: The Olympian Gods [of Earth-S] (all but Mercury unidentified) Villains: Blockbuster, Ibac, The Penguin Team Intro: The Squadron of Justice Reintro: Bulletgirl (Susan Kent Barr) Reintro: Bulletman (Jim Barr) Reintro: Ibis the Invincible (Prince Amentep) Reintro: Mister Scarlet (Brian Butler) Reintro: Pinky the Whiz Kid (‘Pinky’ Butler, true first name unknown) Reintro: Spy-Smasher (Alan Armstrong) Reintro: Taia Reintro: King Kull Reintro: Queen Clea of Atlantis Synopsis“At the center of time-and-space,” stands the Rock of Eternity, home of the Olympian Gods of Earth-S. King Kull, last of the beast men who ruled the world before Homo sapiens, places the gods in suspended animation with a “torpor-ray.” Only super-swift Mercury escapes. Shazam, learning Kull plans to use Eternity as a platform from which to launch attacks on the human races of three parallel Earths, contacts Mercury telepathically to plan a counter-attack. On Earth-One, Mercury spirits Green Arrow away from Black Canary's side to join Superman, Green Lantern, Hawkman, Hawkgirl, and the Flash aboard the Justice League satellite. On Earth-Two, Wonder Woman, the Flash, Green Lantern, and Johnny Thunder materialize in the back seat of the Batmobile, startling Batman and Robin. Mercury summons them across the dimensional barriers, car and all. With Shazam paralyzed, there is no magic lightning to empower the Marvel Family so the God of Speed gathers six of Earth-S's other mystery men. Using the abandoned headquarters of the Crime Champions as a base of operations, heroes of three worlds unite to answer Kull’s threat. Mercury stays behind with Johnny Thunder, explaining “thou hast been chosen for a special mission—to carry out alone!” Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Arrow, and Spy-Smasher make for Earth-Two's no-longer-sunken continent of Atlantis. Awaiting them are Queen Clea, Blockbuster, Ibac, and Earth-One's Penguin. During the battle, Clea slips a “Venus girdle” on Superman. Helpless in its spell, the Earth-One Man of Steel attacks Wonder Woman at Clea's command. Unfortunately for the dethroned queen, Superman is subject to everyone's commands. Wonder Woman orders him to knock Clea out then frees him from the girdle. Meanwhile, Ibac and Penguin complete construction of a Kull-designed machine, activating it before Green Arrow and Spy-Smasher can stop them. The good guys trounce the bad guys and smash the device but its work is done: a strange cloud causes Earth-Two's landmasses to begin sinking into the oceans. Superman destroys the cloud, saving all but Atlantis which returns to its underwater realm. Behind the ScenesThe name “Squadron of Justice” is used editorially and only on the cover. At no point does anyone in this story use that term. CosmologyEarth-S, the native dimension of Captain Marvel and other super-heroes published by Fawcett Comics between 1939 and 1953, was introduced to the DC Universe in Shazam! #1 (February 1973) though not confirmed as distinct from Earth-One until Shazam! #15 (November-December 1974). According to Shazam! #1, the Marvel Family and its supporting cast were trapped in “suspendium” — a substance invented by the evil Dr. Sivana that puts living beings into suspended animation — from 1953 until 1973. Although the six Fawcett heroes reintroduced in this story were not shown in Shazam! #1, they were also trapped in the suspendium as confirmed in the “Shazam!” story in World's Finest Comics #254 (December 1978-January 1979). This is the first substantive appearance of Atlantis in Earth-Two continuity. Unlike Earth-One's Atlantises — Poseidonis, ruled by Aquaman, and Tritonis, populated by the mermaid Lori Lemaris' race — the Atlantean nations of Venturia and Aurania are inhabited by air-breathers and ruled by Amazon-like women. The pantheon of Olympian Gods seen in this story are the Earth-S versions and should not be confused with their Earth-One or –Two dopplegängers. ContinuityIt is not clear where the story in Justice League of America #135-37 fits into Earth-Two continuity. It probably occurs between the ‘Justice Society of America’ stories in All-Star Comics #59 and 60 but this cannot be confirmed. Wonder Woman mentions that Earth-Two's Atlantis has “only recently risen back to the surface.” This may refer to the raising of Atlantis by T. O. Morrow, as depicted in Justice League of America #64. The Good GuysBatman has come out of semi-retirement to attend a ceremony in which Robin will be given his “first public honor since working as a ‘single.’ ” The Batmobile seen in this story is not the same one parked at JSA headquarters in All-Star Comics #62. That was the 1940s-era model. This Batmobile resembles the later, sleeker version used by the Earth-One Dynamic Duo during the years 1964-69. Bulletman and Bulletgirl were last seen in their solo series in Master Comics #106 (August 1949). The couple have married sometime during the intervening years. Ibis the Invincible and Taia were last seen in Ibis' solo series in Whiz Comics #155 (June 1953). Mister Scarlet and Pinky were last seen in their solo series in Wow Comics #69 (August 1948). Spy-Smasher was last seen in his solo series in Whiz Comics #75 (June 1946). Alan Armstrong continued adventuring out of costume under the name "Crime-Smasher" from Whiz Comics #76 (July 1946) through #155. This is the first appearance in Earth-Two continuity of the Amazonian Venus girdles worn by the inmates of Transformation Island to compel their submission to authority. The Bad GuysQueen Clea was last seen in Wonder Woman #28 (March-April 1948). According to this story, she “escaped from the Amazon prison recently.” King Kull was last seen in Captain Marvel Adventures #149 (October 1953).
