Remembering Artist George Perez

Remembering artist George Perez on his birthday (June 9, 1954 - May 6, 2022) with a pair of his Justice League of America covers (#192 and #193, July and August, 1981) where in the JLA faces T. O. Morrow, and learn just a little extra about the Red Tornado (and his ties to the Tornado Tyrant and the Tornado Champion).

Justice League of America #192 (July, 1981)

In "Quest For Genesis" written by Gerry Conway, with art by George Perez and John Beatty, Red Tornado attacks the JLA in their satellite...forcing them to destroy him.  While debating this, Red Tornado attacks again...with the team stopping that Red Tornado as well.  This makes the team think of Reddy's android status, and his creator, T. O. Morrow and Red Tornado's origins.  

Meanwhile, Red Tornado is at home with Kathy Sutton and Traya, until his mind is attacked by....T. O. Morrow, who summons Reddy to his secret mountain base.  Red Tornado had told the JLA that Morrow was dead, but Morrow explains that, after his being thrown out of reality when Red Tornado joined the JLA, one version of him ended up on a planet, while another mutated into the Future Man (who was the one who died).  So, Morrow tried to recreate Red Tornado....but neither worked.  

Why?

Justice League of America #193 (July, 1981)

In "Secret Of Genesis" written by Gerry Conway, with art by George Perez and John Beatty, as T. O. Morrow attempted to deconstruct Red Tornado, he found so much more than he was looking for.  A being called the Tornado Tyrant came out of Red Tornado, and, thanks to the arrival of the JLA team, Firestorm had time to search around, and found the Tornado Champion (two beings from Rann, where faced Adam Strange, but then came to Earth to admire the JLA, and then, on its own created world, had to create a JLA to stop its evil side).  

Still, imitating the JLA wasn't enough for the Tornado Champion, so, ending up on Earth-2, found T. O. Morrow creating his android, and attempted to take control of it...he did, but at the cost of his memory.  So, Tornado Tyrant and Tornado Champion were hold up inside of Red Tornado, without Reddy's knowledge.  To contain the Tornado Tyrant, Firestorm recreated Red Tornado's android body, and with the help of the Tornado Champion, recreated Red Tornado (without memories of his two warring factions, a secret which Firestorm would keep....at least until the Crisis).

Remembering Artist George Perez

Remembering artist George Perez on his birthday (June 9, 1954-May 6, 2022) with a group of covers he did in his later years...

...working in the wake of the Infinite Crisis, which allowed access to some of the original Justice Society of America members, such as Superman (who now was a part of Power Girl's life again....well, the original Kal-L Superman) as the JSA dealt with the Gentleman Ghost!

JSA #82 and #83, (April and May, 2006)

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JSA #84 and #85, (June and July, 2006)

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JSA #86 and #87, (August and September, 2006)

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Justice League Of America 200

The Justice League of America.

Building a good foundation takes teamwork, and one of the best examples of that in comic books is Justice League of America #200 (March, 1982).  

This teamwork shown through with the characters in the comic, as well as with the creation of the comics, so, with this little chapter of the Super-Blog Team Up, it s a look at this epic issue.  

The Foundation

The issues beings with the origin of the Justice League of America (retold by Gerry Conway, George Perez and Brett Breeding), where Martian Manhunter, Aquaman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Flash, Batman and Superman come together to face an alien invasion from Appellax in the form of odd creatures who emerged from meteors tinged with Kryptonite at seven different locations across the world.  Working together, these heroes decided they could do more good together, and formed the Justice League.

This was the origin of the JLA, that the charter members told to honorary member Snapper Carr (who first worked with the team when they fought Starro) and first recruit Green Arrow in Justice League of America #9 (February, 1962) by Gardner Fox, Mike Sekowsky and Bernard Sachs.

Flash forward to the now of the issue, where we take a look inside the JLA satellite with newest member, Firestorm, bored with monitor duty...

