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[Spike Spiegel]

Finished!

This week marks a milestone of sorts for DC Comics, as its flagship super-team comic series JLA celebrates its 100th issue. Here now, is a brief overview of the stories and events that have shaped and defined this newest iteration of DC’s most illustrious collection of superheroes, along with a linked cover gallery (images provided by Mile High Comics, where all of these issues of JLA are available in single and TPB format).

Enjoy!

(You’d damn well better, it took a long time to write this…)

#001 – “New World Order,” part 1 of 4. A group of alien superbeings called the Hyperclan lands on the White House lawn and, in a message broadcast across the globe, declares themselves the Earth’s protectors. Setting out on their mission of peace and salvation, they traverse the globe righting wrongs and in just a few short days solve problems that have plagued mankind for centuries. But a sinister agenda lurks behind this group’s altruistic demeanor, and these benevolent new heroes aren’t quite what they seem. And when the Justice League and their satellite HQ are mysteriously destroyed, it’s up to a new JLA comprised of Earth’s mightiest heroes – Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Martian Manhunter, Green Lantern, and Aquaman – to uncover the Hyperclan’s terrible secret in time. Grant Morrison and Howard Porter usher in a new era in the story of DC’s ultimate team of superheroes.

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#005 – “Woman of Tomorrow.” The new JLA’s search for more members ends when Tomorrow Woman, a powerful new heroine of unknown origins, bursts onto the scene. But little do her teammates know, that this strange new heroine was born from the minds of two of the JLA’s greatest foes, and her true mission is the League’s demise! But will Tomorrow Woman follow her masters’ plan, or has her time with the JLA caused her to learn the true meaning of a hero?

#006 – “Heaven on Earth,” part 1 of 2. The JLA stares down the barrel of a biblical apocalypse when a renegade angel who knows too much escapes to Earth and brings the armies of Heaven down upon the planet. Knowing an opportunity when he sees one, the demon lord Neron takes advantage of the situation to create chaos with a plan to send the moon crashing into the Earth! To win the day, the League will have to stand their ground against Heaven’s finest warriors, and Superman will have to push his new energy powers to the limit to keep the moon in orbit, and renegade angel Zauriel will have to abandon his past.

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#008 – “Under Lock and Key,” part 1 of 2. Returning to the new Watchtower after their battle against the armies of Heaven, an exhausted and unsuspecting JLA falls into a trap set by their old foe the Key! As each Leaguer lies unconscious, snared in a strange VR fantasy world that’s quite different from reality, the Key siphons off their mental energy to augment his powers and make himself invincible. The League’s only hope of rescue is its newest member, Green Arrow… But this isn’t the original Green Arrow – it’s his son, Connor Hawke – and this new hero may not be up to the challenge.

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#010 – “Rock of Ages,” part 1 of 6. When Lex Luthor assembles a team of the world’s most diabolical villains, his goal is clear – the destruction of Superman and the JLA! Armed with his new Injustice Gang, a mysterious stone of unbelievable power, and tactics learned in the business world, Luthor begins a “hostile takeover” dismantling of the League. But when the New God called Metron sends Green Lantern, Flash, and Aquaman hurtling through time on a fool’s errand, they discover that in stopping Luthor in the past, their teammates have doomed Earth to a future where Darkseid reigns supreme! Can these time-stranded heroes find a way to return to the present in time to prevent Superman from destroying the Rock of Ages, or has history already doomed their mission to failure? And even if they do manage to save the day, does the League still have a future?

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#016 – “Prometheus Unbound,” part 1 of 2. To commemorate the success of the JLA’s recent restructuring and reorganization efforts, the team invites a gathering of media personalities to the Watchtower for a “meet ‘n greet” with the team’s new roster (which now includes Zauriel, Plastic Man, Steel, Huntress, and Oracle). But a new hero invited to join the League as a publicity stunt for a day isn’t a hero at all – in fact, he’s the JLA’s newest and deadliest foe! Calling himself Prometheus, this bold new villain has all the powers, skills, technology, and knowledge he needs to take down every member of the JLA. It seems he’s thought of everything… or has he? It seems Prometheus isn’t the only uninvited guest… Plus, the New Genesis heroes Orion and Big Barda arrive on the scene, bringing with them warnings of rough times to come.

