They Put a Spell on You!

Although thrilling and action-packed, Buckler and Giordano's cover for All-Star Squadron 4 is somewhat flat and lackluster. Inexplicably showing the heroes fighting amongst themselves! In-fighting among the greatest heroes of all time! "A Battle You Never Expected!", reads a caption. "The Justice Society of America vs. the All-Star Squadron".

The question Roy Thomas, Rich Buckler and Len Wein address in this issue is this: with heavy hitters such as Superman, Dr. Fate, Green Lantern, Johnny Thunder and his Thunderbolt, The Spectre and Wonder Woman, why wasn't the war over before it even started? Captain America punched Hitler! Chewbacca punched Hitler!

The answer comes in the form of The Dragon King. He has arrived at a secret base in the South Pacific. Hitler has his Spear of Destiny, the legendary and fabled spear that pierced the Savior's side. Apparently, Tojo also has a mystical talisman: the Holy Grail! The jeweled stone cup that the Savior used at The Last Supper before the crucifixion. The power of those talisman holds great magic.

That magic is amplified in the hands of the Axis to warp the minds of the heroes so that they do not directly attack Germany and Japan! Which is a convenient plot device to explain why Superman doesn't just simply crush the Axis powers. Superheroes, like regular folk, fight side-by-side to overcome evil.

The art by Buckler and Ordway continues to shine. Gafford's colors are awesome as is the lettering by Costanza.

It's such a simple out to say that magic keeps the heavy hitters from crushing the Axis, yet it sets the tone and direction of the book. Characters like The Atom, Dr. Mid-Night, Johnny Quick, Liberty Belle and Robotman might be able to invade Europe or Asia, which would make for a dramatic, gripping adventure. The Big Guns maybe not so much.

All Star Squadron 4 earns four stars.    
 

Like Sands in an Hourglass...

Another outstanding cover! Buckler and Giordano capturing the All-Stars fighting Solomon Grundy, while Degaton stands by commanding!

This issue is all about dialogue. Degaton recaps everything that happened in the previous issue. It's fun to bask and enjoy his endless monologuing, while following the distinct voices of Wotan, Professor Zodiac, Grundy and The Shining Knight. The spouting between all of these characters is just a word soup. Then there's the slang of the other All-Stars mopping up the zombie Japanese Zeroes.

As the heroes manage to turn the tide, the bad guys start turning and feeding on each other. Wotan and Zodiac abandon Degaton to get their own revenge on their adversaries. Eventually, Grundy does the same. 

The action comes together somewhat smoothly. A casual remark means that Hawkman, Johnny Quick and Robotman were able to follow markers to catch up to the rest of the group. 

Zodiac's dropped vial conveniently falls on The Spectre, allowing him to free the rest of the captive heroes. Some details feel slightly rushed or maybe brushed over. However, Degaton's house of cards does come crumbling down rather quickly when it's clear his plan has fallen completely apart.

It's interesting that once everything is unraveled, everyone forgets Degaton. What all this amounts to is an explanation as to why the Justice Society and Golden-Age superheroes could not prevent that attack on Pearl Harbor. It's a very convenient plot device. Still, a fantastic launch to the All-Star Squadron. Standing firm as patriots and fighting for freedom. One of the reasons why colorful costumed heroes came about in the first place. To inspire.

All-Star Squadron 3 earns four stars. 

Hello, Exposition, My Old Friend... Or, He's Monologuing! The All-Star Squadron 2 Review!

 

Joe Kubert brings the Sgt. Rock, "Our Heroes at War" vibe with the cover to All-Star Squadron 2! A scene leaping from inside, shows Robotman, The Atom, Johnny Quick, Liberty Belle, Hakman and Plastic Man ripping apart one Japanese Zero from an aerial squadron over the ocean! 

Roy Thomas and Rich Buckler's story picks up from the next moment from the end of the previous issue. It is the morning of December 7th, 1941, "... a day that will live in infamy!" The historic Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. The Atom and Hawkman, founding members of the Justice Society are leaving FDR and the White House with Dr. Mid-Nite, Johnny Quick, Liberty Belle, Plastic Man and Robotman. They're being sent off to the West Coast to prevent further Japanese attacks.

