No Cold Turkey For Thanksgiving

May you not be fighting with a cold turkey this Thanksgiving...unlike Captain Carrot and his Amazing Zoo Crew (Pig-Iron, Alley-Kat Abra, Fastback, Rubberduck and Yankee Poodle).

This, from the wonder series of funny animals, with a cover by Scott Shaw!, and interiors by E. Nelson Bridwell, Scott Shaw!, Stan Goldberg and Al Gordon for Captain Carrot and the Amazing Zoo Crew #13 (March, 1983).

Of course, Captain Carrot and friends lived on Earth-C, a world populated by talking animals....and, wouldn't you know it, they had their own Crisis as well (but that's a story for another time).

JLA Vs The Wild West

At one time, western comics were more popular than super heroes.  But, by the 1960s, the Justice League of America and others had taken the limelight away from the time of cowboys and such....

...but, there were a few who still braved the wild prairies, and in two special issues of the Justice League of America, they even ran against the JLA in a little shootout showdown!

But, before diving into that tale, a little history of the later day westerners!

Bat Lash

Bartholomew Aloysius Lash premiered in Showcase #76 (August, 1968) by Sergio Aragones and Nick Cardy, finding criminals by accident, as the wandering gambler avoided the boyfriend of a woman he fancied, and just tried to find a place to cook a pheasant.

Bat Lash grew up learning an appreciation for the finer things from his mother, Martha,  getting all the skills a man of the west would need from his father, Lemuel, and love from his brothers and sister (Thomas, William and Melissa).

Still, when swindlers and a crooked sheriff took his home from his family, killed his parents and his brothers went missing (and got him accused of murdering the local deputy), Lash took his sister (and girlfriend, Betsy) to a convent for safety, then spent years tracking down the criminals, losing those he loved along the way (even the two ladies, after he returned to the convent successful in his hunt....the two decided to remain committed to god and a life there).

Still undeterred, Bat Lash spent his time in the American Southwest, finding trouble where he went, but helping the less fortunate when he could, enjoying the ladies and a good poker game when available.

Bat Lash's appearances before meeting the JLA were in Showcase #76 and #100, Bat Lash #1-#7, Weird Western Tales #45, #46, #52. #53. #64. back ups in Jonah Hex #49, #51 and #52, with a hint of his future in DC Special Series #16.

Jonah Hex

Jonah Woodson Hex premiered in All-Star Western #10 (February-March, 1972) by John Albano and Tony DeZuniga, collecting a bounty on a gang, and finding that, even though he stopped the lawless folks, the scarred, ex-Confederate bounty hunter was still not welcome in the area.

Jonah Hex had a hard life, with his mother, Ginny, leaving her abusive husband, Woodson Hex.  Then, Woodson took his son to join the California Gold Rush, but sold him to Apache Indians.  There, Hex earned respect saving the chief, and fell for White Fawn, the favored of the chief's son, Noh-Tante, who, in an attempt to take horses from the Kiowa, left Hex behind, telling his tribe Hex had been killed. 

Hex, still alive, but wounded, was raised by a trapper, but unable to find his tribe, instead ending up working for first the U.S. Army, then the Confederate Army as a bounty hunter and trapper.  When Lincoln emancipated the slaves, Hex felt he could no longer work with a system that supported slavery, and went to turn himself in to Union forces. 

But, the Union forces figured out where Hex left his troops by mud on his horse, went and captured them, thanking Hex for his help in front of them.  The Union men then tried to kill their Confederate prisoners, but Hex helped free a few, who still blamed him for their capture (his friend Jeb did die, earning Hex the eternal hatred of Jeb's father, Quentin Turnbull). 

Hex then went to find his tribe, finding Noh-Tante married to White Fawn.  Hex challenged him to a duel, but Noh-Tante had sabotaged Hex's tomahawk, unknowingly forcing Hex to use his knife to kill Noh-Tante.  Violating the ethics of the tribe by killing, the chief had Hex's face branded with "the mark of the demon" and exiled from the Apaches.  Hex made a living as a bounty hunter, and ended up marrying Mei Ling, who wanted him to retire from the gunslinger life, though life kept drawing him back.

