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Post by Cei-U! on Nov 9, 2014 19:46:25 GMT -5
Robin is there because Teppy is rampaging through New Carthage, where Dick Grayson lives while attending Hudson University. He is still the leader of the Titans at this point and definitely not a Leaguer.
Cei-U!
I summon the Teen Wonder!
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Post by Cei-U! on Nov 10, 2014 9:23:37 GMT -5
As noted in earlier posts, the Earth-Two canon is being presented in order of publication. Thus, we interrupt "Earth — The Monster Maker" to bring you: The Brave & the Bold #97August-September 1971 (June 15, 1971) $.25  Cover Art: Nick Cardy, main picture; Neal Adams, Deadman headshot “The Smile of Choclotan!” 22 pages Murray Boltinoff (Editor), Bob Haney (Writer), Bob Brown (Penciller), Nick Cardy (Inker), no lettering or coloring credits. FC: Batman [of Earth-One/B] and Wildcat SynopsisWhile vacationing in Acapulco, Bruce Wayne witnesses an attempt on the life of young cliff-diver Luis Mercado. After saving his life as Batman, Wayne trails the boy. A poster featuring costumed boxer “El Tigre” ― the spitting image of Wildcat ― momentarily distracts him. Luis is cornered by a trio of thugs but manages to elude both his would-be assassins and Batman, who again comes to his rescue. Unable to pick up the boy's trail, the Masked Manhunter decides instead to attend El Tigre's fight and learn his connection, if any, to Wildcat. At the arena, Bruce discovers that El Tigre is in fact Wildcat, and Luis Mercado is his second. He also witnesses a man slip something into the costumed heavyweight's water, causing Wildcat to pass out during the next round. In the resulting confusion, more thugs try to spirit the fallen hero away but are driven off by Batman. Taking Wildcat to Luis's shack, the Masked Manhunter learns that the boy is the son of a Mexican heavyweight whose sportsmanship during a bout with Ted Grant led to a fast friendship between the two boxers. A year ago, the senior Mercado enlisted Ted's help in his search for the legendary temple of Choclotan, rumored to be “Mexico's most important archeological treasure.” Their quest was successful but before they could get word out of their find, they were ambushed by Señor El Grande, mysterious head of a ruthless band of antiquities smugglers. Luis's father was killed and Ted struck with amnesia when his head was creased by a bullet. Trying to hide the memory-impaired prizefighter from El Grande, Luis and Ted wandered the country, with Grant fighting as El Tigre to pay their expenses. Batman reveals that he is in Mexico at the government's request to investigate the smuggling ring and proposes that the three of them set out to rediscover the Choclotan temple. In the Sierra Madre Mountains, the trio is joined by El Sordo, once the elder Mercado's fight manager and now a wealthy rancher, and his vaqueros. The search intensifies a few days later when Ted abruptly recalls that a nearby mesa is somehow significant. Climbing to the top, Luis sees that their path is marked by enormous jaguar paw prints carved into the earth by Choclotan's ancient worshippers. That night, Batman is ambushed but Wildcat leaps to his rescue, despite his memory loss. Next day, the trail of jaguar prints leads them to a lake nestled in the crater of an extinct volcano. Diving into the water, Luis finds only a huge stone jaguar head protuding from the crater wall. Returning to the surface, the boy is stunned to see Batman and Wildcat held at gunpoint by El Sordo's men. El Sordo is the mysterious Señor El Grande. Hoping to beat the truth out of Grant, the smugglers force him to box one of their own, a hulking brute nicknamed “El Buey” ― “The Ox.” Hampered by his amnesia, Wildcat is no match for his opponent. Seemingly broken by the fierce beating, Ted tells El Sordo the location of a nearby cave where Choclotan awaits. The smugglers leave the groggy Wildcat with the trussed-up Batman and Luis as they go off to investigate the cave. The world's greatest escape artist makes short work of his bonds but before he can pursue the criminals, Wildcat stops him. A moment later, tons of water spew from the cave mouth. Ted reveals that El Buey's fists did indeed cure his amnesia, causing him to remember that the statue of Choclotan is booby-trapped. Touching the statue causes the cave to flood with lake water drawn through the mouth of the stone jaguar Luis had discovered earlier. El Sordo and his gang are drowned and the jewel-encrusted statue of Mexico's “laughing god” is preserved for the benefit of all the people. Behind the ScenesThere is no god named Choclotan in the mythologies of any of Mexico's indigenous peoples. ContinuityThis story features the Earth-One or Earth-B Wildcat. Points to PonderBatman has prior knowledge of Wildcat's true identity in this story, despite not knowing it in their last meeting in The Brave & the Bold #88. No explanation is offered for this discrepancy but it is easy to assume that Ted Grant shared his secret with the Caped Crusader either behind the scenes of that issue or in the intervening period between stories. |
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Post by Hoosier X on Nov 10, 2014 10:46:32 GMT -5
Points to PonderBatman has prior knowledge of Wildcat's true identity in this story, despite not knowing it in their last meeting in The Brave & the Bold #88. No explanation is offered for this discrepancy but it is easy to assume that Ted Grant shared his secret with the Caped Crusader either behind the scenes of that issue or in the intervening period between stories. Or maybe it's a completely different Earth than the one in Brave and the Bold #88!