Firestorm vs. Martian Manhunter

Firestorm is surprised by the Martian Manhunter, as the Martian goes through the satellite looking for a meteor.  The Martian Manhunter doesn't know why this meteor isn't in the JLA HQ in Happy Harbor, and fights Firestorm, eventually defeating him, taking the meteor as he felt he had to since he got an emergency signal from his JLA signal device.  

This chapter is drawn by Pat Broderick and Terry Austin, as Pat would soon be drawing Firestorm in the Fury of Firestorm title.

Firestorm wakes up and sends out an emergency signal to all JLA members, but only Atom, Hawkman, Black Canary (who brings Green Arrow, who at the time had resigned from the JLA), Elongated Man, Red Tornado and Zatanna.  With the lack of charter members attending and the mention of a meteor, Green Arrow figures out this must involve the original JLA formation case, backed up when Snapper Carr arrives.  So, Green Arrow suggests the present members split up to stop the original JLA from getting the other meteors (with Firestorm and Snapper remaining at the Satellite as back up).

Red Tornado vs. Aquaman

Here, in a chapter drawn by Jim Aparo (known for his work with Aquaman), Aquaman is at a newly formed volcanic island southwest of the Seychelles, where the Phantom Stranger (he, a man who was offered JLA membership but never formally accepted) narrates the tale.  Red Tornado shows up, and is almost successful in stopping the amnesiac Aquaman from getting the meteor...yet is stopped by the mysterious mystic (for reasons the Phantom Stranger doesn't make clear).

The Phantom Stranger broods about his decision, but at least is nice enough to secretly take the unconscious android to the JLA satellite, where he is found by Snapper and hooked up to a medical computer by Firestorm (both of whom wonder how Red Tornado got there...).

Zatanna vs. Wonder Woman

Drawn by former Wonder Woman artist Dick Giordano, Zatanna finds herself on Paradise Island, home of Queen Hippolyta and the Amazons.  The maiden of magic asks Hippolyta where her daughter is, with the Queen answering and confused about how odd Wonder Woman is acting.  Zatanna and Wonder Woman battle (with Wonder Woman not knowing who Zatanna is), and Zatanna is beaten by Wonder Woman and nearly drown as Wonder Woman takes the meteor and leaves.

Zatanna is healed by the Amazon's with their Purple Healing Ray, with Zatanna and Hippolyta worrying about Wonder Woman's state of mind.

Atom vs. Green Lantern

Gil Kane provides the art for this chapter (having worked on both Green Lantern and Atom since their beginnings in Showcase).  Green Lantern is trying to retrieve the meteor from the wildlands of Zimbabwie.  The Atom, who has been a hero nearly as long as Green Lantern, tries his best to stop the ring slinger, but is unsuccessful.  

Atom heads back to the JLA satellite, where he and the other members of the JLA realize that the original members, not having their current memories of their teammates, have an unfair advantage in facing them. as the charter members are not held back by the bonds of friendship that have formed over the years of JLA membership..

Elongated Man vs. the Flash

Quickly getting to the next chapter, with art by Carmine Infantino and Frank Giacoia (Carmine having an artist hand in the first appearances and more of both Flash and Elongated Man) in the northern plains of Italy, going for that meteor.  Beat friends Flash and Elongated Man battle (though Flash knows not of the friendship), with, yet again, a charter member beating the new one.  Flash races off with the meteor...

...ending up at the original headquarters of the JLA, in great disrepair, where he and Martian Manhunter, Aquaman, Wonder Woman and Green Lantern wonder about their strange compulsion to get the meteors, the odd folks they faced, Wonder Woman's altered costume and why Martian Manhunter woke up not on Mars but another planet with his fellow Martians as refugees (all changes that had happened to them after they joined the JLA).

Green Arrow and Black Canary vs. the Batman

In a chapter drawn by relative newcomer Brian Bolland (who would have latter ties to Batman), Green Arrow and Black Canary try to stop Batman from getting a meteor in the swampland off the North Carolina coast, yet Batman proves too tricky for the duo, defeating them by using their strengths against each other and getting away with the meteor.