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#018 – “The Strange Case of Dr. Julian September,” part 1 of 2. When a brilliant scientist crafts a device that can alter laws of probability, occurrences that were once considered chance and remote become all too common, throwing the planet into chaos. Even worse, events recorded in history as fact start to change according to other possible outcomes, retroactively altering the world and causing places, people, even JLA members, to vanish! What’s left of the League, along with superhero/scientist the Atom, will have to find a way to restore order to the universe before fate and chance take a serious turn for the worse. Written by guest writer Mark Waid.

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#020 – “Mystery in Space,” part 1 of 2. Abducted from the Watchtower, the JLA is teleported to a far-away planet and enslaved by alien conquerors led by none other than the star-traveling hero Adam Strange! What could possibly cause a hero to turn on his allies, forcing them to aid in the construction of some nefarious device? What else, but love… in this case, Strange’s love for his wife Alanna, who died long ago. To end their captivity, the League must overthrow their captors and thwart the aliens’ plans for destruction, even if it means battling their old ally. But Strange isn’t quite as mad as he seems, and there’s more to this story than what the JLA’s been told. Written by guest writer Mark Waid.

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#022 – “Return of the Conqueror,” part 1 of 2. Across North America, people are falling into a mysterious, deep sleep from which there is no escape. A storm is brewing, and an ominous presence from the stars threatens to enslave the Earth and its inhabitants. While the rest of the JLA searches for this shadowy extraterrestrial menace and a means to destroy it, it’s up to Superman, Wonder Woman, and Green Lantern to accompany the Sandman into the Dreamworld. Once there, they must seek out a young boy, the last beacon of hope and resistance, and keep him from falling under the spell of the terrible menace known as… Starro!

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#024 – “Executive Action,” part 1 of 3. Overwhelmed by the rapid emergence of more and more metahumans, the US government authorizes the formation of the Ultramarine Corps, a military supergroup tasked with protecting America’s interests at home and abroad. But when the project’s supervisor General Eiling orders his team to take down the Justice League for crimes of treason, it soon becomes apparent the only interests he’s serving are his own! While the JLA struggles to defend themselves against the Ultramarines and the US Army, Eiling enacts his plan to take over America using recent tensions and phony attacks to declare martial law and stage a coup. Even if the League manages to thwart Eiling’s plan, will they be able to bring him to justice now that he’s transplanted his mind into the body of the Shaggy Man, a villain so powerful that the JLA could never defeat him?

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#027 – “The Bigger They Come…” Amazo, the incredible android with the combined powers of the entire JLA, is back and badder than ever! To stop this overpowering menace, Superman calls upon every living member of the Justice League, past and present, but that act soon proves to be a costly mistake. As each new hero arrives on the scene, their abilities are quickly replicated by Amazo, further augmenting his power and making him even more unstoppable. How can the JLA possibly defeat this menace? Salvation can sometimes come in the unlikeliest (and smallest) of forms, and the greatest weapon a hero can wield is often the one between his ears… Written by guest writer Mark Millar.

Continued…

 

[Spike Spiegel]

#028 – “Crisis Times Five,” part 1 of 4. When two godlike beings from the 5th Dimension make the 3rd Dimension and Earth their battleground, the laws of reality are torn asunder and the planet erupts into chaos! The JLA tries their hardest to restore order and end the battle on the side of good, but they’re no match for a villain powerful enough to incapacitate even the Spectre. And to make matters worse, a long-forgotten hero named Triumph takes advantage of the chaos by invading the Watchtower and staking his claim as leader of a new Justice League! Facing overwhelming odds and threats coming on multiple fronts, to whom can the JLA turn for assistance? This sounds like a job for… the Justice Society!

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#032 – “Inside Job.” While Huntress patrols the ruined streets of Gotham in the wake a devastating earthquake and the “No Man’s Land” edict, Superman and the JLA investigate a sinister plot to turn the isolated city into a testing ground for a genetically engineered nanovirus. The United States may have written Gotham off and declared the area off-limits, but the Justice League cannot stand idly by while its citizens are infected and enslaved. Written by guest writer Mark Waid.

#033 – “Altered Egos.” After sending Superman and Wonder Woman to Keystone City to locate an unresponsive Flash and seek his aid in a secret task, Batman orders the rest of the JLA to travel to the French Riviera for a mission requiring stealth and subtlety. Their objective is the retrieval of a dangerous fugitive that Batman believes is responsible for the recent earthquake that destroyed Gotham. And who is this fugitive, you ask? None other than billionaire playboy, Bruce Wayne! But wait… knowing what we know about Batman’s true identity, how can this be? I guess there’s more to this situation than meets the eye… Written by guest writer Mark Waid.

