Celebrating Artist Alex Saviuk

Celebrating the birthday of artist Alex Saviuk (August 17, 1952) with a couple of his earlier covers featuring Superman, as he worked on the Superman team-up title, DC Comics Presents, with these two issues featuring Air Wave (#55 of March, 1983) and the Atomic Knights (#57 of May, 1983).

Celebrating Artist Rick Veitch

Celebrating artist Rick Veitch on his birthday (May 7, 1951) with a pair of his covers (DC Comics Presents #85, September, 1985 and Swamp Thing #79, December 1988)...

..featuring the unlikely team ups of Superman and Swamp Thing.

Superman Vs The Thing From 40,000 AD

Superman, being from Krypton, was an alien himself, but more often enough found himself protecting Earth from other alien invaders...

...but, there were times he also protected Earth from invaders from other times, as he did when he faced the Thing from 40,000 A.D. (covers by Wayne Boring/Stan Kaye and Denys Cowan/Bob Smith.

The Thing From 40,000 A.D.!

In Superman #87 (February, 1954) by Bill Woolfolk, Wayne Boring and Stan Kaye, Superman found himself in a jam, as a strange protoplasmic creature landed outside of Metropolis.  The Thing quickly adapted to the land, copying what it found.  Clark Kent went to investigate as the U.S. Army was as well, and, as Superman, stopped a truck full of explosives from going off (as the Thing set it on fire to distract the army from his impersonation of one of its members).

As the Thing pillaged scientific labs the area around Metropolis, Superman was following, finding it and its lair (where it was building a time machine to go back to where he came from to conquer Earth).  Superman confronted The Thing, first as Clark Kent, then as Superman, tricking it into an area where a H-Bomb test was to happen...and, leaving it there when the H-Bomb went off.  

Finding no trace of the Thing, Superman assumed it was dead. 

Metropolis Wasn't Build In A Day...Or Was It?

Starting off on the planet Kuraq, as a meteor with a familiar looking red and blue figure crashes on the planet is DC Comics Presents #89 (January, 1986) by Bob Rozakis, Todd Klein, Alex Saviuk and Ricardo Villagran.  On that planet were members of the Omega Men (an alliance of various species from the Vegan System, here...cat like Tigorr, bird like Harpis and newcomer Oho-Besh), who were enjoying the success in finding a home from refugees, when they were interrupted by the crashing meteor and a whirlwind of activity, building a stone replica of Metropolis!

Here, the aliens found themselves facing what they thought was Superman, as he oddly went through the motions he did as he faced the Thing, with the Omega Men taking the place of the villains.  This continued all the way to the site of the H-Bomb test....where Superman was incinerated.  Or was he?  The real Superman showed up (as the Omega Men had called for him) and revealed that was the Thing (whom Superman thought was dead) living Superman's life at the time.  Superman and the Omega Men left this planet as it was too strange (and didn't know that only the Thing's body was destroyed, and its essence stayed with the energy beings who populated this planet).

Remembering Artist George Perez

Remembering artist George Perez (June 9, 1954 to May 6, 2022) on his birthday with a special double page spread he did for DC Comics Presents #38 (October, 1981), featuring Superman and all his guest stars from DC Comics Presents (well, until that time....and, missing Aquaman and the Red Tornado).

Still, an impressive piece, early in Perez's DC career, and a great chance for George to draw a great deal of the DC Universe, including the Atom, Hawkman and Hawkgirl, Captain Comet, Batgirl, Robin, Flash, Green Lantern, Martian Manhunter, Adam Strange, Dr. Fate, Wonder Woman, Green Arrow, Man-Bat, Sgt. Rock and more!

George did draw the cover for that issue as well, and later, did the cover and interiors for DC Comics Presents #61 (September, 1983), featuring OMAC (as well as interior art NOT featuring Superman, as he and Marv Wolfman premiered the New Teen Titans).

George did many covers for DC as he started work there, including Green Lantern, Flash, Adventure Comics, as well as books he worked on interiors, like New Teen Titans and Justice League of America.

Still only a fraction of the work George Perez did, and, as the years progress, more will be covered here, but it is important to remember his work!

Superman Meets The Unknown Soldier

 

Two men from different worlds, both trying to keep Earth safe, who didn't usually even run in the same circles...