Jonah Hex had appeared in All-Star Western #10 and #11, Weird Western Tales #12-#38, Jonah Hex #1-#92, Justice League of America #159 and #160, DC Special Series #21, and the end of his life in the early 1900s was chronicled in DC Special Series #16.  (Hex's life after the Crisis On Infinite Earths in the 2050's of a nuclear war ravaged Seattle in Hex #1-#18 is worth a mention, but Jonah appears in these two issues of the JLA title between Jonah Hex #55 and #56). 

Scalphunter

Brian Savage was the son of trail boss, Matt Savage, taken from his family by Kiowa tribe, and raised as Ke-Who-No-Tay ("He who is less than human") by the tribe.  Later, framed for murder, the man also known as Scalphunter tracked down the real criminals in his case, all the while avoiding U.S Troops intend on bringing him in, and along the way, meeting his real father....all in Weird Western Tales #39 (March-April, 1977) by Michael Fleisher, Dick Ayers and George Evans.

Later adventures had him righting wrongs in the West, coming to terms with his dual nature while dealing with the death of his father, learning of a sister, Samantha.  Scalphunter even had adventures with Bat Lash and President Abraham Lincoln as well...and even a certain Batman too.

Scalphunter appeared in Weird Western Tales #39-#70, DC Special Series #16, back up tales in Jonah Hex #40, #41, #45. #46 and #47, and Brave and the Bold #171, all before meeting the JLA and later, the Crisis On Infinite Earths.

Cinnamon

Imagine you are the daughter of a widowed sheriff in a small Wyoming town, who watches your father killed by fleeing bank robbers and you'd know how Cinnamon felt in Weird Western Tales #48 (September-October, 1978) by Roger McKenzie, Jack Abel and Danny Bulanadi.

Cinnamon left the orphanage she was living in at 18, and went to hunt the killers, using her skills with the six gun and a new weapon, the shuriken (which resembled the sheriff star of her father).

The result of her quest was unknown, as her only two tales besides the JLA issues before the Crisis on Infinite Earths was in Weird Western Tales #48 and #49 (and she shouldn't have been able to team-up with the others, as the majority of their published adventures had happened in the 1870s, but she only started her quest in 1898!).  Be that as it may....there might have been other forces at work that created the team up of these heroes with the Justice League of America.

Once Upon A Time, In The Wild, Wild West

Gerry Conway, Don Heck and Brett Breeding gave us Justice League of America #198 (January, 1982, under a Ross Andru/Romeo Tanghal cover) where Green Lantern, Zatanna, Elongated Man and Flash were found wandering with amnesia by Jonah Hex, Cinnamon, Scalphunter and Bat Lash in 1870s Arizona.  The JLA enemy, the Lord of Time, had captured them and sent them there, to get them to focus an approaching meteor directed at the Grand Canyon, so he could use that to conquer his own era.

Superman, on monitor duty, found out the JLA members had disappeared from the now....but, in fighting a robot of the Lord of Time's in the Grand Canyon in the here and now....fell prey to a Kryptonite trap.

Grand Canyon Showdown

Gerry Conway, Don Heck and Brett Breeding concluded this time travel tale in Justice League of America #199 (February, 1982 under a George Perez cover), with the amnesiac heroes and westerners slowly headed towards a gathering in Desecration, Arizona (pursued by robotic cowboys of the Lord of Time).


With the westerners fighting the Lord of Time's robots, the JLA slowly regained their memories of their own identities and deflected the approaching meteor, with Superman returning the heroes to the modern day after figuring out a way to deflect the Kryptonite away and defeat the Lord of Time.

Cinnamon's appearance, never really explained, was either a manipulation by the Lord of Time or some unforseen pre-Crisis On Infinite Earths time paradox...


....as Jonah Hex remembered this event during the Crisis On Infinite Earths, recognizing Green Lantern's outfit (John Stewart had replaced Hal Jordan as Green Lantern, but was dispatched by the Monitor to the old west) in a meeting with Bat Lash, Scalphunter and the western Johnny Thunder and Nighthawk as part of the Monitor's plans to save the Multiverse, as heroes found others to help fight the Anti-Monitor's Shadow Demons.