#034 – “The Ant and the Avalanche.” A riot breaks out at the Belle Reve prison for supercriminals, and the JLA is left scrambling to subdue the rioters, locate the source of the disturbance, and retrieve Green Lantern’s stolen power ring from the inmate who took it, before more damage is dealt and more lives lost. But as the League begins to restore order at the prison, Orion returns from New Genesis with Mr. Miracle in tow, bringing grave news of impending doom with them. Sinister forces are at work on Earth and in space, events have already been set into motion, and soon the JLA will come face-to-face with the greatest threat that the universe has ever known.

#035 – “The Guilty.” Hal Jordan, former Green Lantern and ex- JLA member, a man who nearly destroyed the universe as the villain Parallax, has been given a second chance at redemption by “the powers that be.” In his new guise as the Spectre, the all-powerful embodiment of God’s wrath, Hal has been given the task of watching over humanity and meting out punishment to those with evil in their hearts. Such a task would weigh heavily upon the mind of any man, but for one as tortured and conflicted as Hal, is it too much to bear? Seeking help in understanding and dealing with his new purpose, Hal calls upon his former allies in the JLA. But will the darkness that exists in their hearts, even in the heart of Superman, cause him to bring God’s wrath down upon them? Written by guest writer J.M. DeMatteis.

#036 – “World War Three,” part 1 of 6. After months of building tension, ominous premonitions, and gathering darkness, the moment of truth has finally come… the greatest threat the universe has ever faced is here! Called Mageddon, this living cosmic weapon is a relic from the time of the Old Gods, a doomsday device spreading anger and conflict in advance of its arrival. Its size is tremendous, and its power dwarfs the mightiest heroes in the galaxy combined. Riots, violence, looting, global warfare, the re-emergence of Lex Luthor’s Injustice Gang… these dangers are but a fraction of the threat posed to the universe by Mageddon. If the JLA hope to have even a slim chance of saving all that is, they’ll have to call upon every resource and potential ally available. Every superhero on Earth, the godlike heroes of New Genesis, a gathering of angels from Heaven itself, and even the “armies of man” will be asked to serve in the battle to stop Mageddon from carrying out its purpose. Can the Justice League keep it together long enough to prevent cosmic armageddon? “World War Three” is the final JLA story written by Grant Morrison, and boy oh boy is it ever a doozy.

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#042 – “Half a Mind to Save the World.” Brain surgery on a terminally ill young patient becomes a great deal more complicated when JLA reservist the Atom discovers an advanced civilization of sentient micro-beings living off the boy’s brain matter. Hoping to find a solution that preserves the tiny world while still saving the young boy’s life, Atom enlists the help of the JLA and uses his powers to shrink them all to microscopic size. With time running out, can the Justice League save these micro-beings before the surgeon’s laser burns their world to ash? Or is their race doomed to extinction by its arrogance, ignorance, and distrust of the strange and colorful visitors bearing tidings of doom? Written by guest writer Dan Curtis Johnson.

#043 – “Tower of Babel,” part 1 of 4. To keep the JLA from interfering in his latest scheme of global conquest and genocide, immortal criminal mastermind R’as Al Ghul has concocted an ingenious plan to cripple the League. One by one, Earth’s mightiest heroes are taken down and rendered inactive with ruthless efficiency, using devices and schemes custom tailored to exploit their weaknesses and turn their own powers against them. As the decimated JLA struggles against their fate, they are stunned by a horrifying revelation – the knowledge and plans that R’as Al Ghul used to incapacitate them, to destroy and humiliate them in manner most heinous, were stolen from one of their own… Batman. As a weakened League tries to thwart R’as Al Ghul’s scheme to steal language and use the resulting chaos as cover for the release of a deadly virus, they struggle to cope with Batman’s betrayal. For years they fought beside him, risked life and limb to protect him, relied on him to watch their backs, shared private and personal secrets with him, and above all trusted him. And in return he abused that trust, as he secretly studied them, scrutinized their every strength and weakness, and concocted ways to neutralize them should they ever become a threat. Can the Justice League still trust Batman and, if not, does he still deserve a spot on the team? Mark Waid’s inaugural story as regular series writer stands as one of the best Batman/JLA stories of the modern era.