...yet, here is Superman and the Unknown Soldier in DC Comics Presents #42 (February, 1982), under a cover by Rich Buckler and Frank Giacoia, working together to stop a menace that threatens the planet!

Here's how that meeting happened....

The Specter Of War!

This story by Paul Levitz, Irv Novick and Frank McLaughlin, starts with Superman worrying about nuclear missile testing, as he funnels the fallout from a test into orbit.  As Clark Kent, he goes to his editor, Perry White, telling him he wants to write a story about the dangers of nuclear war, and why countries are racing towards nuclear war (with Perry letting him know that isn't journalism, but opinion), when a soldier comes in with a seal envelope for Clark.  

As the soldier leaves, Clark quickly checks it out with his X-Ray vision, seeing it is a request for help from Superman.  Clark looks for him, but the soldier had disappeared.  Reading the note, Superman goes to stop the "accidental" explosion of a nuclear missile in the United States reserves.  

Narrowly avoiding disaster, Major Amos and Doctor Klest (the architects behind the near explosion) plan their next moving, now taking into account the interference of Superman.  Clark Kent goes to investigate at the Pentagon, but is taken under arrest.  But, as he is being taken off, he is freed by a general (who, like the soldier who handed him the envelope) is scratching his neck.  The "general" knows Clark's meekness is an act, and gives him directions to help guide Superman. 

Superman, worried that this soldier who is a master of disguise and is following him around with knowledge of his identity, goes to the JLA Satellite to research history with the Red Tornado, finding the files of the World War II secret agent, the Unknown Soldier, who was a master of disguise (who occasionally gave himself away itching at his disguises around his neck).  

Red Tornado locates a military base that could both start a world ending nuclear war and survive it, which are around the North and South Poles, which sends Superman on a hunt to find the right one.  At the secret military base, Amos and Klest are interrogating a man who claims to be a new transfer (who has an itchy neck).  Superman busts in, finding the device they were using to trigger nuclear weapons early, as Amos has set the microwave beamer to set off hundreds of missiles.  Superman goes to stop them, as the Unknown Soldier apprehends the rouge military men.  

After stopping a nuclear war, Superman returns to the base, finding the army had been called in, and they took these villains into custody under the direction of a mysterious soldier who disappeared.  Clark Kent goes to the tomb of the Unknown Soldier, to thank him, wondering if he was the original from World War II, as a janitor (with an itchy neck) accepts the thanks.

Now, this story proves there must have been both an Earth-1 and Earth-2 Unknown Soldier with similar careers (as the Earth-2 Batman had worked with the Unknown Soldier as well, but something you didn't have to worry about in the Unknown Soldier's own adventures).  

But, at least Superman succeeded in stopping a nuclear war (which Superman later had to deal with when he met the Atomic Knights, who lived in a world after the Great Disaster!).

Happy Birthday Adam Hughes

Happiest of birthdays to artist Adam Hughes!  

Adam has done many covers (and a few interiors) for DC Comics over the years, and these are two examples of his working on the World's Finest heroes in the 21st Century, with homages to two classic covers from the era of Julie Schwartz, who used the idea of creating a cover then building a story around it.

Superman #264 (June, 1973)

DC Comics Presents: Superman #1 (October, 2004)

Original cover by Nick Cardy, and the issue features the first appearance of Steve Lombard (Clark Kent's WGBS sportscaster nemesis).

Batman #183 (August, 1966)

DC Comics Presents: Batman #1 (September, 2004)

Original cover by Carmine Infantino and Joe Giella, and for the solution to that mystery, read here!

Like Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez and Brian Bolland (who covered Gil Kane in these Schwartz inspired specials), Adam also did a run of Wonder Woman covers (a few of them here!).

Superman Joins Sgt. Rock's Easy Company

Super-heroes and soldiers seem an odd mix, but it did happen quite a bit in the comics.

 

The gold standard of super-heroes was Superman, and the best of the war comics featured Sgt. Rock....

 

...so, here is a simple tale of the time these two characters met under a cover by Ross Andru and Dick Giordano!

 

 

The Miracle Man Of Easy Company

Cary Bates, Joe Staton and Jack Abel gave us the story from DC Comics Presents #10 (June, 1979), starting off in modern day Paris, with Superman getting an award for saving the city from an asteroid.  But, the award was booby trapped with a bomb, which Superman couldn't just throw away (as it was also coated with an adhesive strong enough to hold it to Superman).  