What with the Batman's changing characterizations and all the continuity anomalies, I sometimes think every issue of B and B was set in a different universe than the issue before.
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Post by Cei-U! on Nov 11, 2014 8:10:53 GMT -5
Justice League of America #92September 1971 (July 20, 1971) $.25  Cover Art: Neal Adams, main picture and Earth-One Robin headshot; Murphy Anderson, JLA headshots; Mike Sekowsky (Penciller), Bernard Sachs (Inker), JSA headshots “Solomon Grundy ― the One and Only” 22 pages Julius Schwartz (Editor), Mike Friedrich (Writer), Dick Dillin (Penciller), Joe Giella (Inker), no lettering or coloring credits FC: The Atom, The Flash, Green Lantern, Hawkman, Superman, teamed as the Justice League of America GS: The Atom, The Flash, Green Lantern, Hawkman, Robin, Superman, teamed as the Justice Society of America GS: Robin [of Earth-One] Villains: A-Rym, Solomon Grundy, Teppy SynopsisThe Earth-One Superman recovers consciousness in time to break Solomon Grundy's grip, but neither he or the other reviving JLA and JSA members can battle the monster to anything better than a draw. The alien boy, A-Rym, sensing in the League's Green Lantern another who can return him safely home, tries to stop Grundy's attack. Taking advantage of the distraction, the heroes limp off to tend their wounds and reconsider their strategy. A-Rym too deserts Grundy, running deeper into Slaughter Swamp. Meanwhile, in the Earth-Two Batcave, the two Robins commiserate over the lack of respect shown them by the elder heroes. Determined to prove themselves, the pair return to the battle after replacing the Earth-One Robin's tattered costume with one of his doppelgänger's spares. At JSA headquarters, the defeated quintet of super-heroes rejoin the Earth-Two Lantern. After providing medical aid for Superman and the Society's Flash, the Lanterns and Hawkmen prepare to finish their fight with Grundy. Hal Jordan uses his power battery, fetched from his home dimension, to provide his counterpart with a power ring to temporarily replace that stolen by A-Rym. A call from the Robins regarding the location of the young alien prompts the heroes to divide their forces, the Winged Warriors joining the Robin duo while the Emerald Gladiators tackle Grundy. In the interim, A-Rym has gained a crude awareness of the power ring's capabilities but the Hawkmen and Robins attack him before he can act on this knowledge. His attention is decoyed by the flying heroes long enough for the Earth-Two Robin to hurl a batarang and snatch the ring. The battle ends unexpectedly when the Earth-One Teen Wonder realizes that the alien child is in pain and not the savage he seemed. His show of compassion calms A-Rym and the boy collapses in Robin's arms. Elsewhere, the Green Lanterns find that the creation of an additional Oan power ring has halved the power of the original. Only by combining their wills are the Lanterns able to repair the damage caused by Grundy's rampage and render the swamp creature himself unconscious. The Earth-Two Hawkman arrives with his teammate's own ring. The GLs combine their powers to create an energy barrier around Slaughter Swamp, a barrier designed to contain Grundy while still allowing other life creatures to come and go at will. The assembled League and Society members (including the recovered Flash and Superman) debate what to do about A-Rym. The Earth-Two Robin deduces that the appearance of A-Rym on one Earth and Teppy on the other can't be coincidental. Both aliens begin to shrink back to their true sizes as their lifeforces grow weaker. Hurriedly fetching Teppy, the E2 Superman and the Atoms from Earth-One, the heroes are delighted to see the reunion of boy and pet restore both to full health. Their recovery also allows E-Nes and S-Kyr to locate their missing charges and enter the Earth-Two dimension to pick them up. The adventure over, the Hawkmen congratulate the Robins on their good work and apologize for their earlier behavior. Meeting MinutesThe proximity of both Slaughter Swamp and the Batcave to Justice Society headquarters, as seen in this issue, suggest that the JSA facilities are located in Gotham City. The Good GuysThe Earth-Two Robin rides a motorcycle marked with his emblem and referred to as the Batcycle in this story. Presumably, this is the “Robin Clipper” mentioned but not seen in the previous issue. This is the first appearance of the Batcave in Eath-Two continuity. Fashion WatchThe Earth-Two Flash resumes wearing the small diagonal lightning bolt emblem. This is the first appearance of the Robin costume designed by Neal Adams. (Adams is, in fact, credited with the design in the story itself, establishing the existence of the artist's Earth-Two counterpart.)