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#047 – “Queen of Fables,” part 1 of 3. When an evil sorceress queen is released from the fairy-tale book that imprisoned her for centuries, childhood fantasy becomes horrifying reality as the gruesome witches, goblins, and demons of Grimms’ stories come to life and terrorize the world! As soon as the JLA moves into action against this new danger, they discover that their powers are largely ineffective against these fictional creatures, and the team is overwhelmed by the chaos and carnage. But destruction isn’t the only thing on the evil queen’s mind; she wants revenge against the world that forgot her, and against the one she believes to be “the fairest in the land” – and in our modern world, that’s the JLA’s own Wonder Woman! With their powers useless and one of their own facing a fairy-tale oblivion, the Justice League will need help if they are to save the world… and that help comes from an unlikely source: the exiled JLA member, Batman. Can the JLA trust the Dark Knight long enough to find a solution and save the Earth?

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#050 – “Dream Team.” The new JLA faces perhaps its greatest crisis to date, as increased friction between its members threatens to tear the team apart forever. Batman’s shocking betrayal and subsequent exile weeks ago has put the League on edge, and suspicion and doubt has turned the team against itself. Now, this lack of trust has begun to put the world in jeopardy, as evidenced by the JLA’s recent battle against Dr. Destiny. Dueling egos and tension distracted each member of the League until it was nearly too late, and even though they were able to pull together long enough to defeat the villain, their bickering resumed moments after the day was saved. As Superman relates to Batman this latest incident as indicative of a larger problem, the two heroes and friends come to realize that there may be only one way to reestablish trust within the JLA ranks. In a historic moment, the League is summoned to the Batcave by the Man of Steel and the Dark Knight… to find Clark Kent and Bruce Wayne waiting for them! The masks have come off, and the revelation of the greatest secrets these heroes held – their true identities – succeeds in bringing a newfound level of trust and respect to the team, culminating in Batman’s return to the JLA. But the celebrations come to an abrupt end when the Batmobile roars into the cave, and Batman emerges from the vehicle to stand face-to-face with his alter ego, Bruce Wayne…

Continued...

 

[Spike Spiegel]

#051 – “Divided We Fall,” part 1 of 4. Strange events are taking place; across the planet, people’s most ardent wishes are mysteriously being granted, sometimes with disastrous consequences. A homeless man wants desperately to be noticed by the world that ignored him for so long, and is transformed into a godlike colossus seeking to subjugate the Earth to his will. A mourning little boy, hoping to mend his broken family, prays for his father’s return; as a result his father – the fallen hero Metamorpho – rises from his grave to menace the West Coast as a shapeshifting, zombie monstrosity. With each new incident, the JLA responds to control and halt the damage, but the League itself is no longer what it once was. An unknown force has split each member of the JLA, with the exceptions of Wonder Woman and Aquaman, into two separate beings: the costumed superhero, and the ordinary civilian alter ego. Believing a connection exists between the recent wish-granting incidents and their own altered state, the League investigates to uncover the alien forces at work, while their civilian halves struggle to adjust to their newfound life of normalcy. But without their humanity, can the costumed heroes still function for the good of the Earth? And can their now-normal alter egos exist in society without succumbing to its ills? Unless they find a way to join together, this divided Justice League will fall, and the Earth shall suffer.

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#055 – “Terror Incognita,” part 1 of 4. After their last battle with the JLA, the villainous White Martians were scattered across the globe under the guise of normal human beings, with no memory of their true nature or powers thanks to the Martian Manhunter’s brainwashing. But J’onn’s subconscious desire for Martian companionship has secretly freed them from captivity, and the White Martians are out for revenge! For months they’ve managed to keep their freedom a secret, using that time to harvest the brains of the world’s psychics to augment their own telepathic powers, and altering Earth’s oxygen so that combustion is no longer possible. And now, with their plans discovered nearly too late, the White Martians attack the planet once more, starting with heroes who imprisoned them. Can the JLA stop a small army of superstrong, shapeshifting, telepathic aliens, when the most effective weapon at their disposal – fire – has been denied them?

