Request For Injustice Society Collections

One of the most persistent foes of the Justice Society of America has been the Injustice Society of the World.  Premiered in All-Star Comics #37 (October-November, 1947) by writer Robert Kanigher and artists Irwin Hasen, Joe Kubert, Carmine Infantino, John Belfi and Alex Toth, this group of villains has unleashed havoc across the world, as well as having grown in size (here by George Perez)....

...and while the group's Golden Age appearances have been reprinted a few times, many individual members are far from having their appearances visible since their first printings.

That needs change....and, here's a way to do that in three tradepaperback volumes!

ISW Volume 1

The first volume should include:

Wizard (William Asmodeus Zard) All-Star Comics #34 (April-May 1947):  "The Wiles Of The Wizard" Brainwave (Henry King Sr) All-Star Comics #15 (February-March 1943): "The Man Who Created Images" Gambler (Steven Sharpe) Green Lantern #12 (Summer 1944):  "The Gambler" Green Lantern #20 (June-July 1946): "The Gambler Comes Back" Green Lantern #27 (August-September 1947): "The Gambler Bets His Life" Per Degaton All-Star Comics #35 (June-July 1947):  "The Day That Dropped Out Of Time"

Thinker (Clifford DeVoe)

All-Flash #12 (Fall 1943):  "Tumble Inn To Trouble" All-Flash #14 (Spring 1944):  "The Man Who Unleashed The Past" Vandal Savage Green Lantern #10 (Winter 1943): "The Man Who Wanted The World"

...and the team appearance from All-Star Comics #37, "The Injustice Society of The World", for a wonderful collection of 319 pages (with appropriate covers, with sadly, the Thinker not appearing on any, and the Gambler only making one of his cover), with many All-Star Comics issues, and a few Golden Age Flash and Green Lantern tales.


Still, this does collect all of Per Degaton and Vandal Savage's Golden Age appeaerances, and at least the first two appearances of every charter ISW member except for Brain Wave.


Leaves some Brain Wave, Thinker and Gambler stories uncollected, but....read on!

ISW Volume 2

The second volume should include:

Icicle (Joar Makent) All-American Comics #90 (October 1947): "The Icicle" All-American Comics #92 (December 1947): "The Icicle Goes South" Fiddler (Isaac Bowin) All-Flash #32 (December 1947-January 1948):  "Duet Of Danger" Flash Comics #93 (March 1948): "Violin Of Villainy" Comic Cavalcade #28 (August-September 1948): "The Flash Concerto"

Sportsmaster (Crusher Crock) All-American Comics #85 (May 1947): "The Rise And Fall Of Crusher Crock" Green Lantern #28 (October-November 1947): "The Tricks Of The Sportsmaster" All-American Comics #98 (June 1948): "The End Of Sports"

Huntress (Paula Brooks) Sensation Comics #68 (August 1947): "Wildcat -- Former Crime Fighter" Sensation Comics #69 (September 1947): "Follow The Leader" Sensation Comics #71 (November 1947): "The Count That Never Ended" Sensation Comics #73 (January 1948): "Murder Masquerade" Sensation Comics #75 (March 1948): "The Snare That Backfired" Sensation Comics #76 (April 1948): "The Wildcat Ride" DC 100-Page Super-Spectacular #6 (1971): "Crime Wore A Costume"

Harlequin (Molly Mayne) All-American Comics #89 (September 1947): "The Harlequin" All-American Comics #91 (November 1947): "The Wedding Of The Harlequin" Green Lantern #29 (December 1947 - January 1948): "The Challenge Of The Harlequin" and "The Harlequin Haunts Green Lantern"

All-American Comics  #93 (January 1948):  "The Double-Crossing Decoy" All-American Comics #94 (February 1948): "Partners In Peril" All-American Comics #95 (March 1948): "The Unmasking Of The Harlequin" Green Lantern #31 (March-April 1948): "The Terror Of The Talismans" Green Lantern #32 (May-June 1948):  "The Case Of The Conscience Fund"

....and, with the Wizard's gathering of these villains from All-Star Comics #41 (June-July, 1948), this gives all the Golden Age appearances of these villains from the various Flash comics, Green Lantern comics and even Wildcat appearances (though he never made the covers of Sensation Comics).