To save Paris, Superman flew into space above it....and disappeared when the bomb went off.  Superman awoke on the ground in Paris of 1944, seeing two Nazi soldiers taking off their American soldier disguises, yet found...he could not remember his own name!  

Looking at his outfit and realizing this would look odd to people, he appropriated one of the American soldier uniforms (wondering why there were fresh WWII uniforms on the ground....at least remembering he was from 1979), and heard (from an impossible distance) approaching American soldiers.  The soldiers were the combat happy joes of Easy Company, led by Sgt. Rock, who were looking for Nazi saboteurs disguised as American soldiers (they had already dispatched all but two of them).  The soldiers found the amnesiac Superman, and questioned him, not sure about his lack of memory, but took him in (fending off a Nazi attack).  

Superman answered enough of Easy's tests to lay some of their fears to rest (but, now Sgt. Rock was unsure whether this new Tag-Along would be able to perform under combat).  Soon, the troop was set upon by a Tiger tank, with Tag-Along holding the bazooka, which he was ready to fire....but didn't (Superman had a code against killing).  In frustration, he hit the ground, which caused a chasm, that engulfed the tank (Superman didn't know his own strength).  

Easy Company took take of the Nazis in the tank, while Tag-Along started to wonder about his powers, thinking about Nazi Supermen....and realizing he was Superman.  Just in time, as Easy Company was now set upon by a Nazi fighter plane (but, the now fully super Superman snagged the bomb it dropped before it got to the troops).  Superman then set the plane down out of range and froze it.  Superman was wondering why Rock's Easy Company was such targets....and realized he was at fault.  In the gear he took to be Tag-Along, was a Nazi transmitter so Easy Company could be tracked.  So, to even up history, Superman put a little super-scare into the local Nazi commandant, then faked Tag-Along's death (allowing Easy to bury him) so they could go on in their own natural history before Superman returned to his own time (to find out how he got here in the first place!).

It was in the next issue where Superman found out who planted the bomb, all in a team-up with Hawkman...all in a wonderful tale summarized here (along with a few other the Hawkman and Superman team-ups!).

This tale brings up a few odd thoughts...where did Superman get his military training?  (He did have some when he joined the army, back in Superman #133).  

Why wouldn't Sgt. Rock and Easy know super-heroes?  (While on Earth-2, super-heroes were contemporaries of World War II, on Earth-1, Superman was one of the first heroes, who first appeared only relatively recently....with super-heroes only the things of comic books!).

But, just enjoy this tale as the simple one that it was, as dedicated to Jerry Siegel, Joe Shuster, Robert Kanigher and Joe Kubert!

Superman Times Two Plus One

The more things change, the more they stay the same.  That's true wherever you might go, even across the reaches of the DC Multiverse.

Not sure about that?  Well, here's a look at that philosophy in action, with DC Comics Presents Annual #1 (September, 1982), by Marv Wolfman, Rich Buckler and Dave Hunt, all under a cover by Rich Buckler and Dick Giordano.

Crisis On Three Earths

It all stars with a battle between Superman and Luthor, as Lois watches.  But, it plays out a little differently depending on which Earth you live on.

On Earth-1, reporter Clark Kent has to avoid Lois Lane to go and fight bald Lex Luthor as the JLA's Superman, saving the Daily Planet (a subsidiary of WGBS Communications) from his attack.

On Earth-2, editor Clark Kent gets help from Lois Kent to go and fight red haired Alexei Luthor as the JSA's Superman, saving the Daily Star from the extreme attack.


Still, the Luthors end up captured and in jail, with the Supermen victorious, and Metropolis safe.

But, a new twist...in jail, the Earth-1 Luthor plans his escape, by switching places with the Earth-2 Luthor....leading to each Luthor taking on the other's Superman...with similar results, and the two Superman deciding to imprison the two Luthors in the Limbo dimension between worlds.

Still, the Earth-1 Luthor was ready....and using equipment in his green and purple suit, take the two to a third Earth, Earth-3, which has its own version of Superman... Ultraman.  But, this is no hero, he's a member of the evil Crime Syndicate of America, and is powered by Kryptonite.