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Post by Cei-U! on Jan 18, 2015 9:21:37 GMT -5
Justice League of America #136November 1976 (August 2, 1976) $.30  Cover Art: Ernie Chan (Penciller), Frank Giacoia (Inker) “Crisis on Earth-S!” 18 pages Julius Schwartz (Editor), E. Nelson Bridwell (Plot/Continuity), Martin Pasko (Writer), Dick Dillin (Penciller), Frank McLaughlin (Inker); no lettering or coloring credits FC: The Flash, Green Arrow, Green Lantern, Hawkman, Superman, teamed as the Justice League of America (all but Hawkman behind the scenes in this issue) GS: Batman, The Flash, Green Lantern, Robin, Johnny Thunder, Wonder Woman, teamed as the Justice Society of America (all but Johnny and the Batman/Robin team behind the scenes in this issue) GS: Bulletgirl, Bulletman, Ibis, Mister Scarlet, Pinky, Spy-Smasher, teamed as the Squadron of Justice (all but the Bulletman/Bulletgirl and Scarlet/Pinky teams behind the scenes in this issue) GS: Hawkgirl [of Earth-One] SC: Billy Batson, Mary Batson, Freddy Freeman, Shazam Villains: King Kull; Doctor Light, The Shade Reintro: The Joker (true name unknown) Reintro: The Weeper (Mortimer Gloom) SynopsisIn the Canadian Rockies of Earth-S, the Bulletman/Bulletgirl and Hawkman/Hawkgirl teams pay more attention to the people transforming into rock than to the volcano erupting beneath them… until the volcano starts laughing! Tourists fleeing the area wonder why the Marvel Family hasn't flown to the rescue. Billy Batson relays reports from around the globe of inanimate objects coming to life as the people around them are transformed into unliving substances. It gets worse. “Something has completely blocked out the sun-- causing a permanent total eclipse in one hemisphere… …while in the other, a new, artificial sun has appeared, turning night into day!” A New York City construction crew turns into iron as the steel frame of their skyscraper comes alive. Trying to make sense of it all are Batman, Robin, Mr. Scarlet, and Pinky. The gruesome smiles on the transformed workers are a sure sign the Joker is somewhere close at hand and indeed he is, accompanied by the Weeper, an old foe of Bulletman's. The villains loot a nearby jewelry store, where the jewels meekly follow them out the door. Trailing the bad guys back to their lair, the quartet of masked detectives defeat and arrest them. Only when chemical analysis of Joker's gas reveals simple nitrous oxide do the heroes realize that the transformations are Kull's handiwork. As news bulletins blame the Shade and Dr Light for the eclipse and artificial sun catastrophes, Billy Batson learns that his sister Mary and Freddy Freeman are also unable to assume their Marvel Family identities. Bulletman and Hawkman track Shade to the Louvre, where the patrons have turned to paintings and the paintings have come to life. The Duke of Darkness tries to escape but the super-heroes force him to confess that the eclipse is caused by a satellite he controls with his special cane. Hawkman attempts to deactivate the satellite but the cane's controls prove useless. In Yellowstone National Park, Bulletgirl and Hawkgirl pursue holographic duplicates of Dr. Light. The super-heroines are imperiled by animate geysers. Fighting their way free, they swoop down on the true Light just as he is transformed into petrified wood. His light duplicates plead with the ladies to use Light's weapon to shut down his “artificial sun” satellite. Unfortunately for Light, nothing happens when Hawkgirl tries. After incarcerating Shade and Light, the eight heroes manipulate the satellites into collidinge. No sooner have the devices been destroyed then all the people of Earth-S to restored to normal. Shazam — still immobilized at the Rock of Eternity — fears Kull's scheme will succeed on Earth-One unless his “secret weapon” comes through. What weapon? Johnny Thunder! The Bad GuysBecause the Joker appeared in “Batman” stories throughout the '40s, '50s and '60s, there is no point at which it can be authoritatively said that the character segues from his Golden Age incarnation to his Silver Age persona. It is therefore impossible to pinpoint the exact title and issue number of the Earth-Two version's last appearance. Robin states that the Joker has been retired prior to the events of this story. The Shade uses his powers to fly (by riding his cane the way a witch rides her broomstick) for the first time in this story. The Weeper was last seen in Bulletman #10 (December 1942). According to that story, this may actually be the second character to bear that name as he claimed therein to be the son of the original, first seen in the “Bulletman" story in Master Comics #25 (February 1942).