Except for some of Harlequin's appearances, all of these characters Golden Age tales are here (about half of all of these stories hadn't been reprinted), with this being the largest volume, at 330 pages.

ISW Volume 3

The third volume should include Golden Age tales of the Bronze Age additions:

Shade (Richard Swift) Flash Comics #33 (September 1942): "The Man Who Commanded The Night" Solomon Grundy (Cyrus Gold) All-American Comics #61 (October 1944): "Fighters Never Quit" Comic Cavalcade #13 (Winter 1945): "And Then There Was One" All-Star Comics #33 (February-March 1947): "The Revenge Of Solomon Grundy" Comic Cavalcade #24 (December 1947-January 1948): "The Case Of The Withered Flower"

Missing stores of other ISW members from the Golden Age:

Brain Wave (Henry King Sr) All-Star Comics #17 (June-July 1943): "Brain Wave Goes Berserk" All-Star Comics #30 (August-September 1946)" "The Dreams Of Madness Gambler (Steven Sharpe) Green Lantern #30 (February-March 1948): "The Fatal Chance" Green Lantern #35 (November-December 1948): "Perfect Crimes For Sale"

Thinker (Clifford DeVoe) Flash Comics #65 (June-July 1945): "Adventure Of The Thinking Cap" All-Flash #27 (February-March 1947): "The Thinker Cooks With Gas" Comic Cavalcade #22 (August-September 1947): "Beware The Ice Age" Comic Cavalcade #23 (October-November 1947): "The Sleeping City" All-Flash #32 (December 1947-January 1948): "Crime, Incorporated" Flash #214 (April 1972): "The Tale Of Three Tokens"

Harlequin (Molly Mayne)

Green Lantern Vol. 1 #33/3 (July-August 1948): "The Harlequin's Leap Year"

Green Lantern Vol. 1 #34 (September-October 1948): "Harlequin's Secret Revealed"

Other villains, who joined even later or were related to the ISW:

Rag Doll (Peter Merkel) Flash Comics #36 (December 1942): "Tale Of The Treasure Hunt" The Mist (Kyle) Adventure Comics #67 (October 1941): "The Menace Of The Invisible Raiders"

The Shade joined during a JLA/JSA adventure, Solomon Grundy during the 1970s run with Star-Spangled Kid and Power Girl, Rag Doll VERY much later, in JSA All-Stars, and the Mist, because his second appearance was in the Wanted collection, and this gives more than Flash and Green Lantern (and JSA stories) with a Starman story, giving 328 pages (and hope that a collection with Hawkman's Gentleman Ghost and Monocle and a few others can materialize somewhere).

A fanciful wish from someone who knows the Flash, Green Lantern, Wildcat, Hawkman and Starman stories reprinted from the Golden Age, and would like to see more, with Wizard, Brain Wave, Per Degaton, Vandal Savage, Gambler, Thinker, Icicle, Sportsmaster, Huntress, Fiddler, Harlequinn and the rest serving as a nice conduit to a forgotten era!

Wanted Doctor Light Iron Mask Mist Blue Lama Yellow Wasp

Even more of the E. Nelson Bridwell goodness that was the 1970s reprint magazine called Wanted The World's Most Dangerous Villains....

...here with the fifth and sixth issue of that series, mostly wonderful little treats from the Golden Age, with foes of Doll Man, Starman, Sargon and Wildcat, but it starts off with Green Lantern's battle against JLA foe Dr. Light....before going on with Iron Mask, Mist, Blue Lama and the Yellow Wasp!

Wizard Of The Light-Wave Weapons

First up, from the first story reprinted in the fifth issue is Green Lantern #33 (December, 1964) by Gardner Fox, Gil Kane and Sid Greene (under an original cover by Gil Kane and Murphy Anderson), is the battle between Green Lantern and Doctor Light!



Hal Jordan, the alter ego of Green Lantern, starts the issue by facing himself over an award....but, that might be jumping ahead to much.  A little bit earlier, Hal and his pal, Thomas Kalmaku, were getting ready for the trophy presentation as Ferris Aircraft when Coast City was suddenly overcome by an Aurora Borealis, prompting Hal to investigate as Green Lantern.