The three villains go off to make plans, observed by this Earth's Lois Lane.  This Lois goes to warn Earth-3's Alexander Luthor....who calls in the two Supermen for aid, and, spurred on by Lois, puts on a super suit of his own, to finally give Earth-3 its first hero.

Meanwhile, the villains have continued their plan, albeit working against each other as much as together.  While the Earth-1 Luthor was looking to conquer the world, the Earth-2 Luthor planned on destroying Earth-1 and Earth-2 (while Ultraman was to betray them both).

Still, the heroes united battle their foes, with Alexander taking out Ultraman while Superman-2 takes down both Luthors, and the Superman-1 prevents the two Earths from merging into the same space.

The villains defeated, the heroes each end up dealing with their own version of Lois, with slightly different results.

All the while, awaiting an approaching bigger Crisis On Infinite Earths..... 

Superman Meets Green Lantern

It is amazing that the Man of Steel and the Emerald Crusader didn't really work together much outside of the Justice League of America, but it is true.

But, there were a few occasions where they did, but they seemed to be a little strained, as Superman and Green Lantern are two of the most powerful heroes on Earth!

World's Finest Comics 201

First up, is "A Prize Of Peril" from World's Finest Comics #201 (March, 1971) by Denny O'Neil, Dick Dillin and Joe Giella (with a cover by Carmine Infantino and Neal Adams), with Superman and Green Lantern at odds, being beckoned into battle by Dr. Fate!


Superman and Green Lantern both try to stop a swarm of meteorites from smashing into the Earth, but nearly cause a bigger disaster because they didn't work together.  A Guardian of the Universe appears, setting them a challenge to decide which of the two will be Earth's interplanetary protector.  The contest is to be moderated by Earth-2's Dr. Fate, as they must go through a mystic tunnel, and face their greatest fears. 

Hal goes through his tunnel, facing a giant yellow spider (but getting through by force of will), and Clark/Kal-El is confronted by his father, Jor-El, feeling that his dad wouldn't approve of his current life (and realizing Superman has no need to feel inferior).  The two free the dragon, which "Dr. Fate" dispatches against the JLA Satellite!   Working together, Superman and Green Lantern take care of the magic dragon, and find "Dr. Fate" (as well as the Guardian of the Universe) to have been mystical disguises for an old JLA foe (who is from Earth-1, and identity can be found here).

This issue, while not guest-starring Dr. Fate, does have Green Arrow, Atom and Hawkman (all of whom also work with Superman).

DC Comics Presents 6

Next up is DC Comics Presents #6 (February, 1979) by Paul Levitz, Curt Swan and Frank Chiaramonte, under a cover by Ross Andru and Dick Giordano, with "The Fantastic Fall Of Green Lantern".

This time around, Clark Kent and Lois Lane are getting a media award, as Clark trips into Lois....preventing her from being crushed by a falling Green Lantern!  Green Lantern hands his ring off to Clark, manifesting a Green Lantern uniform and flying off, at least until Superman stopped him and took the ring (a little illusion made by Clark to keep his dual identity).  The power ring explained Green Lantern was defeated by Star Sapphire, and Superman went to fight her, but without success.  Star Sapphire kidnapped Green Lantern, planning to marry him, but Superman and Green Lantern stopped her. 

Green Lantern explained that he, as Hal Jordan, and Carol Ferris (Star Sapphire's alter ego) had broken up, and he was unable to muster his full will to fight the lady he loved, yet she had been reunited with the Star Sapphire at this time, so appreciated Superman's help.  Hal flew off with Carol....as Superman was knocked out by a Weaponer of Qward!  The interference of the Qwardians was explained in the next issue (with a team-up with Red Tornado).

DC Comics Presents 26

Last, but not least, is DC Comics Presents #26 (October, 1980) by Jim Starlin, Marv Wolfman and Steve Mitchell, with a cover by Jim Starlin, with Superman and Green Lantern battling again, this time "Between Friend And Foe".