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Post by Action Ace on Jan 18, 2015 17:13:12 GMT -5
As mentioned in my JLA thread, this was my first JLA/ JSA crossover. I think there are a couple of other posters in our forum that also list this one as their first JLA/ JSA crossover as well.
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Post by Slam_Bradley on Jan 18, 2015 17:18:32 GMT -5
As mentioned in my JLA thread, this was my first JLA/ JSA crossover. I think there are a couple of other posters in our forum that also list this one as their first JLA/ JSA crossover as well. Yep. It was mine as well. And All-Star #62 was my first Earth-2 book. |
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Post by Dr. Poison on Jan 18, 2015 17:39:07 GMT -5
As mentioned in my JLA thread, this was my first JLA/ JSA crossover. I think there are a couple of other posters in our forum that also list this one as their first JLA/ JSA crossover as well. I would be one of those folks.  |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 18, 2015 21:09:42 GMT -5
I certainty enjoyed reading this book - Justice League of America #136, “Crisis on Earth-S!” because it's has a great team-up of Hawkman and Bulletman and Hawkgirl and Bulletgirl; that's made it very unique pairing and gave the Bulletman and Bulletgirl more exposure than ever before.
Great Crossover of JLA/JSA in this adventure!
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Post by Hoosier X on Jan 18, 2015 23:32:36 GMT -5
As mentioned in my JLA thread, this was my first JLA/ JSA crossover. I think there are a couple of other posters in our forum that also list this one as their first JLA/ JSA crossover as well. I didn't realize there were so many of us! I only bought the middle chapter because I wasn't collecting many DC's at that time, but it's still my first exposure to the JLA/JSA cross-overs. |
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Post by Cei-U! on Jan 19, 2015 9:13:00 GMT -5
Secret Society of Super-Villains #4November-December 1976 (August 9, 1976) $.30  Cover Art: Ernie Chan [as Ernie Chua], signed “When Thieves Fall Out…” 17 pages Gerry Conway (Editor), David Anthony Kraft (Writer), Pablo Marcos and Ernie Chan [as Ernie Chua] (Pencillers), Vince Colletta (Inker), no lettering or coloring credits FC: Captain Boomerang, Captain Cold, Captain Comet, Grodd, Hi-Jack, Manhunter, The Mirror Master, Sinestro, Star Sapphire, The Wizard, teamed as the Secret Society of Super-Villains GS: The Black Racer, Green Lantern [of Earth-One] SC: Carstairs, Funky Flashman Villains: Darkseid, Kalibak, Mantis SynopsisManhunter scolds Sinestro and the Wizard for standing by idly during the battle with Mantis. The two rebels, mocking the others as second-stringers, fight their way free and escape (though not before Wizard dispatches Hi-Jack to Limbo for dissing him). Green Lantern, following Star Sapphire to Darkseid's sanctuary, is ambushed by Mantis, who leeches GL's energy to restore his own powers. A disapproving Darkseid comes to Earth. Returning to the Secret Citadel, Sinestro and Wizard find Funky Flashman on the premises. He offers to guide the team through “the hallowed, halcyon hypocrisy of highclass hoopla and hype.” Sapphire links up with the others just as Kalibak attacks. The savage son of Darkseid and Grodd fight their way across San Francisco, battering each other into insensibility. Mantis unwisely rebels against Darkseid. Things go seriously grim with the arrival of the Black Racer, the grim reaper of the New Gods. But is he there for Kalibak, Mantis or someone else? Behind the ScenesFunky Flashman, first seen in Mister Miracle #6 (January-February 1972), is writer/artist Jack Kirby's parody of his former collaborator and boss, Marvel Comics editor-in-chief Stan Lee. Some of the SSoSV artists, notably Rich Buckler, draw the character to look like Lee; others, such as this issue's Marcos/Chua/Colletta team, go for a less specific look. Points to PonderDuring their battle in Darkseid's Secret Sanctuary, Kalibak and Grodd break through a wall and fall several stories into San Francisco Bay. In previous issues, the Sanctuary was described as being underground.