Over the city, Green Lantern found Doctor Light, who was trying out his new light weapon, the Lightolater, and sends Green Lantern crashing into the ground, unconscious.  Green Lantern's ring keeps him from hitting the ground, but when Hal revives, Dr. Light is gone.  So, back at Ferris Aircraft, Hal prepares for the gala again, as his ring is searching for Dr. Light. Sadly, it finds the doctor just as Hal is going to accept his award, so he power ring's Tom into a "Hal duplicate" to get the award, so Green Lantern can face Dr. Light.  Dr. Light uses his weapon to send a VIBGOYR army after Green Lantern (light constructs as warriors based on the seven colors of the spectrum).  Hal only has trouble with the yellow one, but successfully turns it against Dr. Light and defeats the villain.  Hal returns to the gala, finding Tom as Hal, turns him back to Tom, and they exchange how their respective evenings went (with Hal dropping a lot of knowledge on light phenomenon as well).

Dr. Light first premiered fighting the JLA, with that story being reprinted many time, including in a JLA Giant, and then faced the Atom, in a story that has been reprinted a few times (including in an Atom Archive) as well.

The Man In The Iron Mask

The second story of the fifth issue is from Doll Man #15 (Winter, 1947) by William Woolfolk and Alex Kotzky (under an original cover by Al Bryant), with the mighty miniature Quality hero of Doll Man fighting against the dangerous menace of the man in the Iron Mask!



Darrell Dane was being tormented by a model plane, but it was an invention of Dr. Roberts, the father of his girlfriend, Martha, who suggested that this could be a weapon in Doll Man's arsenal, being the Dollplane!  Darrell couldn't wait to try it out as Doll Man, and used it to stop mob boss Don Vittorio, who looked like he perished in a car crash off a bridge into a river.  But, Don survived, burned badly, to find a kindly hermit who helped nurse him back to health (and showed off his collection of metal masks with key locks). 

Taking off his bandages, Don saw he was burned, killed the old man and vowed to live under an Iron Mask.  Doll Man was going after Frank Morbo (who had taken over the Vittorio mob), but was beaten there by the Iron Mask, who killed his former lieutenant, and took control.  Doll Man showed up, but was beaten by a headbutt from the Iron Mask.  Iron Mask then left Doll Man to drown in a fish tank, but Doll Man escaped that trap.  Doll Man then faced Iron Mask at the home of a stamp collector, but Iron Mask escaped the ground, but Doll Man wouldn't follow.  Waiting, Iron Mask returned and Doll Man stopped him.  Iron Mask had lost the key to his mask, and had to return or he would have starved in his mask.

Doll Man had a few reprints of his Quality tales in the Super Spectaculars of the 1970s, with new stories as a part of the Freedom Fighters to follow soon.

Finder's Keepers

Starting the sixth issue off by shining bright with the Starman story from Adventure Comics #77 (August, 1942) by Gardner Fox and Jack Burnley (under a Sandman cover by Jack Kirby and Joe Simon), as astral avenger faces the return of his most tenacious foe, the Mist!

Starman's foe, the Mist, escaped from jail after one of his henchmen, Whitey, had slipped him some of his inviso solution, so the Mist turned his cell invisible and escaped in the confusion.  The Mist had a new plan, using items people would find to hypnotize them into stealing for him.  This plan was fouled by Honey Jenkins, who tried to return her item to the police.  Ted Knight heard of these odd thefts from his fiancee, Doris Lee, and went to check out Honey as Starman.  Good thing, as the Mist's men were trying to kidnap Honey, to prevent her from revealing the plan.  Starman went to the Mist's new windmill headquarters, where he faced a few traps, and even had his gravity rod taken from him by the Mist, but was able to beat his foe with some reflected light.

The Mist had previously faced Starman once, returned again as Starman teamed up with Black Canary, then the Mist represented himself as a Black Canary foe in a battle with the JLA and JSA as a member of the Secret Society of Super-Villains..

The Man Who Met Himself

A nice surprise for the sixth issue, as this Sargon the Sorcerer tale from Sensation Comics #71 (November, 1947) by John Broome and Paul Reinman (under an original Wonder Woman cover by Harry G. Peter), facing off against his regular foe, the mysterious Blue Lama.


Sargon the Sorcerer was finishing his onstage magic show when he was met by two versions of his assistant, Maximillian O'Leary. 