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#059 – “Bipolar Disorder.” Everyone knows that Batman is the strategic mind of the JLA. But when a Joker-virus infected Dr. Polaris threatens to destabilize the Earth’s electromagnetic field and tilt the world off its axis, Green Lantern decides that he’s calling the shots this time, citing his past experience with this particular foe. Batman grudgingly steps aside and allows the younger hero to take charge, if for no other reason than to seem like a team player. Unfortunately, Kyle’s never been much of a strategist, and with this case his leadership – or lack thereof – could prove costly. Written by guest writers Chuck Dixon and Scott Beatty.

#060 – “Merry Christmas, Justice League… Now Die!” It’s the holiday season once again, and yes, that means it’s time for another saccharine, pointless Christmas story. In this insipid Yuletide tale, Plastic Man keeps a family and their young son company on Christmas Eve, while the rest of the League battles a low-level supervillain nearby. Tucking the little boy into bed for the night, Plas keeps the kid occupied with a tale of how Santa Claus himself came to be an official member of the JLA. This is Mark Waid’s final issue as regular series writer for JLA, and a thoroughly weak note to go out on.

#061 – “Two Minute Warning.” When the alert beacon sounds, every available member of the JLA drops what he or she is doing to answer the call to action. But what are they doing, in the moments before that call to duty comes? In this story, readers are given a glimpse into the personal and private lives of each member of the Justice League, seeing how membership affects their lives and how their personalities dictate their working relationships with each other as they save the world from the villain du jour. With their first issue as the new regular creative team, writer Joe Kelly and artist Doug Mahnke serve up what could be the best standalone issue of the entire JLA series, and set a decidedly different tone for their run than from what has come before.

#062 – “Golden Perfect,” part 1 of 3. A young woman comes to the JLA, desperately seeking their help. Her son has been kidnapped and taken back to their home country of Jarhanpur, for a lifetime of hardship and servitude under the nation’s leader, Rama Khan. Using her unbreakable Lasso of Truth to verify the woman’s account, and believing strongly – even moreso after the recent death of her mother Hippolyta – that parent and child should not be separated, Wonder Woman convinces the JLA to intervene and return the boy to his mother. But when they arrive on the scene, the League finds that Jarhanpur is a paradise free of society’s evils, and Rama Khan is a benevolent ruler who wields tremendous earth-based powers in the nation’s defense. And when they learn that the boy they came to rescue is actually destined to be the next Rama Khan, they realize they’ve made a mistake. But Wonder Woman refuses to believe Rama Khan’s words and, hoping to show him the error of his ways, she snares him in her Lasso of Truth… only to find that Rama Khan is telling the truth. And when Wonder Woman doubts the lasso’s power, it breaks, setting into motion events that will unravel truth itself and put the world at jeopardy. Now only Wonder Woman can restore order, but to do so the JLA must first help her discover where she went wrong.

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#065 – “Bouncing Baby Boy.” Plastic Man has a problem, but it’s the kind of problem he doesn’t want his friends in the JLA to know about. So he turns to the one man on the team that he knows can keep his mouth shut, and that’s the master of secrets a.k.a. the Batman. It seems that one of Plastic Man’s ex-girlfriends (a stripper, no less!) has a teenage son who’s fallen in with a rough crowd, and she’s asked him to set the kid straight. All Batman has to do is help Plas find the kid, scare him straight, and make sure he stays away from the gang lifestyle before it’s too late to turn back. Sounds pretty straightforward, right? Of course it does… that is, until the teenager’s shapeshifting, stretching abilities reveal his father’s identity.

#066 – “The Destroyers,” part 1 of 2. For weeks Kyle Rayner, better known to the world as the Green Lantern, has endured restless dreams filled with ominous warnings and strange visions of a great black bird. But weird nightmares quickly become the least of Green Lantern’s worries, when he and the Flash investigate a freakish downpour that drops aquatic life miles inland and are savagely attacked by a pair of time-traveling strangers from Earth’s ancient past. When these two powerful villains – one a silent Aztek warrior clad in bronze armor, and the other a powerful Native American shaman – next unleash mayhem at a packed amusement park, the JLA springs into action and after a heated battle manages to force the pair into retreat. Giving chase, the League is led over the ocean’s waters to the Atlantic Trench, where a startling discovery awaits them…