The Future

After the Crisis on Infinite Earths and a meeting with the Monitor, Jonah Hex found himself stranded in 2050 for a time (detailed in Hex), but had to eventually return to his right time to fight zombies, then later die (as that had already been predestined, with Hex finding his own body in the future during Hex).

Scalphunter had settled on being Brian Savage, becoming a sheriff of what would be Opal City, befriending the Shade, guiding the O'Dare's into law, fathering Steve Savage (the Balloon Buster of World War I, enemy of Enemy Ace), and having one last revenge filled time after losing most of his policing force, before his end (chronicled over many issues of James Robinson's Starman, which also dealt with his reincarnation as a current day O'Dare).

Bat Lash had headed towards the Far East, having tired of the Wild West...

....meeting the Enemy Ace, Slam Bradley, Miss Fear, Kung and Vandal Savage, in the 1920s,  fighting dinosaurs and Ninjas in one larger than life adventure.

Cinnamon was later revealed to be Kate Manser, who was a reincarnation of Chay-Ara (Hawkgirl) and worked with Nighthawk (Hannibal Hawkes, a reincarnation of Hawkman) during Geoff Johns' run of Hawkman.  A modern day Cinnamon, also a bounty hunter, has appeared, and is an agent of Checkmate.

All this, to keep the Wild West alive, even today, and a few other meetings of old west characters with modern DC characters will be covered....in the future!

Flash Crossover Multiple Issues

One odd thing over the years, is that while JLA/JSA meetings seemed to take either more issues or more space, Flash team-ups usually only went for one issue....

...except for the 3 issues where Barry and Jay Flashes worked together here!

Follow along quickly as the tale is told....

Vandal Savage -- Wanted Dead And Alive

It started simple enough in Flash #235 (August, 1975) by Cary Bates, Irv Novick and Tex Blaisdell (under a stunning Dick Giordano cover), heralding not only Jay Flash's return, but that of Green Lantern Hal Jordan and villain, Vandal Savage....in a full length tale.


Barry thought his Flash adventures were going to make him late for a dinner of Veal Scaloppine with his wife Iris...but, instead, he found her missing.  Instead, he is confronted by Vandal Savage, who tells him he took his wife (and after a bit of a battle....in Barry's mind), Flash follows up on this.  Meanwhile, Hal Jordan (Earth's Green Lantern) is getting his ex, Carol Ferris, back in his life, until Vandal Savage shows up and takes her from him (and gives Hal a little mental battle as well).

The heroes end up on Earth-2, helping out Flash Jay Garrick, and asking him about Vandal Savage....and he relates that the meteor crash which may have not have taken Savage's life, but just transferred him to Earth-1, but, Jay was mysteriously too busy to help the heroes.  Back to Earth-1, where Vandal Savage taunts Flash and Green Lantern, goading them to finding the meteor which would restore Savage's immortality, and Hal uses his power ring to see at least one of the girls are inside it.....and Green Lantern and Flash use their powers to put out the flaming meteor (and capture Vandal Savage).  They open the meteor....to find only Carol Ferris.  Savage explains he went to kidnap Iris, but she was already missing.  This puts Barry into detective mode, now on the hunt for his wife....though, if he could just peer into Earth-2 he would find her, as Jay is hiding her from him!


Jay Flash was last in a team-up with Barry in Flash #229, and Vandal Savage appeared in the Jay-Barry meeting the time previous, in Flash #215, both covered here, with Vandal Savage next returning for a bit in the 1970s All-Star Comics run.

Nowhere On The Face Of The Earth

Not finding Iris has put Barry in a bit of distress, as shown in Flash #236 (September, 1975) by Cary Bates, Irv Novick and Tex Blaisdell (under a Mike Grell cover).

Barry Flash is searching (a little carelessly) through Central City and the surrounding areas for his wife, Iris, to no avail.

Meanwhile, on Earth-2, Jay Flash is stopping menaces in Keystone City, with a little help from the mystical Dr. Fate, who has come to help with another problem...that of Iris Allen!  Dr. Fate uses a spell to keep Barry Flash busy on Earth-1 while Jay Flash and he look for a solution for the problem Iris has, which is she now has an aura that, if it comes into contact Flash's super speed aura, will result in a cataclysm.