Taking the two backstage to solve the mystery, Sargon is thrown into the otherdimensional world of his foe, the Blue Lama.  She took advantage of Sargon's confusion to draw him into her world.  She had him tied, unable to use his Ruby of Life (as he couldn't touch his bonds to control them), but he could control his Ruby of Life as she tried to take it from him.  This allows him to get free, where he escapes the Blue Lama and the Max doppleganger to return to the stage.  There, he faces his own duplicate....the Blue Lama in disguise!  The two battle, and she retreats, to face Sargon again.

Sargon was a member of the All-Star Squadron, but mostly featured in Golden Age comics, with a few reprints in the 1970s, as well as appearing in the Flash as a villain, and helping out in a JLA/JSA adventure involving Black Canary.

The Wasp's Nest

Last, but not least, taking a swing in the sixth issue, is a reprint of a  Wildcat story from Sensation Comics #66 (June, 1947) with no known writer and art by Joe Kubert (also under a Wonder Woman Peter cover), where he faces off against his old foe, the Yellow Wasp.




A crowd was attacked by giant wasps, and it was from an old foe of Wildcat's, the Yellow Wasp, who had escaped jail. 

The Yellow Wasp challenged police, until a radio call hit the office of Stretch Skinner, detective pal of boxer Ted Grant, with Stretch going into action (allowing Ted to change into Wildcat, and pursue his foe as well).  Wildcat and Stretch were captured, with the Yellow Wasp planning to kill Wildcat by flooding a room he was in with water.  Wildcat remained calm and floated on the water until he could reach a roof skylight and escape.  Wildcat had to find the Yellow Wasp, who was to leave Stretch to die on a subway track, but Wildcat found and freed him, then defeated the Yellow Wasp, throwing him back in jail.

The cover of the Wanted issue had the villain listed as the Golden Wasp, which caused confusion for years, but a Golden Wasp, who was the protege of the Yellow Wasp, faced Wildcat as as member of the Injustice Society in the JSA's 2000 revival.

The letters' pages still teased the idea of new villain stories in Wanted (which never did happen), along with letters about the first two issues, Golden Age stories like in the third and fourth issue, and let readers know of a new series of Secret Origins due out soon, also edited by E. Nelson Bridwell, with a first issue that had a Hawkman story facing the Gentleman Ghost (who would appear in the next issue of Wanted).

Holy Bill Finger, Batman!

Remembering the late Bill Finger on his birthday (February 8, 1914 - January 18, 1974).

Bill Finger was a writer, who provided many of the inspirational ideas to Bob Kane's outline of Batman that helped make Batman a success....like the cowl, cape, gloves, the blue/grey color scheme, and even the Bruce Wayne name!

Unfortunately, his penchant for research did not make Bill Finger a quick writer, nor did Bob Kane have him included on creator credits for Batman (only noting his contributions after Bill Finger had passed).

Still, Bill Finger did write many important Batman stories, introducing Robin, Joker, Catwoman, Riddler, Penguin and Two-Face, as well as the Batmobile, Batcave...

...and even naming Gotham City!

Much later, Bill Finger introduced readers to Ace the Bat-Hound, Bat-Mite , the first Bat-Girl, Calendar Man, the second Clayface , even Kite-Man and Zebra Man, and gave Batman his two biggest trophies:  the Tyrannosaurus Rex and giant Lincoln penny (a hallmark of Bill Finger stories was battles on oversized items).

Bill Finger also did other work for DC, writing early issues featuring the Golden Age Green Lantern, Wildcat, and creating Lana Lang in Superboy. Some of his last work on Batman was in World's Finest Comics, working with Superman (there he created Moon Man and Atom-Master, among others).

Even better, Bill Finger wrote the two episodes of the second season of the Batman 1966 TV show featuring the Clock King, giving him his first writer's credit on a Batman story....and the TV show Gotham, got his name listed as co-creator of Batman!

Flash Green Lantern Atom Second Multiple Crisis

Even more of the solo team-ups of heroes of Earth-1 and Earth-2 (as opposed to meetings of the JLA and JSA) for you to see!

With a concentration on Flashes and Green Lanterns, this time around also gives a look at the Atoms, as well as finishing a little from last time.

The Big Super-Hero Hunt

First up is Starman and Black Canary, going into action in Federal City, in Brave and the Bold #62 (October-November, 1965) by Gardner Fox and Murphy Anderson (with another stunner of an Anderson cover).

