Celebrating Artist Steve Leialoha

Celebrating the birthday of artist Steve Leialoha, born on this date (January 27, 1952).

Here, he covered two covers, the first crossover between the Justice League International and Suicide Squad, resolving a storyline of Batman being at war with Rick Flagg's Suicide Squad that had started in the Legends mini-series in Justice League International #13 (May, 1988) and Suicide Squad #13 (May, 1988).

Lobo Convention Special

With San Diego hosting their annual convention, here's to hoping all that are there are having a good time.

But, there was a time when the Main Man went down to the convention floor, and all hell broke loose!

First, though, a little history of dolphin loving Lobo!

Lobo's Origins

Lobo premiered in Omega Men #3 (June, 1983) by Roger Slifer, Keith Giffen and Mike DeCarlo, where he had been hired by the Citadel to capture Queen Kalista.  Appearing here and there in the series, Lobo helped the Omega Men defeat the Citadel.  Later, he returned in
Justice League International #18 (October, 1988), now working for the Cluster, and, through a series of mishaps, fighting Green Lantern Guy Gardner.

Joining L.E.G.I.O.N.

Spinning out of the Invasion! event, L.E.G.I.O.N. got its own title, and Lobo followed soon after.  He appeared first in L.E.G.I.O.N. '89 #3 (April, 1989), finding one of his precious space dolphins dead, he went to track the killer.  Lobo decided it was Garryn Bek, and, as he was about to kill him (and other team members like the Durlan), Vril Dox (the son of Brainiac)  made him an offer he couldn't refuse, leading to Lobo joining L.E.G.I.O.N. in L.E.G.I.O.N. '89 #5 (June, 1989), with Dox using Lobo's battle energy to convince Bek's disreputable police force to be the foundation of an intergalactic police patrol, taking down an interplanetary drug lord with an army of Lobos (as Lobo replicates when his blood is shed....)..

Mini-Series

After encounters with Superman and Mr. Miracle, Lobo had a few mini-series, specials and even an Annual.  His first 4 issue mini-series from 1990 by Keith Giffen, Alan Grant and Simon Bisley, had Lobo going after a person who wrote an unauthorized biography of the Last Czarnian (him).  A 1992 mini-series, Lobo's Back, finds Lobo dead, but neither heaven nor hell want him, so he gains an immortality.  After a few other specials, full of inappropriate violence and language (all proving popular), Lobo, "he who devours your entrails and enjoys it" finds himself in...

The Convention Special

The Lobo Convention Special #1 (September, 1993) was a give-away at the SDCC (and sold through comic shops across America), by Keith Giffen, Alan Grant and Kevin O'Neill.

Lobo, finding his copy of the Death of Superman messed up, wants to get a new one, and decides the best place to get a comic (and not be ripped off)  is the San Diego Comic Convention. 

Full of Lobo's unique brand of social commentary (along with plenty of violence...lots and lots of violence), he both succeeds and fails in his quest for the elusive deal on that issue, leaving plenty of carnage in his wake.

The success of his various mini-series, specials, guest appearances and L.E.G.I.O.N. membership lead to....

His Own Title

Lobo finally got his own regular title, with Lobo #1 (December, 1993), which lasted for 64 regular issues as well as a zero issue and one special 1 Millionth issue, ending in July, 1999.

Still somewhat offensive, but much more in a comedic vein, quite a bit of fun was had here, firmly implanting Lobo in the DC Universe, where he continues to be revived here and there (in places including R.E.B.E.L.S. and Young Justice to this day.

DC Invasion Crossovers Extra

Invasion aftermath...and a few extra secrets of the Invasion! as well.



Not every part of the Invasion! was covered in official crossovers, or its own 3 issues, and here are a few of the secret tales that filled in a few holes in Invasion!, and helped to place a few missing members of the DC Universe in one of its biggest events.

Suicide Squad and Titans

In Suicide Squad #23 (January, 1989 by John Ostrander, Kim Yale, Luke McDonnell and Karl Kesel), had Bronze Tiger, Vixen and Duchess facing the Warlords of Okaara and Thanagarians in Russia with the Rocket Red Brigade, Nemesis and Captain Boomerang fighting Khunds in Australia, and the introduction of computer guru Oracle (off-panel).  With New Titans #52 (January, 1989 by Marv Wolfman, George Perez and Bob McLeod), Speedy and Danny Chase were trying to find Titans to help in the Invasion! while the active members of the team (including Nightwing, Cyborg, Starfire, Jericho, Changling and Raven) were in space, finding out the history of Donna Troy/Wonder Girl.

Hawk and Dove and Power Company?

One of those Titans still on Earth, was the original Hawk (Hank Hall), and he participated in the Invasion! with his new partner, the new female Dove as seen in Hawk and Dove #1 (June, 1989 by Barbara and Karl Kesel, Greg Guler and Scott Hanna), filling in a little of their cameo in Invasion! #2.  Metropolis lawyer, Josiah Power, who would form the Power Company, got his powers from his metagene triggered by the gene-bomb detonated in Invasion!, and there were a few flashbacks to that time in Power Company Josiah Power #1 (March, 2002, by Kurt Busiek, Keith Giffen and Al Milgrom).