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Post by Cei-U! on Nov 12, 2014 8:27:24 GMT -5
World's Finest Comics #208December 1971 (October 19, 1971) $.25  Cover Art: Neal Adams “Peril of the Planet-Smashers!” 24 pages Julius Schwartz (Editor), Len Wein (Writer), Dick Dillin (Penciller), Joe Giella (Inker), no lettering or coloring credits. FC: Superman [of Earth-One] and Doctor Fate GS: Zatanna Intro: Ghan Uu and two other members of the Buudak (all die in this story) SynopsisOn Earth-Two, surgeon Kent Nelson, alias Doctor Fate, is called in to consult on a most unusual patient: an extraterrestrial who telepathically warns Nelson that “Earth is doomed!” Meanwhile on Earth-One, Superman visits Zatanna in hopes of finding a way to eliminate the Man of Steel's vulnerability to magic. When the young magician proves no help, Superman travels to Earth-Two to consult with Doctor Fate. Finding him at the hospital, Superman has no chance to make his request as Nelson immediately asks for his help. Transporting himself, Superman, and the patient to his tower sanctuary, Fate explains that the alien was hit by a small airplane while hovering above the city of Salem. Though the Wonder Wizard was able to magically save the extraterrestrial's life, he has so far been unable to determine what the telepathic message meant. A mystic probe of the alien's mind yields nothing but a pair of locales: Stonehenge and a Mayan temple in the Yucatan peninsula. Both Fate in Mexico and Superman in England encounter aliens of the same species as the injured being left behind in America. Neither hero is able to get answers from his opponent, each of whom laughs mockingly at them before fading away. On their return trip to Salem, the heroic duo are sidetracked by a sudden rash of natural disasters: tidal waves, volcanoes, earthquakes. By probing the injured alien's memories further, Fate learns that the three extraterrestrials are the Buudak, “high lamas of a star-spawned race … older than time,” who believe they can achieve Nirvana by causing Earth's continents to collide. The resulting “energy outburst” will allow the Buudak to “control completely” the capabilities of their minds. It is this reverse continental drift that is causing the catastrophes. Tracking the Buudak to the Valley of Ur in Mesopotamia, Fate transfers his magical powers into the Superman's physically invulnerable body, allowing the Action Ace to overcome the aliens' mystic defenses. Their powers ‘backfire.’ Though the Buudak are seemingly destroyed, their spell remains in effect. Only after Supermans drag the continents back into place with the help of gigantic sorcerous chains is the threat finally averted. Realizing that Earth-Two would have been destroyed had he been immune to magic, Superman returns home satisfied that things are as they are meant to be. CosmologyEarth's continents are treated in this story as though they are big islands floating on the surface of the planet's oceans. The continents and oceans alike are actually the topmost layer of large ‘plates’ floating atop Earth's semi-solid mantle. (At the time of this issue's publication, it had been less than three years since the theory of plate tectonics, explaining the observed phenomenom of continental drift, had been advanced.) A sudden and accelerated reversal of continental drift as portrayed here would be catastrophic on a global scale, wreaking havoc far beyond the capacity of even super-heroes to handle and likely resulting in the end of human civilization, if not of all life on Earth. Thus we must either assume that plate tectonics work radically differently on Earth-Two or regard that aspect of this story as non-canonical. The Good GuysThis is the first and only reference in Earth-Two continuity to Doctor Fate's medical career, begun in More Fun Comics #85 (November 1942). In all previous and following Earth-Two appearances, Fate's occupation is given as archaeologist. Doctor Fate notes that the Mayan temple where he confronts one of the Buudak was the scene of his battle with Mayoor, as related in More Fun Comics #64 (February 1941). Doctor Fate confirms that it was in the Valley of Ur that he began his career as a sorcerer, as first seen in More Fun Comics #67 (May 1941). Doctor Fate mentions that he has used magic to save Ghan Uu's life “contrary to my oath.” Whether this is a reference to the Hippocratic Oath or to some aspect of his magical powers is unclear. Doctor Fate implies in this issue that he cannot survive more than a few minutes without his powers. Why this should be so is unclear.