Barry thinks he sees Iris on a live TV report, so goes to the tunnel that it is coming from, and does find Iris....or so he thinks, as the lady says she isn't.  While there, he is attacked by a pair of mystical hands, and he tries to keep "Iris" safe from them, eventually defeating the hands, and finding out that this lady wasn't Iris.  It was all a mystical spell by Dr. Fate to keep Barry busy, but, while that did, neither Dr. Fate nor Jay Flash found a cure for Iris.  So, they decide to send her to the 30th Century for help....but, coincidentally, that's where Barry Flash is going to look for her, speeding off on his cosmic treadmill!

Dr. Fate is fresh off his appearance with the JLA/JSA, meeting the Freedom Fighters (as chronicled here), and Joan Garrick makes a quick appearance, between Flash #229 and the 1970s All-Star Comics run..

The 1,000 Year Separation

The distractions Barry had faced to find Iris has made him desperate in Flash #237 (November, 1975) by Cary Bates, Irv Novick and Frank McLaughlin (with Ernie Chan doing the cover....and revealing the mystery villain behind Iris' disappearance....the Reverse-Flash!).

Barry is on his way to 1000 years in the future, the time Iris West originally came from (she was translocated into the past to keep her alive, explained in another story for another day).

Flash is approaching his wife and her parents in the future....when he suddenly gets a mystic bolt from Dr. Fate explaining to him what has been going on and the dire fate the universe will suffer if he touches his wife again.   Even being this close to Iris causes disasters, but why?

Well, Reverse-Flash shows up to explain.  Seems he set this plan in motion the last time he battled Barry (and tried to marry Iris).  Now, Reverse-Flash plans to marry her in 2975!  Barry is dejected, but notices things Eobard Thawne does....and, after a quick battle with his foe, figures out the vibrations he uses to cancel out the energy flux around Iris, and is able to duplicate them to free her from their problem.  Thawne escapes, as Barry and Iris enjoy their reunion, then head home for a long overdue dinner!

Dr. Fate appears next in his first solo story since the Golden Age, then joins Jay in the first issue of the JSA revival of All-Star Comics that introduced Power Girl.  Reverse-Flash isn't done with alternate Earths either, as he meets with the magical fellow here in a later issue of Secret Society of Super-Villains.

Come back quick, because there are still many Flash crossovers to come!
 

JLA JSA Fourth Multiple Crisis

More worlds for the discovery, as the Justice League of America and Justice Society of America make their way through another batch of team-ups.

These two teams from different Earths find their way together, and go to other Earths as well....and to other times!

Where On Earth Am I?

The first JLA/JSA team up this time around is Justice League of America #123 (October, 1975) by Cary Bates, Elliot S. Maggin, Dick Dillin and Frank McLaughlin, under a cover by Ernie Chan.

This issue starts with Cary and Elliot trying to plot an issue of Justice League of America for Julie Schwartz (yes, it is a trip to Earth-Prime, where the JLA are only comic book heroes).  Fooling around, Cary gets transported to Earth-2 on the Cosmic Treadmill, with Elliot getting help from Julie to do it himself.  Cary ends up meeting the JSA and developing super powers, while Elliot ends up on Earth-1, and is found by the JLA (and the Flash/Barry Allen helps convince them to listen to him).  Cary uses his new powers to face the JSA and defeat them, while Elliot and the JLA figure that Cary must have ended up on Earth-2, so they go there, and end up on an aircraft carrier...

...fighting the Injustice Society of the World (Wizard, Gambler, Icicle, Sportsmaster, Huntress and new member, the Shade)!

The JLA defeat them easily....to find that they were the JSA (Johnny Thunder, Hourman, Robin, Wildcat, Wonder Woman and Dr. Mid-Nite).


Who is responsible for this?

"Why, none other than that little old plot twister -- ME!" says Cary Bates.

Avenging Ghosts Of The Justice Society

Elliot S. Maggin, Cary Bates, Dick Dillin and Frank McLaughlin serve up part two in Justice League of America #124 (November, 1975).

