Justice League of America Annual #3 - 1985

The final JLA Annual as they meet the Crisis head on!

The Story: "Force of Nature" by Dan Mishkin, Rick Hoberg, and Mike Gustovich. We open in a way a JLA comic hasn't opened in a long time--the JLA satellite!

Former member Red Tornado is there, amid the wreckage, using his powers in conjunction with the (still functioning) JLA computers to try and find out more about himself. He was intrigued when (in Crisis on Infinite Earths #5) the Anti-Monitor called him "More than machine...more than man."

But a giant bolt of energy hurtles through space, hitting the satellite, knocking it out of its orbit, sending it heading towards the Earth below!

Meanwhile, other former JLA members Green Arrow, Black Canary, and Firestorm have teamed up to help keep a local auto plant safe from the falling satellite debris.

Martian Manhunter takes to the skies to help out, too, and drafts Steel and Vibe to assist him. Manhunter and Firestorm help deflect a giant fireball, keeping most of Detroit safe.

Vibe takes that as his cue to relax, which irks Green Arrow to no end:

Firestorm plays referee, and then Manhunter discovers a troubling piece of wreckage: the Red Tornado's head!

Meanwhile, in New York, Reddy's love, Kathy Sutton, returns home to her apartment, and is startled when she sees Red Tornado show up on her television, asking for her help!

At the same time, Zatanna and Elongated Man are at S.T.A.R. Labs, where they are asked to help secure the Golden Gate Bridge, which is in danger of being damaged--not by all the anti-matter energy flying around due to the Crisis, as Ralph thinks--but by S.T.A.R. itself!

A S.T.A.R. scientist reveals that the crazy weather happening is due to some weather-control satellites they have been testing, and have lost control of, due to some unknown force. These satellites are affecting weather all over the world!

Back at the JLA's Detroit HQ, Manhunter and the rest communicate with Zee and Ralph, who explain what's happening and why.

Meanwhile, Kathy Sutton arrives in Gotham City, as per Reddy's instruction. We see that Reddy's powers have increased greatly as he touches base with Kathy again:

Batman and the Outsiders stumble across Kathy on a windswept Gotham bridge, and she tells Batman that Reddy told her to meet him there.

Superman is also on hand, and he spies a massive warp in the sky--he tries to enter it, but it tossed to the ground. Geo-Force then tries to use his powers to try and close the warp, but he fails, too.

The warp then sucks Green Arrow, Black Canary, Firestorm, and Kathy Sutton into it, closing itself before Batman can tell Geo-Force to turn off his powers and let the rest of them get sucked in, too.

Our heroes are then dumped by the warp on the other side of the country, where the rest of the League are.

Up in space, Manhunter and Superman discover one of the rogue satellites, and use their combined muscle to smash it to bits. Whoever or whatever has taken control of them transfers "itself" into another one of the satellites, and talks of running out of time to "collect the energy it needs."

The weather has calmed down, and the heroes pause to try and figure out what's going on. Vibe takes five, which sends Green Arrow into another rage:

...I think a lot of us had been waiting for this moment.

Arrow informs Vibe that this is life and death, and his friends like Red Tornado and Supergirl are dead, so he better wise up.

Meanwhile, Superman and Manhunter keep smashing satellites, the last one releasing a giant...tornado?!?

The tornado starts talking about finally being "free!", but promises the heroes it means no harm. To prove that, it assumes a form they all know--their friend, the Red Tornado!

Reddy explains that when the JLA satellite got hit, all he could do was transfer his consciousness into the nearest electronic system, which was one of S.T.A.R.'s satellites.

The JLA is a little non-plussed, telling Reddy he's responsible for a lot of destruction, but Reddy claims he is now a "force of nature", with power to "re-make the world!" Uh-oh!

Kathy Sutton can't accept this, and concludes that some of part of the man she loved is still in there, that's why he called her to come to him! She jumps into the giant tornado (brave girl, that Kathy) where she talks to Reddy, who tells her that he will show people "a new light" and she "will always be at my side." Double uh-oh!

Kathy still doesn't buy this, and tells Reddy that to be accepted as a savior, he has to approach humans as one of them, not above them. Reddy assumes his more superhero-like shape, and is in the middle of giving up his lust for control, when the Man of Steel uses his super-breath to encase Reddy in a block of ice!

Turns out this was all a plan, the JLA using Kathy to get Reddy to pull back from the edge. The JLA congratulates her for doing what was necessary, but Kathy feels like she betrayed the man she loves.

Of course, Supes' block of ice can't hold a force of nature, and Red Tornado breaks free of it, re-assumes his massive tornado shape, castigates Kathy, and disappears, promising one day "...there will be a reckoning!"

All the heroes are left with is a rainbow...

Roll Call: Martian Manhunter, Elongated Man, Zatanna, Vixen, Steel, Vibe, Gypsy

Notable Moments: What a sad story!