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shaxper
CCF Site Custodian
Posts: 22,865
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Post by shaxper on Nov 12, 2014 8:33:07 GMT -5
That is one awesome Neal Adams cover!
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Post by Deleted on Nov 12, 2014 9:22:10 GMT -5
That is one awesome Neal Adams cover! I agree with that assessment and I wished I still had that book - I sold it 10 years ago. |
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Post by Action Ace on Nov 12, 2014 13:49:51 GMT -5
That is one awesome Neal Adams cover! Neal's covers start at awesome and work their way up. |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 12, 2014 15:22:43 GMT -5
So, do I shaxper ... that's a beauty! |
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Post by Cei-U! on Nov 13, 2014 9:30:46 GMT -5
Justice League of America #97March 1972 (January 20, 1972) $.25  Cover Art: Neal Adams (main image and Batman headshot); Murphy Anderson (Superman headshot); Dick Dillin and Sid Greene (Flash and Green Lantern headshots) “The Day the Earth Screams!” 37 pages Julius Schwartz (Editor), Mike Friedrich and Gardner Fox (Writers), Dick Dillin and Mike Sekowsky (Pencillers), Joe Giella and Bernard Sachs (Inkers), no lettering or coloring credits FC: Aquaman, The Atom, Batman, Black Canary, Green Arrow, Green Lantern, Hawkman, The Martian Manhunter (in flashback), Superman, Wonder Woman (in flashback), teamed as the Justice League of America GS: Sargon the Sorcerer Villain: Starbreaker SynopsisDefeated in battle by the cosmically-powered extraterrestrial vampire named Starbreaker in the previous issue, the JLA find inspiration and rededication in the story of the team's first case. Before they can test their new-found resolve, their satellite headquarters is invaded by the mysterious Sargon the Sorcerer. Behind the ScenesSargon appears only in the last panel of this story. Justice League of America #98May 1972 (March 7, 1972) $.25  Cover Image: Neal Adams “No More Tomorrows!” 25 pages Julius Schwartz (Writer), Mike Friedrich (Writer), Dick Dillin (Penciller), Joe Giella (Inker), no lettering or coloring credits FC: Aquaman, The Atom, Batman, Black Canary, The Flash, Green Arrow, Green Lantern, Hawkman, Superman, teamed as the Justice League of America GS: Hawkgirl [of Earth-One], Sargon the Sorcerer, Supergirl SC: Lois Lane [of Earth-One] Villain: Starbreaker SynopsisAlthough initially regarded with suspicion thanks to his recent adversarial encounters with The Flash, Sargon the Sorcerer convinces the JLA that his offer to aid them in their battle against Starbreaker is sincere. The mage has, in fact, formulated a plan of attack that will defeat the cosmic vampire through a blend of science and magic. Crucial to this plan's success are two duplicates of Sargon's Ruby of Life. Teams are sent to West Germany and the Latin American nation of Sierra Verde to retrieve the rubys. Their mystic energies are combined with those of Green Lantern's power ring, the Thanagarian weaponry aboard Hawkman's spaceship, and “the myriad alien power-banks in Superman's Fortress of Solitude” to supercharge the Justice League with “the only force mankind can use to overcome its death-fears [which Starbreaker feeds on]-- love-power!” This groovy new power, aided by “a magical suggestion” planted in the villain's brain by The Atom, does the trick. Starbreaker is stripped of “every last trace of destructive power” and turned over to The Guardians of the Universe for trial. Through his crucial role in the genocidal monster's downfall, Sargon redeems himself in the eyes of his fellow super-heroes. CosmologyBlack Canary's failure to recognize Sargon, combined with Flash's explanation that “this guy used to be a super-hero 'way back when we [the Justice Leaguers] were kids,” are strong indicators that Sargon is a native of Earth-One. This is not, however, made explicit in this story. Meeting MinutesAs revealed in Justice League of America #99 (June 1972), Sargon the Sorcerer is made an honorary member of the Justice League of America for his role in Starbreaker's defeat. The Good GuysSargon the Sorcerer renounces his “recent turn to villainy” in this story, noting that “I have blinded myself to the borders separating right from wrong” and vowing that “my life is dedicated to the rebirth of a super-hero!”