The JSA are dead from their battle with the JLA, and Cary Bates is continuing his crime spree for the ISW.  Feeling guilty, the JLA members are working to help Earth-2, while Cary goes to get Elliot to lure in the JLA, while ghostly spirit of vengeance JSA member the Spectre gets permission from God to resurrect the JSA with the Ring of Life (which he does during a battle with the ISW).  The heroes defeat the villains...and the writers go home to Earth-Prime, to try to sell Julie on this two issue story (in which he finds many a "plot-snag", including where Cary got his powers and the JSA's unlikely death and return).


After this JLA/JSA team-up, most of the members of the JSA (and ISW) show up in the start of the 1970s run of All-Star Comics (where Robin gets his new costume), except for Wonder Woman, Johnny Thunder and his Thunderbolt (and the Shade), who show up in the next JLA/JSA team-up!  Earth-Prime would return as well!

Crisis In Eternity

The JLA and JSA (along with the newly minted Squadon of Justice) fight the large menace of King Kull across the Earths, starting in Justice League of America #135 (October, 1976) by E. Nelson Bridwell, Marty Pasko, Dick Dillin and Frank McLaughlin all under this Ernie Chan cover.

This time around, King Kull (foe of the Marvel Family and last of the Beast-Men) finds a way to freeze the Gods of Eternity and the old wizard Shazam (those who give the Marvel Family their powers) at the Rock of Eternity.  Shazam was able to send Mercury to go gather help, including the JLA from Earth-1 (including Hawkgirl, who has yet to join) and JSA from Earth-2 (Flash, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Johnny Thunder, Robin and Batman - making an active debut in JLA/JSA team-ups)...

...and heroes other than the Marvel Family (Spy Smasher, Ibis the Invincible, Mr. Scarlet, Pinky, Bulletman and Bulletgirl).


Using the headquarters of the Crime Champions, the heroes are split into teams to stop King Kull's plans to destroy the three Earths (with Mercury sending Johnny Thunder on a special mission).


Saving Earth-2 are Superman and Green Arrow of Earth-1, Wonder Woman of Earth-2 and Spy Smasher from Earth-S (Earth-S named in this issue for the first time), who deal with a risen Atlantis, and Penguin and Blockbuster from Earth-1, Queen Clea from Earth-2 and Ibac from Earth-S.

Crisis On Earth-S

For this issue of Justice League of America #136 (November, 1976) by E. Nelson Bridwell, Marty Pasko, Dick Dillin and Frank McLaughlin, the action switches to Earth-S, as calamities begin to strike across the globe (as reported by Billy Batson at WHIZ TV....who, along with Mary and Freddy Freeman, are unable to summon Shazam's lightning to turn into the Marvel Family).

This issue is about partners in teams, with the Earth-2 Batman and Robin and Earth-S Mr. Scarlett and Pinky facing the Earth-2 Joker and Earth-S Weeper (a foe of Bulletman's), and the Earth-1 Hawkman and Hawkgirl and Earth-S Bulletman and Bulletgirl facing the Earth-1 Dr. Light and Earth-2 Shade.  The heroes have to also deal with natural disasters, and unnatural disasters (where people are transforming into whatever substance is near them).  This was caused by two artificial satellites in the sky...one mimicking the sun, the other the moon.  The heroes figure out how to use them to annihilate each other, thus saving Earth-S!

Meanwhile, old wizard Shazam muses on Johnny Thunder's secret mission as Johnny arrives to see the Batsons and Freddy at WHIZ TV, revealing their secret identities!

Crisis In Tomorrow

The finale to this JLA/JSA team up in Justice League of America #137 (December, 1976) by E. Nelson Bridwell, Marty Pasko, Dick Dillin and Frank McLaughlin!

Superman, the Flashes, the Green Lanterns, Ibis the Invincible and Mercury face off against Brainiac and Mr. Atom in a future of Earth-1.  The heroes eventually defeat the two robotic menaces from Earth-1 and Earth-S, and all the heroes converge on the Rock of Eternity to face King Kull and free Shazam and the Elders, except King Kull exposes Superman to Red Kryptonite, sending him against everyone else.

Say, you might think Johnny Thunder would use his magic Thunderbolt to change Billy, Mary and Freddy into Captain Marvel, Mary Marvel and Captain Marvel Jr. (and you'd be right).