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Post by Cei-U! on Jan 20, 2015 9:06:42 GMT -5
All-Star Comics #63November-December 1976 (August 16, 1976) $.30 Attachment DeletedCover Art: Rich Buckler (Penciller), Wally Wood (Inker), signed, main image; Ric Estrada (Penciller), Wally Wood (Inker), Flash and Power Girl logo figures; Keith Giffen (Penciller), Wally Wood (Inker), Superman logo figure “The Death of Doctor Fate” 17 pages Joe Orlando (Editor), Paul Levitz (Writer), Keith Giffin (Layouts), Wally Wood (Finished Art), Carl Gafford (Colorist), Ben Oda (Letterer) FC: Doctor Fate, Dr. Mid-Nite, The Flash, Green Lantern, Hawkman, Hourman, Superman, Wildcat, teamed as the Justice Society of America FC: Power Girl, The Star-Spangled Kid, teamed with the JSA as the All-Star Super-Squad GS: The Shining Knight SC: Shiera Hall, Winged Victory Villain: Zanadu Villains: The Fiddler, The Icicle, Solomon Grundy, teamed as the Injustice Society of the World SynopsisWildcat, hypnotized by the Fiddler's music, beats Hawkman unconscious. The Fiddler stops playing to gloat and gets flattened by the former heavyweight champ. Alas, the Feline Fury is no match for Solomon Grundy. Just as Grundy is about to crush Wildcat beneath a freight container, Power Girl and Superman — free of Zanadu's traps — leap to the rescue. They dump Grundy into Zanadu's volcano. Hawkman revives but the team feels no victory: Zanadu escapes with the captive Shiera Hall. In Egypt, where Flash and Green Lantern seek a cure for Dr. Fate, they spy a figure overhead riding a winged horse. At JSA HQ, the cosmic rod's energies are finally exhausted. Dr. Mid-Nite, Hourman and the Star-Spangled Kid watch helplessly as Fate dies. The authorities report Zanadu in the city. Hourman and the Kid fly off to battle. The Lemurian sorcerer calls on all of his chaos-driven power to sweep them from existence, unaware the same power has returned Fate's soul to his body. The resurrected mage unleashes a mighty spell, knocking Zanadu out of the sky. Confronted by the entire JSA, Zanadu cannot stop Fate from resealing him in amber, this time forever. Superman announces his retirement from active duty and nominates Power Girl as his replacement on the roster. Elsewhere, the Icicle tells the Injustice Society he has identified the JSA's weak link: Hourman. The Bad GuysThe Injustice Society rescue Solomon Grundy from Earth-One's moon, where he was imprisoned in Superman #301, sometime prior to this issue. Grundy is the thirteenth official member of that team. The Injustice Society are again called the Injustice Gang in the first part of the issue. The error is corrected by the conclusion. Points to PonderThe equipment keeping Dr. Fate alive has moved from the hospital to JSA headquarters between issues.
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Post by wildfire2099 on Jan 20, 2015 13:37:22 GMT -5
So I guess Grundy was a prisoner on the moon more than once? Or did that Starman just happen to take place during the time he was there? It seems like the sort of thing James Robinson would know about and do on purpose (though perhaps he just missed All-Star #63).