First Strike Aftermath

You may have noticed on the crossovers in the previous two articles that the crossovers were labeled either "First Strike" or "Aftermath".  For reading order, you read the First Strike issues between Invasion! #1 and #2, and the Aftermath issues between Invasion! #2 and #3, with reading the title crossovers with Flash first, then Manhunter; Superman first, then Adventures of Superman; Wonder Woman before Captain Atom; Firestorm the Nuclear Man before Starman; with Suicide Squad and Hawk & Dove happening between Invasion! #2 and #3, and New Titans and Power Company Josiah Power dealing with the Invasion! in general (but more or less around/before Invasion! #2).  

Atom and Superman

After the Invasion!, Atom (Ray Palmer) declined to rejoin the Justice League in Power of the Atom #9 (February, 1989 by Roger Stern, Graham Nolan and Keith Wilson) even as the team's membership was swelling (mostly as he didn't like Guy Gardner).  Superman had held to his promise and left Earth, with stories starting a lengthy outer space adventure, starting with Superman #28 (February, 1989 by Roger Stern, Kerry Gammill and Brett Breeding) and Adventures of Superman #451 (February, 1989 by Jerry Ordway).

Action Comics Weekly

Where was the crossover for one of DC's oldest titles, Action Comics?  Well, from May 24th, 1988 to March 14th, 1989, it was Action Comics Weekly, featuring short tales in serial form, featuring Superman and other members of the DC Universe.  The characters in ACW weren't left out of Invasion!, as Green Lantern, Black Canary, the Demon, Phantom Stranger, Deadman and Speedy were in various of the crossover issues....and Wild Dog even had a cameo in a panel in Invasion! #2!

L.E.G.I.O.N. and Justice League Europe

In the wake of widening of the DC Universe, there were a few new titles added to the line up, coming from Invasion!.  Starting with L.E.G.I.O.N. '89 # 1 (February, 1989 by Keith Giffen, Alan Grant, Barry Kitson and Mike DeCarlo), following the adventures of some of the aliens we met during Invasion! including Coluan Vril Dox, rock hard Dryadian Strata, mystery alien Stealth, Cairn police Garryn Bek, "the Durlan" and Talok VIII planetary champion Lyrissa Mallor (and, following their adventures showed ties to Brainiac, and later, the 30th Century Legion of Super Heroes!).  The JLI formed a European branch (rolling out from Justice League International #24) in Justice League Europe #1 (April, 1989 by Keith Giffen, J. M. DeMatteis, Bart Sears and Pablo Marcos), with new (or rejoining) members of Elongated Man, Rocket Red, Wonder Woman, Animal Man, Flash (Wally West), Metamorpho and Power Girl under the leadership of Captain Atom (who had strained his relationship with the rest of the JLI due to his history).

Even Snapper Carr (an honorary JLAer from the team's first appearance, who got powers in Invasion! #1), and a group of humans who also got powers (Dexter Fairfax, Moshe Levy/Dust Devil, Mrs. Levy, Amos Monroe/Crackpot, Fritz Klein/Frag, Carlotta Rivera/Jolt, and added cat alien, Churl Jenkins were the group called the Blasters, got a one-shot special, the Blasters Special #1 (1989) by Peter David, James Fry and Robert Campanella.  Their outer space adventures continued in the Valor title, and Snapper later reappeared in Hourman in the early 21st Century (eventually relating the fate of the Blasters).

Better still, the Suicide Squad story was recently reprinted in Suicide Squad: Rogues in 2016, the New Titans story reprinted in New Titans: Who Is Donna Troy tradepaperback of 2005 , and Justice League Europe #1 can be found in Justice League International tradepaperback #5 of 2011, so it should be easy to find these stories, along with the tales around them to add more meaning!

DC Invasion Crossovers Part 2

Invasion! was a three issue limited series by DC Comics in the later 1980s that crossed over with many of its titles.


Already covered some of them last time, here's the rest of the bannered crossovers of the time.

Firestorm

Firestorm was, at this time, a hero with his own mind, coming from the merging of Ronnie Raymond and Mikhail Arkadin (Martin Stein was not known to be part of the matrix at this time).  In Firestorm The Nuclear Man #80 (1988 by Robert Greenberger, Tom Grindberg and Sam DeLaRosa), Firestorm was recruited (along with his similarly nuclear powered friend, Firehawk) and Power Girl to battle Khunds (freeing Starman along the way), and the lot work to free America's first spaceman, Adam Strange (which happens in Starman #5).  In Firestorm The Nuclear Man #81 (January, 1989, by John Ostrander, Tom Grindberg, Arne Starr and Sam DeLaRosa), Firestorm returns to his normal life, but ends up reforming in Russia to help hero group Soyuz (young Russian heroes with mutant powers) fight Stalnoivok (a villain of extreme strength, who has gone mad battling aliens).

