Origin Of The Justice League Minus One

Think the Justice League of America formed fighting against the threat of the Appellaxian meteors?   Think again!   Here is the story, as focused around the Martian Manhunter....and how the Justice League really formed, and had quite a few more potential members involved, as well as one less, as Superman and Green Lantern gave the facts to Green Arrow one day.....in Justice League of America #144 (July, 1977, and told by Steve Englehart, Dick Dillin and Frank McLaughlin).

The Origin Of The Justice League  -- Minus One

Martian Manhunter was the start of all this.  Brought to Earth by Dr. Erdel and his Robot-Brain in Detective Comics #225 (November, 1955), J'onn J'onzz had to hide in American society as detective John Jones, struggling to find a way to return home to Mars after his appearance startled Dr. Erdel to death.  Using his Martian abilities in secret, J'onn fought crime on Earth.

After destroying a cache of Martian weapons found on Earth (in Detective Comics #264 in February, 1959), J'onn was confronted by Commander Blanx, the white Martian who had sent J'onn into exile.

Narrowly escaping, J'onn was chased by Flash (Barry Allen), fresh from having confronted the Mirror Master (in Flash #105 from February-March, 1959).   J'onn and the other Martians escaped the Flash when confronted by paranoia from the residents of Middleton, who felt they were being invaded.

They were even suspicious of new hero, Flash, so he went to Metropolis to attract the attention of someone everyone would trust....Superman.  Superman did indeed show up (from Action Comics #249 of February, 1959), with Batman and Robin in tow (these three already a team), but, they also attracted the attention of Roy Raymond, TV Detective, who advertised for more heroes to come....and boy did they!  All the heroes (plus Daily Planet reporters Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen) split up to cover three different reports of alien invaders.

Team One

The first team was composed of:

the Blackhawks (Blackhawk, Andre, Chuck, Olaf, Hendrickson, Stanislaus and Chop-Chop), international ace aviators who had fought in World War II, but now were professional adventurers.  Their Earth-1 adventures started in  Blackhawk #108 (January, 1957),  where they fought foes like Killer Shark and the War Wheel, were aided by Lady Blackhawk, and they had last appeared in Blackhawk #133 (February, 1959).

Plastic Man, the stretchable sleuth, had had a few variations across the cosmos, but this was the first appearance of this version, the Earth-1 Plastic Man, who would appear next (in what was chronologically his first appearance in Brave & the Bold #95 of April-May, 1971), and later in issues #11-20 of his own title, and a run in Adventure Comics.

Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen, or at least the Earth-1 version of the reporter who first appeared in Superman #91 (August, 1954), rounded out the team (with Jimmy coming fresh from Action Comics #249 of February, 1959), and even had his own title, Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen, that lasted 163 issues from September-October, 1954 to February-March, 1974.

The heroes faced off against a mysterious man in a cabin, who disappeared from that house, even though it was surrounded by the heroes.....and where (and when) he went to was revealed as he first appeared a little later, in Showcase #20 (May-June, 1959), and you can figure out who he is by going here!

Team Two

The second team was made up of:

Congo Bill first appeared in More Fun Comics #56 (June, 1940) as a big game hunter, but added a magic ring that allowed him to exchange minds with the golden gorilla, Congorilla, in Action Comics #248 (January, 1959), and the two last appeared in Action Comics #249 (February, 1959).

The Challengers of the Unknown (pilot Ace Morgan, acrobat Red Ryan, boxer Rocky Davis and scuba diver Prof. Haley), who were men living on borrowed time since Showcase #6 (January-February, 1957), when the group survived a plane crash together while headed for a TV Show appearance.  They remained together to fight odd menaces like Ultivac, as well as alien invasions, adding June Robbins as a member, with the team last in Challengers of the Unknown #6 (February-March, 1959).

Vigilante has a bit of a confusing history, looking just like his Earth-2 version, but this Vigilante first appeared in Justice League of America #78 (February, 1970), so this is a chronologically earlier appearance of the western warrior, who uses six-guns, motorcycles and lassos to hunt modern criminals.

Robotman is even more confusing, having started out on Earth-2 in Star-Spangled Comics #7 (April, 1942), having his human brain transferred out of his dying body into the robot form, later retroactively appearing in World War II group All-Star Squadron as a member, he must have left Earth-2 for Earth-1 sometime after Detective Comics #202 (December, 1953), his last Golden Age appearance.