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Post by delmothesaint on Jan 20, 2015 13:59:32 GMT -5
All-Star Comics #62September-October 1976 (June 21, 1976) $.30 Cover Art: Ernie Chan [as Ernie Chua], signed, main image; Ric Estrada (Penciller), Wally Wood (Inker), JSA logo figures “When Fall the Mighty” 17 pages Gerry Conway (Editor/Plot), Paul Levitz (Dialogue), Keith Giffen (Layouts), Wally Wood (Finished Art), Carl Gafford (Colorist), Ben Oda (Letterer) FC: Doctor Fate, Doctor Mid-Nite, The Flash, Green Lantern, Hawkman, Superman, Wildcat, teamed as the Justice Society of America FC: Power Girl, The Star-Spangled Kid, teamed with the JSA as the All-Star Super-Squad GS: The Shining Knight, identity unrevealed until #64 SC: Dr. Arthur Kliburn (dies in this story), Winged Victory, identity unrevealed until #64 Villain: Zanadu Villains: The Injustice Society of the World (behind the scenes) Reintro: Shiera Sanders Hall, the former Hawkgirl SynopsisNeither Dr. Mid-Nite's medical skill nor infusions of energy from the cosmic rod are enough to keep Dr. Fate alive much longer. The image of an ankh appears on a medical scanner. Green Lantern believes this is Fate's way of telling them a cure can be found in Egypt. When the Flash and Hourman arrive at the hospital, Hawkman sends Flash with the Lantern. Obsessed with the Lemurian relic, Dr. Kliburn breaks into Carter Hall's estate intent on stealing it. Instead, he faces Zanadu the Chaos Master, now free of its amber prison. Kliburn's dying screams awaken Shiera Hall. Frozen mid-stride by the inhuman sorcerer, she is teleported away. Hawkman finds the aftermath and ends out a general alert. One of those responding is Superman, just finishing his day as Metropolis Daily Star editor-in-chief Clark Kent. In a Middle Eastern bazaar, a heavily-robed Englishman barters for a time-travel potion. He turns away rather than trade his horse for it. Hawkman gathers Power Girl, Wildcat and Superman to search for Shiera, leaving Hourman on guard duty at the hospital. They track Zanadu to Japan, which he plans to destroy in order to feed on the fear of its dying populace. While Hawkman and Wildcat help civilians, the Kryptonian cousins take the offensive. Zanadu engulfs Superman in molten lava and drives Power Girl into the ground. Mysterious music fills the air. Hawkman is struck down from behind… by Wildcat. Meeting MinutesA diagram of JSA headquarters in this issue depicts a four-story brownstone with five underground levels. The brownstone houses the team's living quarters, with the various basement levels hosting the meeting room, trophy room, sick bay, garage and the transmatter cube for traveling to Earth-One. All floors, above and below ground, are connected by a pneumatic air shaft. A tunnel system provides street access for the JSA's aircraft and vehicles. Among the vehicles parked in the garage are Wildcat's Cat-o-cycle and a Batmobile, presumably for Robin's use when he is on active duty. The Good GuysHawkman (as Carter Hall) and Sheira Sanders marry sometime between Sheira's last appearance in Flash Comics #103 (January 1949) and this issue. Hourman has retired behind the scenes since his last appearance in Justice League of America #124. According to Power Girl, she and Superman are chronologically the same age. She is physically decades younger because she travelled to Earth in a slower rocket than her cousin, “arriving on Earth years after [Superman] began [his] career.” Kept in suspended animation during her journey, the Girl of Steel aged approximately one year for every three that passed on Earth. Power Girl chides Wildcat for “[spending] the last ten years in retirement” despite the Feline Fury being active since the “Starman and Black Canary” story in The Brave and the Bold #62 in 1965. Superman is shown leaping rather than flying for the first time in Earth-Two continuity. The Batmobile seen in the garage of JSA headquarters is the 1940s version with its distinctive bat's-head battering ram. The Bad GuysThe Injustice Society is referred to as the Injustice Gang in this issue. The Injustice Gang are their Earth-One counterparts. Fashion WatchAs of this story, Superman is consistently shown with gray hair at the temples. Hourman wears the costume from Justice League of America #21-22 in this issue. Actually, that's the '50s version of the Batmobile, the Dick Sprang version. What I love about this issue, besides the return of the E-2 Superman, is how Giffen & Wood depict Clark changing to Superman, as a shadow against the wall like in the Fleischer cartoons! |
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