Superman and Green Lantern meet on the JLA Satellite as Hal takes over for Clark, who leaves.  Soon after, Hal gets a telepathic summons from Green Lantern Archon Z'gmora, who needs Hal's help, being trapped in another dimension.  Hal goes there after recharging his ring, to find that Archon is already dead, duplicated by N'Gon....who was unable to escape this dimension due to Archon destroying his own ring.  Duplicating Hal and taking his ring, N'Gon brings Superman to his dimension, and battles Superman as Green Lantern/Hal, but the JLA members manage to defeat N'Gon and return home, realizing each other's worth.

This issue also has a "Whatever Happened To....?" feature with Sargon the Sorcercer, and the debut of the New Teen Titans!

Of course, Superman and Green Lantern had a few other meetings as well, both before and after the Crisis On Infinite Earths, but these were some of the earliest!

Superman Meets Atom

It's a look back at a few team ups of the Man of Steel and the Mighty Mite from before the Crisis On Infinite Earths!

While this might seem like an odd pairing, these two did have occasion to work together, and each was able to help the other solve unique problems.....

World's Finest Comics 213

First up for the pairing of Superman and the Atom is World's Finest Comics #213 (August-September, 1972 by Eliot S! Maggin, Dick Dillin and Joe Giella, under a cover by Nick Cardy), where the duo faced "Peril In A Very Small Place!".

Scientist Ray Palmer is researching why his genetic makeup allows him to safely shrink and become the Atom.  He is observing two atoms reacting, but they are shrinking out of sight of his microscope, and he doesn't want to contaminate his sample, so, calls his friend, Clark Kent to watch it with his microscopic vision.  Problem is, Ray decides to go to Clark, by shrinking as the Atom and traveling through the phone lines....it saves him from a small explosion in his lab, but starts a chain reaction....trapping him in subatomic dimension after dimension, while unleashing problems on Earth for Superman to solve.  Superman handles the trouble, then, using his Kandorian Shrinking Ray, heads into the phone line himself.  Superman meets the Atom, who ended up in a subatomic universe, threatened by "the Absorber", a Genesis Molecule which spells doom for the tiny civilization there and any in the larger world around it.  The two work together to move the Genesis Molecule to an uninhabited world, then return to Clark's apartment.

DC Comics Presents 15

Next up is DC Comics Presents #15 (November, 1979 by Cary Bates, Joe Staton and Frank Chiaramonte, with a cover by Joe Staton and Frank McLaughlin with a great perspective shot to show off the diminutive Atom) where they dealt with the "Plight Of The Giant Atom!".

This time, Ray Palmer beams up to the Justice League satellite, with Superman wondering why Ray wasn't in costume as the diminutive Atom.  Seems Ray's powers weren't working, so he came looking for help, and, after handing off monitor duty to Batman (and Ray getting a spare, normal Atom costume out of his locker, since at this time his costume only appeared when he was small), Superman and the Atom went to the Fortress of Solitude to research Ray's problems.  While there, the pair were hit by a mysterious beam, which blasted them out of the Fortress.  Superman explained that they were being attacked by Sabromians, aliens who wanted vengeance upon the Man of Steel.  The aliens seem to be giants, and negate Superman's powers as well...forcing Ray to think, and reactivate his own shrinking powers to stop them (and, he figures out a little trick of Superman's with that original ray which started all this as well).

DC Comics Presents 51

Last, but not least of the Superman/Atom team-ups is DC Comics Presents #51 (November, 1982 by Dan Mishkin, Alex Saviuk and Frank McLaughlin, with cover by Alex Saviuk and Frank Giacoia) where the heroes had a "Rendezvous With Death".

This time around, readers come in on the middle of a larger tale, that of Var-El, Superman's great grandfather (who premiered in DC Comics Presents #37 with Hawkgirl).  Atom is researching the 1800s with Professor Hyatt's Time Pool, when he suddenly becomes a phantom and loses his hold on the Time Pool magnet.  As he floats to the ground, he sees Superman surrounded by aliens (the Orgons), who disintegrate Superman!  Working his way back, Atom goes to the JLA Satellite to report to the team of Superman's death, only to find Superman on monitor duty!  The two go to Hyatt's lab, where Superman recognizes Var-El's equipment they found, and plans to go into the past to solve the mystery.  Atom and Hyatt go along (Hyatt usually couldn't time travel as the Time Pool's access to time was too small for him to use). 