Superman's Girlfriend, Lois Lane rounded out this group, having first appeared (as an Earth-1 version) in Superman #46 (May-June, 1947), and Lois used her reporter's savvy well here (having last appeared in Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane #56 (April, 1965, a flashback story itself), and Lois' title lasted 137 issues from March-April, 1958 to September-October, 1974.

This batch faced a flying menace in the woods, who was chased by all the heroes, except Lois, who figured out the mysterious figure was trying to get them to leave and area, but, that spaceman did disappear after being hit by an energy beam (and he explained it to his girlfriend, as these two were appearing between Showcase #18 and #19 of 1959; he later helped Superman save Lois and Earth, as explained here).

Team Three

The third team was made up of the future charter members of the Justice League of America:

Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman (coming from Wonder Woman #104 of February, 1959), Aquaman (last in Adventure Comics #256 of January, 1959), and the Flash!


These heroes ended up out on the west coast, in Coast City.

There were a few others investigating this with them as well...


Batman's partner, Robin (who first appeared as an Earth-1 version in Superman #76 from May-June, 1952, and was last in Detective Comics #264 from February, 1959 with Batman).

Roy Raymond, TV Detective, who was the host of the Impossible But True TV show, and premiered in  Detective Comics #153 (November, 1949), but appeared here along with his assistant, Karen Duncan, fresh from Detective Comics #264 (February, 1959) and getting the scoop for his viewers.

Rex the Wonder Dog was the last of this group, with this intelligent canine having premiered in the  Adventures of Rex the Wonder Dog #1 (January-February, 1952), where Rex was trained as a part of the K-9 Army Dog Training Corps.  Rex and the Dennis family would help people who needed it (though none of the Dennis' appeared here).  Rex had appeared in the Adventures of Rex the Wonder Dog #43 (January-February, 1959).

These heroes did work together safely, after finding the captive Martian Manhunter and defeating Commander Blanx and his Martians at the Ferris Aircraft facility (where the activities of the aliens were reported by test pilot, Hal Jordan).  Deciding it was still a little too soon for these heroes to gather as a team, as people were still a little too paranoid, they waited a few months (to when Earth was being invaded again) to band together and form the JLA (along with new hero, Green Lantern, who, unbeknownst to the heroes at the time, was test pilot Hal Jordan!).

Green Arrow had not been present (and joined the JLA later), as he and his ward, Speedy, had just solved a case on the island that created the Green Arrow (as revealed in Adventure Comics #256 of January, 1959) and had stayed for a little vacation, missing out on the invasions)...

...and Green Arrow was sad to have missed the original JLA meeting (As well as the time they formed again facing the Appellaxians), and the recent brief return to Earth for a bit of the Martian Manhunter.

Guide To Golden Age Robotman Reprints

Before Cliff Steele had problems racing, Dr. Robert Crane ran afoul of some criminals trying to steal the robot body he and Chuck Grayson were building, resulting in Dr. Crane being shot by Mason, one of the thieves.  Chuck Grayson transplanted Crane's brain into the stronger, faster robot body...

....creating a cyborg, the man known as Robotman!

This happened in Star-Spangled Comics #7 (April, 1942) in the story later titled "The Birth Of Robotman" by Jerry Siegel, Leo Nowak and Paul Cassidy, and Robotman did capture Mason, clearing Chuck Grayson of the murder of Robert Crane (though Crane did adopt a new human identity of Paul Dennis at the time).  This story, though not reprinted, was covered in All-Star Squadron #63 (November, 1986) by Roy Thomas, Michael Bair and Mike Machlan.

Robotman had a feature that ran from Star-Spangled Comics #7 (April, 1942) until Star-Spangled Comics #82 (July, 1948), and Detective Comics #138 (August, 1948) to Detective Comics #202 (December, 1953).  Let's look at the few original Robotman tales reprinted, and where to find them.

The only of his Star-Spangled Comics tales to be reprinted is from Star-Spangled Comics #77 (February, 1948) by Joe Samachson and Jimmy Thompson, with the story of "Robotman vs. Rubberman", where Robotman (and his robotic dog partner, Robbie) faced off against a man made of rubber, tracking him down through the local circus to catch the criminal.

This story was reprinted in the Greatest Golden Age Stories Ever Told of 1990, under a cover by Jerry Ordway.

Robotman's first appearance in Detective Comics, Detective Comics #138 (August, 1948) is his next reprint, with "The Inside Story of Robotman" by Otto Binder and Jimmy Thompson, along with retelling Robotman's origin, it detailed his battle with Dirk McGurk, stealing from the Dixon Gem Company, and then wrecking Robotman....until scientists found plans to rebuild Robotman in his heel, rebuilt him, and Robotman was able to bring McGurk to justice, to be able to continue to thwart evil in his hometown.