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#068 – “Stillborn Atlantis.” Months ago, during the star-spanning events chronicled in “Our Worlds at War,” JLA member and Atlantean king Aquaman engaged in a fierce battle with a powerful Imperiex drone sent to destroy the underwater kingdom of Atlantis. When the proverbial dust settled, Atlantis had been wiped off the face of the Earth, and Aquaman had seemingly sacrificed his life to save the planet… or so it had seemed. But when Atlantis magically reappears, above the ocean’s waters and in decaying ruin, the JLA discovers that Aquaman and his kingdom had actually been transported 3000 years into the past, to the same era from which the League’s two mysterious attackers originate, by a spell cast to prevent Atlantis’s destruction. Now, to recover their lost comrade and save his people, the JLA will follow the strange Azteck and Indian warriors through time, to Earth’s brutal and savage past. Little do they know that, in doing so, they go to face their destiny…

Continued...

 

[Spike Spiegel]

#069 – “The Obsidian Age,” part 1 of 7. Hoping to save their comrade Aquaman and the people of Atlantis, the Justice League traveled thousands of years into the past, to an ancient and savage time at the dawn of civilization. There, the JLA found Aquaman’s people enslaved by their forebears, and forced to build a foundation upon which a dry Atlantis could forever sit above the water. These terrestrial Atlantean ancestors were ruled over by Gamemnae, a blond-haired sorceress of unimaginable power, a woman who hoped to prevent the watery fate for Atlantis she had foreseen in her visions. To free Aquaman and his people, the JLA did battle with Gamemnae and her allies, an Ancient League of metahumans gathered from across the early world. The Justice League fought bravely… and died with honor. Now, in the present, a new JLA handpicked by Batman in case of emergencies must pick up the pieces and become Earth’s protectors. This diverse new team of heroes – led by Nightwing and consisting of Hawkgirl, Green Arrow, Atom, Firestorm, Jason Blood, Major Disaster, and newcomer Faith – must now put aside their differences and work together for the good of humanity. Yet even as they seek to honor the memory of their fallen predecessors by carrying on their work, this new League searches for a way to save the old JLA from its certain death 3000 years ago. To do that, they’ll have to unlock the secrets of the past, and thwart an ancient menace that has lain dormant in the ruins of Atlantis for millenia, waiting for its chance to strike at the Earth as the sands of time shifted.

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#076 – “Picking Up the Pieces.” In the JLA’s fatal battle with the Ancient League thousands of years into the past, Plastic Man was turned to stone and then shattered into thousands of pieces. Over the next 3000 years, his petrified body was ground to dust by the elements, and then scattered across the globe by the 4 winds until his resurrected teammates were able to collect the pieces in the present day. Surprisingly, the League finds that Plastic Man survived his stone prison, and in fact had remained alive and conscious the whole time, his essence trapped in the pieces of his body. For 3000 years, Plastic Man was alone… that’s a lot of time to be alone with nothing but your thoughts, and Plas has done a lot of thinking, especially about his role in the JLA. And he’s not the only one; by this issue’s end, the Justice League will be changed for better or worse, as old allies leave and a new team emerges.

#077 – “Stardust Memories.” While patrolling the moon’s surface, new JLA members Atom and John Stewart (Earth’s new/old Green Lantern) come across an alien artifact partially buried in the lunar surface. When they move closer to the tiny device, they suddenly forget about their superpowers, forcing Flash to rescue them before they succumb to the vacuum of space. Taking the artifact aboard the Watchtower, the League learns that the strange device is a sentient machine called Mnemon, and that it has come to Earth to steal and record the inhabitants’ knowledge and memories, before wiping out the planet. Can the JLA prevent this alien technology from carrying out its mission, without destroying it and accidentally unleashing the miniature black hole that serves as its power source? Written by guest writer Rick Veitch.

#078 – “Rules of Engagement,” part 1 of 2. The reborn JLA – old members Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, and Flash, and newcomers Atom, John Stewart, Firestorm, Major Disaster, Faith, and Manitou Raven – are ready for their first big mission! When a distress signal from space points the League’s attention towards two faraway planets on the verge of war, the new League is quickly divided over whether or not they should intervene. After all, an interplanetary war light years away from Earth is hardly in their jurisdiction, and several JLA members believe that their interests and attention should remain closer to home. But the rest of the League feels their mission extends to all people in need, and so they travel to the distant planets and insert themselves into a situation in which they have no legitimate authority. Now the JLA must find a way to broker peace between two alien worlds that view them as meddling outsiders, but can they do so when their old nemesis Kanjar Ro is secretly pushing both sides towards more bloodshed?