Golden Age Green Lantern villain, the Sportsmaster, decides he wants a trophy (and the money around it) at an event Larry Lance is providing security for.  This brings the villain into conflict Larry's wife, Dinah Drake Lance (the heroine known as Black Canary), who pursues the fleeing villain.  Meanwhile, Starman (Ted Knight) finds Wildcat (Ted Grant) being held hostage on Ted Knight's estate by the Huntress (a foe of Wildcat's, and member of the Injustice Society of the World...now married to Sportsmaster).  The villains work together to defeat the heroes and leave the area with Wildcat as a prisoner.  Starman and Black Canary pursue the villains, freeing Wildcat, and learning from him their plans to get another trophy (and prize money), head after them, defeating them by turning the tables on the villainous pair, getting back all their ill-gotten booty.  Boxer Ted Grant (secretly Wildcat) is able to present the first trophy as a prize now that it is returned.

The second of two wonderful Starman/Black Canary team-ups (the first and more Earth-1/Earth-2 adventures here). and this is the first Silver Age appearance of JSAer Wildcat, and Injustice Society of the World members Sportsmaster and Huntress.  Wildcat and Black Canary appear next in the JLA/JSA's fourth team-up, with Starman shining in the 6th.

Prince Peril's Power Play

It's time for two Green Lanterns in Green Lantern #45 (June, 1966) by John Broome, Gil Kane and Sid Greene, all under a cover by Gil Kane!

Poor Princess Ramia of Myrg, being forced into marriage with the evil Prince Peril, flees her planet and ends up meeting Doiby Dickles....who, while attending a symposium at Spaceland (a new amusement park outside of Earth-2's Gotham), Doiby introduces the princess to Alan Scott (Earth-2's heroic Green Lantern).  While Green Lantern faces Prince Peril, Doiby and the princess flee in Doiby's old cab, Goitrude.  Even with the princess' science allowing the cab to fly, Prince Peril is in pursuit after defeating Green Lantern.  Ramia uses a dimension changer to take the cab (and its passengers) to Earth-1, where Prince Peril soon follows, now engaging in battle with Hal Jordan, the Earth-1 Green Lantern.  Prince Peril defeats Hal, bringing Doiby and Ramia back to Myrg as his captives.  The two Green Lanterns team-up, defeating Prince Peril, and the princess does indeed find a man to marry...Doiby Dickles!

Doiby and Green Lantern Alan Scott appear next in the next Green Lantern team-up, so keep reading!

The Thinker's Earth-Shaking Robberies

Instead of splitting Atoms, they are teaming up in Atom #29 (February-March, 1967) in a story by Gardner Fox, Gil Kane (who also did the cover) and Sid Greene.

Lawyer Jean Loring (Ray Palmer's fiancee) is helping actress Cheryl Drake in a legal battle with her deceased husband's parents over custody of her child.  Jean tells this story to Ray as the pair goes to a museum exhibit...that ends up being robbed by the Thinker.  Ray goes into action as the Atom, but the Thinker escapes by returning to Earth-2 (Thinker is a members of the ISW, and a foe of the Golden Age Flash).  Thinker thought stealing items on Earth-1 and returning home to Earth-2 would be a great way to make money....except Artie Perkins was committing the same crime as he was on Earth-2, in Calvin City, drawing the attention of Al Pratt, the Golden Age Atom.  Atom Al tries to help Artie, who can't control his sudden criminal tendencies, calling in Atom Ray for help (who builds his own dimensional vibrator to get to Earth-2).  Thinker finds his upgrades to his Thinking Cap also projected his plans to Artie, forcing him to repeat his crimes.  The two Atoms have two battles with the Thinker, defeating him in the end.

The Thinker gets an awesome costume in this issue, as he appears between battles with the two Flashes, and the Earth-2 Atom appears here after the third JLA/JSA team-up, appearing next in the second dual Atom meeting, chronicled below.

Our Mastermind The Car

Hal's friend, Tom Kalmaku, gives readers this little flashback tale of a meeting of the two Green Lanterns in Green Lantern #52 (April, 1967) by John Broome and Gil Kane, though the incredible Gil Kane cover promises an epic battle between Hal and Sinestro (which it delivers).