The Marvel Family show up at the Rock of Eternity, free Shazam and the other 11 Elders, while Captain Marvel prepares to battle Superman...but doesn't, saying "Shazam!" and letting the old wizard hurl a special bolt, that not only brings Billy Batson back, but cures Superman of his madness (this issue was only one lead up to an eventual "Superman vs. Shazam" battle). 

The JSAers all appear next in the 1970s All-Star Comics run, except for Jay Garrick Flash, who appears next in Flash #247, and the Marvel Family appears here between Shazam! #20 and #26 (with Captain Marvel appearing between Shazam! #25 and #26, and only Bulletman and Bulletgirl returning during Shazam's World's Finest Comics run).

Crisis In The 30th Century

The JSA ended up on Earth-1 (capturing the Psycho-Pirate, who fled there), they met up with the JLA quick (including their newest member, Power Girl) in Justice League of America #147 (October, 1977)  in a story by Paul Levitz, Marty Pasko, Dick Dillin and Frank McLaughlin, under a Dillin/McLaughlin cover.

As the JSA tries to return home, a mystic hand invades the JLA Satellite, taking JLAers Superman, Batman, Green Lantern, Green Arrow and Black Canary and JSAers Flash, Green Lantern, Dr. Fate, Hawkman and Power Girl to the 30th Century of Earth-1, where it is revealed that the hand is that of Mordru, mystic foe of the Legion of Super-Heroes.  Mordru captures the JLA and JSA as well as some of the Legion (some of whom; Lightning Lad, Saturn Girl, Chameleon Boy, Ultra Boy and Shadow Lass; he already had captive).

Mordru was trying to retrieve the Red Jar of Calytos, the Green Bell of Uthool and the Silver Wheel of Nyorlath from the JLA Satellite (as Mordru knew it would soon be destroyed in a Crisis).  Instead, he got these heroes and sent them to retrieve the items (and Legion members already sent to get them) in the 30th Century.

Superman, Hawkman and Dr. Fate go to get the Silver Wheel (and Sun Boy and Wildfire) from some shape changing aliens (Proteans) who are imitating the wheel; Batman and the Green Lanterns deal with an alien race (Vaxonians) who are using the Green Bell to keep a dragon from eating them and, with Brainiac 5 and Princess Projectra's help, find a way to scare away the dragon; and Flash and Power Girl go to an interdimensional space, where Power Girl gets the Red Jar away from an alien mother who had confused it for her egg (all while Green Arrow, Black Canary and other Legion member are held captive).

Returning the items, Mordru summons up the Demons Three (Abnegazar, Rath and Ghast; old foes of the JLA, but in the current 30th Century).

The Demons Three quickly turn on Mordru, and plot to end 30th Century Earth as time runs down on Green Arrow and Black Canary, trapped in a mystic hourglass around Mordru's neck!

Crisis In Triplicate

Paul Levitz, Marty Pasko, Dick Dillin and Frank McLaughlin conclude this JLA/JSA/LSH team up in Justice League of America #148 (November, 1977).

The Demons Three agree to destroy the three items and have some Legion members take Mordru's spirit back to be buried with his body (his power is stopped by being underground, saving Green Arrow and Black Canary for a bit), but disagree for the first time in eons, with Abenegazar loving the peace of the Legion, Rath wanting the riches of the future and Ghast wanting to end all who live.  The Demons Three find out they are equally matched, so hypnotize the JLA (Ghast) and JSA (Rath), with the Legion working with Abenegazar to stop them.

The teams prove relatively equally matched, so Rath and Abenegazar battle, exploding each other (with Dr. Fate absorbing their mystical energy).  Dr. Fate uses that extra energy to pull back the pieces of the JLA Satellite, trapping Ghast in there, and ending the future menace of the Demons Three, with Superman and the Green Lanterns returning the JLA and JSA to their home time (and putting in a post hypnotic suggestion to all that they shall not remember what they learned of their own futures, like the destruction of the JLA Satellite).

These were five of the most popular JSAers, so they all appeared next in the 1970s run of All-Star Comics, and the Legion of Super-Heroes was here between Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes #231 and #232 (and how weird for the Legion to see Superboy as they normally did, then him aged a few decades, then "back to normal").