The trio go back in time and find Var-El's laboratory, but are attacked by Native Americans (including a shaman with mystical powers), then Superman and Atom are captured by the Orgons.  Hyatt runs into the woods, and is attacked by a bear, but saved by Var-El!  It was the Orgons who saved Var-El from his near doom in another dimension (See DCCP #37), but he couldn't return to Krypton, instead settling on Earth.  The Orgons also ended up there, causing a sickness with their solar based weapons, which is why the Native Americans were looking for the Orgons (and happened upon Var-El's lab).  Atom breaks free of his prison, only to watch Superman be blasted again (but, it was working with Atom that gave him the idea to block all but the ultraviolet rays that trigger Atom's shrinking power, so that Superman wasn't disintegrated, but shrunk; Atom being in this time period already was the reason he became a phantom when using the Time Pool).  Then, Superman stopped the Orgons' microwave device that was harming the native population, and sent them on their way.  The trio came back to their own time, but where was Var-El?   Seems he met Professor Hyatt, who told him the Kryptonian way of traveling through time, and met with him in his lab.  Var-El would then go on finish his trilogy in DC Comics Presents #74 with Hawkman.

Of course, Superman and the Atom worked together many times in the Justice League of America, and even had a few adventures with other JLAers as well (facing the Junkman or going inside Superman's circulatory system), but, it's a little too late to go into those at this time!

Arrow Shots: The Early Days of Dr. Destiny

If you follow your dreams, you can find your destiny.   That's what the scientist called Dr. Destiny tried to do.....except his dreams were to eliminate the Justice League of America and to take over the world.

Not exactly dreams friendly toward the rest of the world, but such is where stories start.

Here's where the story of Doctor Destiny begins.....

When Gravity Went Wild

As JLA members were dealing with a prison break featuring some of their fiercest foes (like Flash's Captain Cold, Green Lantern's Puppet-Master, Martian Manhunter's Getaway Mastermind, Aquaman's Electric Man, Wonder Woman's Professor Menace and Green Arrow's Clock King, the heroes found themselves hampered in trying to stop their foes...all by one of their own,  the JLA's newest member, Green Arrow!  This is the story of Justice League of America #5 (June-July, 1961) by Gardner Fox, Mike Sekowsky and Bernard Sachs.

But, Green Arrow had a reason for his madness, and seeing his teammates in action helped prove it....the team had been infiltrated by a villain (disguised as Green Lantern), but a new one, Dr. Destiny.

Dr. Destiny then used the machines he had used to manipulate gravity to send the JLA members floating away, but, all this time gave the captive Green Lantern time to get free, save the day and stop Dr. Destiny and save his friends, which also showed the team that Green Arrow, the JLA's newest member on his first case after joining the team, was a good choice.


This story has been reprinted many times, including in the first Justice League of America Giant issue, Justice League of America #39 (November, 1965), as well as in the first volume of every JLA reprint Archive, Omnibus, Showcase Presents or Tradepaperback.

The Super-Exiles Of Earth

Next up, the members of the JLA find themselves confronted by more powerful, yet villainous, versions of themselves in Justice League of America #19 (May, 1963) by Gardner Fox, Mike Sekowsky and Bernard Sachs, under a shocking cover by Murphy Anderson.

The real JLA members are blamed for the crimes of their counterparts, sentenced to be exiled despite the efforts of Atom's lawyer (and fiance) Jean Loring and exiled into space.  That's when the team members realize that these super-version of themselves were created by Dr. Destiny using a newly invented weapon of his (the Materioptikon, which allows the doctor to manifest dreams) and that the team has to return to Earth.

The super heroes return in their alter egos (except Aquaman, who really has no other side to disguise as), facing their foes again (with little success), until the Atom manipulates the minds of the dream-JLA at subatomic size, allowing the heroic alter egos to beat their more powerful versions, and after capturing Dr. Destiny and returning Aquaman from exile, use Superman's Amnesium to erase their knowledge of each other's alter egos (except for those that already had shared those facts) from each other's minds.

This story was reprinted in Justice League of America #112 (May, 1963), the third Justice League of America Archive, the second Justice League of America Showcase Presents and Tradepaperback, and the first Justice League of America Omnibus, as well as in the JLA: The Greatest Stories Ever Told TPB.