I don't "sad" as meaning "bad" necessarily, I just mean that Red Tornado was a punching bag in the DCU for so long, it seems...wrong, somehow, to have his story end this way. Unfortunately, Reddy was just another casualty of the Crisis going on at the time. Some of the changes that occurred because of the COIE were good, some...not so much.

It was fun seeing Green Arrow slap Vibe around a bit, especially since Vibe is written here as real uncaring jerk. Maybe he wouldn't have been so capricious if he knew he'd live through the Crisis, but not DC's next big crossover event.

Justice League of America Annual #2 - 1984

The biggest change to ever happen to the Justice League of America! New faces, new motivations, new leaders!

The Story: "The End of the Justice League!" by Gerry Conway, Chuck Patton, and Dave Hunt. Following what transpired in the Earth/Mars war in JLA #s 228-230, the members of the League who were present take a space shuttle to go back and see what--if anything--is left of their beloved satellite headquarters.

The various members of the team fan out and start assessing the damage. Black Canary wonders if it can be rebuilt, and Firestorm jokes "rebuild what?"

But Aquaman isn't in such a goofy mood. He takes one look at what has happened, and mutters to himself that this is the end of the Justice League:

(click to JLAify!)

Hawkgirl wonders if she heard Aquaman right. Hawkman, worriedly, says that she did.

After they return to Earth, Green Arrow suggests they start rebuilding immediately. Aquaman walks away, suggesting that even if it could be rebuilt, the team itself may not be able to be repaired. He says for everyone to meet him at the U.N. in one week.

He heads home, happy to finally see his wife, Mera. Unfortunately, she has left, leaving him a message saying that clearly his duty to the League is the most important thing in his life. She suggests he not try to find her...

One week later, at the U.N., Aquaman calls for a special audience, and makes a startling announcement:

...in just five pages, the JLA we all knew is gone.

The announcement is heard all over the world, like by an older man who seems to have massive wealth, and by fashion model Mari McCabe, who abruptly quits her job upon hearing what has happened.

At a high-rise apartment in New York, the JLA--such as it is--is deciding what to do next. They are met by a mysterious stranger, who seems to have fantastic powers!

She is revealed to be the super-heroine The Vixen, who says she is there to join up. Another new hero makes his introductions, as well, a man named Steel:

Steel comes with a new HQ, in Detroit. Its a fully-functioning base, complete with living quarters, a pool, training rooms, etc.

They are met an armed guard, who attacks them for breaking into this place. Steel busts the guy's head, and we learn that inside the suit is Dale Gunn, an old friend of Steel's grandfather, and sort of a surrogate father to the young man. Both Zatanna and Vixen like what they see.

Meanwhile, we are introduced to a young man, a street kid/grafitti artist named Paco, who goes by the name "Vibe." When he runs afoul of some gang members, he displays amazing powers that can be directed at people and shake them uncontrollably.

This little show is seen by Steel and Vixen, and Steel tries to talk Aquaman into letting the kid join. Aquaman says no, pissing off Steel in the process, but he reconsiders when Vibe walks up to their front door and Aquaman gets a first-hand lesson in what this kid can do.

The kid is full of himself, that's for sure:

On the way to meet Vibe's family, he and Steel meet another seemingly super-powered person, a young street thief that the people in the neighborhood call "Gypsy."

While Steel meets Vibe's family (and is immediately smitten by his sister, Rosita), Zatanna introduces herself to Dale Gunn, in about a forward a manner as possible:

While these two flirt, Gypsy breaks in to the HQ, setting off the security alarms!

The JLA all run to the sound, with Martian Manhunter using his shape-shifting powers to nab Gypsy. When they ask who she is, she gives them a long, implausible story. When pressed for the truth, she disappears.

Aquaman is worried none of this is going like he planned, but his doubts are interrupted by a neighborhood welcoming committee, who are throwing a block party to welcome their new neighbors:

Of course, to be continued!

Roll Call: Aquaman, Martian Manhunter, Elongated Man, Zatanna, Vixen, Steel, Vibe

Notable Moments: Well, what to say? This turn of events absolutely floored me when I read it, way back in 1984. While I was *thrilled* that Aquaman was taking such a large role in the JLA, I was very unsure of these new characters.

And while I was happy to see action-hogs Superman, Wonder Woman, Flash, and Green Lantern depart, it was the removal of my other favorites, like Green Arrow and the Hawks that made me scratch my head.

I was even more confused by this passage in the annual's text page by editor Alan Gold:

...in retrospect, of course Gold was just trying to make sure comic fans didn't storm the DC offices like the mob in Frankenstein, but it left me confused. Were "The Big Ones" gone from the book, or not? And if not, what chance did these new characters have? Questions, questions!

Before we move on to JLA Detroit's (as it came to be known) first appearance in JLA proper, we'll take a moment tomorrow to try and answer some of the questions about this strange turn of events in the history of the World's Greatest Superheroes, when the JLA Satellite talks to the man himself, Gerry Conway! Be here!