Alan Scott comes to Hal Jordan to recruit his help in bring Doiby an anniversary gift, taking his cab, Goitrude, to Myrg for the happy couple.  But, the Green Lanterns go to find the car missing from its storage garage...the car seems to have taken on a life of its own, now working with criminals (and talking).  The two Green Lanterns contact Doiby, who leaves the Princess to go help....with the trio facing down Goitrude, with Green Lanterns blasting the car, releasing the force possessing it....Hal's foe, Sinestro!  Absorbing the power from two dimensionally differing Power Rings, gives Sinestro power, which he uses, along with Doiby's dimension changer and his own yellow Power Ring, to steal the Master Battery from the Guardians of the Universe on Oa, transporting it to Earth-2.  Sinestro plans on using the Master Battery to create a Corps of his own, dedicated to evil.  The two Green Lanterns head to Earth-2, facing Sinestro to take back the battery, and, after defeating him, give him to the Guardians for safe keeping.  Hal and Alan even give Doiby a replica Goitrude, promising to restore his real cab for him.

Green Lantern Alan Scott appears next in the next Green Lantern team-up (not covered in this book or article, but will be), and Doiby and the Princess eventually come back in the first Infinity, Inc. Annual, which happens during the Crisis On Infinite Earths.

The See-Nothing Spells Of Abra Kadabra

Flash Barry Allen is having a carefree day as seen on Carmine Infantino/Murphy Anderson's  Flash #170 (May, 1967) cover, but the story by Gardner Fox, Carmine Infantino and Sid Greene shows why he needs the help of three members of the JSA.

Barry and his new wife Iris attend a play, but while trying to meet the actor playing Merlin, Barry hears a disembodied voice threaten to reveal his identity as the Flash.  While Iris goes to dinner with her actress friend, a worried Barry dons his costume, but only stops a group of criminals committing a robbery.  The owner of the building gives Flash a device....and, as Flash takes the criminals to the police, he forgets why he brought them there.  Heading home. Flash ignores a mugging, then a mob war....all under the watch of three mysterious strangers.  It is revealed that the actor and owner were Abra Kadabra in disguise, who created a Psychonizer in his 64th Century prison, using that device to prevent his robot captor from seeing him, then travelled back to the 20th Century, to use that device on the Flash, to make him not see any crimes.  Thankfully, the three strangers trailing the Flash were the Golden Age Flash, Dr. Fate and Dr. Mid-Nite, who came to Earth-1 after Dr. Fate's magic detected evil descending down on Central City.  The trio helped Barry's Flash fight criminals, then worked in concert to defeat Abra Kadabra, with Dr. Fate a little confused as to why his magic was unable to counter Abra Kadabra's (Abra's was 64th Century science used to fake magic, why Dr. Fate's was real magic).  Freeing Barry from Abra's control, Barry met with Iris (promising to reveal his secret life as the Flash to her soon).

Dr. Fate and Dr. Mid-Nite were last in the fourth JLA/JSA team-up, and return in the 6th.  Flash Jay Garrick was last in the 3rd JLA/JSA team-up, and returns with Barry in the issue covered next.

Doomward Flight Of The Flashes

The three Flashes are fading fast in Flash #173 (September, 1967) by John Broome, Carmine Infantino and Sid Greene, as seen on this Carmine Infantino/Muprhy Anderson cover.

Jay brings his wife Joan to Earth-1 for the first time, as Joan wants to talk to Barry about revealing his identity to Iris.  The couple arrive and meet Iris and her nephew, Wally West, who seems a little upset.  Separating from the ladies, Wally talks to Jay, telling him that he (as Kid Flash) and Barry Flash were fighting the Domino Gang, but that Barry disappeared during the battle.  Kid Flash and the Golden Age Flash have their first team-up searching for Barry....but then Kid Flash disappears.  Kid Flash was transported to Vorvan by the Golden Man, a mutant from his planet who had evolved millions of years beyond the cave dwelling inhabitants of his world, who brought the two Flashes to his world.  Their energies proved not enough to power his evolutionary machine, so he brought Jay Flash to his world....except Jay didn't arrive unconscious like Barry and Wally did.  Jay battled the Golden Man, freeing Barry, and eventually the three battled him....getting him to use his evolution machine, but it instead devolved the Golden Man, freeing the Flashes.  Barry set up the machine, and Jay had arrived conscious on the planet due to his using internal vibrations as a mask (as he wears none).  The three return home, and meet up with ladies (with Joan having spoken to Barry, getting a promise that he will talk to Iris soon).