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Post by Cei-U! on Nov 14, 2014 7:53:10 GMT -5
The Flash #215May 1972 (March 9, 1972) $.25  Cover Art: Neal Adams “Death of an Immortal!” 25 pages Julius Schwartz (Editor), Len Wein (Writer), Irv Novick (Penciller), Frank McLaughlin (Inker), Dick Giordano (Unspecified Art Assist), no lettering or coloring credits. FC: The Flash [of Earth-One] GS: The Flash SC: Joan Garrick Villain: Vandal Savage (also appears as Darvan) Intro: Tempus, Gaurdian of the Timestream SynopsisBarry Allen, The Flash of Earth-One, finds himself inexplicably waking up in the bedroom of his Justice Society counterpart. An understandably upset Joan Garrick tells Allen that her husband is due to be awarded the Keystone City Good Citizen Award at a public ceremony shortly. Donning one of Jay Garrick's costumes, the E1 Flash takes Garrick's place at the award ceremony, hoping to flush out whoever is responsible for his switch between dimensions. After saving an old man from a runaway truck, Barry is startled when the old man says, “I know you're not The Flash!” In private, the old man explains that he is Darvan, a dabbler in the occult who, while gazing into his crystal ball, saw the elder Flash a prisoner in Limbo, “a place between places ― a junction beyond reality!” Knowing Allen's impersonation was a fraud, the old man deliberately walked into traffic to get the ersatz Flash's attention. Now Darvan offers to use his magic to open a gateway to Limbo so that Barry, now clad in his own costume, can pass through in an attempt to rescue Jay. Led to his doppelgänger by the Earth-Two Flash's “super-aura,” Barry revives Jay. Garrick tells him that he entered Limbo to prevent an “extra-special” meteor from striking the Earth, although he cannot explain the exact nature of this meteor or how he knew of its threat. Elsewhere, Darvan stands revealed as Vandal Savage, the 50,000-year-old Cro-Magnon who gained virtual immortality after being struck by a meteor and, over the intervening fifty millennia, walked among history's greatest warriors, thinkers and rulers. Savage has begun to age. Desperate to bathe anew in the life-giving rays of the meteor, Savage traced it to Limbo. After mentally compelling the Flash duo into using their speed to send the fireball back into the Earth-Two universe, Savage abandons the speedsters to eternally drift through Limbo. All seems lost for the Flashes until they are dragged from the currents of time by Tempus, self-proclaimed “guardian of this ― the timestream!” Tempus' task is to prevent the time-lost from being swept away in the river of time. For their own good, he forbids the Scarlet Speedsters from trying to escape from Limbo by returning to the moment when they first entered it. Winning the guardian's respect by defeating him in battle, Jay and Barry find that perhaps Tempus' concern was warranted as they struggle to overcome a series of time hazards. Overcome they do, and they return to Earth-Two in time to see Vandal Savage's plans go terribly awry, as the strange meteor strikes him head on, bringing him not immortality, but death. CosmologyIt is difficult to accept this story as canonical at face value. Both versions of The Flash, as well as Superman and others, have traveled the timestream on previous occasions without encountering either the temporal phenomena seen here or the character Tempus, who is never seen again in a DC comic. A character named Tempus with a similar relationship to the timestream does appear, completely redesigned and with a far less cooperative attitude, over at Marvel Comics beginning with Giant-Size Fantastic Four #2 (August 1974) and becomes thereafter a permanent part of the Marvel mythos. The Bad GuysTempus should not be confused with the Earth-One villain of the same name introduced in Superman’s Pal, Jimmy Olsen #98 (December 1966). Fashion WatchVandal Savage is seen with white hair at the temples, as well as other signs of advancing age, for the first time in this story. Points to PonderEven given the extraordinary amount of parallelism between Earths-One and -Two, it is doubtful that Barry and Iris Allen's bedroom is identical to Jay and Joan Garrick's, or that Barry could get ready for work without noticing immediately that he was in the wrong house. Barry's notoriously slow, but really!
