The biggest JLA/JSA cross-over ever continues here!The Story: "The Bomb-Blast Heard 'Round The World!" by Gerry Conway, Don Heck, and Sal Trapani. Picking up from last issue, the JLA and the All-Star Squadron find themselves face to face in the ruined headquarters of the Justice Society.
Not knowing each other, they of course start beating the crap out of each other, Marvel-style. Aquaman takes a swipe at Steel, and is surprised to find that he doesn't immediately fall over. The heroes from each side approach each other, fists clenched...
Superman can't take it anymore, and yells "Stop It!" at the top of his lungs, nearly bursting the ear drums of every one but Robotman.
The two teams get each other their back stories, Firestorm tries to hit on Firebrand, and then they get a call from...President Roosevelt!
FDR is amazingly calm, meeting all these new superheroes, and Zatanna is quietly stunned at the (to her) former President's magnetism. I think I'd feel the same way.
Anyway, FDR explains they got a crate in the mail, inside of which is a machine that plays a tape of...Per Degaton!
None of the heroes know who he is, exactly, and Firestorm makes an interesting observation:
Anyway, the heroes figure out that somehow Per Degaton changed history, something the JSA is learning too, while searching the destroyed Earth-Prime.
Turns out, on Earth-Prime, the Cuban Missile Crisis ended with all-out nuclear war, leaving the world the way it is now. Clearly, also the work of Per Degaton.
Back on Earth-2, Per Degaton's promise to explode a nuclear bomb out in the Pacific Ocean is fulfilled, but then the JLA sees a bubble in the aftermath, filled with their JSA friends!
As the JLA cares for their unconscious friends, they don't realize Per Degaton is watching them, plotting the end of his terrible plan! To be continued!
Roll Call: Superman, Aquaman, Hawkman, Zatanna, Firestorm
Notable Moments: ...an awesome cover by George Perez. I would've loved to have seen it full bleed, but the overall design is cool, too.
Part four of the story takes place in All-Star Squadron #15:
...I thought I had these issues in my collection, but apparently I don't. That's a shame, since I remember Aquaman gets a lot to do in, er, ASS #15.Time to hit eBay...
Another great cover by Perez, that's for sure Rob. Superman using his "super yelling" in this issue is actually what made little old 13 year old me think "what else about him is "super"?" Make of that what you will. :) You know, thinking about the story (which to me, high lights the whole appeal of the DC Multiverse), so many things I miss. Hawkman Katar from Thanagar, Huntress, All Star Squad (too bad Perez didn't get to do that also), the jumping from E1 to E2 to EPrime. *sigh* I'm old.
ReplyDeleteI don't remember how many more JLA/JSA team ups there were (I'm sure not many), but this was one of the big ones.
I'm right there with you, my friend. 'Classic' just doesn't begin to describe this story.
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