An angry Green Arrow fumes about being beat at the JLA satellite as Atom wonders what to do after the meteors are gathered, while Batman, rejoining his team at the original JLA HQ, relates his battle with a Green Arrow he doesn't recognize (as Green Arrow changed his costume while in the JLA) and the meteors begin to glow.

Hawkman vs. Superman

In the final battle of JLA members, with art by Joe Kubert (who drew Hawkman on and off since his debut in the Brave and the Bold), Hawkman gathers his ancient weapons to stop Superman's plans to retrieve the meteor in Greenland.  As the meteors were made of Kryptonite, Superman sent his robots to get it...which Hawkman was easily able to defeat, yet failed as a lead coated Superman came to get the meteor, and was successful, yet left Hawkman floating in orbit....who then disappeared.

Hawkman found himself transported to Rann, where he was found by JLA ally Adam Strange and his wife Alanna, who contacted the JLA informing them that they were sending him back (due to rough feelings due to a recent war with Thanagar, the remnants of which were what kept Hawkman's wife, Hawkwoman away from this momentous meeting).  Elongated Man stretched himself out to rescue Hawkman.

Meanwhile, at the Secret Sanctuary, the original members started to remember their lives as the meteors hatched the Appellaxians, who planned on continuing their battle to decide who would rule their planet (with consequences to Earth be damned).  The original team wasn't strong enough to defeat the aliens. 

This did make enough of a scene to get news coverage, getting the JLA newcomers to go to Happy Harbor (with Snapper handling the satellite).  Reunited, the JLA went off to defeat the battling Appellaxians with teamwork.  Happy again, Green Arrow felt he could leave, as he was no longer a member....but decided that he learned a lesson, and rejoined the team.

In this issue, readers were given a basic rundown of the Justice League, its members and its history, saw the team act in a way they did many times in the past, and were even treated to incredible art (not only the wonderful George Perez, who did his last JLA interiors here) but of individual artists on each character by people who were associated with the characters they drew.  If that isn't a foundation to build upon, then what is?

Super-Blog Team Up

Building on that, here are a few other blogs from other members of the Super-Blog Team-Up...

...and how they had built foundation related stories of their own.

Here are the other blogs to check out!

Between the Pages Blog - Everything I Need To Know I Learned From Star Trek 

TEAL Productions/NewsPrint Commando - Witzend A Foundational Comic

Superhero Satellite: The Comics Digest. A foundational entryway to comics from Archie to DC Blue Ribbon and Beyond.

*51 - My First Next Issue, Incredible Hulk #333

The Source Material Comics Podcast - “Traumatic Resonance - What I Learned from Deb Whitman”

DC Multiverse - What is a Penny Worth? Enough to Fund the Wayne Foundation 

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Remembering Artist George Perez Batman

Remembering artist George Perez (June 9, 1954 - May 6, 2022) with a character he didn't work with, and one that he did incredible work with.

While George Perez only did a few pages of interior work on Batman #400 (incredible, and likely to receive coverage at some point), he did get to do some exemplary Batman covers related to Dick Grayson (covering his time as Robin in "Year Three", as well as Nightwing, and introducing Tim Drake to readers in the expanded "A Lonely Place Of Dying" working in New Titans issues, which George did draw).

As always, letting his art speak for him....

Batman #436 and #437 (Early and Late August, 1989)

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Batman #438 and #439 (Early and Late September, 1989)

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Batman #440 and New Titans #60 (October and November, 1989)

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Batman #441 and New Titans #61 (November and December, 1989)

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Batman #442 (December, 1989)

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Covering Perez Wonder Woman

To be fair, this article is only going to cover the covers artist George Perez (June 9, 1954 to May 6, 2022) did pre-Crisis...but there were these two!

Wonder Woman #283 (September, 1981) and Wonder Woman #284 (October, 1981) were the two, and, along with featuring Wonder Woman's battles with the Red Dragon, they had the Earth-2 Huntress feature, which had her battle with the Earth-2 Joker and a team up with the grown up Robin!

True, Perez did more Wonder Woman art even before the events of the Crisis On Infinite Earths, such as her appearances in the Justice League Of America, or helping out Donna Troy in the New Teen Titans...