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Post by Cei-U! on Nov 15, 2014 8:43:34 GMT -5
Justice League of America #100August 1972 (June 20, 1972) $.20  Cover Art: Nick Cardy, main image; Neal Adams, JLA headshots “The Unknown Soldier of Victory!” 24 pages Julius Schwartz (Editor), Len Wein (Writer), Dick Dillin (Penciller), Joe Giella (Inker), no lettering or coloring credits FC: Aquaman, The Atom, Batman, Black Canary, The Flash, Green Arrow, Green Lantern, Hawkman, Superman, teamed as the Justice League of America GS: Doctor Fate, Dr. Mid-Nite, Hourman, The Red Tornado, The Sandman, Starman, Johnny Thunder [and The Thunderbolt], Wildcat, Wonder Woman, teamed as the Justice Society of America GS: Snapper Carr, The Elongated Man, The Martian Manhunter, Metamorpho, Adam Strange, Wonder Woman [of Earth-One], Zatanna SC: Alanna Reintro: The Seven Soldiers of Victory, all but Crimson Avenger in flashback only Reintro: The Crimson Avenger (Lee Travis) Reintro: The Green Arrow (Oliver Queen) Reintro: The Shining Knight (Sir Justin) Reintro: Speedy (Roy Harper) Reintro: The Star-Spangled Kid (Sylvester Pemberton III) Reintro: Stripesy (Pat Dugan) Reintro: The Vigilante (Greg Sanders) Reintro: Wing (full name unknown), in flashback only Reintro: Winged Victory, in flashback only Reintro: The Iron Hand (real name unknown), previously known as The Hand Reintro: Big Caesar, The Dummy, The Needle, Professor Merlin, The Red Dragon; all in flashback to Leading Comics #1 Intro: Oracle Intro: The Nebula Man, in flashback; destruction depicted in this story SynopsisThe Justice League of America throws a party to celebrate its 100th meeting. The festivities are disrupted when Doctor Fate draws the League and its guests to the Earth-Two universe. Fate has summoned the JLA to see if they can defeat a menace the Justice Society has twice failed to overcome: a hand made of unknown energy encircling the earth that will close and crush the planet in 48 hours if its creator ― known only as The Iron Hand ― is not given “supreme domination” of Earth. In trying to use his mystic crystal to learn more, Fate was shown only the image of a tombstone. “Here in honored glory rests an Unknown Soldier of Victory,” reads the epitaph, “who died that his world might live.” Fate hopes to combine his power with that of Zatanna and The Thunderbolt to summon the extradimensional entity called Oracle, “from whom no secrets are withheld,” to explain the significance of the grave. Oracle is summoned but proclaims that he cannot help them directly. He can, however, provide them with information. He tells them of a clash “many of your years ago” between The Seven Soldiers of Victory, a team of Earth-Two mystery men, and a monstrous being called The Nebula Man. In the end, the Soldiers were able to destroy their foe but at great cost. The heroes were scattered across time by the incredible energies released by the destruction of Nebula Man. This somehow caused the populace of Earth-Two, including the JSA, to forget the Seven Soldiers ever existed. Oracle agrees to send the assembled heroes ― split into seven teams of three, with Earth-One's depowered Wonder Woman remaining behind to update any JSA latecomers ― back in time to retrieve the time-lost Soldiers in the hope that they can recreate the device that destroyed the Nebula Man. He cautions them, however, that the Soldiers “may no longer be what they once were.” En route, Oracle relates the story of the Seven Soldiers' first joint adventure, in which they countered the machinations of a criminal mastermind calling himself The Hand, who “seemingly” perished at the end of that case. Doctor Fate, The Atom of Earth-One, and The Elongated Man arrive in pre-Columbian Mexico and discover The Crimson Avenger sitting on the throne of the Aztec Empire. The amnesiac Avenger, given certain energy powers by a chunk of The Nebula Man's body that accompanied him through the rift in time, is worshipped as the Aztec sun god Huitzilopochtli. Once Fate destroys the fragment, the Avenger's memory is restored and they are called back to the present by Oracle. Watching all this from “another plane of existence” is The Iron Hand, the selfsame Hand who once battled the Seven Soldiers. Cosmology The Shining Knight is originally from Sixth Century England and served as one of the Knights of the Round Table. King Arthur Pendragon, Merlin the Magician and the other characters from the Arthurian mythos are historical, not legendary, on Earth-Two. ContinuityA portion of this story is a retelling of the first “Seven