This issue is actually jam-packed! 

Leaving the White House, the All-Stars come across looters taking advantage of the day's confusion and hysteria! Boom! Stopped!

On their flight west, Hawkman suggests that they reveal their identities to one another in order to build trust and camaraderie. Over the next four pages - one panel per hero - each one reveals the briefest of Secret Origins!

And then, Degaton monologues! He waxes egotistical and reveals his whole plan to Sir Justin and Danette Reilly!

The story is a veritable dump of information! Degaton catches everyone up on his many plots, leading to this current plan to divide and conquer! If he alone isn't a pure, devious genius, he's assembled a crew fitting and worthy: Grundy, Professor Zodiac, Sky Pirate and Wotan! Degaton even gets a Fact File page! This is Degaton's third attempt at world domination. 

Len Wein is to be complimented for guiding Roy Thomas, Rich Buckler and Jerry Ordway in how this issue and story unfurls. Carl Gafford provides brighter, more optimistic colors and John Costanza's lettering is less muddy and obscured. Still, newsprint is newsprint. There is an editorial page devoted to more detailed history.

While the exposition and monologuing could be a drawback, it doesn't really slow or bog down the story. It just adds to the drama and intensity. Your mileage may vary on that. There is a nationalism and patriotic vibe that seems quaint, dated and somewhat corny to modern post-Vietnam cynicism.

All Star Squadron 2 earns five stars.

Assembling the Squadron! All Star Squadron 1 Review

 

Rich Buckler's cover is just amazing. Dr. Mid-Nite, Hawkman, and The Atom pouring over photographs of Golden-Age Mystery Men. The cover question "Who Will Be the Heroes of the All-Star Squadron"? Pause for just a moment and consider... "mystery men" and "mystery women" actually posing for photographs, like Hollywood celebrities of the day! Between Hawkman and The Atom is a photograph of The Golden-Age Batman and Robin. These are not newspaper photographs. These are portraits. Posed portraits. In the foreground is a posed portrait of The Spectre. Now, granted, it is possible that a shutterbug might catch one of these colorful figures off-guard. All of the photos on the cover feature the heroes smiling at the camera. Even The Dynamic Duo seem to be caught in a pose, although whether they're smiling is hard to tell. This is going to be a fun book to read, simply because no matter what happens inside, no matter how serious, dramatic or Earth-shattering, the heroes will face it with a positive "can-do" attitude. These heroes will face the hard knocks and shrug each one off with a wink and a smile! These are not angsty, navel-gazing costumed vigilantes... except for Vigilante.

Roy Thomas' "The World on Fire!" opens with Hawkman returning to the Justice Society of America headquarters, where he runs afoul of - - Plastic Man!? A quick recap recounts Solomon Grundy overpowering The Flash, Green Lantern and Wonder Woman; Professor Zodiak capturing The World's Finest team of Batman and Robin along with Superman; Wotan capturing Dr. Fate and The Spectre; and Sky Pirate capturing Johnny Thunder and Thunderbolt along with The Sandman and Starman! Hawkman, Dr. Mid-Nite and The Atom faced and bested The Monster! On their way to Washington, Hawkman and Plastic Man encounter King Bee! They quickly best him and his winged henchman!

Elsewhere, Sir Justin, The Shining Knight and Danette Reilly are captured by Per Degaton and his crew!

All these events lead up to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.

At the White House, Hawkman and Plastic Man are joined by Robotman, The Atom, Dr. Mid-Nite, Johnny Quick and Liberty Belle! They are commissioned as The All-Star Squadron and head to San Francisco to head off saboteurs and ultimately stop Degaton!

Buckler and Ordway's art is just simply Golden-Age eye-candy. On newsprint, John Costanza's lettering is somewhat muddy and blurred. Carl Gafford's coloring is top-notch. Len Wein guides creators Roy Thomas and Buckler to a thrilling, enjoyable story.

The Greatest Generation saving the world earns five stars.