All of these stories expand the knowledge of the JLA and JSA, and can be found in the Crisis On Multiple Earths Volume 4; a natural continuation from Volumes 1, 2 and 3!

Still, will even what they have learned (and what they have kept from themselves) help them in future crises, especially if the menaces come from the past?

Watching The Monitor: Legion, Haunted Tank and Jonah Hex

While it seemed the Monitor was only watching the here and now, he was surveying the length and breath of the DC Multiverse (hinted at when he looked back to World War II and the All-Star Squadron).

The Monitor would also check out an even bigger group, the Legion of Super-Heroes, before going back to World War II again to view the crew of the Haunted Tank, and even interfere a little, in the Wild West, with Jonah Hex.

Death Trip

First up, a trip to the 30th Century in Tales Of The Legion Of Super-Heroes #317 (November, 1984) by Paul Levitz, Keith Giffen, Mindy Newell, Terry Shoemaker and Karl Kesel, wherein the Monitor and Lyla check on Dev-Em (a survivor of Krypton with powers similar to Superboy's; when Dev-Em returned after the Crisis, he was a Daxamite instead), all the while as the second Invisible Kid tries to save fellow Legion member Wildfire from an otherdimensional trap.

This story has yet to be reprinted.

If Memory Should Fail

Next up, in Tales Of The Legion Of Super-Heroes #319 (January, 1985) by Paul Levitz, Terry Shoemaker and Karl Kesel, the Monitor and Lyla are kept as busy as the Legion, as the team is spread pretty thing, with Star Boy upset that he has to take on Mon-El (a Daxamite with powers like Superboy's, but going mad with worry from the thought of being exiled again to the Phantom Zone), and Brainiac 5 worried that he cannot properly secure the Legion's headquarters on Earth.

This tale has yet to be reprinted.

Magpie Complex

With Tales Of The Legion Of Super-Heroes #320 (February, 1985) by Paul Levitz, Mindy Newell, Dan Jurgens and Karl Kesel, readers see along with the Monitor as Star Boy and Dream Girl try to work our their relationship problems while dealing with Magpie, a thief breaking into their headquarters with tech supplied by the Monitor.  It was old Legion of Super-Heroes foe, Universo, who was trying to get more details on the Legion.

This tale has yet to be reprinted.

Death March

Next up in G.I. Combat #274 (February, 1985) under a Joe Kubert cover, and with story by Robert Kanigher and Sam Glanzman, readers finally get to see a little of the Monitor (as you may have noticed, his previous appearances have all been without actually seeing him).  Lt. Jeb Stuart headed the crew of the World War II Haunted Tank.....haunted by the ghost of Confederate General J.E.B. Stuart, who used his knowledge to help the living Stuart become a better leader.  Here, the Monitor hints at his power, as he meets with the ghostly General on his homeground, something the ghost is not used to.

This tale has not yet been reprinted.

The Secret General

Next up, under another Joe Kubert cover for G.I. Combat #275 (March, 1985), with story by Robert Kanigher and Sam Glanzman, the ghostly General reflects on meeting the Monitor, as the Monitor's satellite leaves the after realm of the dead in World War II.   This hints at some of the length and depth of the Monitor's power, as well as how everything is threatened by the upcoming Crisis.

This tale has not been reprinted.

Starlight, Star Bright...First Star I See Tonight

Jonah Hex #90 (April, 1985) by Michael Fleisher and Gray Morrow (under a Mark Texeira cover) has one of the odder appearances of the Monitor....but you have to look hard.  In the Wild West, Confederate gunslinger, Jonah Hex, was quite injured and desperate, but happens to find a home with a horse right when he needed it....and, surprise, that home owner was a disguised Monitor!  The Monitor knew the need of an old 1870s bounty hunter in the upcoming Crisis and beyond his own time.

This tale has yet to be reprinted.

The Monitor has watched the Titans, Justice League, Justice Society and even more mystical lands, with the whole of the Multiverse in danger, wondering if the future (or the past) will survive, yet it is after his meetings with Batman and Superman that the Crisis would happen!