Soldiers of Victory” story from Leading Comics #1 (Winter 1941-42). Meeting MinutesThe whereabouts of Earth-Two's Atom, Batman, Flash, Hawkman, and Superman during the world-threatening events depicted in this issue are unknown. JSA headquarters is portrayed as being inside a cave in this and the following two issues. Although no precise location is given in previous Earth-Two stories, they have shown comfortable interiors containing electronic devices and modern furniture, giving no hint of the empty cavern shown here. It may be that penciller Dick Dillin forgot the scene switch from Earth-One to Earth-Two and drew the later scenes as though still set in the JLA's original headquarters outside Happy Harbor. The Good GuysThe Crimson Avenger and Wing were last seen in the “Seven Soldiers of Victory” story in Leading Comics #14 (Spring 1945). The Crimson Avenger should not be confused with the Earth-One wannabe hero of the same name introduced in the “Superman and Batman” story in World's Finest Comics #131 (February 1963). Because their adventures were published continuously throughout the 1940s, '50s and '60s, it is difficult to determine a last appearance for the Earth-Two Green Arrow and Speedy. Given that the Earth-One Arrow's origin story in Adventure Comics #256 (January 1959) differs substantially from the origin published in More Fun Comics #89 (March 1943) and that Adventure #246 (March 1958) is the earliest “Green Arrow and Speedy” story later explicitly referenced in Earth-One continuity, the last appearance of the Earth-Two versions can occur no later than Adventure #245 (February 1958) but see the fifth note following. The Shining Knight was last seen in his solo series in Adventure Comics #166 (July 1951). The Star-Spangled Kid was last seen in his solo series in Star Spangled Comics #86 (November 1948). Stripesy was last seen in the “Star-Spangled Kid” story in Star Spangled Comics #81 (June 1948). The Vigilante was last seen in his solo series in Action Comics #198 (November 1954). However, since the existence of an Earth-One Vigilante was established in Justice League of America #78 (February 1970), there is some question as to when the adventures of the Earth-Two version end and those of the Earth-One version begin (but see the next note). The Seven Soldiers of Victory were last seen as a team in Leading Comics #14. Their battle with The Nebula Man, seen for the first time in flashback in this issue and resulting in the members being lost in time, can have occurred no earlier than July 1951 (when the last solo story featuring a Soldier of Victory without an Earth-One doppelgänger was published). Later dates are problematic, however, as Speedy and The Star-Spangled Kid are still in their teens when brought to the present of 1972. (This implies that the “Green Arrow” and “Vigilante” stories appearing in comics with cover dates after July 1951 feature the Earth-One versions but this cannot be proven conclusively.) Whether the Seven Soldiers fought together regularly after their last published adventure in 1945 or reunited specifically to combat Nebula Man is unclear. The Bad GuysThe Iron Hand was last seen, as The Hand, in the “Seven Soldiers of Victory” story in Leading Comics #1. Details concerning the last appearances of Big Caesar, The Dummy, and the other Seven Soldiers foes seen only in flashback in this issue will be listed when (and if) the characters make their first physical appearances in continuity. Fashion WatchHourman wears the black boots with three broad red stripes and a new variant of his belt with no filigree and an unadorned yellow buckle. Points to PonderIt is curious that their being sent into the past by the energies of the exploding Nebula Man would erase all knowledge of The Seven Soldiers of Victory in the present without otherwise changing history.
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shaxper
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Post by shaxper on Nov 15, 2014 8:45:09 GMT -5
Interesting to finally have this thread at a point where it's overlapping with Action Ace's Justice League of America #100-150 thread! I look forward to comparing/contrasting perspectives, especially as the foci of the two threads are very different  |
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zilch
Full Member
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Post by zilch on Nov 15, 2014 23:31:04 GMT -5
While reading scans of the Vigilante stories, i came across one that was a good break point, but can't find my notes on that right now...