This story was reprinted as a part of the bureau of missing heroes in World's Finest Comics #208 (December, 1971), under a cover by Neal Adams, featuring Superman and Dr. Fate!

Detective Comics #176 (October, 1951) with the story "The Testing Of Robotman" by Jerry Coleman and Frank Bolle was reprinted in World's Finest Comics #168 (August, 1967).

Detective Comics #178 (December,1951) with "The Robot Ghost", and art by Frank Bolle reprinted in Adventure Comics #413 (December, 1971).

Detective Comics #194 (April,1953) saw Robotman face "The Crime Collector" by artist Joe Certa, reprinted in World's Finest Comics #226 (November-December, 1974) along with a Golden Age Sandman and Sandy reprint.

The last of Robotman's reprints, from Detective Comics #197 (July, 1953), with the story "License For A Robot" and art by Joe Certa, was reprinted in World's Finest Comics #223 (May-June, 1974), both with Nick Cardy covers on the reprints.

This wasn't the end of the original Robotman, as he made two appearances later in life, being a part of the untold origin of the JLA in Justice League of America #144 (July, 1977, by Steve Englehart, Dick Dillin and Frank McLaughlin) alongside Congorilla and more, and finding out whatever happened to him in  DC Comics Presents #31 (March, 1981 by Bob Rozakis, Alex Sauvik and Vince Coletta), where his robot body had been trapped in a mine until freed, to find Chuck had died (yet willed his body to Robotman, so he could live as a human again).  The now human Robotman even appeared in America vs. the Justice Society #2 (February, 1985), and even later, helping the new Star-Spangled Kid in Stars and S.T.R.I.P.E.!

Robotman had ties to the JSA thanks to his time in the All-Star Squadron, a series from the 1980s, set in the 1940s, dealing with "retroactive continuity"...adding depth to stories already printed, giving new life to old heroes like Flash, Green Lantern, Hawkman and Hawkgirl, Dr. Fate,  Atom, Dr. Mid-Nite, Hourman,  Liberty Belle, Johnny Quick and Tarantula  (and allowing them to meet newer ones, like Commander Steel).

After all, we are all more than just machines!

Historic Formation of the All-Star Squadron

December 7th, 1941 was "a date which will live in infamy" as Franklin D. Roosevelt said, as the Japanese fleet launched an attack on Pearl Harbor, bringing the United States into World War II.

But, how did that date go in a fictional world where Superman was active since June, 1938, Batman since May, 1939, and there was a teams of heroes like the Justice Society of America and the Seven Soldiers of Victory?

So It Begins

That question was answered starting with Justice League of America #193 (August, 1981) in a special preview comic, by Roy Thomas, Rich Buckler, Dick Giordano and Jerry Ordway, as readers saw Flash, Green Lantern and Wonder Woman race and be captured by Solomon Grundy; Sandman, Johnny Thunder and Starman be taken down by the Sky Pirate; Dr. Fate and the Spectre be defeated by Fate's foe, Wotan; Superman, Batman and Robin be defeated by the Alchemist, Professor Zodiak) while opening a USO function; but, Hawkman, Atom and Dr. Mid-Nite were able to defeat their foe, the attacking Monster (all while being watched by a man in a trenchcoat).  If there was trouble on this day (December 7th, 1941), who could FDR call?  (The answer would be, "The All-Star Squadron", but they didn't exist yet.).

The Team Forms

Answers came in All-Star Squadron #1 (September, 1981 by Roy Thomas, Rich Buckler and Jerry Ordway), as Pearl Harbor was being attacked, Hawkman learned of the JSA's capture, fighting off King Bee with Plastic Man, and Dr. Mid-Nite and the Atom meet the man in the trenchcoat, the original Robotman, and the lot head to the White House as people begin to think of "The World On Fire".

Heroes Johnny Quick and Liberty Belle (who are reporters in their alter egos, and were both present during events chronicled in the Justice League issue as Johnny Chambers and Libby Lawrence) meet outside the White House as Hawkman and FDR decide to gather all heroes to find out what's going on....and the villain of the piece, time traveler Per Degaton. is revealed to the reader while he attacks the Shining Knight (of the Seven Soldiers of Victory) with his villainous minions.