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#080 – “The White Rage,” part 1 of 3. A tense standoff turns into a massacre when the JLA steps between a pacifist cult founded by metahumans, and heavily-armed agents of US federal law enforcement. As the battle escalates, members of the League scramble to defuse the situation and protect the innocent children in the camp, until a strange and powerful explosion levels the cult’s compound. This terrible turn of events leaves the Leaguers involved on the run, as each one believes himself/herself to be the sole cause of the blast, and thus responsible for the deaths of hundreds. Believing their teammates are innocent, the remaining JLA members begin an investigation and discover that there’s more to this incident than originally believed. As they delve into the true nature of the so-called cult, they uncover a shadowy conspiracy at work, and a connection between those truly responsible for the explosion, and the League’s mysterious new member Faith. …And what’s this? Batman and Wonder Woman, on a date?!?

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#083 – “American Nightmare.” A biotech terrorist attack on England’s soil leads back to the rogue nation Qurac, whose dictatorial leader is believed to be actively pursuing programs of WMD production. US President elect Lex Luthor supports pre-emptive military action against Qurac, before another potential attack can take place on American soil, and to prevent more deadly WMDs from falling into terrorist hands. Superman and the JLA, however, aren’t completely sure of Qurac’s involvement, and counsel against pre-emptive action until more solid proof can be discovered. But without any genuine authority on the matter, they cannot interfere without defying the President of the United States or breaking international law. As the tension mounts and a panicked America braces for the prospect of potential terrorist attacks and war, Superman must make a choice and decide where his loyalties lie. But things aren’t quite what they seem here, in more ways than one… Sounds familiar? Well, it should, for obvious reasons.

#084 – “Trial by Fire,” part 1 of 6. J’onn J’onnz, the Martian Manhunter, is arguably the most powerful superbeing on the planet. But for all his amazing powers – abilities that include superstrength, flight, telepathy, shapeshifting, and intangibility – he also has one very deadly, and very common, weakness: fire. Time and time again, this weakness has hindered Martian Manhunter’s effectiveness as a hero, and during the JLA’s battle with the Ancient League it rendered him completely helpless, forcing him to watch as his teammates, his friends, were slaughtered. Vowing never to let fire get the best of him again, J’onn took a rare leave of absence from the Justice League, and spent months training mind and body to endure the flame under the tutelage of the reformed villainess Scorch. And now, his hard work and perseverance has finally paid off, in more ways than one; the Martian Manhunter no longer weakens when exposed to fire, and he has found love once again in the arms of his tutor. For perhaps the first time since his arrival on Earth, J’onn is happy, and now he desires nothing more than to live freely with his newfound love Aubrey. But unbeknownst to J’onn, a dark and primitive secret has lain dormant within his cells, inside all Martians, waiting for the moment of release. And now, that time has come. In ridding himself of the weakness inherent in all Martian beings, J’onn J’onnz has accidentally unleashed a terrible and evil force upon the Earth, with power enough to single-handedly destroy the Justice League and set the world ablaze. Caught off-guard and overwhelmed by this new menace, a broken JLA must find a way to save the world from one of their own before the planet is consumed in the fires of chaos and suffering.

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#090 – “Perchance…” Batman, the Dark Knight. Wonder Woman, the Amazon Princess. One is an obsessed billionaire vigilante cloaked in shadows and mystery, a consummate detective and a skilled martial artist. The other is a beautiful and regal ambassador, a warrior born and bred who dedicates her life to spreading the light of truth to every corner of man’s world. Despite their differences of opinion, ideology, and methodology, these two heroes have stood side-by-side many times against countless dangers, bound together by their rivalry, their friendship, and their common desire to make the world a better place. But in “The Obsidian Age,” the relationship between Batman and Wonder Woman took a strange and unexpected turn, when recent flirtations and growing sexual tension gave way to a passionate kiss, moments before meeting their demise at the Ancient League’s hands. But since that tender moment, nothing; both heroes have purposely avoided the issue at hand, and their confused emotions and reluctance to sort things out has begun to affect their working relationship. They can’t put things off forever, though, and so Wonder Woman seeks the help of Martian Manhunter in exploring her subconscious mind, to discover what feelings (if any) she has for Batman. Can these two JLA members find love in each other’s arms? Is the possibility of a romantic future together worth jeopardizing the friendship they have now? Joe Kelly’s final issue as regular series writer for JLA ties up this one final loose thread, for better or worse.