The Deadly Dreams Of Doctor Destiny

Next up, Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Hawkman and Atom all have strange dreams where they gain new abilities due to an encounter with an odd object, but this leads them all to their doom, as originally related in Justice League of America #34 (March, 1965), by Gardner Fox, Mike Sekowsky and Bernard Sachs, under a cover by Mike Sekowsky and Murphy Anderson.

Scarier still, Snapper Carr finds those objects in the JLA's Secret Sanctuary (a ring for Batman that gives him uncontrollable speed, gloves for Hawkman that hinder his flight, glasses for Superman that remove his Kryptonite vulnerability but give him vulnerabilities to yellow and fire, a mask for Wonder Woman which broadcasts her thoughts and an antennae for the Atom which gives him uncontrollable telescopic vision), and the items leave the JLA's Souvenir Room, to find their dreamers (and they start down the dooms their had dreamed!).

Thankfully, knowing their dooms via dreams helped the JLA, as they where able to stop their foes (like Batman's Joker and Hawkman's Chac) by knowing how to avoid their mistakes.  The teammates realize that Dr. Destiny must be behind this menace, and go to his prison cell to stop him, realizing he has been able to create a new Materioptikon within his own dreams, and arrange psychiatric treatments to stop him from being able to dream that way again.

This story was reprinted in the Limited Collector's Edition #C-46, in the fifth Justice League of America Archive, the second Justice League of America Showcase Presents and Omnibus, and in the fourth Justice League of America tradepaperback.

Operation: Jail The Justice League

Green Arrow is the focus of this issue, Justice League of America #61 (March, 1968) by Gardner Fox, Mike Sekowsky and Sid Greene, wherein our hero again discovers that the JLA has been infiltrated by Dr. Destiny.

To smoke out the villain, Green Arrow reveals his identity as Oliver Queen and that he is quitting being Green Arrow. The male members of the team think he must have been influenced by something, so all go out disguises as Green Arrow, and end up facing one of their own villains (Luthor for Superman, Penguin for Batman, Dr. Light for the Martian Manhunter, Tattooed Man for Green Lantern, Captain Boomerang for the the Flash, Cutlass Charlie for Aquaman, I.Q. for Hawkman and the Floronic Man for the Atom).

The heroes are defeated, and the villains change identities with the heroes, putting the JLA in jail as their foes.

Oliver learns that it was Dr. Destiny disguises as the villains, using his Materioptikon, and stops him from capturing the Atom, then after calling Wonder Woman and Snapper Carr, and getting the heroes changed back to their normal selves, end up facing the real versions of those villains at the Secret Sanctuary.

After defeating them,  Hawkman realizes who Dr. Destiny disguised himself as -- the Atom -- as the Atom was the first one to the meeting where Oliver presented his resignation (and Atom, who travels by telephone line, couldn't have been the first one there....as he needs someone there to pick up the phone to let him in!).

This tale has been reprinted first in the Limited Collectors' Edition #C-41, as well as in the eighth Justice League of America Archives, the fourth Justice League of America Showcase Presents and the second Justice League of America Omnibus.

I'll Kill You In Your Dreams

Dr. Destiny had undergone major changes before he appeared again in Justice League of America #154 (May, 1978) by Gerry Conway, Dick Dillin and Frank McLaughlin (all foreshadowed by a cover by Michael William Kaluta and Al Milgrom).


As the Justice League couldn't let Dr. Destiny sleep, they had psychiatrists hypnotize him into not sleeping, which caused the doctor many problems, as his body started to wear out, become pale and draw in, making him look like a living skeleton.

But, Dr. Destiny was a model prisoner, and got himself an early release, to go back to building a physical Materioptikon, and using the dreams of Superman, Batman, Flash, Green Arrow, Atom and Black Canary against them (as they stayed in a new Gotham Starscraper hotel).

After the JLA members dream their doom, they nearly face it again in reality, or would have, if his plot hadn't been discovered, and the Atom manipulated his new machine to give the heroes a happy ending (not so much for Dr. Destiny).

This issue is scheduled to be reprinted for the first time with the Justice League of America Bronze Age Omnibus Volume 3.

But Can An Android Dream?

Red Tornado is the focus of Justice League of America #175 (February, 1980) by Gerry Conway, Dick Dillin and Frank McLaughlin (under a cover by Ross Andru and Dick Giordano).