Taking Action

The newly formed All-Star Squadron head west (adding Quality heroine, Phantom Lady as well), as Per Degaton, "The Tyrant Out Of Time" works on attacking San Francisco with the villains he had recruited from 1947, as Degaton figures this will get the USA to attack Japan first, allowing him to take over the world...and the newly formed All-Star Squadron defeat the villains (with them going back to their own time) and freeing the captive Justice Society of America, Shining Knight and Danette Reilly (who had been exposed to mystic forces and volcanic gas) in All-Star Squadron #2 and #3 (October and November, 1981 by Roy Thomas, Rich Buckler and Jerry Ordway), and the heroes begin to get an idea of "The Dooms Of Dark December".

Grim Reality

The All-Star Squadron, whose members include all the heroes mentioned above, get a look at the results of the attack on Pearl Harbor by flying there on December 8th, 1941 in All-Star Squadron #4 (December, 1981 by Roy Thomas, Rich Buckler and Jerry Ordway) in the "Day Of The Dragon King"....the heroes had planned to go to Japan immediately, but a new villain, the Dragon King, is introduced, who uses the supernatural power of items like the Holy Grail, and Spear of Destiny to create a mystical shield that affects supernatural and otherworldly powered heroes like Dr. Fate, Spectre, Johnny Thunder, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman and even Superman, making them work for the Axis forces, forcing the heroes to all retreat...and let the war be fought in conventional ways, as Danette Reilly learns her brother Rod was injured at Pearl Harbor.

In All-Star Squadron #5 (January, 1982 by Thomas, Buckler and Ordway), Danette learns her brother was the non-powered hero, Firebrand, now unable to be Firebrand for a time thanks to injury, and learns she received flame powers thanks to her time, takes over his mystery man name, and joins the All-Star Squadron in fighting a new menace, the Feathered Serpent, who is working with the Nazis...


...continuing the story, and adding Hawkman's girlfriend, Hawkgirl, into the mix as well....

.

Continuing the Fight 

The heroes continued the fight against the Axis on the homefront, as All-Star Squadron lasted 67 issues (and 3 Annuals), eventually adding most of the Golden Age heroes to its roster (and covering comic history to about April, 1942).  The series also filled in DC history, exploring what happened to the Quality heroes on December 7th (and how they went to another Earth, stopping the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, allowing the Nazis to win World War II....and forming the Freedom Fighters under Uncle Sam), as well as adding to the history of Earth-2, and the Justice Society of America (including future members Hawkman's partner Hawkgirl,  Sandman's partner Sandy, Wildcat, Mr. Terrific and Robin), the Seven Soldiers of Victory, and even other Golden Age characters like Johnny Quick, Liberty Belle, Robotman and Plastic Man...

...with later additions to the team, like Tarantula, the Guardian, TNT and Dan the Dyna-Mite, Air Wave, Manhunter, Zatara, Sargon, Mr. America, Midnight, the Whip, Dr. Occult, and even World War II heroes created later, like Steel (renamed Commander Steel after the assistance of the All-Star Squadron in freeing him from Baron Blitzkreig), as well as new heroes like Firebrand and Amazing Man, and facing off against the Marvel Family and the Monster Society Of Evil...

...but it all started on one day, and the machinations of Per Degaton.

The Charter Members Of The Doom Patrol

They were misfits, didn't really fit in any where else, and, to top it off, horribly damaged by living their lives...but, the heroes of the Doom Patrol found each other, and learned to work together (staring in My Greatest Adventure #80 of June, 1963 by writers Arnold Drake and Bob Haney, and artist Bruno Premiani), fighting one of their main foes, General Immortus (who also premiered in these pages), with the team taking over the title with Doom Patrol #86 (March, 1964), which featured the introduction of their evil opposites, the Brotherhood of Evil.

The team continued on, living together and keeping it real, all until Doom Patrol #121 (September-October, 1968), where the original run of the Doom Patrol ended (though their legacy, and eventually all the members lived on....even after their apparent death in that issue's pages).


But, who were these original teammates?

Robotman

First up is the most recognizable member of the Doom Patrol, as he has been with the most different incarnations of the team, Cliff Steele, also known as Robotman!

Cliff was a race car driver and all around daredevil who took one too many risks, and his history before the Doom Patrol started in a back-up tale in Doom Patrol #100 (December, 1965) by Arnold Drake and Bruno Premiani, called "Robotman -- Wanted Dead Or Alive" subtitled "An Untold Story Of Robotman".  This story dealt with Cliff's crash, and how a surgeon saved his life by transplanting his brain into a robot body, which made Cliff into a "Robotman-iac", sending him on a super-strength, anger fueled rampage through the city, looking for the doctor who did this do him.