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Post by Cei-U! on Nov 16, 2014 9:04:23 GMT -5
Justice League of America #101September 1972 (July 18, 1972) $.20  Cover Art: Nick Cardy, main image; Neal Adams, JLA headshots; Murphy Anderson, Starman headshot; Ramona Fradon (Penciller), Charles Paris (Inker), Metamorpho headshot; Mike Sekowsky (Penciller), Bernard Sachs (Inker), other JSA headshots “The Hand That Shook the World” 24 pages Julius Schwartz (Editor), Len Wein (Writer), Dick Dillin (Penciller), Joe Giella (Inker), no lettering or coloring credits FC: Aquaman, The Atom, Batman, Black Canary, The Flash, Green Arrow, Green Lantern, Hawkman, Superman, teamed as the Justice League of America GS: Dr. Mid-Nite, Green Lantern, Hourman, Mr. Terrific, Robin, The Sandman, Starman, Wonder Woman, teamed as the Justice Society of America GS: Green Arrow, Metamorpho, The Shining Knight, Stripesy, Wonder Woman [of Earth-One] SC: Winged Victory SA: Little John and the Merrie Men of Sherwood Forest Villains: The Iron Hand, Vandal Savage [as Genghis Khan], The Sheriff of Nottingham (behind the scenes, no actual appearance) SynopsisReturning from the field, a trio of JSA members ― Green Lantern, Robin, and Mr. Terrific ― find their headquarters deserted save for Earth-One's Wonder Woman. She brings them up to date concerning the mystery of the Unknown Soldier of Victory and the menace of The Iron Hand. Elsewhere in time, the team of Metamorpho, The Sandman and the Earth-One Superman find themselves opposing the Mongol army of Genghis Khan for the sake of a temple of Buddhist monks and their treasure. To complicate matters, Khan has drugged The Shining Knight and persuaded the time-lost crusader to enlist in his campaign. The super-heroic trio saves the temple and frees Sir Justin. Back at JSA HQ, the heroes left behind set out for the Himalayas to examine the Unknown Soldier's grave. They stop on their way to rescue people from the natural disasters triggered by the presence of the hand composed of “nebula energy” encircling the world. Dr. Mid-Nite, the Earth-One Hawkman and Earth-Two's Wonder Woman reluctantly join the Merrie Men of Sherwood Forest on a mission to rescue Robin Hood from the castle of the Sheriff of Nottingham. Inside the castle, the heroes discover that the Sheriff's captive is Green Arrow, mistaken for the master outlaw. Returning to Sherwood, the Arrow tells Little John and the others before being returned to 1972 by Oracle that Robin Hood lies, wounded but safe, “in the lodgings of a friendly friar.” Starman, Hourman and the Earth-One Batman find Stripesy living as a construction slave in ancient Egypt, forced to labor on one of the Great Pyramids. Despite considerable opposition, the JLA/JSA team frees the beleaguered former chauffeur. Diana Prince continues her lonely vigil at Justice Society headquarters, unaware she is being stalked by The Iron Hand. CosmologyRobin Hood, Little John and the other Merrie Men of Sherwood Forest are historical, not legendary, on Earth-Two. They should not be confused with their Earth-One doppelgängers, introduced in The Brave and the Bold #5 (April-May 1956). The Good GuysFor the first time in Earth-Two continuity, The Sandman leaves his calling card, the poem beginning “There is no land where tyrants rule... ,” a device introduced during the character's Simon and Kirby period. Starman discovers he can mentally control the cosmic rod from a distance in this issue. The Bad GuysIt is not stated which of the Great Pyramids is under construction in the Egyptian scenes in this issue. If, however, it is the pyramid of Khufu (Cheops to the Greeks), then Vandal Savage ― who was the Earth-Two Khufu ― is behind the scenes as one of the story's villains. Fashion WatchMr. Terrific wears a new version of his costume in this issue with red trunks over dark red tights, a shorter tunic and cavalry-style boots instead of slipper-style shoes. Points to PonderGreen Lantern, Mr. Terrific, and Robin know that the grave of the Unknown Soldier of Victory lies in the Himalayas despite its location not being specified in the previous issue. Indeed, Oracle's only hint as to its whereabouts, the phrase “at the top of your world,” could as easily apply to the North Pole.
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