The android JLAer was not feeling up to snuff, thinking his lack of a life is preventing from being a helpful teammate, so Reddy resigns from the JLA for a time, to reestablish his alter ego as John Smith.  As John Smith, Reddy adopts the orphan girl Traya he had rescued, as well as restarting his relationship with social worker Kathy Sutton.  During this time, members of the JLA are attacked by dream monsters from their psyche....including Red Tornado, who is able to defeat his menace (and realizes if he dreams, he can do dream to do better as well, and plans to, as a member of the JLA).

Sadly, this issue has yet to be reprinted.

The Dream Factories Of Doctor Destiny

The story from the last issue continues in Justice League of America #176 (March, 1980) by Gerry Conway, Dick Dillin and Frank McLaughlin (under a Dick Dillin/Dick Giordano cover).

Joined by Wonder Woman, Superman, Green Lantern, Hawkgirl and Zatanna, Red Tornado tracks down Dr. Destiny, whose previous work was only a test run of his real plan, to trigger three Materioptikons across the world simultaneously, locking the population of the world into a world of waking nightmares (which he feels is just revenge for his own loss of dreams).  The heroes split into teams of two and head to locations to stop the machines, which they do.

This story has yet to be reprinted.

A Dream Of Demons

Next up, a smaller group for Dr. Destiny to face, as he only haunts Superman and Black Canary in DC Comics Presents #30 (February, 1981) by Gerry Conway, Curt Swan and Vince Colletta, under a cover by Rich Buckler and Steve Mitchell.

Dr. Destiny is settling in to Arkham Asylum, and even sleeping well, unlike Black Canary, who is having dreams of Larry Lance, warning her of some evil to come (sending her to seek out Superman for help at his Fortress of Solitude).  Seems Dr. Destiny has found a way to tap into a Dream Dimension, and is working on controlling it as a way to attack the world.  Superman builds Black Canary a way to get into the Dream Dimension, unknowing finding Dr. Destiny there, and, as the heroes face off against Dr. Destiny's dream horrors, Black Canary finds strength from Larry in her dream state and uses her Canary Cry to make the area unstable, allowing her and Superman to leave, trapping Dr. Destiny in the Dream Dimension (which leaves him sleeping in Arkham Asylum).

If I Should Die Before I Wake....

This leads Dr. Destiny to the Justice League of America Annual #1 (1983) by Paul Levitz, Len Wein, Rick Hoberg and Dick Giordano, with a cover by Hoberg and Giordano.

This time, Dr. Destiny faces a JLA a little in turmoil, with Green Lantern Hal Jordan confined offworld (with John Stewart showing up in an early rare outing as Earth's Green Lantern of the time) and Batman off forming the Outsiders.  So, Commissioner Gordon has to use Elongated Man to let the JLA know that Doctor Destiny has escaped Arkham Asylum.   The JLA split up and go across the world, but end up being captured by Dr. Destiny's dream machinations, except for one member, who gets help from Jack Kirby's second (red and yellow) Sandman, master of the Dream Dimension (who had hijacked the Sandman's realm as a place to hold the JLA).

They freed the team and defeat Dr. Destiny...and even offer this Sandman a membership to the JLA (but, as he can only exist in the real world for an hour at a time, Sandman declines).

Dr. Destiny, like most of the DC Universe, shows up next during the Crisis On Infinite Earths, though his role is little more than a cameo.

Continued Dreams

Dr. Destiny continues to scheme against the JLA and others, getting an alter ego (the name of John Dee) as he faced off against Morpheus (Neil Gaiman's Sandman, also known as Dream of the Endless), who, by his captivity had supplied Dr. Destiny the original red ruby which was the power source for the Materioptikon (and, in getting his power back from the ruby, Morpheus granted Dr. Dee some dreams in his sleep).  Sadly, Dr. Destiny started to dream up alternate realities to defeat the JLA, and still continues to do so.

Destiny Written 

Dr. Destiny is not to be confused with the Book of Destiny, used by Destiny (of the Endless).   Destiny was one of the hosts of horror tales from Weird Mystery Tales and Secrets of Haunted House (like Cain and Abel for the House of Mystery and the House of Secrets), and carried with him the Book of Destiny, in which one's fate is written.

Destiny was always careful with this book, as, in the wrong hands, history could be rewritten....