The next chapter was in Doom Patrol #101 (February, 1966) by Drake/Premiani, with "The Lonely Giant", with Cliff getting help from a group of beggars (finding out his brain still needs nutrients, and must get a special formula to keep it alive), and still looking for the doctor and evading police.  In Doom Patrol #103 (May, 1966), by Drake/Premiani, Cliff learns that there is "No Home For A Robot", in trying to help his brother, Randy Steele, and Randy's wife, Helen, against criminals who want to take advanced weapons made where Randy works, then avoids the police with help from the Chief.  The "Robotman Unchained" saga ends with Cliff realizing "The Robot-Maker Must Die" in Doom Patrol #105 (August, 1966) by Drake/Premiani, finding out that the Chief was the one who made him into this "freak", and confronting the doctor.  This cured Cliff of his madness, and the Chief assembled the rest of the original Doom Patrol.

Negative Man

Next Patroler is the Negative Man, and that's not an indication of Larry Trainor's personality (though, he did have reasons to be depressed).

Larry was a test pilot flying experimental planes, with his pre-Doom Patrol days being chronicled starting with Doom Patrol #106 (September, 1966) with "The Private World Of Negative Man" by Arnold Drake and Bruno Premiani, where the pilot flew through a radiation belt at a high altitude, becoming radioactive and gaining the ability to manifest his consciousness as an energy being that can fly for up to sixty seconds at a time.  His radioactivity would have isolated him from all other humans, if not for radiation-proof bandages invented by Dr. Niles Caulder; but the bandages isolate him from others, making him look like a mummy and a "freak".

In Doom Patrol #107 (November, 1966) by Drake/Premiani, Larry faces "The Race Against Dr. Death", turning to the mad scientist named Dr. Death for help, but sending Negative Man after him when Larry realizes how dangerous this man is.  Looking for work in Doom Patrol #109 (February, 1967) by Drake/Premiani, Larry flies to a volcanic island, unaware that he is working for Dr. Death, who sabotaged Larry's plane.  With Doom Patrol #111 (May, 1967) by Drake/Premiani, it is "Neg Man's Last Road", with Larry foiling Dr. Death's plot against the government by driving its leaders mad, with the aid of the Chief.  The problems with Dr. Death done, Larry then meets with the others the Chief has aided, forming the Doom Patrol.

Elasti-Girl

The size-changing Elasti-Girl, whose alter ego was Rita Farr didn't get an individual spotlight like the boys did, but that doesn't mean she didn't have history before the Doom Patrol existed.

Rita Farr was an actress, as well as an Olympic medal winning swimmer, so it's a shame her early days didn't get individual coverage like the other members during the original Doom Patrol run...
 

...but she did have an origin tale, with Rita getting exposed to a volcanic gas in a pool while working on a movie in Africa.  This gave her the ability to shrink and grow (first, without control), labeling the lady a "freak" and messing up her Hollywood career.  Rita is approached by the Chief, offering her a chance to do good with her powers, and join the Doom Patrol, as seen in Doom Patrol #105 and #111, and starting with My Greatest Adventure #80.

The Chief

The oddest member of the Doom Patrol was their leader, wheelchair bound Dr. Niles Caulder.

Niles was involved in the origins of all the previous members, but his origin was what created the need for the team, as revealed in Doom Patrol #88 (June, 1964).

Niles Caulder was a young scientist looking to prolong life, not knowing he was working for the evil General Immortus, who needed more of a longevity serum to stay alive.  Worse still, the general had implanted a bomb in Niles' chest, that only Immortus could remove.  When Niles learned the nearly immortal madman was in charge of his research, he destroyed that work, using his own trusted robot assistant (RA-2) to "kill" him, allowing the robot to operate safely and remove the bomb (though Niles was under too long, and lost the use of his legs).  Revived without the bomb,  Niles even had to destroy RA-2, and fled General Immortus.  To combat the evil of General Immortus and others, Niles fashioned his secret identity as the Chief and gathered others damaged by society to go out and combat evil.  

The Doom Patrol also worked with other heroes introduced in their own pages, like Beast Boy and Mento.  The team lasted until Doom Patrol #121 (September-October, 1968), where they appeared to perish, but eventually came back, starting with Showcase #94 (August-September, 1977), adding new members Negative Woman, Tempest and Celsius, and as time passed, even more members joined (and more originals returned) as time went by.  But one thing remained consistent...the lesson of the Doom Patrol was that everyone has something to contribute, and to just keep trying.  Better to try and fail than to do nothing at all....