Atom

Ray Palmer was fighting his time traveling foe, Chronos, when the Invasion! hit.  The shrinking hero formed an alliance with Chronos in Power of the Atom #7 (Holiday, 1988, by Roger Stern, Graham Nolan and Keith Stan Wilson). freeing humans trapped by the Khunds. In Power Of The Atom #8 (January, 1989,  by Stern, Nolan and Wilson), Atom checks on the world's repair efforts (meeting Green Lantern along the way), finds that Chronos ended their truce by killing a Thanagarian Wingman (Ray thinking for a second it might be his friend, Hawkman), and goes to confront his foe as something bad happens for Earth (resolved in Invasion! #3).

New Guardians

The New Guardians were heroes that came out of the last DC crossover, Millennium, and were a group of heroes (Ram, Gloss, Floro, Extrano, Harbinger and not pictured, Jet) who, working with former Green Lanterns Arisia and Kilowog, faced the Warlords of Okaara in New Guardians #6 (Holiday, 1988 by Cary Bates, Joe Staton and Mark Farmer) with fatal results for a member of the team.  In New Guardians #7 (February, 1989 by Bates, Staton and Farmer), the team splits up to deal with the loss, and team sorceror, Extrano, gains a crystal skull to focus his power.

Doom Patrol

A later incarnation of the Doom Patrol, with original members Robotman and the Chief, and newer members temperature controlling Celsius, Negative Woman (similar powers to Negative Man), energy blasting Tempest, magnetic Lodestone and fiery Scott Fischer work with alien foe of the Patrol, Garguax (who was not invited into the Alien Alliance) against the Gil'Dishpan, to save Atlantis (along with help from Aquaman, Aqualad and the Sea Devils) in Doom Patrol #17 (1988 by Paul Kupperberg, Graham Nolan and Timothy Dzon), with the team losing a new member.  In Doom Patrol #18 (January, 1989, by Kupperberg, Nolan and Dzon), the team deals with the loss, as former Negative Man Larry Trainor is injured in a crash, and Negative Woman Valentina Volstok loses her powers, as the rest of the team gathers for the funeral for their fallen comrade (and leads into Invasion! #3, where another new member also perishes).

Batman and Spectre

Batman was recruited to battle Thanagarians, Durlans and Khunds in Cuba by Maxwell Lord in Detective Comics #595 (1988, by Alan Grant, John Wagner, Irv Novick and Steve Mitchell), and the Spectre kept the supernatural members of the DCU (Madame Xanadu, Deadman, Demon, Dr. Fate, Phantom Stranger, Tala and Zatanna) out of the conflict (with one exception, as seen in Invasion! #2), in Spectre #23 (Holiday, 1988 by Doug Moench and Chris Wozniak).

Superman

Superman had his two issues after Invasion! #2, the Aftermath issues, starting with Superman #27 (January, 1989 by Roger Stern, Kerry Gammill and Brett Breeding) with an exhausted Clark Kent (Superman), getting some rest, while Gangbuster goes to attack Luthor (who is protected by Brainiac, though not that well, as Brainiac went into a coma trying to read Gangbuster's mind), then Gangbuster is confronted by the Guardian, who finds out that Gangbuster is.... next in Adventures of Superman #450 (January, 1989), revealing who this Gangbuster really is, and leading Superman to decide that it is too dangerous for him to stay on Earth (and we also see the prototype Supergirl, Matrix, with the Kents in this issue).  Superman prepares to leave Earth (but events lead him back for Invasion! #3).

Justice League International

The current Justice League is pretty busy fighting Khunds with Wonder Woman, so Mr. Miracle's assistant, Oberon and future hero, Booster Gold, are left to defend their HQ in  Justice League International #22 (1988, by Keith Giffen, J. M. DeMatteis, Kevin Maquire and Josef Rubinstein) from miniaturized Khunds.  The team regathers in Invasion! #2, plus many other heroes, and in Justice League International #23 (January, 1989 by Giffen, DeMatties, Maquire and Rubinstein), sees the gathering of the Injustice League (Big Sir, Cluemaster, Major Disaster, Multi-Man and Clock King, and the not pictured Mighty Bruce) form to raid a Khund ship, with disastrous results (for the Injustice League), facing Guy Gardner (then, onto Invasion! #3, and meeting more heroes).

The invasion had ended, and the pieces needed to be picked up....and they were in Justice League International #24 (February, 1989), with an expansion of the current JLI of Blue Beetle, Fire, Guy Gardner, Ice, Batman, Mr. Miracle, Captain Atom, Rocket Red, Booster Gold and Martian Manhunter), into a new team with Elongated Man, Wonder Woman, Power Girl, Animal Man, Metamorpho and Flash (Wally West) (and Hawkman and Hawkwoman leaving).....with more on that to follow, and of these stories, only the Justice League Internationals have been collected so far (#22 in their 3rd TPB, and #23 and #24 in their 4th)!

But, wait!  There is more!