This was the first meeting of Jay Garrick and Wally West, and Jay appears next in the 6th JLA/JSA team-up. 

Menace Of The Mystic Mastermind

Switching gears to another team-up of members of the JSA is the Spectre #3 (March-April, 1968) by Mike Friedrich and Neal Adams, with a glorious Spectre/Wildcat cover by Neal Adams.

Two interdimensional sorcerors are having a mystic battle, but the power they directed at each other combined....then vanished.  That power drifted through dimensions. finding small time crook, "Sad" Jack Dold.  Being confronted by Wildcat during a robbery, Jack finds his powers (being those of persuasion and more), taking Wildcat to an arena to fight, and changing his name to "Happy" Jack, as he defeats Wildcat on camera.  Spectre happen to see the fight, and comes to try to remove the mystic might from Dold, but fails.  Spectre also has to help Ted Grant, demoralized by his defeat and feeling his age.  Spectre tries again, being able to remove the magic from Dold as Dold is using it, and Ted Grant finds new purpose, in training the next generation in the art of pugilism.

Spectre was here as a part of his 10 issue series, with Wildcat appearing between the 5th and 8th JLA/JSA stories.

Duel Between The Dual Atoms

Last but not least is a real atomic fight from Atom #36 (April-May, 1968) by Gardner Fox, Gil Kane and Sid Greene, as the Atoms fight (as shown so well on the Gil Kane cover).

Al Pratt is single, and set up on a date by his friends Bill and Betty Roberts.  But, meeting her, Al sees Marion as old...but, that's a sudden thing, as Betty suddenly aged as well.  A quick interruption by some criminals gives Al an excuse to go into action as Atom.  Capturing them, Atom finds out at the police station that women all around town have suddenly aged.  Atom decides to go to Earth-1 to see if this event has happened there.  On Earth-1, while Atom Ray Palmer is fighting thieves, they all stop....as they have all been de-aged about 10 years, losing their memories past that point as well.  Atom Al then appears, and helps him return to normal size, but Ray just wants to go meet his new girl, Jean Loring (who has been his fiancee for a decade).  Al takes Ray back to Earth-2, which restores Ray's age and memories, but makes him upset.  The two Atoms fight, with Ray activating Al's vibration device...but stopping it midway, putting them between dimensions.  They then return to Earth-1, where Ray's age devolves even further, including an appropriate memory loss.  Ray heads to Mount Ivy, seeing a new antenna set up, gets angry and smashes it.  This restores his age and memories.  Finding Al, the two go to Earth-2, finding a similar set up, and they take it out, restoring women to their younger selves around Calvin City.  Al goes on a new date with the restored Marion, as Ray meets with Jean.

Atom Al Pratt returns in the 6th JLA/JSA team-up.

Sadly, the second Crisis On Multiple Earths volume (with a Matt Wagner cover) is the last, but there were more team-ups of single JLA and JSA members (like a Flash/Spectre story and a Superman/Superman story) already covered....and more to come, as well as more JLA/JSA stories!

JLA JSA Super Spectacular

Probably one of the greatest covers of its time, Neal Adams drew the combined Justice League of America and Justice Society of America (as well as Robin, Vigilante and Johnny Quick) on the cover of DC 100-Page Super Spectacular #6 (1971)....and what an issue it was.

This issue reprinted some interesting stories, and here they are....featuring quite a few people on that cover.

Justice League of America #21 

First up is the "Crisis On Earth-One" from Justice League of America #21 (August, 1963) by Gardner Fox, Mike Sekowsky and Bernard Sachs, and historic cover by Mike Sekowsky and Murphy Anderson.  Important for so many reasons....the first meeting of the JLA (charter members Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Flash, Green Lantern and Martian Manhunter, plus Green Arrow and Atom) with the JSA (a representative team of Flash, Green Lantern, Dr. Fate, Hourman, Hawkman, Atom and Black Canary....a slightly different line-up from when Barry Allen Flash saved them from Vandal Savage).  It also featured the Crime Champions, villains from two worlds, from Earth-1: Felix Faust, Chronos and Dr. Alchemy, and the Wizard, the Fiddler and the Icicle from Earth-2).  This issue also was where the names of Earth-1 and Earth-2 came from...but so much happening, that it had to continue in the next issue...