...face it, no one drew teams like George Perez!!!

Perez even drew a piece used on the interior cover of Wonder Woman #300 (presented here in color, from Wonder Woman's second series third issue, later recolored by Tom Smith), as well as featuring her in Crisis On Infinite Earths (featuring a variety of characters).

Of course, George's reboot of Wonder Woman is fondly remembered, and one day will get much more extensive coverage as well.  

Covering Perez Legion Of Super-Heroes

Looking back to the past, and the future, with the George Perez covers for the Legion of the Super-Heroes from the 1980s.

Incredible covers (but, sadly only the covers), during an odd run, while the 30th Century teen heroes deal with the mystery of Reflecto, and the return of Superboy.

Legion of Super-Heroes #277 and #278 (July and August, 1981)

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Legion of Super-Heroes #279 and #280 (September and October, 1981)

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Legion of Super-Heroes #281 (November, 1981)

George did a special file in a Best of DC digest (more on this sometime in the future), the Legion was well represented in the Crisis On Infinite Earths, and finally getting close to a Legion book with the mini-series, Final Crisis: Legion Of 3 Worlds.

Covering George Perez Spider-Man

It's absolutely AMAZING that, with his decades in the business, artist George Perez didn't get a chance to do any covers for the Amazing Spider-Man, but he did do quite a bit a Spider-Man work, including this piece for the 1978 Spider-Man calendar (October), featuring Spider-Man and his more monstrous villains, inked by Pablo Marcos!

For those that don't know, the villains are: Man-Wolf, Punisher, Morbius, Green Goblin, Stegron, Lizard, Dracula, Mysterio and the Jackal...but you knew that, right?

Still, Perez did do a couple of covers for Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man (#9 and #10, August/September 1977), when Peter teamed up with the White Tiger, inked by Frank Giacoia!

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While not issues of Amazing Spider-Man, George did do three issues of Marvel Tales, featuring reprints with Spider-Man facing the Hobgoblin (#259 - #261 in 1992, George also inked covers for a mini-series featuring the Hobgoblin, but we'll cover those later!).

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Just because it fit with the October/Halloween them, included a cover of Spider-Man Team Up (#4 in September, 1996), with Spidey and the Avengers, because George was better known for his Avengers work.

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!

Covering Perez Adventure Comics

Continuing coverage of covers that George Perez drew, a small group of odd ones from the 1980s...four issues from Adventure Comics (which, sadly, were covers only), that handled the heroes of Dial H For Hero....Vicki Grant and Chris King, who would become new heroes whenever they dialed on their "H"-Dials!

Characters submitted by readers. with the first three of these written by Marv Wolfman, with interior art alternating between Don Heck and Carmine Infantino (with Carmine drawing the interiors on the last, and E. Nelson Bridwell providing the script).

Adventure Comics 484 and 485 (August and September, 1981)

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Adventure Comics 486 and 490 (October, 1981 and February, 1982)

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Even if only for a cover, what a thrill it must have been to have a character YOU created, drawn by George Perez!  George even snuck Vicki and Chris, along with original H Dialer, Robby Reed, in the last issue of Crisis On Infinite Earths, behind Green Lantern reporter, Tawny Young (with Vigilante and Owlwoman behind Lois Lane, and the Secret Six behind Roy Raymond!).

Covering Perez X-Men

Of the many titles George Perez worked on for both Marvel and DC, sadly, X-Men was not one he did any work on regularly.

The only two covers George did during the regular run were of X-Men #112 (August, 1978), inked by Bob Layton, and X-Men #128 (December, 1979), inked by Terry Austin.

Still, two pretty good ones!

Of course, Marvel did adapt one of George's portfolio pieces for the cover of Age Of X-Man Alpha (March, 2019), as an incentive variant (the original sketch was based on Marvel Team-Up Annual #1....).

While it was Frank Miller and Terry Austin who did the cover of X-Men Annual #3 (August, 1979), there is some of the all too rare Perez X-Men interior art (covered by Between the Pages blog, here!).