Revisionist History; Secret Origins 31, Starring The Justice Society of America Review

 

The Challenge for writer and fan Roy Thomas is putting an end to the Justice Society of America. With the landmark Crisis on Infinite Earths series, a single Earth, a single timeline and reality was written. Legend has it that some writers found it confining. I would argue that that may have been the case for Thomas and The Golden-Age portion of the DC Universe. All-Star Squadron was left without Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman and Green Arrow, and their associated, connecting characters. Power Girl had to be re-imagined. Robin and The Huntress were erased along with The Golden-Age versions of Batman and Catwoman. Fury had to be re-imagined. Green Arrow and Speedy were no longer members of the Seven Soldiers of Victory or Laws Legionnaires. The Justice Society was trapped in a Ragnarok loop to preserve the universe. All-Star Squadron came to an end and replaced with the Young All-Stars title. Infinity, Inc. may have come to a close around the same time as well. 

Roy Thomas re-imagines the origin of the Justice Society of America, post-Crisis. Michael Bair, Bob Downs and Carl Gafford handle the art, with Jean Simek lettering. Mark Waid edits.

The story is pretty much similar to DC Special 29, from 1977. Without Batman, The Flash and Green Lantern head off to Glasgow. Superman does not make an eleventh-hour save. The significant difference is that FDR is in fact killed by a Valkyrie. The Spectre goes into the afterlife to plead for his return to lead the country, nay, even the world through the second great war. That's really the centerpiece of the story. Jim Corrigan pleading for the life of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and the comparison to Moses that FDR did not survive into the "Promised Land".

What really comes out is that The Spectre and Dr. Fate could easily eliminate Hitler and the Nazi threat, just the two of them. Add Green Lantern, Hourman and possibly The Flash, and the Axis powers might be stopped in its tracks. Hawkman, The Atom and The Sandman are pretty good in hand-to-hand, or espionage agents. Unfortunately, fictional characters, comic book characters can't fix or solve real-world problems. They're stuck fitting into a reality. Which is an explanation for Hitler diverting from invading England. 

It's a great story. Thomas updates it well. Bair's art is thrilling, providing a number of individual character poses. The opening splash page appears somewhat weak, but the end page splash is pretty decent.

Over all, Secret Origins 31, featuring The Secret Origin of The Justice Society of America earns four stars.  

Our Heroes at War; DC Special 29, The Untold Origin of The Justice Society Review

Kudos to Paul Levitz. Thirty-seven years after their first appearance in All-Star Comics 3, Winter 1940, Levitz reveals the secret origin of comics' first superhero team. Their debut appearance was made up of dinner conversation. The team gathered and shared solo adventures. This origin story accomplishes a few things. Primarily, it explains why Hitler did not invade England during World War II. Secondly, it provides an action-packed origin story for the Justice Society, including Superman and Batman. This story takes place prior to Wonder Woman's debut, as well as a number of other Golden-Age heroes.

Levitz establishes that President Roosevelt attempts to keep his promise not to enter the war - unless of course the United States is attacked. That would occur almost a year after these events of November 1940. That's when Agent Smythe carrying an important message from Intrepid, Sir William Stephenson, imploring the Commander-in-Chief to aid the British against the Nazi Reich. FDR's solution is to use "Mystery Men", costumed superheroes - basically civilians - in covert operations.

Smythe contacts Batman, The Flash and Green Lantern and sends them off to Glasgow. Dr. Fate observes as the trio is captured and moved to Hitler's Berlin, where he is about to make an example of them. Fate and Hourman rush to the rescue. Fate also summons The Atom, Hawkman and Sandman. Ultimately, The Spectre and Superman make an appearance. The heroes end up fighting Valkyries. The Atom even saves FDR from a "fatal" Valkyrie blast. He quips that it's impossible to split The Atom. Little do he know...

Joe Staton, Bob Layton and Anthony Tollin pack the punch for Levitz's bombastic script. Bill Morse's lettering is superb - even in newsprint, which is finicky and fickle.

The opening and ending splash pages are a treat. This is definitely for Justice Society and die-hard comic-book-y fans. Readers that enjoy Dr. Fate, The Spectre and Superman fighting Valkyries and Nazis. It's definitely wonky.

As such, The Untold Origin of The Justice Society in DC Special 29 earns five stars.