Continued...

 

[Spike Spiegel]

#091 – “Extinction,” part 1 of 3. Things get a little hairy (and sucky) when the JLA encounters an intelligent, shapeshifting space monkey named Peppy! This unusual alien visitor is on a mission to study Earth’s evolution, and he needs the Justice League’s help in locating a particular species of ape that bears more than a passing resemblance to Peppy’s own alien race. But when the primate he’s looking for goes extinct due to clear-cutting of its forest habitat the space monkey goes apesh*t, leaving the JLA to clean up the mess. The JLA series enters an experimental phase with this issue, one where rotating creative teams serve up the goods with each arc, and comics legend Dennis O’Neil and artist Tang Eng Huat get things off to a tremendously bad start with this utterly forgettable story.

#092
#093

#094 – “The Tenth Circle,” part 1 of 6. A secretive, shadowy army of vampires is threatening to take over the Earth. Their leader, an ancient and powerful vampire lord known as Crucifer, has enslaved Superman with his bite and turned the Kryptonian hero against his allies in the JLA. Manitou Raven recognizes the danger the planet faces, but disappears before he can warn his comrades in the League. A strange gang of metahuman runaways and freaks roams the streets, reluctantly serving the vampire lord’s wishes. As the League investigates the growing menace and the whereabouts of their missing comrades, a forgotten group of heroes waits on the sidelines, debating whether or not they should intervene. These mysterious and horrific events can mean only one thing – legendary comics writer/artist John Byrne is using the Justice League as window dressing in an ill-conceived story intended to re-introduce the Doom Patrol! Oh, and Chris Claremont’s name is on the cover too, for some reason.

#095
#096
#097
#098
#099

#100 – “Elitism.” Writer Joe Kelly and artist Doug Mahnke return to JLA, for one more story! This landmark extra-sized 100th issue features the long-awaited return of one of the toughest and most raw super-groups in the DCU: The Elite! The JLA is torn apart when Vera Black makes her debut as leader of the Elite, with intentions to clear her family name and show the JLA "how things should be done!" The shockwaves from this issue changes the JLA as we know it — dividing its ranks and setting the stage for July's debut of the exciting new maxi-series JUSTICE LEAGUE ELITE!

Whew!

 

[nomoment]

I see you put a lot of work into this, Spike. It's unfortunate that JLA started sucking after #46, though. Joe Kelly's run has been mixed, the fill-ins arcs were terrible (especially Claremont/Byrne's), and I don't think anybody's excited about Austen's upcoming arc.

Viva la Grant Morrison (and early Mark Waid)!

I think I'll start buying JLA again once Dan Slott and Dan Jurgens' upcoming run kicks in.

 

[DarienA]

Uh that Tenth Circle storyline was absolute garbage... Garbage... GARBAGE

 

[fennec fox]

Superman and the flash look like doddering idiots.

 

[Mercury Fred]

When does Gail Simone's run happen? I'm dying to see her take on the League.

 

[Spike Spiegel]

Superman and the flash look like doddering idiots.

Best group pic I could come up with. Alex Ross never did a painting of the modern JLA.

 

[Penguin]

Yeah, Tower of Babel was one of the last story arcs I liked for JLA.

I liked the little Batman/Superman issue, where the league is bickering. Didn't like the story arc afterwards.

I also liked the Plastic Man/Batman story.

 

[Spike Spiegel]

*hangs self*

 

[nomoment]

*hangs self*

I think you should've put the words "Grant Morrison" in the topic title. That would've gotten more views.

 

[Asbel]

The early Grant Morrison run was fun. I was picking up early Nightwing TPB's back then too. Those were the good days.

 

[Spike Spiegel]

I think you should've put the words "Grant Morrison" in the topic title. That would've gotten more views.

Yeah, right... I should've made the title "OMG check out Wonder Woman's TIG OL' BITTIES ROFL!!!" It may not have gotten any more responses than it did, but at least more people'd take a look. Probably would've gotten locked for misleading, though.

Unless, of course, I actually did post a picture of Wonder Woman's tig ol' bitties...

Hmmm...

 

[Spike Spiegel]

Heh. Mother Earth got punked.