Justice League of America Annual #1 - 1983

The JLA's very first Annual!

The Story: "If I Should Die Before I Wake..." by Paul Levitz, Len Wein, Rick Hoberg, and Dick Giordano. This very first JLA Annual opens with some robot lizard-type guys aboard the JLA satellite, knocking a few of our heroes around.

At a crucial moment, the Elongated Man is unable to stop one of the bad guys from punching a hole in the satellite's hull, sending them all hurtling into airless space!

As Elongated Man screams in terror, we realize--*whew!*--this is only a dream, or a nightmare, actually. As Sue Dibny tries to comfort her husband, Ralph is concerned about these nightmares he's been having, where he is the "weak leak in the chain."

This is all music to the ears of Doctor Destiny, one of the JLA's oldest foes. He is eavesdropping on Ralph, and considers him a fool. Unfortunately, he is no help to Destiny and his cursed affliction.

What affliction? Well, we get to see what Destiny is talking about: he is conducting research on dreams, under the guise of it being genuine medical research. Turns out those subjects who can dream are healthy, the one who can't are slowly suffering physical effects from it--their skin is turning white, their features skeletal. Sound familiar?

Destiny has a team of nurses helping him in his work, never realizing who he really is:

Destiny blames the JLA for his condition, and threatens to attack them in their dreams.

Cut to: the JLA satellite, where they are playing host to Commissioner James Gordon, who didn't know where to turn ever since Batman disappeared into Markovia (during the events of the first few issues of Batman and the Outsiders).

Turns out that Destiny, who they thought they had locked up in Arkham Asylum, has escaped, leaving a hologram in his place! The JLA takes the case and goes on a search for him.

The Hawks, the Atom, and Firestorm use a piece of Thanagarian technology to track Delta-Wave radiation, which they believe will lead them to him.

They follow the lead to the Atom's stomping grounds of Ivy University, where they are told nothing strange is going on, even with the dream research now being conducted.

Suddenly, wraith-like beings leap out of the the asleep subjects, and attack! The JLAers manage to stop them, and they fade back into nothingness, all the while Destiny watches...

Meanwhile, in Washington Square:

...I love Aquaman standing there, reading a pamphlet. It just cracks me up.

Something similar happens to them, with transparent beings emerging from monstrous stone sculptures and attacking, ending the same way--with the JLAers fighting them off.

It happens again when Wonder Woman, Flash, and the John Stewart Green Lantern find themselves fighting dreamlike versions of Amazo, Dr. Light, and the Tornado Tyrant!

The heroes stop them, and they think they have found Destiny himself, until he disappears right before their eyes, seemingly merging his being with his Dream Machine!

Zatanna uses her magic to transport herself, Red Tornado, and Elongated Man to another dimension--the dream dimension! Somebody call Neil Gaiman!

Zatanna determines its here where Destiny is hiding, so she calls in the rest of the troops:

...they arrive at the Dream Dome, where Destiny has imprisoned its heroic operator, the Sandman!

Destiny is able to call forth all sorts of horrible demons from people's nightmares, who attack the JLA.

As they fight, the Flash tries to attack Destiny straight on, but he throws some sort of dust at the Flash, knocking him out. He soon does it to the rest of the JLA!

Elongated Man is defeated last, being mocked by Destiny as it happens. Luckily, Ralph manages to hit a button on a control panel, freeing the Sandman into the Dream-Stream.

While Destiny imprisons the JLAers and plans to turn them into the skeletal husks he has become, the Sandman looks for help from the only person he thinks can. Destiny sends some of his dream-like goons to stop him.

They do, but not before the Sandman's target is awoken from his slumber--the Man of Steel, Superman!

Superman makes quick work of the demons, grabs Sandman, and heads for the Dream Dome. While the two of them fight more of Destiny's goons, he finds himself confronted by the rest of the JLA, now freed from their captivity! Destiny, being a bit of a puss, faints dead away.

Turns out why Destiny was busy watching Superman and Sandman, Elongated Man came up with the idea of Green Lantern and Zatanna focusing all their energies on Wonder Woman's glass prison tube, weakening it enough for her to shatter.

Sandman is impressed, and the JLA makes him an offer:

...Sandman, only being able to be in their dimension for an hour at a time, says he'll consider it.

Green Lantern asks what was it about Superman's dreams that led him to the Man of Steel, and he reveals it was Superman's dream of a better world, a world finally at peace, where he is surrounded his super-powered friends...the Justice League.

Roll Call: Superman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Flash, Green Lantern, Green Arrow, Atom, Hawkman, Black Canary, Elongated Man, Red Tornado, Hawkgirl, Zatanna, Firestorm

Notable Moments: After 20+ years of continuous publication, the JLA finally get an annual!

A solid story, Dr. Destiny was always one of my favorites. Using Elongated Man's insecurities was a nice touch, too.

That scene with Firestorm asking Sandman to join makes me laugh, because it seems off-the-cuff. Like, did Firestorm check with the rest of the team before making the offer?