Justice League of America #22

...that being Justice League of America #22 (September, 1963) by Gardner Fox, Mike Sekowsky and Bernard Sachs, with a cover by Murphy Anderson, and the second half of the story, with the "Crisis On Earth-Two".  To be fair, the reprint took out the summary first page, annoying, but as the two issues are together.  The teams of heroes had to work together to get out of their interdimensional prison where their foes put them, but, the heroes pulled it together, and even had time to make a joke about how they'll have to sum all this up for missing honorary JLAer, Snapper Carr!

These two team-ups were so popular, that the JLA/JSA team-ups became a regular thing for the next 19 summers, with an ever rotating cast of JSAers!

More Fun Comics #55

The two team-ups weren't the only issues reprinted in this Super Spectacular.  A tale where "The Spectre Meets Zor" from More Fun Comics #55 (May, 1940) by Jerry Siegel and Bernard Baily (with a Spectre cover by Bernard Baily) was next, where the ghostly guardian had to defend his girlfriend, Clarice Winston, from the supernatural menace of Zor!


The Spectre had many of his Golden Age tales reprinted, but this was one soon after his origin, so his full powers as a deadman had not been revealed as of yet, but readers were starting to realize how much power Jim Corrigan's alter ego had.

Adventure Comics #190

Next up is a fun tale of Johnny Quick, an at-the-time unaffiliated speeder from Adventure Comics #190 (July, 1953) where he had to be a "Stand-In For 100 Convicts", with the story by Don Cameron and Hy Mankin (though Superboy, not Johnny, was the cover star).  Johnny had to save 99 convicts who were thought to have escaped, but didn't.

Johnny Quick was all over More Fun Comics and Adventure Comics, with many reprints, and later, had been a member of the All-Star Squadron, thanks to some retroactive continuity from Roy Thomas in the 1980s.

Action Comics #146

Next up was a story of the Vigilante and his young sidekick, Stuff, where they faced the Fiddler (not the Crime Champion/Injustice Society member) from the story of "The Galleon In The Desert" from Action Comics #146 (July, 1950) by Joe Samachson and Dan Barry (with a non-Vigilante cover from the issue).  Vigilante and Stuff had to stop this villain from plundering a ship lost in the desert....

The Vigilante (a member of the Seven Soldiers of Victory) also had a few of his Golden Age solo tales reprinted, as did the members of his team.

Wildcat Story

The Wildcat story in this issue was something odd.  It was an unpublished Golden Age story, found by the industrious interns at DC Comics at the time, saved from destruction, and published as a treat to all fans of the Golden Age. 

This tale, where "Crime Wore A Costume" featured Wildcat facing off against his foe, the Golden Age Huntress, who had faced Wildcat many times in Sensation Comics, as well as joining the Injustice Society of the World.


If you are looking for tales of the Wildcat and where they were reprinted from the Golden Age, look here!

Brave and the Bold #36

Last, but not least, a story from the JLA member who wasn't on the team when the JLA and JSA first met, Hawkman, and the tale of the "Strange Spells Of The Sorcerer" from Brave and the Bold #36 (June-July, 1961) by Gardner Fox and Joe Kubert (who also did the cover of the issue, which featured the other story of the issue, Hawkman's first battle with the Shadow-Thief).

In this tale, Hawkman and Hawkgirl faced Konrad Kaslak, an amateur sorcerer who was quite capable enough to cause some mystical menaces for the Thanagarian Hawkman and Hawkgirl to face with their scientific prowess, all the while with the pair having to deal with Mavis Trent, and her intentions of breaking up the married super-hero couple, or at least their Earth identities of Carter and Shiera Hall, who worked at the Midway City Museum.

Along with a back cover that supplied a key to the heroes on the cover (but readers here know them all, right?), it provided a checklist of character debuts, all the heroes who had their own features from Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Robin and the Teen Titans, the Doom Patrol, Deadman, Eclipso, Metamorpho and the Metal Men, even Forgotten Heroes like Animal Man and Dolphin, to the most modern characters of Orion, Mr. Miracle and the Thorn!

Best of all, this whole issue was reprinted as the DC 100-Page Super Spectacular No. 6 Replica Edition in May, 2004...

...so you, too, can thrill to these exciting stories without having to break the bank!